mgmt404 final project lrp

MGMT 404 – Final Project Package

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Lena Parent DeVry University Online Professor Gabor Fulop MGMT 404: Project Management Course Project: Final Project Package

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MGMT 404 – Final Project Package

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary

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Project Charter

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Scope Statement

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Work Breakdown Structure

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Network Diagram

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Risk Management Plan

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Resource Management Plan

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Communications Plan

26

Lessons Learned

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Executive Summary

The following memo concerns the Parent-Covington Wedding that is to take place on August 2, 2014. Included are the project charter, scope statement, work breakdown structure, network diagram, risk management plan, resource management plan, communication plan, and lessons learned. The project charter outlines the statement of work, objectives, stakeholders, milestones, assumptions, and constraints of the project, as well as authorizes the Project Manager to contract with resources pertinent to the scope of the project. The scope statement is a more specific outline of the project objectives and deliverables, as well as the acceptance criteria and technical requirements for the project. In the work breakdown structure, the schedule of each task is shown, including its predecessors, start and finish dates, and total slack to give an idea of the duration and critical path of the project. The network diagram is the visual representation of the work breakdown structure and shows the “map” of the project, including milestones and critical path, in a clearer representation of the project progression. The risk management plan outlines the project risks, categorizes and ranks them, and lists contingency plans and triggers should the risk events occur. In the resource management plan, the Gantt Chart is shown as another visual representation of project progression, as well as the overall cost by task and the entry table, which shows which resources are assigned to which tasks. The communication plan includes the project stakeholders and their responsibilities, required communications between project vendors and stakeholders, and the escalation plan should project issues arise. The lessons learned section is a final assessment of the project and how well its objectives were met, including suggestions for improvement.

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Project Charter

Project Name Project Manager

Owner(s)

Mission/ Purpose SOW

Objectives

Parent-Covington Wedding Lena Parent Lena Parent David Covington Judith Parent John Parent

Project Number Prioritization Start Date:

09/12/2013

Finish Date:

Plan and execute the wedding ceremony and reception of Lena Parent and David Covington. Contract with various vendors to execute a six-hour, semi-formal wedding (ceremony and reception), in San Diego, CA, with roughly 75 guests, on a $32,000.00 budget. Sit-down dinner, cocktail hour, open bar, DJ, wedding cake, and photo booth. Honeymoon planning is also included, though it is technically outside of the project duration. Execute event on August 2, 2014. Stay within budget of $32,000. Two major components: Ceremony and Reception with sit-down meal and dancing.

Business Need

While having a wedding of this magnitude is more of a luxury than a necessity, it is a perfect way to get our families together, for what will most likely be the first and last time.

Project Manager and Stakeholders

Project Manager: Lena Parent

Milestones

October 3, 2013 – Pick a Wedding Date

Stakeholders: Lena Parent, David Covington, Judith Parent, and John Parent October 25, 2013 – Catering Deposit Due July 2, 2014 – Food and Beverage Minimum Due July 25, 2014 – Final Headcount/Final Payment to Caterer August 1, 2014 – Rehearsal and Rehearsal Dinner August 2, 2014 – Day of Wedding

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Budget

Clients have specified a budget of $32,000, all-inclusive.

User Acceptance Criteria/Quality

Each vendor will have specific criteria associated with their portion, all requests and guarantees will be put into writing/contracts, and adherence to contracts will be the bare minimum of acceptance.

High-Level Project Assumptions

Judith and John Parent have pledged $2,000.00 towards a wedding dress, and $5,000.00 towards the rehearsal dinner and morning after brunch (combined). It is assumed that roughly 80% of the invited guests will RSVP to attend. It is assumed to be more economical to have a price-per-head alcohol consumption than to host the bar per-drink.

High-Level Project Constraints

Wedding scope must be adjusted to conform to time and budget constraints, as they aren’t negotiable.

Exclusions and Boundaries

Will not be sending wedding announcements, will not have a full-service wedding coordinator, will be using a close friend as the officiant (nonreligious ceremony), will not be having an engagement party, honeymoon has been gifted and arranged by a friend as a wedding present, will not be using a professional stationer/calligrapher (will be designing stationary myself and printing with an online printing service), will not be taking dance lessons, tossing the bouquet/garter, and no “cake smashing,” no transportation will be booked (guest or wedding party) as everything will be under one roof.

Major Risks

Going over budget. It’s frightfully easy to get carried away with wedding planning, concentrate on the “must haves,” and compromise on the areas that are less important. Schedule disruption. It’s relatively unlikely that the wedding will stick exactly to the prescribed timeline, be mindful to move things along to ensure guests don’t get bored. Wedding catastrophes. Will look into purchasing wedding insurance and calculating the cost-benefit of having this service to protect our investments.

Key Stakeholders Project Manager Authority Level Project Core Team

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Lena Parent is the lead on the project, all decisions will go through her, as well as negotiations, and all payments will be facilitated by her as well. Matron of Honor Rachael Asselin and Bridesmaids JennaRay Smeltzer and Jensine Pomeroy have offered their (amateur) services and assistance with planning and execution (within reason, they are offering help as a courtesy and are not to be considered “vendors” or “employees”). David Covington will also assist however he can. Shelia Pierce – Event Coordinator with Festivities Catering (caterer), she will facilitate all interactions between the PM and her company, as well

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as provide day-of coordination services to ensure a smooth event. House of Stemms, Sound Prodigy, The Pros Photography and Videography, Concepts Event Design, and any other vendors used will all be consulted as SMEs when making decisions pertinent to their expertise.

Approvals Type Name

Signature

Date

Project Manager: Lena R. Parent

9/12/13 Customer/Sponsor: Lena R. Parent

9/12/13

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Scope Statement

Project Name

Parent/Covington Wedding

Project Number Prioritization

Project Manager

Lena Parent

Owner(s)

Lena Parent, David Covington

Statement of Work: Project Description and Project Product

This project involves the planning and execution of the Parent/Covington wedding by Lena Parent. The project will be funded by Lena Parent with contributions from David Covington and John and Judy Parent. The wedding will include ceremony, reception, décor, food, drink, attire, entertainment, photography, and videography. The event must be executed on August 2, 2014, and the budget needs to stay within $32,000.00. The scope of the project may be altered in order to stay within these two constraints, the most important (and non-negotiable) of which is the timeframe.

Project Deliverables

Wedding will include: 

Marriage License & Certificate



Venues o Rehearsal Dinner o Ceremony o Reception Entertainment o Music o Dancing Floral o Bouquets o Boutonnieres o Corsages o Centerpieces Caterer o Food o Alcohol o Reception o Rehearsal Dinner Cake Baker o Wedding Cake Décor o Furniture

 



 

MGMT 404 – Final Project Package

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



     Project Objectives

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o Linens o Lighting o Draping Photography & Videography o Ceremony o Reception o Photo Booth Stationary o Save-the-Dates o Invitations o Ceremony Programs o Escort Cards o Menus Attire o Bride o Bridesmaids o Groom & Groomsmen Officiant Honeymoon o Bride & Groom Wedding Favors Bridal Party Hair & Makeup Wedding Rings

The main objectives of the project are to ensure at least the basic necessities of the event are met (legal wedding ceremony, food and drink, entertainment, and some décor) within the specified timeframe and budget. If the scope becomes an issue of significantly increasing the budget or timeframe, it will be reduced to maintain the constraints of execution on August 2, 2014, and staying within budget of $32,000.00.

Project Assumptions It is assumed that roughly 80% of those invited will attend. It is assumed that it will be more cost-effective to pay for an open bar per person rather than per drink. Project Constraints

Wedding will occur on August 2, 2014 (with the rehearsal dinner occurring the evening before, and the morning-after brunch the following morning). Scope should be adjusted before the budget (i.e. if the project starts to become too costly, cutting back on the scope should be the first step).

Exclusions

Transportation for wedding party and guests the day of the event will not be necessary, as the ceremony and reception are occurring at the same location. No engagement party or wedding announcements. No room block, wedding guests can get 20% off of rooms at the hotel by

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informing them they are guests at the Covington Wedding. Acceptance Criteria

Marriage ceremony must be legal, all vendors must fulfill the requirements of their contracts, and guests should have a good time!

Technical Requirements

Power requirements for lighting and entertainment. Kitchen facilities for caterers. Storage for rentals. Waitstaff and bartenders. DJ’s hardware and software requirements.

Approvals Type Name

Signature

Date

Project Manager: Lena R. Parent

9/19/13 Customer/Sponsor: Lena R. Parent

9/19/13

MGMT 404 – Final Project Package

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Work Breakdown Structure

Schedule Table

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MGMT 404 – Final Project Package

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Network Diagram

Network Diagram

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Resource Sheet

Note: All costs associated with this project are assigned to individual tasks, to include individual resource rates would greatly skew the cost data and would be inaccurate.

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Risk Management Plan

Project Name: Project Description Summary:

Project Manager: Date:

Covington Wedding The wedding of Lena Parent and David Covington will take place on August 2, 2014. The guest count will be less than 100, ceremony and reception will be included, full sit-down meal and musical entertainment will be provided. Lena Parent October 3, 2013 Revision Number: 1

a. Project Priority Matrix: Constrain

Enhance

Scope Time

Accept X

X

Budget

X

b. Risk Identification: List of potential project risks that could cause project delays or failure, in order by RAC code. 1) Risk #1: Theft of Wedding Gifts 2) Risk #2: DJ Equipment Failure 3) Risk #3: Event Runs Over Allotted Time 4) Risk #4: Wedding Gown Doesn’t Fit 5) Risk #5: Act of God (fire, flooding, etc.) 6) Risk #6: Not Enough Food 7) Risk #7: Guest Objection During Ceremony 8) Risk #8: Venue Power Outage 9) Risk #9: Damage to Venue 10) Risk #10: Unexpected Guests c. Risk Assessment Assessment of risks by probability and impact.

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Risk Scoring Matrix Defined Conditions for Risk Management Analysis Project Objective Cost Time

Scope

Quality

Relative or Numerical Scales Very Low - 1 Insignificant Cost Increase Insignificant Schedule Slippage Scope Decrease Barely Noticeable Quality Degradation Barely Noticeable

Low - 2 < 5% Cost Increase < 5% Schedule Slippage

Moderate - 3 5-10% Cost Increase 5-10% Overall Project Slippage

Minor Areas of Scope Affected

Major Areas of Scope Affected

Only Very Demanding Applications are Affected

Quality Reduction Requires Client Approval

High - 4 10-20% Cost Increase 10-20% Overall Project Slippage Scope Reduction Unacceptable to Client

Very High - 5 > 20% Cost Increase > 20% Overall Project Slippage Project End Item is Effectively Useless

Quality Reduction Unacceptable to Client

Project End Item is Effectively Unusable

Risk Management Analysis Risk Risk #1

Risk #2

Risk #3

Risk #4

Risk #5

Risk #6 Risk #7

Theft of wedding gifts DJ Equipment Failure Event runs over allotted time Wedding gown doesn't fit Act of God (fire, flooding, etc.) Not enough food Guest

Probability

Cost

Schedule

Scope

Quality

Risk Score

20%

4

1

4

4

2.6

20%

1

2

4

4

2.2

30%

2

2

2

1

2.1

30%

2

1

2

2

2.1

10%

5

5

5

5

2.0

20% 10%

2 1

1 4

2 5

3 5

1.6 1.5

MGMT 404 – Final Project Package objection during ceremony Venue Risk #8 power outage Damage to Risk #9 venue Unexpected Risk #10 guests

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20%

1

1

1

2

1.0

10%

3

1

1

3

0.8

10%

2

1

1

2

0.6

d. Risk Response Actions to be taken in the result a risk should occur. Risk Response Table

Risk Event

Response: (Accept, Reduce, Share, or Transfer) Theft of wedding gifts

Contingency Plan Accept

Risk #1

DJ Equipment Failure

Transfer

Risk #2

Risk #3

Event runs over

Accept

Trigger

While the insurance company will reimburse us the estimated value of the wedding gifts received, there really isn't anything to be done if they are stolen. Sometimes gear doesn't work properly, Sound Prodigy has backup systems and crews in place in the event of a malfunction or failure.

Though the event is blocked from

Responsible Party Should wedding gifts be stolen, a claim will be put in to Tower Insurance Group for (partial) reimbursement.

Should the equipment fail, Sound Prodigy has indicated in their contract that they will take steps to get themselves up and running in as expeditious a manner as possible. It is unlikely that many wedding

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allotted time

Risk #4

Risk #5

Risk #6

Wedding gown doesn't fit

Act of God (fire, flooding, etc.)

Not enough food

5pm - midnight, The Bristol will stay open at the cost of $250 per half-hour for events going over their allotted time.

17 guests will want to keep the party going past midnight, if a significant amount does stay, we will pay the overtime fee in order for the event to continue.

The gown will be purchased in the bride's current dress size (or one size up if between sizes) and will have at least two fittings prior to the wedding to ensure proper sizing and fit. Last fitting will occur two weeks before the event.

It is better to err on the side of too big than too small, the dress can be taken in, and, if needed, pinned during the event. The likelihood of the dress being too small is little enough that no contingency plan will be affected.

Mitigate

Cancellation of the event, with reimbursement through Tower Insurance Group.

Should the event have to be cancelled because of extenuating circumstances, our insurance provider offers Umbrella Insurance plans to cover events such as weddings and will reimburse (some of) the cost of the event.

Mitigate

Festivities Catering operates on a "three pieces per person" calculation for cocktail hour hors d'oeuvres, which may not be enough, so we are adding a sushi

Having an extra source of sustenance during cocktail hour and fixed portions for dinner will decrease the risk of food running out.

Mitigate

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Risk #7

Guest Objection during ceremony

Accept

Risk #8

Venue power outage

Transfer

Risk #9

Damage to venue

Transfer

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display to the cocktail hour menu. Dinner will be plated, and thus guests will be served a set amount of food (vs. a buffet/stationed meal where guests can return multiple times). There isn't a lot we If a guest objects can do about a to our marriage, guest objecting at the attendant on our wedding that side of the ceremony, except room will step out to designate the of line and escort Matron of Honor them out, with the and Best Man to other attendant remove the person assisting if as quickly as necessary. possible. The Bristol Hotel and Festivities Catering have done many Festivities will weddings together have backup in the venue, they generators on hand are aware of the and set up on the power roof above the requirements, and ballroom, should will be responsible there be a power for ensuring there overdraw during is enough power testing, they will available for the align the electrical generators to add equipment being additional power. used (DJ's gear, lighting, photo booth, etc.). By using only The Hiring only Bristol Hotel and preferred/exclusive Festivities vendors approved Catering's by The Bristol preferred/exclusive Hotel and

MGMT 404 – Final Project Package

Unexpected guests

Risk #10

Likelihood

Parent vendors, we absolve ourselves of the responsibility of damage to the venue by outside vendors unknown to the venue and caterer. Each guest will be invited by name (no +1s), and RSVPs will be collected for final headcount. Caterer will have extra tables/chairs/place settings on hand in case of extra guests above and beyond final headcount.

Mitigate

e. Risk Assessment Matrix 5 4 3 Wedding Gown Doesn’t Fit 2 Venue Power Not Enough Outage Food

1

Unexpected Guests 1

19 Festivities Catering.

Proper number of chairs will be placed at the ceremony site, if there are more guests than chairs, Day-of Coordinator will begin adding seats as needed to the reception tables.

DJ Equipment Failure/Theft of Wedding Gifts

2

3

4

5

Impact

Low Risk

Medium Risk

High Risk

Considering the low likelihood of risk events occurring, as well as the relatively low level of impact, it is clear from the Risk Assessment Matrix that this project carries a relatively low overall risk, with no single risk having a RAC code of over 3 (2.6 being the highest).

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Resource Management Plan

Gantt Chart

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Overall Cost

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Entry Table

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Communications Plan

A. General Information Prepared by:

Lena R. Parent

Date:

October 16, 2013

Authorized By:

Lena R. Parent

Project Description (Summary):

The wedding of Lena Parent and David Covington on August 2, 2014 in San Diego, California.

B. Stakeholder List Stakeholder Name / Title Lena Parent / Bride, Project Manager

David Covington / Groom

John and Judy Parent / Parents of the Bride

Project Role As well as being the bride, all decisions will ultimately be approved by Lena, and 78% of the invested capital is also coming from her. All communications will go through her, as well as inter-vendor coordination (décor and flowers, lighting and dancing, etc). It is David’s wedding too, and he will be involved in roughly 90% of the decision-making. He will be contributing financially to specific portions of the wedding, and the final decision for those areas will also rest with him (primarily the wedding bands and groomsmen’s attire, as well as his own). Mr. and Mrs. Parent will be contributing to pay for the wedding dress, rehearsal dinner, and morning-after brunch. Being the Bride’s parents, their interest in the project is very high, and their concerns/interest in their areas of contributions will be taken into highest account (though in the end, it is still Lena and David’s wedding, and they will have final approval/veto).

C. Communication Information

Source

Audience

Monthly Checklist TheKnot.com Lena Parent Reminders/Status Review

Method of Dissemination E-mail

Periodicity On the first of the month

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Vendors

Lena Parent, David Covington

Save-the-Dates

Vistaprint

Wedding Guests

Invitations

Vistaprint

RSVPs

Wedding Guests

Final Headcount and Seating Chart

Lena Parent

Day-of Schedule

Sound Prodigy

Vendor Contracts

Specific Music Selections Lena Parent, (play/do-not-play David lists, first dance Covington song, etc) Menu Finalization

Lena Parent, David Covington

Deposits Paid

Lena Parent

Wedding Dress Selection

Bridesmaids' Dress Selection

Lena Parent

Lena Parent

Wedding Guests Lena Parent, David Covington Shelia Pierce, Festivities Catering

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E-mail

When hiring vendors

Mail

NovemberDecember 2013

Mail

March-April 2014

Mail

July 2014

E-mail/Phone

10 days before the event

E-mail/ Wedding Party, Vendors Hardcopy

August 1, 2014

Sound Prodigy E-mail

July 2, 2014

Shelia Pierce, Festivities Catering David Covington Judy Parent, Rachael Asselin, Jensine Pomeroy, JennaRay Smeltzer Judy Parent, Rachael Asselin, Jensine Pomeroy, JennaRay Smeltzer

E-mail

June 2014

Verbal

As Necessary

E-mail/Phone/Verbal

After selection (before purchase)

E-mail/Phone/Verbal

After selection (before purchase)

MGMT 404 – Final Project Package

Parent John Covington, Randy Covington, Nick Asselin Sound Prodigy, Robbie Wacaser

Groomsmen's Attire Selection

David Covington

Ceremony Order of Events

Lena Parent, David Covington

Requested Photographs and Video

Lena Parent, David Covington

The Pros Photography

E-mail

Stationary Design/Wording

Lena Parent

Vistaprint

E-mail

Honemoon Itinerary

Lena Parent

Jensine Pomeroy, Sarah Moore

E-mail

Wedding Toasts

Lena Parent, David Covington, John Covington, Rachael Asselin, Randy Covington, John Parent

Wedding Guests

E-mail

E-mail

Verbal

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After selection (before purchase) Any changes, finalization, etc. 10 days before the event Any changes, finalization, etc. Day before the honeymoon

During Wedding Reception

D. Method for Updating the Communication Plan This communications plan may be updated with more information as necessary should contracted vendors have their own communication requirements.

E. Existing Systems Existing frequency of conversations between stakeholders may also contain less formal discussion of the Parent-Covington wedding, but are nonetheless crucial for maintaining cognizance of the wedding planning process. The private Facebook group “Lena’s Wedding Planning Page” may also be used by the female members of the bridal party to post ideas, host conversations, share photos, etc.

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F. Escalation Process If any issues arise within any of the outlined communication requirements, immediate attention should be brought to the Bride (Lena Parent) in order to determine the next course of action. However, on the actual day of the wedding, the day-of coordinators (Sound Prodigy) will handle any issues to relieve responsibility and stress from the couple.

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Lessons Learned

1. What went well in the project? What could have gone better? a. I enjoyed being allowed to work on a project that I was already in the middle of planning; it was a great way to apply the concepts of this class into real-world decision-making and planning.

However, had I really understood how MS

Project works and in what ways it is beneficial to planning, I would have chosen a different

project,

as

the

effort-driven

tasks,

task

durations,

resource

overallocations, and cost calculations were a pain to deal with because they didn’t directly translate into the program the way other projects would.

2. What did you learn in completing this project about yourself and how you work in a team environment? a. I learned that, for better or for worse, I do kind of prefer to work alone. I have had trouble in the past with trusting my teammates to get their part of the work done, and I’ve been burnt more than a few times. I do prefer being the only one responsible, because I know what’s getting done and what isn’t, I know when I need to ask for help, and I know that whatever grade I get is completely reflective of my work, and not getting dragged down by someone else’s poor performance (which is what happened to me last semester). I would hope that in a professional environment (i.e. not school), team members are open and honest with each other, don’t rely on other members of the team to do their work, and are really committed to putting together a quality project and helping each other to make it better, and not slacking off and riding on more motivated team members’ coattails…

3. What could have made this project a better learning experience? a. Unfortunately, a lot of MS Project really “clicked” with me about 2/3 of the way through the project. Before, I knew what some of the features were from the iLabs, but a lot of them didn’t directly apply to my project until later in the semester. I would suggest a more structured approach to the Course Project, because I personally don’t have any experience with Project Management, or

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opening a business, or remodeling a backyard, or any of the other recommendations for project subjects. That’s why I chose my wedding, it was familiar, but it just didn’t translate well into the Course Objectives. While I don’t think students need to be spoon-fed the content for their projects, I think perhaps a packet or some other kind of boost to help them understand how everything comes together in a project and how MS Project can help would be a really good idea. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the course, and during my interview with Keller School of Management to discuss my degree program for graduate school, I decided that rather than focus exclusively on Human Resources (as was my original plan with getting an MHRM), I will most likely pursue an MBA with an emphasis in Project Management. I’m looking forward to taking more classes and learning more about the intricacies of Project Management, and I believe it will serve me well in my next career, because it truly does translate across a wealth of different business concepts.