Project Management: Roller-Coaster Experience Design Project

This report details the design of a new roller-coaster experience, focusing on project management principles. It covers the project management life cycle (PMLC), including initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure. The report discusses traditional, agile, xPM, and MPx models, along with project planning considerations like stakeholder agreement, benefits, and scope definition. It also addresses risk management, potential scope creep, and stakeholder management, including handling client expectations. The report includes a network analysis and Gantt chart for project scheduling and concludes with reflections on project management skills and weaknesses. The student analyzes their strengths in communication, goal setting, and team support, while acknowledging weaknesses in leadership and emotional control.

Running head: DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
Designing a Project for a New Roller-Coaster Experience
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

1DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
Table of Contents
Part A...............................................................................................................................................2
Part B...............................................................................................................................................4
1. Introduction to the Project.......................................................................................................4
2. Discussion................................................................................................................................4
2.1 Traditional Agile, xPM and MPx Considerations.............................................................4
2.2 The five stages of a PMLC (project management life cycle) model for the project..........5
2.3 Project Planning considerations.........................................................................................6
2.4 Project risk management and management of any potential scope creep..........................7
2.5 Project stakeholder management and managing client expectations.................................8
2.6 Project closure and transfer of relevant learning for future projects.................................9
2.7 Network analysis and Gantt chart......................................................................................9
3. Conclusion.............................................................................................................................13
References..................................................................................................................................14

2DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
Part A
As a project manager, I have to possess a certain number of skills, which would be
helpful for me to manage different kind of projects over which I would be assigned by different
companies. Based on a personal analysis of my skills, the certain strengths and weakness have
been formed, which I could describe accordingly.
The strengths that are possessed by me as a project manager are:
1. I have a strong sense and power of communication based on which I am able to
communicate with my team members openly. I have understand their thoughts and help them in
solving critical problems, which would be in relation to any projects. Based on having a proper
communication skill, I am able to keep a good track over the working progress of my tasks and
measure their progress at different pre-defined stages.
2. I also own a great skill to set a certain goal based on which I am able to determine the
assumed outcomes and desired results. Based on setting up of the goals for the project, I am then
able to organize myself and set out the required activities, which needs to be put in order for the
accomplishment of the project.
3. In most of the project case that I have handled, I have mostly supported my team
members in getting through most of the activities, which are performed within the project. I also
possess a strong skill based on which I have been able to encourage my team members in getting
over certain tasks proactively so that we can move on to the next set of related activities
accordingly.

3DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
4. I also possess a skill of mixing up with people in my team from diverse backgrounds.
The amount of diversity in a team is highly required since it allows for getting most of the tasks
to be done in proper manner. People from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds are able to
showcase their skills over any aspect of a project. Hence, I am able to mix up with them rapidly
and establish a friendly atmosphere that helps me to work confidently over any project.
While, I possess these strengths, there are certain weaknesses that are possessed by me
while dealing with complex projects:
1. I lack a certain form of leadership, which is the primary key in gluing up the team in a
proper manner. In some cases, when the project would be facing some complications, I have
often lacked certain skills on commanding over the project team. In such situations, I generally
approach to my seniors for helping me and my team over the particular area.
2. I have lost my temper at certain stages of project management over certain projects. In
such situations, I might have not communicated properly with my team members, which had
further dismantled the situation. This can be considered as a major weakness since project team
members would need to be dealt in a proper manner and support them in case of any errors or
project-related complications.

4DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
Part B
1. Introduction to the Project
The project, which is currently been focused upon is based on the development of a new
feature within the new kind of roller-coaster experience for Lightning Fast. The project is thus
based on ensuring visitors would be highly fascinated with the new project, which would mark
the success of the project.
2. Discussion
2.1 Traditional Agile, xPM and MPx Considerations
Based on performing a new and innovative riding experience for the customers at
Lightning Fast, different considerations would need to be made accordingly. These are described
as follows:
1. The traditional model – Based on considering the traditional model, it would involve
a certain set of techniques, which would be highly used for performing planning, estimation and
controlling of different project activities. This model could be helpful for performing activities in
a sequential manner and without making any kind of frequent changes (Kaczorowska 2015).
During the development of a new feature for the roller coaster at Lightning Fast, it can be
discussed that the project needs to face legal, finance and scheduling challenges.
2. Agile model – The agile model of approaching towards the project follows an iterative
approach. With the help of this approach, the management of the project would focus over
breaking of the deliverables in small phases based on which the project work would proceed

5DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
(Conforto and Amaral 2016). Incorporation of feedbacks within every iteration should be made
possible and hence focused on the next part of the project.
3. xPM – The Extreme Project Management can be considered as the aspect of
facilitation and management of the flow of different considerations that are previously estimated
for the project (Qazi et al. 2016). The primary focus of the consideration of the model is that it
would manage the project stakeholders along with the interactions of the people.
4. MPx – This model helps in delivering towards a business goal, which would help in
greater form of business value. Thus, the consideration of this model helps in designing such
kind of strategies that would help in delivering certain form of business value.
2.2 The five stages of a PMLC (project management life cycle) model for the project
In order to deliver a unique feature at Lightning Fast with the innovation in their roller
coaster experience, the different stages of the PMLC are considered as under:
1. Initiation – In the initiation stage of the project, each of the business stakeholders and
the higher authorities at Lightning Fast would need to focus over the designing aspect of the
meeting in which they would communicate the project ideas to the entire team.
2. Planning – After the defining of business goals and objectives, the planning for the
project would need to be done (Liu et al. 2015). The project manager would take into
consideration various aspects and prepare a proper project plan based on which the project would
proceed accordingly.
3. Execution – After the defining of project plan, the execution works over the project
would begin. The construction experts would start the work over the innovative feature that have

6DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
been defined by the project plan (Burmistrov, Siniavina and Iliashenko 2018). The project
manager would be responsible for viewing over the entire project work accordingly.
4. Monitoring performance – After the completion of the execution phase, the project
manager and business managers would monitor over the project performance. They would thus
also monitor the performance of work that has been made over the project.
5. Project Closure – After the monitoring over the project performance have been done,
the approval over the deployment of the project would be made (Kivilä, Martinsuo and Vuorinen
2017). Hence, the project closure would be determined after the payment to stakeholders have
been made and all aspects of the project are completed.
2.3 Project Planning considerations
The various kind of considerations in the aspect of project planning for the development
of the new feature at Lightning Fast are discussed as follows:
1. Stakeholder agreement – Stakeholders form an impact aspect in progressing over the
project work and managing the various considerations that are put together. There should be a
proper understanding of the stakeholder objectives and their motive for the project. Hence after
the defining of the project plan, the stakeholders needs to visit it accordingly (Elbanna 2015).
Hence, after the stakeholders would have viewed the entire project plan, they should agree over
each of the steps and form an agreement over the project. Based on their consent, the work over
the project would proceed accordingly.
2. Benefits from the project – The project manager should derive the various benefits
that could be extracted from the project. The project manager and the business manager should
outline the different benefits from the project. Based on this, the expected future returns that

7DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
could be drawn from the project should also be considered. Upon considering each of the major
aspects, the project should proceed accordingly.
3. Defining the project scope – The project manager responsible over each of the project
works should form a strong form of project scope that would comprise of in-scope and out-scope
activities that would be formed towards the project (Økland 2015). Based on the defining of the
project scope, the business manager and other stakeholders would understand the different
activities that needs to be completed in correspondence with the project.
2.4 Project risk management and management of any potential scope creep
During the process of risk management in the case of the project defined by Lightning
Fast, the certain aspects of project risk management have been defined:
1. Initially, a risk management plan needs to be formed for the concern project. The
project manager should define the risk management plan, which needs to be carefully approved
by the business manager and hence work needs to be proceeded accordingly.
2. In the case of the concerned project, there might be financial changes due to varying
market prices and within the prices of raw materials. Hence, this could lead to a certain form of
risk towards the project (Albadarneh, Albadarneh and Qusef 2015). The project manager should
thus prepare for a contingency project that needs to be formed accordingly.
3. Stakeholder turnover from the midway of the project could also lead to certain risks
towards the project. Hence, the stakeholders who would be working over the project should be
properly signed in within the project and they should work in accordance with the project
contractual terms. This would help the project manager to work towards the project in a
consistent manner. Based on a proper management of stakeholders, the project manager would

8DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
be able to explain the responsibilities of each stakeholder in a planned manner and help them in
their work.
4. During the development or execution work over the project, there might happen certain
form of creep in project scope (Farok and Garcia 2016). New requirements or features might
creep in within the project, which might raise inconsistencies within the project. Hence, the
project manager should determine the particular inclusions, which should be incorporated within
the project and then start work over the project.
2.5 Project stakeholder management and managing client expectations
There would be a large number of people who would work over a certain project. People
from different countries and varying cultures would come together into a common platform and
work consistently towards the project. The project manager would have the major responsibility
to manage each of the stakeholders who would be responsible for each of the activities.
Management of their expectations is also the major responsibility of the project manager. Hence,
they would need to source stakeholders in such a manner that they would be able take major
responsibilities that would be handed over to them during the terms of the project.
Handling client expectations would also be the major responsibility of the stakeholders
and also for the project manager. Thus, they need to manage the project activities in such a
manner that they would be meet up to the expectations of the stakeholders. At the primary stage,
a proper mapping of every customer expectations and their expectancies from the project needs
to be accomplished. After the mapping have been done towards the project, the project manager
should thus be able to devise plans accordingly so that they would be suitable up to the
expectations and demands from clients (Mok, Shen and Yang 2015). The project manager should

9DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE
be able to determine the proper ways in which the stakeholders needs to be held responsibilities
for managing the project in a well-planned manner.
2.6 Project closure and transfer of relevant learning for future projects
The project closure can be defined as the final phase of the project. The defining of
project closure by the project manager would help in handling over the project deliverables to the
customer. This would involve the process of defining a proper documentation and passing it to
the business manager. The different supplier and their contracts that were made during the initial
stages of the project would also need to be cancelled. The equipment and staff, which were a part
of the project would also need to be released properly (Serra and Kunc 2015). The stakeholders
who were involved during each of the stages of the project would need to be informed of the fact
that the project is being closed and their payments would be handed to them accordingly. From
the understanding developed from the project, the relevant kind of learning that would be
gathered would be passed on so that they could be made use in future projects.
2.7 Network analysis and Gantt chart
The Gantt chart

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11DESIGNING A PROJECT FOR A NEW ROLLER-COASTER EXPERIENCE