Project Management

For this assessment, you are demonstrating how a project manager (PM) uses models, methods, and artifacts in project management in different contexts, both project planning and project implementation. One important function of the PM is to align resources and plans in a project portfolio to the organization’s objectives. PMs often work on multiple projects at once, so for this assessment you will propose a project and provide a status update on another project that is in the last stages, nearing closing.

As an associate PM of a medium-size company, you will be appearing before the project management office (PMO). You will be proposing a project and providing updates on current project status.

Create a 12- to 16-slide presentation with speaker notes to provide additional details that are not present on the slides. Your presentation will include your slides on the project proposal and project implementation status updates.

Include the following in your presentation:

Part 1: Project Proposal

You have identified a process improvement project that, upon completion, will improve customer retention and help grow the business into a new market. Because this is a process improvement project, there are many things known, and the company possesses most of the expertise to complete this project. Summarize your ideas for this process improvement project. Be sure to do the following:

Identify the 2 key documents in the initiating phase that you will develop. These documents can help you present this idea to your manager. Consider what you have learned in this class to prepare many of the key documents to be considered in the initiating and planning phase. By doing this, you hope to anticipate some of your manager’s questions and concerns. 
Summarize 4 key deliverables that you would develop or deliver in the planning phase.
Summarize 4 key deliverables in the executing phase that you would develop or deliver.

Part 2: Project Implementation Status

Another project you are acting as associate PM is in the execution phase. It is an engineering project that has specific statements of work calling for parts, specifications, and acceptable tolerance levels, along with price, delivery, and other contracted terms. This project has a budget and schedule that is baselined and has a management reserve of 5%. Next week, you must present a status report of the project to the PMO and explain how you are managing the scope, timeline, and other aspects of the project. Summarize the state of the project. Be sure to:

Evaluate the 4 key areas where you will focus your efforts on when analyzing and monitoring the scope of the project.
Describe 3 monitoring or controlling activities or processes you would engage in to ensure that product quality, cost, schedule, and risks are according to the plan.
Describe 4 activities you might engage in or documents you may help deliver in the closing phase.
Explain project termination for this engineering project. It will be integrated into the company’s existing product line manufacturing system once completed.