MGT5IPM International Project Management Report 3 Sample

MGT5IPM International Project Management Report 3

Instructions:

Submit a professional report for Snowy Hydro project 2.0 – a major expansion of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, answering the following questions:

1. What do you see as the objectives of the Snowy Hydro project? Think beyond just the operational requirements and consider all stakeholders and all benchmarks the lead project manager should consider. Which of these objectives are likely to be met? Which are in jeopardy? And why?

2. Given that the project involves multiple international stakeholders (WeBuild/Salini Impregilo – Italy for civil and infrastructure engineering; Lane Constructions – USA partners with WeBuild in the Future Generation Joint Venture; Voith Group – Germany for supplying hydroelectric equipment) how would you optimise monitoring and control of the project to improve the likelihood of meeting its objectives?

3. Identify what you consider to be the top four risks you would include in a risk management plan associated with this project. Briefly explain how you would respond to each of these risks.

4. What robust project management methodologies would you use to prevent “time-frame slippage”?

Expectations

- Your report should be presented in a report format. It needs to look and sound professional and be suitable for presentation.

- Please use materials from the subject and academic and professional publications (relevant and recent journal articles and books) to inform your discussion. We advise against using popular websites as the information contained within is frequently incorrect, which may jeopardise the project's success. A minimum of 10 references should be used to ensure a passing mark

- We are looking for the thinking that supports your decisions and recommendations and the underpinning logic, not just how well you can repeat what you have been taught or have read.

Report Format

1. Cover page with the topic and student’s name

2. Executive summary (less than a page, in paragraphs and bullet points, summarising the report)

3. Table of contents page

4. Introduction of the report and project overview

5. Objectives (appropriate headings for Q1)

6. Optimising monitoring and control (appropriate headings for Q2)

7. Risk assessment (appropriate headings for Q3)

8. Management methodologies to prevent time slippage (appropriate headings for Q4)

9. Conclusion

10. List of references (listed in alphabetical order and APA referencing style)

Solution

Introduction and Project Overview

Snowy Hydro 2.0 is a massive transformative renewable energy project. It is an expansion and a part of the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, the storage reservoir is in between the Tantangara and Talbingo dams (Snowy Hydro Limited, 2020). This stretch of the lined tunnel is 27 kilometres and is proposed to serve mass, demand power generation. It will be crucial for Australia to transition to a low-carbon economy, and Snowy Hydro 2.0 will help to do that by making the usage of renewable resources more efficient. Some of the project partners include WeBuild, Lane Constructions and Voith Group among international collaborators. The project of Snowy Hydro 2.0 proves that cooperation with partners from all over the world can be beneficial for searching for energy solutions.

This report will look at the objectives of the project, which are environmental and economic objectives. It will tackle the issue of the level of expectation by the different stakeholders, as well as the satisfaction level of the community. Moreover, methods of improving the processes of monitoring and controlling according to the aim and objectives of the project will be explained. The risk evaluation quite comprehensively unveils pivotal concerns and appropriate assertions to address. Methods of project management to avoid schedule slippage will also be discussed among the methodologies. Last, the report provides an analysis of the Significance and expected outcomes of Snowy Hydro 2.0.

Objectives of the Snowy Hydro 2.0 Project

Key Objectives for Project Success

Snowy Hydro 2.0 has several primary goals, functional and strategic. On the operational front, it is tasked to supply 2,200 MW of dispatchable power to the National Electricity Market. With a storage capability that can achieve up to 350,000 Megawatt hours, it provides energy during peak demands (Snowy Hydro Limited, 2020). Furthermore, it will reinstate the closed loop of Australia’s energy grid and help provide stability. These operational goals help in increasing Australia’s energy mix in transforming to a cleaner energy mix. Strategic goals are to assist in achieving the Australian climate targets and to reduce electricity prices. By means of storing the energy, Snowy 2.0 now uses solar and wind energy generation in a more effective way and minimises the usage of fossil fuel. The project also intends to create regional employment with about 4,000 direct employees to augment the economy in the Snowy Mountain for MBA assignment expert.

Stakeholder Expectations and Benchmarking

Snowy Hydro 2.0 engages stakeholders through extensive community outreach initiatives. Government bodies and utility agencies were consulted during the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process. Community engagement includes a dedicated information line, letter drops, and public meetings. These efforts aim to address community concerns and promote transparency. Snowy Hydro’s Local School STEM Fund will further community goodwill, fostering STEM education in local schools (Snowy Hydro, 2024a). The fund extends the Community Investment Fund, supporting over 39 community projects (Snowy Hydro, 2023). Ongoing communication during EIS public exhibitions ensures stakeholders understand project goals and environmental considerations.

Objectives Likely to Be Achieved

While some of the goals regarding Snowy 2.0 are attainable given the current project configuration (ANAO, 2021). The energy storage target is derived from engineering enhancement and falls in line with the technical concept of the project. The employment target should also be attainable provided the magnitude of construction. In this case, renewable energy efficiency is expected to increase since infrastructure design incorporates the current renewable sources.

Objectives Potentially at Risk

There are probabilities that challenge some of the objectives involved especially those relating to stakeholders and the environment. Since the project may have numerous international partners, collaboration management may be challenging and, thus, cause a slowdown. Community expectations on environmental processes may not agree with the business operational demands and hence reverse any ecological standards achieved. There are risks that need to be mitigated, and include quality, environmental, and international partner collaboration to ensure success in the project. It is expected to bring valuable environmental and economic outcomes and foster the further development of the Australian renewable energy sector and the country’s climate policies.
Optimizing Monitoring and Control of the Project

International Stakeholder Coordination

Snowy Hydro 2.0 relies on international partners like WeBuild, Lane Constructions, and Voith Group. Effective coordination among these stakeholders is essential for meeting project objectives. Establishing clear communication channels helps ensure that each organization understands its role. Using digital project management platforms enables consistent updates, reducing miscommunication risks (Vasudevan et al., 2023). Regular meetings with other teams result in a better definition of goals and due dates. Moreover, maintaining all the communication within the specific project in the hands of the central project manager reduces the confusion among stakeholders. This way of establishing teams makes it easy to have order in the mush of employees in different parts of the world. It is an important renewable energy project in Australia to support Australia’s low-carbon transformation plan. Some of the goal of this project include; energy demand supply, grid stabilization, employment creation within the region, and favourable Australian climate change goals. Communication with stakeholders, governments, and utilities, as well as community involvement is highly requisite when seeking to explain the process and/or deal with emerging issues.

Performance Monitoring Techniques

The performance measurement is essential for evaluating the firm’s progress toward its goals on Snowy Hydro 2.0. Applying Earned Value Management (EVM) delivers quantitative value for project timelines and budgets (Proaño-Narváez et al., 2022). EVM is used to determine the current update on the developmental status of the project in terms of time and costs. Additional clarity is provided by having Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) unique to each party’s activities. For example, WeBuild’s KPIs could be the civil engineering goals they set and Lane Constructions’ goals could be construction timelines. A number of techniques like Agile, the Critical Path Method (CPM), Gantt charts among others are common and they are implemented in order to avoid delay and likely problems facing efficient project completion and resource usage. The Voith Group could concentrate its key performance indicators on the rates of equipment manufacturing and delivery. These metrics need to be checked often so that they can be modified when performance is lagging.

Quality Control Mechanisms

Quality control ensures that Snowy Hydro 2.0 meets the technical standards required for reliability and safety. Regular audits and inspections are essential across each project phase to uphold quality benchmarks. Assigning each partner specific quality targets for their roles encourages accountability. For example, Voith Group’s hydroelectric equipment should undergo stringent testing for durability (Voith, 2024). There are risks that need to be mitigated, and include quality, environmental, and international partner collaboration to ensure success in the project. Lane Constructions should maintain quality standards in tunnel construction, ensuring structural integrity. Periodic site inspections allow the project manager to confirm adherence to project specifications. Consistent quality monitoring can prevent delays caused by rework or defects in equipment and infrastructure.

Managing Cross-Border Compliance

Snowy Hydro 2.0 must meet regulatory standards across different countries, given its international stakeholders. A dedicated compliance team is essential to handle these cross-border legal requirements. Ensuring each partner adheres to both Australian regulations and their home country’s laws prevents legal obstacles. For instance, environmental standards under the Environmental Protection Licence that the company has to work under should be closely monitored. Therefore, the compliance team should also monitor equipment standards based on Snowy Hydro’s EPBC 2018-8322 approval (Snowy Hydro, 2024). Having a system whereby regulations are checked assists in eliminating the numerous time wastage arising from legal ambiguities. This approach also allows each partner to input on a project that complies with the law.

Risk Assessment of the Snowy Hydro 2.0 Project

Management Methodologies to Prevent Time-Frame Slippage

Agile Project Management for Flexibility

The project of Snowy Hydro 2.0 would require aggressive project management methodologies for no time-frame slippage in meeting its milestones. CPM is highly useful for complex projects. Through CPM, one could map critical tasks, make resource allocation, and determine bottleneck points that might cause the delay. Through CPM, one could track which path leads to the least time required for project completion and identify dependency and make proactive scheduling. In the third approach, the method takes into account risk assessment while preparing schedules. Since such projects consider time and cost when establishing plans, risk can easily be identified. Agile methodologies give the ability to manage change in the context of project activity (Arefazar et al., 2022). The methodology that Agile uses is one that allows for the constant reconsideration of tasks to deal with problems that may arise. Agile then, can be used for the unpredictable environmental tasks of Snowy 2.0 firstly. Short work cycles make the possibility of adaptation available to the project team throughout construction phases, thus minimizing long periods of stagnation.

Critical Path Method (CPM) for Task Sequencing

The Critical Path Method (CPM) produces an appropriate method to track task dependencies (Kim, 2020). CPM stands for the longest chain of project activities where the maximum time is assigned to estimate the minimum time for completion of such project activities. One is the identification of the critical paths that will help project managers to identify areas that need their attention. It erases bottlenecks because it identifies high-value work and keeps the tempo of the project moving.

Gantt Charts for Scheduling Transparency

Gantt charts provide a schedule for coordinated task tracking during phases of a project. Project managers can see progress and then adjust the workforce if necessary. In Gantt charts, the actual start and end times of each activity are as well tracked accordingly. This makes it easier for the managers to identify any form slippage so that relevant changes can be made promptly.
Resource Allocation for Efficiency

Minimizing resource commitment risks are managed in as much as over-committing resources are avoided in a particular time frame. Resource requirements analysis helps to prevent the lack of certain resources or, on the contrary, an excess of them in the course of managing projects. Organizing human and material resources at Snowy 2.0 should reflect the criticality level of tasks. Resources are made available to specific divisions to ensure materials are on hand to perform vital actions and keep the project moving. As high-risk tasks can now be evaluated, resources may then be allocated or even time devoted to critical activities prone to delays. Hence, using a proactive schedule where every critical activity liable for any delay will be dealt with cautiously. EVM stands to be one of the great techniques of keeping tabs with the execution process according to the established plans related to time and budget. This facilitates measurable data on projects and can identify delay-related issues or budget fluctuations quite in time. Such being its scale and complexity, a proactive and flexible management risk and project approach by Snowy Hydro 2.0 is the essence. The project may reduce risks of delays, complete well in time, and therefore ensure success when the four top risks are addressed by targeted responses coupled with effective project management methodologies.

Conclusion

Snowy Hydro 2.0 is the first major advance towards the effective use of sustainable energy in Australia. In relation to stakeholder concerns, Snowy Hydro 2.0 meets energy efficiency, economic hierarchal, and environmental concerns. To this end, international cooperation is required, coupled with the right monitoring mechanisms and great emphasis on quality assurance. Mitigating environmental factors, budgets, technology and community management risks for any project allows for project stability and compliance. Failure to develop an array of simple ideas to manage project schedules and risks hinder project execution and hence, best practices such as agile methodologies, critical path tracking and resource allocation help in project delay mitigation. CPM determines the main chain of chronological linked activities that are obligatory for project on-time completion and enables managers make preferable decisions essential for the prompt definition of critical activities and avoidance of delays. Compared to other techniques, Gantt charts show the starting and ending of each of the activities in real-time. They also provide total transparency on the progress status and ensure the right resources are allocated as well as reduce time delays in case of a schedule shift. It is for this reason that this report outlines some key measures for effective implementation of the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project and other similar projects especially bearing in mind Australia’s aspirations in the area of renewable energy. Snowy 2.0 has many long-term positive effects for Australia. Snowy Hydro 2.0 will assist the country in achieving its climate goals as well as the renewable sector.

References

ANAO. (2021, June 24). Snowy 2.0 Governance of Early Implementation | Australian National Audit Office. Anao.gov.au. https://www.anao.gov.au/work/performance-audit/snowy-20-governance-early-implementation

Arefazar, Y., Nazari, A., Hafezi, M. R., & Maghool, S. A. H. (2022). Prioritizing agile project management strategies as a change management tool in construction projects. International Journal of Construction Management, 22(4), 678-689. https://www.academia.edu/download/117099611/15623599.2019.164475720240729-1-6ncauc.pdf

Kim, K. (2020). Generalized resource-constrained critical path method to improve sustainability in construction project scheduling. Sustainability, 12(21), 8918. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/21/8918/pdf

Proaño-Narváez, M., Flores-Vázquez, C., Vásquez Quiroz, P., & Avila-Calle, M. (2022). Earned value method (EVM) for construction projects: current application and future projections. Buildings, 12(3), 301. https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/3/301/pdf

Snowy Hydro. (2023). Community. Snowy Hydro. https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/hunter-power-project/community-support/

Snowy Hydro. (2024a, June 3). Local School STEM Fund - Snowy Hydro. Snowy Hydro. https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/local-school-stem-fund/

Snowy Hydro. (2024b). Documents. Snowy Hydro. https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/snowy-20/documents/

Snowy Hydro Limited. (2020). Snowy 2.0. Snowy Hydro. https://www.snowyhydro.com.au/snowy-20/about/

Vasudevan, A., Prabakaran, R., Sam, T. H., Ruiteng, X., Nagaraj, S., Ramachandran, S. D., & Beleya, P. (2023). Effective Communication Management in Remote Working
Environment on Project Management Success. Res Militaris, 13(2), 1805-1823. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Toong_Hai_Sam2/publication/368359528_Effective_Communication_

Management_in_Remote_Working_Environment_on_Project_Management_Success/

links/64253b8792cfd54f843ba675/Effective-Communication-Management-in-Remote-Working-Environment-on-Project-Management-Success.pdf

Voith. (2024). Hydropower automation, control & protection systems from a single source | Voith. Voith.com. https://voith.com/corp-en/hydropower-components/automation.html