OVERVIEW
For the past several years, the sponsor has had an entrepreneurial vision but faced roadblocks due to challenges presented by the space’s ecology as well as lacking ability to independently complete a construction project. The delay has resulted in the sponsor’s lack of motivation to continue crafting the business plan and overwhelming sentiment towards the whole endeavor. The purpose of the project is to aid the sponsor in carrying out the logistics necessary to create appropriate conditions for his intended use of the property. The project will integrate efficient project management strategy, a skilled team of specialists, superior equipment, and cutting-edge science to bring health back to the terrain and establish state-of-the-art infrastructure.
The 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project has been created to restore a site for environmental education and cultivating community. While the project’s scope is restricted to nourishing the land and building the outlined infrastructure, it is going to produce a long-lasting result because the type of deliverables provide ongoing environmental education, as well as goods and services to the public. The costs associated with the successful design and implementation of the land management and construction will be recovered from the anticipated sponsor’s business.
OBJECTIVES
The following business objectives are in direct support of our corporate strategic plan to mitigate the effects of global climate change and provide construction for small businesses:
Accumulate scientific research sufficient to create a land restoration plan within 5 months
Complete the restoration plan within 6 months
Complete all construction within 18 months
Project Description
The 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project will provide a land restoration plan and building infrastructure to the sponsor. The 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project will begin to regenerate and restore a plot of land in order to prevent continued forest overgrowth, improve conditions for having a diversified garden, and construct the necessary infrastructure for the sponsor to fulfill his business plan. The 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project will use state-of-the-art equipment in order to ensure sustainable, quality results are achieved. The functional department managers will inform the sponsor about details needed to upkeep the physical structures and continue conduction of the land restoration plan without interruption.
Success Criteria
The objectives which mutually support the milestones and deliverables for this project have been identified. In order to achieve success on the 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project, the following objectives must be met within the designated time and budget allocations:
Hire all needed staffing within 20 days
Complete land management research plan within 50 days
Complete construction blueprint within 50 days
Order all needed land restoration tools within 80 days
Order all needed construction materials and tools within 80 days
Complete all construction aligned with the blueprint within 18 months
Requirements
Creation of land restoration plan
Completion of all tasks outlined in the initial year of the land restoration plan
Construction of all infrastructure outlined in the construction blueprint
Transfer execution of land restoration plan to a steady-state of operation
Constraints
All resources must align with the original contents contained in the approved permits
All resources must be purchased in accordance with the allocated budget and timeline
Assumptions
The following are a list of assumptions. Upon agreement and signature of this document, all parties acknowledge that these assumptions are true and correct:
This project has the full support of the project sponsor, stakeholders, and all departments
The project’s purpose will be communicated across the company prior to deployment
The functional department managers will provide additional resources if necessary
Risks
The following risks for the 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project have been identified. The project manager will determine and employ the necessary risk mitigation/avoidance strategies as appropriate to minimize the likelihood of these risks:
Interpersonal conflicts amongst functional managers
Equipment outlined in the plan are unavailable or received resources don’t function
Safety hazards that lead to worker accidents and injuries
SCOPE STATEMENT
The 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project will include the preparation of a plot of land for the sponsor’s entrepreneurial vision. The scope entails conducting ecological research, creating a land restoration plan, executing the initial stages of the land restoration plan, designing the construction blueprint, and completing all construction. All personnel, equipment, and construction material resources will be managed by the project team. All project funding will be managed by the project manager up to and including the allocated amounts in this document. Any additional funding requires approval from the project sponsor. Furthermore, the project’s termination involves a transition process that releases the project’s completion to a steady-state operation. This project will conclude when the final report is submitted within 30 days after the thorough land restoration plan is formulated, tasks outlined in the initial section of the land restoration plan are complete, and all infrastructure outlined in the construction blueprint is built. Tasks outside the project scope include developing the garden, acquiring the brewery equipment, designing and setting up the disc golf course, installing electricity and plumbing, opening the trail system, marketing services to generate visitation from the public, conducting events, holding environmental education sessions, and continuing to carry out the land restoration plan.
Project Deliverables
The following deliverables must be met upon the successful completion of the 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project. Any changes to deliverables must be approved by the project sponsor:
Creation of land restoration plan
Completion of all tasks outlined in the initial year of the land restoration plan
Construction of all infrastructure outlined in the construction blueprint
Work Breakdown Structure
93 Indian Paintbrush Lane Project
Hire Functional Managers and Respective Staffing
Services from outsourced groups determined
Contractual agreements signed
Description of project team finalized
Hold Joint Meetings with Sponsor and Managers to Discuss Sponsor Preferences
Sponsor meetings scheduled
Sponsor meetings conducted
Pre-Construction description of the sponsor’s detailed preferences finalized
Create Construction Blueprint
Draft of construction blueprint created
Draft of construction blueprint revised
Draft of blueprint finalized
Sponsor approval of blueprint received
Sponsor blueprint review and comments submitted
Construction blueprint edited
Construction blueprint finalized
Obtain permits for construction
Acquire the city/county’s approval of permit packs
City/county permit packs created
City/county permit packs revised
City/county permit packs finalized
City/county permit packs submitted
City/county permit packs approved
Prepare Land Management Research Plan
Internal draft of land management research plan created
Internal draft of land management research plan revised
Land management research plan finalized
Gather tools needed for construction and land management
Prepare list of required tools
Tool list prepared
Tool list circulated for review
Tool list finalized
Obtain required tools
Tools already owned by outsourced staffing determined
Tool suppliers contacted
Tool orders placed
Tool orders received
Gather materials needed for construction
Prepare list of required materials
Material list prepared
Material list circulated for review
Material list finalized
Obtain required materials
Materials already owned by outsourced staffing determined
Material suppliers contacted
Material orders placed
Material orders received
Complete Land Management Research
Meet goals of land management research plan
Land management research goals identified
Land management research conducted
Land management research goals achieved
Prepare Land Restoration Plan
Insight gained from research applicable to the land restoration plan identified
Draft of the land restoration plan created
Draft of the land restoration plan revised
Draft of land restoration plan finalized
Conduct construction according to blueprints and permits
Prepare functional managers for blueprint execution
Expectations set
Specific recommendations on how to facilitate success outlined
Initial questions answered
Readiness of functional managers to begin project execution confirmed
Prepare construction staff members for blueprint execution
Project orientation for staff members completed
Loopholes in staff member understanding of tasks addressed
Readiness of staff members to begin project execution confirmed
Store tools and materials at site
Tools and materials separated by task and sorted
Spot at site to store tools and materials designated
Transportation of tools and materials scheduled
Transportation of tools and materials completed
Construct elements of the blueprint
Foundation installed
Extra design characteristics of blueprint added
Infrastructure construction completed
Implement land restoration plan
Initial actions to control forested area taken
Initial action to nourish soil of the farming area taken
Trail system created
Instructions about how to fulfill the rest of the restoration plan communicated
Milestone Schedule
The project Summary Milestone Schedule is presented below. As requirements are more clearly defined this schedule may be modified. Any changes will be communicated through project status meetings by the project manager.
This project follows the minimum slack first rule which orders activities by the amount of slack in the project schedule devoting resources to the tasks with the least amount of slack first. Its benefits focus on quality as it reduces schedule slippage. Further, it is known for having minimum total system occupancy time which helps keep matters simple and efficient. Particularly, it is the rule most soundly using facilities which is important considering facilities to store the tools and materials for construction and land management are a component of the project that may only be available for a limited amount of the project’s duration.
PERSONNEL
Mary Friedman is named Project Manager for the duration of the 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project. Ms. Friedman is authorized to approve all budget expenditures up to the allocated budget. Ms. Friedman may use Contingency Management Reserve funds to authorize changes to the project’s budget not to exceed 10% of any line item’s (Work Breakdown Structure Element-WBS) budget. Additionally, Ms. Friedman may change or extend any line item’s (WBS element) duration by 10%. However, the project’s overall budget baseline (Budget at Completion) and the project’s complete date may not be changed without the approval of the Project Sponsor.
Ms. Friedman’s responsibility is to manage all project tasks, scheduling, and communication regarding the project. Her team consists of functional departments including construction, solar installation and ecology. Ms. Friedman will coordinate all resource requirements through all of the department managers from the following respective outsourced companies: Custom Craft Contracting LLC, Gehrlicher Solar AG, and Clear Water Environmental Consultants.
Summary Budget
The following table contains a summary budget based on the planned cost components and estimated costs required for successful completion of the project.
RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN
The purpose of the risk management plan is to describe how uncertainty is going to be managed specifically in terms of the risks outlined on page 6 of this project plan.
Firstly, understanding sources of conflict enables Ms. Friedman to be proactive and enjoy the art of resolution. The project plan also entails the Budget Separated by Outsourced Teams on page 13 to manage risk of conflict due to the individualized goals of functional managers interfering with the overall project goal. Detailing how the budget is separated by departments ahead of time allows for each functional manager to know the amount of budget he or she is able to spend on each respective section of the project. Also, understanding needs of all, keeping communication lines open across the project’s lifecycle, and fulfilling expectations are safe strategies to minimize conflict. Additionally, Ms. Friedman is committed to using principled negotiation. Principled negotiation is a negotiation that aims to achieve a win-win results. The conflicting stakeholders to a project are not enemies or competitors, but rather allies— members of an alliance with strong common interests. It is a requirement of all conflicting parties to seek solutions to the conflict that not only satisfy their own individual needs but also satisfy the needs of other parties, as well as the needs of the parent organization. Principled negotiation is defined by four points. It separates the people from the problem. It focuses on interests, not positions. Before trying to reach agreement, the PM invents options for mutual gain. It also insists on using objective criteria. Rather than bargaining on positions, attention should be given to finding standards that can be used to determine the quality of a certain outcome.
Secondly, in the case equipment outlined in the plan are unavailable or received resources do not function, the protocol will be to reach out to local suppliers. That said, when the functional managers are contacting suppliers to order the equipment, they are required to research and verify the legitimacy of a back-up contact for every material and tool being requested. The prepared list of materials and tools, mentioned in the Work Breakdown Structure, is required to include a back-up contact for every material and tool being requested.
All staff of every functional manager’s team is required to have worker’s liability insurance to protect them in the case of accidents and injuries. Proof of insurance must be shown and approved by the Ms. Friedman before the point of hiring all staff. Also, as part of preparing the construction as well as land management research and restoration staff, the functional managers must explain procedures to keep their teams safe. Then, the functional managers must require their team members to pass a safe practices understanding test before using the materials and tools ordered for the project.
EVALUATION METHODS
Ms. Friedman will conduct weekly evaluations with each functional manager. Frequent, brief evaluations are better in establishing control.
In general, team meetings encourage collaboration, a sense of belonging and identity, help coordinate interdependent work, and from the employee’s perspective, are a good opportunity to break up the routine of the day. As long as they are executed efficiently, regular meetings solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans of action. Frequent correspondence allows for multiple intelligences to be combined which harnesses strengths of the entire team. It enables team members to provide the Ms Friedman with feedbacks which allows adjustments by both parties to be made at various stages. When a Ms. Friedman frequently devotes time to team members, it shows them that their boss cares deeply about the project’s progress and their potential. Frequent, brief evaluations also encourage proper conflict management techniques to be implemented because issues are concisely acknowledged soon after they arise and also are not dwelled upon. It gives the opportunity for team members to ask questions about how to execute tasks which leads to more quality deliverables. It also holds team members accountable to keep up with their schedules in terms of updating audit databases. Crucially, frequent, brief evaluations allow for more accomplishments to be recognized. The comprehensive acknowledgement of minor successes enables more positive reinforcement to happen which motivates team members to do well. Lastly, corresponding in person guarantees team members are receiving information that would otherwise be communicated in writing. The clear exchange of dialogue that happens at frequent, brief meetings may be worth convening often. Having frequent, brief evaluations leads to key takeaways being absorbed by team members on a regular basis. It is more effective because team members can focus on implementing a small amount of feedback at a time as opposed to feeling overwhelmed trying to fix a lot at once.
Ms. Friedman will also provide weekly updates to the Project Sponsor to indicate the specific step of the Work Breakdown Structure currently being implemented.
Termination Provisions
Ms. Friedman is responsible for creating a water fall list of tasks that would come to an end as the project was being completed. The purpose is for it to indicate who on the project would no longer be needed before the project was finished since the tasks are finished and workers on the tasks are no longer needed. Ms. Friedman is required to be up front with the workers who would be out of work which includes telling them when in the future they will no longer be needed. From there, it is expected Ms. Friedman uses her contacts, including the functional managers, to find new work for them to reduce their anxiety of project/task completion.
Additionally, as indicated in the detailed schedule, instructions on how to fulfill the rest of the restoration plan must be communicated to the project sponsor to assure achievement of the project’s overall purpose. The project sponsor must declare the project’s official termination.
PROCEDURE FOR SCHEDULE AND COST MONITORING
Ms. Friedman will evaluate progress throughout the project using Earned Value measurement techniques. It is Ms. Friedman’s responsibility to lead operations to a standard resulting in the Planned Value (the predicted total cost at the project’s completion) equating to the Actual Cost (the total amount spent at the project’s completion) unless approval of a change request has been granted by the project sponsor.
In order to do so, she is required to measure whether the project is behind or ahead of schedule as well as whether the project is above or below budget by comparing the Scheduled Value (the planned value at a given time) to the Actual Cost and Actual Time in her calculations at each milestone of the project. She is required to calculate Schedule Variance, Cost Variance and Time Variance at each milestone. Then, as she respectively calculates the Schedule Performance Index and Cost Performance Index, her answers will reveal exactly how far away each milestone is from appropriately being achieved according to the Detailed Schedule and Detailed Budget of the project plan. The Critical Ratio will allow her to holistically evaluate the project’s conduction, taking both progress in schedule and budget into account. From there, she will determine the Percent Spent (amount already spent out of the total budget), the Estimate to Complete (the amount of costs left to go), and the Percent Complete (amount already completed out of the total amount of time available) at each milestone of the project. She will also determine the Forecasted Cost at Completion (the projected amount the project will cost at the end) at each milestone of the project. Ms. Friedman is required to report to the project sponsor at the time each project milestone is scheduled to be completed to show him her calculations and discuss any adjustments she is planning to make. During her consultations with the project sponsor, as well as over the course of her own calculations, she should use the following tracking tools in the project plan that are necessary to monitor the project’s success:
Project Approval
Success for the 93 Indian Paintbrush Lane project will be achieved when the outlined infrastructure is completely built according to the blueprint. Additionally, the outcome must include a plan of restoration action needed to regenerate the plot of land to be used as a thriving garden area as well as manage the forest area’s overgrowth and guide its future succession.
Project Sponsor, Mr. Leroy Jenkins, will authorize completion of the project.
Approved by the Project Sponsor:
Date:
Mr. Leroy Jenkins
Approved by the Project Manager:
Date:
Ms. Mary Friedman
Approved by the Functional Manager of Custom Craft Contracting LLC:
Date:
Mr. Jon Pedal
Approved by the Functional Manager of Gehrlicher Solar AG:
Date:
Ms. Ellery Gate
Approved by the Functional Manager of Clear Water Environmental Consultants:
Date:
Mr. Steffan Holmes