Assessment – Details and instructions
Prepare a project management plan and identify the activities required to design, build, test and launch the product you proposed.
Also, you might need to identify activities to troubleshoot the launched product and provide the necessary training for the client’s staff. Note that the final product should be made available via online channels (Apple store, Google Play and the client’s web page).
Your subject facilitator will be regarded as the “client representative” throughout the semester. The client representative is responsible for clarifying the project requirements and guiding your team while you are preparing the project plan. During this time, the client representative might bring new requirements for the project. You should be able to effectively engage the client representative in your project to make sure all the requirements are clearly understood and incorporated into the project plan.
The project management plan must contain the following items:
1. The project scope statement, priority matrix, WBS and WBS dictionary. Your group needs to make necessary changes in the project documentation based on the feedback you received in Assessment 1 and from engagement with the client representative (here, subject facilitator).
2. A product description. Your team should describe the product features you are offering. The product features should be consistent with the project priorities that you have identified in the project priority matrix.
3. A schedule. Prepare a detailed project activity list that is consistent with the scope, major deliverables, WBS and WBS Dictionary. Use MS Project 2016 Software to develop the project network diagram and Gantt chart covering all the activities that have been already identified.
The Gantt chart must clearly show:
Project timeline,
Milestones to complete the project,
Activities’ predecessors and successors,
Resource allocation.
Key features and assumptions made in developing the schedule must be explained. For example, your assumptions on major milestone completion dates, client’s approval dates, slacks (floats), critical activities and critical path duration along with any other assumptions you made to complete the Gantt chart should be discussed.
4. A staffing and resource plan. Resources could be direct labour, materials costs, product costs, consulting fees and others. You need to identify and assign the required resources to all project activities and show the workload of each resource. Identify any additional expertise that may need to be brought in for the project. You are required to use project scheduling techniques, such as resource optimisation and levelling to come up with an effective and efficient resource plan.
5. A time-phased budget plan and propose a suitable contract. You are required to estimate project resources rates and associated costs, and also use MS Project 2016 software to calculate the project budget. You are required to include the budget table and cash flow graph in the project plan. You should also discuss your budget-related assumptions.
You are required to propose an appropriate type of contract for the project and come up with a payment plan. You should justify the choice of contract.
6. Analysis of project stakeholders and develop a communication plan. You are required to identify stakeholders, analyse and map them using an appropriate tool, and design an engagement plan. A communication plan should also be developed and discussed. Discuss your stakeholder management approach.
7. A high-level risk assessment and develop appropriate response plans. Following the risk management processes, you need to prepare a list of high-level (macro) risks. Discuss your risk management approach and prepare an appropriate risk assessment form and risk response matrix. You must identify at least 10 risk factors, rank them and develop risk response plans for top 5 risks. You are required to explain the identified risks and response plans.
8. A performance measurement system. Do your research and propose an appropriate performance measurement system for the project. Your performance measurement system should cover time (schedule), cost (budget) and scope (quality). You need to develop a measurement criterion for each of the project success elements.
Tips on preparing your report:
In addition to software output, you need to discuss key features and assumptions made.
In case you use any academic publication, online article, web page, book etc. you need to properly cite in the body of your assessment and provide a references list using APA Referencing style.
Make sure you read the Assessment 2 marking criteria carefully before you start. Submit your report as a single Word document with 3500 words excluding graphs and appendices if any.
