Question

Project Monitoring and Control Process Plan:
You have a Project Budget for building a five-bedroom house in Ashburn, VA. Assume that your building project is two months behind and has a $100,000.00 cost overrun. This should not be a surprise to you because of the monitoring processes. Identify and discuss some of the monitoring processes that could have alerted you of the schedule and cost problems. What are some of the controlling steps you would take to bring both the schedule and the cost back on track? Be sure to justify your answers. . Your Project Monitoring and Control Process Plan should be at least two pages including a summarization and conclusion page. If necessary, include data from the Project Budget and Project Schedule in the table shown below to support your schedule and cost problems.

Unit 5 Project:
Activity Description	Start Date	End Date	Days to complete	Est $
Architectural Design	5/1/2018	5/15/2018	14	50,000
Procurement of machinery	5/15/2018	5/30/2018	15	60,000
Hiring Labor	5/31/2018	6/10/2018	10	120,000
Work and Environmental Permits	7/27/2018	8/6/2018	10	25,000
Site Security	8/18/2018	4/30/2020	731	20,000
Concrete	8/18/2018	8/31/2018	15	80,000
Lumber Procurement	9/1/2018	9/11/2018	10	80,000
Material Storage	9/1/2018	4/30/2020	637	10,000
Scaffolding Erection	9/12/2018	9/17/2018	5	25,000
Framing	9/15/2018	1/13/2019	120	130,000
Roofing	1/14/2019	2/13/2019	30	40,000
Plumbing	2/14/2019	3/17/2019	30	30,000
Electrical	3/18/2019	4/17/2019	30	30,000
HVAC	4/18/2019	6/2/2019	45	40,000
Windows and Doors	6/3/2019	8/2/2019	60	20,000
Drywall	8/3/2019	9/12/2019	40	45,000
Interior Design	9/13/2019	10/23/2019	40	15,000
Paint and Wood Finishing	10/24/2019	12/23/2019	60	40,000
Cabinetry	12/24/2019	1/8/2020	15	40,000
Plumbing Fixtures	12/24/2019	1/8/2020	15	20,000
Lighting Fixtures	12/24/2019	1/8/2020	15	20,000
Flooring	1/9/2020	1/30/2020	21	30,000
Interior Decorator and Decorations	1/31/2020	2/20/2020	20	20,000
Exterior Rock	2/21/2020	3/22/2020	30	50,000
Landscaping	3/23/2020	4/15/2020	23	30,000
Cost of Construction				1,040,000
Contingency (2%)	4/16/2020	4/30/2020	14	19,800
Total				1,059,800

Answer 1

The major concern at the inception of any project is timely completion within the budgetary allocation. This is however, impossible to achieve without constant monitoring and timely action against deviations if any. The importance of this was recognised by organisations which have project based activities and gave birth to a different organisational structure based on projects. A well prepared project monitoring and control process plan can go a long way in the final outcome and ensure the success of the project.

The monitoring plan is synonymous with the project plan itself and needs to work in close synchronicity with the project activities at each step. It needs to identify the project activity, the resources available, the steps involved and identification of risks involved. Next step would be to measure the progress of activity as per schedule and identify deviations if any in terms of time taken or resources allocated or any external factors which may impact timely completion of project or budgets. Once the deviations are identified there is a need to evaluate the causes for the deviations and then put in immediate control measures to minimize negative impact on project cost and completion. Corrective measures need to be speedily implemented and involve quick decision making as to how and where controls need to be implemented to be most effective. This may entail taking remedial action or at times the plan itself may have certain unrealistic targets and then the plan may itself need to be revised or simply amended for certain tasks. The trine of a realistic project plan, an effective step by step monitoring system to identify deviations earliest and a quick and decisive control process can guarantee completion of a project successfully.

The project monitoring and control samples are listed in the table below :

Unit 5 Project:					P=project plan D= Deviation
Activity Description	Start Date	End Date	Days to complete	Est $	Project monitoring	Control Process
Architectural Design	5/1/2018	5/15/2018	14	50,000	Designing as required and does not require P changes	If any D in cost or design modify allocations
Procurement of machinery	5/15/2018	5/30/2018	15	60,000	Ensure cost and setup as per P report D	Verify sourcing is the most viable else try to reduce cost to create buffer
Hiring Labor	5/31/2018	6/10/2018	10	120,000	Ensure as required and daily desired output can be achieved	If any D identify cause and explore more viable sourcing Consider overlapping activity 2,3,4 to create an additional 10 day buffer time
Work and Environmental Permits	7/27/2018	8/6/2018	10	25,000	Ensure all required permits are obtained	Verify changes in policies which may be advantageous
Site Security	8/18/2018	4/30/2020	731	20,000	Ensure cross check to secure site no loopholes	Ensure audit of security measures employed/deployed
Concrete	8/18/2018	8/31/2018	15	80,000	Best sourcing and quality required standards D if any	D to be controlled by ensuring right quality and mix at best price change if needed
Lumber Procurement	9/1/2018	9/11/2018	10	80,000	ditto	ditto
Material Storage	9/1/2018	4/30/2020	637	10,000	Should be secure and checks and surveillance installed any excess outflow can be verified here on daily basis	Ensure P D are checked and identify changes in material requirements identify control measures cuts or rebudget
Scaffolding Erection	9/12/2018	9/17/2018	5	25,000	Ensure as per design And no D from required strength and on time	Ditto
Framing	9/15/2018	1/13/2019	120	130,000	Ditto	Ditto
Roofing	1/14/2019	2/13/2019	30	40,000	Ditto	Ditto
Plumbing	2/14/2019	3/17/2019	30	30,000	Ditto	Ditto
Electrical	3/18/2019	4/17/2019	30	30,000	Ditto	Ditto
HVAC	4/18/2019	6/2/2019	45	40,000	Ditto	Ditto
Windows and Doors	6/3/2019	8/2/2019	60	20,000	Ditto	Ditto
Drywall	8/3/2019	9/12/2019	40	45,000	Ditto	Ditto
Interior Design	9/13/2019	10/23/2019	40	15,000	Ditto	Ditto
Paint and Wood Finishing	10/24/2019	12/23/2019	60	40,000	Ditto	Ditto
Cabinetry	12/24/2019	1/8/2020	15	40,000	Ditto	Ditto
Plumbing Fixtures	12/24/2019	1/8/2020	15	20,000	Ditto	Ditto
Lighting Fixtures	12/24/2019	1/8/2020	15	20,000	Ditto	Ditto
Flooring	1/9/2020	1/30/2020	21	30,000	Ditto	Ditto
Interior Decorator and Decorations	1/31/2020	2/20/2020	20	20,000	Ditto	Ditto
Exterior Rock	2/21/2020	3/22/2020	30	50,000	Ditto	Ditto
Landscaping	3/23/2020	4/15/2020	23	30,000	Ditto	Ditto
Cost of Construction				1,040,000
Contingency (2%)	4/16/2020	4/30/2020	14	19,800	Increase to 4% if possible by above measures	Ensure D control is quick and contingency requirement is not beyond 2%
Total				1,059,800

If a project is monitored at every step and activity it facilitates close monitoring to identify deviations immediately and control resultant damage through implementation of corrective measures at the earliest.