Professional Development Experience Workbook for Desklib

This workbook is designed to help individuals develop their professional skills and experience through a project proposal for an organic retail store in the UK. It includes sessions on project planning, the iron triangle, stakeholder management, and skills development.

Professional
Development
Experience (1)
Workbook
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Contents
Session 1: Introduction to Module:.......................................................................................................3
Session 2: Defining Your Project............................................................................................................5
Project Proposal:................................................................................................................................6
Session 3: Planning Your Project:...........................................................................................................7
Gantt Chart of Project Timeline:........................................................................................................8
Session 4: Project Proposal Submission Week.....................................................................................10
Session 5: Project Background: Context and Stakeholders..................................................................11
5.1: Project Research:......................................................................................................................11
Session 6: The Iron Triangle – Part 1....................................................................................................13
Session 7: The Iron Triangle – Part 2....................................................................................................14
Week 8: Monitoring Your Project........................................................................................................15
Week 9: Skills Development................................................................................................................16
Week 10: Monitoring Your Project......................................................................................................18
Week 11: Final Review of Your Project................................................................................................19
Week 12: Project Workbook Submission.............................................................................................20
References:..........................................................................................................................................20
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Session 1: Introduction to Module:
Think about the kind of project you would like to work on for this module. Make some notes in the
box below:
Proposing a business of organic retail store within the UK.
Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses project management; put a link to it in the box below.
https://www.pmi.org/about/learn-about-pmi/what-is-project-management
What is the main point made in this resource?
The resource illustrates the significance of and the usage of project management as it requires
specific skills, knowledge, tools and techniques to deliver something that value a lot to people.
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
 Introducing proposed project.
 Identify specific purpose of establishing the project.
 The workbook is related to the new start up business.
What did I learn?
It helped me greatly to finish my project and make plans accordingly for each task.
How can I apply this to my project?
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The introduction part enable me to identify the purpose and main subject of the project where
I can create business plan appropriately. Through this, I can achieve my goals and objectives
effectually.
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Session 2: Defining Your Project
What do I want to do for my project?
I want to complete my business project by making the organic food items available at retail
store for the betterment of the society.
Where are you going to do your project?
I am going to establish my business within the UK.
What type of project is it going to be?
The business proposed by me is highly in demand within the market place as people nowadays
are more health conscious and hence requires organic food products.
How does it link to learning to date?
The business related to the learning as we have to educate themselves about the ways to
adopt certain changes to complete the project. For this, generating a clear vision and mission
is highly significant in order to prepare appropriate business plan.
Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses S.M.A.R.T. objectives; put a link to it in the box below.
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/smart-goal/
What is the main point made in this resource?
The resource highly able to highlight the concepts related to the preparation of SMART goals
which help me in most efficient manner to fulfil my desires related to the project.
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
We have done:
 My project is regarding the organic retail store in UK.
 Set aim and objectives and generate considerable revenue after pandemic situation.
 Establishing business will be beneficial for the aged people as they are highly health
conscious specially after pandemic situation.
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 Putting assessment deadlines where I decided to furnish my project in just few months
and launch it as well.
What did I learn?
I had learnt that by making SMART goals, I can track my progress record.
How can I apply this to my project?
I can implement smart goals within the project in order to assess limitations and benefits of
proposed business plan. Such objectives also enable me to cover my project deadlines.
Project Proposal:
Using the space below write your project proposal:
Project Aim: To start an organic food retailer store within the UK.
Project Objectives: (S.M.A.R.T.)
 To enhance revenue of the firm through sales of organic food items.
 To increase 15% net profit with the use of diversified channels to attract consumers.
 To understand that the set objectives are achievable in limited time frame or not.
 To measure the final result of organic food products business.
 To strengthen customer satisfaction level by delivering quality products to build strong
brand image of the firm by end of the financial year.
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Session 3: Planning Your Project:
Using the Table below create a list of all the activities you believe you will need to achieve to
complete your project. Consider the order and duration each of the activities will take.
Sequenc
e
Activity Duration
1 Development of aim and objectives of the plan 10
2 Gather information 10
3 Brief project description 6
4 Identify market potential through research 20
5 Capital costs and sources of finances 15
6 Assessment of working capital requirements 5
7 Other financial aspects 5
8 Identification of economic and social variables 10
9 Delegation of roles and responsibilities 7
10 Resource distribution 7
11 Risk identification 10
12 Prepare back up plans 10
13 Review and feedback collection 5
14 Performance evaluation 10
15 Profit measurement 10
Using this list of activities and some appropriate software create a Gantt chart of your project’s
timeline.
Insert your completed Gantt chart on the page below:
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Gantt Chart of Project Timeline:
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Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses using Gantt charts in project management; put a link to it in the
box below.
https://www.atlassian.com/agile/project-management/gantt-chart
What is the main point made in this resource?
In this resource majorly the meaning of Gantt chart has been discussed along with reasons due
to which the manager utilizes this specific tool.
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
We created the Gantt chart with the help of specific tool.
What did I learn?
I had learnt:
 Significance of preparing Gantt chart.
 The ways to utilize the Gantt chart.
 Create it with using Microsoft excel (Delisle, 2019).
How can I apply this to my project?
I can apply it by segregating the activities that needs to be fulfiled in order to complete the
project.
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Session 4: Project Proposal Submission Week
This week you need to ensure that you have:
Completed your proposed project activity plan in your workbook.
Completed your proposed project timeline on a Gantt chart.
Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses project Stakeholders; put a link to it in the box below.
https://www.wrike.com/project-management-guide/faq/what-is-a-stakeholder-in-project-
management/
What is the main point made in this resource?
The resource highlights the meaning of stakeholder along with various internal and external
stakeholder uses within the project-management.
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
Understood the topic stakeholders.
What did I learn?
The significance of different stakeholders within the project.
How can I apply this to my project?
This enables me to proposed effective business plan into action by identifying the role of
various stakeholders into consideration.
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Session 5: Project Background: Context and
Stakeholders
This week we considered the organisational context and stakeholders to your project
Who is the project for? The project is mainly for health conscious people.
What do you do/do at
work?
I am going to manage the whole project and procedure through
managing staff members as well.
What do you know
about the sector you
work in?
The retailer industry is one of the famous sector and fulfil all the
requirements of general public.
What parts of the
organisation does your
project affect?
With this, the company can survive and attain considerable profits.
5.1: Project Research:
This week find out about your chosen sector/organisation/employer; place some links to relevant
background information in the box below:
Link 1: https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/346186Z:LN
Link 2; https://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/lbs-case-study/story/case-study-tesco-
virtually-created-new-market-based-on-country-lifestyle-143807-2015-02-06
Link 3: https://corporate.walmart.com/
Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses using “The Iron Triangle” in project management.; put a link to it
in the box below.
https://www.villanovau.com/resources/project-management/iron-triangle-project-
management/
What is the main point made in this resource?
It illustrates the triple constraints of the project management in the triangular manner
(Borkovskaya, 2018).
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Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
Learnt about the iron triangle usage in the project management.
What did I learn?
 Learnt about its effectiveness.
 Identify ways to measure the success.
How can I apply this to my project?
Iron triangle involves three areas namely scope, budget and schedule, helped to fulfil project
desires (Zwikael and Smyrk, 2019).
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Session 6: The Iron Triangle – Part 1
What are the cost implications for your project?
The time, money and energy required by the plan to produce and maintain the project
objectives.
How will you measure these?
By customer review and sales volume.
What are the time implications for your project?
160 days
How will you measure these?
Be generating a definite plan of activities.
What are the quality implications for your project?
Cost: £5000
How will you measure these?
By identifying all the necessary functions.
Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses using Deming’s P.D.C.A. in project management; put a link to it
in the box below.
https://twproject.com/blog/deming-cycle-pdca-constant-improvement-quality/
What is the main point made in this resource?
It discusses over the meaning of Deming cycle along with their phases.
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
Learnt about PDCS.
What did I learn?
 Meaning and its significance
 Advantages
 Practices that suits best in the project-management
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How can I apply this to my project?
 By plan objectives
 Do implement them.
 Checking entire procedure
 Take actions according to the study
Session 7: The Iron Triangle – Part 2
What are the cost implications for your project?
Time, money and requirements are major cost implications.
How will you measure these?
Through consumer feedback
Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses using Deming’s P.D.C.A. in project management; put a link to it in
the box below.
https://www.isixsigma.com/dictionary/deming-cycle-pdca/
What is the main point made in this resource?
It discusses over the benefits of the Deming cycle
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
Read about PDCA
What did I learn?
Its concept, implementation and benefits.
How can I apply this to my project?
By preparing plan, implement them, checking entire procedure and take actions over the same
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(Jovanovic and Beric, 2018).
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Week 8: Monitoring Your Project
What challenges have you encountered on your project to date?
Keep team members engaged and motivated to complete the task within limited time
duration.
How did you resolve these?
By showing the benefits of the project in long run.
What methods/tools did you use to do this?
Use effective communication methods for creating better motivation within team members.
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
Learnt the importance of motivating team members.
What did I learn?
Significance of motivation within any business project.
How can I apply this to my project?
By applying appropriate motivational strategies to provide effectiveness in collaborative
working (Lalmi, Fernandes and Souad, 2021).
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Week 9: Skills Development
Over the last few weeks, you have gathered further information about various tools for project
management from external sources which should have supported your projected.
In the box below explain how some of these tools have been applied to your work.
Gantt chart tool has been applied along with PDCA model which help into appropriate
implementation.
Personal Research:
Find a resource that discusses Personal Development; put a link to it in the box below.
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/personal-development.html
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What is the main point made in this resource?
Essential skills requirements
Personal Reflection:
What new skills have I developed?
Leadership quality
What evidence do I have that I have applied them?
Manage the team members appropriately.
How do these relate to the graduate attributes?
It helped me to fulfil all the desires of the project.
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Week 10: Monitoring Your Project
What other challenges have you encountered on your project to date?
Researching and collecting feedback
How did you resolve these?
Using different sources of research
What methods/tools did you use to do this?
Search engine optimization (Zhang and et.al., 2020)
Personal Reflection:
What did we do?
Understand the importance of research skills.
What did I learn?
Learnt to use various tools.
How can I apply this to my project?
It will help me to assess my business.
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Week 11: Final Review of Your Project
Use the box below to reflect over the last eleven weeks. If you were going to do this project again,
what would you do differently?
From past few weeks, I got all the necessary understanding regarding the Gantt chart, iron
triangle, stakeholder management, etc.
Did you achieve what you set out to do? Have you met the aim and objectives you originally set?
Yes, at the end, I am able to accomplish my project goal and objectives.
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Week 12: Project Workbook Submission
Check off that you have completed the following activities:
Completed all sections of your workbook
Submitted your workbook onto Turnitin by Friday 12 noon, 20th August 2021.
References:
Borkovskaya, V., 2018. Project management risks in the sphere of housing and communal
services. In MATEC Web of Conferences (Vol. 251, p. 06025). EDP Sciences.
Delisle, J., 2019. Uncovering temporal underpinnings of project management
standards. International journal of project management, 37(8), pp.968-978.
Jovanovic, P. and Beric, I., 2018. Analysis of the available project management
methodologies. Management: Journal of Sustainable Business and Management
Solutions in Emerging Economies, 23(3), pp.1-13.
Lalmi, A., Fernandes, G. and Souad, S.B., 2021. A conceptual hybrid project management
model for construction projects. Procedia Computer Science, 181, pp.921-930.
Zhang, Q. and et.al., 2020. Influence mechanisms of factors on project management
capability. Journal of Management in Engineering, 36(5), p.04020045.
Zwikael, O. and Smyrk, J.R., 2019. Project management: A benefit realisation approach.
Springer.
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