Evaluation of Debenhams Project Report 2022

Running Head: EVALUATION OF DEBENHAMS PROJECT
Evaluation of Debenhams Project
Name of Student
Name of Organization
Author Note

1EVALUATION OF DEBENHAMS PROJECT
Abstract
The report is made in order to devise project management framework for Debenhams closure of
store front around United Kingdom. The project management methodology used for conducting
the entire process is Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBoK), which has different
project management principles and methodologies. Successive identification of potential risks
involved in closing a store include informing the associate stakeholders, employees in the store
as well as project board members. PMBoK methodology is perfect for this operation due to the
provision of task division based on deliverables of a specific task. The project management
procedure is customizable based on project demand, which makes it appropriate for this venture.

2EVALUATION OF DEBENHAMS PROJECT
Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................3
2.0 Evaluation of Project Management Methodology.....................................................................3
2.1 Stages of PMBoK..................................................................................................................3
2.2 Processes of PMBoK.............................................................................................................5
2.3 Roles in PMBoK....................................................................................................................6
2.4 PMBoK Documentation Methodologies...............................................................................7
3.0 Analysis of Debenhams Project with PMBoK..........................................................................8
3.1 Launching of CVA................................................................................................................8
3.2 Closure of Stores....................................................................................................................9
3.3 Risk Assessment....................................................................................................................9
3.4 Improving Trading Procedure................................................................................................9
4.0 Recommendation.....................................................................................................................10
5.0 Conclusion...............................................................................................................................10
6.0 References................................................................................................................................11
7.0 Bibliography............................................................................................................................12
8.0 Appendix..................................................................................................................................13

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1.0 Introduction
Project management is a sequential process, which is used to conduct operations in a
seamless and timely manner. There are certain aspects related to project management, which can
be summarized for application of processes, methodologies and tools to identify the requirements
of a project. According to Project Management Institute (PMI) a guidebook, which is PMBOK
(Project Management Body of Knowledge) is used for identification of various stages involved
in project management procedures. Different stages of project management include initiating,
plan, executing, monitoring and controlling and project closing.
Debenhams is a multinational brand having departmental stores across United Kingdom
as well as in countries like Ireland and Denmark, where it has franchise stores (Marcelino-
Sádaba et al., 2014). The franchise is planning on closing near about 22 stores that will have
direct impact on 1200 employees working as full-time employees on these stores. However, the
company is providing a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) to keep business ongoing for
the stores until early 2020. The company is planning on restructuring business processes across
all stores to create a better future for the organization (Hornstein, 2015). The report is done to
device an effective project management strategy for Debenhams store closure procedure using
PMBoK methodology to analyze the requirements as well as outcome of the entire project by
implementing various mechanisms detailed in this project management methodology following
the PMBOK guidebook for instructions.
2.0 Evaluation of Project Management Methodology
Project Management Body of Knowledge is a project management methodology that
helps in effective and efficient execution of a project. This management methodology is mostly
used by projects undertaken by the government, however private sector including retail
industries are also adopting this procedure to create a framework for successfully executing a
project (Silvius and Schipper, 2014). This management methodology is available freely to be
used by organizations due to which it has garnered a lot of attention.
2.1 Stages of PMBoK
The stages describes a comprehensive approach, which when adopted to the working
structuring in an organization yields a positive impact on the project deliverables.

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i. Project Initiation:
This is the first stage, which states to keep a continuous check on the expected outcome
of a project, not only at the beginning but throughout the project lifecycle (Siegelaub, 2017).
This in turn helps to analyze the cost incurred for the project and risks involved with the project
completion with a beneficial outcome. Project work is a dynamic process, which changes and
updates throughout the project. This is analyzed with the help of logs and ledgers in a project in
order to avoid recurring errors.
ii. Project Planning
One of the most important part in managing a project is allocation of roles and
responsibilities. This is related to making associated stakeholders assign specific roles and
monitor the execution of specific roles allocated. PMBoK methodology helps in dividing a
project into various phases for better execution of specific parts and manage the work
accordingly (Hermano and Martín-Cruz, 2019). Records of different stages are kept as records
for future reference and further evaluation of the project deliverables.
iii. Project Execution
There are board members in each project, which include higher officials and senior
managers who are responsible for initial allocation of budget as well as project deliverables,
whereas the daily monitoring of tasks are monitored by the project manager responsible for
timely completion of the entire process. This is related to execution of allocated tasks based on
the timeframe devised by the higher authorities associated with the project.
iv. Project Monitoring and Control
Primary concern of a project management operation is delivering good quality outcomes
in accordance with the requirements necessary for successful conduction of a project based on
demand (Skogmar, 2015). This helps to clearly identify project necessities and necessary
requirements to device a product or deliverable based approach.
v. Project Closure
Most significant part of PMBoK methodology is the customizable capability based on
project requirement, which starts from controlling of resources with outstanding risk and

5EVALUATION OF DEBENHAMS PROJECT
business process management. PMBoK helps in identifying respective involvement of a member
and degree of responsibility assigned through successive analysis to complete the entire project
on time within the budget allocated during the initial planning of entire project.
2.2 Processes of PMBoK
The steps described in the above section are directive principles of PMBoK, based on
which the project requirements are analyzed and work structure is formulated. The next phase
involves various stages associated with PMBoK framework for management of a project.
i. Project Starting
This is the first phase of the project that provides with a concise synopsis of objectives
and related goals associated with a project. Clear defining of objectives required to achieve
during the process plays an important role in the project outcome, which in turn creates a project
mandate after the assessment (Bowers and Khorakian, 2014). There is an approval process
involved, after which the briefing of a project is given in a more detailed synopsis of the entire
project.
ii. Project Plan
This phase is used for discussing the necessary expansion and upgrading of the devised
project brief. This is reviewed by board members for required changes based on allocated
resources and the restructured directives is sent to the project manager.
iii. Project Timeline
This stage is primarily involved in creation of a project plan and an expected delivery
timeline created by the project manager (Glukhov, Ilin and Levina, 2015). There are six factors
involved in initial stage of a project, to set the target which are cost, time, scope, quality, benefits
and associated risks.

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iv. Project Control
This stage is used for dividing a large task into different sections and allocating
respective tasks to team members as well as managers associated with the project. Project
manager’s responsibility is to maintain the timeline for monitoring of activities to update on
changes and progress of entire project lifecycle.
v. Product Delivery Management
Product delivery management is associated with comparison of progress of the project in
accordance with the provided project brief (Karaman and Kurt, 2015). Other processes in this
stage include reviewing of tasks completed and necessary approval of deliverables provided by
the project board.
vi. Management of Project Stage Boundary
The entire project is conducted based on the instructions provided by board members in
the project and respective managers in order to review all stages of a project to check for value
and following of organized plan (Pereira et al., 2018). This stage operates as an option for the
involved higher authority to check for issues and disparities involved in any stage of a project, to
move further with the proposed plan.
vii. Project Closure
This is the final stage of a project where the board members sign off final documentation
and other procedures to close the project after checking of deliverables and successive
completion of deliverables. Report is made by the project manager for the entire project
management cycle and project is closed.
2.3 Roles in PMBoK
PMBoK methodology has five basic roles, which are divided into project manager,
project board and project team, project execution and project delivery (Newton, 2015). Project
board has end-user, customers and the supplier. Other than main roles, other respective roles
include, customers, the user, associated suppliers for the project, project manager, team as well
as a team manager and administrator (Řeháček, 2017). Different stakeholders are responsible for

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execution, controlling and monitoring of various tasks associated with effective management of a
project.
Customer is someone who is sponsoring the project, whereas users are those involved
stakeholders who directly use the project deliverables and has direct relation with project
outcome. Moreover, suppliers are individuals whose expertise are of utmost importance in
creation of the final product and project managers are individuals responsible for maintaining the
entire project. Another important responsibility is bestowed to the group manager who reports to
the project manager and conducts tasks based on requirement provided by the higher officials.
Finally, there is a project administrator who is responsible for documenting, scheduling and
provision of facilities as well as allocation of roles to project members.
2.4 PMBoK Documentation Methodologies
This process is involved in maintaining records throughout the lifecycle of a project. This
has variety of functionalities like keeping track of deliverables, communication in-between the
involved stakeholders at the same time acting as a guiding mechanism that helps in altering the
respective changes in the lifecycle of a project (Dabija, Szentesi and Pop, 2014). The different
aspects of project documentation in Prince2 are mentioned below.
a. Business Register- Business register is a document, which explains the reason why a project
is required and expectations as well as benefits associated with successful completion of a
project.
b. Risk Register- Risk register comprises of three parts that describes associated risks, chances
of occurrence and impact of the risk to the project.
c. Quality Metrics- This keeps track of quality for the deliverable as stated in the project brief.
d. Issue Log- This document keeps track of problems faced by project members during
execution of a project.
e. Lesson Log- This log keeps track of the learning outcomes of a project for future references.
f. Daily Log- This document keeps track of daily project activities and subsequent progress in a
project based on the estimated timeline.

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3.0 Analysis of Debenhams Project with PMBoK
The successive closure of Debenhams store has certain variables associated with it.
Factors involve closing of stores, risks include loss of jobs for near about 1200 employees. The
company has decided on providing Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA), to provide options
for employees to be a part of the organization until early 2020. Successful closing of stores and
informing associated stakeholders requires a sequential approach (Jones and Comfort, 2019).
Project management processes help organizations to conduct such procedures in a timely manner
to avoid loss related to revenue generation and necessary policies required to be undertaken for
the entire procedure. PMBoK methodology, as discussed earlier is a customizable project
management methodology, which can be updated based on project requirements. The identified
options for this procedure based on Prince2 methodologies can be given as launching of CVA,
successful closure of stores, risk identification and mitigation related to loss of employability of
workers and a mechanism to improve trading procedures.
3.1 Launching of CVA
PMBoK methodology states that there are certain interim procedures associated with
closure of a project. The decision to launch Company Voluntary Arrangement is done after
conducting thorough analysis of project requirements and necessary costs involved in the
process. Project management processes help in dividing a task into sub-tasks to identify
associated risks with launching a new process (Varajão-Colomo, Palacios and Silva, 2017). CVA
is launched, which has provision for Debenhams to keep the stores working until early 2020. The
decision is made after documentation of this entire procedure and approval by the board
members. Stores which are currently operating across United Kingdoms are owned by landlords.
Company officials are planning on reducing the rent given for operating the stores, which help to
cope with the loss incurred by them due to back dated procedures previously used by the
company in conducting such processes. Logs maintained in risk register help in identifying the
changes required to decrease loss for the company. Project boundary based on PMBoK
methodology states that decisions taken by board members are done based on feedback and
analysis of operations, which help in identifying operational changes to safeguard jobs as well as
future of the organization.

9EVALUATION OF DEBENHAMS PROJECT
3.2 Closure of Stores
Stores planned for closure by early 2020 has certain procedural operations, which are
necessary to be documented for future purposes. These include involvement of respective
stakeholders ranging from landlords owning the place where stores are located as well as team
managers and employees in the store. Project control as stated in PMBoK methodology is
appropriate to conduct the entire process. Monitoring and operating all the stores at the same
time is harder compared to dividing the task to respective team managers, which will help in
completing the entire procedure as easily as possible.
3.3 Risk Assessment
The prime importance given to any procedure related to project management is related to
risk assessment and mitigation strategies adopted by companies in order to avoid unfavorable
situations. PMBoK methodology has dedicated risk mitigation mechanisms, where involved risks
for a project is documented on a timely basis for mitigating the risk as soon as it is identified.
Risks involved in closure of stores include loss of employability of workers, loss of revenue
generated from the store front, leading to decrease in profit percentage in an organization.
However, the organization is planning on expanding the business horizon with use of digitized
mechanisms with retail policies and balance sheet, which is not up to the mark based on modern
standards.
3.4 Improving Trading Procedure
PMBoK methodology maintains a lesson log, which is appropriate for situations
pertaining to making changes in structural procedures based on past outcomes. Debenhams has
found out that the trading procedure as well as the interim trading procedure adopted by the
company is not up to the modern world retail industry standards. This is directly related to loss of
revenue generated by the company, which creates a huge impact on profit outcome of the
organization.
The PMBoK methodology is applicable to different project management scenarios,
however the phases involved are clearly dictated whereas the Debenhams Project use of this
methodology is done only in the closing phase of the procedure, which is a potential issue related
to completion of project management framework adopted for the process, but application of
prince2 in successive procedural changes required by Debenhams is ideal for the situation.

10EVALUATION OF DEBENHAMS PROJECT
4.0 Recommendation
The entire process must be conducted with the help of project management methodology
PMBoK as discussed above to successfully complete the procedure without incurring heavy
financial loss to the organization. Procedures such as informing involved stakeholders, meeting
with respective landlords as well as prior notification to the working employees regarding the
entire procedure should be provided in documented form to mitigate occurrence of any
discrepancy. Debenhams should devise policies for employee retention once the mechanism of
improving trading mechanisms is complete, to safeguard the employees from job loss, which in
turn will create a positive impact for the workforce in the organization.
5.0 Conclusion
In conclusion, this can be said said that project management is a vital aspect related to
timely completion of a task undertaken by the organization. Debenhams is planning on closing a
series of retail stores around United Kingdom and improve trading and interim trading
mechanisms. This step was taken by the organization in order to reduce financial loss incurred by
the organization in the previous fiscal year due to outdated processes followed by the company.
The project management methodology appropriate for this situation is PMBoK, which is adopted
by organizations to conduct project management tasks efficiently. The respective roles of board
members, owners of the store-front, employees should have documented evidence of changes
adopted by the organization in order to maintain transparency within the organizations work
structure.
The strategies involved in the process is related to risk analysis and mitigation of
identified risks. Risks which are identified, should be mitigated at the initial stage so that loss of
resources are minimized. PMBoK methodology has certain response mechanisms, which include
daily track of work done by employees, initial planning and approval of changes occurring in the
approach taken by the company. The application of this methodology was helpful in identifying
the necessary updates made like the launching of CVA, closing of stores, assessment of risk and
improvement in trading mechanisms. Thus, entire approach adapted by the organization in
closing respective stores and the subsequent impact of this decision is unfathomable. However,
due to use of project management methodology in completing the procedure will be helpful to
the company in future for identifying changes as well as necessary updates.

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6.0 References
Bowers, J. and Khorakian, A., 2014. Integrating risk management in the innovation project.
European Journal of innovation management, 17(1), pp.25-40.
Dabija, D.C., Szentesi, S. and Pop, N.A., 2014. A customer-oriented perspective on retail brand
equity in the fashion industry. Dabija Dan-Cristian, Pop Nicolae Al., Szentesi Silviu, A
Customer-Oriented Perspective on Retail Brand Equity in the Fashion Industry, Industria
Textilă, 65(1), pp.37-46.
Glukhov, V.V., Ilin, I.V. and Levina, A.I., 2015. Project management team structure for internet
providing companies. In Internet of Things, Smart Spaces, and Next Generation Networks and
Systems (pp. 543-553). Springer, Cham.
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Standards: A Look into the PMBOK® with Dynamic Lenses. In Project Management and
Engineering Research (pp. 19-34). Springer, Cham.
Hornstein, H.A., 2015. The integration of project management and organizational change
management is now a necessity. International Journal of Project Management, 33(2), pp.291-
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Jones, P. and Comfort, D., 2019. “Better Retail, Better World”: A commentary on British
retailers and the sustainable development goals. Journal of Public Affairs, 19(2), p.e1910.
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7.0 Bibliography
Mir, F.A. and Pinnington, A.H., 2014. Exploring the value of project management: linking
project management performance and project success. International journal of project
management, 32(2), pp.202-217.
Saadé, R.G., Dong, H. and Wan, J., 2015. Factors of project manager success. Interdisciplinary
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Vaníčková, R., 2017. Application of PRINCE2 project management methodology. Studia
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8.0 Appendix
Figure 1: PMBoK Methodology