Section 1 Written Project Plan: Determine The Factors That M

Section 1 Written Project Plandetermine The Factors That Must Be Cons

Determine the factors that must be considered and observed throughout the WBS development process and explain why. Create a WBS for the scope of the project. Note: The WBS must be in indented format as shown in Figure 5.5B in Chapter 5 of the text. Analyze the various activities required for this project and provide an estimate of duration for each activity based on the number of resources available for the project. Include assumptions and basis for each estimate. Recommend the estimation technique that should be used for each activity (i.e., PERT, Delphi, Analogy, Expert Judgment, or Rule of Thumb). Determine the major milestones that the project will encounter. Describe the logical sequence of planned activities required to achieve the project and analyze how monitoring durations on the critical path influence the success of the project.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Effective project management hinges on meticulous planning and control of work breakdown structure (WBS), activity durations, resource allocation, and milestone identification. Developing a comprehensive project plan requires understanding critical factors that influence WBS creation, estimating activity durations accurately, selecting suitable estimation techniques, and recognizing the importance of critical path monitoring. This paper discusses these factors and applies them to a hypothetical project scenario, guiding the systematic development of a WBS and subsequent project schedule using Microsoft Project.

Factors Considered in Developing WBS

The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) functions as a foundational framework for project planning, enabling project managers to break down complex tasks into manageable components. Several factors must be considered to ensure the WBS effectively guides project execution. Firstly, scope definition is paramount; understanding the precise deliverables ensures all necessary activities are encompassed. Ambiguities or scope creep can lead to missed tasks or redundant efforts. Secondly, stakeholder involvement contributes vital insights into critical activities and priorities, ensuring the WBS aligns with expectations (PMI, 2017).

Thirdly, task dependencies and logical sequencing influence WBS structure; activities cannot be isolated, and dependencies should be incorporated early to facilitate accurate scheduling. Fourth, resource considerations, including available personnel, equipment, and budget constraints, shape activity decomposition and sequencing (Kerzner, 2013). Fifth, risk factors, such as technical difficulties or resource shortages, must be anticipated within the WBS framework to allow contingency planning (Hillson, 2017). Finally, organizational policies and standards provide guidelines for task management, documentation, and quality assurance.

Creating the WBS involves decomposing high-level project objectives into deliverables, sub-deliverables, and work packages. In this context, an indented WBS format is recommended due to its clarity and hierarchical view, as exemplified in Figure 5.5B of the PMBOK Guide (PMI, 2017).

Analysis of Activities and Duration Estimates

Analyzing activities requires a detailed breakdown of project tasks into smaller, manageable components. Each activity's duration depends on resource availability, complexity, and historical data. For instance, suppose the project involves constructing a new corporate website. Activities might include requirements gathering, design, development, testing, deployment, and training.

Estimating durations involves assumptions, such as team experience, technical feasibility, and resource availability. For example, if the development team comprises three developers working full-time, and historical data indicates that a typical development module takes five days, then the total development phase can be estimated at approximately 15 days, assuming concurrent work on multiple modules (Milestone, 2020).

The basis for each estimate should include historical data, expert judgment, or analogous project data. When resources are limited, expected durations may extend due to resource contention or technical issues. For each activity, an estimated duration can be assigned, along with assumptions that clarify the basis of these estimates.

Estimation Techniques and Rationale

Different estimation techniques are suitable for various activities, depending on data availability and project familiarity:

- PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique): Useful for activities with uncertainties, where optimistic, pessimistic, and most likely durations are considered to derive an expected duration (PMI, 2017). For example, testing phases with unpredictable bugs.

- Delphi Method: Involves expert consensus, ideal for high-uncertainty tasks like designing innovative features (Hillson, 2017).

- Analogy Estimation: Uses historical data from similar projects, appropriate for standard tasks like procurement.

- Expert Judgment: Relies on the experience of seasoned professionals, suitable for unique activities such as integration testing.

- Rule of Thumb: Applies industry standards or guidelines, useful for rough initial estimates in early planning phases.

Applying these methods helps improve the accuracy of activity durations, reducing schedule risks.

Major Milestones and Logical Sequence

Major milestones define critical points where significant deliverables are completed, serving as progress checkpoints. In the project scenario, milestones could include completing the design phase, prototype delivery, final deployment, and user training.

The logical sequence of activities follows a predecessor-successor relationship. For instance, development cannot commence until the design phase is approved; testing depends on development completion; deployment cannot occur before successful testing, and training follows deployment (Kerzner, 2013). Constructing a dependency network facilitates illustrating these relationships.

Monitoring durations on the critical path is crucial because delays in critical activities directly impact the project's overall schedule. For example, if testing delays push back deployment, subsequent activities are also affected, potentially leading to cost overruns and stakeholder dissatisfaction. Effective monitoring enables proactive corrective actions, ensuring project completion within scope, time, and budget constraints.

Conclusion

Developing an effective project plan requires careful consideration of factors influencing WBS, accurate duration estimation, appropriate selection of estimation techniques, and vigilant monitoring of the critical path. The WBS serves as the backbone of project scheduling, and activities must be segmented logically, resources properly allocated, and milestones precisely identified. Employing suitable estimation methods enhances schedule reliability, while critical path analysis ensures timely project delivery. Overall, disciplined planning and continuous monitoring are essential to project success.

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