Task 1 — Case Study — Project Work
Case Study
You can choose one of the following case studies to complete your assignments or you may wish to discuss another option with your Assessor. The templates for the document will be provided by your trainer.
Formal Dinner Party
You and your business partner own a catering company. You have been employed to cater for a formal dinner party for 10 people in the client's home as a special New Year's Eve celebration.
No expense will be spared. You will be cooking an elaborate 6 course meal including appetizers and a palate refresher between entree and dessert. There will be a cheese course and fine wines will be chosen to match each course.
You are responsible for the entire event including food, drink, wait staff and entertainment. You may even need to hire some table ware and accessories to make the occasion really special.
Overseas Holiday
You have recently joined a boutique travel agency and, along with another new person, you have been asked to put together a small group trip overseas for Skiing in the USA.
It will be a small guided group, with 1 guide and 12 participants (no children).
The expected duration is 3 weeks.
The idea is to make it a premium experience with no expense spared.
This is the first time your company has offered skiing trips to the USA so you will need to research and contract suppliers.
Small Kitchen Renovation
You and your business partner own a kitchen renovation company. You have been contracted by a client to renovate their kitchen, it is very old and needs to be gutted and refitted.
Your client has a budget of $30,000 including appliances.
You will need to provide alternate cooking facilities for the client whilst the renovation in underway.
For all of the above Case Studies consider yourself the Project Manager.
Part 1: Define the Project
1. As part of your initial assessment of this project, you prepare a project scope plan using the template in Appendix A.
2. List any questions that will enabled you to clarify the project parameters (e.g.: scope, time, costs, quality, resourcing, risks, legislation, procurement, reporting).
3. Provide an organisational/project structure chart including all stakeholders and the lines of authority.
Part 2: Develop a Project Plan
1. You need to consult with the project team when planning the project. List 4 aspects on which you would consult the project team including who you would consult.
2. What legislation will you need to be aware of when undertaking the project? Give two examples.
3. You must now create a project plan (a schedule, budget and risks) — a template is provided in Appendix B. In addition you need to provide:
• work breakdown structure
• a Gantt chart (there are many free Gantt chart tools on the Internet or this may be hand drawn)
• The roles and responsibilities of the Project team.
4. Explain how you would obtain approval of your project plan and from whom.
Part 3: Administering and Monitoring the Project
1. To maintain and improve the progress of the project all stakeholders must be aware of their responsibilities and the tasks assigned to them. Discuss how you will ensure that this occurs.
2. List two concerns of the project team in this phase of the proiect and your plans to address these concerns. One concern should be with respect to achieving timelines and the other with respect to achieving quality.
3. To reduce the risk of the project going overtime or over budget due to unforseen problems you design the project control processes.
These are processes - you need to include the relevant stakeholders, what they need to do at each step and when as well as required record keeping for managing/executing the project (to make sure the project goes to the plan) — approx. three or four lines per dot point for:
• scope
• time
• finances resources (human and non-human)
• Quality — or use the Quality template in Appendix C.
• Risks.
4. Provide an example Status Report to keep your stakeholders informed of the project progress. Use the Status Report template provided in Appendix C.
Part 4: Finalising and Reviewing the Project
1. What financial documentation do you need to complete? What financial records will be important to archive?
2. The human resources division has requested that you explain the process you will use to reassign your human resources now that the project is complete.
3. Explain how you will obtain client/stakeholder acceptance that the project is complete.
4. Create a project checklist that allows you to verify the actual project outcomes achieved against the outcomes as stated in the project scope and project plan. Fill this out — would your project be considered successful?
5. You have decided to try and involve the project team members in the project review process.
• Who should be involved?
• What input might they be able to provide?
• How will you involve them?
6. What lessons you have learnt during the course of this project? Identify four key lessons and suggest how you would change your approach to your next project. Use the Lessons Learnt Log provided in Appendix D.
Task 2 — Project Work Review and Progress Report
For a current project (which may be in your workplace, simulated or anther student's project), develop a progress report.
The report should include:
1. Report Date
2. Overall Status
3. Project Summary
4. Key Issues
5. Identified Risks
6. Tasks and Next Steps
7. Decisions Needed
8. Key Future Dates
9. Budgeted Cost
10. Spend to Date