Engr Usman Muktar
Mechanical engineer, working with government agency, in Maritime industry
Location Nigeria, Northwest, Kaduna
Activity
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I do have similar experiences and quite frustrating for using ones valuable time, but achieving nothing.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Many a times when I search for specific information from internet, the results would contain irrelevant data not useful for me at that moment.
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It reduces the stress of traveling to address issues.
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The era of smartphone has made tremendous impact on my life as it makes communication easier whether between family and friends as well as in the workplace.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Computer mouse, video conferencing emerged Close to my age.
I am not really surprised because some past development are still in use for example compilers and CD-ROM. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Hi everyone, Usman from Nigeria, Jigawa State. Facinated by awesome computer applications and needs to know more.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Hi everyone, Usman from Nigeria. Native of Jigawa State.
I am facinated by awesome computer applications and curious to know more about programming and software development.
Hopefully in the right place. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Funding is definitely a challenge. While the options or possibilities mentioned in this section might be helpful, but I believe only few them Will be applicable to distance learning students.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
While these issues are challenges, but each study area has its peculiar challenge with respect to contexts, complexity and culture.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Can someone shade more light on point no. 4. That's wanted to prove a point.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Interesting.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
There are many needs to develop PhD proposal, the following are among the top five.
1. Getting scholarly or academic articles or research works in ocean management.
2. Internet Connectivity
3. Funds
4. Traveling
5. Family, work and the PhD programOvercoming the above challenges is critical for the successful starting and completion of the program.
I... -
While I agree with you on the points raised, but I do not believe that to have a good research proposal is a challenge.
Now before you apply or seek for enrollment into any institutions one need to identify area and the issues he or she intends to address, which is the basis for research proposal.
PhD is driven more by the students, what do you think about... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The insights that the findings of an PhD thesis might be dead on arrival is very important point for consideration. This Will help in shaping /adjustment of goals and objectives of the PhD program.
Although developing multiple impacts could address such a problem, but careful and strategic choices is critical for thesis success or impacts. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In my understanding, the issues and processes involved in writing PhD proposal would only be different in context. For instance, the methodology for a subject may be unsuitable for another subject.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Interestingly, some institutions, even in UK make research proposal as well as getting potential supervisor as condition for admission into PhD program.
Therefore having a supervisor putting you through to develop the research proposal is highly great. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In the next five years I would like to see myself in the directorates cadre in my current organization, however my PhD degree would not be a determining factor but only an added advantage.
In ten years time I would be out of my current job on retirement. My wish is to be among the top or leading professional on policy and guidelines development for achieving... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
I have been working in the Maritime Industry for quite some years though not in managerial position but in operational area.
As stated earlier, I completed Msc program late last year. My dissertation was on Port State Control in West and Central Africa, Nigeria as a case study. Port State Control is a contol measure put in place by IMO to eliminate... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In deed, every individuals have different objectives and goals for undertaking or venturing into a particular study area.
My aims to study a PhD program include among others the following.
1. Enhance my research and consultancy skills,
2. Fill the knowledge gap in ocean management field especially in Africa and the world at large,
3. Enhance my social... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Thank you professor Julie.
It is an interesting introduction and I totally agree with you that the students must be self motivated. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
I would like to express my appreciation Doctor Stephanie for time to groom individuals aspiring for greater heights.
I completed msc project management from Roehampton University in 2019, and hoping to embark on further journey to achieve PhD in Ocean Management in Nigeria.
I am interested in exploring more ideas in collaboration with others. -
Noah I totally agree with your submission. The two accounts are dealing with different aspects of business, both may be accurate in their own context.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In my opinion, independent audit is relatively easy way to know if a company or system is doing well.
It is not uncommon to see manipulation in any kind of reports. Recently, I witnessed a situation where top management requested for records of meetings, but unfortunately a particular unit of that organization had not been regularly holding such meetings.
To... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Really interesting course and concise summary
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Engr Usman Muktar replied to Kabir Muhammad
I agree with you that steering groups better, but what circumstances. I believe the steering group and project management office are good strategies when dealing with conflicts in project portfolio as discussed in the video.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
I did attempt to critical chain exercise, but could not upload.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Although I hardly find myself working on multiple projects, but I understand the benefits an disadvantages of such membership. In my opinion, the adverse effects outweigh the benefits. For example, you have flexibility in time allocation, however it might turned out to stressful situation when the deadline is fast approaching.
If by coincidence many of the... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Some of the strategies used in dealing with quality, resources and conflicts include but not limited to providing clear expectations, effective communication, collaboration, negotiation and contingency plan.
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Engr Usman Muktar replied to Tony J
Tony, remember that the PM is not responsible for putting the team together, but to manage them.
Do you also consider the resource gap in case their replacement is not effected immediately.
Finally, if there happens 2-3 conflicting situations, what Will you do? Remove all at once? -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
It is clear that collaboration, compromise and to some extent accommodation are strategies for resolving conflicts, but I don't get the logic for including avoidance and competition in figure. The last two strategies above rather sustain the conflicts than resolution.
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I support this view point, but where the project is venturing into new product, it requires much more critical analysis, involving more stakeholders such competitors in the new production line.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
As an organization, one the values may be high sense of accountability, but how can you know if the individuals values are aligned with that of business entity.
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Engr Usman Muktar replied to Kimberley Musson
This could be due to high risks in entrusting ones finance to a stranger. These days young entrepreneurs are eager to make quick money than learning the art of business processes.
So many if not all owners of small businesses prefer to someone as assistant, but still in control of resources. -
Engr Usman Muktar replied to Kimberley Musson
In deed, I agree with your view.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Profit and loss statement and balance sheet are very familiar terms to me but income statement and statement of financial position are relatively new to my understanding.
It is interesting that I am learning a great deal of new ideas.
I understand the difficulty especially for the so called non-profit organizations in adopting the profit and loss statement,... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
This has widen my horizon in differentiating book keeping and accounting.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The business will be able to produce profits and loss account and trial balance.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Book keeping as the name implies is art recording every transactions in a business.
Accounting is the analysis of the business activities to determine the progress and trends in the business.
Reporting is the summary of actions and inactions that may positively or negatively affect the overall success in the business. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Hi I am Usman, live in Nigeria, work with government agency. Will be retiring soon and want to understand more about personal and business accountings.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Individuals and small businesses should handle their accounts because engagement of professional may not be cost effective.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The conflict I have witnessed is interpersonal with respect to schedule and priority. The office is responsible for conducting examinations quarterly, the processes starts 2-3 months for documentation and screening before the examination date. The conflict usually arouse within the team members on the timing, order of processes and closure.
In most cases the... -
Engr Usman Muktar replied to Dawn Fitzpatrick
I mean reducing project durations
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Engr Usman Muktar replied to Dawn Fitzpatrick
By reducing the project using critical chain approach, how is the team members stress and demotivation accounted.
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Engr Usman Muktar replied to Dawn Fitzpatrick
Mr Carli, how's this different from thoughtless optimism by project manager.
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If do understand Carli's explanation, it means this kind of schedule will hardly face problems with respect to meeting deadlines
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Precisely interesting summary actions of project manager the may jeopardize project success.
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I agree with Lilian, but have considered that some issues may be non - critical and rescheduling them might not affect the deadline. I believe it all depends the problems facing the project, cost and quality implications on project.
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I agree with your view point that analysis be carried before selection any of the strategies in order to determine the degree of positivity or negativity on the project outcome.
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I can understand the logic of delaying and extending non critical activities, but I not clear as to what benefits for applying same strategies on critical activities knowing fully it would affect project duration and cost. Can anyone help please?
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
My understanding here is highlighting the role of a project manager in coming up with an effect and qualitative resource scheduling.
If the project happens to be within a programm or a portfolio it means there competition for resource allocation and the more accurate his plan and schedule the better the results. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
It may not be as simple as it appears on the diagram or the figure. The assumption that no priority is highly unlikely in real life project cycle. Not only priority, there is also dependency of project tasks. Therefore delaying or rescheduling of tasks require whole lot of consideration.
But the good news is that softwares are available to help out. The... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In response to the identified problem of water contamination, the quality control should be continuous monitoring from start to finish. The reason is water sources or its transportation system may lose quality at any given time. For instance water pipe line may get rusted and / or raptured significantly reducing the quality. Digital mechanism capable of real...
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The quality plan consist of two aspects, ie quality control and quality assurance.
The quality control is more of an internal processes while quality assurance is independent and external. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Quality is regarded as the level of achievement with respect to objectives and benefits of the project.
Currently, I am working on a construction project and quality requirements served as decision making driver. Some of the team members were suggesting cost reduction trade-offs with quality.
But after deliberation and critical analysis it was agreed that... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
It interesting to understand that in reality 100% quality is not attainable, but the target is optimal quality, would satisfy both internal and external stakeholders as well as relatively providing the effective results.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Quality should be considered throughout the project in line with the desired changes.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Projects are designed, and executed to achieve some strategic goals or changes. For instance if a project is initiated to address customers satisfaction, without incorporating the their feedback, the project success might seemed limited even though it meets budget, time and quality requirements.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Its interesting to know that not all conflicts are negative.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
While diversity is generally believed to positive in project team, but excessive cognitive diversity may produce negative effect such as clique, competition and unproductive complicts.
The project manager need to provide conditions that can stimulates positive and social interactions between team members. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Diversity in project team is a blessing in disguise. It is said that two heads are better than one, I believe it is best if the two heads have different experience and skills.
The more the diverse the project team became the more the perspective and opinions are brought in problem solving. But the diversity is more useful in complex situation -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Interestingly, the concept shows that in complex situation, the team knowledge and skills are more important than familiarity. Under complex situation what is required is understanding the role and responsibilities as well as accountability. Each member has to do what is right Knowing that any failure on his functions might jeopardize the the whole mission,...
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Life of a seafarer is always working in an uncertain environment weather during emergency or not. They are also accustomed to working as a team with diverse background. However, apart from normal duties on daily basis, there are different teams for dealing emergencies such as fire, with roles and responsibilities assigned.
Not only that the others people on... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Conflicts and disagreement or even frustration in group members, or office setting not only in projects. But it is more pronounced in project team because they're brought together for special purpose.
The purpose would make each member feel like better than others, thus will definitely try to show up and competition set in.
Unless the project manager... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The chartering technique for project launching is very helpful in negotiating team togetherness. The three parts are essential because it brings the project stakeholders to common understanding of the project purpose, the rules of conducts / processes, and lastly the project contexts by sponsor. This is formal and structured system, some members might be...
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S. Graham, you have really captured most if not all aspects for binding the project team together as well as other stakeholders.
However I believe making it frequently will go along way in inproving the team cohesion. -
I do agree with you that to the team should have to the right mix, the project manager is not always in a position to assign the team members. So how does the project manager deal with such problem?
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In deed the challenges and responsibilities are exciting but can become frustration if not handled well, especially when the PM is limited by knowledge, skills and experience.
It is in my opinion the true test of PM ability to deliver a project with satisfactory results.
Some of the important skills in such a situation include but not limited to the... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In a small project it is easy to deal with challenges of understanding the common purpose and collaboratively working together because there are few people involved. Probably your may be familiar with each other.
But in large and complex project it requires a great deal of task. There are many skills that can help a project manager in this regards which... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In my experience, the following are among the factors making the project teams great.
-Unity of purpose all of the members are aiming to achieve common goal/objectives
-Collaboratively and cooperatively working together
-High level of information sharing -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Very sincerely it appears like each aspect of project management skills are superior to others, but by critical analysis one discovers that they complement each other.
I am eager to learn, according to Lorato N., the most important and challenging skill of forming and developing project team, effective leadership and communication, and motivating... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Project life cycle in practice has validated my thinking. It is also in line with versatility and dynamism of project management profession in handling project no matter the situation by combination of skills and approaches to produce results.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
It is interesting to know and understand that project management skills can be applied a variety of fields to deliver results. The VUCA framework has been found to be useful not only for project execution but rather in all ramifications of life.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In MTD scenario, the project might seems clearly defined with goal and objectives of providing quality water for an event.
However, the project requirement may differ in different occasions. The various components of MTD projects might have complex dimension. For instance, using alternative water supply by tanker trucks and the continuous monitoring of water... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
I believe we back to the learning point covered earlier in wk1 which is orientation. This help in selection the project management approach and the project lifecycle.
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Nicole my experience is closely similar to yours.
However, I once found myself working in a very volatile environment. Two natives ethnics groups were in conflict and fighting for supremacy. Although each group has its own strong hold area, but their member are also scattered around. This became a challenge because you may be in trouble if any of the group... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
This program has really further shape my understanding in project management. I am facinated with the idea that projects execution approach can either be linear, iterative or mixed based on the type and complexity of project.
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In deed, I am similarly thinking that mini project in iterative approach is seemed to be linearly handled.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The be nature of my job at moment doesn't involve such complex projects. However it is an interesting approach that can stimulates project team to be more productive. In fact the team own the processes.
The prominent disadvantage in my opinion is high stressful state the project team might find themselves due to time constraints for delivering output within a... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
I have not worked on a complex project warranting agile approach. It is an interesting management tool, with exceptional risk mitigation, transparency of information and speed within the project team. It also gives the team the opportunity to make input in decision making while the managers provide the necessary leadership support and motivation.
However, in... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The selection of method or approach will definitely depend on the type and complexity of the project which is line with dynamic nature of project management, as pointed out in the lecture notes.
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you may be right, but there are alot of factors leading to abandoned projects such as funding. Even if you assemble the right team and adopted the most appropriate approach, a project might fail without adequate funding.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Linear project life cycle is an approach that is applicable in projects that are simple with defined deliverable and mile stones. The following are some the advantages:
-Clear picture of the outcome
-Easy to monitor progress and quality
-Easy to know when a phase of the project is completed
One of the disadvantages is the high cost of effecting changes at... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Adaptation to any of the two approaches depends on the type of projects and environmental situation.
In my opinion, a simple project night be handled by linear approach, but I believe in the iterative approach there will still be some sort of linear dimensions. -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The orientation approach in project management is important and seems straight forward, but sometimes the categorization may be a challenge.
Within the week under review, a Maritime workers union officials requested for a meeting to discuss certain issues concerning their member. This might appear simple, but unfortunately as soon as the Union leaders... -
@LizMoody
My line of thought is similar to yours. I believe that overspending on project doesn't qualify it to be a failure, provided the goal and objectives are achieved.
It is possible those projects over shoot their budgets could be scope creeping or unforeseen circumstances. What do you think? -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
The conditions for the project success as identify by APM under direct control of project manager are
- applying proven methods and tools
- select competent project team
- applying appropriate standards
- accurate project planning and reviews -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
It is my first time of coming across VUCA framework or approach, and I am very interested in its application across many functional systems.
In my work experience especially during Port State control where a foreign vessel is to be inspected for compliance with safety, security and environmental protection standards as agreed regionally and... -
On daily basis the enforcement officers responsible for monitoring compliance are facing challenging environment such as rough weather conditions that can change faster than expected, uncooperative attitudes of shipping companies/agents as well as youths restiveness.
In many occasions, youths restiveness disrupt operation and with serious threats to ones... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
In my organization, the executive management or leaders are political appointees for a term period of 4 years, with a possibility for renewal of appointment. So every four years, the system is charged with some level of eminent changes and uncertainty with regards to guidelines and conditions of services internally. Some of the changes might require...
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
I believe wether you work for government or private sector, global issues such as climate change, politics and change in government will definitely affect ones system or project.
For instance, during the world economic meltdown, many countries were negatively impacted including my home country, Nigeria.
My organization, as Maritime industry regulatory is... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Very interesting and valuable course.
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You may read the transcript by clicking on "view the transcript"
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Applying the three steps not only in project but all personal and working life could make one stand out of crowd. For instance looking at issues from different perspective and context will help in making the right and ethical decision.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
There were a lot issues in this case study among which are:
1. Lack of proper planning on how the program should be handled
2. No clear communication on what needs to be done
3. Lack of courage to question the outcome at point of receiving the report
4. Conflict of interest between job retention and challenging the report contents
5. Review of the... -
I totally agree with you on the points you highlighted, but I have different opinions on the compromise approach which you described as the worst case.
Every skill is important and should be utilized based on context and circumstances. -
Engr Usman Muktar replied to Engr Usman Muktar
One more example is merger and acquisition.
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Engr Usman Muktar replied to Engr Usman Muktar
Another example is organisational reforms. The effect on some keys staff is similar to the decentralization process stated earlier.
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Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
An example of a project that may be initially rejected but later accepted in an organization is decentralization of certain operation.
In many cases, those in charge of the operation would feel their position and authority is under threats. Therefore there's tendency to frustrate such a move. But as time passes, it will be embraced.
It is important to... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
Team work and professionalism are among to the core values of my organization.
Team work and professionalism are some how related. As a professional you need respect the feelings of others. Team work has to do with tolerance and helping each other.
To be professional you continuous improvement, and that's why I am here seeking more knowledge and learning... -
Engr Usman Muktar made a comment
It is normal in any project simple or complex to have changes or additional requirements.
There should be analysis of the problem, impact of the changes, sets of solutions, choice of best solution by the major actors, and the financial involved.
