QSO 640 Project Management

QSO 640 Project Management

QSO 640 Southern New Hampshire University Project Management Plan Paper

This final project encompasses the fundamentals of project management plans, which you will likely use as support within your profession. Looking at the HighTower Project information, you will develop a comprehensive project management plan that you can implement and execute within the organization.
qso_640_final_project_guidelines_and_rubric.pdf

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QSO 640 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric
Overview
Organizations continue to struggle with successful project implementations that support business goals. Strides in project management have been achieved
through a consistent approach to project management as defined by the Project Management Institute (PMI)® A Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge, (PMBOK® Guide), Fifth Edition, 2013. Specifically, the five phases of project management—consisting of initiating, planning, executing, controlling,
and closing—provide a framework for achieving business goals through successful project implementations. At the completion of the course, you will
understand the key deliverables and activities within each phase of this framework in order to achieve business goals.
Your final project will be a complete project management plan. The plan will be comprised of standard templates used by organizations across all industries. For
milestones one and two, you will use two different case studies from your Mindedge resource. For your final project, you will be using a third case study from
Mindedge, the HighTower Global Solutions case study, as the foundation for your plan. Each week you will move through the phases of the project management
life cycle and develop components of the project management plan to address the organizational need within each of these different case studies. You will
consider stakeholder perspectives and communication needs as well as typical project risks and issues. At the end of the course, you will have a complete project
management plan that supports a typical project for an organization.
The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final
submissions. Please note that you will use different case studies for each Milestone and for your final project in this course, all of which can be found in your
Mindedge resource.
 Milestone One utilizes the Fabricant Manufacturing Project case study and will be submitted in Module Three.
 Milestone Two utilizes the ECO-Trans case study and will be submitted in Module Six.
 The final project utilizes the HighTower Global Solutions case study and will be submitted in Module Nine.
In your final project, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
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Develop project charters that illustrate the high-level scope of the project as it aligns to organizational strategic needs
Analyze internal and external stakeholder needs for efficiently navigating organizational structures
Determine proper approaches to defining business requirements for aligning with business strategies
Utilize project management software for effectively developing project management plans
Develop key project management control documents for ensuring effective management plan scope descriptions
Evaluate agile and waterfall methods for successful project execution
Determine approaches for project closure that inform ongoing best practices in project management planning
Prompt
Throughout the course, you have been working through the phases of the project management life cycle to develop components for a project management plan
that addresses the organizational needs of the organization highlighted in two case studies: the Fabricant Manufacturing Project (Milestone One) and the ECOTrans case study (Milestone Two). Your instructor and peers have provided feedback for you to consider along the way. Now, you have the background
knowledge and the information necessary to complete your project management plan, which utilizes the HighTower Global Solutions case study, available in
MindEdge.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I.
Project Initiation
A. Identify the economic, technical, and organizational feasibility of the project. For instance, how is the project a viable fit within the organization?
B. Explain how the project aligns to the organization’s strategic goals utilizing the traceability matrix (in Mindedge).
C. Develop a project charter that includes a high-level scope of what is to be accomplished.
D. Create a high-level timeline and cost estimate to complete the project.
E. Identify the concerns of the internal and external key project stakeholders.
F. Compare the level of support from all key project stakeholders to inform the course of action resulting in success of the project.
G. Complete the stakeholder analysis template.
II.
Project Planning
A. Determine the business requirements for the successful development of the project. Justify your choices.
B. Establish who will provide the business requirements. What approach will be used to solicit the requirements from the subject matter experts?
C. Categorize and organize the business requirements in a standard requirements template.
D. Explain why the format for capturing requirements is important to the overall success of the project. Why would we consider requirements’
traceability?
E. Leveraging the business requirements, translate these requirements into a project schedule using project management software through the
provided template.
F. Estimate the duration of project tasks using common business knowledge, and assign resources to complete each task.
G. Refine your estimate of the project cost based on the duration of tasks and resources needed.
III.
Project Execution
A. Determine the best implementation approach—agile or waterfall project—for the organization based on its organizational structure. Provide
examples to support your rationale.
B. Explain how the project schedule can be resource leveled, fast-tracked, or crashed if needed based upon execution results.
C. Propose communication approaches and the frequency that should be used to keep leadership apprised of the project execution. Include
examples to support your claims.
IV.
Project Control
A. Describe how you will handle changes in scope to your project management plan. What change management process will be used? What key
information will be required for change requests?
B. Describe the risk management process that is the best fit for effective project control over your plan.
C. Explain how you will document issues and what process will be used to manage the issue to completion. Include examples to support your
claims.
V.
Project Closeout
A. Identify what needs to be done to close your project management plan. Include examples supporting how you will minimize the chances of
overlooking a step in the project process.
B. Justify the need for a warranty period and how the project will transition to business
C. Complete a lessons-learned template for the case study project.
Milestones
Milestone One: Project Initiation
In Module Three, you will submit the Project Initiation portion of your final project. Milestone One utilizes the Fabricant Manufacturing Project case study. This
milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.
Milestone Two: Project Planning and Project Execution
In Module Six, you will submit the Project Planning and Project Execution portions of your final project. Milestone Two utilizes the ECO-Trans case study. This
milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.
Final Submission: Project Management Plan
In Module Nine, you will submit your final project, which utilizes the HighTower Global Solutions case study. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing
all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with
the Final Project Rubric.
Final Project Rubric
Guidelines for Submission: Your project management plan should be between 10 and 12 pages, double-spaced, have one-inch margins, and use 12-point Times
New Roman font and the most recent version of APA format.
Critical Elements
Project Initiation:
Feasibility
Exemplary (100%)
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates nuanced
understanding of the specific
organizational parameters of
feasibility
Proficient (90%)
Identifies the economic,
technical, and organizational
feasibility of the project and
how the project is a viable fit
within the organization
Project Initiation:
Strategic Goals
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into
project alignment with
strategic goals
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates nuanced
understanding of what is to be
accomplished
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into the
complexity of project
Explains how the project aligns
to the organization’s strategic
goals
Project Initiation: Key
Project Stakeholders
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into the
different stakeholder concerns
Identifies the concerns of key
project internal and external
stakeholders
Project Initiation:
Support
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
shows a deep understanding of
how to leverage stakeholders
for the success of a project
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
level of detail shows keen
insight into the scope and scale
of the project
Compares the level of support
from all key stakeholders to
inform the course of action of
the project
Completes the stakeholder
analysis template
Project Initiation:
Project Charter
Project Initiation:
High-Level Timeline
Project Initiation:
Stakeholder Analysis
Template
Develops a project charter that
includes a high-level scope of
what is to be accomplished and
is detailed appropriately
Creates a high-level timeline
and estimate of cost to
complete the project
Needs Improvement (70%)
Identifies the economic,
technical, and organizational
feasibility of the project, but
does not discuss how the
project is a viable fit within the
organization or is inaccurate or
cursory
Explains how the project aligns
to the organization’s strategic
goals, but explanation is
inaccurate or cursory
Develops a project charter, but
does not include a high-level
scope of what is to be
accomplished
Creates a high-level timeline
and estimate of cost to
complete the project, but
response contains inaccuracies
Identifies the concerns of key
project internal and external
stakeholders, but response
either contains inaccuracies or
is overgeneralized
Compares the level of support
from all key stakeholders, but
discussion contains gaps or
inaccuracies
Completes the stakeholder
analysis template, but template
contains inaccuracies
Not Evident (0%)
Does not identify the
economic, technical, and
organizational feasibility of the
project
Value
3.46
Does not describe how the
project aligns to the
organization’s strategic goals
4.62
Does not develop a project
charter
4.62
Does not create a high-level
timeline or estimate of cost to
complete the project
4.62
Does not identify the concerns
of key project stakeholders
3.46
Does not compare the level of
support from all key
stakeholders
3.46
Does not complete the
stakeholder analysis template
3.46
Project Planning:
Business
Requirements
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into the
business requirements
necessary for the successful
development of a project
Determines the business
requirements for the successful
development of the case study
project and justifies choices
Project Planning:
Subject Matter
Experts
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into
solicitation approaches for
subject matter experts
Project Planning:
Standard
Requirements
Template
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
provides level of detail and
organization that streamlines
project development
Establishes who will provide
the requirements and what
approach will be used to solicit
the requirements from the
subject matter experts
Categorizes and organizes the
business requirements in a
standard requirements
template
Project Planning:
Format
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into the
connection of traceability
throughout project
development
Explains why the format for
capturing requirements is
important to the overall
success of the project,
including traceability
Project Planning:
Project Schedule
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates a complex grasp
of predecessor relationships
Project Planning:
Estimate
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates nuanced
understanding of business
knowledge and resources in
project management
Translates the requirements
into a project schedule that
contains appropriate and
logical predecessor
relationships using project
management software through
the provided template
Estimates the duration of the
project tasks using common
business knowledge and
assigns resources to complete
each task
Project Planning:
Refine Estimate
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates deep
understanding of project costs
Refines estimate of the project
based on the duration of the
tasks and resources needed
Determines the business
requirements for the successful
development of the case study
project, but does not justify
choices, or determination
contains inaccuracies
Establishes who will provide
the requirements, but does not
establish what approach will be
used or selection is illogical
Does not determine the
business requirements for the
successful development of the
case study project
3.46
Does not establish who will
provide the requirements
3.46
Categorizes and organizes the
business requirements in a
standard requirements
template, but approach is
illogical or lacks detail
Explains why the format for
capturing requirements is
important to the overall
success of the project, but
response lacks traceability,
contains inaccuracies, or is
cursory
Translates the requirements
into a project schedule using
project management software
through the provided template,
but relationships are
inappropriate or illogical
Does not categorize and
organize the business
requirements in a standard
requirements template
3.46
Does not explain why the
format for capturing
requirements is important to
the overall success of the
project
3.46
Does not translate the
requirements into a project
schedule using project
management software through
the provided template
4.62
Estimates the duration of the
project tasks using common
business knowledge and
assigns resources to complete
each task, but estimation is
inaccurate or overgeneralized
Refines estimate of the project,
but estimate is inaccurate
Does not estimate the duration
of the project tasks
4.62
Does not refine estimate of the
project
4.62
Project Execution:
Implementation
Approach
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates deep
understanding of how the
selected implementation
approach supports
organizational structure
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates deep
understanding of relationship
between schedule techniques
and project execution
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into the
appropriate communication
needed to keep leadership
apprised
Determines which
implementation approach is
the best for the organization,
using examples to support
rationale
Determines an implementation
approach for the organization,
but response lacks examples
that support rationale or is
cursory
Does not determine an
implementation approach
4.62
Explains how the project
schedule can be resource
leveled, fast-tracked, or
crashed if needed based upon
execution results
Proposes communication
approaches and frequency to
keep leadership apprised of the
project execution, using
examples to support claims
Does not explain how the
project schedule can be
resource leveled, fast-tracked,
or crashed
4.62
Does not propose
communication approaches
and frequency to keep
leadership apprised
4.62
Project Control:
Change Management
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates nuanced
understanding of the change
management process
Describes a change
management process that is
the best fit for the project,
including key information
required
Does not describe a change
management process that is
the best fit for the project
4.62
Project Control: Risk
Management
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates insight into how
risk management positively
impacts project control
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
process is exceptionally
detailed
Describes the risk management
process that is the best fit for
effective project control over
the plan
Explains how issues will be
documented and what process
will be used to manage the
issue to completion, including
examples that support claims
Identifies what needs to be
done to close the project plan,
including examples to support
how to minimize the chances
of overlooking steps
Explains how the project
schedule can be resource
leveled, fast-tracked, or
crashed, but response is
inaccurate or overgeneralized
Proposes communication
approaches and frequency to
keep leadership apprised of the
project execution, but
response lacks examples that
support claims or is
inappropriate
Describes a change
management process that is
the best fit for the project, but
response lacks key information
or process contains
inaccuracies or gaps
Describes the risk management
plan, but description has gaps
or inaccuracies
Does not describe the risk
management plan
4.62
Explains how issues will be
documented and the process
to manage the issue, but
response contains inaccuracies
or is cursory
Identifies what needs to be
done to close the project plan,
but response contains
inaccuracies, is cursory, or does
not include examples
Does not explain how issues
will be documented and the
process to manage the issue
4.62
Does not identify what needs
to be done to close the project
plan
4.62
Project Execution:
Project Schedule
Project Execution:
Keep Leadership
Apprised
Project Control:
Issues
Project Closeout:
Close
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates a deep
understanding of project plan
closure
Project Closeout:
Warranty Period
Meets “Proficient” criteria, and
discussion demonstrates
nuanced understanding of the
project transition
Justifies the need for a
warranty period and process
for transitioning project to
business
Project Closeout:
Lessons-Learned
Template
Meets “Proficient” criteria and
demonstrates nuanced
understanding of using a
lessons-learned template for
continuous improvement
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented
in a professional and easy-toread format
Completes a lessons-learned
template for the project plan
Articulation of
Response
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Justifies the need for a
warranty period and process
for transitioning project to
business, but response
contains inaccuracies or is
cursory
Completes a lessons-learned
template for the project plan,
but template contains
inaccuracies
Does not justify the need for a
warranty period and process
for transitioning project to
business as usual
4.62
Does not complete a lessonslearned template
4.62
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact
readability and articulation of
main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
3.02
Total
100%
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QSO 640 Project Management