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Unit 3 Assignment: Case Analysis – Proposed Rocket Assembly Project Paper
In this Assignment, you will be assessed based on the following outcome:
GM591-2: Apply process groups to project life cycles.
In this Assignment, you will review a case and research the use of programs and portfolios with projects and provide your recommended course of action.
Your company, Space Systems Technologies (SST), has the mission of assembling commercial and military launch vehicles. SST does no fabrication, it simply provides customers specialized assembly expertise, brings the prefabricated parts of the expendable launch vehicle together, and though an assembly process delivers a completed launch vehicle to the launch facility to be mated with the propulsion system prior to launch. SST Corporation assembles many different launch vehicles for various customers who design and launch the cargo launch (payload rockets) vehicles, but lacks the necessary facilities and expertise in rocket assembly.
SST is submitting a proposal in response to the Ansari XPRIZE Competition as a sub-contractor to Scaled Composites. SST will assemble the different competitor rockets and ship to Scaled Composites who will conduct engine mating, launch, and test data collection.
Your vice president for engineering must decide whether to incorporate these XPRIZE rocket assembly projects into the existing program of launch vehicle assembly or, have a separate program or, consolidate the effort into a project portfolio. You have been asked to research the use of programs and portfolios with projects and provide your recommended course of action. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the following:
● Incorporating the XPRIZE vehicles into the existing program of launch vehicle assembly
● Establishing the XPRIZE vehicles into a standalone program, or
● Establishing a portfolio of XPRIZE vehicles
Your paper will provide a short understanding of the situation and problem as it pertains to the mission of Space Systems Technologies, an analysis of each of the options with cited references, a synthesized recommended course of action, and the evaluation of that conclusion from a source reference not already used in your analysis of the problem.
Please go to the XPRIZE website for further information on the XPRIZE Competition. Be sure to focus only on the cargo launch (payload rockets) vehicles that are part of this competition.
Possible Websites:
The Assignment requires you to conduct research to glean insights related to this case. Possible websites that can assist you are below:
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What is the Google lunar XPRIZE? (2017). Retrieved from http://www.googlelunarxprize.org/
Ansari XPRIZE. (2017). Retrieved from http://space.xprize.org/ (This website explains what XPRIZE is.)
Scaled Composites, LLC. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone_test_logs/34
Scaled Composites, LLC. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/ (XPRIZE Winner)
Aircraft. (2014). Scaled Composites, LLC. Retrieved from http://www.scaled.com/projects/tierone/aircraft
Directions for submitting your paper on your recommended course of action to your VP on how to group the proposed rocket assembly projects.
The Assignment essentially requires you to evaluate three options and make a recommendation to your VP for the most preferred alternative. In completing the Assignment, place emphasis solely on the cargo launch (payload rockets) vehicles. Please also recall the following:
● Ansari XPRIZE is the vehicle launch competition. The winner receives $10M.
● Space Systems Technologies (SST) assembles launch rocket vehicles and is submitting a proposal to do so.
● SST will be a sub-contractor to Scaled Composites.
Your Assignment should include an evaluation of three options. Your evaluation must include the advantage and disadvantage of the following three options, which are as follows:
● Incorporating the XPRIZE vehicles into the existing program of launch vehicle assembly
● Establishing the XPRIZE vehicles into a standalone program or,
● Establishing a portfolio of XPRIZE vehicles
Criteria for the Assignment
● You should begin your Assignment with an Executive Summary of the situation. ● You should conclude your discussion with the final selected recommendation based on the recommendations provided and the next course of action that should be taken based on the recommendation. ● Include references to validate key points, factual claims and counter arguments. ● Map organizational objectives, goals, and strategies to the project management outcomes.
Components
● Title page formatted in APA 6th edition style with the following information: Title of the paper, your name, course number and section number, and date.
● Include a table of contents using the following headers: Executive Summary, Introduction (3–5 sentences including thesis statement), Project Overview, Analysis of Project (Assess the core project concept. Determine the costs and benefits of the project. Assess if the project scope, risk, and strategy was defined clearly. Assess the process groups in the project life cycle.), Recommendation and Course of Action, Conclusion (4–8 sentences stating your
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recommended solutions in terms of project management techniques and tools), and References.
● A minimum of three scholarly journal and textbook source references cited and credited according to APA 6th edition formatting style using a minimum of six in-text citations.
● The paper should be focused and to the point, containing between 600–800-words from the Executive Summary to the end of your Conclusion.
Directions for Submitting Your Assignment
Submit your paper to the Unit 3 Assignment Dropbox. Make sure that you save a copy of the files you submit.
GM591 Unit 3 Assignment: Proposed Rocket Assembly Project Paper
Content (50 pts)
Points Possible
Points Earned
Response successfully answers the assignment question(s); thoroughly uses the text and other literature. Includes a strong thesis statement, introduction and conclusion. The main points of the paper are developed clearly. All arguments are supported well (no errors in logic) using outside sources.
25
Sources are primarily academic journals, with thoughtful use Web sources. References are applied substantively to the paper topic. Skillfully addresses counter-arguments and does not ignore data contradicting its claim. Refers to sources both in-text and in the reference page.
25
Analysis (30 pts)
Response exhibits strong higher-order critical thinking and analysis (e.g., evaluation). Paper shows original thought.
10
Analysis includes proper classifications, explanations, comparisons, and inferences.
10
Critical thinking includes appropriate judgments, conclusions, and assessment based on evaluation and synthesis of information.
10
Writing (20 pts)
Grammatical skills are strong with typically less than one error per page. Correct use of APA 6th edition formatting style.
6
Appropriate to the assignment, fresh (interesting to read), accurate, (no far-fetched, unsupported comments), precise (say what you mean), and concise (not wordy).
8
Project is in 12-point font. Narrative sections are double-spaced with a double space between. Project is free of serious errors; grammar, punctuation, and spelling help to clarify the meaning by following accepted conventions.
6
Total
100
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