1BPM – Frequently Asked Questions
Are there two reports (750 words each) or one report (1500 words)?
There is one report of 1500. Diagrams, charts, references do not count towards the word count.
Is there a book where I can read up to remind me what was covered in Year 1?
Yes, Chapters 3 and 4 of the ‘Civil Engineering Procedure’ by the Institution of Civil Engineers (7th
Edition, 2015). Full book available as e-book from link below:
http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/doi/book/10.1680/cep.60692
How do you include project management in the coursework if the two main sections
are Risk Framework and Risk Assessment?
In order to deliver a project, there will be multiple project managers working on different parts and
their activities need to be coordinated and prioritised. Risk management will be a key part of their
role. These project managers will work within the risk framework to manage the risks that they
have identified, assessed and prioritised.
In this coursework, there are many ways we are asking you to imagine yourself to be a project
manager working in your chosen major civil engineering project. The first question is do you
understand the risk framework and the rationale behind it, i.e. what was the process of managing
risks and why was it designed like that; and the second question (project manager working or Tier 1
contractor) asks you to identify and assess the risks, i.e. can you apply this key part of the process.
General
Coursework Structure
I find it difficult to keep to the word count and as a result spend time editing the
report. Can you provide some guidance?
Writing a concise report is a key learning experience in this module. There are several ways to write
a concise report:
• Start by jotting down bullet points and expand each bullet from there
• Structure your answer around three clear sections: 1) Introduction 2) Body of the report 3)
Conclusions
• Support your answer with figures and tables to help to keep your word count low
Do I need to create a contents page?
No. Submit them as one report but divided into Part A and Part B.
Framework for Part A and another project for Part B?
Yes, you can. Please include mega projects (>$1bn) if possible.
For Part B, I would like to use the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg or Millau Viaduct
Project as the risk assessment project. Both projects are less than 1 billion. Is it still
valid for the report?
Yes, This is fine.
Coursework Examples
01
2BPM – Frequently Asked Questions
Is there any background reading about the practical implementation of a risk
management framework for a major civil engineering project?
The Crossrail learning legacy website has a document titled ‘risk and assurance’ which provides a
good introduction. The March 2018 article titled ‘implementing risk management at Crossrail’ gives
a more detailed account of how they managed risks. How all these are brought together is
described in the Governance Framework. London Olympics Governance Framework is a good
example.
These documents and ISO 31000(2018) along with course notes will help to understand this topic
in greater depth. You can download the ISO from the library’s website.
How do I research on how effective the risk framework was?
To answer this, you have to look at the overall vision (objective) of project. For example, London
Olympics project objectives (see Governance Framework) were
1. To stage an inspirational Olympics to all stakeholders
2. To deliver on time, to specification and providing a sustainable legacy
3. To maximise the economic, social, health and environmental benefits and regeneration of
East London
4. To achieve a sustained improvement of UK sports
ODA’s mission was to deliver facilities, infrastructure and transport for London 2012 on time, on
budget and to leave a lasting legacy. A good risk framework ensures the risk failure to deliver these
goals timely escalated, monitored and managed well. The coursework requires you to give your
opinion on effectiveness based on your research and provide conclusions. It is easier to use a
completed project because you will have a lot of data to comment on its effectiveness.
r projects.
While doing research, I have also come across the term assurance framework, which
seems to be the same as the risk framework? Is there a difference between the two
and if so, how do they differ?
Some major projects co-mingle this terminology. All major projects should have a governance
framework. A governance framework details processes by which the Project Board directs, controls
and deliver at the most senior level to achieve the objectives and meet the standard of
accountability and probity. It has several components such as assurance framework, risk
framework, finance framework, corporate framework etc. London Olympics Governance Framework
is a good example and explains well how these frameworks works fit together.
Assurance framework is to ensure the PROJECT is governed and delivered properly whilst the risk
framework focusses on risk and opportunity. Some projects (e.g. Crossrail) call the ‘risk and
assurance framework’.
Coursework 1A Risk Framework FAQs
- COURSEWORK PART A -
What were the key parts of the risk framework used for a major civil
engineering project?
Take an example of a major civil engineering project and explain how they were managed and
controlled. Citing your reasons, explain how effective they were.
02
3BPM – Frequently Asked Questions
The first line of defence covers the Front-line Project and Functional Teams who are
in charge of managing project level risks. For the London Olympics project, the ODA
Board, EMB, Programme Board and Delivery Partners are all included within the 1st
line of defence. Is this correct?
All front-line functions of a project are in the 1st line of defence including those functions who
manage the project, e.g. CLM, ODA etc. Within the first line, there are three further sub divisions:
corporate teams (EMB etc); Programme teams (CLM etc) and Project teams.
Some major projects do not publicly disclose their risk framework (e.g. Hong Kong-
Zhuhai-Macau bridge project). Is there a reason why?
There may be several reasons. They may be deemed to confidential to the project and as such not
available to the public, or they simply didn’t have such a written risk framework. It is better to select
a project which has good information on risk framework. The does not stop you from using Hong
Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge project for Part (b) – risk assessment.
The Three Lines of Defence model is about defining accountability. However how
does it identify who is accountable if a problem arises?
If there is a major failure of the project, the 1st line of defence is always responsible. However,
questions will be asked from the second line defence about what controls they had to detect this
failure. If the ‘second line of defence’ knew about this and they did not challenge the first line, they
will also responsible for this failure. Similarly, if the third line knew about knew about this risk and
did not challenge first and second lines, all three will be equally responsible.
Based on my research, the risk framework can be divided into six components (risk
identifications, risk measurement, risk mitigation, risk monitoring and risk
governance). Should I conclude them as six main components of risk framework in
this way in my essay?
Your starting point should be ISO 31000 (2018). The framework should be divided into 1)
Foundations – document who manages the risk? 2) organisation arrangement – document who is
accountable?
What are the implications are, for example, for the Olympic to put “Risk
Management” in the third line of defence instead of the second line of defence (like
Crossrail). Does it imply that one of them took Risk Management more seriously
than the other?
No both projects took risk management seriously. The modern risk management thinking is that the
risk management function should be close as possible to the 1st line of defence function. As such,
Crossrail made the function in the 2nd line of defence. The advantage is that risk function is not
detached like the Audit function (3rd line); risk function effectively becomes more like a partner of
the 1st line of defence helping them to deliver the project on time and on budget.
In the ISO 31000, the risk framework is sub-defined into 2 parts: the foundations and
the organisational arrangements. Are the 3 lines of defence part of the
organisational arrangements?
Yes, three lines of defence is part of organisation arrangements. Foundations include risk policies,
risk register, risk appetite etc
Coursework 1A Risk Framework FAQs
03
4BPM – Frequently Asked Questions
Is the top 10 risks for coursework 1 based rankings of residual risks or inherent
risks?
Start with top 10 inherent risks and perform 4Ts and come up with corresponding residual
risk for each inherent risk.
I’m still quite unsure of what a regulatory impact means. One of the online
definitions given was "risk of having the 'license to operate' withdrawn by a
regulator or having conditions applied (retrospectively or prospectively) that
adversely impact the economic value of an enterprise". Is this risk relevant to my
risk assessment?
Regulatory risk is an important component in financing major infrastructure projects. Some
industries are driven primarily by regulatory factors (e.g. Water industry, Energy industry,
Nuclear etc). So, if there are major projects in these industries, the relevant Regulator can
demand the Tier1 contractors to adhere to strict constraints at the outset. If they don’t
comply, they have the power to stop the project and impose their powers. At worst, they
could withdraw license to operate.
I want to use High Speed Rail project in Korea to check 'new technology’ risks and
‘political interference risks’ can be within Top 10 risks. Are these risks relevant to my
risk assessment?
Yes, they can be strategic risks. But please make sure that there is a good balance of
strategic, project and operating risks.
I found it difficult to summarise risks to Top 10. Any thoughts?
I find the videos of the project management team really useful starting point. They should
be freely available. But please make sure that there is a good balance of strategic,
project and operating risks.
Can we only use data/examples from pre-2012, as we're meant to be writing it as if
it's before the project starts? Or can we also include examples post 2014?
If you include the London Olympics project for part (b), use the risks before the construction
started in 2012. Reference to other similar projects may be useful.
Coursework 1B Risk Assessment FAQs
- COURSEWORK PART B -
Assume the role of the principal civil engineering contractor before the
construction stage & produce a Risk Assessment Table of the top 10 risks.
Explain your rationale for identifying these risks and determining the impact and probability
scores. Set out how you would mitigate the risks using the 4Ts.
04
5BPM – Frequently Asked Questions
I'm struggling a bit with the inherent and residual risks. I understand that we identify
our top 10 inherent risks, and describe mitigation using the 4T's. However, are the
residual risks supposed to directly related to the inherent risks and how we treat
them? For example, if we choose to tolerate a risk, would the residual risk be the
same as the inherent risk? In the same sense, if the inherent risk is terminated,
would there be no residual risk from that?
If we terminate, the risk should drop off. If we tolerate risk should be at the same inherent
(original) point. If we treat however, it always goes down (diagonally downwards).
I have chosen to look at the Channel Tunnel for Part B of the coursework. I was just
wondering if this is a suitable project, or if it should be more recent.
Yes, it is suitable
I was wondering if I included a table for the impact and likelihood scoring for which I
then use to plot the inherent risk diagram, does that mean its part of the word count
?
We allow tables to illustrate your answer. But if you summarise the answer in a table and
effectively repeat in the body of the essay, sorry, it is counted towards 1500. My suggestion
is enter a brief table and cross reference the table to the body.
Regarding the Business and Project Management - Part B, when we are discussing
our top 10 risks, can we include the actual solution that was adopted to mitigate this
risk or do we have to come up with our own solutions (4Ts)?
Please use actual solutions used to mitigate
And, can we include risks that were mitigated before the start of the construction?
Please use risks during the construction phase
Will marks be deducted if I do Part (B) in landscape format?
No
I would like to ask if it is possible to add an appendix at the end of the report (not
including it in the 1500 words) to give more information on our risks (the report will
contain everything, the appendix will only give more details if needed).
No need for an Appendix and it will not marked.
Coursework 1B Risk Assessment FAQs