Part (a)
According to statistics, the US has shown the highest progress when it comes to the development of infrastructure (Hamm, 2009). Technology is advancing every day, and its focus impact has surely been infrastructure. The roads, railway, water and air are the primary mode of transports we have today, but the most frequently used is the road transport. Projects have been initiated to enhance road transportation including bridges. According to Steve Hamm (2009), Smart technology is an imperative component of the contemporary society where it ensures a better world. He argues that it is necessary for a safer and much more efficient infrastructure. The scope of the Chiaglo Bridge is to provide a sustainable bridge that would serve the mission to make sure that there is a safe mode of transport through. Smart technology is not cheap, and it is presumed to cost more than 500 billion dollars, and it took over several months to complete it. The article employs some of the basic concepts that I have learned in the project management course. The purpose of this assignment is to point out some of the areas that the concepts taught in a class have been applied.
The first important concept is strategic management process which can be defined as the course of defining an organization’s strategy. A strategy refers to the methods and processes that are put in place to achieve the general and specific objectives of a business enterprise. The whole process of strategic management has various components which include the defining of an organization’s portfolio, selecting a model and managing the portfolio system (Larson, Gray & McGraw-Hill Co., 2011). A portfolio refers to a collection of the investments that are controlled by a particular organization, or individual. The article by Steve Hamm (2009) employs the concept of portfolio definition and management when it mentions some of the government assets and how they are necessary for the accomplishment of the design of infrastructure or accessing smart technology. Time management is another concept that the article overtly employs especially when it comes to aligning the project with the timetable set. The project, as captured by Hamm (2009) was covered in approximately one year, even though it was three months earlier than the set deadline.
Apart from portfolio management, the article employs budgeting concepts, particularly when it comes to the ideas of costs and cost management. Despite the increased knowledge that people possess about cost-effectiveness and management, it is still a sensitive subject that needs to be tackled carefully. The course was very comprehensive in matters that concerned the estimates of the costs and their quality, methods of making the estimates, types of costs, the level of detail and how to refine the estimates (Larson, Gray & McGraw-Hill Co., 2011). They are all necessary, but Steve Hamm (2009) employs the concept of cost estimation particularly when he tries to approximate the expenses incurred in acquiring smart technology as well as in the utilization of technology to improve infrastructure. For example, he states that the US is bound to raise over half a billion dollars on infrastructure alone.
Risk management is another important and relevant concept that I have come to acquire from the course progression. It involves the identification, appraising and mitigating a risk before it evolves into a full-blown problem. Therefore, some of the relevant concepts include risk appraisal using the probability analysis, risk response, types of risk, and opportunity management (Larson, Gray & McGraw-Hill Co., 2011). Types of risks include technical risks, schedule risks, cost risks and funding risks. Steve Hamm (2009) employs the risk assessment concept where he identifies the tech skeptics as a major risk factor in the adoption of smart technology for a revolutionary and improved infrastructure. Steve Hamm (2009) points out that skeptics like the construction trade groups and politicians are pushing for job creation instead of infrastructure development. In other words, many of the governments controlled by politicians and some of these trading companies that are skeptic towards the benefits of smart technology would result in reduced acceptance of the infrastructure development (Jovanović et al., 2015).
Part (b)
P.O. Box Private Bag,
Company
Dear Sir,
In the case of any future projects in the projects initiated and managed by the government, I at this moment put my name forward to be considered for the position of project manager. Ever since I started this course, I had a peaked interesting in acquiring the skills in project management. The skills would be very helpful in the planning and management of resources for the completion of a project successful. The course is coming to an end, and I have mastered all the necessary concepts that are useful in project management including risk management. I will, therefore, be of great value to the project management team that has been tasked with the burden of ensuring achievement of the objectives of the project.
Also, I have also acquired computer and technology skills that would indeed be helpful in the practice of some of the project management skills. The use of technology is a rampant process that is changing the face of the world, and many employers consider it a necessity for their employees to have skills in the same. In this sense, I have mastered database management skills including database creation and data manipulation using formulas. Also, I have also acquired necessary skills that are an asset to any project management team. Some of these skills include time management and process planning which can be very helpful in the appraisal of the processes set to achieve objectives. This would, in turn, assist in the improvement of some of these processes while some are removed because they are wasting resources.
References
Hamm, S. (2009, February 19). The Bridge to Smart Technology - Bloomberg. Retrieved from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2009-02-18/the-bridge-to-smart-technology.
Jovanović, F. P., Berić, I. M., Jovanović, P. M., & Jovanović, A. D. (2016). RISK MANAGEMENT OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECTS IN THE INDUSTRY -- SAMPLE PLANT FOR INJECTING PULVERIZED COAL INTO THE BLAST FURNACES. Thermal Science, 20(1), 315-325. Doi: 10.2298/TSCI150210094J.
Larson, E. W., Gray, C. F., & McGraw-Hill Companies. (2011). Project management: The managerial process. New York: McGraw-Hill.
