Assessment paper

Scenario Assessment

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

· Introduction

To enable you the opportunity to exercise your learnings from this unit, a scenario simulation has been prepared to provide students the opportunity to make a series of decisions at differing points in the life cycle of an engineering system. The initial objective of this scenario is to allow students to identify the real-life stakeholders and explore the application of different frameworks. As the unit progresses your role will change to that of the strategic planning manager for the system and then later switch to that of the engineering manager overseeing design and delivery. The simulation will run under a gaming environment, each week you will receive a change in the scenario parameters. You will need to respond according to your role, making decisions that you believe are the best for sustainability outcomes.

The scenario places each student in the following roles for the go ahead of the East Coast High Speed Railway.

Advisor to Federal Government on frameworks (Weeks 1 & 2);Strategic Planning Manager for the System (Weeks 3 & 4);Engineering Manager overseeing design and delivery (Weeks 5 & 6) .After week 2, you will also need to consider how decisions you made from previous roles have affected your current role.

Weekly activities will be the subject of minor assessments, while a review and reflection on the scenario will form a major part of the final assessment in week 7.  It is not expected that students need to familiarise themselves in detail with the technical details of railways. It is expected that students will critically evaluate the alternatives before making decisions and reflect on the key sustainability issues, risks and opportunities of the scenario. Students are also encouraged to challenge the underlying assumptions of the scenario in a constructive and engaging manner through discussion boards and submissions.

· Scenario Background

The concept of a high-speed rail system linking each of the East Coast capital cities of Australia, including the national capital “Canberra”, has been discussed and studied for more than 20 years. The most recent Department of Infrastructure and Transport studies are the basis for this scenario. However, the terms of reference for the study are considered by some to be limiting, having put constraints on the type of guided transport technology that could be considered. While you are using this report as a baseline document for the scenario, in the interest of sustainability outcomes be encouraged to think outside the square when it comes to innovative technology. This is a transformational project that has long term implications for the whole east coast for the next 100 years. Think about the interregional effect of the Shinkansen on Japan, the TGV on France and more recently the Chinese CRH network for connecting China’s many regions. In terms of intergenerational impact of infrastructure of this scale and longevity, think of projects in Australia that in hindsight we can see the effect of, for example the Sydney Harbour Bridge and its ongoing value for generations of Australians. Have a good look at the HSR Phase 1 Report Executive summary to get you started.

· Student Requirements

Each week, students will be required to engage with their peers on the discussion board, including issues identified, and methodologies to resolve them. You will need to fill out a decisions and reflections log, posting it each week prior to the next scenario update. This will enable you to also learn from the experience of other colleagues in the same “gaming” environment. Weekly activities will be the subject of minor assessments, while a review and reflection on the scenario will form a major part of the final assessment due in week 7. A webinar tour will occur in week 1 to familiarise students with the background to the scenario. It is not expected that students need to familiarise themselves in detail with the technical details of railways. It is expected that students will critically evaluate the alternatives before making decisions and reflect on the key sustainability issues, risks and opportunities of the scenario. Students are also encouraged to challenge the underlying assumptions of the scenario in a constructive and engaging manner through discussion boards and submissions. A Decisions & Reflections Log has been provided in the form of an excel spreadsheet for your weekly reflections and for you to use to create your weekly pdf posts in the discussion boards.

The scenario places each student in the following roles for the go ahead of the East Coast High Speed Railway.

1. Advisor to Federal Government on frameworks (Weeks 1 & 2);

2. Strategic Planning Manager for the System (Weeks 3 & 4);

3. Engineering Manager overseeing design and delivery (Weeks 5&6).

The intention is that decisions you make week-by-week will ‘follow’ on to the subsequent weeks. Giving you a ‘thread’ through the entire scenario to follow. Most importantly, each Monday (around 7am), new information affecting your choices for the scenario will be released via the announcements, so check your notifications for the updates - you'll need them to undertake the scenario.

· Report Requirements (Max 2500 words)

· Submission should be in report format, and include a short executive summary

· Report be based around the following requirements;

§ Summarise and expand on the decisions you made each week reflect on them, considering;

§ the context changes that happened during the course

§ What was good / bad about the decision you made

§ What would you do differently now?

§ Review two students’ fully completed Decisions & Reflections Logs (all 6 weeks), consider; (200-400 words)

§ What was the benefits or limitations of their approach?

§ Provide recommendations for change to their approach

§ What have you learned through this process about decision making and engineering for a sustainable future?

· You should consider and frame your submission in light of a framework discussed in this course

· Extensive tables, if used, should be included as appendices

· You should cite references in support of your approach, investigate /research beyond the materials provided in my Content / my Readings where necessary

· Referencing should be in the Harvard or APA style. (More than 5 references)

· Word count is inclusive of tables, but excludes appendices, footnotes and bibliography

· Content within the appendices and footnotes will not contribute to your mark (expect as described in next dot point), but may be necessary to support your discussion

· Attach your completed Ministerial Briefing Note to your week 2 D&R Log

· Attach your Top-Level Specification to your week 4 D&R Log

· Post your completed Decisions & Reflections Log in the Week 6 Discussion Board so that students have them available for review.

· Marking Guide

Levels of Achievement

Criteria

Novice

Competent

Proficient

Executive Summary

0 to 1 points

Does not cover each element of the report

0 to 2.5 points

Covers the majority of the main items of thereport

2.5 to 4 points

effectively communicates the main items of the entirety of the report

Introduction

0 to 1 points

Context, purpose and method of the report is unlear

1 to 2.5 points

some clarity as to the context, purpose and methodology of the report is provided

2.5 to 4 points

clear cummunicates the context, purpose and methodology of the report

Discussion (Summarise and Expand on your D&R)

0 to 1 points

Little attempt to summarize or expanded the D&R log findings

1 to 2.5 points

good attempt to summarize and expand the D&R Log findings

2.5 to 4 points

D&R Log finds are effectively summarized and insightfully expanded

Discussion (Review 2 x D&R Logs)

0 to 1 points

Little attempt to review 2 x other students logs

1 to 2.5 points

2 x other students logs reviewed with some insight

2.5 to 4 points

demonstrated critical thinking in the review of 2 x student D&R Logs

Conclusion and Learnings

0 to 3 points

provides some details of learning from scenario exercise

3 to 6 points

demonstrates learnings that are linked to the scenario exercise

6 to 8 points

methodical listing and well thoughts out learnings linked to the scenario excercise

Referencing

0 to 1 points

Suitable Bibliography

1 to 2 points

Some in-text citation to support arguments (where required)

2 to 3 points

Comprehensive in-text citation to support arguments (where required)

Ministerial Briefing Note

0 to 1 points

some attempt

1 to 2.5 points

clear format, limited depth

2.5 to 4 points

clear format, comprehensive

Top Level Specification

0 to 1 points

some attempt

1 to 2.5 points

clear format, limited depth

2.5 to 4 points

clear format, comprehensive