Reflect on the assigned readings for Week 6 and then type a two page paper regarding what you thought was the most important concept(s), method(s), term(s), and/or any other thing that you felt was worthy of your understanding.  Define and describe what you thought was worthy of your understanding in half a page, and then explain why you felt it was important, how you will use it, and/or how important it is in project management.   After submitting your two page paper as an initial post in the “Reflection and Discussion Forum,” then type at least two peer replies in response to your classmates posts (200 word minimum each). 

Responses:
 response for Surya

 
Hi everyone,
To begin with, the chapters “Project Risk Planning” and “Project Quality Planning and Project Kick-Off” covered several topics and I want to discuss about few important topics. Plan risk management is the process of defining how to conduct risk management activities for a project. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019). There are few measures to be considered for project success such as:

Meeting agreements: Where we should consider cost, schedule and specifications were met.
Customers success: Here we should consider where needs met, deliverables used and customer satisfied.
Performing organizations’ success: Which is not just limited to market share, new products, new technology.
Project Team’s success: Such as loyalty, development and satisfaction.

The risk management plan should define who is responsible for each risk management activity. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019). Identifying risks are vital as it is the process of determining which risks may affect the project and documenting their characteristics. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019). Later by the obtained data, we can perform qualitative risk analysis, as it is the process of prioritizing risks for further analysis or action by assessing and combing their probability of occurrence and impact. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019).
Going in further, the plan quality management is important topic as it is the process of identifying quality requirements and standards for the project and its deliverables and documenting how the project will demonstrate compliance. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019). Lean evolved from lean manufacturing ideas of eliminating as mush waste as possible from work processes. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019). This act as process control which is the activity of ensuring conformance to the requirements and taking corrective action when necessary to correct problems and maintain stable performance. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019). Sigma stands for standard deviation which is a statistical term for the amount of variation in data. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019).  The DMAIC methodology is a fifteen process broken up into five project phases: define, measure, analyze, improve and control. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019). When defining quality, a number of perspectives should be considered such as product, value, manufacturing and customers. Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V., & Wells, K. (2019).
The chapters covered several details but the above-mentioned are most important topics from my perspective. Lean and six sigma, i am applying in my current job and used in my past jobs as well. I am looking forward to apply project management topics such as risk management plan and other topics as qualitative risk analysis. Besides, PLAN-DO-CHECK- act model is a cyclic process and as a part of continuous improvement, i am using this in my current job. It’s the same with Failure mode and affect analysis (FMEA), i am using this model for both process and design. May be in future for new projects, I want to apply my theoretical knowledge to practice by following common project risk strategies table and even for project kick off meetings. Moreover, I want to apply more models related to process improvement plan as well.
Thank you,

response for Shiva Tej

 
Project management deals with all the aspects of projects including the planning of their activities, the execution or implementation process and any other challenges that are likely to be met during the implementation of the plan have to be prepared for. One of the areas of projects that have recently started gaining more interest in is in project risk planning. This involves taking a careful assessment of all the risks that are as a result of the project initiatives and putting in place what is necessary to ensure the project is carried to completion.
One of the important concepts in the chapter was the categorization of the risks. This struck me as important because it forms the basis for all the risk planning that will go on for the project. During the process of categorizing the risk, they can be correctly classified according to the kind of mitigation that will be put in place and the documentation as related to that risk. (Salomo, Weise, & Gemünden, 2007) asserted that “risk planning is so important that it has in many instances taken the bulk of the activities that are done before the projects begin”. Planning for risk bolsters the position of the organization in so many aspects that it should never be ignored.
Risk assessment was another concept I found important in my study. Risk assessment is the analysis that is conducted to determine what kind of risks are prevalent so that they can be addressed with the appropriate action. The risk register forms the basis of the risk assessment and it helps in performing a qualitative risk assessment. This assigns a certain value to the identified risk.
For entities to gain value from the projects that they have initiated, there has to be some form of metrics to determine whether the objectives have been met or not. This is what informs the process of project quality management. I found this an important topic because understanding it would lay clear the guidelines that exist about the project and determine whether standards have been met. “Mitigation of risk in projects has to be done on a scale that reflects the objectives and restrictions of the project”. (Fang, Marle, Xie, & Zio, 2013).
Total quality management was also an interesting topic because it lay bare some of the issues such as how to measure elements such as leadership and innovation in the organizations. This is important as it also sets the standards which have to be met by the products or services being offered by the organization. The International Organization for Standardization helps set the necessary groundwork including the documentation of the standards that the different industries are expected to meet.
Management of projects also involves having an understanding of fact-based management. In fact-based management, leaders and project managers are expected to understand what might cause variation and what should be measured. The other aspects are to work effectively with the data that is available so that it can be used for the right purposes. In the management of planning for quality in projects, the management has to carry out a test of the plans they intend to use and determine which is the best in the circumstances. Documentation also plays a role in ensuring a smooth flow of activities done by the project because there will be no confusion.
References
Fang, C., Marle, F., Xie, M., & Zio, E. (2013). An integrated framework for risk response planning under resource constraints in large engineering projects. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 60(3), 627-639.
Salomo, S., Weise, J., & Gemünden, H. G. (2007). NPD planning activities and innovation performance: the mediating role of process management and the moderating effect of product innovativeness. Journal of product innovation management, 24(4), 285-302.