Assessment Information

The PME module comprises of a single assessment as follows:

Assessment Item1 – 3000 word Report based on a Case Study (excluding Contents page, the List of References and Appendices)

 

Learning Outcomes

This assignment covers all learning outcomes (LOs) for this Module which are:

1. Compare the characteristics and perspectives of projects with those of ongoing tasks.
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of tools for planning, estimating, monitoring and controlling projects.
3. Be able to communicate, lead and/or participate in project teams.
4. Understand and apply the fundamental aspects of project methodology (such as PRINCE2, or contemporary approaches such as agile project management).
5. Be able to develop and implement meaningful project schedules using project

management and planning software (such as Microsoft project).

3

4.1. Assessment Case Study Scenario

There is a global crisis in housing availability and affordability (Pryce, 2020). This is largely due to housing costs rising exponentially over the past decades worldwide in many cities, as populations have increased and more people are attracted to the cities for work and need accommodation. However, with the dramatic increase of house prices, this poses a serious problem of lack of affordability for many people with low incomes, including younger adults who do not have enough disposable income to be able to buy their own property. This is compounded by the fact that housing costs have risen sharper than many household incomes (Galster & Lee, 2020). The housing crisis is therefore challenging governments around the world and causing greater socio-economic divides. Governments are looking for solutions for their citizens who are facing severe housing needs. Recent research centers on a new concept of “housing justice” (Dawkins, 2021) which proposes a measure of comprehensive reforms grounded in the ideal of “civic equality”.

4.2 Your Assignment

A new ground-breaking concept of affordable homes by a company called ‘Boxabl’ has hit the world stage by storm. Boxabl have created an innovative low-cost product originally called the “casita”. The casita is claimed to be an affordable pre-fabricated home which is delivered flat packed and amazingly can be assembled within 2 hours ready for immediate use. It comes with fixtures and fittings such as a fitted bathroom, kitchen fitted with appliances such as a cooker, microwave, fridge, breakfast bar seated area for two, a bathroom with shower cubicle, basin and toilet, a living room area with TV, and bedroom area, eco lighting, heating and air condition. All for the modest price of $50,000. Could this be the solution to the world’s housing crisis? Please answer the following Assignment Objectives to find out:

4.3 Assignment Objectives (Your Task)

1. Assuming you were ‘headhunted’ to work as an assistant project manager for Boxabl UK (or in a country of your choice), produce a project plan (i.e. a schedule or Gantt Chart) to illustrate what you propose would be a ‘workable plan’ to convince your local government to buy a minimum of 150 affordable homes to solve the housing crisis in the local community. You should include in the plan the main activities and tasks involved and timescales to complete them. Justify your answer (Learning Outcome 5).
2. Conduct a PESTEL analysis to examine the external environmental factors that could impact on the long-term sustainability of Boxabl’s production of affordable houses, drawing on evidence from the literature to justify your answer (Learning Outcome 1).
3. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of two planning tools that could be used to help monitor and control the status of the orders for the ‘casitas’ or dwellings, from Boxabl’s global customers. Use evidence from the literature to justify your 4 answer (Learning outcome 2).
4. Critically assess who the stakeholders are involved in affordable housing schemes and discuss strategies as to how Boxabl should manage them. Conduct a stakeholder analysis to help you. (Learning Outcome 3).
5. Discuss which project methodology would be more suitable for the design and manufacture of Boxabl’s affordable homes. Justify your answer drawing on evidence from the literature and examples from other types of affordable dwellings (Learning Outcome 4).

 

5. References
6. Dawkins, C. (2021). Realizing housing justice through comprehensive national housing policy reform. International Journal of Urban Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1080/12265934.2020.1772099 [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]
7. Galster, G., & Lee, K. O. (2021). Housing affordability: A framing, synthesis of research and policy, and future directions. International Journal of Urban Science. (this issue). [Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®], [Google Scholar]
8. Preece, J., Paul Hickman & Ben Pattison (2020) The affordability of “affordable” housing

in England: conditionality and exclusion in a context of welfare reform, Housing Studies, 35:7, 1214-1238, DOI: 10.1080/02673037.2019.1653448

Links to further information

Global crisis in housing affordability paper (25 Dec 2020 published online (International

Journal of Urban sciences

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/12265934.2020.1847433

Will Boxabl solve the housing crisis?

Boxable cassita delivered to you. Unpacks within an hour.

https://www.boxabl.com/

TESLA’s new $15,000 sustainable house for sustainable living (1st Feb 2022)

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11

https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11

 

5. You will also need to engage with further research around affordable and sustainable

housing issues for wider context. You will have the opportunity to critique current practice in

project management drawing on any of the concepts from this module to provide

justification for your answers for this assessment for the theoretical underpinning which

must be supported by evidence from the literature (academic books and journal articles).

You may also cite from professional bodies and Institute websites e.g. Association of

Project Management (APM), Project Management Institute (PMI), Chartered Management

Institute (CMI), Government and Industry websites. There must be a balance with the use

of academic references. Use of ‘wikis’ and ‘blogs’ are to be avoided.

6. Assignment format:
7. A Report of 3,000 words (excluding diagrams, references and appendices). Use a

report structure with a Title Page to include the name of the Module, Module code

 

2. The Report should also include the following aspects: Contents page,

Introduction, numbered headings and numbered sub-headings, page numbers,

an Introduction, main body of the work covering the assignment objectives (1 –

5), Conclusion, List of References and any Appendices.

7. Referencing Convention

The referencing convention to follow is APA version 7. There are very good resources

on the library website to assist you with referencing if you are unfamiliar with APA 7.

Further support is also available from the faculty librarians who can help if you need

further support, contact lizzie.wildgoose@port.ac.uk or hannah.porter@port.ac.uk.

8. Advice on Structure and writing style for the Report
9. The report is an academic piece of work and is therefore written using the third

person (for example, avoid writing “I think” or “in my opinion”, instead you should

write as follows: “Hinde (2017) suggests that …”).

2. Use a 12 point non-cursive font e.g. Arial, Tahoma or Calibri.
3. Use 1.5 line spacing.
4. Write in a prose style, avoid excessive use of bullet points. Headings and subheadings should be used to help signpost the report for the reader.
5. Stay within the maximum word count of 3,000 words. Do not exceed this limit. If the

essay is deficient in length you will lose marks.

6. Diagrams or Tables may be used in your report and these should be referenced (add

Author’s name and year of publication) and include an appropriate Title, Figure,number or Table number. A List of Tables and Figures should be included in the

Contents page. Any information that is supplementary but not critical to your main

arguments, should be included as an Appendix.

7. Include citations from academic sources throughout the report to support your

assertions and to demonstrate evidence of wider research. You may cite from

credible sources e.g. professional Institute websites such as the Association of

Project Management (APM), Government websites, official company but use of

references from academic journal articles would add greater rigour for good

scholarship.

 

 

Grading criteria

80%+

Outstanding work – contains accurate, relevant material, demonstrates understanding of complex

subject matter & is able to view it in a wider context.

Shows originality & confidence in analysing and criticising assumptions,

is aware of the limits of knowledge.

Likely to add new insights to the topic & approaches the quality of published material

Evidence of extensive research, uses & presents references effectively

Outstanding quality in terms of organisation, structure, use & flow of language, grammar, spelling,

format, presentation, diagrams, tables etc

 

70 – 79%

Excellent work – contains accurate, relevant material, demonstrates understanding of complex

subject matter & is able to view it in a wider context.

Shows originality & confidence in analysing and criticising assumptions,

is aware of the limits of knowledge

Evidence of extensive research, uses & presents references effectively

Excellent in terms of organisation, structure, use & flow of language, grammar, spelling, format,

presentation,

diagrams, tables etc

 

60 – 69%

Very good work – contains most of the information required, is accurate & relevant & demonstrates

understanding of the subject matter & attempts to view it in a wider context.

Shows some originality of thought with good critique & analysis assumptions,

is aware of the limits of knowledge

Well researched, good use & presentation of references

Very good in terms of organisation, structure, use & flow of language, grammar, spelling, format,

presentation,

diagrams, tables etc

 

 

 

 

CITATION