University of Manchester Graduation Ceremony: Project Management Plan

This project plan, prepared by a student, outlines the comprehensive management of a graduation ceremony for the University of Manchester. The plan encompasses key areas such as scope management, time management (including milestones, network diagrams, and Gantt charts), cost management (with detailed breakdowns and budget formulation), communication management (stakeholder identification and communication plans), and risk management (risk identification, analysis, and a risk matrix). The project aims to organize a successful graduation event within a budget of £7000 and a timeframe of three months. The plan includes detailed sections on project objectives, scope definition, assumptions, constraints, roles and responsibilities, a responsibility assessment matrix (RAM), a work breakdown structure (WBS), and a cost baseline. The student demonstrates a strong understanding of project management principles and their application to event planning, providing a valuable resource for students studying similar topics on Desklib.

Managing
Operations
and Projects

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
SECTION 1. Scope Management Plan ...........................................................................................3
1.1 Project Description...........................................................................................................3
1.2 Project Scope....................................................................................................................4
1.3 Assumptions.....................................................................................................................4
1.4 Constraints........................................................................................................................4
1.5 Project Roles and Responsibilities...................................................................................5
1.6 Responsibility Assessment Matrix (RAM)......................................................................5
1.7 Project Work-breakdown Structure (WBS)......................................................................7
1.8 WBS Dictionary...............................................................................................................7
Section 2: Time management plan...................................................................................................9
2.1 Project Milestones............................................................................................................9
2.2 Project activity/Time/Dependency base table..................................................................9
2.3 Project Network Diagram...............................................................................................10
2.4 Project Gantt Chart ........................................................................................................11
Section 3: Cost management plan..................................................................................................11
3.1 Cost breakdown and budget formulation.......................................................................11
3.2 Project cost baseline ......................................................................................................13
Section 4: Communication management plan...............................................................................13
4.1 Project Stakeholders ......................................................................................................13
4.2 Stakeholders communication plan .................................................................................13
Section 5: Risk management plan .................................................................................................14
5.1 Risk identification, analysis and action plan .................................................................14
5.2 Project risk matrix .........................................................................................................15
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................15
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................16

INTRODUCTION
Operations and Project management involves handling of methods, skills, experience
and processes in order to reach specified business objectives in accordance with project criteria
within prescribed parameters. It includes ultimate deliveries which are constrained to limited
timescale as well as budget. An organisation aims at management of its complex processes as
well as project which will assist reaching to set targets in the given time period. Operational
processes deals in approaching daily and also strategic issues related to business. In order to
manage operations, project manager is required to execute appropriate strategies in order to
achieve specified goal in an organisation within finite time scale . This report includes execution
of graduation ceremony by University of Manchester through adoption of systematic approach of
plan management within 3 months. This plan will consist of areas such as project time
management, scope management, cost management, risk management,etc. which will be
evaluated through optimum combinations of approaches in this regard.
SECTION 1. Scope Management Plan
1.1 Project Description
Project includes complex elements which needs to be dealt with over the specified time
period. Managing a project's deadline is something which is needed to cope with in the finite
period (Galli, 2017). A project includes its set goals, ultimate objectives and also the number of
activities which will be taking place. As University of Manchester is organising convocation
event which will take place for 2 consecutive days. Therefore different core objectives for the
project can be discussed as follows.
1.1.1 Project Objectives
 To meet the set target within a provided budget of £7000.
 To implement cost- effective techniques which will help institute to conduct its
programme in given budget and also within limited period of 3 months.
 To manage project by reducing approximately 60% of inherent risk before its execution
date.
 To implement SMART approach towards project's overall scope in order to determine
prevailing contingencies.

1.2 Project Scope
The project comprises of attainment of successful graduation ceremony for 600 students
in a restricted budget as well as time span of 3 months. The project manager should deliver the
required programme within a due time by considering time management as an essential tool of
the complete project. The main scope is to give quality event within available resources in
appropriate possible manner. University of Manchester has decided to opt for familiar place
being their campus hall for the graduation ceremony so that students could connect to the event
even more. Also train speaker in relevance with speech of whole event in order to hold smooth
flow of activities.
1.3 Assumptions
Before implementation of project related activities it is necessary to assume these factors
to be real, true or actual without any actual demonstration or evidence (Suwal and Singh, 2018).
In practical, it is impossible to plan a project without making assumptions over certain grounds.
Therefore, every project assumptions contain a potential risk which an organisation should
eliminate through application of effective techniques. To do so, University of Manchester has
adopted techniques relevant to cost- effectiveness which will help it to actualise the project cost
within given criteria.
1.4 Constraints
Within a project, there are inherent restrictions and risks that demands to be taken into
account and addressed to confirm its ideal success (Taraba, 2019). In general main constraints
faced by organisation could be time, cost and scope. Therefore, Project manager has considered
following constraints by making proper evaluation the given manner:
 Time Constraint: It is referred to event's schedule for completion including finite time
span for every stage of the project. As per this ceremony, Project manager is expected to
meet its deadlines that is 3 months for project execution in order to conclude smooth flow
of events.
 Scope Constraint: Here, project includes specified targets, deliverables, functions as
well as additional tasks which are required to be completed within limited time and

budget. In this regard Project manager must hold activities in standardized manner in
order to eliminate interrupted flow of activities.
 Cost Constraint: It is also considered as financial restriction in regard to project's budget
having restricted criteria to be carried with. In this regard, Manager must ensure that the
activities of whole event are organised in such a manner that it could be performed in a
given budget of £7000 as a whole.
1.5 Project Roles and Responsibilities
For a successful project, it is mandatory to plan and collaborate with project's team in
more effective manner (Lutsenko, 2018). Project manager is responsible for managing its key
activities in most convenient way by allotting the tasks to various heads in order to ensure
feasible outcomes. Appropriate assignment of duties will result in effective outcomes so it is
necessary to establish superior- subordinate relationship. Leader of each team will play key role
in guiding their subordinates which will develop smooth flow of communication from top to
bottom and vice-versa.
1.6 Responsibility Assessment Matrix (RAM)
Responsibility assessment matrix depict participation by different people and
organisation in order to complete the assigned role or responsibility for a project. It is utilized by
project managers in clarifying roles and responsibilities in projects, processes as well as cross-
functional team (Torres and et. al., 2019). Therefore, RAM includes following criteria:
 Responsible: It includes those who works to achieve the prevailing outcome. In
general it is considered that only one role is responsible and others can be
delegated to help in work needed. Here, project manager as well as executive
officer in the institute will be considered responsible for the project operations.
 Accountable: Here team member who is ultimately coordinating actions, making
decisions as well as delegating to those responsible for task. The member is
accountable for last delivery's quality. In respective project, ultimate accountable
person will be project manager as he is considered to be supreme authority of the
project.
 Consulted: Whose expertise and knowledge is said to be beneficial for
completion of task having two way communication. These people are not
performers but advisors for the performing ones. In the given project, professors

will be considered as consulted as these people are aware of campus environment
and what will be most suitable procedure to conduct the event for their institution.
 Informed: It includes people who are needed to keep up to date regarding project
mostly about completion of deliverables or task having one way communication
(Suk and et. al., 2017). In this graduation ceremony being conducted by
University of Manchester, students will be considered as informed, in regard to
the event;s proposed date, venue, duration, etc. which is one way communication
as they won't be able to respond back.
Deliverab
le /
People
Title
Project
manager Task leader
Group
director Purchasing Staff A
WBC
Code
2.2 Stage designing A R A
3.3
Promotion
responsibility A
4.4 Respondents R I
5.5 Catering A A
6.6
Budget
controlling C C I
(Note: A= accountable; R= responsible; C= consulted; I= informed)
In the above RAM in regard to graduation ceremony, it has been evaluated that the
responsibilities have been assigned to different individuals as per the requirement of the project
in accordance with different activities. As project manager has been held accountable for two
activities whereas consulted for one activity. Task manager has been responsible, accountable,
consulted for one tasks respectively. Group director held responsible for one task, purchasing
department held informed for two tasks and staff A accountable for two tasks.

1.7 Project Work-breakdown Structure (WBS)
Work breakdown structure means breaking tasks into smaller form in order to increase
productivity as a whole. This way project becomes manageable and smoother flow of tasks are
reflected through their execution (Fernandes and et. al., 2019). WBS is an effective tool which
itself integrates cost, scope and timeline ensuring their proper alignment. In this graduation
event, tasks are divided into various parts namely invitations, foods & drinks, decoration,
entertainment, event hosts, souvenir and sound & lights, Stage formation, utility expenditure, etc.
To University of Manchester, this structure will assist by making activities attainable which will
reflect higher profitability. Therefore, this structure will ultimately prosper organisation in
achievement of effective results.
1.8 WBS Dictionary
Cost baseline

Budget
Particulars Amount (In £)
Stage Formation 900
Stage background 500
Chairs and tables 400
Sound & lights 700
Souvenir 200
Memento / token 200
Invitation 400
Decorations 600
Props 150
Cloth decoration 300
Flowers 150
Event Host 400
Food & drinks 1000
Snacks 250

Lunch 450
Dinner 300
Utility expenditure 1000
Telephone bills 1000
Security & privacy 400
Guards 200
Bouncers 200
Miscellaneous expenditure 400
Registrations expenses 400
Event venue 1000
Total £ 7000
Section 2: Time management plan
2.1 Project Milestones
It is considered as a way of recognizing the manner of project advancement, in a situation
where you are not known to the executed tasks (Uddin, 2017). In this graduation ceremony
conducted by University of Manchester has been marked as a milestone for students who got
graduated from institution. Project manager uses this term being checkpoint in a project's time
scale. In short it is considered as checkpoint which reflects success of a project's activities,
groups keeping in mind project deadline. It ensures whether your project is going in the correct
direction by building project plans, monitoring its progress, any drawbacks, etc. Manager has

implemented techniques such as Gantt chart, budget preparation in order to promote smooth
operational working of project.
2.2 Project activity/Time/Dependency base table
Project activity Time duration
Event 2
Stage Formation 1
Sound & lights 1
Invitation 6
Food & Drinks 7
Decorations 4
Event hosts 6
Utility expenditure 4
Security & privacy 3
Miscellaneous expenditure 1
Souvenir 2
2.3 Project Network Diagram

Critical path analysis

2.4 Project Gantt Chart
Section 3: Cost management plan
3.1 Cost breakdown and budget formulation
Costing as well as budget preparation are regarded as an effective tools of management
accounting (De Waal and de Boer, 2017). They have been used in a wide range by organisations.
In this project event, budget is prepared in order to allot each activity its respective cost in order
to manage the events in the said criteria or budget of £ 7000. So the formulation of budget for
graduation ceremony can be shown as follows:
Budegt
Particulars Amount (In £)