CIS213 Project Management Mini Case Study Managing Change

Cis213 Project Managementmini Case Study Managing Changecopyright

In this assignment, you will explore the business situation that the Global Green Books Publishing is facing and how it was resolved using effective project management. The requirements for the assignments are: · Read the Mini Case Study attached to the assignment. · Answer the following questions based on the reading: 1. Who are the stakeholders of this project? Who are the key stakeholders of the project? 2. What impacts could these requested changes have on the budget? 3. Could these requested changes also impact the schedule? If so, how? 4. What is Global Green Book’s process for dealing with changes from their customers? 5. Do you see any possible issues with this process? 6. How would you recommend that Global Green Books handle these changes? Who should be involved? 7. What should Global Green Books do about the conflicting inputs from their customer – the bookstore manager who wants inexpensive eBooks and the professor who wants the best and most up-to-date collection of readings possible for her courses? · The paper must be APA-formatted as a Word document. · SafAsssignment will be used to check this assignment for plagiarism. Remember to paraphrase in your own words and do not copy directly. · The length must be a minimum of two pages, excluding the title and reference pages. · Include at least one reference.

Paper For Above instruction

Global Green Books Publishing faces a complex challenge in managing the project of producing a highly customized eBook for a university course, highlighting the critical importance of effective project management, stakeholder engagement, and scope control. This case exemplifies how multiple factors, including stakeholder expectations, scope creep, cost management, and process rigidity, converge to influence project outcomes, illustrating the essential roles of communication, flexibility, and strategic planning in navigating such complexities.

Stakeholders of the Project

The primary stakeholders include the professor requesting the custom eBook, the college's bookstore manager, the students who will ultimately use the eBook, the authors and publishers of the included articles, and the project management team at Global Green Books. The key stakeholders, particularly vital to project success, are the professor and the bookstore manager. The professor directly influences content and quality expectations, while the bookstore manager's concerns focus on cost and accessibility, affecting the project’s scope and stakeholder satisfaction.

Impacts of Requested Changes on Budget

The numerous change requests from the professor, such as adding new papers or modifying content, directly escalate costs. Each additional permission required incurs an estimated $500 and additional effort in hours (two hours per permission at an estimated hourly rate). Moreover, these modifications necessitate additional desktop publishing, permissions, and administrative overhead, cumulatively inflating the project budget. The cost escalation is compounded by the need to address each change swiftly to meet deadlines, and the increased permissions and rework effort significantly elevate the original cost estimates.

Impacts on Schedule

These ongoing amendments can severely impact the project timeline. As each change demands additional permissions, desktop publishing adjustments, and approval cycles, the schedule becomes increasingly strained. The delays from acquiring permissions or redoing layouts could push back the delivery date, jeopardizing the project's strategic goals. Furthermore, the accumulating scope creep, driven by persistent requests, hampers project control and risks missing essential deadlines, which could diminish stakeholder confidence and satisfaction.

Global Green Book’s Change Management Process

The current process involves verifying and obtaining permissions, with a back-and-forth communication loop between the project team and the professor. Changes are documented, but there appears to be limited structured control to manage scope creep effectively. This process lacks a formal change control mechanism that evaluates the impact of additional requests before approval, risking uncontrolled scope expansion and cost overruns.

Potential Issues with the Process

The main issues include unstructured change approval, which can lead to scope creep, uncontrolled cost increases, and schedule delays. The absence of a formal change management process may result in disputes, misunderstandings, and dissatisfied stakeholders. Moreover, the lack of a clear authority or decision-making protocol to assess and authorize changes can exacerbate conflicts and reduce project efficiency.

Recommended Handling of Changes

Global Green Books should implement a formal change control process involving key stakeholders, including project managers, the professor, and the bookstore representative. Establishing a change request form, impact analysis, and approval hierarchy ensures that each modification is assessed for its cost, schedule implications, and strategic value before widespread implementation. Regular stakeholder meetings can help balance the scope, cost, and schedule, fostering transparency and shared decision-making.

Managing Conflicting Inputs

The conflicting demands from the professor for the most current, comprehensive material versus the bookstore manager’s need for lower-cost eBooks represent scope and priorities tension. A balanced approach would involve engaging both parties in negotiations to identify core content essentials, potentially introducing tiered offerings or phased updates, aligning quality with budget constraints. Clear communication regarding trade-offs, along with setting realistic expectations, is vital to maintaining stakeholder trust and project success.

In conclusion, managing such complex projects requires effective stakeholder engagement, disciplined change control, and strategic alignment of scope, cost, and schedule. By formalizing change procedures and fostering open communication, Global Green Books can better navigate scope creep, manage costs, and deliver a product that satisfies all key stakeholders, ensuring long-term success and customer satisfaction.

References

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