Project Title: Waste materials - Dealing with waste streams at sea

Learning outcome -

• Formulate and record possible outline project specifications.
• Identify the factors that contribute to the process of project selection.
• Produce a specification for the agreed project.
• Produce an appropriate project plan for the agreed project.
• Produce a record of all project procedures used.
• Use an agreed format and appropriate media to present the outcomes of the project to an audience.

Assignment 1 - Purpose of this assignment

This assignment will give you the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of project design, implementation and evaluation. You will be able to carry out a detailed research project that may include a practical element, to meet defined criteria.

Scenario

You are working as a junior project engineer for a Global Marine Shipping Company that operates a fleet of container ships, bulk carriers and cruise liners. Your manager has asked you to carry out a detailed research project to assess the company's operations in a specific area of marine engineering that will be reported to the Board of Directors. You have been asked to include the historical and current perspective of the area under review to make sure it meets the company's requirements for their shipping fleet operations. In addition, you have been asked to develop proposals for future research and development in this area. The company would like to bench mark itself against other operators in this field, so you have been asked to include an analysis of case studies with respect to your research.

The project will take the form of three assignments that include two presentations outlining your project goals.

1: This report will cover the design of the research project such that you will put forward your proposal to ensure that it meets the company's requirements. In addition, the project proposal will form the basis of a five minute presentation to your line manager.

2: This report will cover the implementation and completion of the project deliverables. 

3: This report will cover the evaluation of the actual project deliverables against the project goals. In addition the project evaluation will form the basis of a ten minute presentation.

The following tasks are required to be completed to meet the learning outcomes of this module.

Task 1: Develop a project outline that includes the following:

• Project title
• A summary of the areas to be covered in your research
• A review of the literature to be used
• Identified goals and potential limitations
• The value of the project to the company
• Required resources
• Roles and responsibilities

Task 2: a) Carry out a SWOT analysis, with respect to your chosen research project, to identify the factors that could contribute to the project's success, or conversely reveal its potential limitations. Where you have identified limitations, develop a gap analysis to ensure that control measures and a remedial action plan are in place.

b) i) Identify an alternative method for quantifying the factors that could contribute to the project's success or conversely reveal its potential limitations. Explain how this analysis technique is developed and applied. 

ii) Apply the technique identified in 2b to your chosen project proposal to assess its viability.  Compare the outcomes with those produced from applying the SWOT analysis technique.  

Task 3: For this task you are required to develop a specification for the research project you are undertaking. The project specification should include an analysis of the following: 

• Estimate of costs
• Timescales and milestones
• Scope and scale of operation under review
• Standards that apply to the project
• Applicable national and international legislation
• Application of ethics
• Project sustainability
• Monitoring project quality
• Ensuring the project outcomes are fit-for-purpose
• Application of operational business data
• Availability of resources

Task 6: To ensure your chosen project meets the company's expectations you are required to present your proposal to the Project Manager. Your presentation should include:

• A explanation of your proposed project and expected outcomes
• An interim review of findings,
• The current progress of your research
• Potential weaknesses and threats to your project goals

Prepare a five minute PowerPoint presentation of no more than five slides that clearly explains the topics you are covering in your research. Include a copy of your presentation in your report and briefly discuss how you have used this media with respect to delivering the information in an appropriate form for the intended audience.

Assignment 2 - The following tasks are required to be completed to meet the learning outcomes of this module.

Task 1: For this task you are required to continue to maintain your project plan. It is important that the initial time lines are adopted to ensure that the completed project can be presented to the Board of Directors at their annual meeting in March 2017.

Continue to include the various activities derived from the project implementation including identified timelines, milestones and resources for each activity. Use your Gantt chart to clearly identify concurrent and consecutive activities.

Task 2: For this task you are required to submit the bulk of your research project report that should be completed to the agreed specification. You should ensure that the report is well organised, containing the appropriate level of analysis with respect to the relevant agreed outcomes. The report will form the basis of your final presentation to the Board of Directors.

Task 3: To support the development of your project you are required to continue your daily logbook that details your research, meetings, discussions and design activities that have been undertaken to meet the project goals. The logbook will be reviewed by the Project Manager (module tutor) on a weekly basis.