Project Management Fundamentals Report: M&S Sustainability Audit Plan

This report presents a project management plan for conducting a sustainability audit of a new Marks and Spencer (M&S) store at Banbury Gateway Retail Park. It begins with an introduction to project management fundamentals, outlining objectives such as preparing a project management plan, analyzing M&S's needs, forecasting time and cost, and identifying risks. The report details critical success factors including project objectives, planning, scope management, communication, and risk management. It then addresses hard issues like project delays, budget issues, and technical challenges, along with soft issues related to stakeholder management. The report also includes assumptions, a risk register, Gantt chart, resource sheet and provides a critical analysis of LEAN project management and AGILE process in no-software development. The report concludes with a discussion of issues, challenges, and viable alternatives for successful project execution.

Fundamentals of project
Management

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................4
1. Objectives and critical success factors....................................................................................4
2. Issues, challenges and viable alternatives................................................................................6
3. Assumptions and risk discussion...........................................................................................10
4. Risk Register based on assumptions......................................................................................11
5. Gantt Chart and Resource sheet.............................................................................................11
6. Project plan summery............................................................................................................11
7. Critical analysis of LEAN project management and AGILE process in no-software
development and their contribution in Value Driven Software projects...................................12
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................13
references.......................................................................................................................................14

TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Stakeholder Analysis........................................................................................................8
Figure 2: Project Summery for sustainable audit of new store of M&S.......................................12
Figure 3: Risk Register..................................................................................................................16
Figure 4: Gantt chart......................................................................................................................17
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Hard issues of Sustainable audit of new store of M&S.....................................................6
Table 2: Soft issues and challenges of the current project...............................................................9
Table 3: Project Summery table....................................................................................................11
Table 4: Resource Sheet................................................................................................................17

INTRODUCTION
Project management can be defined as application of knowledge, skills, tools and
techniques for executing any business project in effective manner. Fundamentals of project
management focuses on reducing unnecessary delays and costs in project, issues and barriers.
Along with this, project management also shed lights on different types of risks and challenges
of any kind of project (Kathy and Deborah, 2007). The current research report is also based on
fundamentals of project management. It will focuses on developing a project management plan
to conduct a sustainability audit of new store of Marks and Spencer at Banbury Gateway Retail
Park. Research will comprise a brief discussion of this project and its critical success factors.
Study is going to discuss issues, challenges and viable alternatives of this project. Along with
this, report also includes assumptions of project managers for completing this project in effectual
manner. Afterwards, risk register and appropriate strategies for managing these risks are also
describing in the following paragraphs of the report.
TASK
1. Objectives and critical success factors
As per the given case study retail companies of UK are facing significant challenges and
threaten for surviving because of the new entrant in the market. These challenges have negative
impacts on Marks and Spencer and its stores so, it has decided to close nine stores around
different locations of UK (Dey, Clegg and Bennett, 2010). But, it is planning to open five new
stores at most appropriate locations of London. It is going to open a new store at Banbury
Gateway Retail Park in Oxfordshire. Btu still volatile environment and uncertainty in customer’s
taste and preferences in UK are major challenges for this organization. As per the current
business scenario retailers only focuses on sustainable development of organization. M&S also
wants to measure, track and improve social, environmental performance of Marks and Spencer.
So, it has decided to conduct a sustainability audit of its new store at Banbury Gateway Retail
Park (Kumaraswamy, 2011).
Objectives of the project manager:
As per the case overview, sustainable audit of new store of M&S in Banbury Gateway
Retail Park is the major project. So, objectives of project manager are described as under:
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 To prepare a project management plan to conduct sustainability audit of new store of
Marks and spencer at Banbury Gateway Retail Park.
 To analyse the major needs and requirements of Marks and Spencer towards this project.
 To forecast required time and cost for completing whole project in effective manner.
 To determine associated risks and challenges for sustainability audit project of new store
of Marks and Spencer.
 To complete sustainable audit project of Marks and Spencer in six month.
Critical Success Factors: Objectives of the project: Goals and objectives of project are considered as critical
success factors for sustainable audit project of new stores of M&S. So, project manager
should assure about appropriate formulation of project objectives and goals. These
objectives play important role in developing project plan for sustainable audit of new
store of M&S. Along with this, developing appropriate and deliverable objectives
provides assistance in getting success in whole project (Chiu-Chi and et.al, 2013). Planning of the project: As per the above discussion developing a project management
plan for sustainability audit of new store of M&S is major objective of the current
project. So, planning of whole process for this audit is one of the important success factor
for the current project. It is important for managing projects because it helps in attaining
all objectives on defined time and cost. Along with this, project plan includes an effective
process of determining needs and requirements of M&S and develop appropriate
strategies and tactics for fulfilling all these requirements in effective manner. It helps in
getting success in managing projects in effective manner (Cervone, 2006). Scope of project: Determining and managing scope of project is one of the complex tasks
for project manager. On the other hand appropriate management of project scope helps in
getting success in effective manner. Sustainability audit of new store of M&S is major
objective of this project. It scope is not limited to only a single area of audit. It also shed
lights on people, social diversity, energy, lighting, wastage, water, resources, transport
and supply, etc (Martin and Guerin, 2006). So, for getting success in managing project,
manager should focus on attaining all scope of the project in effective manner. Therefore,
it is considered as critical success factor for this project.
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 Effectual communication: Strong communication and coordination among team
members is major requirements of project success. So, it is also included in the critical
success factor for conducting sustainable audit of new store of M&S. Effective
communication is included in critical success factor because it helps in getting
appropriate information about progress of the whole project on continuous basis which
play significant role in monitoring and controlling whole project in effective manner
(Simmons, Bland and Wojciechowski, 2012). Therefore, strong communication among
team members helps in getting success in whole project of sustainability audit. Risk and change management: Determining risks is also one of the important task for
managing every project. For managing these risks manager needs to make appropriate
changes in different activities and process of project. So, appropriate management of
risks and changes are major requirement for getting success in conducting sustainable
audit of the project. Project manager should focus on appropriate management of all
uncertainties related to cost and time otherwise it can negatively affect project budget and
duration of current project (Knapp and et.al, 2010). Consequently, it is considered as
critical success factor for sustainable audit of new store of M&S.
2. Issues, challenges and viable alternatives
Stakeholder management is considered as major task for managing project of sustainable
audit of new store. There is a specific reasons because every stakeholder has their own interest
and requirements in return of their investments. But, due to the various challenges manager
needs to face different hard and soft issues which can affect the overall objective of the current
project of Marks and Spencer (Kloppenborg, 2011). Major issues, challenges and viable
alternatives are described as under:
Hard issues and challenges and viable alternatives
Hard issues of project management are relevant to technical performance and final
outcomes of the project. Different hard issues of the current sustainable audit project and viable
alternatives to overcome these issues are described as under (Walker, 2007).
Table 1: Hard issues of Sustainable audit of new store of M&S
Hard issues and challenges Description of issue Viable alternative to
overcome issues
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Project delay In appropriate allocation of
time and duration for
different activities of the
project can delay the whole
sustainable audit of new store
of M&S (Hobbs, 2009).
Project manager should
allocate time and resources
on every activity as per the
requirement of task. In
addition, allotment of roles
and responsibilities as per the
skills and capabilities of team
members will also help in
completing all task on time
which will reduce project
delay.
Inappropriate budget Poor financial planning and
estimation of cost leads
inappropriate budget for
whole project. It can increase
the total cost and
requirements of funds for the
current project.
Project manager should use
activity based costing method
for estimating budget and for
allocating monetary resources
on different activities of the
project (Zwikael, 2009).
Risk management Sometimes project manager
unable to determine
associated risks of the project
which can affect the overall
findings of the whole
sustainable audit.
For Resolving issues of
associated risks project
manager should follow
appropriate process of risk
management. It will help in
managing all uncertainties in
effective manner.
Technical issues Project manager will have to
use MS project for estimating
total time and cost for the
whole project. But, changes
in technologies and software
requires huge investment
For managing technical issues
project manager should
provide appropriate training
and development session for
different team members for
improving their technical
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which can negatively affect
the overall performance of
the project (Greasley, 2007).
skills. Along with this,
manager should keep eye on
changes in technologies by
which he/she can update
existing technologies of
whole project in effective
manner.
WBS and CPM Inappropriate allocation of
different resources, time, cost
and personnel can negatively
affect work break down
structure and critical path
method of the whole project.
Training program for MS
project will be effective for
reducing different issues
associated with WBS and
CPM.
Soft issues and challenges and viable alternatives
Every project suffers from different issues associated with the interpersonal skills among
team members. These issues can affect findings of the whole project in appropriate manner
(Andersen, Dysvik and Vaagaasar, 2009). These issues can be identified by stakeholder power
and interest matrix which are described as under:
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Figure 1: Stakeholder Analysis
(Source: Developing options, 2011)
Table 2: Soft issues and challenges of the current project
Power Issues Soft issues and challenges Viable alternative to
overcome issues
High High Management issues:
If project manager is not
capable enough to manage
changes and other activities of
whole project than
inappropriate management
will be considered as major
issue for sustainable audit of
new stores of M&S (Levy,
2009).
Use of different approaches
and styles of management can
reduce issues and improve the
overall management of
sustainable audit.
High Low Dissatisfaction among team
members:
Inappropriate motivation and
Project manager can use
different techniques of
motivation and
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communication can increase
dissatisfaction among team
members which can affect
performance of whole project.
communication for improving
level of satisfaction of all
team members which will
resolve the issues of
dissatisfaction.
Low High Inappropriate
communication:
Project manager does not
communicate all information
to stakeholders as per their
requirements then it can raise
an issue for whole project.
Manager should communicate
necessary information to all
stakeholders which will help
all team members in
completing their roles and
responsibilities in effective
manner (Darren, 2012).
Low Low Inappropriate monitoring:
Manager of the project does
not monitor progress of whole
project and activities. It has
negative impact on
performance of sustainable
audit of M&S (Chiu-Chi and
et.al, 2013).
Project manager should use
Gantt chart and project
evaluation and review
techniques for monitoring
progress and performance of
the whole project which will
help in improving monitoring
of the whole project.
3. Assumptions and risk discussion
Assumptions:
1. Staff member will present each and every working day as per the schedule of whole
project, No one will absent for a single day.
2. Working hours will be 8:00 am to 5:00pm.
3. Each team member will complete their tasks, roles and responsibilities in appropriate
manner.
4. Each activity will be completed in allocated time and schedule.
5. Scope of the project will not modified and changes during the whole sustainable audit.
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6. Appropriate availability of all resources as per the needs and requirements of the whole
project.
7. Audit and concluding report will be completed within one calendar month.
8. Audit will take just one or two days.
Risk Overview and Critical discussion:
Every project is associated with different types of risks and uncertainties which can affect
overall findings and results. So, project manager should determine each and every risks for
conducting sustainable audit in effective manner. As per the given case there are different types
of risks such as volatile economic environment and uncertain preferences of customers and
trends of UK. These types of risks can affect the sustainable audit of the new store of M&S.
including this, high wastage of resources and inappropriate allocation can also consider as major
risks for current project. In addition, sustainable audit is also related to different other risks such
as financial and economic risks which can affect overall budget and cost of the whole project
(Hobbs, 2009).
Project manager should take appropriate steps to manage all these risks. For managing
these uncertainties manager will follow appropriate process which include different stages such
as identification of risks, development of risk management plan, suitable actions to resolve
hurdles. Overall, this process will help in resolving all these risks in effective manner (Martin
and Guerin, 2006). Appropriate management of uncertainties will improve efficiency of the
project and sustainable audit of new store of M&S.
4. Risk Register based on assumptions
Appendix 1: Risk Register
5. Gantt Chart and Resource sheet
Appendix 2: Gantt chart
Appendix 3: Resource sheet
6. Project plan summery
Table 3: Project Summery table
Project Start Date Monday 11th January 2016
Project End Date Thursday, 30th June 2016
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Total Duration 124 Days
Total Work 2072 hours
Total Project Budget (Work + Capital) £157,200
Figure 2: Project Summery for sustainable audit of new store of M&S
7. Critical analysis of LEAN project management and AGILE process in no-software
development and their contribution in Value Driven Software projects
Lean project management and AGILE process have appropriate contribution in no-
software process and Value Driven Software projects. For, no-software projects lean
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