Project Management: Launch Event for QA Higher Education

This report discusses the project initiation document, work breakdown structure, risk register, and the need for quality leadership in the launch event for QA Higher Education. It also highlights the role of a successful project manager in ensuring the success of the project.

Project Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
1. Project Initiation Document (PID)..........................................................................................3
Budgetary Information: .........................................................................................................3
Timescales..............................................................................................................................5
Objectives...............................................................................................................................5
Approach................................................................................................................................5
Key staff.................................................................................................................................6
Stakeholder Analysis..............................................................................................................6
2. Work Breakdown Structure.....................................................................................................7
3. Risk Register.........................................................................................................................10
4. Short report............................................................................................................................13
a.) Need for quality leadership and role the successful project manager can play...............13
b.) Project Methodologies with their strengths and weaknesses..........................................13
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Project Management is concerned with the execution of methods, processes, experience,
knowledge and skills in order to attain objectives of project as per the acceptance criteria in
agreed parameters (Alamsyah and Putra, 2019). This report is based on the given case study of
QA Higher Education which has completed the refurbishment of computing labs and teaching
room in Manchester, London and Birmingham premises with the purpose of providing excellent
learning environment to its staff and students. Now, the university wants to launch a major event
to publicise it and attracting large number of students. For attaining the same, a project initiation
document is prepared in which budgetary information, objectives, timescales, key staff and
stakeholder analysis is included. Apart from this, work breakdown structure and risk register are
developed in which risks are documented. At last, a short report is prepare that includes
discussion about need of quality leadership and role of project manager along with project
methodologies.
MAIN BODY
1. Project Initiation Document (PID)
Project Initiation Document can be referred as the crucial element of project management
that creates a foundation or base for the project of a business entity. This document helps
management in decision making process based on which the mandate is executed (Conforto and
et. al., 2016).
Budgetary information involves all the info about requirements of funds for the
successful completion of project. The launch event that university wishes to conduct has a wide
scope as it helps college in attracting large number of students and gaining competitive
advantage over other universities. For launching the event, many activities needs to perform for
which assigned budget from the side of management is £50000. This amount is segregated as per
the activities which are mentioned in below table:
Particulars Amount £
Manpower (Labour) £33500
Refreshment (starter) £6500
Lunch £10000

Total £50000
Manpower
In order to perform all the activities of launch event in an effective way, it is necessary to
have adequate manpower (Gauthier and Ika, 2012). The different personnels require for
conducting the launch event successfully includes technician, waiter, event planner, decorator
and cleaner. The assigned budget for hiring manpower is £33500 which is segregated as follows:
Particulars Amount £
Event planner £11000
Technician £7500
Cleaner £4000
Waiter £5000
Decorator £6000
Total £33500
Refreshment (Starter):
Refreshment includes small amount of food and drinks which is appropriate for the
morning breakfast of students. In the launch event, refreshment will be provide to students in
which two starters and drinks are included. The allocated fund for this is £6500 which is divided
in following manner:
Particulars Amount £
Starters £3500
Drink £3000
Total £6500
Lunch:
The launch event that will be conduct by college runs for long hours that creates the
requirement to provide lunch to students (Glukhov, Ilin and Levina, 2015). Some different types

of dishes and dessert will be provide in lunch for which the allocated budget is £10000 which is
bifurcate in below table:
Particulars Amount £
5 dishes £8000
Dessert £2000
Total £10000
Timescales
In order to effectively complete the launch event, it is require to divide the activities and
their timescales in proper way. An adequate time is require for the planning of stages through
which the project undergoes. In order to complete the project of launching an event in an
effective manner, approximately 5 months are required by the project manager (Hällgren, 2012).
Objectives
There are two main objectives of conducting the launch event by college which are
mentioned below:
 To attract the large number of students and improve the strength of college by 20% in
next session.
 The another objective of launch event is to publicise the information about refurbishment
of computing labs and teaching rooms.
Approach
Approach refers to the strategies that a project manager will employ for successful
execution and completion of launch event. It involves description about ways which are require
to adopt for completion of project (Klein, Biesenthal and Dehlin, 2015). The approaches that
needs to be follow by project manager are mentioned below:
Assessing the requirements of projects: This is the approach in which project manager
requires to assess appropriately all the requirement of projects including funds, manpower,
resources, technology in order to ensure successful completion of project and attainment of

objectives of launch event. In this strategy, manager ensures that all the required resources are
available in adequate amount and assess the needed tools and methodologies adequately.
Allocation of roles and responsibilities: This approach involves allocation of roles and
responsibilities to the a team members as per their skills and capabilities in order to ensure that
all the activities of launch event will be finished on specified time and project goals will be
accomplish in and effective and efficient manner (Lucchi and Bonadio, 2018).
Implementation: This is the phase in which planned activities are executed and
managers ensures that all the activities associated with launch event are implemented properly.
Monitoring and controlling: In this, the project manager monitors all the activities in
order to ensure that all the activities are conducted in the similar way as per they planned. If any
deviations found, then manager will take corrective actions so as to ensure successful completion
of goals of project.
Key staff
There are some key personnels who are require for handling the activities of launch event
and completing them appropriately. These different personnels are mentioned below:
Event planner: In launch event, planners are required to perform the work associated
with creation and designing of entire launch event along with assessment of resources required
for project.
Technicians: All the work related to technology will be handled by technician so, they
are required in the launch event to work on design and outline that is prepared by planner.
Coordinators: They are required to coordinate all the activities and work associated
with launch event so that the project will be carry out successfully (Madter, Bower and Aritua,
2012).
Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholder analysis involves analysis of the personnels who are having interest in the
activities and operations of project.
Students: They are one of the main stakeholders of launch event of college as they play
key role in success of event by participating in it.

Support staff: Th support staff in project are not considers as the key member but plays
an effective role in making the launch event successful. These includes coordinators, technicians
etc.
Project management team: The team is one of the key stakeholder of college whose
role is perform all activities of launch event appropriately (Seymour and Hussein, 2014).
Parents: These stakeholders are associated with the students and their interest in the
college is related with giving better education to their child.
Suppliers: Their main role is to provide all the required resources which helps team
members in conducting the launch event successfully (Sharp, Peters and Howard, 2017).
Management of College: The interest of management is high in the activities and
operations of college as they are the key members who helps in running the activities smoothly.
Media: It plays key role in communicating all the information about refurbishment of
computing labs and teaching rooms to public which helps in attracting large number of students.
Government: This legal authority have high interest in college as their role is to
determine the quality of education which is provided to students by college so as to ensure good
future of nation.
Other institutions: They also have an interest in college as the improvements made by it
helps the other institutions in bringing change in their own infrastructure accordingly so as to
gain competitive advantage.
General Public: The general public also have an interest in regards of gaining adequate
information and knowledge regarding developments takes place in education system.
2. Work Breakdown Structure
Work break down structure refers to the tool which is used by project managers in order
to break down the work into smaller parts. This helps project manager in organising the work of
team in manageable sections (Spalek, 2013). In the project of launch event to publicise
refurbishment of computing labs and teaching rooms of college, the activities are a divided into
small tasks. In this context, the work break down structure is mentioned below:

Gantt chart can be referred as the horizontal bar chart which represents the plan of a
project visually over time (Stellingwerf and Zandhuis, 2013). The Gantt chart in context of
launch event is mentioned below:

Illustration 1: CPM
3. Risk Register
Risk register is a tool which records risks according to their influence. This tool includes
description of the risk along with the actions which can be taken to mitigate those risks
(Vanhoucke, 2014). In the present case, an event is planned to be conducted on January, 2020.
There are various risks which can be faced while preparing and execution of this event. The

major reason behind developing this risk register is to analyse the impact of each risk so that an
understanding can be build regarding which risks can be mitigated and what are the ways or
actions for this purpose (Pang and et. al., 2016). Risk register of the event is developed below:
Risk Risk description and
cause
Likelihood of the
risk
Impact of the
risk
Mitigation
actions
Theft QA higher
education is
planning an event at
a large scale where
they have intended
to promote their
newly refurbished
premises. In a large
event like this, there
is a possibility of
theft of guests’
personal properties,
equipment of the
educational
premises and other
valuable resources.
Medium
There are
medium chances
of occurrence of
this risk as there
will be various
people including
labour and
waiters who can
steal the personal
belongings of the
guests.
High
In case where
any personal
belongings get
stolen, the guests
can create a
nuisance which
result in failure
of the entire
event.
Security cameras
along with gate
security of each
individual can be
used to ignore the
situation of theft.
Shortage of
finance
Planning of an
event includes
planning for funds
based on current
prices of the
resources. In the
case where prices of
required resources
increases,
management has to
High
The likelihood of
this risk is high
as it is price
fluctuation is a
common
situation.
Low
This risk will
have low impact
on the success of
the event as it
will be easily
mitigated.
Special provision
for extra funds
must be
maintained which
can be used at the
time of
contingency.

face shortage of
funds.
Shortage of
food
A successful event
necessarily has
enough food which
can feed each
people at the event.
In the case, where
extra guests have
arrived at the event
which were not
expected then
management of the
event can face the
risk of shortage of
food.
High
It is common for
people to get
along their
family and
partners at such
event which were
not even invited
due to which
there is high
likelihood of
occurrence of
this risk.
Medium
Impact of this
risk is moderate
as this issue can
be handled by
the project
management
team.
In order to
mitigate this risk,
management of
the event can
have a back up
which can be
used if extra
guests arrived.
Short circuit An event which is
managed at a large
scale requires to
have high load of
available electricity
so that event can be
conducted
smoothly. This
heavy load can
sometimes result in
short circuit due to
misconduct of
professionals.
Low
All the affairs of
lightning and
electricity are
handled by
skilled
professionals due
to which there is
low possibility of
occurrence of
this risk.
High
In any case, if
short circuit
occurs then there
are high chances
of fire which will
definitely result
in failure of the
event.
This risk can be
mitigated by
ensuring a stand
up team of
electricians
which can handle
any situation like
this.

4. Short report
a.) Need for quality leadership and role the successful project manager can play
In a project, quality leadership is very necessary in order to ensure that all the project
activities are carry out in rightful manner. Good leadership helps project leader in directing and
guiding employees and motivate them so as to ensure completion of work on time. In the launch
event of college, it is significant for project manager have good leadership quality as this
supports in motivating and influencing team members as well as encourage them to work
towards attainment of project goals in successful manner (Sharp, Peters and Howard, 2017).
A successful project manager play crucial role ensuring that all the activities of project
are complete within the specified period of time. Apart from this, manages plays vital role in
managing and coordinating resources and team members in an effective way so that they can be
utilized optimally and contributes in successful completion of launch event project. The project
manager is also responsible for ensuring satisfaction of customers by delivering them required
services.
In a project, strong leadership is highly valuable as this helps in inclining the entire team
towards common goal. In helps in inspiring the team members and align their efforts with the
goals of organisation so that project's objectives can be accomplish successfully.
b.) Project Methodologies with their strengths and weaknesses
The methodology that can be utilize by project manager of QA higher education college
for launching the event is successful manner is mentioned below:
PRINCE2
Project In Controlled Environment can be defined as the approach that involves the
procedure that assist in management of project effectively. It consist of process which is based
on utilization of product based approach, definite structure of business entity and business
justification.
Process followed in PRINCE2
In process, there are seven steps followed which are mentioned below:
Start up of the idea: In this, viability of idea is determined and if its is viable then
approved by project manger (Stellingwerf and Zandhuis, 2013).

Initiation of project: By considering various aspects, the entire performance outline will
be prepare which involves identification of management strategies as well as risks.
Direction of project: By executing effective decisions, the direction is render to project
(Gauthier and Ika, 2012).
Control stages: Under this phase, project managers assigned duties and provides
directions.
Management of product delivery: By integrating work of team members, the final
project is delivered.
Management of stage boundary: Two phases are involved in this in which one is
related to providing information regarding performance of project and second is providing
approval for the next review.
Project closure: This is the phase in which the project is completed.
There are some strengths and weaknesses of this methodology. Its strengths includes its
flexibility as it can be use in any projects and it involves elaborative process as planning covers
entire stages of project. The weakness of methodology is that it consumes lots of time in
application and requires experience for its proper execution. Adoption of PRINCE2
methodology proves to be effective when the project manager have good experience.
CONCLUSION
As per the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that project management is
related to execution of strategies and policies to attain objectives of project. Proper management
of a particular project is important because it ensures delivery of right and real value against the
opportunity of business. Project initiation document includes budgetary information, objectives,
approaches, timescales, key stakeholders etc. There are some risks associated with the project
which can be manage by preparing risk register. Project manager plays crucial role in managing
project in appropriate way and ensuring its successful completion.

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