Project Management: Celebrity Party

This project assignment requires students to plan a large-scale celebrity party in 2017, incorporating project management principles. The deliverables include a Microsoft Project file detailing the project schedule, and a report encompassing a Project Breakdown Structure (PBS), Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), and an analysis of management decisions. The report should prioritize time, cost, or quality, justifying the choice. It must also identify the critical path, detailing any conflicts and resolutions. The project involves various tasks, including venue design and construction, securing a band and DJ, catering, guest list management, security, photography, and media relations. Students are provided with a team and task durations, and are expected to manage resources effectively, justifying any additional hires and their impact on project goals. The assignment emphasizes a detailed planning process, starting with the PBS and WBS before creating the Gantt chart.

Introduction:
You are planning a big party in 2017 for a wealthy celebrity, coincidentally, it is to be
held on the same day as your Birthday.
Task:
1x Microsoft Project File with your project schedule.
1x Report containing a PBS and WBS, and a brief explanation of any Management
Decisions you had to take
(e.g. did you have to hire more staff? Why? What effect would this have in reality?
Did you run into any issues with the software?).
The report needs to cover:
1 、 Your priorities…which is most important? Time, cost or quality? Why? (1 or 2
Paragraphs).
2、PBS.
a）Makes you think through the assignment/client requirements in detail.
b）Makes you list out exactly what is required to make up the assignment.
c）Is used for Costing (more on this in later years)
3、WBS.
a）It makes you plan through the entire project, and determine exactly what jobs are needed.
b）It used for costing and allocation of resources (staff, material, tools, etc).
c）It is the first step in making a Project Gantt Chart…
4、Identification of the Critical Path.
a）The Critical Path is the sequence of jobs/tasks which have zero float.
b）Float is spare time after the project. i.e. If a task has float, then a small delay in completing that
task does not effect the delivery time of the whole project.
c）ANY delay in a Critical Path activity will delay the whole project.
5 、 A summary of the decisions you had to make to get the project to work without
conflict (with reference to specific tasks). (1 or 2 Paragraphs).
6、Length）2-3 pages
Process & Consideration:
A)
The party will need 1:
1、A bespoke ‘pop-up’ hall that must be designed, built, transported, and erected at the
venue (the Celebrity’s garden).
2、A live band must be advertised for, interviewed, selected, and a contract signed.
3、A DJ must be advertised for, interviewed, selected, and a contract signed.
4、Catering: Various catering companies are expected to ‘audition’ for the job with a
‘taste-test’. Food will be prepared off site for the party and transported to the venue.
B)
The Party will need 2:

1、Guest list to be decided and invitations issued.
2、Security to be hired (with a contract)
3、Photographer to be hired
4、Newspapers/Journalists to be informed
C)
The Party:
1、The previous Tasks are just the start…you can add any other elements to the party
you wish…it’s a celebrity! Make it grand…
2、If you identify any other tasks necessary to complete the project, add them in and
determine the durations.
D)
The following resources (people) are in the project team:
You: Project Manager (PM)
Daisy: Contract Manager (CM)
Amir: Music Manager (MM)
John: Team Member (TM)
If you need to hire additional people, you must explain what effect this would have on
the Time, Cost, Quality goals of the project, and justify your decision.
E)
Task Durations:
Task Duration (work Days)
Pop-Up Hall design 10
Pop-Up Hall construction 30
Pop-Up Hall transport to venue 1
Pop-Up Hall erection 2
Live Band Advertising 5
Live Band Auditions 2
Live Band Contract 1
DJ Advertising 4
DJ Auditions 1
DJ Contract 1
Catering Auditions 4
Catering Contract 2

Hiring Security 3
Hiring Photographer 2
Deciding guest list 5
Invitations to guests 2
Advice）
1、Do the familiarisation exercise first!
2、Do not use anything which claims to sort out resource clashes…they never work!
3、Do construct a PBS first.
4、Do determine the WBS first.
5、Do use the WBS codes in the project plan (Gantt Chart).
6、Do save your work regularly, and use backups!