MGT5164: Discussion on Project Management Phases and Processes

This discussion post for MGT5164, Introduction to Project Management, explores various project management phases through several scenarios. The post begins by emphasizing the benefits of a professional project management approach, highlighting its importance in achieving desired outcomes, improving business strategies, and ensuring efficient resource utilization. The discussion covers project initiation, including the use of WBS for construction projects, and differentiates between projects and regular organizational business. It also addresses risk and quality management, emphasizing their interconnectedness for long-term project success. The planning phase delves into project relocation, scope development, and the importance of identifying critical requirements. The execution phase focuses on fundraising events, the need for clear deliverables, and quality assurance processes to ensure client satisfaction. The monitoring phase examines root causes, risk identification, and the application of various project management knowledge areas. Finally, the closing phase emphasizes the need for ISO9000 certification, database system features, and the importance of periodic reporting for successful project completion. The post concludes by emphasizing the importance of proactive development approaches, proper project delivery strategies, and continuous improvement planning to meet project goals and objectives.

Running head: DISCUSSION LIST
Discussion List

1DISCUSSION LIST
Enter phase/ Start project scenario
1. Professional project management approach is extremely beneficial for any project
because it is an essential tool rather technique. It improves the chances to achieve the required
resultants. The associates can earn fresh project related business perspectives. It ensures effective
business strategies, resources are their efficient usage. The work quality gets improved along
with productivity.
2. Project manager needs to have ability of time, resource and cost management. They
need to drive the project scope and other associates so that they can employ strongest
organizational and business level skills. Manager needs to have effective communication and
decision making skills as well. Manager must know how to manage and lead project team for
project strategy development. Manager needs to possess both technical and non technical
competencies.
3. There was confusion among the stakeholders due to lack of investment. In order to get
success in such difficult situation presentation of project roadmap is required. The roadmap
represents high level project goal, assumptions and deliverables. It helps to quickly communicate
with the project goals, plans and manages expectation of stakeholders. Project manager can
organize the team and simulates prioritized decisions. Uptodate snapshots can also be created
through this for both stakeholders and clients.
4. In order to conduct the project success the other related information those are essential
include detail project charter, project planning document, WBS, change request log, risk
management planning, periodic project progress report. Apart from that process and stakeholders
improvement strategies are the other information needed to direct the team towards objectives,

2DISCUSSION LIST
deliverables and project goals. For effective project planning accurate resource, human and
communication management are the other information important.
Discussion 1: Initiation phase/ Process scenario
1. Using WBS the project manager of Alliance Group can process construction by
increasing cost transparency, procurement and tendering. WBS is created to identify individual’s
responsibilities for each development phase to avoid unwanted ambiguity. The visual
presentation improves understanding of project team associates and facilitates professional
communication. It demonstrates the activities that are to be carried out for successful delivery of
the project to VenGaz.
In other PM knowledge areas WBS is also effectively used. WBS shows the hierarchical
relations between the activities and their interdependencies as well. WBS can be used to allocate
individual’s responsibilities. It is also used to control and monitoring the activities. Infact in
order to accomplish the expected deliverable and satisfy the stakeholders WBS is important. It
helps the project manager to avoid risks by maintaining project quality and fulfilling the
requirements within assigned budget and time.
2. There are many differences between projects to regular organizational business.
Project introduces either a one off or new/change of a particular product or service whereas;
business as usual deals with reproduction of the similar item. Project can be implementation of
an Information System for improving the business efficiency and use of that system properly
after release is the business. Business is an ongoing infinite process but projects are designed
considering specific period and budget. In business, activities can be used repeatedly for an
already existing service or project. On the other hand, in case of project same activity cannot be

3DISCUSSION LIST
implemented repeatedly because it will result additional budget and time as waste. Projects
always holds specific plan but business follows different internal processes.
3. Risk and quality are two complimentary factors associated to projects. Therefore, for
long-term project success both quality and risks are needed to be managed. In other words, if
quality of a project is compromised then serious risks will occur. Again if risks started occurring
continuously then project will fail to meet the expected quality. Quality management plan is a
technique or plan used to maintain the quality of the service or product throughout the
development life cycle. However, risk management plan is an approach used to identify probable
risks that may negatively impact the project. After identifying the risks it also develops
respective risk management plans. Project related risks can be avoided through quality
management plan. Independent inspection is required to control and guidance the project
standards.
Discussion 2- Planning phase scenario
1. Jimmie-Jane fitness is looking for relocating their office due to insufficient inventory
and production management space. Being a project manager in order to approach for such
relocation at first the new location has to be selected. The space must be a quality real estate one.
It has to be larger and better than the current one. After that a contract should be signed followed
by tendering, bidding and negotiation. In order to approach this kind of project resource
allocation and resource maintenance are also essential.
2. The first step in planning this project is development of project scope considering
budget, time and client requirements. After getting legal approval from the government regarding

4DISCUSSION LIST
the real estate location a feasibility study should be presented to ensure whether the project plan
successful or not.
3. Due to large size and complex nature of the project there will be conflicting
requirements for this particular facility. In order to determine specific important requirement for
the project, the project objectives, scope, nature, type and complexity have to be checked and
analyzed deeply. It is also determined that communication, resources and risks are the other
important essential factors for the successful execution of the project.
Execution phase scenario
1. Patty’s delectable treasure is looking to conduct a fund raising event. The event will
involve celebrities all over the world. The fund raising project was a large and complex one.
Already many projects were running therefore activity overlapping was found to be occurring.
The project needs effective and extraordinary execution and business strategies. In order to
manage expectation of the clients at first clear deliverables need to set. The strategies need to be
authentic and transparent. The project manager and associates must establish regular
communication by signing contract. Project requirements are needed to be transparent and team
members must be honest enough to their responsibilities. Period kick off meeting with clients,
time and budget management are essential.
2. In order to ensure client satisfaction quality assurance processes that are needed to
place in this project include seeking for customer inputs, appropriate product specifications,
process control and validation, quality control and quality assurance for the non-conforming
parts. If these quality assurance processes are accurately accepted then client’s requirements will

5DISCUSSION LIST
be defined to meet. The other quality assurance processes that are to be considered include
periodic quality review, recording processes data and encouraging documentation procedures.
3. For executing the project successfully maintaining all essential phases the important
phases project management processes play important role. Project management helps the project
manager to execute the project as per the clinet’s expectations and company’s objectives. The
process helps the associates managing time, budget, resource, quality, risks, changes and
stakeholders as well. It improves the communication among project manager and other team
associates. Manager can successfully assist the other associates and avoid probable risks by
completing project in assigned period and budget.
Discussion 3- Monitoring process scenario
1. The root causes and risks associated to this specific project can be identified. Both
technical and non technical issues the company will face due to absence of payroll and billing
abilities. Teklines Music Repair shop had developed an advanced database management system
to manage the information. With the growing numbers of employees and clients the numbers of
data are also increasing. Managing large set of data with manual management system was very
complex. The updated system had no payroll and online billing abilities. Therefore, the clients
were unable to process online payments and billing. They had to wait in the queue for bill
payment. The users were unable to get anytime and anywhere data access. Information stored in
the system were not enough secured from external users. Managers will not be able to maintain
data confidentiality throughout. The system can result man in the middle error. The system
efficiency gets reduced.

6DISCUSSION LIST
2. There are different project management knowledge areas available. In order to execute
any project within specific time and budget each of the knowledge area is required to be
considered and managed accurately by the project manager and associate project team members.
For addressing the issues with this project the various knowledge areas those will help are risk
management, quality, resource, schedule management and cost management. Schedule and
budget management are important to keep control over execution of the project. Though above
all these, knowledge areas risk management is the main knowledge area must be focused and
analyzed. Risk management helps to identify probable risks, their impact, priorities and
mitigation strategies for individual risks identified.
3. The success and failure of any project is dependent on the activities and their
outcomes. It is important to adopt proper project development aspects to overcome potential
challenges and risks associated to it. For avoiding the identified risks the project manager should
adopt proactive development approach. The project team needs to plan proper project delivery
strategies for implementing successful project. The project management life cycle also has to be
maintained accurately to meet the project goals, objectives and aims. All the unrealistic
expectations are needed to be avoided. After analyzing the current situations and difficulties
accurate solution needs to be proposed using corrective methodologies. For successful delivery
of any project continuous improvement planning is important along with stakeholder
management. After that, budget and time management are the other knowledge areas essential to
avoid overrunning budget and over allocation of time related issues.

7DISCUSSION LIST
Closing phase scenario
1. After analyzing the project scenario it is determined that Phones-on-the-Go needs to
obtain ISO9000 certification to ensure client’s satisfaction. For satisfying request of the auditors
regarding information enough support is required. In order to close this project successfully
proper project management prcatices are needed to be implemented and maintained accurately
by the project managers and associates as well throughout the development life cycle period.
Before finally closing the project the timeline and the plan has to be rechecked to make sure
whether it requires any changes or not. The team must report to the supervisor with a period
updated status report.
After that, the outcomes should be verified based on objectives, goals and project aims.
The project manager must complete the pending payments to the suppliers and vendors. The
project cannot be closed unless it achieves a formal written acceptance. The signed document
can be either an email or a paper document. The signed document ensures that the project is
complete and ready to close. Then the final performance reporting should be done. Based on
project outcomes lesson learned report also has to be updated and resources are needed to be
released as well.
2. In order to ensure that every data required for the next 20 years are recorded accurately
the technical team need to analyze details features of the database management system. The
database management system must have features of proper data entry, delete, update and outputs.
The system must have error free data entry capabilities. Apart from that, the system must have
auto update abilities. It implies that, users would be able to get uptodate information related to
the project. The updated information will let the project manager and associates realize the
project outputs. From the computerized updated information users will be able to access useful

8DISCUSSION LIST
data whenever required. It is less time consuming and easy to access. This process is also error
free.
3. In order to execute the database system execution project on-time within assigned
budget, the project team needs to present reports periodically to the project manager. The
different types of reports that are essential for the successful delivery of the project include status
report, risk report, resource report, variance report and board or executive report. The interval for
project status report presentation is calculated based on the project nature, complexity and size.
For this project the status report must be presented 3 times. The risk report is important to
identify the possible risks that may interrupt the project activities and its success line. The
executive report should be presented on a monthly basis. The physical and human resources
needed for the project are identified at the project initiation stage. Whether all the resources are
properly used, or not, are measured using reports. However, among all the reports variance report
is the most essential report which determines that schedule and budget variance. A project can
never be completed on specific time and budget that has been estimated earlier. There is always a
difference between the actual schedule and cost and planned cost and schedule. The differences
between the actual one with the planned is measured through variance measurement.
Existing phase scenario
1. In order to build a dream home the project team is working with a construction firm.
The acceptance and rejection of any project is dependent on some features. The criteria that are
to be determined include foundation of general construction, enclosed structure for external
envelop, technical and non technical installation and quality and safety concerns. The safety and
quality of a project has to be organized accurately. After that, the construction materials and

9DISCUSSION LIST
vendors who were assigned to the project are needed to be analyzed. Total quality control is the
other important aspect that has to be considered for the successful delivery of the project. The
outline of the structure, previous experiences and skills of project team associates are needed to
be measured as major feature for the construction work. After that whether safety of the labours
throughout the construction stage are maintained or not is also an important feature that has to be
considered.
2. Before developing final construction plan the civil engineer and the architects are
needed to make comparison between the project status and expected objectives. If it is found that
desired features and expected objectives are met then the features considered earlier will be
accepted. On the other hand if it is found that, whatever project expected were not similar to the
actual outcomes then, those features will be identified as unacceptable.
3. If it is felt that I do not know enough about houses to sign off on the project then I
would like to hire a consultant. The consultant would let me know about different strategies that
are essential to meet the project sign off criteria. If it is also found not to be enough then I will
take advice from many professionals associated to a consultancy firm. The consultants would let
me know about the sign off on this project.
4. After successful completion of the dream house construction project it is determined
that, without details ideas on construction, this project cannot be successfully implemented. It is
learned that there are different project management knowledge areas, essential for the successful
delivery of the project. If construction activities are not sequentially considered then the entire
project can be a failure. These lessons are useful for successful execution of the construction
project.

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11DISCUSSION LIST
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