Planning, Scheduling, Scope and Strategy

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Part 1

Using the downloadable software, templates provided, or other preferred software, such as Microsoft Excel:

This list of activities needs to contain enough detail so you can effectively plan and schedule your event.

  • Using the completed WBS as a reference, next complete a Gantt chart of your project using the template provided. If you discover in the process you overlooked activities make sure to include them in the WBS.
    Gantt Chart
  • In a paper that is a minimum of 2 pages long, identify the Critical Path for your project. Using the WBS and the Gantt chart you constructed for this project analyze how much longer you will need to start planning in advance of your event in order to complete the project? Your submission should follow the essentials of APA (i.e., cover page, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, reference section at the end, in-text citations, etc.).

    Would you like information about how to format in APA? Click here.
  • Papers should be spell-checked and submitted to Grammarly prior to submitting your paper to the drop box. "Grammarly" is a free service for Rasmussen students. Once you've made all of your suggested grammar corrections, submit your paper to the Drop Box, along with your Grammarly PDF report as a separate attachment. Your goal is to obtain a Grammarly score of 90 - 100%.

Part 2

For this part of the Course Project, you will put together a Quality Plan. In order to provide the highest quality experience possible, attendees of the event were surveyed to determine what was most important to them when attending such an event. The result of this survey is listed below:

- 90% of those completing the survey felt that having engaging and dynamic speakers is key to a successful event
- 90% felt that it was important that the accommodations were physically located where the convention is being held; they didn't want to have to take a bus or a shuttle from their hotel to the convention.
- 85% stated the food provided should be wonderful and meet any dietary restrictions, such as vegetarian or gluten-free.

For your assignment, you will need to do the following:

Complete a scope statement for your project (Use may use the templates for Project Scope and Business Objective Worksheet provided). Your project Scope should be at one page in length.

Project Scope and Business Objective Worksheet

Using the WBS for your project, identify which of the Work Activities listed could potentially impact those items identified by attendees as critical for the success of the project.

Complete a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis. Only include those activities that impact the four issues identified by your customers as critical to producing a quality event. For each of the activities listed:

- Based on your knowledge of the activity analyze the severity of the impact on the project if the activity failed to produce a quality result as Low, Medium, or High
- Also based on your knowledge of the activity analyze the probability of the poor quality result occurring as Low, Medium, or High
- For the three activities that were evaluated as having the most severe quality consequences AND having the highest impact generate an action plan to reduce or eliminate these failures from occurring
  • In a paper that is a minimum of 2 pages long, clearly and concisely summarize the action items identified through the FMEA that will increase the probability of your project being considered a success with your customers.
  • Your submission should follow the essentials of APA (i.e., cover page, double-spaced, 12 pt. font, reference section at the end, in-text citations, etc.).


I HAVE ATTACHED THE PREVIOUS WEEKS ASSIGNMENT TO GO OFF OF. PLEASE BE SURE TO MAKE THIS ASSIGNMENT FLOW WITH THE PREVIOUS WEEKS ASSIGNMENT. I HAVE ALSO ATTACHED THE WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE EXCEL SPREADSHEET TO USE AND THE GNATT EXCEL SPREADSHEET TO USE.

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Running head: PLANNING 1 Planning and Organizing an Annual Conference Name Professor’s Name Course Title Date PLANNING 2 The Annual Conference Meeting: Project Definition Statement An annual conference is a critical event in the company's calendar. The occasion brings together all stakeholders in a meeting where they can articulate essential issues affecting the organization and the society. Organizing the conference, therefore, requires careful planning. Besides, the conference provides an opportunity to create more awareness about the organization and give the public a close look at what happens here throughout the year. Therefore, it must present the organization in the best light to maintain our positive public image. That said, this proposal outlines the most critical steps that the organization should start implementing to make the 2019 annual conference a complete success. Creating a vision and goals As with other projects in the organization’s portfolio, the conference requires to have a well-crafted vision to direct each activity around it. The vision defines what the company intends to achieve with the event. The concept will help in determining the goals and objectives as well as a suitable theme for the occasion (Schmidt, 2009). With a vision, everything around the event including the venue, keynote speakers, guest list, and budget falls into place. The vision should state how many people the company intends to bring together. While developing the concept, it is crucial to involve all critical decision-makers in the company according to the author. Listening to the board of directors, managers, and employees alike will produce essential ideas and help realize complete buy-in so that they own the project. Formulate a task force After putting the vision in place, the next step in planning the event is composing a conference planning committee. Incorporating individuals with prior experience in the area is PLANNING 3 essential. Thankfully, the organization holds the occasion each year, so some staff members have the expertise required. Also, include new members for continuity as well as to bring a fresh perspective to the group. This committee will lead the way for other employees and suppliers to make a success of the conference (Turner, 2016). It is essential the board of management compose the committee six to eight months before the conference date to give them enough time to execute necessary activities. The committee will set the conference date during the first meeting. Industry practice shows that the best time to hold a conference is in the fall, September and October, which is when everyone is getting back into business after the summer holidays. Most families go for vacation in the summer or the winter, so finding participants is an uphill task for conferences held during those months. Beginning the meeting on a Thursday or Friday comes highly recommended for a 2 or 3-day conference, to give the attendees a chance to stay behind and sightsee after the meeting. Prepare a budget The committee will develop the budget based on the conference goals, previous budgets, and current rates in the industry. The planning entity may make changes to the document as planning continues. The budget will also help in setting the registration fees for participants. Essential aspects of the budget include the venue, catering, décor, accommodation, labor, transportation, advertising, speaker fees, materials and supplies, telecommunications, and contingency. Develop a project within the first few weeks of meeting to give enough room for other crucial decisions. PLANNING 4 Funding the budget The committee will then hold discussions about how it intends to support the budget. Usually, the organization funds part of the budget, a proportion that is fully met by the member registration fees during the event and enlists sponsors to take care of the remaining percentage. The committee may decide to go the same route. The planners will choose and contact potential sponsors. The conference theme and vision should align with their business objectives as well to capture the attention of all of the sponsors. Communication with potential sponsors should start at least five months before the conference date to give them ample time to organize their finances. Book the venue The committee will request for quotes from several venues so that they have several documents to compare regarding prices and capacity. The site needs to large enough to accommodate the full number of attendees. If not, there should be other hotels within the area to take in any surplus. Ensuring that the accommodation is in an area with proper transportation, and communication infrastructure will save the company a lot of trouble. Additionally, because of the magnitude of the event and the capacity to generate massive income for the community in the area, people may try to influence the committee towards certain venues for personal benefits. Some of the ethical issues to consider while making this decision is that each venue deserves a fair chance to present a proposal so that the committee may go through it and assent or decline it on justifiable grounds. Giving some sites a priority puts everyone else at a disadvantage. Secondly, the committee is bound by the organization code of ethics that requires everyone to behave in a fair, honest, and dignified manner. Any deviation from these rules puts PLANNING 5 the whole organization at risk. Besides, the conference's primary objective is to advance a course. The venue, therefore, must align with this goal and choosing one without considering the impact reduces value for everyone involved. The committee can avoid such issues by ensuring that it receives at least five venue quotes for evaluation, go through each one to give everyone a fair chance, and make the final decision together. Our conference will be held in Chicago, so our planners will look at several quotations from hotels in the area before settling. A few choices we had were the Hilton Hotel & Convention Center Chicago, the Westin Chicago River North, or Millennium Knickerbocker. The committee has conducted a secret ballot, as it is harder to influence many people working and making decisions together, and the venue for our conference will be the Hilton Hotel. This is a great venue as it is only an hour drive away from our business location and it is located at the airport for those who decide to fly in for the conference. Sign contracts with suppliers As things fall into place, the committee will find suppliers at least four months in advance. This way, the suppliers will have enough time to prepare their teams about the event. The committee may appoint subcommittees, as it deems necessary to follow up on issues more closely. For instance, there should be someone communicating with the venue regularly to ensure that the company’s requirements are all met. The same goes for the catering, décor, and accommodation. The prequalification process should analyze several quotations for each category to ensure that the committee deals with qualified, reliable suppliers. This way, the committee can compare prices, quality, and experience to choose the best. Commence Advertising PLANNING 6 Seeing as the budget and the venue are securely in place, the committee will focus on advertising. A subcommittee with the help of the marketing department will place adverts on the company website and social media platforms. This strategy helps in creating awareness about the conference. At first, advertising messages will aim at creating awareness about the theme as well as tell everyone why they need to participate; such messages build a foundation for registration call-to-actions that will come later. Find Key Note Speakers and call for registration Keynote speakers are the stars of the conference. A good number of people will come to listen and interact with them. In addition to choosing speakers who align with the conference theme, the committee will ensure that each potential speaker is contacted officially, whether, through a call, email, or one-on-one meetings. Speakers must receive the message personally and commit as early as possible. This crucial step will happen at least three months before the conference. Once the word is out about the keynote speakers, the committee will start calling people for registration on call, email, Google forms, and listing forms on the website. Onsite planning The committee will visit the site a week or two before the occasion. They will take note of the venue layout so that the workshops, restrooms, dining areas, accommodation quarters, and exhibition areas are well labeled. Also notable is that as the committee undertakes this task, registration, and advertising efforts are at their peak. Make sure that people know the registration deadline. Also ensure that essential supplies such as name tags, stationery, room labels, communication equipment, food and drinks, décor, and directional signs are in place at least two days before the conference date. Registration should end a week before the conference. PLANNING 7 Host the Conference During the big event, the committee will meet with the venue staff to examine the sessions as they unfurl, taking time to talk about the following day occasions. They will also audit the menu presentation and workshop settings day by day. Follow up after the Conference Here, the planners will send out thank you letters to all participants, speakers and volunteers at least a week after the conference. The committee will also conduct a review to get input from everybody involved in the various stages. This is an opportunity for the committee to meet and talk about the event in detail while considering contribution from the post-meeting study (Kerzner & Kerzner, 2017). Audit supplier services and make complete any pending payments. On the off chance that there are any questions, clear correspondence with the suppliers will help explain them. This stage also enables the planning of a clear record of the occasion for the archives. Conclusion Planning the conference requires the collective input of stakeholders at all levels in the organization. The most crucial resources for the planning process include a meeting venue for the committee, refreshments, stationery, computers, communication method, and transportation fees when meeting suppliers. The organization can provide these resources comfortably. The committee will also require a project management software program like Confluence or Active Collab to help in the management of timelines, budget, and tasks at various stages in the PLANNING 8 planning process. Supporting the committee with these resources will motivate them to complete each of the planning procedures so that the conference achieves each of its primary objectives, an achievement that will add value not only to our organization but also to our sponsors and participants. PLANNING 9 References Kerzner, H., & Kerzner, H. R. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. New York: John Wiley & Son Inc. Schmidt, T. (2009). Strategic Project Management Made Simple: Practical Tools for Leaders and Teams. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Turner, R. (2016). Gower Handbook of Project Management. London: Routledge. Gantt Chart Version 1.7.3 © 2006-2014 Vertex42 LLC 0 HELP [Project Name] [Company Name] Today's Date: 10/12/2018 Friday (vertical red line) Project Lead: [Name] Start Date: 1/1/2015 [42] Thursday Sub Task level 3 1/4/15 1/8/15 5 0% 4 0 5 1.2.2 Sub Task level 3 1/6/15 1/10/15 5 0% 4 0 5 5 1.3 Sub Task level 2 1/7/15 1/11/15 5 0% 3 0 1.4 Sub Task level 2 1/11/15 1/15/15 5 0% 4 0 5 2 Task Category 2 1/1/15 1/18/15 18 25% 12 4 14 2.1 Sub Task level 2 1/1/15 1/5/15 5 25% 3 1 4 2.2 Sub Task level 2 1/4/15 1/8/15 5 25% 4 1 4 2.3 Sub Task level 2 1/9/15 1/13/15 5 25% 3 1 4 2.4 Sub Task level 2 1/14/15 1/18/15 5 25% 3 1 4 3 Task Category 3 1/1/15 1/19/15 19 50% 13 9 10 3.1 Sub Task level 2 1/1/15 1/6/15 6 50% 4 3 3 3.2 Sub Task level 2 1/4/15 1/9/15 6 50% 5 3 3 3.3 Sub Task level 2 1/9/15 1/14/15 6 50% 4 3 3 3.4 Sub Task level 2 1/14/15 1/19/15 6 50% 4 3 3 4 Task Category 4 1/1/15 1/18/15 18 0% 12 0 18 4.1 Sub Task level 2 1/1/15 1/5/15 5 0% 3 0 5 4.2 Sub Task level 2 1/4/15 1/8/15 5 0% 4 0 5 4.3 Sub Task level 2 1/9/15 1/13/15 5 0% 3 0 5 4.4 Sub Task level 2 1/14/15 1/18/15 5 0% 3 0 5 [Name] [Name] [Name] 17 - Aug - 15 10 - Aug - 15 27 - Jul - 15 03 - Aug - 15 20 - Jul - 15 13 - Jul - 15 06 - Jul - 15 29 - Jun - 15 22 - Jun - 15 15 - Jun - 15 08 - Jun - 15 01 - Jun - 15 25 - May - 15 18 - May - 15 11 - May - 15 27 - Apr - 15 04 - May - 15 20 - Apr - 15 5 1.2.1 13 - Apr - 15 0 06 - Apr - 15 3 30 - Mar - 15 0% 23 - Mar - 15 5 16 - Mar - 15 1/6/15 09 - Mar - 15 1/2/15 02 - Mar - 15 5 Sub Task level 2 1.2 23 - Feb - 15 0 16 - Feb - 15 14 3 09 - Feb - 15 Days Remaining 0 0% 26 - Jan - 15 Days Complete 10 5 Start 02 - Feb - 15 Working Days 0% 1/6/15 [Name] 19 - Jan - 15 % Complete 14 1/2/15 1.1 Task Lead 12 - Jan - 15 Duration (Days) 1/15/15 Sub Task level 2 Tasks Task Category 1 05 - Jan - 15 End 1/2/15 WBS 1 2 29 - Dec - 14 First Day of Week (Mon=2): [42] TEMPLATE ROWS: Copy and insert the entire section, or just the specific sub tasks, depending on which level you want to use (formulas are different for different WBS levels) Task Category 1 1 1/1/15 1/7/15 7 0% 5 0 7 1.1 1.1.1 1.1.1.1 Sub Task level 2 1/1/15 1/7/15 7 0% 5 0 7 Level 3 Task 1/1/15 1/7/15 7 0% 5 0 7 1/1/15 1/7/15 7 0% 5 0 7 Level 4 task Gantt Chart Template by Vertex42.com © 2008 Vertex42 LLC Gantt Chart Template Pro Gantt Chart Template Pro is similar to this free version, but it is unlocked, more feature-packed, and includes other bonus content such as sample project schedules. Already spent a lot of time working with this free version? That's okay. In addition to downloading the Gantt Chart Template Pro files, you will be given the password for unlocking this spreadsheet. Learn More About Gantt Chart Template Pro http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/excel-gantt-chart.html - View screenshots - Watch demo videos Benefits and Features of Gantt Chart Template Pro Unlocked (worksheets are not password-protected) By unlocking the free version or using Gantt Chart Template Pro, you will be able to use all of the functions and features available in Excel, such as formatting cells, inserting columns, and grouping rows. More Ways to Define a Task Choose from a larger set of template rows that provide more options for defining the Start date, End date, duration, and dependency of tasks. Define a task based on the … - Start date and End date - Start date and Work days - Start date and Calendar days - Predecessor and End date - Predecessor and Work days - Predecessor and Calendar days Easily Create Task Dependencies Though you can still use your own formulas for creating task dependencies, the new Predecessor options make it very simple. One of the demo videos discusses this in detail. Exclude Holidays from Work Days List holidays in a separate sheet that you want to exclude from work days. Sample Project Schedules To get a head start on defining your project schedule, you can use one of the 3 sample gantt charts: - Home Construction Project Schedule - Custom Software Project Schedule - Website Development Project Schedule New Excel 2007+ Version (XLSX) In addition to Gantt Chart Template Pro for Excel 2003, you will be able to download an XLSX version, for Excel 2007 or later, that allows you to easily color-code the bars of the gantt chart. Learn More About Gantt Chart Template Pro Terms of Use © 2006 - 2014 Vertex42 LLC. All rights reserved. This template is considered a copyrighted work under the Unites States and other copyright laws and is the property of Vertex42 LLC. The items listed below are additional points to help clarify how you may use this template. Not for Resale or Public Sharing You may make archival copies and customize this template only for your personal use or use within your company or organization and not for resale or public sharing. You may not remove or alter any logo, trademark, copyright, disclaimer, brand, terms of use, attribution, or other proprietary notices or marks within this template. This template and any customized or modified version of this template may NOT be sold, distributed, published to an online gallery, hosted on a website, or placed on a public server. Limited Private Sharing Provided that you observe the above terms, you may share your edited version of this template *privately* with those specific people who **require** access to it within your immediate family, organization, or company. * "Privately" means only accessible to those few people who you expressively give permission to view or edit your file. It is your responsibility to ensure that adequate security measures are used so that your file is not available to the public. ** Examples of acceptable private sharing with people who "require access" may include (a) sharing a budget spreadsheet with a spouse, (b) sharing a project schedule with your project team, or (c) sharing a timesheet with your employee or manager. See the following page on Vertex42.com for the complete license agreement and examples of other allowed uses: http://www.vertex42.com/licensing/EULA_privateuse.html Disclaimer This template is provided for informational or educational use only and is not intended to be relied on as medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. Vertex42 LLC makes no guarantee or representations about this template, or the accuracy or completeness of the content contained within this template. Vertex42 LLC encourages you to seek the aid of a qualified professional before making decisions regarding health, financial, or legal issues. Work Breakdown Structure Table Provide basic information about the project including: Project Title – The proper name used to identify this project; Project Working Title - The working name or acronym that will be used for the project; Proponent Secretary - The Project Manager who is responsible for the entire project; Other Agency – Other agency that will be responsible for the management of the project; Prepared by – The person(s) preparing this document; Date/Control Number – The date the plan is finalized and the change or configuration item control number assigned. Project Title: Project Working Title: Project Manager: Other Agency: Prepared by: Date / Control Number: Element Number WBS Elements Activity, Task, or Sub-Task Name Definition of Activity or Task (Description) Responsible Person or Group Estimated (E) or Project Phase Actual (A) Cost (Cross (Cross reference to reference to budget) schedule)
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