EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (ABSTRACT)
In the twin island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; the field of water resource management is an emerging, but important one. With water being continuously contaminated and with the Earth’s purifying systems being challenged globally, by the human society, it has become imperative to take action to look after these regulating systems. Science and technology education for students has been the key operation of the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology (NIHERST). This organisation has been in existence since 1984, and has been actively engaged with the local student population across both islands.
The work of the organisation is broad; it covers several areas in the scientific and technological academia. Further, it runs the only public science centre in the region, and is therefore attractive to regional visitors. Additionally, the tasks which the institute conducts include a number of projects which are specifically geared to the promotion of water resource management. It includes educational based training segments, and pilot studies based on the implementation of rain water harvesting systems (RWHSs). The RWHSs were the first to be put into practise on the island of Trinidad, at public schools and community centres, in rural communities. NIHERST, together with its sponsor, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) collaboratively developed a project management plan (PMP) for the NIHERST-WRA Water Warrior Educational Toolkit Project. The WRA has been engaged in awareness building in the area of water resource management.
At this time, NIHERST does not have a suitable management function for projects. It however utilizes project management concepts, and templates, but not in a fully developed methodology. It has been installing software, and training project managers and teams in using the software. As such, this PMP has been built as a pilot study for the organization and can be used as an example for future projects. Currently, with a troubled economic situation, grant funding will be that much more significant to the organization, and therefore successful project management outcomes are important for demonstrating capability in the area of project management.
The general objective was to develop a complete project management plan (PMP) framed within the standards of the Project Management Institute, for the Final Graduation Project. This PMP will be relevant to the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) and the Water Resources Agency (WRA) Water Warrior Educational Toolkit Project, and developed for the initiation and planning phases of the project life cycle. The PMP would function as a pilot study for other water-based projects at NIHERST. The specific objectives were: to create a project management plan and a project charter, to plan, and authorize and initiate the project; to develop the scope management plan, requirements documentation, requirements traceability matrix,
xvi
project scope statement, and scope baseline for the project; to plan, and develop the schedule, and to define, sequence, and estimate activities for the project; to develop the cost management plan, cost estimates, basis of estimates, cost baseline, and project funding requirements; to create the quality management plan, and quality metrics for the project; to build the resource management plan, team charter, resource requirements, basis of estimates, and resource breakdown structure; to create the communications management plan; to develop a risk management plan, register, and report for the project; to create the procurement management plan, strategy, bid documents, statement of work, source selection criteria, make-or-buy decisions, and independent cost estimates; and to develop the stakeholder register and the stakeholder engagement plan for the project.
The methodologies for the creation of the Project Management Plan (PMP) for this project involved the use of analytical, quantitative, qualitative, and descriptive research methods. The analytical research method was used to investigate the inputs for the development of each knowledge area for the PMP. The quantitative research method was conducted to make estimates for timelines, and milestones, and for the cost and resource estimates for the PMP. Another method used was the qualitative research method; it was used as part of the risk analysis in the development of the PMP. Finally, the descriptive method most often used the past experience, and records of the organisation to integrate into the PMP, such as from lessons learnt, and from interviews with project managers, and team members.
The final graduation project resulted in a project management plan for the Water Warriors Educational Toolkit project, which would be a baseline, used to enter the execution, monitoring and finally closing phases of the project. The plan has been guided by the ten (10) knowledge areas contained in the PMBOK Guide 6th edition. The plan is a pilot project management plan, because this format and approach has not been used at the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science & Technology. It is recommended that sustainability initiatives be incorporated into the plan, and be reported on.
Sustainability initiatives such as determining, selecting and incorporating green criteria in the procurement knowledge area processes is one such green initiative. The integrated water resource management policy which has objectives to achieve healthy freshwater bodies in itself works in tandem with green project management initiatives such as the Water Warriors Educational Toolkit project. The objectives of the Water Warriors Educational Toolkit project aims to teach students how they can improve their conception, practices of water conservation, and preservation, in addition to the sustainability practices recommended for the project’s execution phase.
descargar aqui
