Project Planning

Unit 2 [GM592: Project Planning and the Project Plan]

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Assignment 2: Team Assignment

This Assignment is designed to evaluate your ability to research, organize, and demonstrate

project data and financial information pertaining to the development of the schedule baseline

within the project planning phase. These exercises mimic actual situations one could expect to

occur between the project manager and the sponsor or key stakeholders. Its assessments are

directed toward measuring mastery in synthesis of information, proper classifications, critical

thinking, attention to detail, explanations, and professional acumen.

In this Assignment, you and your team will develop a Definitive Duration Estimate and a

Schedule Management Plan for your assigned rocket project.

You and your team have received word that your company, Space Systems Technologies (SST)

does not employ the “Fitter” labor resource you will need in assembling the rocket. As a

corporate policy, this skill set is outsourced as part of an agreement with the local Fitters Union

to keep an open shop. All Fitter labor needs are required to be outsourced to the Fitters Union

Local #1234 for all new rocket assembly projects. The SST human resources department will

coordinate with the procurement office and provide the assigned rocket assembly project with

the necessary Union Fitters once they receive the estimated number of labor hours required for

this project.

Identify your group members and using the collaboration area below Unit 6 collaborate and

develop the following from your assigned Ansari “X-Prize” project entry:

 Develop a Definitive Duration Estimate for your assigned rocket project down to the work

package level.

 Develop a Schedule Management Plan for your assigned rocket project.

Your team will need an evening for data collection. This will require about two hours per group

member to write up your findings. Download the appropriate templates in Course Resources to

record the information found. Alternatively you can use recommended internet links in the

appendix of your text for a similar template. The document you use must meet all criteria

specified in the grading rubric. Fill in all sections completely using your assigned assignment

scenario found in Course Resources.

1. Go to Course Resources or locate an appropriate template from the internet that meets the rubric criteria. Using this worksheet and your assigned project, answer the sections on the worksheet. If there are sections missing from the template for the assigned documents but required in the rubric, be sure to address them. Upload all documents as separate files to the designated team members’ Dropbox.

2. Go to the internet and find a product description template that meets the rubric criteria.

Using this worksheet and your assigned project, answer the sections on the worksheet. Upload this charter to the designated team members’ Dropbox.

3. Ensure that your project documents address the criteria of the rubric below and follows the stated requirements.

Unit 2 [GM592: Project Planning and the Project Plan]

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Directions for Submitting your Team Assignment:

 To submit your Unit 2 Team assignment, have one person designated by the team upload all assignment documents to the Unit 2 Assignment 2 Dropbox. Make sure that you have saved a copy of each of the tools to submit for this assignment.

 Each team member must submit a peer evaluation individually to your Unit 2 Assignment 2 Dropbox.

GM592 Unit 2 Team Assignment Points

Possible

Points

Earned

Content (0-30 points)

1. Tool Development (Definitive Duration Estimate) a) Project scope (WBS) correctly entered down to work package level?

15

b) All labor skill sets accounted for with own column?

c) Levels of effort correctly entered at the work package levels?

d) Level of effort (in hours) correctly rolled-up (totaled) to each requisite sub-task level?

e) Sub-task totals correctly rolled-up (totaled) to each requisite task level?

f) Task level totals for each labor skill set totals to reflect total task labor hours?

g) Each labor skill set task totals tallied at bottom of each skill set column to reflect each skill set total labor for the project?

h) All labor total hours tallied to show total labor hours for the project.

i) All labor levels of effort calculated to show total labor for each increment by task?

2. Tool Development (Schedule Management Plan)

a) Scheduling methodology/Tool to be used for project schedule specified?

15

b) Level of accuracy specified to determine activity duration estimates (round up to the next 1 hour/day/month)?

c) Units of measure (hours/days/weeks/months)?

d) Organizational procedures links (WBS numbering mapped to accounting numbering mapped to general ledger/budget line, etc.)?

e) Process identified for updating the status and recording of progress in the schedule tool and defined?

f) Control thresholds specified for schedule variances between planned value and actual costs (EVM variances thresholds)?

g) Rules for performance measures specified (SV, SPI, etc.) with definitions?

h) Reporting formats and frequency for schedule reports defined?

i) Process descriptions documented?

Analysis (0-11 points)

Unit 2 [GM592: Project Planning and the Project Plan]

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Response exhibits strong higher-order critical thinking and analysis (e.g., evaluation). Paper shows original thought. 3

Analysis includes proper classifications, explanations, comparisons and inferences. 4

Critical thinking includes appropriate judgments, conclusions and assessment based on evaluation and synthesis of information. 4

Writing (0-9 points)

Grammatical skills are strong with typically less than one error per page. Correct use of APA when assigned. 3

Appropriate to the assignment, fresh (interesting to read), accurate, (no far-fetched, unsupported comments), precise (say what you mean), and concise (not wordy). 3

Project is in 12-point font. Narrative sections are double-spaced with a double space between. Project is free of serious errors; grammar, punctuation, and spelling help to clarify the meaning by following accepted conventions.

3

Peer Evaluation

Minus points lost on Peer Evaluation (15= 0, 14= -1, 13= -2, etc.) 0

Total 50