Applied Project Management Case Assignments
Assignment 1 -
Using what you learned in Webinar 1 - Getting Started with MS Project, create a new MS Project file (blank file) and name it with your last name and ASMT1 (example: WilsonASMT1) as the file name. Use the Gantt Chart view and enter the tasks, durations, and dependencies from the basic WBS below. For the dates, use the start date of Monday of Module 3. Be sure that each task is auto-scheduled and be certain to include the non-workday "Company Picnic" that will occur on Thursday of Module 3.
Genesis System Upgrade Project WBS
1. Evaluation & Recommendations (5 Days)
2. Develop Project Charter (10 Days) (Link to 1)
3. Sponsor Review/Approval (2 Days) (Link to 2)
4. Create Preliminary Scope Statement (5 Days) (Link to 3)
5. Determine Project Team (5 Days) (Link to 3)
6. Project Team Kickoff Meeting (1 Day) (Link to 5)
7. Develop Project Plan (10 Days) (Link to 6)
8. Verify & Validate User Requirements (14 Days) (Link to 7)
9. Design System (14 Days) (Link to 8)
10. Procure Hardware/Software (14 Days) (Link to 9)
11. Install Preliminary System (2 Days) (Link to 10)
12. Test Preliminary System (5 Days) (Link to 11)
13. Install Live System (5 Days) (Link to 12)
14. User Training (2 Days) (Link to 13)
15. Audit Procurement (5 Days) (Link to 14)
16. Document Lessons Learned (2 Days) (Link to 15)
17. Update Files/Records (2 Days) (Link to 15)
18. Gain Formal Acceptance (5 Days) (Link to 14)
19. Archive Files/Documents (1 Day) (Link to 17)
20. Closeout Meeting (1 day) (Link to 19)
Assignment 2- Resources and Instructions
1. Use the Resource Sheet view in MS Project to enter the following names of personnel assigned to the project:
a. John
b. Mike
c. Nancy
d. Dave
e. Dr. Jackson
f. PMO
g. (YOUR NAME) as PM
h. Pindar
i. Emilio
j. Pam
k. Estaban
l. Craig
2. Use the Gantt Chart view to assign resources from the dropdown menu under the Resource Names field for each of the following tasks:
m. Evaluation & Recommendations - John, Mike
n. Develop Project Charter - John, Mike, Nancy, Dave
o. Sponsor Review/Approval - Dr. Jackson
p. Create Preliminary Scope Statement - Nancy
q. Determine Project Team - PMO
r. Project Team Kickoff Meeting - PM
s. Develop Project Plan - Dave, PM
t. Verify & Validate User Requirements - Pindar, Emilio, Pam
u. Design System - Pindar, Estaban
v. Procure Hardware/Software - Nancy, PMO
w. Install Preliminary System - Emilio, Estaban
x. Test Preliminary System - Pindar
y. Install Live System - Emilio, Estaban
z. User Training - Craig
aa. Audit Procurement - PMO
bb. Document Lessons Learned - PM
cc. Update Files/Records - PMO
dd. Gain Formal Acceptance - Dr. Jackson
ee. Archive Files/Documents - PMO, PM
ff. Closeout Meeting - PM
3. Generate a Resource Overview report and save and name it by choosing File - Export - Create PDF/XPS - lastnameFirstname-REPORT1- Publish Range All (submit this file with your MS Project file).
4. Reduce the Design System by two days and allow Pindar and Estaban to work overtime to keep the schedule on track.
5. As PM, Schedule yourself for a doctor's appointment on the final day of the project (moving it out one extra day) for the Closeout Meeting.
Assignment 3- Resources and Instructions
1. Using the Gantt Chart view, create a detailed and comprehensive timeline by taking the following steps:
a. Add an "End Project" milestone and link it to the final activity.
b. Add a "Charter Approved" milestone after the Sponsor Review/Approval activity.
c. Link the Create Preliminary Scope Statement and Determine the Project Team to the Charter Approved milestone (Hint: Use predecessor column).
d. Change the predecessors in the Project Team Kickoff Meeting activity to the two prior activities (Create Prelim Scope/Determine Project Team).
e. Add a "Project Plan Approved" milestone and link it to the Develop Project Plan activity.
f. Link the Verify & Validate User Requirements activity to the Project Approved milestone.
g. Add a "Live Rollout" milestone after the link to User Training.
h. Link the Audit Procurement and Gain Formal Acceptance activities to the Live Rollout milestone.
2. Add the following Summary Tasks:
- Initiation Phase - from Evaluation & Recommendation to Charter Approved milestone
- Planning Phase - from Create Preliminary Scope to Project Plan Approved milestone
- Execution Phase - from Verify & Validate User to Live Rollout milestone
- Closeout Phase - from Audit Procurements to End Project milestone
3. Generate a timeline showing only the four phases above along with the milestones.
a. Color-code each phase with a different color.
b. Pull out the milestones from the timeline (if necessary).
c. Create a presentation-size copy and paste it into a blank Word Document (may be helpful to use a landscape orientation). Save it, name it (lastnameTimeline), and submit this with your MS Project file.
Assignment 4 - Resources and Instructions
1. Using the Gantt Chart view, take note of your current completion date for the project.
2. Set the Status Date of the project to today's date.
3. Set a Baseline for the entire project.
4. Show the baseline (gray bars) on your timeline.
5. Add the following completion percentages to the tasks below:
a. Evaluation & Recommendation - 100% complete
b. Develop Project Charter - 95% complete
6. Move the Sponsor Review/Approval task out 2 business days (add two days) and keep the link to the next task.
7. Show the critical tasks on the timeline.
8. Adjust the Duration on critical tasks that can logically be changed to get your project back to its original completion date (cannot change Sponsor Review/Approval activity again)
9. Generate a Project Overview report by phase (default). Save and name the file: Choose File - save as - browse to where to save - from Save as type: dropdown - select PDF Files - rename lastname OVERVIEW (leave publish range set to "All").
10. Provide a Resource Overview report. Save and name the file: Choose File - save as - browse to where to save - from Save as type: dropdown - select PDF Files - rename lastname RESOURCE (leave publish range set to "All").
Assignment 5 - Resources and Instructions
1. Access the Resource View of your project.
2. Add the following Standard Rate for each of the employees or offices below (you must also enter Overtime rates for Pindar and Estaban):
a. John - $35/hr
b. Mike - $35/hr
c. Nancy - $35/hr
d. Dave - $35/hr
e. Dr. Jackson - $65/hr
f. PMO - $45/hr
g. Project Manager (student) - $40/hr
h. Pindar - $55/hr std. - $82.50/hr overtime
i. Emilio - $55/hr
j. Pam - $35/hr
k. Estaban - $55/hr std. - $82.50/hr overtime
l. Craig - $35/hr
3. Enter the following material costs to your sheet at the bottom.
a. Resource Name: Hardware - Type: Material - Material: Bundles
b. Resource Name: Software - Type: Material - Material: Flat Fee
4. Attach 3 Hardware Bundles and 1 Software Flat Fee to the Procure Hardware/Software task within the Execution phase.
5. Generate a Resource Cost Overview report. Save as a PDF file named lastnameCOST1.
6. Generate a Task Cost Overview report. Save as a PDF file named lastnameCOST2.
Assignment 6 -
Background
During this course, you will be required to complete a class project plan. Much of the plan is cumulative, meaning that you will develop it, section by section, over the next seven weeks. It consists of a series of writing and software-related exercises that you will gradually formulate into a final project report for a hypothetical organization.The Final Project Plan consists of writing and software-related exercises related to the Alpha Technologies Genesis System upgrade at a major airport.
Discussion Questions -
Question 1 -
Option 1: As a reminder, you are the project leader for the Genesis System Upgrade project to replace the monitoring system. Alpha Technologies, the major security firm for whom you work, is concerned with three major priorities related to securing a major airport in the U.S. The system must:
- Comply with complex airport and government security requirements
- Ensure passenger safety from parking to plane boarding
- Improve operational efficiencies and reduce security costs
Considering this additional information, discuss who might be your primary and secondary stakeholders for the project. What expectations might your secondary stakeholders have? What tools might you use from the PMBOK® Guide to aid in project stakeholder management?
Option 2: Of the three Project Management Office (PMO) types (Supporting, Controlling, and Directive), have you seen either of these being used in your organization or in another business organization? Search the web and identify an organization that currently has a project management office. Describe the type of organization and why they may have chosen that type.
Question 2 -
Your procurement team is planning to buy low light, network surveillance cameras and digital video recorders (DVRs) for the Genesis System Upgrade project. You must choose between using existing equipment from your internal inventory (several cameras older than five years) to create the network on your own and purchasing new equipment as a bundle from an outside supplier or set of suppliers. Use the Internet to determine a beginning supplier list to answer the following:
- What should go into the make-or-buy analysis?
- What are your seller selection criteria?
- Using cost benefit analysis, what are the pros and cons of sole source procurement versus competitive selection?
- Does the PMBOK Guide provide guidance on make-or-buy analysis? If so, share at least one insight.
Question 3 -
Do you think most successful project mangers are more or less risk tolerant? Explain and justify your response.
Attachment:- Final Project Assignment Guidlines.rar