Project Proposal: AI and Robotics for Waitrose Productivity

This project report outlines a plan to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotic systems within Waitrose to enhance productivity and operational efficiencies. It includes a business case highlighting the benefits of AI and robotics in retail, aiming to reduce costs and improve customer service. The project defines key staff roles, adopts the Prince2 methodology, and conducts a stakeholder analysis to identify and manage stakeholders. It also details risk assessment, budget allocation, a communication plan, and a project timescale. The project's success is measured by benefit realization, focusing on increased efficiency and customer satisfaction. The report also addresses potential project execution challenges, providing a comprehensive overview of the implementation process and its strategic impact on Waitrose.

Project Management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................4
Business case..........................................................................................................................4
Aim and objectives.................................................................................................................4
Purpose...................................................................................................................................5
Key staff.................................................................................................................................5
Approach................................................................................................................................5
Stakeholder analysis...............................................................................................................6
Risk........................................................................................................................................7
Budget....................................................................................................................................9
Communication....................................................................................................................10
Timescale.............................................................................................................................10
Benefit realization................................................................................................................12
Project execution challenges................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................13

INTRODUCTION
Project management is an appropriate procedure, skill, knowledge, experience and
method which is useful in attaining goals and objectives. Project management tends to have
final set of deliverables which has been constrained significantly. This study will highlight on
developing a project related with the introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotic
system within Waitrose to increase productivity and operational efficiencies. This study is
considered to be highly prominent in key staff and employees to carry out the project in an
effective and efficient manner. This study will also effectively carry out the stakeholder
analysis and also helps in carrying out risk analysis. This study is also useful in developing a
strategic budget plan to evaluate the expenses associated with the project. This study will also
focus on carrying out communication plan and benefit realization associated with the project.
This study is also considered to be useful in project execution challenges.
Business case
In the era of digitalization every company wants to focus on digital and advance
technologies which in turn help to attract customers and increase business profitability as
well. In the same way, Waitrose is one of the top leading retail firm that offer range of
products and that is why, there is a need to introduce artificial intelligence and robotic system
which in turn help to reduce cost and increase efficiencies. For example, with the help of AI,
company provide customer service through bots and personalizing shopping experience with
refined inventory recommendation. This in turn leads to cut labor cost which in turn increase
financial performance of a business. That is why, introducing AI and robotic system which a
business will help the company to provide customer support and increase the brand image as
well.
Aim and objectives
The aim of this project is to introduce Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotic system within
Waitrose to increase productivity and operational efficiencies.
Objective:
 To develop advance technology within a business
 To increase the financial performance of the firm by making faster business decision
based on technologies.

Purpose
The purpose of introducing the project within a business is to minimize the extra cost
and provide proper customer assistance so that their shopping experience will not disrupted.
Further, another main reason of introducing this project is to improve the financial
performance such that extra labor cost will be reduced and it also help to increase the
productivity level of a business which in turn leads to increase the performance of a business.
In this modern world, customer need proper care and support from the company and that is
why, by keep this in mind Waitrose focus on introducing new and advance technologies so
that customers will attracted.
Key staff
In order to execute the project in better manner, there are some key staff require
which help to successfully launch the project at it’s define tenure. These are as mention
below:
 Project Manager, plays a lead role in planning, executing, monitoring and
controlling the project. As Project manager is liable for entire project such that its
scope, handing project team, resources and success or failure of a project (Kerzner,
2017).
 Team members, is a group of people who have their own task, role and
responsibilities in order to make decision at every phase of a project. Team members
have to report the project manager for completion of each task and they have to
contribute the overall project objectives as well as completing deliverables.
 Resource manager, another important key staff whose main duty is to resource
planning and allocating the task to team members. Resource manager help PM by
reallocating resources and adjusting the requirement by assigning new people within a
team
 IT specialist, make sure that issues are identified in order to introduce AI and robotic
system within a business. They also quickly resolve the technical fault in any stage of
project management and work closely with PM as well.
 Sponsor, is a person who raise fund for the project and as per the project owner of
Waitrose is the sponsor who provide enough funding to the project manager i.e.
£50000 in order to complete the project.

Approach
In order to successfully launch the project, Project manager has to choose best
approach i.e Prince2 Methodology among all methodologies because it focus on business
justifications and also define the structure of an organization for an entire project
management team. As the project is comply with 7 different principles which help to
successfully launch the project and also determine the pitfalls as well (Heagney, 2016).
Moreover, it is the best method which help to improve the communication between all team
members as well as external stakeholders which help to successfully launch the project and
also gives a chance to all stakeholders in decision making process.
Stakeholder analysis
It is the process which is used to determine the key peoples and their influence within
a project. Also, this help to determine how best to involve and communicate with each other
within a project. Thus, by using stakeholder matrix, the key people are determine.
Power
Keep satisfied Manage Closely
 Customers
 Employees
 Investors
 Shareholders
Monitor Keep Informed
 Competitor
 Suppliers
 Government
Interest
As per the stakeholder matrix, there are two main types of stakeholders who assist to
meet the define aim. These are as mention below:
Primary stakeholder: These stakeholders are generally within an organization and
are also known as internal stakeholders such that customers, shareholder, suppliers,
employees etc. It is the quite necessary for the company to keep satisfied all primary
stakeholders because it somehow affect the entire project and without proper coordination,
this may lead a project towards wrong direction (Demirkesen and Ozorhon, 2017).
Secondary stakeholder: They are external stakeholders who are do not directly
participate within a firm but without their involvement, project is not successfully launch.
Moreover, secondary stakeholder require lots of attention as compared to primary like,
competitor, media, government. For example, in order to introduce AI within a firm, it is

necessary to determine whether Waitrose’s competitor also uses the same strategy or not.
This in turn help to make decision accordingly and also add innovation within it as well.
Risk
There are many types of risk which are involve during a project which somehow
affect the business in negative manner. Therefore, there is a need to maintain risk register
which help to mitigate any type of risk and also successfully launch the project as well. These
risk register is as mention below:
Type of
risk
Likelihood Probabilit
y
(1-High,
2-
Medium,
3-low)
Impact Mitigation
strategy
Responsibility
Financial
risk
High 1 This affect the
entire project in
negative side.
Like escalation
of project cost
due to poor cost
estimating
accuracy.
In order to
mitigate this
risk, PM
has to cross
check all
the define
task and
make a list
of expenses
from each
team
member
(Portny,
2017).
Project
manager and
finance
manager
Operational
risk
Medium 2 This involve
risk of poor
implementation
and process
problem such as
procurement,
In order to
mitigate the
risk, Project
manager
has to make
a list and
Project
manager and
operational
manager

production and
distribution.
This in turn
leads to affect
the entire result
into negative
manner.
delegate the
roles and
responsibilit
ies to each
member and
proper
monitoring
should be
done
Technical
risk
High 1 Sudden fault in
AI and robotic
may affect the
results and also
delay the
project which
cause negative
impression
upon customer
In order to
minimize
the chance
of risk,
project
manager
has to test
all the
product for
safety
purpose and
hire
technical
team
Project
manager and
IT specialist
Legal risk High 1 Not complying
with rules and
regulation may
affect the
results and
government
may also take
action against
the project
which leads to
To mitigate
the same,
PM make
sure that all
laws are
compiled by
maintaining
a register
Project
Manager,
Sponsor

delay
(Heldman,
2018).
Resource
risk
Medium 2 This type of risk
involve
outsourcing and
personnel
related issue.
Like absence of
one labor affect
the entire day
working and
delay the
project
To get rid
from this,
project
manager
have some
substitute
which in
turn lead to
manage the
situation.
Project
manager
Scheduling
risk
High 1 This creates
direct impact
upon project
and also delay
the entire work.
This may occur
due to natural
factor, error in
estimation etc.
PM has to
develop
KPI in
order to
keep track
each task,
further gantt
chart and
WBS are
also used in
order to
determine
the
scheduling
(Kivilä,
Martinsuo
and
Vuorinen,
2017.).
Project
manager

Budget
A budget is referred to as the estimation of the key revenues and expenditures for the specific
time period. It is significant in creating the budget plan to improve the functioning and it is
useful in the balancing of the income and expenses.
PARTICULARS BUDGET (in £)
Development of the aim and objectives £1000
Research and development £5000
Payment to employees £4000
Technology development £10000
Artificial intelligence and Robotics £12000
Marketing £2500
Other Expenses £1000
TOTAL £35500
Communication
Artificial intelligence and robotics plays one of the key significant role which is
highly significant in measuring enough set of factors to improve the performance and
productivity. Artificial intelligence is useful in the building of the level of the trust and is also
significant in providing better predictive analytics and insights (Siau, and Wang, 2018). This
way it is significant in better decision making. It is significant in communicating and it is
useful in providing information on a real time basis. Artificial intelligence and robotics tends
to mainly emphasize on the development of the intelligence machines. However, artificial
intelligence is useful in speech recognition, learning and planning and effective problem
solving. This is considered to be highly useful in the resolving of the issue on a real time
basis. Complying with the information communication technology is considered to be of high
significant importance which helps in the better transmitting of the key and relevant set of
information from one person to another.
Timescale
Task Mode Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Manually
Scheduled Initiation 38 days Mon
7/20/20 Wed 9/9/20

Auto
Scheduled team development 16 days Mon
7/20/20
Mon
8/10/20
Auto
Scheduled
identification of different
roles and responsibilities 12 days Tue 8/11/20 Wed
8/26/20 2
Auto
Scheduled
assigning of the different
roles and responsibilities 10 days Thu 8/27/20 Wed 9/9/20 3
Auto
Scheduled planning 49 days Thu 9/10/20 Tue
11/17/20
Auto
Scheduled
determination of project
requirement 12 days Thu 9/10/20 Fri 9/25/20 4
Auto
Scheduled formulation of budget 12 days Mon
9/28/20
Tue
10/13/20 6
Auto
Scheduled
charter project
preparation 8 days Wed
10/14/20 Fri 10/23/20 7
Auto
Scheduled
critical factor
identification 17 days Mon
10/26/20
Tue
11/17/20 8
Auto
Scheduled execution 43 days Wed
11/18/20 Fri 1/15/21
Auto
Scheduled employee training 10 days Wed
11/18/20 Tue 12/1/20 9
Auto
Scheduled allotment of resources 20 days Wed
12/2/20
Tue
12/29/20 11,9
Auto
Scheduled
performance management
cost 4 days Wed
12/30/20 Mon 1/4/21 12
Auto
Scheduled
performance quality
management 9 days Tue 1/5/21 Fri 1/15/21 13
Auto
Scheduled monitoring 27 days Mon
1/18/21 Tue 2/23/21
Auto
Scheduled test conduction 6 days Mon
1/18/21
Mon
1/25/21 14
Auto
Scheduled identification of bugs 5 days Tue 1/26/21 Mon 2/1/21 16
Auto
Scheduled managing the risk 6 days Tue 2/2/21 Tue 2/9/21 17
Auto
Scheduled
selection of tool for
monitoring of the project 10 days Wed
2/10/21 Tue 2/23/21 18
Auto
Scheduled closure 15 days Wed
2/24/21 Tue 3/16/21
Auto
Scheduled compatibility identification 8 days Wed
2/24/21 Fri 3/5/21 19
Auto
Scheduled project review 5 days Mon 3/8/21 Fri 3/12/21 21
Auto
Scheduled
suggestion for
improvement 2 days Mon
3/15/21 Tue 3/16/21 22

Benefit realization
Implication of the artificial intelligence in the Waitrose Company is considered to be
significant in increasing the productivity and operational efficiencies (Laird, Lebiere, and
Rosenbloom, 2017). Artificial intelligence helps in significantly driving down the key time
which has been taken to enable in effectively improving the task. It helps in easing down the
workload of the company and helps in carrying out multi- tasking activities. Artificial
intelligence is also useful in executing the complex set of tasks which is useful in outlaying
the various activities. Artificial intelligence will in turn will be useful in lowering the error
rate and is highly significant in precisely and accurately dealing with the various set of
problems to increase the financial performance of the firm by making faster business decision
based on technologies.
Robotics is also one of the key significant measure which helps employees of the
organization to focus on more productive task (Ashrafian, 2015). This way it leads to higher
operational growth and sustainability. It is significant in the reduction of the operational cost
attainment of the economies of scale. Robotics also leads to improved level of productivity
and quality efficiency. It is useful in improving the customer service and leads to improved
degree of compliance.
Project execution challenges
 The key challenge associated with the execution of the specific project is mainly
linked with the keeping team members on the same page (Ashrafian, 2015). It is
useful in making the each individual completely understand about the market which is
useful in the attainment of the common goals and objectives.
 Another major challenge is to significantly find the best possible team who has
effective set of skills to implement the artificial Intelligence (AI) and robotic system
within Waitrose to increase productivity and operational efficiencies.
 Unrealistic deadline is also one of the key significant factor which can be very
challenging for the project manager in order to meet the deadlines and completing
task on a timely manner. The timeline of the project tends to usually slip because of
unrealistic deadlines.
 Miscommunication causes conflict: Communication skills is one of the key significant
measure which is useful in carrying out all the task with utmost degree of accuracy
and efficiency (Wisskirchen and et.al., 2017). Poor communication can hamper the
project from the attainment of the common goals and objectives.