Project Management: Learning Cycles, Communication Plan and Reflection

This project management report covers learning cycles, communication plan and reflection. It includes a team charter, communication plan, and reflection on the project. The project was about designing an ICT circuit of a smart model city.

Project Management
Assessment 2 and Assessment 3
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Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
1. Project Name / Team / Description..........................................................................................3
2. Learning Cycles........................................................................................................................5
3. Communication Plan................................................................................................................5
4. Reflection.....................................................................................................................................6
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................8
Reference Lists................................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
Project management is a domain which allows incorporating and accomplishing a task within
designed schedule and budget (Ahuja, Yang & Shankar, 2009). In this current scope of project
management, team effort is undertaken in order to work on a small project. The scope of the
current project encompasses devising an ICT circuit of a smart model city. For designing this
project several efforts and team endeavor had to be undertaken as described below.
1. Project Name / Team / Description
In order to design the ICT circuit there was a team designated with three team members, me,
Salman and Harshita. All of us within the team contributed immensely in order that the project
is completed. The name of our project was “SMART WAY city”, which was to devise a small
model project where all components could function effectively through a SMART circuit. All
team members are from CSU campus hence it was easy to interact and communicate with them.
The project description will include small homes, with busses, street lights and subway-trains
(Pade-Khene, Mallinson & Sewry, 2011). The smart homes will be lit using battery powered
cells and an ICT circuit will be designed which will control busses and subway trains. Once the
project has been detailed out, we found it was necessary to develop and point out towards the
Team Charter, which could include relevant team principles, rules and expectations (Burke,
2013).
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Team Charter
 The team members agreed upon along with their contact details are as below;
Salman
Harshita
Obaid
 Skills and Knowledge Inventory – The skills or knowledge possessed by the team members includes technical skills of ICT
and project management, leadership skills, tactical to overcome challenges, verbal communication skills, patience and
perseverance.
 Roles and Responsibilities – The team had rotating roles. At first I was the team leader, Harshita was a scribe and later the
team roles rotated to include Salman as one of the team members.
 Team Communications
o Meeting Times & Location – We generally met at my apartment and in the library. We used to schedule bi-weekly
meetings so as to discuss ideas and concept regarding progress of the project.
o The team will communicate with each other and share information on a regular basis. Meetings will be help
regularly along with discussing over WhatsApp group regarding the project topic. The meetings will be
documented on my Google Drive and shared with the other team members. This will allow ease of access to take
place at any point and randomly as and when needed.
 Team Rules & Expectations: Eerier we had minute experience of working in teams. However, unlike this time where we start
with knowledge of project management, earlier due to absence of such knowledge, the experience was mostly negative in
nature. This time the team goal was directed into achieving the desired project within a scheduled deadline of one month.
 Team Values – The most important team value that was regarded by us was commitment. All the members was extremely
committed to achieving the set objectives within the team. However, to attain them, the following sets of ethics and rules was
devised.
o Code of Ethics – The team members were expected not to make use of any plagiarized procedure for the project.
Each one was allowed to devise his/ her own idea and not succeed but no opportunity was kept open for
plagiarism.
o Rules and Expectations – In cases of team conflict, the decision of the team leader will be considered to be final.
In cases of absence from meetings, it was expected that an adequate reason with furnishing of appropriate
documents will be made.
Signatures

2. Learning Cycles
In any team project management endeavors, it becomes crucial to analyse critical learning
that has taken place (Meredith & Mantel Jr, 2011). Learning cycles provide accountability and
structure to team meeting. In our team there were two central roles that were decided upon, the
organizer and the scribe. As we had a fairly small team, organizer within our team was I. I was
responsible for arranging for meetings and writing down of the team’s ideas and then discussing
them amongst members to obtain necessary feedback. While we did have several brainstorming
sessions, I had to write down some relevant ideas which could be reflected upon and then start
discussions related to them. The second role was of a scribe, who was responsible for
documenting of ideas and action points for the project to go forward. We first decided upon the
roles in the first meeting and then we thought that it was best if we could rotate roles and all
individuals can take responsibility in an equal manner and share team burden. Rotation of team
roles was also done so as to provide equal opportunity to all team members to develop learning
regarding the team project (Turner, 2014).
3. Communication Plan
In order to accomplish a project, a communication plan has to be devised. The
communication plan includes interacting regularly with the team members. Communication can
be developed effectively as a team through brainstorming of ideas in a meeting to identify all
possible stakeholders of a project (Larson, Gray, Danlin, Honig & Bacarini, 2014). When all
members contribute towards the understanding the importance of communication, a plan can be
designed in an effective manner. All members have to be made aware regarding the effectiveness
and the need for devising a communication plan. A communication plan for this project was
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initiated by formation of a WhatsApp group. This group had all the three members and was a
forum where regular interaction could take place. As all segments of the task was divided
amongst team members, discussions and timing for meetings was communicated through
WhatsApp. We used to hold regular meeting to discuss regarding the regular progress of the
project. In these meetings we often faced challenges while interacting and conflicts. A conflict
resolution procedure of negotiation was arrived at where I, as a team leader used to hear each
one’s point of view. At every meeting we used to plan ways to overcome any challenge related to
the project and then progress on the project (Caron, 2017). Another method of communication
that we used was of email, where progress related to each other’s part used to get updated. I
made sure that everyone replied to someone’s email being sent so that any feedback could be
made use off. This regular interaction and feedback allowed us to stay connected forever and
take the project to the next level of completion.
4. Reflection
The project was able to provide tremendous learning impact (Ahuja, Yang & Shankar,
2009). A reflection procedure is able to provide relevant details of the several learning that had
taken place in the project. From undertaking this experience, I was able to understand regarding
my leadership qualities, which is a necessary factor for completing a project. I have tremendous
capabilities of leading and managing a team and giving timely directives. It was through my
guidance, the project completion could take place in a timely and effective manner. Lack of
leadership skills within a team can lead to ineffectiveness for the entire team. The necessary
technique, methods and skills required for developing an ICT project in the IT profession
encompasses technical capabilities and communication skills. An IT professional has to possess
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necessary abilities and skills so as to able to complete project within given deadline. Along with
technical capabilities, there needs to be present patience and perseverance to meet the project
deadline.
There needs to be present key elements of IT project management framework for
completing a project such as project stakeholders, project management knowledge and
communication management (Ika, 2009). The role of IT project management within a
professional workplace is immensely integral from the viewpoint of leader of the project team as
well. Project management attributes such as deadline management and cost handling would
allow completing a project within designed schedule. Moreover, project management allows step
by step accomplishment of a project. A practicing IT project manager applies IT project
management techniques for accomplishment of project management skills, methods and software
tools within the IT industry (Marchewka, 2014). An IT manager has to devise plans for dividing
tasks to individuals within team, individuals with capabilities to complete certain task is given
responsibility to carry out a task. Communication practices within project management context
have to be undertaken in a continuous manner such that individuals within the team are aware
regarding whereabouts at all the time. IT project management principles include addressing
sketching goals of the project, communicating roles, expectations and objectives. Monitoring and
constant evaluation of the project has to take place such that the project can achieve its set
objectives.
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Conclusion
A project can be effectively accomplished only when a team works as a functional unit.
The project description provides a fairly easy and translucent plan of devising a SMART city
model, which can later be expanded into a real life model. Most important component within the
team was accomplished in an effective and timely manner, which is communication. Through
steady communication and conflict resolution technique, it was possible to arrive at a conclusive
project within the deadline.
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Reference Lists
Ahuja, V., Yang, J., & Shankar, R. (2009). Benefits of collaborative ICT adoption for building
project management. Construction Innovation, 9(3), 323-340.
Ahuja, V., Yang, J., & Shankar, R. (2009). Study of ICT adoption for building project
management in the Indian construction industry. Automation in construction, 18(4), 415-
423.
Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Caron, L. (2017). Leaders' Emotional Intelligence and Subordinate Job Response: Application
within the Information Technology Industry (Doctoral dissertation, University of
Phoenix).
Ika, L. A. (2009). Project success as a topic in project management journals. Project
Management Journal, 40(4), 6-19.
Larson, E. W., Gray, C. F., Danlin, U., Honig, B., & Bacarini, D. (2014). Project management:
The managerial process (Vol. 6). Grandview Heights, OH: McGraw-Hill Education.
Marchewka, J. T. (2014). Information technology project management. John Wiley & Sons.
Meredith, J. R., & Mantel Jr, S. J. (2011). Project management: a managerial approach. John
Wiley & Sons.
Pade-Khene, C., Mallinson, B., & Sewry, D. (2011). Sustainable rural ICT project management
practice for developing countries: investigating the Dwesa and RUMEP
projects. Information Technology for development, 17(3), 187-212.
Turner, J. R. (2014). Handbook of project-based management(Vol. 92). New York, NY:
McGraw-hill.
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