Effective project management requires high quality planning. Yet despite the care taken in the setting up and planning stages, the unpredictable and dynamic context in which projects operate means that many projects run behind schedule, over budget and/or have their scope compromised. This can be the result of action by a stakeholder or the emergence of previously identified or unforeseen risks.

This unit provides students with the skills and knowledge to identify, assess and develop appropriate responses to variations from plan. Responses range from project termination to a trade-off in constraints and may require the implementation of aggressive scheduling techniques such as 'crashing' or Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM). Students learn to use appropriate industry standard software to assist in monitoring the project and testing responses to emergent variations.