Week 2 Assignment Due On August 26, 2020 - Project Managemen

Week 2 Assignmentdue On The August 26 2020project Management Plan B

In this assignment, you will create a project management plan (PMP) baseline, which includes a scope (including a WBS), a project schedule, and a project budget. This assignment will be divided into four major elements, along with their individual elements. For your assignment, · Develop the scope document in MS Word. The scope document should: o Create a scope description consistent with the authority granted in the project charter. o List the project deliverables that will enable resolution of the current problems in the current logistics operation. o Outline the acceptance criteria for each deliverable. o Establish the project’s limitations or boundaries. o Summarize the change control process that will be used during the project. · Create an indented WBS for five to 10 intermediate tasks using ProjectLibre. o Include within each intermediate task two to three sub tasks. Review the ProjectLibre Demo (Links to an external site.) video for additional help using ProjectLibre. Note: Save your WBS in ProjectLibre. · Develop a project schedule using the WBS you have already created as the starting point. This should be completed using ProjectLibre. The project will start February of Year 0, and should finish in December. Note: Save your project schedule, including the Gantt chart, in ProjectLibre. The project schedule should: · Start on February 1st and complete before December 31st of the year you are taking this class. That will be Year 0. · Identify the precursor activities as necessary. · Sequence the activities. · Indicate a single start and end date for each task. · Create a project budget. You may create the budget in ProjectLibre or in MS Excel. o If you choose MS Excel: § Copy your work in ProjectLibre to MS Excel: § Put the cursor in the upper-left box to darken all the columns, use “CTRL C” to copy the ProjectLibre content, and then paste into MS Excel. § Add another column for budget. Assign a budget to each task. You have full discretion to develop the budget subject to the following guidelines: § The total budget may not exceed $100,000. § Each task must be assigned a budget. o If you choose ProjectLibre: § You have full discretion to develop the budget subject to the following guidelines: § The total budget may not exceed $100,000. § Each task must be assigned a budget. § You may submit the project schedule and the resource breakdown structure separately if you choose. Note: Save all your ProjectLibre work in a PDF. You may also save the project WBS and schedule from ProjectLibre in a PDF file, and save the budget in MS Excel. Save the project schedule and budget in ProjectLibre and MS Excel, as you will use this information for your Week 3 assignment. For Week 2, submit the scope MS Word document to Waypoint. Additionally, submit the WBS, project schedule, and budget from ProjectLibre in a PDF, or the WBS and Project Schedule from ProjectLibre in a PDF, and the budget in a MS Excel document to Waypoint. The Project Management Plan Baselines paper · Must be three to four double-spaced pages in length (not including title and references and appendixes and formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA Style (Links to an external site.) . · Must include a separate title page with the following: o Title of paper (this should be titled, Project Management Plan – Scope). o Student’s name o Course name and number o Instructor’s name o Date submitted For further assistance with the formatting and the title page, refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013 (Links to an external site.) . · Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic Voice (Links to an external site.) resource for additional guidance. · Must use at least one credible or industry source; however, it is optional in this assignment to use scholarly or peer-reviewed research in addition to the course text. o The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.) table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment. o To assist you in completing the research required for this assignment, view this Ashford University Library Quick ‘n’ Dirty (Links to an external site.) tutorial, which introduces the Ashford University Library and the research process, and provides some library search tips. · Must document any information used from sources in APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA: Citing Within Your Paper (Links to an external site.) . · Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA Style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the APA: Formatting Your References List (Links to an external site.) resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.

Paper For Above instruction

The development of a comprehensive project management plan (PMP) baseline is fundamental to ensuring project success, especially within logistics operations. This paper outlines the critical components required to establish an effective PMP baseline, including scope, work breakdown structure (WBS), schedule, and budget. Drawing from contemporary project management practices and tools like ProjectLibre, this plan provides a structured approach to managing logistics improvements, aligned with best practices and industry standards.

Scope Document Development

The scope statement sets the foundation by clearly defining what the project aims to achieve and its boundaries. The scope description must align with the authority granted in the project charter, which typically details the project's purpose and high-level objectives (PMI, 2017). For this logistics project, the scope involves addressing inefficiencies that hinder current operations, with specific deliverables outlined to resolve existing problems. These could include upgrading software systems, reorganizing warehouse layouts, or implementing new tracking procedures. Acceptance criteria for each deliverable act as benchmarks that gauge the successful completion and functionality of each component, ensuring stakeholder expectations are met (Kerzner, 2013).

Limitations or boundaries of the project are also established to prevent scope creep. These may include budget constraints, resource availability, or technical limitations. Additionally, a change control process must be summarized, typically involving formal procedures for requesting, reviewing, and approving scope modifications, to maintain project focus and control (PMI, 2017).

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

The WBS decomposes the scope into manageable tasks, facilitating scheduling and resource allocation. For this project, a WBS with five to ten intermediate tasks was developed in ProjectLibre, each with two to three sub-tasks. For example, a primary task like "Implement Tracking System" was broken down into sub-tasks such as "Procure Hardware," "Install Software," and "Train Staff." This hierarchical structure enhances clarity and control over the project components (PMI, 2017).

Project Schedule Creation

The project schedule begins on February 1 and concludes before December 31 of Year 0, encompassing approximately eleven months. The sequencing of activities considers dependencies, with precursor activities identified to establish logical flow. Tasks are assigned single start and end dates, with detailed Gantt charts generated in ProjectLibre to visualize timelines. This scheduling ensures all activities are completed within the allocated timeframe, with buffer periods included for unexpected delays (Lock, 2013).

The schedule’s successful design hinges on proper sequencing, identifying critical tasks, and aligning resources accordingly to prevent bottlenecks and ensure timely completion.

Budget Development and Management

The project budget is established within a $100,000 limit, with each task allocated a specific financial estimate. Resources and costs are identified, leveraging either ProjectLibre or MS Excel for detailed breakdowns. In Excel, the project data copied from ProjectLibre is augmented with a budget column, allowing precise cost tracking (Meredith & Shafer, 2017). Budget management is crucial for controlling costs, reporting variances, and ensuring the project remains financially viable.

Effective budgeting involves estimating costs based on resource needs, procurement, labor, and contingency reserves. Regular monitoring during project execution helps manage expenditures and adjust plans as necessary to adhere to fiscal constraints (Pyzdek & Keller, 2014).

Conclusion

Establishing a detailed PMP baseline encompassing scope, WBS, schedule, and budget is vital for guiding project execution and control. Using tools like ProjectLibre and adhering to best practices ensures each component aligns and supports successful project completion, ultimately improving logistics operations and resolving current inefficiencies.

References

• Kerzner, H. (2013). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
• Lock, D. (2013). Project management. Gower Publishing, Ltd.
• Meredith, J. R., & Shafer, S. M. (2017). Operations management for MBAs. John Wiley & Sons.
• Pyzdek, T., & Keller, P. (2014). The Six Sigma handbook: A complete guide for green belts, black belts, and managers at all levels. McGraw-Hill Education.
• Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th ed.). PMI.
• Author, A. (2020). Contemporary Project Management. Course textbook.