Tools and Techniques used in Project Management.

Assessment Information
This assignment is designed to assess learning outcomes:
1. Evaluate and apply modern project management techniques to real projects in the business
environment.
2. Critically analyse the different tools and techniques used in project management.
This assignment is an individual assignment.
This assignment requires you to prepare a Project Initiation Document (PID) base on the following case study:
The Curzon Street Masterplan outlines proposals for the 141 hectare area of regeneration. It covers the area
that will house the HS2 Curzon Street station in Birmingham city centre, along with multi-million pounds
investment into the surrounding area. It envisages the creation of 36,000 new jobs. 4,000 new homes and
600,000 square metres of commercial development.
The HS2 Curzon Street station project is part of this development and will include the construction of seven
high speed platforms and a taxi ramp. It will also include the installation of IT and train control systems, and
the training staff on the use of the new systems. A project Feasibility Assessment and Environmental and
Social Impact Assessment has been completed. Also, a Business Case has been prepared and a budget of £2.1
million has been approved by the HS2 Project Board. The project is to be completed within a year and six
months.
The new station will not only be for high speed rail passengers. It will be a brand new public space and
gateway into Birmingham city centre. The existing Moor Street station is at one end, the Millennium Point
development and historic Curzon Street station building are to the north of the site and the existing
Birmingham to Rugby railway line runs along the south side. The station will be fully integrated into an
extended tram network, as well as offering pedestrian, cycle, taxi, bus and conventional rail connections to the
rest of the city and the wider West Midlands.
(Adapted from HS2, 2019)
You have been hired as the project manager to oversee the planning and development of this project. Your
first task is to prepare a project initiation document (2000 words), drawing on appropriate project
management theory and frameworks, to present to the Project Sponsor.
Your report MUST contain two sections.
Part 1: Project Management Plan.
The plan should consider the following aspects of the project:
• The project scope statement, including a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The project schedule
including a Gantt chart and your project milestones.
• An initial assessment of stakeholders (minimum 8) by identifying, analyzing, planning and providing
recommendations on how these stakeholders should be managed to maximize the chance of
achieving the project objectives.
• An initial assessment of risks (minimum 8) presented by the project and the response strategies
proposed.
Part 2: Contemporary Knowledge and Skill Requirements in Project Management
You are expected to read the following research article on Contemporary Knowledge and Skill
Requirements in Project Management (please see link below). Drawing on the findings that indicates that the
selected project management textbooks put the strongest emphasis on project planning and control,
relationship management, and resource management, and leveraging on other credible academic sources,
critically discuss how these three competencies can aid success in your project.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pmj.20122
A copy of the article is also available on your Moodle page (Assessment Section)
NOTE
You are required to research and apply project management theory in order to successfully complete this
assignment. In order to pass, you will need to use a minimum of 10 separate sources, including a minimum of
5 textbooks and/or scientific journal articles. DO NOT copy the research article without providing critical and
academically sound analysis.
Report recommended structure: Your assignment should be presented as a report, using the following
structure:
Part 1 Project Management Plan
1. Introduction
2. Project scope statement (including inclusions, exclusions, assumptions, objectives, deliverables and
constraint, and a WBS)
3. Project schedule with a Gantt chart and milestones
4. Project stakeholder assessment
5. Risk management – threats and opportunities assessment
Part 2: Contemporary Knowledge and Skill Requirements in Project Management
Word Count
The word count is 2,000 words
There will be a penalty of a deduction of 10% of the mark (after internal moderation) for work exceeding the
word limit by 10% or more.
The word limit includes quotations and citations. Tables, figures, appendices and the final references list are
omitted from the overall word count. You must state the number of words used on the front cover of the
assignment.