Improving Web Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Improving Web Security - Essay Example The security of passwords was not of as much worth decades ago as it is today and this is not the sole responsibility of the institutions/bodies that offer email or banking services etc. One must consider taking multiple measures in order to increase the strength of passwords and tighten the security. It is necessary to have the understanding of how the passwords are compromised despite high security algorithms deployed by respective institutions. The easiest way of tracing the passwords of people is to introduce agent software i.e. a spyware into their computer systems to monitor, record and transmit the details of each and every activity people perform including password entries at different sites. This happens through emails, chats and downloading form unauthentic websites like pornographic sites etc. A good internet security firewall installation can handle this situation quite effectively but the possibilities of breaches remain. One of the indications is that the computer syste m takes unusual time in processing usual transactions because of the added work that spywares perform. The other reasons of password compromise include the careless selection of passwords and their redundant usage at different forums to save the hassle of memorization. Sometimes it happens that the communication between the user and the respective body like bank is intercepted by introduction of a lookalike page instead. The users most of the times remain unable to figure out the differences in haste and deliver the actual information to the false page. Redundant passwords cause more damage as the leakage of just one, opens multiple personal horizons of a person’s life before the hackers and cyber criminals. IMPROVING CONTRIBUTIONS OF PASSWORD PROTECTION FOR INFORMAITON SECURITY The baseline of information security lies in the basic structure of the information system itself. The following steps, if taken for the better management of the system would be massive contributions to the improvement of password protection for information security. Information security is an iterative process. It is essential that this process must first be controlled; it should then be planned, implemented, evaluated and maintained. CONDUCTION OF RISK ANALYSIS The use of risk analysis identifies the security requirements of the IT Customers. IMPROVING MINIMUM SECIRUTY BASELINE The feasibility of the requirements assessed in the risk analysis should be compared with the current security assessment and implementation structure of the organization. CONSTRUCTION OF SLA. SLA or Service level agreement between the customers dealing with an organization and the IT management of the company is required to be made. This agreement defines the measurable terms of the information security requirements. It also contains details of the specification of this achievement. OLAs Operational Level Agreements provide the detailed instructions of the implementation of the information security Req uirements. These instructions are negotiated and defined. SLA AND OLA IMPLEMENTATION The successful implementation of the SLA and OLA are done. The regular outcomes of the implementation at every transaction done are monitored. Repots about their outcomes are shared with the customer. The feedback from the customers leads to modification of the implemented information secur

Management Of Minor Injuries

Management Of Minor Injuries Introduction: As part of this minor injuries course we have been asked to provide a 3000 word assignment utilising a case method as means of researching a patient scenario we experienced during clinical practise. Case study method enables a researcher to investigate an individual and evaluate these findings and relate this evidence to clinical practice ( REFERENCE 1) Case studies are also often subjective and based around a personal experience or memorable patient (REFERENCE 2), whilst identified by (REFERENCE 3) that these case studies do not provide a great amount of empirical and statistical evidence, (REFERENCE 4) highlights that case study methods stimulate critical thinking and help practitioners apply theory to clinical practice. For this case study I have chosen a patient who I treated for an Achilles tendon rupture. This assignment will aim to document the assessment of a patient in the acute stage of injury discuss the initial management of the injury discuss the treatment plans available conclude how this case study has impacted on my clinical practise The Achilles tendon is given its name by Greek hero Achilles as the largest and strongest tendon within the human body, Patel and Haddad (2006). It connects the calf muscle (gastrocnemius) to the heel bone (calcaneus) and is located below the skin at the back of the ankle.(reference needed) As the calf muscle contracts it provides it enables the foot to be pointed downwards (plantarflexion) It is this action that enables us to walk, run, jump and to stand on our toes.(reference needed) Despite great forces applied through this tendon it is vulnerable due to its limited blood supply, the least vascularised area being 2 to 6 cm above the calcaneum. This diminished blood supply predisposes this region to chronic tendonitis and potential rupture. (reference 5) Kerr (2005) suggests three main attributing factors are leading to an increase in rupture. Increased sedentary lifestyle Rising popularity of recreational sports especially in older men An increasing proportion of people are overweight 75% of Achilles injuries occur during sporting activities, and research indicates this is occurring with patients who describe themselves as novice or beginners (Josza et al, 1989). As ENPs it is important that we are able to differentiate between an acute tendon injury and other complaints i.e. gastrocnemius tears in order to treat, advice and refer appropriately. Misdiagnosis or delay in treatment can lead to gait dysfunction and chronic pain. The following case study is a true event of a patient I assessed during my clinical placement. To maintain the patients confidentiality he will be referred to as Mr Smith. CASE STUDY: 68 year old retired gentleman, no drug allergies, no significant past or ongoing medical problems. Mr Smith attended the emergency department at 10.00 and was booked in with a limb problem. I greeted Mr Smith, explained my role as a training Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) and gained consent for his assessment. Mr Smith had been out dancing the previous night and thought he had been kicked in the back of his right lower leg. Since, he had described difficulty walking and not been able to bend his foot as normal. Despite walking tentatively Mr Smith manoeuvred himself onto the examination couch. From his facial expression he appeared comfortable and his pain had been reduced having taken his own paracetamol and ibuprofen. The worst pain had been last night and the patient described an ache this morning. Further analgesia was offered but declined by the patient. Physical examination: This was broken down into 5 key areas described by Guly (2002) Look (inspection) Feel (palpation) Movement Specialist tests Function During our course we have assessed neurovascular function as a separate examination. This will be assessed between movement and specialist tests. Look: Mr Smith was examined in a private cubicle. His trousers removed in order to expose both lower limbs for comparison. Mr Smith had no wounds, no obvious deformity, no erythema /cellulites and no bruising noted. There was noticeable swelling around the base of the calf in the soleus region on the medial aspect of the limb. Both limbs were of equal colour and warmth. No surgical scarring was observed on either limb. Feel: Palpation of lower leg then took place. In accordance with Gully (2002) this should take place from the joint above to the joint below. Palpation started from the knee joint downwards. From the examination of the knee joint no pain over bony land marks was elicited by the patient. The palpation moved distal towards the ankle, no bony tenderness was identified. The ankle was examined for bony tenderness. No tenderness was found at the posterior edge or tip of both the medial and lateral maleolus, the base of the 5th metatarsal or the navicular bone. Using Ottawa ankle rules (Hopkins, 2010) there was no indication to xray the ankle. Mr Smith was then asked to go into the prone position, this enabled a good comparative view of both limbs mainly the gastrocnemius muscles and the Achilles tendons. The gastrocnemius muscle was then palpated; although uncomfortable towards the distal muscle a specific tender point was not identified. The Achilles tendon was then palpated; this gave a specific origin for the pain. There was also bogginess (palpable step) in the lower third of the Achilles. Although a step was palpable Kerr (2005) indentified that not all ruptures have a palpable step, the cause of this unknown. Movement: Ankle movements were examined both active and passive. Mr Smith had good active dorsi flexion and normal plantar flexion of both ankles. However when examined with passive resistance there was a marked deficit on his right ankle. Sterling (2001) highlighted that even though normal range of motion is witnessed during active movement it is essential passive movement is carried out, and assumptions should not be made to the integrity of the Achilles tendon. Both medial and lateral ligaments were stressed with no laxity and good end feel. Finally an anterior draw test was performed, the ankle was stable. Neurovascular status: Mr Smith had normal sensation of his first web space, dorsum of foot and anterior and lateral aspect of lower leg. Mr Smith was able to dorsiflex and had normal toe plantar mechanism. Pedal pulse was also present. Specialist tests: Mr Smith was then asked to kneel onto the trolley and support himself using the wall. A Thompson- Simmons (calf squeeze) test was then performed. At this time Mr Smith had no plantar flexion movement. Johnson and Morelli (2001) details this is highly suggestive of a ruptured Achilles tendon. Prior to undertaking this assignment I was not aware of any other specialist tests other than ultrasound. These shall be discussed later. Function: Guly (2002) states the examination of a joint should include its functionality. Mr Smith was then asked to perform a calf heel raise (stand on tip-toes). He was unable to perform this task. Sterling et al (2001) summarised that a patient whose other plantar flexors are still functioning will not be able to perform this task if their Achilles is ruptured. Treatment: Mr Smith was diagnosed and treated as an Achilles tendon rupture. He was placed in an equinas cast and was given crutches to mobilise with, which he did very well. A referral was then made to our fracture clinic where he would be followed up with the orthopaedic team. Take home analgesia was offered but declined by the patient. Mr Smith asked about the long term plan of action, would he need surgery to repair his tendon. I answered honestly and stated I didnt know but endeavoured to find out from one of my colleagues. It was this lack of follow on care knowledge that has been one of the focuses for this case study. Having an extended knowledge base would further enable a holistic approach to care not only in the acute care environment but to also provide accurate information about the care the patient should expect to receive. This sharing of knowledge will hopefully enable the patient to make an informed choice about how they would like to proceed. The follow on from acut e injury to referral to fracture clinic is currently within 3 days. The patient will be presented if suitable with two options; surgical repair or conservative management. From reviewing the literature contributing towards this assignment it is clear the orthopaedic world is divided over these two strategies of care. However the common goal summarised by Patel and Haddad (2006) is a restoration of the normal length and tension of the Achilles tendon, allowing patients to regain their functional and desired level of activity. Fotiadis et al (2007) supports this and further discusses the importance of restoring length as this will preserve strength of the gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles, again improving functionality. Surgical repair: the procedure involves making a longitudinal incision on the medial aspect of the Achilles tendon. Normally the incision is between 8 and 10cm, the ends of the tendon are then sewn together using non-absorbable suture. Two types of stitch are favoured, Krackow or Bunnell. (see appendix A) Kerr (2005) highlights the advantages of surgical repair as Increased strength Reduced calf atrophy Less likely hood of re-rupture Faster return to sporting activities. However with any invasive procedure there will be a risk off Deep wound infection Deep vein thrombosis Delayed wound healing Scar adhesions Hyperesthesia or numbness of the skin After surgery the limb is immobilised with an equinas plaster or brace for between 6 to 8 weeks followed by physiotherapy. Non Surgical Management: Johnson and Morelli (2001) outlines that conservative management involves the patient being placed initially in an equinas cast. The immobilisation of the ankle plantar flexed between 40ÂÂ ° and 60ÂÂ ° enables the tendon to be stress free promoting the unification of the partial tear or rupture tendon. Having discussed the current treatment guidelines with my orthopaedic colleagues at the hospital the patient would be expected to return to fracture twice over a 6 week period. This would be to have a new POP each time and gradually have the degree of plantar flexion increased. The patient would remain on crutches, non weight bearing on the affected limb, to reduce the potential stress placed on the tendon. Having presented the case study and outlined initial management and expected follow up care, I would now like to introduce new methods of assessing for Achilles tendon rupture as stated on page 3. Matles Test: The patient is laid in the prone position with knees flexed at 90ÂÂ °. Both feet and ankles are observed for plantar flexion. The diagram below indicates the there is an increase in dorsi-flexion on the injured limb (right) Source: foot and ankle hyperbook (2011) The OBrien test: the patient lies in the prone position knees flexed at 90ÂÂ °. A small gauge needle is then inserted 10cm form the superior border of the calcaneus into the Achilles tendon. Passive dorsiflexion and plantar flexion movements are applied; absence of movement indicates a potential rupture. The Copeland test: the patient is laid in prone position with knees flexed at 90ÂÂ °. A sphygmomanometer is placed around the bulk of the calf and the pressure raised to 100mmHg with the ankle plantar flexed. When the ankle is dorsiflexed, in a non- injured Achilles tendon, pressure increases to 140mmHg. Where the Achilles is ruptured the pressure remains the same (Sterling et al, 2000). Other specialist diagnostic procedures can be performed i.e. ultrasound or MRI. These have been highlighted by Patel and Haddad (2006) as more accurate at detecting partial tears. Ultrasound is operator dependent and requires an experienced technician and radiologist and MRI carries a high cost and limited clinical value of what has already been diagnosed clinically. Differential diagnosis: During the initial history taking it is paramount an accurate detail history is taken leading up to the events. Majewski et al(2008) outlines 44% of Achilles injuries are misdiagnosed as ankle sprains or gastrocnemius injuries and advocates the use of the two specialists test previously identified; the calf squeeze test and the Maltes test. Majewski et al (2008) concludes along with proficient palpation of the Achilles tendon two positive tests is good evidence of a rupture. However reinforces the need for sonography (ultra-sound) to differentiate between partial and full tears. As ENPs we are usually the first clinician patients see with an acute injury. We have a vital role in demonstrating accurate history taking, assessment, treatment and referral to the appropriate speciality. Despite the patient having an injury it is important that we can provide the patient with accurate education and health promotion advice. It is recognised within our department that weekends have a high increase is sporting injuries who attend the emergency department. The main sports are rugby league and football. We have a great opportunity to impart knowledge to patients with injuries in order to hopefully reduce the incidence of new or re-occurring injury. In relation to Achilles injury or Achilles tendonitis Walker (2005) promotes warm up techniques, the benefits include: Increased blood flow to working muscles Increased range of movements Improved speed of contraction Increased temperature and hence increased elasticity Improved oxygen saturation As previously identified there is reduced vascularisation to part of the tendon, Henry et al (1986) concludes that warming up increases the flexibility of the joint involved and best results occur from static stretching. Another important factor to advice patients about is footwear. If possible hard backs of shoes should be padded as identified by Milroy (1994) these areas nudge the Achilles, often at the site of injury and wherever possible heels should be slightly raised to shorten the Achilles resulting in less injury from sudden lengthening. It is this information that I will be now documenting i.e. did they warm up prior to exercise and also conveying this to patients in order to reduce further injuries. Conclusion: As identified there is an increase in Achilles tendon rupture injuries hence more people will be attending the Emergency Department through direct referral from General practitioners and Walk in Centres/ Minor injuries units or from self presentation. From reviewing literature it is evident there is a significant number of misdiagnosis occurring around the area of injured Achilles tendons. Despite Mr Smiths diagnosis seeming straightforward I now have a greater appreciation of differential diagnosis and the effects misdiagnosis or delay in treatment can have on the short an

Washing and Constant Cleaning, an Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) E

Washing and Constant Cleaning, an Obsessive-compulsive Disorder (OCD) Abstract Washing and constant cleaning, an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD often goes undiagnosed. Patients obsessively wash, check something or hoard things to relieve themselves of an overwhelming anxiety, and are fully aware their behavior is abnormal. This research studies a 23-year-old married woman who sought treatment for a severe washing and cleaning problem and how the patient was treated. I will discuss how the patient was diagnosed, and treated with a form of cognitive behavioral psychotherapy or CBT (exposure and response treatment) and what medications can be used for treatment. Vickie, a 23 year-old married woman arrived with the company of her husband. Vickie had a problem with severe had washing and cleaning. She would wash her hands up to 30 times a day for at least 5 minutes each time. She always had the feeling that her hands were not really clean, she might touch the side of the sink after she rinsed her hands and then think they were dirty again. She also took two showers a day for up to 50 minutes or until all the hot water was gone. Other things she did to make herself feel clean is use alcohol to wipe things down that she would come into contact with, like her car seat before she set in it. She has been unable to seek employment as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) due to her symptoms. I conducted four initial sessions, session one and two were to seek information about the history of her symptoms, obsessional content, including external and internal fears cues, beliefs about consequences, and information about passive avoidance patterns and types of rituals (Levenkron, 1991). I also requested Vickie before our next session to record all washing and cleaning that she did, including wiping things with alcohol. She recorded every time she washed, how long she washed, what made her wash, and how anxious she was before she washed. This kind of record will help us identify any sources of contamination she may have gotten and we can also use it to measure her progress during treatment; the third session was devoted to personal and family history; the fourth session was devoted to treatment planning. During the first three therapy sessions Vickie talked about her experiences of recurrent and persistent ideas, thought, impulses, ... ... to obtain anti-obsessional effects. Studies done to date suggest that the following dosages may be necessary: Luvox (up to 300 mg/day), Prozac (40-80 mg/day), Zoloft (up to 200 mg/day), Paxil (40-60 mg/day), Celexa (up to 60 mg/day), and Anafranil (up to 250 mg/day), (Jenike, 1999b). References American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author Engler, J. & Goleman, D. (1992). The authoritative guide for making informed choices about all types of psychotherapy. The Consumer’s Guide to Psychotherapy. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster/Fireside Levenkron, S. (1991). Treating & Understanding Crippling Habits. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders. New York, NY: Warner Books. Jenike, J. (1999a). How to select a Behavior Therapist. Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation. Available: http://www.ocfoundation.org/ocf_0003.htm Jenike, J. (1999b). OCD medication: Adults. Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation. Retrieved November 18, 2001, from http://www.ocfoundation.org/ocf1050a.htm Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation: How is OCD treated. Retrieved November 14, 2001, from http://www.ocfoundation.org/ocf1030a.htm

Divergent by Veronica Roth Response To Text Essay Essay

The novel â€Å"Divergent† written by author Veronica Roth is a thrilling story about the love and sacrifice of two teenagers (Tris and Four) living in dystopian America. This novel follows the hardship of citizens living in a community where everyone must be separated into groups called factions. The members of each faction must live their lives according to the value of their faction, whether it be Bravery for Dauntless, selflessness for Abnegation, knowledge for Erudite, honesty for Amity or peace for Candor. When each faction member turns 16 they must choose a faction they wish to live the rest of their lives in, whether they choose to remain in the faction of their birth or join a completely different faction is up to them. I found this novel to be very rich in important ideas or themes that can be closely linked to today’s world. Themes, such as love and sacrifice or separation of the social classes. In this book I find it interesting how author Veronica Roth has managed to include today’s ways of social separations into this novel and emphasizes it to a point that shows all the â€Å"flaws† that there are in the way in which today’s society judges and separates everyone into different rankings on the social ladder. The book shows that even though each faction is supposed to be equal to one another there is always one faction that believes they are better than the rest because they believe their way is the â€Å"right† way of life. The Erudite faction believes that knowledge is power and because they have more knowledge than everyone else that they are superior. The feeling  of superiority becomes more than just a feeling for the character Jeanine Mathews, head of the Erudite faction. She believes that because of their knowledge that they must rule the factions and remove those who she feels are â€Å"not worthy† for her new way of life. This aspect of the book greatly reminds me of Hitler and how he was aiming to achieve one master race. Hitler believed that the Jews were inferior and were considered less than human therefore he did not want them to be a part of his â€Å"master race.† Jeanine Mathews thought that the Abnegation faction was not worthy enough to be a part of her plan for a new community and way of life therefore she launched an attack on the Abnegation. Throughout history you see many leaders, groups, races and religions trying to take the metaphorical throne of superiority and try to live above the rest of society. I believe that all of this is caused by one thing, separation. In today’s society no one is equal and we are all being discriminated against by each other. It is through our judgemental ways that we continue to stay separated. Even now if you look at the wars in countries such as Iraq, it is the separation of different religious beliefs that is causing many deaths. It became clear to me that, author Veronica Roth has similar views on seperation. I felt like this after reading her quote where she talks about the effects the separation of the factions had on some of the characters, â€Å"Because it forced people to become narrower, twisted versions of themselves, and they ripped each other apart.† This quote really does sums up what I believe the separation of the factions did to the character Jeanine Mathews . I think that this novel really depicts the theme of separation and the problems it causes in a strong way that really sends a message of equality to the reader. This theme is not only prominent in this novel; the theme of separation plays a large part in other novels such as â€Å"The Hunger Games† trilogy written by Susanne Collins. In â€Å"The Hunger Games†, much like in â€Å"Divergent†, everyone is separated into 12 different districts with one district (The Capitol) ruling over the others. I believe that the idea of equality and how badly we need it is summarised by this quote from Joss Whedon, an American actor and director. â€Å"Equality is not a concept. It’s not something we should be striving for. It’s a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women.† This quote points out that the human race will not be able to progress through life if  we keep separating ourselves, discriminating others and putting ourselves in different groups. I feel that â€Å"Divergent† has really shown this in a way that really connects to the readers. I have found that, author Veronica Roth, has really developed her characters throughout the plot of her book. She also shows the effects that one character can have on another and how other characters can influence the character development of another. It was the character Four that has really given me a sense of this development. At the beginning of this novel Four was portrayed as having a hard â€Å"exterior† and not having much emotion. It is not until the character Tris becomes a part of Four’s life, does he start to develop into a more affectionate character. As Tris and Four’s relationship grows into something more than student and instructor, you can see Four becoming softer and really starting to show his emotional side. Four has been living in the Dauntless faction since he left his birth faction (Abnegation) two years ago. In the Dauntless faction the transfers from Abnegation are bullied just because they came from the faction that is least well off. Because Tris has also come from Abnegation that Four feels sympathy for her in the sense that he has had to go through the same â€Å"bullying.† Four feels that he can relate to her because of this and I think that it is this that really kicks off their relationship and is why Tris and Four become such a strong pairing. By Four finally being able to relate to someone, he feels that he can open up to Tris and â€Å"lower his walls.† This really shows how the character Tris has had an impact on Four and how Tris has developed Four into a â€Å"two dimensional† character by bringing out his softer sides. This change in Four is not only noted by the readers but even by some of the characters in the book. This is told when the character â€Å"Christina† says to Four â€Å"The person you became with her is worth being.† This q uote really shows that it was Tris that has changed Four and that this change is a positive one. The idea that a person can influence a change in another is not just something that happens in books but in reality too. It doesn’t always have to be a person that you know that can influence a change in someone’s life. It is quite often that, celebrities or other public figures that can influence a change. For example, when I was going through a tough time in my life, it wasn’t family members or friends  that helped me through it but the supportive words of celebrities I look up too. Again it was all about connecting with someone who you can relate to. In my case it was my favourite musician. This musician had been through similar things and I felt as if they understood, even though we had not met, let alone even spoken to each other. This also shows what a big influence media has on people of today’s society. The media’s opinion and views on how people should live their life are everywhere; in magazines, television shows and on social media and are hard to be ignored. So it is not only people that can influence a change in someone’s life but other things su ch as media. To conclude, â€Å"Divergent† is an exciting novel that is rich in themes and will keep the reader on the edge of his or her seat. The theme of separation showed many links to today’s society and even to events in history, as well as pointing out many problems that occur with separation in our society. Veronica Roth has not only given a huge amount of depth to her themes in this novel, but has been able to develop her characters throughout the story, morphing them from what you would call a â€Å"one dimensional† character into a â€Å"two dimensional† character. A character, with more than one side to them. This novel has really made me think that how, as an individual, can I not take part in this separation. Whether it is separation of social classes, religious groups or even the separation of people through lifestyle, I believe that everyone should be viewed as equal and not be discriminated against. This novel has also shown me (through the character development of Four and how the character Tris influenced this development ) that people or other things that we find we can relate to or care about, can play a large role and influence some of the personal choices we make as well as influence how we grow as people. Veronica Roth has written this novel in a way that really gets the reader thinking about the themes and/or main ideas as well show important links in these themes and ideas that can relate to the outside world.

Smart Grid Resolution, London Waste Dump Site and Maladroit’s Cosmetics Essay

One of the benefits of investing in this $100 million project includes rerouting power around bottlenecked lines. This allows Xcel Energy to deliver electricity to areas in Boulder that have a very high demand that the previous conventional electrical grid was unable to service effectively. This smart-grid system also enables Xcel Energy to detect and reduce power outages, identify false alarms more quickly and read customer meters remotely. This in return will lead to a reduction in the number of times the service crews are sent out to those locations, thus making the service crews more productive. Combining the efficiency of the smart-grid electrical system and the reduction of outages will allow Xcel Energy to capture cost-savings more appropriately. Additionally, this electrical smart-grid allows customers to monitor their individual power use reducing household usage by up to 30% in some cases, thereby enhancing customer satisfaction. Although this may lead to a decrease in revenue for Xcel Energy, the smart-grid system enables integration of renewable generation, an increase in overall system efficiency, a more robust electrical system and an ability to recover under-utilized and wasted energy. We can’t say for sure, but this may actually benefit Xcel Energy in the long-run as they will recover lost revenue through their decreased operational costs using the smart-grid electrical system. What conflicts do you suspect might have occurred between all the different stakeholders in this project? In any project there are four main stakeholders. This includes Client, Parent Organization, Project Team and the Public. In the case of Xcel Energy’s smart-grid project, both the client and public would be the population of Boulder, CO. The Parent Organization is Xcel Energy and the project team includes representatives from Accenture consulting for engineering, energy industry consultants, leading technologists, business leaders and IT experts. Accenture provides consulting solutions in many major industrial sectors. According to the text, Accenture consulting for engineering was hired. Additionally, IT experts were also brought onto the team. Accenture provides IT solutions as part of their consulting portfolio so there may be some conflict between the two parties due to their different backgrounds and methods of doing business. Also security and privacy were of utmost importance to protect intellectual property, so it is in the best interests of the project team and the parent organization to control how much information they gave to the public and local media. However, the latter of the two recipients may have wanted more information, specifically, how this affects their electricity costs and demands in the long run causing another source of conflict. Internally, members of the project team will experience conflict caused by belonging to two different teams – their project team and functional team. Often, the head of the teams are two different people with different motives and goals, and the members have the responsibility to report to both and are therefore pulled in two different directions. The members of the project team experience almost total conflict as they compete for project resources and leadership roles. This is caused in part by the different backgrounds, attitudes and biases of each member. This would be especially apparent in the Xcel project where members from many different companies and departments are brought together, each with a unique way of accomplishing the tasks and work packages of the project. Turning London’s Waste Dump into the 2012 Olympics Stadium Which of the â€Å"triple constraints† seems to be the uppermost here? Which constraints was Crockford trading between? The text says Crockford â€Å"quickly† assembled a project team of over 1000 individuals in order to meet the mid-2011 completion date. A constant referral to time is also observed. The start date of construction was noted as May 2008 and although there was a delay due to re-designing the roof, the text ends by stating that the project was still on track to be completed by mid-2011. Therefore, Schedule is the triple constraint uppermost here. The design team for the 2012 Olympics Stadium planned a highly-compact field of play requiring a steel-beamed roof and on discovering that the steel-beamed roof as designed would create turbulence on the compact field, a lighter, more flexible roof was redesigned, which was made in part from recycled materials. This roof required less steel and cost less than the initial steel-beamed roof designed. Thus, Crockford traded between the Scope (Required Deliverables) and the Cost (Budget limit). Was the life cycle for this project S-shaped, J-shaped, or something else? Considering just the purpose of the river dredging as a project itself, what was the shape of its life cycle? The completion of London’s 2012 Olympic Stadium consisted of selecting the project team (consisting of over 1000 members), cleaning up the chosen site, design of the stadium, construction, delays and finally construction until completion. Therefore, the project life-cycle most likely followed a stretched S-shape curve similar to housing construction projects. The S-shaped curve is categorized by a slow start, followed by a quick build-up and a slow finish. This is a result of the changing levels of resources used during the successive stages of the life-cycle. The slow start in this case would be the clearing of the site and design of the stadium. Construction would also begin slowly but would quickly ramp up once all the raw materials are shipped to the location and base infrastructure completed. There is a delay (not uncommon – almost expected) when the team realizes the steel-beamed roof would create turbulence on the compact field. Finally, construction will slow down as specialized parts are ordered for the final touches (luxury spectator rooms, confectionary stands etc). The river dredging project followed a J-shaped curve. This is characterized by a slow start followed by an exponential increase in project completion over time. Moreover, the expenditure of resources has little correlation with overall progress. The team removed 30,000 tons of silt, gravel and garbage from the river. Getting the cranes and other heavy machinery used to remove garbage from the river would take time, but once there, they can quickly and effectively remove the waste from the river. Were there any ancillary goals for this project? What might they have been? The Olympic Delivery Authority’s goal to use recycled materials in the building of the 2012 Olympic Stadium can be considered as an ancillary goal. The use of recycled materials to build a lighter, more flexible roof creates opportunities whereby a stadium can be completely built from recycled materials in the future. An ancillary goal of making 55,000 of the 80,000 seats temporary would create a profitable stadium in the future because the cost of maintaining the area containing the seats is grossly reduced. Furthermore, a successful stadium results in a successful 2012 Olympics and ultimately increases tourism in England. Finally, Ian Crockford has greatly increased his reputation and experience as a project manager (as well as his subordinates and parent company too) which drastically increases his chances of managing future projects on this scale and beyond. Which of the project-defining factors in Section 1. 1 were active here. The project was identified as important by the Olympic Delivery Authority composed of politicians and other high-ranking members of society. The scope was clearly defined from the beginning of the project and was divided into sub-tasks to achieve the project goals. The due date of the project is also clearly defined as Mid-2011. Many interdependencies were at play such as the recycled metal from the police department and dredging of the river. The project was unique in that it had a temporary seating design, a lighter more flexible roof and designed specifically for the 2012 London Olympics. The budget was limited to ? 32 million and not unlike the Xcel Energy case detailed above; conflicts existed between the different stakeholders of the project. Therefore, all 7 of the project defining factors were active in the construction of the 2012 Olympics stadium. Maladroit Cosmetics Company Which of the three choices do you recommend and why? The third choice, that is, the company that manufactures the machines can handle the installation project for a fee close to what the installation would cost Maladroit is recommended for a number of reasons. The first being hat Maladroit becomes the customer in this transaction, and the company installing the machines would be performing the job and would have to do it according Maladroit’s specifications including any unseen delays not identified in the scope. We are also unsure of the qualifications of the members of her staff and if they capable of undertaking such a high risk project worth $4 million. Finally, she cannot handle the project informally out of office because the project is very important and she would not be able to devote as much time to the project as well as her current duties. If the project was one small machine at a total cost of $4,000, would your answer be different? Yes, we would recommend that she assigns the project to a member of her staff that could potentially be suited for a managerial role in the future. This low risk project would be an excellent test to see how well he or she is able to complete the project deliverables in a cost-effective and timely manner. Discuss the relative importance of the capital investment required versus the role of the investment in machinery. Capital investment can be defined as a commitment of the owner’s money to land, buildings or machinery. In this example, it is the commitment of the owner’s money to the installation of 6 machines worth $4million (note: the plant manager does not necessarily own the machines, rather, the shareholders or owners of the actual company do). The role of the investment in machinery is to replace the filling machines that have become obsolete within 6 months so that the company can continue to produce cosmetic products and generate revenue.