THE WOOLONG COMPANY: PROJECT MANAGEMENT

                                   

QUESTION 1

            Project stakeholders are organizations, individuals, or group of persons, that has the potential of affecting, or be affected by the activities, decisions, or outcomes of a project. In most cases, they are directly engaged or have various interests which might be impacted negatively or positively by the outcomes of the project (Lester, 2006). 

QUESTION 2

            A project sponsor is basically an individual or group of individuals who provides resources as well as supporting the realization of the goals of the entire project. These individuals can either be internal or external to the enterprise (Binder & Ebrary, 2007). 

QUESTION 3

Leadership – In the project management industry, leadership is perceived to the modern buzzword which aid in directing the others as well as delivering the project in time.

Team management- other than leading the project team from the strategic point of view, it is vital to manage them from an operational perspective. It is this skill that will enable them to excel in coordinating project team through delegation of duties, goal setting, promoting work, evaluating performance, and resolving conflicts (Kerzner, 2009). 

Negotiations – for the project manager, proper communication will have to take into consideration negotiating the utilization of resources, project scope creep, schedules, budgets, as well as other issues that are ultimately unavoidable.

Communication – the project managers should have the potential of using his or her communication skills to enables the project team to understand the goals to be met. Likewise, he or she should ensure that the project stakeholders have understood how the project deliverables are to be met (Harrison & Lock, 2004). 

QUESTION 4

1. Sponsors – whether internal or external, to the project, sponsors takes the responsibility of supplying resources which in return enables the realization of the project goals.
2. Customer and users – These individuals take the responsibility of approving and managing the product and the services they offer to them. As the name suggests, users are individuals or organization that uses such a product (Westland, 2006). 
3. Sellers – these are external organization or individuals who enter into the contractual agreement aimed at facilitating the supply of resources required by the project.
4. Business partners – this are basically external business organizations who partners with the project management authority for the purpose of supporting, advising, and solving problems that might arise (McGhee & McAliney, P2007). 

QUESTION 5

            During the project lifecycle, proper communication is perceived to be the crux of relationship establishment. Therefore, the effective communication by the project manager is a key to improving the execution of each task. Therefore, the project manager will have to engage with workers, stakeholders, sponsors, customers, and the project owner (Pratt, 2010). 

QUESTION 6

            One of the most important information that ought to be shared between the project management team and the stakeholders is the purpose, drivers, and the goals of the scheme. As much as project management is concerned, it is obvious that stakeholders always desire to see a clear picture of the entire scheme. It is therefore important to let the stakeholders informed about all that will transpire during the project lifecycle (Newton, 2007). 

QUESTION7

            One of the means that can be used will entail having a concise communication plan. This is to imply that in the process of developing an effective communication plan, it becomes easier for the stakeholders to understand how and when each task will start and its completion time. On the other hand, it will be possible for them to understand the amount of resources (project drivers) required, as well as the means to be used to achieve its goals (Pratt, 2010). 

            Another mechanism is the continued sharing of information at each phase of the project. This is to imply that in the process of providing details concerning what encouraged the project, it will enable the project manager to ensure that the stakeholders have understood the significance of such a project. Likewise, awareness creation is also a better strategy for creating a better connection between the project’s outcomes or goals (Lock, 2007). 

QUESTION 8

            Communication is regarded as being a vehicle for enhancing the success of the phases of the entire project. As a result of that, the project manager should ensure that he or she has shared information with stakeholders at every phase of the project. Equally, whenever changes or issues arise as the project continues, the project management team should inform the stakeholders and the employees the steps to be taken.

QUESTION 9

            As much as project management is concerned, unsuccessful communication is one of the contributors of its failure. As a result of that, it results to negative consequences to the success of the project at least half the time. Therefore, to counter the effect of this, it is paramount for the project team manager to take the responsibility of ensuring that they have practiced active listening, maintained a manageable project teams, utilize more and more interactive communication, and have regular project meetings.

QUESTION 10

            Texting or short message services (SMS). The reason for selecting this type of technology is because the selection of a particular project communication technology is one of the critical decisions which ought to be driven by the requirements of the entire scheme or project.  The reason for that is because it is the one that can aid in facilitating efficient execution duties through assuring accurate and timely communication amongst project teams.

QUESTION 11

            There are a number of ethical issues that can be violated during the launching and execution of duties of such a project. In most cases, the magnitude of such a scheme is what determines the number of opportunities available for individuals to compromise the ethics with the objective of bringing the project in on budget and in time. Thus, when project management authority and stakeholders end up turning a blind eye to some questionable activities, communication becomes a legal or ethical issue.

QUESTION 12

            One of the proven means for managing project risks during its execution involves the use of risk planning. This strategy is important because it assists in identifying potential problems which might trouble the project. The same mechanism can be used for the purpose of facilitating analyzing how such risks are likely to occur, the action/s to be taken to prevent them, and so on.  On the other hand, to take the advantage of the opportunities acknowledged, it is crucial for the project management team to enhance effective communication, increase the efficiency of accomplishing tasks as scheduled, and effective facilitation (McGhee & McAliney, P2007). 

QUESTION 13

            Since risks are always born as the project starts to the end, it is vital for the project management authority to ensure that they have been updated at each phase of the project. It is important to come up with a risk assessment plan, which will aid in analyzing any risks that might evolve later as the project continues (Russell, 2007).          

QUESTION 14

            Once the scheme is completed, one of the opportunities created is the need of reviewing project documents so as to ensure that they are up-to-date. Likewise, the project information that the project manager will be gathering during this phase will assist in reflecting the final product’s characteristics and the specifications.  After the ascertaining that documentation of the project outcomes has been done, it becomes possible to seek customers or stakeholders’ formal acceptance (Westland, 2006). 

QUESTION 15

            Once the project has been accomplished, one of its potential financial impacts will entail determining whether the project was delivered on budget. Ideally, stakeholders always desire that such a project is accomplished on a timely basis so as to avoid making loses (Kerzner, 2009). 

QUESTION 16

            Once the scheme is completed, there are various things that are anticipated to be accomplished. One of them is the accomplishment of all the tasks on a timely basis and on budget. Another one is the improvement of the product quality which in return makes the stakeholders to feel contented that their funds were wisely invested (Lock, 2007).           

QUESTION 17

            Organizational results are perceived to be outcomes arising from operational and project processes. Therefore, in case the project is managed properly, it increases the chances of improving the quality of the final product; enhance the strategies used in lowering expenses, as well as increase stakeholders contentment about the project (Binder & Ebrary, 2007). 

QUESTION 18

            When a product is finished as required, it means that it have the ability of meeting the desires of the final consumers as well as the stakeholders’ expectation. On the contrary, in case the final product is of low quality, it means that stakeholders will not be contented with the capabilities of the project manager. The customers will also not approve using the products of such an organization. In return, such a scenario will deny the organization the chances of receiving other projects (Lester, 2006). 

 

                                                           

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            Reference

Binder, J., & Ebrary, Inc. (2007). Global project management: Communication, collaboration and management across borders. Aldershot, England: Gower.

Harrison, F. L., & Lock, D. (2004). Advanced project management: A structured approach. Aldershot, England: Gower.

Kerzner, H. (2009). Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.

Lester, A. (2006). Project management, planning and control. Oxford : Butterworth-Heinemann

Lock, D. (2007). The essentials of project management. Burlington, VT: Ashgate Pub.

McGhee, P., & McAliney, P. (2007). Painless project management: A step-by-step guide for planning, executing, and managing projects. Hoboken, N.J: John Wiley & Sons.

Newton, R. (2007). Project management, step by step: How to plan and manage a highly successful project. Harlow: Pearson Prentice Hall Business.

Pratt, D. (2010). Pragmatic Project Management: Five Scalable Steps to Success. Oakland: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated.

Russell, L. (2007). 10 steps to successful project management. Alexandria, Va: American Society for Training and Development.

Westland, J. (2006). The project management life cycle: A complete step-by-step methodology for initiating, planning, executing & closing a project successfully. London: Kogan Page.