QAHE Project Management: Analysis of the Uganda Field Trip Project

This project management assignment analyzes a field trip to Uganda, undertaken by the QAHE Business management faculty for final-year students. The assignment includes a Project Initiation Document (PID) detailing project background, budgetary information, a timescale of 47 days, and objectives like scheduling a 2-week trip within a £60,000 budget. It outlines the chosen sequential approach, key staff, and a stakeholder analysis matrix assessing power and interest. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is presented, breaking down tasks for effective management and emphasizing the importance of critical path analysis. Appendices include the WBS and an MS Project file. The project aims to provide students with insights into sustainable projects in Uganda, culminating in a comprehensive report. The document also presents a sample PID and WBS based on the assignment brief.

Running head: BSC PM
Case Scenario 2
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

1
BSC PM
Table of Contents
1. Project Initiation Document.............................................................................................2
1.1. Project Background..................................................................................................2
1.2. Budgetary Information..............................................................................................2
1.3. Timescale..................................................................................................................5
1.4. Objectives.................................................................................................................6
1.5. Approach...................................................................................................................6
1.6. Key Staffs.................................................................................................................6
1.7. Stakeholder Analysis................................................................................................7
2. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).................................................................................8
2.1. WBS in managing Tasks........................................................................................10
2.2. Importance of Critical path analysis.......................................................................10
Bibliography......................................................................................................................11
Appendices........................................................................................................................12
Appendix 1 (WBS)........................................................................................................12
Appendix 2 (MS Project File)........................................................................................14

2
BSC PM
Part 1
1. Project Initiation Document
Project Initiation Document or PID is a file that is used for defining the scope of an
undertaken project. Effective scope management is integral to manage the overall success criteria
of a selected project.
1.1. Project Background
QAHE business management faculty has planned to design a new degree course in
sustainable business that focuses on the ethical and the environmental issues. For that, the faculty
has planned to arrange and execute a field trip for the students of final year. A PID is prepared
that documents the budgetary information, timescales and the stakeholders’ involved with this
project.
1.2. Budgetary Information
The Programme convener has allocated a maximum budget of £2,000 for each student for
the field trip. This makes a total budget to be £60,000 for 30 students. The budget includes all the
related booking cost, trip cost, payment of project coordinator and the guide.
However, apart from the field trip, there are certain additional costs, which include the
payment of project manager and other project resources. All these costs are to be borne by the
University. The resources cost considered are indicated in the picture below-

3
BSC PM
Figure 1: Illustrating the Resource Cost
(Generated from MS Project)
The estimated total budget of the entire field trip project including project planning and
closure are indicated in the figure below-

4
BSC PM
Figure 2: Demonstrating the total Project Budget
The above figure indicate that the phase “field trip” is planned in such a manner that it is
possible to complete the same within the allocated budget of £60,000. The cost of that phase is

5
BSC PM
£56,980. The cost of project planning and preparation is $9,080 and the cost of project closure is
£2,200. This makes the total cost of the project £68,260.
1.3. Timescale
The field trip is scheduled to be completed in 2 weeks or 14 days. However, the entire
project, staring from planning to closure phase, is estimated to take 47 days as lot of preparations
are to be done prior to the students being send to the field trip. The Gantt chart below represents
the time needed for execution of the entire project-
Figure 3: Demonstrating the Timescale for the entire Project

6
BSC PM
The above picture indicates that the estimated time required for project completion is 47
days. The actual trip will take 14 days for completion. The above figure further indicates the key
milestone of the project.
1.4. Objectives
The key objectives of the trip to Uganda project are indicated as follows-
 To schedule a trip of 2 weeks in March
 To plan the project in such a way that the total cost of trip does not exceed
£60,000
 To ensure that the students inspect some interesting and sustainable projects in
Uganda
 To develop a comprehensive report on the findings of the trip
1.5. Approach
A sequential approach is chosen for planning and execution of the field trip project. The
entire project will be executed as per the formulated plan. Figure 3, represents the sequence in
which each of the tasks would be executed in an undertaken project.
1.6. Key Staffs
The key staffs linked with the “Trip to Uganda Project” are listed below-
1. QAHE Business management faculty
2. Students
3. Project Coordinator

7
BSC PM
4. Project Guide
5. Programme Convenor
6. Project Manager
The above mentioned human resources are the key staffs linked with the project and are
the primary stakeholders of the project.
1.7. Stakeholder Analysis
Stakeholder Analysis can be detailed as a process of identifying the human resources in a
project who are influenced by the outcome of the project and the extent to which they are
affected by the project execution. The stakeholder register below analyses influence and power
of each of the stakeholders of the project.
Stakeholders Power/Influence Interest
1. QAHE Business
management faculty
High High
2. Students Low Medium
3. Project Coordinator Medium Medium
4. Project Guide High Medium
5. Programme Convenor High High
6. Project Manager Low Medium
7. Project Owners of the
selected sites in Uganda
High Medium

8
BSC PM
Table 1: Showing the stakeholders’ Analysis
The power/interest matrix below represents the stakeholders who are needed to be
managed closely, kept satisfied, kept informed and monitored.
Figure 4: Illustrating the Power/Interest grid of the Stakeholders
2. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
The WBS for the trip to Uganda project is indicated in the figure below-

9
BSC PM

10
BSC PM
Figure 5: Illustrating the WBS of the selected Project
The above figure represents the phases, the tasks in each phases, the dependencies and
the milestone.
2.1. WBS in managing Tasks
WBS helps in management of the tasks by reducing the complexities of the key project
activities (Zecheru and Olaru 2016). WBS helps in breaking down a particular tasks into smaller
and manageable section thus allowing the manager in planning an undertaken project in a more
accurate manner.
2.2. Importance of Critical path analysis
Critical path analysis helps in identification and easier management of the most important
tasks in a project, which in turn helps in easier identification of the dependencies (Heagney
2016). It is important to identify the shortest time/duration required to complete a particular
project.

11
BSC PM
Bibliography
Carvalho, M.M.D. and Rabechini Junior, R., 2015. Impact of risk management on project
performance: the importance of soft skills. International Journal of Production Research, 53(2),
pp.321-340.
Crawford, J.K., 2014. Project management maturity model. Auerbach Publications.
Flouris, T.G. and Lock, D., 2016. Compiling the Work Breakdown Structure. In Aviation Project
Management (pp. 111-126). Routledge.
Harrison, F. and Lock, D., 2017. Advanced project management: a structured approach.
Routledge.
Heagney, J., 2016. Fundamentals of project management. Amacom.
Lock, D., 2017. The essentials of project management. Routledge.
Rowe, S.R., 2015. Project management for small projects. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Zecheru, V. and Olaru, B.G., 2016. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Project
Management. Review of International Comparative Management/Revista de Management
Comparat International, 17(1).

12
BSC PM
Appendices
Appendix 1 (WBS)

13
BSC PM

14
BSC PM
Appendix 2 (MS Project File)