Final Project/Paper – Project Approval

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Instructions

Please review the assignment requirements for the Project Management Final Project/paper. This is located in the Course Home area, titled TM402/502 Final Project. After carefully reading through the document, complete this discussion. If you’re having trouble deciding on an organization (or division/unit within an organization) that you want to use for this assignment, then you need to contact me as soon as possible.

Project Management Final Project Approval

1. Compose a carefully written proposal that includes the following information. This must be written as a proposal (sentences, grammar, paragraphs), not bullet points.

• Describe the organization (or department within) that you’ll be using for this assignment. Include information about the company/department and what you will be focusing on – be specific. For example, if the company you will be using is large, such as Boeing, do not state that you are going to focus on a project for Boeing; but instead, select a project relevant to a specific division or department within Boeing. If it is a small company, such as a small book store, than just using the company is sufficient.
• The reason this organization interests you.
• Why your project is relevant to the company/division. For example, are there problems, issues, or changes that need to be addressed?
• List at least three possible hurdles/obstacles you think you might encounter as you complete this assignment and what you can do to mitigate them. We will go into risks/mitigation in more detail with a future assignment.
• Include at least two references that you plan to use for your project. These must be formatted in the correct APA format.

2. You must respond to at least two (2) other student postings. Your response must add to their information, offer suggestions or ideas, or include additional sources they may want to use in their research.

**NOTE: Please do not wait until Sunday night to post your initial response for #1 above. Otherwise, everyone will be on their computer at 11:30pm Sunday night waiting for people to post their proposal so they post their response. Plus, the purpose of this assignment is to receive feedback from others. If you turn in your initial posting late Sunday night, you will probably not receive any feedback.

Good luck!

TM 402

/502

Technology Project Management: Final Project/Paper

Project management is an essential skill in today’s business world. “Today’s project

manager has more of an understanding of technology than a command of technology, but

has an excellent knowledge of the business” (Kerzner, 2014, p. 114). Additionally,

organizations are faced with increasing pressure to complete more complex business and

technical projects with smaller budgets and within shorter time frames (Thamhain, 2005).

Professionals need a method to align all projects with the strategic plan of their organization to ensure their success. While students may not pursue a career as a project manager, all of you will at some time be involved in a project. This may be as the project leader, a project team member, or as a business expert collaborating on the initial plan, execution, or review process.

This assignment is designed to provide you with experience in applying project management concepts through designing, planning, and executing a small project. This project integrates information from different courses from your Technology Management program, business electives, and general education required courses. The final project will result in a high-level project overview and will demonstrate your understanding of the concepts and methodologies necessary for a project’s success.

Project Management software is not required to complete this assignment; however, if you are familiar with the software or would like to try it out, feel free to incorporate some of the activities into your paper (e.g. Gantt chart). The computer labs in Sill Hall contain Microsoft Project Management software or you can download the free Open Source Project Management software.

This project is broken down into the five-phase project lifecycle based on A Guide to the Project Management Institute’s Body of Knowledge (PMBOK): Initiate, Plan, Executing, Controlling, and Closing(Project Management Institute [PMI], 2015).Because this is a class assignment with limited time and resources, the project you choose must be small; do not select enterprise-wide projects.

Please select a project that you would like to study for your project. This can be based on your existing company (you may change the name), a past company, oar company that you would like to start. You will need to have my approval for the organization that you choose. This feedback is particularly helpful to ensure that your project is small, focused, and achievable. If you need assistance selecting a project, please let me know. Each of you works in a different industry, thus your projects will be varied in concept as well as complexity. Examples of past projects include: building a small structure, designing a new online game, designing and implementing a website, selecting/implementing a new technology product/feature for the organization/division, order signing/implementing a new product/ invention.

When you consider your project, it is important to keep in mind a project’s unique characteristics:

•A project has a unique set of activities• A project has a specific goal

• A project has to be completed by a specified date

• A project has to have some standard of quality

• A project requires a sequence of activities(Lientz & Rea, 2011)

Project Milestones

Project Approval Assignment:

This assignment is a written proposal outlining your project. You will receive feedback from fellow students as well as the instructor.

Phase1: Initiate-Project Charter

This phase is to identify the project, identify ahigh-level overview of the project, and gather the commitment required to get it started.Phase2:Planning–Scope, Time, Resources This phase is to devise and maintain a schedule of tasks and resources needed to fulfill the business need the project will address.Phase3:Executing-Scheduling and Estimating/Work Breakdown Structure This process identifies a method for coordinating the people and resources needed to execute the project tasks. Phase 4: Controlling-Risk Assessment/Mitigation, Communication. This process ensures the project objectives are met by monitoring and measuring the progress of the project. Also, addressing risks and unexpected hurdles in a timely manner is necessary for the project’s success. Phase 5: Closing-Status Reporting/Closing, Lessons Learned, Best Practices When the project is complete and all deliverables met, the closing phase formalizes the completion of the project. Final Paper: The final paper will consist of a complete and well-written document that includes only the five phases listed above. You will be expected to make the needed corrections/additions to the different assignments based on your own research or any feedback you received.