Assessment Overview:
This is an individual task. Students will be required to create a project plan (PMP) that involves, but not limited to, analysis of a real project, either current or recently completed project in a domain that they are interested in from a work situation or from their personal life. The project duration must be at least 6 months and the PMP must incorporate the different aspects of the project knowledge areas. The project choice must meet the definition of a project. The chosen project must not be used or submitted to any previous subject.
Examples include planning for an advertising campaign, development and installation of a new piece of equipment, development of a new system, installation of network, etc.
1.0 Introduction
The project management process is always critical for the organization when it comes to a new advertising campaign. This new project plan revolved around the new advertisement process for a new beverage. Different components of the project management plan, including work, breakdown structure, schedule, communication, and risk management will be discussed in this comprehensive plan.
2.0 Executive Summary of Project Charter
2.1 Project & Purpose
The company management is looking to initiate a six-month advertising project for a new product, which has been recently developed. The main stakeholders of this project or campaign are the project owner (company), marketing manager, creative designers, senior leadership, and the whole marketing team. This project aims to design a unique or differentiated campaign, which can enhance the visibility of attraction and positioning in the competitive landscape (2020projectmanagement.com, 2020).
2.2 Objectives
The objective of this advertising campaign is to enhance the positioning and image, and ultimately increase sales by 20%. The project aims to improve the brand image in the competitive market
The project aims to identify customer needs and streamline these needs in the competitive landscape
2.3 Budget & Timeline
The budget for the project is $50,000. The project’s duration is almost six months, and different activities will be completed in six months.
2.4 Constraints/Assumptions
The appropriate project assumption is that all activities or this advertising campaign are to be done or completed within the budget. With time, there is a possibility that the cost or budget of the project can be increased due to any change in scope or trend.
3.0 Scope Management
The scope of the project seems high, as the whole marketing department will be involved in this particular project. After the development and testing of the project, the company is expecting a significant increase in sales through this comprehensive advertising campaign.
3.1 Work Break down Structure
In this comprehensive work breakdown structure, the main activities of this advertising project are project initiation, control, planning, execution, and completion. Each main event contains sub-heading or activity. Roles and responsibilities have been defined by the project manager for all project stakeholders, as these activities are to be done within time accordingly (Simon Sez IT, 2016).
3.2 Deployment Plan
This project involves deploying the advertising campaign on different media channels, including traditional and social digital. Both conventional and digital media approaches are to be used to run the ad and attract customers. Of course, the company management will assess the visibility of the audience on both traditional and social media channels, and accordingly, utilize time and activities. It is all about deployment or creative work on these media channels for the target audience (Harris, 2007).
3.3 Change Control Management
The change control management is always in the limelight, as it supports project management when it comes to any change in the project process. For instance, it is to mention that the project team has to assess or analyze the actions of competitors in the competitive market. Thus, the company may decide to make some changes in the campaign in controlling, planning, and execution phase. The project team can control the difference by revisiting the project scope and vision. The most important thing for this advertising project team is to create urgency, as it can help to make all key stakeholders prepare for any possible change (Harris, 2007).
4.0 Schedule/Time Management
4.1 Millstones
| Milestones | Estimated Completion Timeframe |
| Hiring creative designers and writers and shaping an innovative team to come up with reliable and unique content for the new campaign | This millstone will be completed after one month of the project approval |
| Before the project’s execution, a kickoff meeting is to be held, as roles and responsibilities are to be redefined or revised by the project management. | This millstone is to be done within one week after the controlling phase of the project. |
| The management of the project must decide what resources, including internal and external, are required to shape the campaign for a new beverage. | During the planning process, the project team will achieve this milestone within one week. |
| Finally, the delivery or release date of the campaigns is to be decided. It seems a critical millstone, which must be achieved early. | The estimated completion timeframe for this millstone is one week, as is also to be done in the planning phase. |
4.2 Project Schedule
The project schedule is to be demonstrated or portrayed through the Gantt chart. Depending on the duration of each activity, the schedule is to be depicted through a Gantt chart (Young, 2007).
| Tasks | Start Date | End Date | Duration |
| Strategy Pre-Work | 01-Jun-20 | 15-Jun-20 | 15 |
| Focused Brief | 16-Jun-20 | 30-Jun-20 | 15 |
| Creative Expectations | 01-Jul-20 | 31-Jul-20 | 31 |
| Tissue Session | 01-Aug-20 | 31-Aug-20 | 31 |
| Creative Meeting | 01-Sep-20 | 15-Sep-20 | 15 |
| Ad Testing | 16-Sep-20 | 16-Oct-20 | 30 |
| Feedback Memo | 17-Oct-20 | 20-Oct-20 | 4 |
| Production | 21-Oct-20 | 05-Nov-20 | 16 |
| Gain Approval | 06-Nov-20 | 10-Nov-20 | 5 |
| Post Production | 11-Nov-20 | 30-Nov-20 | 20 |
4.3 Dependencies
There are some dependencies regarding the project schedule. The project schedule contains several internal and external dependencies. The internal dependency of this particular project is the project team, as different stakeholders in the project team will have to complete these activities within the time. On the other hand, external dependencies are vendors and external stakeholders who are part of this comprehensive campaign.
5.0 Cost and Budget Management
Four main phases trigger the cost management plan of the project. These four main phases are resource planning, cost estimating, cost budgeting, and cost control. As mentioned, the project’s adequate budget is $50,000m, as the project’s cost can either increase or decrease due to any possible changes. In the resource planning, the company management will decide how it can acquire this financial resource. Of course, the project team will be using the financial reserves of the company.
On the other hand, a bank loan is a crucial option with a minor interest rate. In the cost estimating, the project team will be calculating the value of each activity. It is to mention that the project team has to divide an adequate budget for all critical activities for this advertising project. Finally, cost control is to be done by creating some key measures. The most important thing is to reduce the cost of the project by bringing efficiency in all activities. These cost measures can be changed with time due to any change in budget and schedule planning (Kosztyán & Szalkai, 2020).
6.0 Quality Management
For this particular project, the most important thing is to develop a detailed quality management plan. It is a fact that this quality management plan can be applied to all critical activities of the project. According to PMBOK, the quality management plan is associated with three main phases. These three phases are inputs, tools, techniques, and outputs. In the input phase, the company has to define the quality and set several goals and objectives in the project charter. Of course, environmental factors and organizational processes or functions are to be considered as inputs. In the second phase, the company has to decide what techniques and tools it can adopt to improve or maintain the quality. For instance, appropriate tools and methods are data gathering, expert judgment, data analysis, decision making, data representation, test and inspection planning, and meeting. Finally, this advertisement project team will be able to have quality outcomes in the form of a quality management plan, quality metrics, plan updates, and document updates. For this project, the most important thing for the project team is to stick to the requirements for each activity. The project manager will not tolerate anything out of scope, as it can jeopardize the whole project. The agile method has been included in this particular project plan, as continuous improvement is always mandatory to be relevant in the competitive market. In each phase and activity, quality audits and pertinent inspections are to be done to keep the standards or quality in the loop and deliver the project according to expectations (Harris, 2007).
7.0 Human Resource Management
The first step in the human resource plan of the project is to hire the right people at the right time. After hiring the right talent at the right time, the project manager has to define roles and responsibilities. For each activity, a comprehensive training and development program for team members is to be conducted. This training and development plan will help to improve skills and competencies. After training and development, staffing occurs, as the project manager has to allocate the right talent at the right place. The human resource management plan is also triggered by performance appraisal and reward planning. In short, performance will be appreciated to offer promotions and rewards (Hielkema, 2012).
8.0 Communication Management
The project communication matrix will be presented to depict the communication plan. The communication matrix is based on information, receiver, time of communication, method of communication, and sender (Monitoring and Controlling the Project, 2009). The communication matrix is as below.
8.1 Communication Matrix
| Information | Receiver | Time of communication | Method of communication | Sender |
| Documents | Project Teams | As required | Project Manager | |
| Project Status Report | Project Manager | Monthly | Phone/Meetings | Project Team |
| Team Status changes | Stakeholders | As required | Phone/Meetings/Email | Project Manager |
| Work Progress | Project Manager | Monthly | Meeting, Email | Designers, staff |
| Request for Review | Project Manager, Owner, Sponsor | As required | Meeting, Phone Calls, Emails | Staff |
9.0 Risk Management
9.1 Risk Log
| Risk Index | Risk Description | Impact | Likelihood | Risk Response | Risk Response Action |
| 1 | Increasing Cost of Project | High | High | Mitigate | This risk can make the whole propjet quite vulnerable. Now, the best strategy for the company is to keep efficiency measures in a loop and train all critical stakeholders in this regard. |
| 2 | Change in Scope | High | High | Transfer | The change in scope can also hit the whole project. The best mitigation strategy is to keep the project activities flexible to make some changes accordingly. |
| 3 | Changes in market trends | High | Moderate | Mitigate | The change in the market trend is possible, which can create an impact on the advertisement. Marketing research is an appropriate option to get things in favor. |
| 4 | Change in budget | High | Low | Accept | The change in the budget can be an increase or decrease. Thus, it is a part of the game, and the project manager has to accept it by keeping reserves for these kinds of uncertainties. |
| 5 | Staff Resistance | Low | Low | Accept | Training and development, as mentioned in the human resource plan, is the best mitigation strategy for this particular risk. |
10.0 Issue Management
10.1 Issue Log
| No | Issue Title | Owner | Severity | Priority | Status |
| 1 | Data access | Project Manager | High | High | New |
| 2 | Equipment | Creative Designer | High | Urgent | New |
| 3 | Promotion | Project Owner | Medium | High | New |
11.0 Procurement Management
The best thing that project management can do to improve procurement management is to build a sustainable relationship with suppliers and vendors. The most important thing is to expand the network and use incredible analytical skills to make remarkable procurement decisions (Walker & Rowlinson, 2007).
12.0 Compliance Related Planning
In compliance-related planning, the best way for the project manager is to use the organization’s code of conduct. A Code of conduct or code of ethics can become a relevant source for the project manager and all other stakeholders to depict favorable and ethical practices. It seems like a simple compliance related planning. But, in this particular advertisement project, the company or project team must integrate with local business regulations and advertising ethics. Fair competition in the advertisement process is only to be allowed to remain sustainable in the competitive market (Saladis & Kerzner, 2011).
13.0 Conclusion
In the end, it is to presume that project management always depends on a comprehensive plan to gain the success to achieve expected outcomes. In this new advertisement project, the project team aimed to make its millstones and deliverables. A work breaks down structure, project schedule, communication, and risk metrics are designed for this project. Nonetheless, these tools or methods are not so certain for project management, as any changes can be made to be relevant due to changes in the scope and budget or cost. An attractive and well-constructed advertisement is needed in the end, as it is the primary project outcome. Thus, every stakeholder should play his role to make this happen within a limited time or even before time.
14.0 References
2020projectmanagement.com, 2020. The Project Management Plan (PMP). [Online] Available at: https://2020projectmanagement.com/resources/project-planning/the-project-management-plan-pmp [Accessed 1 June 2020].
Harris, P.E., 2007. Planning and Control Using Microsoft Project and PMBOK Guide: Updated for Microsoft Office Project 2007. Eastwood Harris Pty Ltd.
Hielkema, L.M., 2012. HR Strategic Project Management SPOMP: Implementing Organizational Change: Five Strategies to Seduce and Influence Stakeholders and Boost Your Career. eBookIt.com.
Kosztyán, Z.T. & Szalkai, I., 2020. Multimode resource-constrained project scheduling in flexible projects. Journal of Global Optimization, 76(1), pp.211-41.
Monitoring and Controlling the Project, 2009. The Communications Matrix a Valuable Project Management Tool. [Online] Available at: https://www.brighthubpm.com/monitoring-projects/33854-using-the-communications-management-matrix-as-a-tool/ [Accessed 1 June 2020].
Saladis, F.P. & Kerzner, H., 2011. Bringing the PMBOK Guide to Life: A Companion for the Practicing Project Manager. John Wiley & Sons.
Simon Sez IT, 2016. How to Use Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) in Microsoft Project 2016 – Part 1. [Online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n52iwvuWs7Y [Accessed 1 June 2020].
Walker, D. & Rowlinson, S., 2007. Procurement Systems: A Cross-Industry Project Management Perspective. Routledge.
Young, T.L., 2007. The Handbook of Project Management: A Practical Guide to Effective Policies, Techniques and Processes. Kogan Page Publishers.
