UCT APM M1 U3 - Activity Submission
UCT APM M1 U3 - Activity Submission
Activity submission
Learning outcomes:
Name:
1. Instructions and guidelines (Read carefully)
Instructions
1. Insert your name and surname in the space provided above, as well as in the file name.
Save the file as: First name Surname M1 U3 Activity Submission – e.g. Lilly Smith M1
U3 Activity Submission. NB! Please ensure that you use the name that appears in your
student profile on the Online Campus.
2. Write all your answers in this document. There is an instruction that says, “Start writing
here” under each question. Please type your answer there.
3. Submit your assignment in Microsoft Word only. No other file types will be accepted.
PLEASE NOTE: Plagiarism cases will be investigated in line with the Terms and Conditions
for Students.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please ensure that you have checked your course calendar for the due
date for this assignment.
Guidelines
1. There are four pages and two questions in this assignment.
2. Make sure that you have carefully read and fully understood the questions before
answering them. Answer the questions fully but concisely and as directly as possible.
Follow all specific instructions for individual questions (e. g. “list”, “in point form”).
3. Answer all questions in your own words. Do not copy any text from the notes, readings
or other sources. The assignment must be your own work only.
Plagiarism declaration:
1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is to use another’s work and pretend that
Page 2 of 4
it is one’s own.
2. This assignment is my own work.
3. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of
passing it off as his or her own work.
4. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment (or part of it) is wrong, and
declare that my assignments are my own work.
2. Mark allocation
Each question receives a mark allocation. However, you will only receive a final percentage
mark and will not be given individual marks for each question. The mark allocation is there
to show you the weighting and length of each question.
TOTAL 20
3. Questions
Question 1
As a project manager, you are responsible for the project’s success. The project sponsor is
responsible for, amongst other things, exploiting the benefits of project deliverables in their
organisation. Briefly describe the generic distinction between the project manager (PM) role
and the project sponsor role. Make sure your response makes reference to benefits
realisation management. (Max. 25 lines)
Question 2
Consider the following case study:
“PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara’s Batu Hijau copper concentrator was the world’s largest
“greenfield” start-up when it was commissioned in September 1999. It was an extremely
complex construction project located on the remote Indonesian island of Sumbawa involving
1,704,400 design hours, 48,791,000 hours, 551 separate systems, and 19,200 engineering
drawings and documents. Nevertheless, it was completed one month ahead of schedule and
$100 million under budget. It was considered very successful, but not merely because of its
cost and schedule performance. Rather, it was viewed as successful because the production
ramp-up was faster than expected, producing a cash flow from operations exceeding 200%
Page 3 of 4
of budget within a year of start-up. In this case, the project team focused on the real
objective that was to produce copper concentrate, not to achieve the cost and schedule
targets.”
(Source: www.maxwideman.com/guests/metrics/failures.htm)
Discuss this scenario with specific reference to the influence of the Iron Triangle constraints,
as well as any other dimensions of success (success factors) that played a role in the
successful outcome of this project. (Max. 25 lines)
Tip:
- Motivate your deductions and assertions by referencing the case study, while
watching out for assumptions that aren’t proven or based on fact.
- Provide insight into what the iron triangle does not tell us – i.e. benefits realised
beyond achieving Iron Triangle related project success.
Page 4 of 4