Project Management Report: Organising QAHE Launch Event Analysis

This report details the project management aspects of organizing a major launch event for QA Higher Education (QAHE), focusing on the refurbishment of computing labs and modern learning environments. It includes a Project Initiation Document (PID) outlining budgetary information, timescales, objectives, and the project approach. A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is created to manage tasks, and the importance of Critical Path Analysis is explained. A risk register identifies potential project risks, and the report explores the need for quality leadership, discussing the value of strong leadership and the consequences of its absence. Finally, the report analyzes and critiques the Agile, Waterfall, and PRINCE2 methodologies, recommending a suitable approach for the project. The report also includes a stakeholder analysis, providing insights into the impact and strategies for stakeholder engagement. The WBS breaks down the event planning into detailed tasks with durations, start and finish dates, and predecessors. The risk register identifies ten potential risks with their likelihood, impact, severity, owners, mitigating actions, and contingency plans. The report emphasizes the importance of a well-defined project plan for a successful launch event.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Executive Summary
Project management is important element in completing and managing project. Present
report deals with organising a major launch event for QA Higher Education (QAHE) having
completed proper refurbishment of computing labs and modern environment for learning.
Moreover, Project Manager will be in-charge of this project for meeting proper launch event and
making out necessary arrangements for project success.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1. Project Initiation Document....................................................................................................1
2. Preparing Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) including how a WBS can be used for
managing tasks on project and explaining significance of critical path analysis........................3
3. Producing Risk Register containing identified risks in a project............................................7
4. A) Explaining need for quality leadership and discussing value of strong leadership on
project and with examples as to what happens when leadership is missing...............................9
B) Analysis and critique of Agile, Waterfall and PRINCE2 methodologies and explaining
their strengths and weaknesses and recommendation for choosing one of it to the sponsor....10
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Project has a definite start and end date which has to be managed properly for
accomplishing better results. Present report deals with project management for organising a
major launch event for QA Higher Education (QAHE) which has just refurbished teaching rooms
and computing labs for ensuring adequate facility for staff. PID (Project Initiation Document)
will be made having various elements. Moreover, WBS will be created listing summary,
deliverables. On the other hand, risk register will be made covering 10 risks of project. Report
will be provided to Project Manager for explaining need for strong leadership. Analysis and
critique of Agile, Waterfall and PRINCE2 methodologies will be made along with
recommendation for choosing one.
1. Project Initiation Document
Budgetary information-
The budgetary information is required to be ascertained so that business may be able to
attain higher profits in effective manner. For accomplishing project in timely manner, budgetary
information has to be made so that cost-overruns may be ignored in effective way and timely
completion may be made with ease. The present project requires publicising event for university
students as it is refurbished with computer labs and modern tools and in order to attract students
in effective manner. Moreover, for this event, budgets of 50,000 pounds have been assigned
which will be used in order to complete project and attain event. Moreover, it has been proposed
that event will also include meal planning including catering services for invitees who will attend
event (Kerzner and Kerzner, 2017). Thus, keeping these costs, budget has been made.
Timescales-
The timescale is one of the important part in project management (Muller, 2017). It can
be ascertained that for meeting the project in timely manner, use of project management software
is required. The use of MS- Project is made which provide that it will get complete in 109 days
or 3.5 months. The activities involved or scheduled will be met accordingly and as a result, event
will be organised in order to attract students and generate good earnings.
Objectives-
The objective of project is to effectively publicise event in the best manner possible.
QAHE has just completed refurbishment of its teaching rooms and computing labs in university
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premises. This is to ensure that staff and students have excellent learning environment and access
to modern technology. For meeting this, major launch event has to be made. The project
objective is to attract students and make university even more competitive. The event is
scheduled to take place during Fresher's Week in September. Hence, project will be delivered on
time and meeting all objectives.
Approach-
The approach towards completing this project is to effectively provide QAHE with major
launch event within timely manner and in budget. It can be analysed that Project Manager has
effectively assigned this project in meeting objectives. Proper planning, scheduling and
prioritising have been made which will make project to be delivered in a timely manner and
within the budget fulfilling stakeholders' objectives (Harrison and Lock, 2017). Thus, modern
approach has been applied for meeting project as per the governed guidelines of event.
Key staff-
The staff or dedicated workforce is backbone of any project for attaining project
deadlines within stipulated time. The requirement of staff will prevail as in risk register, there
may arise some of resource risks in which hiring of competent workforce can be accomplished in
a better manner (Tonchia, Tonchia and Mahagaonkar, 2018). It can be analysed that project team
has been made and assigned their respective roles for gaining success in project. Team members
will organise invitees list and will make necessary arrangements for completing project on time.
Stakeholder Analysis-
Stakeholder
name
Impact Likelihood What is significant to
the stakeholder?
Strategy to get
stakeholder engaged
Project
Sponsor
High Medium Control over expenses
incurred for meeting
project objectives
Making budgetary
information and
supplying a copy to
them
University's
Director
High Low To attain major
publicity for university
for establishing better
Providing them with
project schema for
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position in market monitoring the same
Audience
(Students)
High High To make them
understand value of
learning through
QAHE initiative for
modern learning
Provide them with
better event to make
loyal towards
university and get their
admission
2. Preparing Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) including how a WBS can be used for managing
tasks on project and explaining significance of critical path analysis
WBS (Event Planning for University Students)
Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
1. Event Requirement 34 days Wed 27-02-19 Thu 28-03-19
1.1 University Requirements 5 days Wed 27-02-19 Tue 05-03-19
1.2 Objectives of event 4 days Wed 06-03-19 Mon 11-03-19 2
1.3 Location 2 days Tue 12-03-19 Wed 13-03-19 2,3
1.4 Amenities 3 days Tue 12-03-19 Thu 14-03-19 3
1.4.1 Sound check, stage and internet 2 days Fri 15-03-19 Mon 18-03-19 4,5
1.4.2 Food & Beverage service 2 days Tue 19-03-19 Wed 20-03-19 6,5
1.4.3 Concierge services 3 days Thu 14-03-19 Mon 18-03-19 3,4
1.4.4 Guest services 4 days Thu 21-03-19 Tue 26-03-19 7,8
1.4.5 Guest list and attendance count 2 days Wed 27-03-19 Thu 28-03-19 8,9
1.5 Date 2 days Tue 19-03-19 Wed 20-03-19 6
1.6 Budget 5 days Thu 21-03-19 Wed 27-03-19 11
2. Selecting Venue 4 days Fri 29-03-19 Mon 01-04-19 1,10
2.1 Site visit 2 days Fri 29-03-19 Mon 01-04-19 1,6
2.2 Venue selection 2 days Fri 29-03-19 Mon 01-04-19 12
3. Event Attendance 9 days Tue 02-04-19 Wed 10-04-19 13
3.1 Marketing Materials 4 days Tue 02-04-19 Fri 05-04-19 14
3.2 Print ads 2 days Tue 02-04-19 Wed 03-04-19 15
3.3 Promotion through media 3 days Mon 08-04-19 Wed 10-04-19 17
4. Invitations 20 days Thu 11-04-19 Wed 08-05-19 16,15,1
4.1 Design 5 days Thu 11-04-19 Wed 17-04-19 19,18
4.2 Review 6 days Thu 18-04-19 Thu 25-04-19 21
4.3 Printing 4 days Fri 26-04-19 Wed 01-05-19 21,22
4.4 Distribution 5 days Thu 02-05-19 Wed 08-05-19 23
5. RSVP 22 days Thu 09-05-19 Tue 04-06-19 13,14
5.1 RSVP process management 5 days Thu 09-05-19 Wed 15-05-19 24
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5.2 Online RSVP 4 days Thu 16-05-19 Tue 21-05-19 26
5.3 Paper RSVP 3 days Thu 16-05-19 Mon 20-05-19 26
5.4 Materials 4 days Wed 22-05-19 Mon 27-05-19 27
5.5 Payment processing 2 days Tue 28-05-19 Wed 29-05-19 29
5.6 Brochures to people 4 days Thu 30-05-19 Tue 04-06-19 29,30
6. Event Planning 13 days Tue 21-05-19 Mon 17-06-19 20,16
6.1 Staffing plan 4 days Wed 05-06-19 Mon 10-06-19 31,20
6.2 Guest Speakers 2 days Tue 11-06-19 Wed 12-06-19 33,25
6.2.1 Identification 3 days Thu 13-06-19 Mon 17-06-19 33,34
6.2.2 Communications 2 days Tue 21-05-19 Wed 22-05-19 28
6.2.3 Scheduling 2 days Thu 23-05-19 Fri 24-05-19 36
7. Technology 2 days Tue 18-06-19 Wed 19-06-19 25
7.1 Setup for event 2 days Tue 18-06-19 Wed 19-06-19 35
8. Meal Planning 5 days Thu 20-06-19 Wed 26-06-19 38
8.1 Beverages / all day refreshments 2 days Thu 20-06-19 Fri 21-06-19 39,37
8.2 Catering services 1 day Mon 24-06-19 Mon 24-06-19 41
8.3 Lunch 2 days Tue 25-06-19 Wed 26-06-19 42
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Usage of WBS
The WBS is quite useful for the project so that complicated activities in a collection of
tasks may be reduced up to a major extent. It can be used by Project Manager as he can
effectively oversee tasks more effectively in comparison to complex activities. It is needed that
for using WBS in accomplishing project completion, tasks should be measurable and
independent as well further having clearly defined limits.
Importance of Critical Path Analysis
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Critical path allows project team for identifying most crucial project tasks. This helps to
shorten the timelines as when critical path method is effectively displayed as Gantt chart, team
can visualise critical path activities and durations of tasks plus their sequences in the best manner
possible (Lock, 2017). Hence, by knowing longest distance between start and finish of project
including tasks, duration, the earliest start and finish date can be ascertained in a better manner.
3. Producing Risk Register containing identified risks in a project
Risk Register containing 10 risks
Risk Description Likeliho
od
Impact Severity Owner Mitigating
Risks
Contingency
actions
Progress on
actions
Action
taken by
Delay in project
management
activities
Medium High High Project
Manager
Making out
checklists for
activities
which are
already
scheduled for
resolving
issue
Taking out
project manual
for risk
alleviation
Mitigating
actions are
accounted
for
It will be
taken within
8 days
Cost escalation Low Medium Medium Finance
Manager
Making
budget for
controlling
expenses
Help from
expert in
budget-making
Mitigating
actions are
being
implemented
It will be
taken within
15 days
Cost-overruns Low Medium Medium Finance
Manager
Making
proper
budget for
gaining
desired
deliverables
Using variance
analysis for
initiating
improvement
The actions
will be
implemented
whenever
risk arises
Within 20
days
Performance risk
because of failure
High High Low Project Prioritizing
activities and
Recruiting
dedicated
Action of
mitigation
Will take 15
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in meeting project
specifications
Manager assigning
specific job
roles
workforce are
implemented
days
Scope risk if
projects get
widened
Low Medium Medium Project
Manager
Proper
flexibility
will be
entertained if
risks arises
for
maximising
scope
Recruiting
dedicated
workforce for
maintaining
additional
project
requirements
Mitigating
actions will
be
implemented
whenever
project risk
arises
It will take
15 days
Planning risk due
to external
circumstance
High Medium Medium Project
Manager
Proper
planning in-
advance for
possible
scenarios and
probability of
arising risk
Properly
communicating
to the
workforce
Mitigating
actions are
already in
process
It will take
around 20
days
Technological
risk due to
inadequate use of
technology
High Medium Medium Project
Technici
an
Making use
of project
management
software for
overcoming
risks
Communicatin
g to smart team
members
Actions are
implemented
Within 15
days
Server with
project
management
software breaks
down
High High High Project
Technici
an
Making
appropriate
servers by
taking back-
up of
scheduled
Technical
workforce is to
be
communicated
Actions are
implemented
Within 10
days
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activities in
other hard
disk
Quality risk High Medium Medium Project
Manager
To make
standard
parameters
for attaining
standard
requirements
Taking out
project manual
of quality
standards for
risk
minimisation
Mitigating
plans are
implemented
Will take 20
days
Resource risk due
to delays from
supplier
Low Medium Medium Project
Manager
Setting out
pre-planned
orders for
event
Taking help
from other
supplier for
meeting
resource
requirements
Actions
have been
taken into
account
Will take 10
days
4. A) Explaining need for quality leadership and discussing value of strong leadership on project
and with examples as to what happens when leadership is missing
The project management is wider concept under which every activity is scheduled and
prioritised in order to accomplish project deliverables in a better manner. It can be ascertained
that Project Manager should posses quality leadership skills which will help to complete project
in the best way possible. Managing project is never an easy task and it lies on the hands of
project manager as to how he manages the same and provide desired deliverables to stakeholders
engaged in it. There are various skills which are required to be exercised by Project Manager for
making successful event for QAHE. These are as follows-
Team building-
Leader help project team member for coordinating with each other. This is because with
individual and group contributions, project goals can be achieved without any difficulty (Kumar.
2009).
Communicating-
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