MANAGING PROJECTS

SCENARIO GROUP C

Launching a new Product line

You work for a firm that manufactures and distributes haircare products. To this point, your sales have primarily been to retail outlets. The firm has decided to launch a new product line of bulk-packaged hair care products to be sold and distributed to organisations such as hospitals, gyms, schools and universities with residences for students, and similar customers. You are in charge of the team who must present a project plan for the production, sales, and distribution of the new product line to potential investors in order to secure funding to bring the new product to market.

Your Project activity in this module consists of 2 sections. The first section consists of two parts. To complete the first part using the scenario above, add detail and assumptions to the scenario to further define it:

Business Case Presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, equivalent to 2,500 words)

Use the instructions below to complete all required elements.

SECTION 1

Part 1:

Business Case (Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation, equivalent to 2,500 words): 40%

Your PowerPoint slides can contain notes if needed. These entries include:

To complete the PowerPoint presentation review the scenario case:

a) A definition of the project scope, aims and objectives using the scenario case above (1-2 PowerPoint slides)

Define your scenario organisations'project's scope, aims and objectives.

Further clarify your scenario by identifying your assumptions about the organisational context for your project focusing on the following:
Organisational structure

Organisational type; e.g., project-based organisation (PBO), project-oriented organisation (POO)

Nature of the project environment within the organisation (permanent, transitory, internal/external participants)

The impact of different team roles on a project's chance of success

Explain whether different organisational structures, contexts and projects demand different team roles or whether all organisational structures, contexts and projects need essentially the same roles for their teams.

Using the scenario you were assigned, explain the impact of including different team roles on that project's chances of success.

b): An analysis of stakeholder groups, stakeholder issues and stakeholder management strategies (1-2 PowerPoint slides)

To complete this, continue working with the scenario you were assigned. Perform a stakeholder analysis for your scenario, including the following:

Identify:

Primary Stakeholders: those ultimately affected, either positively or negatively, by the project.

Secondary Stakeholders: the intermediaries, those who are indirectly affected by the project.

Key Stakeholders: those who have significant influence upon a project, or significant importance within the organisation.

Analyse:

Stakeholder Issues: problems that may arise with various stakeholders.

Stakeholder Management Strategies: a plan to address stakeholder issues.

c): An analysis of project tasks and phases using key project management planning tools (2-4 PowerPoint slides)

Reflect on your readings for this unit and familiarise yourself with the project planning tools explored.

Pay specific attention to the Work Breakdown Structure and Gantt chart from your Resources.

Review your scenario and conceptualise which project planning tools you would use for your scenario.

Identify and briefly describe the project planning tools you would use for your scenario, explaining why you would use each one. Be specific and use examples to support your answer.

Perform a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Gantt analysis for the project in your scenario.

Create two Microsoft PowerPoint slides, one titled, ‘Work Breakdown Structure', and the other titled, ‘Gantt Analysis', and include information from the WBS and Gantt analysis you performed.

d): Proposed key performance indicators that could be used to monitor the project's performance (1-2 PowerPoint slides)

In your Resources for this unit, you will explore various ways to measure elements of a project. A technique you will explore is the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The BSC helps measure organisational performance in relation to the organisation's strategic goals, incorporating financial measures as well as business processes. The BSC aims to find balance between internal and external measures; objective measures and subjective measures; and performance results and the drivers of future results.

Review your scenario.

Develop a budget template for the project in your scenario.

Develop a BSC which includes your suggested KPIs in the four BSC categories for the project in your scenario.

e): An analysis of risks involved in the project and proposed risk mitigation strategies (1-2 PowerPoint slides)

Risk assessment and risk management are used to identify and mitigate risk drivers. A risk driver is a situation in a project from which project risks can arise. Identifying risk drivers can help a project manager evaluate the needs of the project, make changes as needed and allow the project to stay on course.

Review your scenario.

Review the resources from this unit related to risk assessment.

Identify risk drivers in your project and the risks associated with each.

Explain how the risks you identified could impact the project, and propose strategies to mitigate each risk.

f) Project Closure

Explain at least two potential issues that may arise when a project closure is not performed, including how you might resolve these issues.

Be specific and use examples from your own personal experience to support your post.

Explain two ways a post-implementation review can enable a project manager to improve future projects

Add a final 1-2 slide summary of what you have learned from completing your Individual Assignments entries, highlighting specific attributes that would help in securing funding for your project plan.