Final for PM- Create a Project Plan and MS Project Schedule-5 STAR ONLY

Running Head: PROJECT OUTLINE

Project Outline

Tania Amador

UMUC BMGT 487 7980

PROJECT OUTLINE

Project Outline

I. Cover Page

Importance: This part will help the reader to create the first impression about the project. It will also help the reader to identify the project and understand a few aspects about it.

The cover page part will contain the following:

· Title of the project

· Name of the group

Improvements: The following items will also be captured in the cover page

· Contact information

· Names of the sponsors

· Date of the report

II. Abstract

· This is a summary of the entire project

· It will be a maximum of one page, double spaced

Importance: This part will help the reader to understand the project in brief. It will explain different components of the project in summary form. The reader will be able to understand what he or she will expect when he starts reading the entire project.

III. Section 1: Introduction

Importance: This section will help the reader to understand several aspects of the project such as: objectives, scope, aim, and the background.

Improvements: The following parts will be incorporated in the introductory chapter

· Background information – this part will help the reader to understand what the project is addressing. It should bring out the bigger picture surrounding the project and then narrow down to the specific project

· Purpose of the project – this part will explain the aim of the project

· Scope statement - this part will state the scope of the work that is supposed to be done as far as the project is concerned

· Objectives – this part will indicate the overall and specific objectives that are supposed to be achieved in the project

IV. Section 2: Literature Review

This section will be based on materials that have been used in the project. It will also show the research done based on the materials.

Importance: This section will help the reader to understand the following:

· The previous works done by other people that are relevant to the project

· The nature of the reading materials that have been used to come up with the project. These materials may include the following: books, newspapers, journals, websites, magazines etc.

V. Section 3: Approach and methodology

This section will provide the appropriate approach that will be used to undertake the project. The best approach should be collaborative and consultative approach. Collaboration means involvement of different professionals in the project. Consultative means that the stake holders will be consulted and their inputs factored into the project.

The methodology will show the procedure that will be used to carry out the project. The procedure should communicate to the work plan. In other words it should be consisted to the developed work plan

Importance: This section will provide clarity on the style and steps that project proponent will undertake in order to ensure that the project is successfully completed. The chapter will also help to develop a good work plan.

VI. Section 4: project schedule

This section will show the work plan inform of a project schedule. The project schedule will be a Gantt chart. The chart will provide a list of tasks, deliverables and milestones. Human resources and associated costs will also show in the Gantt chart.

Importance: The project schedule will help the donors to understand the intensity of the work involved in the project. It will also show how resources will be utilized in the project by indicating the resources that are allocated for each activity. This will help to win support of the donors.

Improvements: The Gantt chart will be converted in to a format that can be copied into a word document in order to join the chapter with other chapters of the project in a Microsoft word document.

VII. Section 5: Stakeholders Management Plan

This section will include the following:

· Analysis of the key stakeholders – This includes the list of stakeholders, their interests, roles and responsibilities. The interest of the stakeholders will explain what the key stakeholders require and what they expect from project

· Human resources management plan – This will identify all the professionals who will be involved in the project, their roles, responsibilities and the expected output from them inform of reports (reporting structure)

Importance: Stakeholders will determine if the project will succeed or fail. An appropriate Stakeholders management Plan will help to ensure good relations among different stakeholders who are involved in the project.

Improvements: The section will be structured to ensure more clarity on analysis of key stakeholders and the human resources

VIII. Section 6: Scope management plan

This section will provide an analysis of the various items of the scope. Changes that need to be done in specific items of the scope will be stated, followed by the appropriate action to be taken.

Importance: The Scope management plan will help the project team to stick to the defined scope in order to avoid wastage of resources by doing activities that are not made to achieve the desired objectives

Improvements: Detailed analysis will be provided to ensure that there is clarity

IX. Section 7: Communication management plan

Importance: A communication plan will ensure a formal communication between different stakeholders who will be involved in the project. This will help to improve efficiency in undertaking the assigned activities.

This section will explain the following:

· Importance of communication plan

· The communication plan choices for the project

Improvements: The following improvements will be made on the chapter:

· Procedure for communication between staff and stakeholders.

· The chain of protocols to be observed in the communication path

X. Section 8: Risk management plan

This section will provide a detailed analysis of the risks that anticipated in the project. A table will be provided showing the following:

· Explanation of the preferred approach

· Name of the risk

· definition of the risk

· Rank of the risk

· Impact of the risk to the project

· The response strategy that will be taken to mitigate the risk

Importance: The Risk management plan will help to prevent or to mitigate the problems that are anticipated. This will ensure the success of the project because risks can lead to project failure.

Improvements: More details will be included in the risk management plan to ensure that there is clarity. There will be a clear explanation of the approach that was used.

XI. Section 9: Quality Management Plan

Importance: Quality is a crucial factor that should be considered in every project. A quality management plan helps the project team to satisfy the standards that have been set. It also provides measures to ensure that quality is maintained during project implementation.

Improvements: the following parts will be incorporated in the chapter to ensure that the activities are within the scope of the assignment:

· Expected quality standards on the deliverables

· The procedure for review and auditing the project

· Test management strategies

· Quality measurement strategies

XII. Section 10: Cost management Plan

This section will provide the following aspects that are associated with the project cost:

· An explanation on how project cost will be managed

· Provision of the project budget

· The strategy for ensuring the project is within the budget limits

· The strategies for discussing the budget issues

Importance: Financial management is essential for success of every project. If there is a shortage of funding, the project may not be completed or the quality may be compromised.

XIII. Section 11: Conclusion

This section will provide a conclusion based on the achievements that the group has made concerning the project

Importance: Will help the group to evaluate itself and determine if they have achieved the objectives.

XIV. Section 12: References

This section will provide the sources that were used in literature review. The referencing should be in a specific style that is recognized by the university. Commonly used referencing styles are APA, MLA, Harvard and Chicago.

Importance: Referencing will be important because it will acknowledge and give credit to sources that have been used to come up with the project. This will enable the reader to understand the nature of reading materials that were used for the assignment

Improvement: More sources will be used as a result of wide reading

References

A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (3rd ed.). (2004). Newtown Square, Pa.: Project Management Institute.

Saladis, F., & Kerzner, H. (2011). Bringing the PMBOK Guide to Life a Companion for the Practicing Project Manager. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons.

Snyder, C. (2013). A user's manual to the PMBOK guide--fifth edition ([Updated ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.