Project Plan: Conference Organization - Task Modification & Status

This project plan details the organization of a national and international conference, starting with an initial plan that included website development, task assignments, resource allocation, and risk management. The assignment highlights several key project tasks, including website design, printing materials, paper review, food arrangements, conference conduct, prize distribution, and lighting. The project underwent several unexpected changes, including modifications to website design, paper review duration, and prize distribution, resulting in adjustments to the project timeline and cost. The project status is updated with the impact of these changes, resource allocation, and future milestones. The document provides a Gantt chart illustrating the project timeline and a resource table detailing resource allocation and associated costs. The report includes cost estimations for each task, and the project's critical path is managed using MS Project.

PROJECT PLAN

Task 1: Modification of initial Project Plan
History of the Project
The project was planned for organizing the conference for three days. The conference
will be national and also international. The assignment 1 prepared a project plan as initial. The
initial plan Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) on assignment 1 was the development of website
for conference. The website have the details of goal of the conference, registration details,
conference topics details and venue to the conference, etc. Then the project milestones or the
activities were provided in detail. The durations of the milestones or activities were also
provided. The resources details were available on the assignment. The cost was allocated for
each resources. The risk management of the project is analyzed. The changes of the assignment 1
plan ("Chapter 12. Providing Training and Technical Assistance | Section 5. Organizing a
Conference | Main Section | Community Tool Box", 2016) (Patel, 2008) is colored as below
Tasks or activities of the project
The activities of the project is mentioned below:
 Website Design for conference
 Print welcome packs and media comprising broachers
 Review the papers and select for conference
 Organize the food arrangements
 Conduct 3 days conference
 Prize distribution
 Lighting ("How to organize a conference?", 2016)
These tasks are performed for organize the conference. The resources ("Basic How-to create
a schedule using MS Project", 2016). are allocated for this activities
Resource Allocation
The resources for organize the conference are as follows:
 Project Manager
 Staff
 Marketing team
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The Project manager will take the responsibility of organizing the conference and conducting
meeting on every day. He will give the details of the work going on day-by-day. The Staff will
review the papers and select the papers for conference. The marketing team will organize all
purchasing requirements
Critical path management
The scheduling of resources ("Coursera - Free Online Courses from Top Universities",
2016). are managed. If allocate the tasks as repeated or collaborate with each other, it will affect
the project completion time. Nowadays more management tools are available to use for project
office. This project management tools are used for organizations to perform various operations.
Here, MS project have the critical path tool to find the collaboration within resources. In this
project, the resources are not allocate for more than one tasks at a time (Jordão & Sousa, 2010).
The Tasks of the Project
The project tasks for organize the conference is as follows:
Task
Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish
Auto
Schedule
d
Website Design for conference 30 days Wed 10/5/16 Tue 11/15/16
Auto
Schedule
d
Print welcome packs and media
comprising brouchers 7 days Wed
11/16/16 Thu 11/24/16
Auto
Schedule
d
Review the papers and select for
conference 90 days Fri 11/25/16 Thu 3/30/17
Auto
Schedule
d
Organize the food arrangements 5 days Fri 3/31/17 Thu 4/6/17
Auto
Schedule
d
Conduct 3 days conference 3 days Fri 4/7/17 Tue 4/11/17
Auto
Schedule
d
Prize distribution 1 day Wed 4/12/17 Wed 4/12/17
2

Auto
Schedule
d
Lighting 1 day Thu 4/13/17 Thu 4/13/17
The tasks were different from the assignment 1. These tasks are used to plan for organize
the conference as efficient. The project start date and the end date are calculated by using the MS
project. The conference will be conduct on the date April 13, 2017 ("Microsoft Project 2007
Tutorial", 2016).
Resources Allocation for the Project
Resource
Name Type Material
Label Initials Group Max.
Units Std. Rate Ovt.
Rate Cost/Use Accrue
At
Project
Manager Work P 100% $50.00/hr $0.00/hr $0.00 Prorated
Staff Work S 100% $50.00/hr $0.00/hr $0.00 Prorated
Marketting
Team Material Print
Brouchers M $20,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
External
Staff Material Website
Design E $20,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
Conference
Room Material Conference
per day C $5,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
Food Team Material Food F $15,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
Marketting
Team2 Material Lighting M $9,500.00 $0.00 Prorated
Purchase
Team Material Cash Prize
for Winner P $5,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
Cost Estimation of the Project
Task
Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors Resource
Names Cost
Auto
Scheduled Project Plan 137 days Wed
10/5/16
Thu
4/13/17 $120,500.00
Auto
Scheduled
Website
Design for
conference
30 days Wed
10/5/16
Tue
11/15/16
External
Staff[1
Website
$20,000.00
3

Design]
Auto
Scheduled
Print welcome
packs and media
comprising
brouchers
7 days Wed
11/16/16
Thu
11/24/16 2
Marketting
Team[1
Print
Brouchers]
$20,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Review the
papers and
select for
conference
90 days Fri
11/25/16
Thu
3/30/17 3 Staff $36,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Organize the
food
arrangements
5 days Fri
3/31/17
Thu
4/6/17 4
Food
Team[1
Food]
$15,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Conduct 3
days conference 3 days Fri
4/7/17
Tue
4/11/17 5
Conference
Room[3
Conference
per day]
$15,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Prize
distribution 1 day Wed
4/12/17
Wed
4/12/17 6
Purchase
Team[1
Cash Prize
for Winner]
$5,000.00
Auto
Scheduled Lighting 1 day Thu
4/13/17
Thu
4/13/17 7
Marketting
Team2[1
Lighting]
$9,500.00
Total Cost
Network Diagram
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First Unexpected Change
In this project tasks, the web design task is changed for more requirements. The changes
of the website is need to implement the HTML with MS publisher and also need PHP Dream
viewer. This requirement is need for the external staff. So, the project extended for ten days.
These days are modified in the assignment 2. This change was made in the project.
Second Unexpected Change
The second change was the modification in the task of review the papers. The resource
staff got more papers for the conference. So, review and select the papers task was extend for 50
days. So, one hundred and forty days are required to finish the task. This also extends the process
of finish the project. This change was made in the project for assignment 2.
Third unexpected Change
The third change was the modification in last minute. The task is prize distribution. In
that task, five more candidates were select for publishing the conference paper. So, provide five
more prizes for winners. The prize cost was change unexpectedly. This change was reflect the
total cost of the project. The change was made in the project for assignment 2.
The project remains upholds the objectives of the project. In web design modification, it
improves the project quality. So, more sponsors will come to sponsor for the conference. So, the
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scheduled cost is reduces. The objectives of the project remains same after unexpected changes
made in the project.
No resource conflict
After modify the unexpected changes, the resources were still enough to manage the
tasks. In the first change, the external staff was manage the task on the extended days. In the
second change the, the staff itself managed the work on the extended days. In the third change,
the purchase team only responsible to manage the prize distribution.
Appropriately formatted
All tasks were arranged in the sequential manner and no resource conflicts were available
on the project. The resources were schedule appropriately for all task. The cost specification of
each task also scheduled appropriately. Critical path problem was not occur in this scheduling of
the project.
Task 2
Present status of the project
Tasks of the new project
The unexpected changes did not made in the scheduling of the tasks. The scheduling of
tasks are as below:
 Website Design for conference
 Print welcome packs and media comprising broachers
 Review the papers and select for conference
 Organize the food arrangements
 Conduct 3 days conference
 Prize distribution
 Lighting
Resource Allocation
The resources were allocated for this project. The external resource were maintain the
process of web designing. The design which consists of the software used and hardware used for
the designing. The external staff only maintained the web server, software and the memory
requirements for communication. The staff members were manage the papers which sent to the
conference. The staff reviewed the papers and selected papers who present the new technology
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on the paper. This process was maintained only by the three staff members. Then the marketing
team only maintained the Broucher print for the conference. The non-human resource is
conference room. It was act as the material to organize the conference on three days. This also
estimated cost for each day. Marketing team 2 was manage the lighting and musical
arrangements of the conference hall. The purchase team took the responsibility of the prize
distribution. Food team wads maintained the food arrangements on three days conference. This
was made by the cheque (Skenderi, 2015).
Cost Estimation
The cost estimation of this project was same as the first project. But, somewhat changed
in the unexpected changes of the tasks. The cost estimated for the web design is more than $1000
as estimated for the first project. The broucher printing was sane as the project 1. Then the cost
for staff changed for extended 50 days from the first project schedule. For one hour, $50 is
estimated and this for 3 staff members and for 140 days. Then the cost is estimated for the food
arrangements on three days conference as totally $ 15000. This was estimate for assumption of
300 candidates on three days meeting. Then estimated for conference hall to $ 1000 per day. For
prize distribution, the cost was estimate to $5000 as per prize. Then for lighting arrangements the
cost is estimated for $9500 (Ulhaus M. Samant., 2016).
Future Milestones of this project
The milestones of the project are as follows:
 External staff present the web design
 Select the conference papers
 Conduct the meeting at every week
 Risk Management
 Meeting with the stockholders at every day ("Project Management Professional (PMP)®
with Microsoft Project - Towson University Continuing Education", 2016)
These are the future milestones that based on the activities of the project. Every week must
conduct the meeting for review the work completion. This leads to finish the project as expected
timeline. Then do not delay to select the papers for conference. This leads to inform the selected
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candidate soon. So, they prepared well for the presentation. In risk management activities for
every day this will lead to finish the project at the exact due date (Project Management, 2013).
Gantt chart for the present project
The task table of the project is available below "Microsoft Project 2013 Tutorials ©",
2014):
Task
Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors Resource
Names Cost
Auto
Scheduled Project Plan 197 days Wed
10/5/16
Thu
7/6/17 $175,500.00
Auto
Scheduled
Website
Design for
conference
40 days Wed
10/5/16
Tue
11/29/16
External
Staff[1
Website
Design]
$30,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Print welcome
packs and media
comprising
brouchers
7 days Wed
11/30/16
Thu
12/8/16 2
Marketing
Team[1
Print
Brouchers]
$20,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Review the
papers and
select for
conference
140 days Fri
12/9/16
Thu
6/22/17 3 Staff $56,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Organize the
food
arrangements
5 days Fri
6/23/17
Thu
6/29/17 4
Food
Team[1
Food]
$15,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Conduct 3
days conference 3 days Fri
6/30/17
Tue
7/4/17 5
Conference
Room[3
Conference
per day]
$15,000.00
Auto
Scheduled
Prize
distribution 1 day Wed
7/5/17
Wed
7/5/17 6
Purchase
Team[6
Cash Prize
for Winner]
$30,000.00
Auto
Scheduled Lighting 1 day Thu
7/6/17
Thu
7/6/17 7
Marketing
Team2[1
Lighting]
$9,500.00
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For the above task table with duration of the work is charted below. The below chart was
mention the first unexpected change. This changed the finish date of the web design work as
represented below. The date is changed to Nov 29, 2016.
The second change was mention on the below chart. In task three, review papers were
finish on the date March 30, 2017 on the first project. In the current project, the finish date of this
task is June 22, 2017. The chart is available below:
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In the third unexpected change, the cost was vary on the time of completion of the
project. The estimated cost change is available below. In the first project the cost was $5000. In
this current project, this cost changed to $30000.
Auto
Scheduled Prize distribution 1 day Wed
7/5/17
Wed
7/5/17 6
Purchase
Team[6
Cash Prize
for Winner]
$30,000.00
The Resource Table
The resource table was mentioned in below. This table have the details of the resources
and allocation of the cost for each resource. Some resources were mentioned as material. That
was allocate the cost on the Gantt chart table as auto schedule manner. The resource table is
attached below:
Resource
Name Type Material
Label Initials Group Max.
Units Std. Rate Ovt.
Rate Cost/Use Accrue
At
Project
Manager Work P 100% $50.00/hr $0.00/hr $0.00 Prorated
Staff Work S 100% $50.00/hr $0.00/hr $0.00 Prorated
Marketing
Team Material Print
Brouchers M $20,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
External
Staff Material Website
Design E $30,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
Conference
Room Material Conference
per day C $5,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
Food Team Material Food F $15,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
Marketing
Team2 Material Lighting M $9,500.00 $0.00 Prorated
Purchase
Team Material Cash Prize
for Winner P $5,000.00 $0.00 Prorated
References
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Basic How-to create a schedule using MS Project. (2016). http://faculty.up.edu. Retrieved 6
October 2016, from http://faculty.up.edu/lulay/MEStudentPage/MSProjectBasicHowTo.pdf
Chapter 12. Providing Training and Technical Assistance | Section 5. Organizing a Conference |
Main Section | Community Tool Box. (2016). Ctb.ku.edu. Retrieved 6 October 2016, from
http://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/structure/training-and-technical-assistance/
conferences/main
Coursera - Free Online Courses From Top Universities. (2016). Coursera. Retrieved 6 October
2016, from
https://www.coursera.org/learn/project-management/lecture/ojHba/supplemental-tutorial-
getting-started-with-microsoft-project
How to organize a conference?. (2016). http://www.lagb.org. Retrieved 6 October 2016, from
http://www.lagb.org.uk/Resources/student_cttee_docs/booklet.pdf
Jordão, B. & Sousa, E. (2010). Risk management. New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Microsoft Project 2007 Tutorial. (2016). http://blogs.bu.edu. Retrieved 6 October 2016, from
http://blogs.bu.edu/pm/files/2010/02/MSprojectTutorial-FinalVersion.pdf
Microsoft Project 2013 Tutorials ©. (2014). College of Business. Retrieved 6 October 2016,
from http://business.oregonstate.edu/microsoft-project-2013-tutorials-c
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