Contract Project ManagementE M 4 2 0 / E M 5 2 0

COURSE PROJECT / TERM PAPERAvailable Topics

Codes and Standards: Research and report on a program / series of national or

international standards (such as ISO 9000 series, ISO 14000 series, NQA-1) or a Code

of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title (such as OSHA, FAR, EPA, DOT) as they apply or

could apply to construction or fabrication projects. The report should include both

narrative evaluations and summaries of applicable rules (tabular presentation

recommended) (decision tree optional). [EM 520 option]

Construction Accident Evaluation: Select for review and evaluation an accident

meeting all the following criteria: 1)an accident during construction or as a result of

the construction of a building or other significant edifice; 2) an accident that resulted

in the loss of human life or property damage of more than $5 million; 3) an accident

that was reported in the news media, either nationally or internationally; and 4) an

accident that was not caused by an act of war or terror, nor by a natural disaster, nor

by an act of God. Describe in detail the accident, the participants, circumstances

surrounding the event(s), and accident recovery actions. Based on your research,

identify and evaluate the root cause(s) of the accident, the effectiveness of immediate

and subsequent actions, and the consequences of the accident for the owner, the

constructor, and the construction industry. Identify if any laws, regulations, or codes

were introduced or revised as a consequence of this accident. Make recommendations

regarding construction processes, procedures, preparations, training, or the like, that

would prevent recurrence of such an accident in the future. (Student evaluation is

required; mere recitation from other sources is insufficient.) [EM 420 / 520 option]

Practical Application of Course Material: If you are in a supervisory or

managerial capacity on a project, apply to that project one or more of the following

major topics of study from this course: Execution Plan; WBS Scheduling;

Subcontracting; Earned Value Project Monitoring; Project Closeout/Project History.

WSU \ ETM \ EM 420-520 - 1 - Spring 2015

Contract Project ManagementE M 4 2 0 / E M 5 2 0

COURSE PROJECT / TERM PAPERAvailable Topics

Describe the methodology of application, its problems and its successes, suggestions

for improvements, and recommendations for application on other projects. For

maximum benefit, the project application and the report should be discussed in detail

with the instructor early in the preparation of the course project. [EM 520 option]

Project Controls Software: Investigate, review, and critique a computer software

program used for project controls (i.e., planning, scheduling, monitoring, reporting).

Include in evaluation the program’s ability (and ease of use) to track project changes

and to provide resource loading. Identify whether (and how) costing data is integrated

into the reports. Describe and show examples of the program’s methods of displaying

logic networks. Student must actually use the program to be evaluated, not just review

available literature or product sales brochures. [EM 420 / 520 option]

Technical Document Review: (“Book Report”) Read, evaluate, and report on one

[for EM 420] or two or more [for EM 520] of the titles identified for review (†) in the

Suggested Reading List. Any other book, study, or manuscript must be approved by

the instructor. (Titles in the Reading List not marked for course project use are still

considered potential resources for independent study.) Student must evaluate the

documents, not merely recite their contents or repeat the reviews of others. Evaluation

should include consideration of applicability to project management course topics and

(if applicable) level of recommendation for future classes. [EM 420 / 520 option]

Report Format: Paper copy submission is encouraged, electronic file submission is required.

Acceptable file formats include: Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) (preferred), WordPerfect (.wpd), Microsoft

Word (.doc/.docx), Microsoft Excel (.xls/.xlsx), Microsoft PowerPoint (.ppt/.pps), Hypertext

(.htm/.mht). Other file formats must be approved by the instructor.

Note: Sources must be cited. Points will be deducted for errors in spelling and grammar.

Academic Integrity Statement required.

WSU \ ETM \ EM 420-520 - 2 - Spring 2015