Project Management: Debora Conway Ltd

This report discusses a project management plan for Debora Conway Ltd, a leading estate agency in London. It covers project rationale, stakeholder mapping, project organization, and project plan and management.

Project Management

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The report of project management is all about a short term project that an organisation is
planning to implement. In this, chosen firm is Debora Conway Ltd which is leading estate
agency in London, UK since June 1991. It was founded by David DABORA together with Fluer
CONWAY in the real estate industry of the nation. Various essential attempts were made by the
entrepreneurs for expansion, development and growth of the enterprise. Project is described as
part of designed activity that is carried for manufacturing distinct commodity which have
specified objective. Business case is one of value proposition which is intended to instruct
decision maker as well as convince them for making certain type of action. Risk analysis is
mentioned to recognising and analysing potential risks which have possibilities for existing in
the project in upcoming duration. The report includes introduction of project and the selected
estate agency. It further highlights about characteristics addition to role played by project
manager. Further, justified theoretical methodology is applied in the context of project
environment, evaluation is done of composition and management of various teams in the
environment where project is initiated. A project management plan is also formulated in the
report along with appraisal of measures in order to control and monitor quality, change and risks.
At last, criteria related to success, failure together with dissemination of project delivery are
evaluated in the report in proper manner.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
SECTION 1.....................................................................................................................................1
Introduction..................................................................................................................................1
SECTION 2.....................................................................................................................................3
Project rationale...........................................................................................................................3
SECTION 3.....................................................................................................................................5
Project stakeholder and mapping.................................................................................................5
SECTION 4.....................................................................................................................................8
Project plan and management......................................................................................................8
SECTION 5...................................................................................................................................12
Project evaluation and closing...................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Project is a piece of planned activity which is to be finished in determined time and meet
particular purposes. In report is all about Debora Conway Ltd which is estate agency. It is
planning for a project that is converting cubicle work space into open plan office in the duration
of 3 months. The present report includes introduction of the project, project rationale, appraisal
of measures to control as well as monitor risk and other elements. It also evaluates composition
and management of teams within project environment with the help of stakeholder and mapping.
Further, project management plan is formulated and project success, failure and disseminated
related aspects are evaluates from project delivery.
SECTION 1
Introduction
Project is plan of something which is constituted by organisational teams with the objective
of accomplishing defined tasks within constraints of time. It can be developing new product,
organising campaigns, launching new service or any other work that is t be completed over stated
time period and attaining particular purposes. To understand project management, Debora
Conway Ltd is selected company which is one of leading estate agency as well as property
specialists business that provides huge customer care levels through its wide types of services.
The head offices of the estate agency are situated at different locations of London, UK. It aims to
complete a project that is changing cubicle plan in an open office plan. The estate company was
established by David DABORA along with Fluer CONWAY and are making huge attempts to
grow the business since June, 1991 (Debora Conway Ltd, 2020). The purpose of the project is to
demonstrate the knowledge as well as applying principles related to project management.
A project has huge scope due to involvement of certain characteristics. The project is
characterised as an opportunity for business concerns addition to individuals for the purpose of
attaining all objectives whether business or non business in mode efficient manner by making
implementation of certain changes. Some of characteristics of the project of Debora Conway Ltd
includes that project is only for customer. Moreover, it have unique requirement set which are
required to be delivered in time boundaries, multiple types of resources are part of project and it
is unique in nature (McGuinness. 2016). The main role of project manager in this project
includes keeping knowledge along with information flowing seamlessly, planning activities
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together with resources, controlling time management, estimating cost and developing budget,
recognising and managing all related risks, ensuring customer satisfaction and so forth. The
project will be delivered within 3 months as it is a short term project. The main constraints
related to the project are cost, quality, scope and time. Furthermore, some of assumptions of the
project are about resources, technology, strategies, finance requirements, methodology and
standards, available facilities and many others.
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SECTION 2
Project rationale
Project rationale is defined as the squabble which gives detailed explanation about the
requirement of the project in particular area (Liao and Ai Lin Teo, 2018). In case with project of
Debora Conway Ltd, it should go ahead as it is an emerging concept in the estate industry which
will help various individuals in the office to work in comfortable manner away from noises and
disturbances. The business case for the project of Debora Conway Ltd is as follows:
Business case for Debora Conway Ltd
Particulars Description
Project Title Changing cubicle plan into open office plan
Project Benefits The project will benefit the company in grabbing attention of various
clients towards the project and also influencing investors to make
investment decision.
Options The options available to Debora Conway Ltd for the project include
expansion and operating scale option. Expansion option is all about
building the project with al capacity more than expected output level
in order to produce higher values. In operating scale option,
management of Debora Conway Ltd have option to make changes in
output rate as pet unit of time in context with market conditions.
Cost and Timescale The timescale required for completing the project of Debora Conway
Ltd is around 3 months. The costs involved in the project are direct,
indirect, fixed, variable and sunk cost.
Cost/ Benefit Analysis The cost/ benefit analysis is used in Debora Conway Ltd for
determining expected returns as well as probability of investment in
the project. By using Expansion option, the company has high
probability of achieving success. However, operating scale option will
benefit in making changes in output rates in context with pertaining
market conditions (Pearce, 2016).
Risk analysis
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It is a major action that is taken by project managers for reviewing risks that are
associated with specific event and action (Modarres, Kaminskiy and Krivtsov, 2016). In case
with project of Debora Conway Ltd, risks analysis for identifying measures in order to control
and monitor project risk as well as other elements are as follows:
Risk identification: Herein, all the associated risks that have chances to occu r in future
are identified by project manager and the team. In context to Debora Conway Ltd project,
identified risks are schedule risk, performance risk and operational risk.
Sources of risks: Some of risk sources related with the project are general risks,
employee related issue, complexities in schedules and mismanagement of operations.
Risk prevention: Project manager of Debora Conway Ltd can prevent risk through using
risk treatment options that are proper administration of activities, setting easy schedules, dealing
with employee related issues and reducing general risk.
Risk control: Some of risk control measures which managers of Debora Conway Ltd can
adopt are effective management practices, evaluating risk level and working accordingly,
maintaining project risk database and re evaluation project risks.
Risk monitoring: The risks that have potentials to occur in upcoming duration can be
monitored by Debora Conway Ltd managers through tracking risk mitigation strategies and
focusing on conditions of risks, signal for the event, progress of mitigation plan and validating
plan.
Contingency planning: It is the other plan that is developed by managers of project to
use as alternative course in the condition when fail to materialise expected action (Kerzner,
2019).
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SECTION 3
Project stakeholder and mapping
Stakeholders are defined to the people that have interest along with powers in the project of
company. The stakeholders that are part of the project of Debora Conway Ltd are employees,
Board of directors, communities, suppliers, clients and many more. All influences the project in
positive and negative manner. For instance, employees influences positively as they are the one
who shares or provide ideas to complete the project. At same time, suppliers influences
negatively at the time when they fails to supply the resources and other requirements at prompt
duration that hampers other operational activities (Costa and Pesci, 2016). Furthermore, the roles
and responsibilities of some of stakeholders involved in Debora Conway Ltd project are as
follows:
 Employees: Employees of Debora Conway Ltd project have roles of completing
operations on time, sharing information related to any uncertainty with project managers
and engaging with schedules as defined by higher authority. The responsibility of
employees is to read and comply with construction related law while performing
operations for the project.
 Suppliers: The major role of supplier in project of Debora Conway Ltd is to comply with
well defined laws and standards, guarantee best quality as well as price for the material
supplied to complete project. At same time, responsibilities of suppliers is to ensure
project deliverables are reliable together with making available the required resources
and materials at defined duration.
 Board of Directors: Board Directors have huge interest and high powers in the project.
they are majorly responsible for taking timely decisions related to project of Debora
Conway Ltd. They play important role of devising strategies, establishing policy related
governance system, proofing directions and compensating managers.
Project organisation: It is defined as a process that provides arrangements along with
decisions related to realisation addition to procedures of project (Jorna, 2017). Different
organisations are involved in different projects and accordingly set project organisation structure
for completing projects as early as possible. The structure of project organisation of Debora
Conway Ltd is as follows:
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Figure 1 Structure diagram of Project organisation.2020
(Source: Structure diagram of Project organisation.2020)
Role of project manager: The main roles of project manager of Debora Conway Ltd are as
underneath:
 Planning: Project manager performs role of planning resources as well as activities for
the purpose of meeting project deadlines. They create concise plan for executing and
monitor entire project of Debora Conway Ltd.
 Organising: Project managers have another role of collecting or arranging required
elements for the project (Haughey, 2018). in case with Debora Conway Ltd, project
managers arranges all required aspects for stimulating team in order to reach at full
capability.
 Controlling: Project managers of Debora Conway Ltd also have role of controlling time
management and this is done through judging failures and success of project. Good
project managers are aware about the ways to set deadlines and manage time accordingly.
Project team: Project team is one of team whose members have belonging from different
backgrounds, groups and have distinct functions for the same project. The composition of project
team with project of Debora Conway Ltd is done through involving different professional
expertise that have different language skills from varied geographical origin. Moreover, as per
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the thoughts of Zhang and He, 2016, it is critically evaluated that project team is composition of
various people from different locations having varied skill set. The process involved in project
team includes three stages, first stage is developing in which project managers of Debora
Conway Ltd develops human resource plan or recognise requirement of existing and upcoming
employees in the project. Another is building project team. Once human resource plan is
developed then main focus is on building effective project team through defining team mission,
responsibility, rules and motivation. The last stage is to manage team as it involves different
personalities having distinct working styles. The concept is time consuming and requires huge
efforts and resources for project team.
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SECTION 4
Project plan and management
Theoretical framework for project
One of suitable theoretical framework for the project of Debora Conway Ltd is Waterfall
methodology. It is because it is effective sequential model that assist project managers on each
phases to complete activities and attain objectives in successful manner. This is mostly used in
construction related projects as it focuses towards logical progression of phases which are
needed to be taken in development lifecycles (Maxwell-Sinclair, 2016). The main stages of
Waterfall methodology in context to project of Debora Conway Ltd are the following:
Figure 2 Waterfall model of project management. 2016
(Source: Waterfall model of project management. 2016)
System engineering: It is the initial stage in which project managers of Debora Conway
Ltd analyses potential requirements and note all in specification document. The document further
serves as basis for upcoming development.
Analysis: It is second stage where project manager analyses system for properly generating
models along with logics that are to be adopted in applications.
Design: It involves technical design requirements and outlines the ways all are
implemented. In context to project of Debora Conway Ltd, managers at this stage design
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technical requirements including programming language, services for open office plan and data
layers.
Code: Herein, actual source code is written by project managers for keeping information
confidential (Ajam, 2018). At the time of implementing models, service integrations along with
business logic, managers of Debora Conway Ltd have well defined information about source
code.
Testing: At this stage, various testing mechanisms are used for resolcing issues of
discovering and reporting. Some of testing tools that are adopted by Debora Conway Ltd
managers includes beta testers and various testers.
Maintenance: At last, application is ready to deploy project environment. In context with
Debora Conway Ltd, operations stage covers deployment, subsequent support as well as
maintenance which are necessary to keep project environment functional together with up to
date.
Resources
The major resources required in project of Debora Conway Ltd are the following:
Man: It is first M that is more important in project environment (Laufer, 2016). In case with
project of Debora Conway Ltd, right man at right position is sure for effectiveness and efficiency
of entire workings.
 Minute: It is the time which is required in completing a project. Management of single
minute is necessary in the project of Debora Conway Ltd as it sis short term project
involving large activities.
 Machinery: Metal contraptions are known as machinery which makes man fulfil dreams
to create things effortlessly which makes existence worthy. There are large types
construction machinery available with Debora Conway Ltd.
 Material: It is any form of tangible matter that is essential in manufacturing things. In
context to Debora Conway Ltd, project of converting cubicle plan into open office plan
requires various types of material including Wood, Steel, Masonry and so on.
 Money: All the mentioned resources are dependent on money. Huge number of money is
required in converting cubicle plan into open office plan by Debora Conway Ltd.
Milestones of project
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Project milestone is one of task with period of zero that signify project achievements
(Huemann, Keegan and Turner, 2018). In Debora Conway Ltd, project milestones are used for
showing forward movements along with showing what are going within project environment.
Moreover, these are also helpful for communication with stakeholders addition to setting
expectations.
Scheduling of project
For the activities and schedules of the project of Debora Conway Ltd, manager has
prepared Gantt Chart that highlights what activity will be done at what duration. The gantt chart
for the project is as follows:
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Quality control of project
The major monitoring mechanisms that project managers of Debora Conway Ltd will use
for controlling quality of the project are cybernetic control and post performance control.
Cybernetic control mechanisms mainly emphasis on outputs and if some milestones do not
measure as with standards set then all the circumstances will be investigated for analysing causes
of change patterns (Mitra, 2016). Post performances control will be applied by project manager
after completing the task or project.
Communication channels
Communication channels plays essential role in any project. In context to Debora
Conway Ltd, project managers can use communication channel for sharing information related to
the project through personal communication, mobile channel and electronic communication
channel. Mobile communication channel will be used at the time when some private message
needs to be send to particular project team. However, electronic communication channel is
effective at the schedule while information is to be communicates to various project teams
(Senaratne and Ruwanpura, 2016).
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SECTION 5
Project evaluation and closing
Project evaluation
There are three types of project evaluation types available with project managers of
Debora Conway Ltd. One is pre project evaluation in which project charter is written for pitching
to shakeholders. With this evaluation, project managers of Debora Conway Ltd can determine
effectiveness of the working prior to execution. The other is ongoing project evaluation in which
evaluation of the project will be done as per planned schedules and milestones of budget as set
earlier (Putra, 2016). The last is post project evaluation wherein all the project related workings
will be evaluated after the implementation of project.
Termination:
Project termination is one of situation wherein specific project is to be closed as there is
no requirement of upcoming continuation. It is managed under specific procedure which needs
effective project management team for examining existing workings of project, reviewing
progress of objectives, evaluating project workings against defined criteria of success and
checking status delivery. In context with Debora Conway Ltd, defined project can be terminated
in two situations. One is success and other is failure.
Post implementation review (PIR)
Project manager conducts post implementation review after substantial duration from
execution sign- off (Boydston, 2018). In context with project of conversion of the plan of Debora
Conway Ltd, this review will be conducted for ascertaining customer managements along with
user experiences in nonexistence of implementation team.
CONCLUSION
From the discussion, it is concluded that project management is significant for ensuring
what is to be delivered and when to be delivered against opportunities with business. project is
all about an individual addition to collaborative task which is planned in careful manner for
accomplishing defined aim. Business case includes information about benefits of project,
options, timescale, cost and benefit analysis. Risk analysis is a process which includes
identification of risk, sourcing of risks, prevention, management or control, monitoring and
contingency planning. Stakeholders are important part of project. Different stakeholders are
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benefited from the project in different manner as they have different powers and interest in the
project. Project manager of any project is similar to a doctor who manages and leads entire
trauma team as well as decides various action courses for members at same time. Project
stakeholders have different roles and responsibilities according to aspects of their interest and
powers. Resources are productive factors whose availability is necessary in accomplishment of
tasks, activity and event for attaining desired outcome. 5M’s of resources that are necessary in all
project types are men, money, material, machine and minute. Project scheduling is all about
setting schedules involving project milestones, tasks, activities and deliverables with intended
start along with end date. Communication channels are the media that facilitate communication
among entire people involved in specific project type. Project evaluation is systematic
investigation of entire activities performed in the project as per the set standards and objectives.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Ajam, M., 2018. Project management beyond waterfall and agile. CRC Press.
Boydston, J., 2018. Use of a standardized care communication checklist during multidisciplinary
rounds in pediatric cardiac intensive care: a best practice implementation project. JBI
database of systematic reviews and implementation reports. 16 (2). pp.548-564.
Costa, E. and Pesci, C., 2016. Social impact measurement: why do stakeholders matter?.
Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal.
Haughey, D., 2018. The role of the project manager. Project Smart, faculty. northseattle. edu.
Huemann, M., Keegan, A. and Turner, R., 2018, September. Human resource management in the
project-oriented organization. Project Management Institute.
Jorna, R. ed., 2017. Sustainable innovation: The organisational, human and knowledge
dimension. Routledge.
Kerzner, H., 2019. Using the project management maturity model: strategic planning for project
management. John Wiley & Sons.
Laufer, A., 2016. Breaking the code of project management. Springer.
Liao, L. and Ai Lin Teo, E., 2018. Organizational change perspective on people management in
BIM implementation in building projects. Journal of management in engineering. 34
(3). p.04018008.
Maxwell-Sinclair, N., 2016. An Analysis of In-house and Offshore-outsourced Software
Development Projects Utilizing Waterfall versus Agile Methodologies: A Simulation
Study. Pace University.
Mitra, A., 2016. Fundamentals of quality control and improvement. John Wiley & Sons.
Modarres, M., Kaminskiy, M. P. and Krivtsov, V., 2016. Reliability engineering and risk
analysis: a practical guide. CRC press.
Pearce, D. W., 2016. Cost-benefit analysis. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Putra, Z. A., 2016. Early phase process evaluation: Industrial practices. Indonesian journal of
science and technology. 1 (2). pp.238-248.
Senaratne, S. and Ruwanpura, M., 2016. Communication in construction: a management
perspective through case studies in Sri Lanka. Architectural Engineering and Design
Management. 12 (1). pp.3-18.
Zhang, L. and He, J., 2016. Critical factors affecting tacit-knowledge sharing within the
integrated project team. Journal of Management in Engineering. 32 (2). p.04015045.
Online:
Debora Conway Ltd. 2020. [Online]. Available through: < https://www.daboraconway.com/>
McGuinness, E., 2016. What are characteristics of Project. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.brightwork.com/blog/what-are-the-characteristics-of-a-project>
Structure diagram of Project organisation. 2020. [Online]. Available through: <
https://www.sketchbubble.com/en/powerpoint-templates>
Waterfall model of project management. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
https://airbrake.io/blog/sdlc/waterfall-model
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