MNG00785 Project Management: Reflective Essay on Project Experience

This reflective essay critically discusses the alignment of practical experience from Assessment Task 2 with project management principles, drawing from the Project Management Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) and Project Management Institute (PMI) standards. The essay analyzes a project involving the renovation of the Beach House Cottage, examining the project's initiation, planning, and execution within a constrained budget of 20,000 AUD. It reflects on the application of theoretical ideals such as Stakeholder Prioritization Matrix, Project Communications Matrix, Work Breakdown Structure, and RACI chart. The essay also highlights the use of AoN diagrams, enumeration methods, and Gantt charts for project scheduling and risk management. The reflection offers insights into the engagement and contribution to the project, suggesting potential improvements in project representation and emphasizing the importance of aligning project phases. The essay concludes that the Beach House Project effectively utilized project management theories in a real-world scenario.

Running head: REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Reflective Essay
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Introduction
The theories specified in the Project Management Book of Knowledge or PMBOK
and standardized as per the Project Management Institute or PMI are the ideal ways in which
the projects should be initiated and planned irrespective of the type of projects that needs to
be justified. Based on these ideals, I would review and analyse the project that has been
developed based on the project developed for the renovation and repairing of the Beach
House Cottage. The derelict Beach House is to be presented with a plan for making it
renovated again for the utilization of people according to the developed plan and this has
been dependent on the previously developed plan. I would represent the analysis of this
project plan through this reflective essay as described below.
Brief Description of the situation in discussion
The Beach House Cottage is an old and derelict cottage that was used for serving the
individuals generally visiting the place on the purpose of vacation. The Beach House was
made available for them to rent so that they could spend their time here enjoying all the
amenities as provided by the organizations who helped the visitors rent the Beach House. To
make the property be usable again, the project was constructed so that organizations like
Airbnb could again take the utility to rent the Beach House and make is available to the
customers. The project was initiated devising the plan for not just repairing the project but at
the same time renovating the house as well.
It was for this reason that the project was taken into consideration to be taken to the
associated people who would be able to sponsor the project or who would be feasibly
approving the project taking a look at the constraints of the entire project. This is why the
organization has been presented to the sponsors to approve a loan for this. The project was

2REFLECTIVE ESSAY
permitted at a loan of almost 20,000 AUD for making it feasible for the people to begin the
project after the initial plan was presented to them. The budget thus was constricted within
the approved loan, and thus, taking all these into consideration I would like to provide my
reflection in the way by which the project was culminated or planned according to the
constricted budget.
Experience to the theory discussed in this session
The analysis of the entire project plan has made me realise that the Beach House
Project Renovation utilized the full understanding of the theoretical ideal as developed and
stated by the Project Management Book of Knowledge or PMBOK and standardized by the
Project Management Institute or PMI. I found that they considered all the project
requirements and what the project could be delivering before making the initial plan. This has
helped me to identify what the project outcomes were expected for the renovation and
repairing project and what were planned according to that. I would also like to add that the
project was initiated taking the loaned amount as the final budget of the plan and the entire
budgeting plan was also kept at the minimum to help the project be over within the loaned
amount.
The project also had the utility of various Project Management Book of Knowledge or
PMBOK and standardized by the Project Management Institute or PMI standardized theories
that can be listed as the flow of the discussion continues. I have found that the project utilized
all the aspects of planning that would require explaining the roles and responsibilities of the
project to all the associated team members. Thus, I believe that the project would be
continued in such a way that none of people within the project team would be sceptical about
any undefined role or responsibility for the project. The theories that were included in the
planning were the Stakeholder Prioritization Matrix, Project Communications Matrix, Work

3REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Breakdown Structure and the RACI chart. The communication plan for the project were
planned in the best way possible for the project. The PMBOK and PMI theories were also
utilized for the devising of the communication plan for the project and also the plan for
delivering the project at the best possible way. I noticed that the project management bodies
have used AoN diagram for the representation of the project plan in the form of a network
diagram and also the utilization of enumeration method and the two-pass method, with the
schedule defined with the critical path and Gantt Chart. It was to make sure that not any one
of the project phases would clatter or coincide amongst one another. The project also
included the theories of reporting of the project, risk management, conducts for the assurance
of the quality management and project closure in this phase so that the project could attain
feasibility.
Insight into the engagement or contribution to the system
The engagement or the contribution of the project planning for the Beach House
Cottage has been the feasible and effective contribution to the system. I also found that it has
effectively contributed to the realisation of the roles and responsibilities of the associated
individuals within a proper project team.
Insight, in light of the experience and learning for doing something different
according to the project
The only thing that the project manager could have done differently is the
representation of the project that was done in form of a Network Diagram as per the AoN
diagram utilization.

4REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Conclusion
With the analysis of the project, I would like to conclude that the Beach House Project
have made the utilization of the theories as per the Project Management Book of Knowledge
or PMBOK and standardized by the Project Management Institute or PMI into the real-life
project for the repair and renovation of the Beach House Cottage. As per the analysis of the
stages that the project management team has utilized, I have found that they understood how
much the project have been making use of the theories and how much have been the
utilization of the requirements of the different project phases. I have understood that the
project analyses the case well to understand the need of the project to this process and how it
would be handling the initial loan allowed for the project.

5REFLECTIVE ESSAY
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