Assignment

Conceptualize the Multi-Project Environment: Presentation, Analysis, and Reflection

Instructions

Select an organization, identify 8 projects that the organization could hypothetically or is in fact managing simultaneously, and graphically depict on a single PowerPoint slide how all 8 projects relate to one another in terms of their current place in the project life cycle, clearly differentiating between projects, programs, and portfolios.

Discuss in a Word document the approach you took to preparing a graphic depiction and differentiating between portfolios, programs, and projects. Describe another graphic approach that is different from the approach you took by performing Internet and/or Library research. Reflect on both risks, opportunities, challenges for project managers relative to these projects in this organization that you can think of from reviewing the graphical depiction you created,

The following provides some examples of various elements of this assignment. You may not use the Organization or Projects usedas examples in your submission. Note that a possible approach to the graphical depiction is described in this example, but you must actually create and submit a graphic as a part of your submission. Credit is not available for only describing what a graphical depiction might look like.

Organization Example: An assembly plant in which gas engines are built;

Example of Eight Projects in the Example Organization: Parking lot resurfacing project, Engine Model X design project, Engine Model Y design project, Enterprise Resource Planning System implementation project, Project to install electronic card readers at all interior doors to restrict and control access to areas within the facility, 1- month United Way campaign to raise money from employees to help the community,project to set up a new engine test cell, Project to establish a new training process for newly hired employees.

Graphical Depiction Example Approach: A chart could be created that depicts the phases of the project life cycle (Initiating, Planning, Executing, and Closing) and then overlays on these phases a horizontal bar for each of the eight projects. Then color coding, filling of the horizontal bars, or symbology could be used to identify where in the project life cycle each project is currently. Rectangles could be used to create logical identifiers of portfolios and programs. Other ideas can be found in Managing Multiple Projects (Dobson & Dobson, 2011), the various YouTube videos identified as resources for this week, or other references you find on the Internet or in the NCU Library.

Submit your PowerPoint file and your Word file. The PowerPoint file should include a single slide as described above, but may include additional explanatory slides. You may integrate the graphic you created in PowerPoint into your Word file and then submit only the Word file if you are familiar with how to execute this type of integration across MS Office applications.

Support your paper with a minimum of three external resources. In addition to these specified resources, other appropriate scholarly resources, including older articles, may be included.

Length: 5-7 pages not including title and reference pages

Your paper should demonstrate thoughtful consideration of the ideas and concepts presented in the course and provide new thoughts and insights relating directly to this topic. Your response should reflect scholarly writing and current APA standards. Be sure to adhere to Northcentral University's Academic Integrity Policy.