Competency
In this project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following competency:
- Plan a project according to project management best practices
Scenario
You have been hired as a project manager for a software company, ABC Solutions. Their business development team has received a product request from a new client, XYZ Financial Services. They need a custom software solution to streamline some workflows and processes that will be implemented in their offices worldwide. Your company has developed a similar software solution, but the client requires additional features and customization. The new software needs to be ready for a test run at two of the offices in about six months and worldwide rollout in another three months. Your boss, the project director, has asked you to manage this product development project.
ABC Solutions uses the traditional waterfall method for software development. The proposed project schedule should include the following major tasks:
- Determine the software requirements and design.
- Conduct a code test and system test.
- Address issues with the software.
- Deliver the prototype.
You have been asked to assemble a team with the skills and expertise to perform these tasks.
Before initiating the project, you, the project director, and a software architect meet with the IT director and product manager of XYZ Financial Services to understand their requirements. They explain that the custom software should include three new features, five feature customizations, and a new interface design to match the client’s brand colors and logo.
Later, you and some key team members analyze the scope and requirements to arrive at some critical decisions and conclusions. These have been summarized in two project documents:
- The XYZ Business Workflow Project Charter that includes the project objectives and other important details
- A document with the XYZ Business Workflow Resource and Effort Estimates for each development task
You will need to choose and allocate resources from the following available team members: a user interface (UI) designer, UI developers, a software architect, technical team leads, software developers, and software testers. You will also have access to two team members from the development team of the original software who will act as consultants for your team. However, these members are only available part time since they are also busy on other projects.
Directions
Specifically, you must address the following rubric criteria:
Project Planning
- Use the information from the scenario, including the project charter and effort estimates, to create a single file that includes the following components: stakeholder register, risk register, work breakdown structure (WBS), and responsibility matrix. You can also make reasonable assumptions to help you complete these tasks, but be sure to explain your assumptions. Address each of the tasks outlined below.
- Stakeholder register: Identify and list the stakeholders for this project. Ensure it includes the following details:
- Their names
- Their role in the project
- Their influence on the project and its outcomes
- Risk register: Identify and describe at least four individual project risks, including the risks identified in the project charter. The register should include the following details for each risk:
- The description of the risk
- The probability the risk may occur
- The impact the risk can have on the project
- The response plan if the risk occurs
- The person responsible for handling the risk
- The status of the risk
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Networking Diagram: Include the major milestones. Tasks are arranged sequentially; indicate dependencies between tasks.
- Create a WBS for the project, dividing project deliverables into manageable tasks.
- Create a networking diagram that organizes the project tasks chronologically.
- Indicate any dependencies between tasks.
- Responsibility Assignment Matrix: Create a responsibility matrix with a responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed (RACI) chart that shows how the tasks in the project are assigned to the stakeholders you identified earlier.
What to Submit
To complete this project, you must submit the following items:
Project Plan Create a project management plan that includes the stakeholder register, the risk register, the WBS, and a responsibility matrix. Combine all four components into a single file. Remember to cite any references in APA format.
Supporting Materials The following resources may help support your work on the project:
Document: XYZ Business Workflow Project Charter This document provides the project requirements and details you need for planning your project.
Document: XYZ Business Workflow Resource and Effort Estimates This document provides the information you will need to assemble your team, assign tasks, and set milestones.
AI Usage
If you use gen AI tools to support your work on this assignment, be sure to follow these AI usage guidelines. You must acknowledge your use of these tools in your work. Guidelines on how to cite AI tools can be found in this Shapiro Library guide.
Project One Rubric
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectations (100%) | Meets Expectations (85%) | Partially Meets Expectations (55%) | Does Not Meet Expectations (0%) | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Stakeholders and Their Influence on the Project | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Clearly identifies the names, roles, and influence of all stakeholders in the project | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include missing stakeholders; errors in evaluating stakeholder influence | Does not attempt criterion | 25 |
| Identify and Describe Risks and Responses | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Includes a risk register with unique ID, description, probability, impact, and response plan for at least four separate risks | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include incomplete risk description; error evaluating probability and/or impact; missing or vague response plan | Does not attempt criterion | 25 |
| Create a WBS and Networking Diagram | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Includes the major milestones; tasks are arranged sequentially; indicates dependencies between tasks | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include missing milestones and/or tasks; incorrect arrangement of tasks; missing dependencies | Does not attempt criterion | 25 |
| Assign Tasks and Responsibilities | Exceeds expectations in an exceptionally clear, insightful, sophisticated, or creative manner | Contains a matrix with all roles, tasks, and corresponding responsibilities arranged according to RACI | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but with errors or omissions; areas for improvement may include missing tasks or incorrect or missing RACI assignments | Does not attempt criterion | 20 |
| Clear Communication | Exceeds expectations with an intentional use of language that promotes a thorough understanding | Consistently and effectively communicates in an organized way to a specific audience | Shows progress toward meeting expectations, but communication is inconsistent or ineffective in a way that negatively impacts understanding | Shows no evidence of consistent, effective, or organized communication | 5 |
| Total: | 100% |