Project Management Strategies: A Comprehensive Report

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Managing Projects
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Task 1.........................................................................................................................................4
Task 2.........................................................................................................................................9
Conclusion................................................................................................................................15
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Introduction
A project is a set of activities that are performed in sequence or routine in order to create a
unique service or product or event. For businesses, it is important to create projects as it
assists in creating new jobs for candidates and helps in servicing the consumers in an easier
manner. This specific study can be divided into two parts. In the first part of this study, within
a general context several aspects of project management will be explored. Following which,
in the case of London Skills Concern, a project life cycle will be created in order to explore
how the charity is able to perform digitization. Performing this will enable to lessen face-to-
face interaction and assist in E-learning for candidates.
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Task 1
1) Define the key characteristics of any project
There are six key characteristics to making any project a success. All of these six have
aspects have been explored here down below:
Client focused - Any typical project is usually focussed toward the customer, where the
wants, needs, and preferences of the consumer are attempted to be identified so that they can
be better served (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017).
Temporary nature - Projects are usually short in length, have a start, and end date.
Pre-determined requirements - Each unique factor of a project is usually already planned
before the task initiates.
One time event - Usually projects are one time in nature and do not repeat themselves in a
short period unless necessary.
Specific - Projects do not fall under the category of day-to-day business; they are special in
nature and have specific requirements, which almost give them characteristics of a process.
Cross-functional - Projects are normally cross functional, which implies that several
departments within an organisation are involved in attempting to make the project a success
(Crawford, 2014).
2) List and briefly explain the five (5) key stages in Project Management?
There are five core stages within projected management, all of which will be investigated
here below:
 Phase 1: Project Initiation
 Phase 2: Project Planning
 Phase 3: Project Execution
 Phase 4: Project Performance/Monitoring
 Phase 5: Project Closure
Phase 1: Project Initiation
There are five stages in this Phase all of which have been enlisted here down below:
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Figure 1 - Key stages in Project Management
(Source: Larson and Gray, 2017)
 Conception and Initiation
 Definition and Planning
 Launch or Execution
 Performance and Control
 Project Close
Phase 2: Project Planning
At this phase, S.M.A.R.T. goals are created:
Figure 2 - S.M.A.R.T. goals
(Source: Larson and Gray, 2017)
These objectives are extremely specific in nature and aim to create attainable tasks that can
be completed within a specific period.
Phase 3: Project Execution
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On this stage, teams are developed and to the candidates present, resources are allocated so
that the work can be initiated. The management of the organisation is deeply involved in this
process, as they assist in creating a tracking system and management of procurement (Larson
and Gray, 2017).
Phase 4: Project Performance/Monitoring
At this stage, the success rate of the project is measured through four key performance
indicators
 Project Objectives
 Quality Deliverable
 Effort and Cost Tracking
 Project Performance/
Phase 5: Project Closure
Here a retrospective stance is taken and the factors that helped the project are a success and
the factors, which were an obstacle to it, are evaluated.
3) What is the Purpose of Project Initiation Document (PID). List three (items) that
could be found in the PID
Project Initiation Document is one of the most crucial documents in the duration process
period of the project (Heagney, 2016). It acts reference point for the whole project at which
the employees and managerial heads can go back to in order to know if the project is going
the right path. This document has a direct relation to the concept of Prince2 as it helps in
determining the failure and success criteria of the project.
The items, which can be found within the composition of Project Initiation Document,
include elements such as:
 Project goal
 Project size and scale specification
 Expected risks and limitations
 Existing and possible stakeholders
 Project checks and frame reporting
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4) List the nine (9) knowledge areas in Project Management and briefly explain the
importance of any two of them
The nine knowledge areas in project management have been enlisted here down below:
Project Integration Management
Project Scope Management
Project Time Management
Project Cost Management
Project Quality Management
Project Human Resource Management
Project Communication Management
Project Risk Management
Project Procurement Management
From the above, two will be elaborated:
Project Communication Management - Through this process, communication takes place
between employees and managerial heads.
Project Quality Management - The managerial heads overview, check and assure the
quality of the work, which is being performed (Crawford, 2014).
5) List five attributes or characteristics of a project Manager and briefly discuss or
explain the importance of any two of them
The core attributes/characteristics, which a project manager must possess in order to make a
project successful, have been explored here:
 Good Communicator
 Integrity
 Enthusiasm
 Empathy
 Competence
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From the above, two will be elaborated:
Enthusiasm - High enthusiasm assists in there being motivation present in the work place.
Good Communicator - With good communication better employee relation can be done
(Harrison and Lock, 2017)
6). who is a stakeholder? Briefly explain the purpose of stakeholder analysis and why it
is important in Project Management
A stakeholder is an individual who has some interest or concern in the activities of the
business. This includes people such as shareholders, consumers and others.
Stakeholder analysis is crucial as it assists determined how much interest, which parties
have to an ongoing project. It is an important part of Project Management as it helps to
highlight projects and services, which would better, addressed their needs and decrease any
oversight (Leach, 2014)
7. Draw the corresponding network diagram and show the critical path
A Network Diagram has been created here down below:
Based on the above-created network diagram, Critical Path Map (CPM) has been determined:
A => B => C => G => E
Based on the above-created network diagram, Critical Path Map (CPM) has been
determined:
A=> B => C => G => E.
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A
Start 3/28/19
Finish 4/8/9
Due 8 Days
B
Start 4/9/19
Finish 5/2/19
Due 18 Days
C
Start 5/3/19
Finish 5/7/19
Due 3 Days
D
Start 5/8/19
Finish 5/17/19
Due 8 Days
F
Start 4/9/19
Finish 4/25/19
Due Days
G
Start 5/8/19
Finish 5/10/19
Due 3 Days
E
Start 5/13/19
Finish 6/5/19
Due 18Days
H
Start 4/9/19
Finish 4/25/19
Due 13 Days

Task 2
London Skills Concern is a United Kingdom-based Charity that focuses on helping
individuals who are Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET). The organisation
functions as an intermediary bridge through which individuals can attain abilities that will
help them to gain employment within an organisation. The primary goal of this organisation
is to collaborate on work and improvise with the local authorities, which is present in the UK,
so there to be a reduction in people who have nothing to do. As per the above-provided
scenario, it can be determined that because of the collision government the economy has been
negatively affected in the past few decades because of which there is a budgetary imbalance
in the UK (Turner, 2016). London Skills Concern currently practices a face-to-face method of
interaction through which candidates are empowered with knowledge. However, with the
advancement in technology, it has been determined that such a way of spreading knowledge
is ineffective currently. Therefore in order to mitigate this effect, it has been determined that
the company must focus on its information technological system.
Within the information system, it has been determined that London Skills Concern should
create a hybrid information system. Through this system, there would be a partial emphasis
on face-to-face interaction and more emphasis would be put on social media, and digital
games based learning. Through social media, regular post can be created by which candidates
will be provided with indirect and informal information about the curriculum so that they can
learn at all times. In addition to that, games would enable there to be less boredom and more
interactive-ness through which subconscious learning can be enabled and less effort by the
candidates would be enabled. Furthermore, e-clips or videos can be used through which
portable learning can be enabled. This would enable students to learn any aspect of the
abilities they desire at any location through any device. This feature would also not confined
students to arrive at a specific location to learn such as a college or university and help them
to focus on the lessons without external distractions.
With all of the above points in mind, the objectives that will be created in order to fulfil the
information system needs of the London Skills Concern will be elaborated here:
 To hire diversified educators who have a varied background in multiple fields and are
able to communicate in a natural and intuitive manner with applicants.
 To recruit game designers and game developers so that interactive games for both
small children and young adults can be created (Turner, 2016)
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 To raise funds from the market through the issue of shares in order to fund the project
 A social media manager must be appointed so that various aspects of platforms such
as Facebook, Twitter and others are supervised (Kerzner, 2019.)
In order to make this strategy, a success a structure project must be created so that all of these
criteria are fulfilled. In order to do this, a project life cycle will be created where five stages
of this strategy will be explored and implemented:
Phase 1: Project Initiation (Conception)
At this stage, London Skills Concern identifies the needs of NEET candidates. On this level,
it is established what are the goals and objective of these individuals and training courses
which are in alignment with these goals. After which, they are provided coursework so that
they can inculcate abilities that would help enrich their careers (Milosevic and Martinelli,
2016)
Following which London Skills Concern performs a consultation with NEET individuals
and informs them about the economic condition in the current market. The United Kingdom
economy is currently in high turmoil state with the occurrence of Brexit because of which
several professions are not ideal for growth. It is important for the organisation to direct
individuals towards businesses that will survive in the future irrespective of any political
interference. These businesses may include Industries such as food, clothes and others the
demand of which is bound to stay the same irrespective of the market changes (Kerzner,
2017).
London Skills Concern must focus on fulfilling the needs of the stakeholders as well and it
can do this by bringing in more students through advertisement strategies where there will be
more output. There are two types of stakeholders, which London Skills Concern will have.
One will be primarily focused towards seeing high growth in the economy and another will
be focused towards making profits from the organisation so that they can be benefited
through dividends (Todorović et al., 2015).
The company must focus on hiring educators and employees who have a high skill level and
multiple abilities to impart knowledge to candidates in an easy manner so that there is better
growth in society. These employees must have good communication, high enthusiasm,
reliability and other aspects through which trust in them can be increased.
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A strategic part of learning must be enabled through a detailed curriculum where all aspects
of the chapters and subchapters must be illustrated well. Teams must be created within the
organisation so that specific employees can be directed towards specific goals like marketing,
teaching, human resources and others. Following which an estimation of all the resources
such as financial aid, furniture, and teaching tools, and other equipment must be enlisted.
After all the aspects in the above have been prepared, a well-detailed proposal must be
created where all these aspects with a determined budget must be put forward. The
managerial heads London Skills Concern must approve all of these aspects so that the next
step in the project can be initiated (Marcelino-Sádaba et al., 2014).
Phase 2: Project Planning (Develop)
At this stage, the key team members of the organisation are appointed at the designated
department so that work can be initiated. This team members plan the type of work and
curriculum, which will be fulfilled in the coming year. In order for the planning to be
successful, Research and studies must be conducted so that the needs of the candidates and
the organisation in terms of the type of market that exists in the industry can be ascertained
(Cleden, 2017). At this stage, the scope and extent until which the online products and
services that will be created for will be determined. A prototype baseline-end-product must
be created for the organisation as well through which all of the key features and aspects that
can be delivered to the consumers would be ascertained. Within this baseline-end-product,
the social media network extent, e-clips and primary stages of interactive games will be
developed. In order for this product to be approved, it must meet the quality standards that
are set in the industry and be above them in order to provide higher value to the NEET
candidates. Once they approved standards, resource allocation activities must be initiated so
the next stage of these digital products can be developed and servers, data engines and other
aspects can be created (Lientz and Rea, 2016).
The master plan in the case of London Skills Concern of encompasses aspects such as
candidate growth increase of digital presence in the long run. It also includes becoming a top
Charity all across the United Kingdom and similar objectives.
This plan includes three aspects. In the first, budget and work breakdown structure will be
elaborated. In the second stage, policies of the organisations will be established and in the
third procedures with the enterprise will be illustrated.
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Particulars Amount (£)
Computers 3500
Materials 3000
Labour Cost 1500
Total 8000
Figure 3 - Project Budget
(Source: Created by the learner)
Activities Start date Duration End date
Initiation 28-03-19 3 31-03-19
Brainstorming 29-03-19 1 30-03-19
Setting objectives 30-03-19 2 01-04-19
Raising funds for projects 31-03-19 5 05-04-19
Hiring employees 01-04-19 3 04-04-19
Purchasing resources 02-04-19 4 06-04-19
Allocation of resources 03-04-19 2 05-04-19
Starting work process 04-04-19 1 05-04-19
Evaluation of work 05-04-19 2 07-04-19
Making corrections 06-04-19 1 07-04-19
Creating of final products and services 07-04-19 6 13-04-19
Approval of final products and services 08-04-19 1 09-04-19
Documentation 09-04-19 3 12-04-19
Figure 4 - Work breakdown Structure
(Source: Created by the learner)
The policies of the organisation include performing ethical work and avoiding any illegal
activities so that employees can adhere to industrial standards of working.
The operational procedure, which is most appropriate for this organisation, is total
quality management through which only resources, which will be important for the
organisation, will be utilised and unnecessary wastage will be eliminated
For London Skills Concern market risk must be assessed so that any form of precautionary
steps can be taken by the organisation so that organisational calamities can be avoided. The
managerial heads of the company must attend a confirmed justification from the employees
that the established master plan is feasible in nature and can be executed. At the end of the
planning stage restatement of the project, the brief must be performed so that it can be
known that the planning is on the correct path.
Phase 3: Project Execution (Implementation)
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