Expert answer:Need business and finance help with Assignment 3:
Answer & Explanation:Assignment 3: Execution, Control, and ClosureNote: Please use the project from Assignments 1 and 2 to complete this assignment.(included as attachment)Assignment 2, you have created a project plan / network by way of Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). It is now the time to turn your attention to execution and control. The term “control” refers to monitoring the project allowing for assessing the progress and preparing the status report at any desirable interval / time.Write an eight to ten (8-10) page paper in which you:Determine the major project milestones and the required delivery dates. Analyze why each milestone is critical to the project.Document the main assumptions and exclusions (taken from scope statement), dependencies, risks, and any other major issues of the project. Select the top-three (3) important risks of the project, and suggest approaches to address those risks. Hint: mitigation, avoidance, acceptance or transfer.Explain the techniques of reducing project duration, and determine if any is applicable to your project. If so, expand on the technique to be used. If not, explain as to why no technique is applicable.Define the control process and describe the control steps. Be sure to expand on the description of Baseline Plan and Measuring the Progress and Performance using an Earned Value (EV) system.Describe Cost Variance and Schedule Variance. Then, assume that your project is at the half-way point, time-wise. Assuming that you have your baseline budget (PV) in hand, imagine or make up the Actual Cost (AC), and based on the available information, assess the project status with regard to cost and schedule.Explain the project closure process, and describe the major considerations for closing your project, smoothly.Use at least three (3) quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar Websites do not qualify as quality resources.Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.Include a reference page. Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.a1_project_proposal.docxa2_project_initiation_and_planning.docx
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a2_project_initiation_and_planning.docx
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Assignment 1: PROJECT PROPOSAL
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Project Proposal: Demonstrating The Essence Of Bus Drivers For Gwinnett County,
Georgia Schools
Introduction
In Gwinnett County, Georgia, the problem of school drivers has become a thorn in the
flesh. In more instances than one, children get to miss school or even get late due to the fact that
they do not have the right people to pick them. Again, there has been a generally bad
appreciation of these jobs on the part of the residents of the county. (Gary & Larson, 2014) As a
result, the aim of this proposal is to promote the importance of bust drivers need for Gwinnett
County, Georgia so that they can help ferry pupils and students to school within the county.
I. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
Getting bus drivers in Gwinnett County, Georgia over the past one decade especially for
schools has been a major issue contend with. Drivers on the other hand are not properly
remunerated for the arduous task that they undertake to pick up kids at their places of residence
very early in the morning and getting them back home in the evening. With this being the case,
there is no doubt that there ought to be change of heart and perception. People need to start
appreciating bus drivers in the county and that can only be done through proper remuneration
packages and better working conditions. (Gary & Larson, 2014)
II. OBJECTIVES
A. Development objectives
PROJECT PROPOSAL
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This project aims to attain a myriad of aims or objectives both in the short term and in the
long term. However, the main objective here is to promote the importance of bus drivers needed
for Gwinnett County, Georgia so as to enable proper travel for school going children.
Secondly, the project, if implemented to the letter will lead to the generation of $2
million a span of 2 years thereby spurring the economy of the county. When this is the case,
drivers will get employment and improve the quality of their lives and those of their loved ones.
(Gary & Larson, 2014)
B. Immediate objectives
In the event of the implementation of this project, it is expected that many schools in the
county will start understanding the essence of drivers and the roles they play. This will make
sure that children are in school at the right time and they don’t have to miss breakfast all in the
name of trying to catch the next bus. (Gary & Larson, 2014)
III. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN
A. Expected project results (Deliverables)
The implementation of the proposed project is expected to yield a myriad of results. First
of all, the kids will be getting to school on time. This means that they will not be wasting a lot of
time waiting for buses at the bus stop or within their residential estates. When that is the case, the
kids are bound to become more successful in their studies.
Secondly, the kids will be able to obtain more rest for school. When kids are in a relaxed
mood knowing that their transport issues have been sorted, they can concentrate on their school
work. Ideally, they do not have to worry about waking up too early. Moreover, they know the
PROJECT PROPOSAL
3
times when they will be picked up so their minds can be switched to the actual ideals of the
school calendar and schedule. (Gary & Larson, 2014)
Thirdly, it is also good to appreciate the drivers’ pay and benefits from these jobs. When
drivers are tasked with the job of picking up kids and getting them back home in the evening,
they are active employment. As a result, they are paid for the job that they do. The money they
get goes ahead to improve the quality of their lives and those of their families and other loved
ones. This will be a great revelation to the communities living in Gwinnett County, Georgia.
B. Milestones
In order to attain the deliverables noted above, there ought to be a proper analysis of the
milestones that will have to be attained. In a project time plan format, the project will start with
surveying and gathering information on why there have not been as many applicants for these
driver jobs in recent years. This process is expected to take 6 months. (Gary & Larson, 2014)
Secondly, it is important to make sure that a plan is in place from information gathering
to promoting the job itself. Planning is an important phase of any project management scenario
and therefore enough time has to be allocated to it. In this regard, it is typically a 1 year schedule.
Thirdly, there is the need to ensure the hiring process is effective. This calls for more
hands on with the applicants in this process. This will take 1 year and 6 months of the project
implementation schedule. (Gary & Larson, 2014)
Lastly, increasing job placement rates and increasing awareness of the driver jobs is
expected to take 2 years.
C. Technical Requirements
PROJECT PROPOSAL
•
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The essence of this project is to make sure that kids don’t miss breakfast and the
first period in class.
•
Kids do not have to be at the bus stop too early. In any case, it is too dark for kids
to be out there by themselves at such wee hours of the morning.
•
In the eventual implementation of this project, drivers will be more appreciated.
They will get the correct pay and benefits for being outstanding in the jobs they
undertake. (Peterson et al., 2004)
D. Limits and Exclusions
Some of the limits and exclusions that will be applied in the course of this project are;
•
Driving record
•
Kids missing buses but not getting to schools
•
Current drivers being overworked and being underpaid
•
Knowledge of testing information for Commercial Driver’s License Program
(Peterson et al., 2004)
IV. REVIEWS AND CUSTOMER
Gwinnett County, Georgia Public Schools Board of Education is tasked with the
responsibility of ensuring that all kids are at school at the right time. Provision of timely
transport matters a lot in this regard. There is need that this project is implemented as soon as
possible. (Peterson et al., 2004)
PROJECT PROPOSAL
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CONCLUSION
Promoting the essence of bus drivers for Gwinnett County, Georgia will serve as the first
major milestone in making sure that all school bus drivers are more appreciated for the work that
they do. By so doing, they will be able to dedicate a lot of their efforts to working hard in order
to make sure that kids are in school at the right time. This works for the common good of the
community.
PROJECT PROPOSAL
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References
Gray, C., & Larson, E. (2014). Project management: The managerial process (6th ed.). Boston,
MA: McGraw-Hill.
Peterson, D. L., Silsbee, D. G., & Schmoldt, D. L. (2004). A case study of resources
management planning with multiple objectives and projects.Environmental
Management, 18(5), 729-742.
PROJECT INITIATION AND PLANNING
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Project Initiation and Planning
In order for the Gwinnett County, Georgia school bus driver project to succeed, there is
need for it to have a charter. The charter ideally announces that the project in context has started
and goes to ensure that the project gets off to the right start. Of course, that happens with proper
and dedicated management support that is aligned with the organizational objectives. A project
charter serves a myriad of functions. However, the main ones include authorizing the project,
announcing the project has commenced, demonstrating management support, setting out the right
management expectations regarding the project and spelling out the scope and nature of the work
that will be undertaken in the course of the project.
This Gwinnett County, GA bus driver program can only be a success if there is a charter
well in place. Contrary to doing so, the project is poised to drift and become rather aimless in due
course. When the charter is in place, the project and its manager have authority. The project
manager can make major decisions that impact the project so as to make sure that it best meets
the desired outcomes. The project manager knows what is best for the project with regards to
delivering it on time, on budget and up to the desired quality standards. When a charter is in the
picture, all these elements are attainable (Lewis, 2005).
It is also important to note that a charter features a written demonstration of support from
management for the project. That being the case, it is possible to carry on with the project
knowing that the owners of the project appreciate it and want it to go on. Again, the act of
creating a charter is in itself an act of showing management support for the project at hand. With
that right kind of backing, the project is most definitely poised to succeed (Gray, C., & Larson,
E. 2014).
PROJECT PLANNING AND INITIATION
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A charter also gives clear expectations for the project outcomes. When there are no clear
goals in place, it is highly unlikely that project outcomes will be attained. The charter for the
project will act to force senior managers to spell out the project aims and objectives and their
expectations at the end of the entire project. When that is the case, the project can go on
uninterrupted until the said expectations that had been set initially are achieved (Hayes, 2000).
It is also vital to note that a charter clearly shows the scope and nature of the project. The
charter largely helps in setting out the nature of the project and the work that will be undertaken
all through the project. A charter is formal and thus reduces any chances of projects growing in
scope without proper control. The charter spells out the main aspects of the project that are to be
handled in due course thereby ensuring that the project staff stick to those requirements (Hayes,
2000).
Most importantly, a charter helps in making sure that projects don’t set of on directions
that are not aligned with proper organizational objectives. A charter contains an important
segment that is referred to as the Business Case. The Business Case is a clear real-life depiction
of how the project will work with regards to meeting organizational objectives. When that is the
case, the project can be carried out in the right direction and to serve the right purpose (Hayes,
2000).
In the case of the Gwinnett County, GA school bus driver project, there are four major
components that will be of great essence. These are project definition, project objectives, project
scope and project schedule (Hayes, 2000).
Project definition: Definition of the business need that the project is addressing. It
should give reasons as to why the stakeholders want the bus driver project to be
PROJECT PLANNING AND INITIATION
instituted in Gwinnett County, GA and what the project will be aimed at (Gray, C., &
Larson, E. 2014).
Project objectives: These are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound
(SMART). These should reflect stakeholder expectations regarding how the Gwinnett
County bus driver project will be addressing a business need (Gray, C., & Larson, E.
2014).
Project scope: This states that work that will be done in the course of the bus driver
awareness project. It should outline the items which will affect the accomplishment of
the project objectives at the end of the process (Gray, C., & Larson, E. 2014).
Project schedule: The schedule for the bus driver project will reference the start dates
and end dates of the project together with the main activities that will be undertaken in
that regard. The project manager will be relying on this schedule at all times in order to
make sure that the project does not run out of time (Gray, C., & Larson, E. 2014).
Regarding the issue of stakeholders for the Gwinnett County, GA school bus driver
project, there are a number of major stakeholders. These are ideally the people or groups of
people that are in some way affected by the project in essence. They include the program
developers, participating teachers, the governing boards of the schools in Gwinnett County, the
school administrators, parents, the unemployed bus drivers, the project funders among a number
of others.
The program developers are the people or organizations that are directly linked with the
project at hand. They are the ones who are responsible for creating awareness on the importance
of school bus drivers in the Gwinnett County and pushing through the propositions for the
3
PROJECT PLANNING AND INITIATION
4
project. This is the group of stakeholders that can also be referred to as the project initiators.
Their attitude towards the project is positive (Cleland & Ireland, 2009).
The participating teachers also come into the picture. In order for the school bus driver
project to succeed, some teachers have to be involved. Teachers are responsible for making sure
that children are in class safe and sound and studying at the right time. However, only a selected
few will be linked to the project at hand so as to save on time and avoid too much conflicting
interests. The attitude towards the project is neutral (Cleland & Ireland, 2009).
The governing boards of the schools in Gwinnett County also feature predominantly in
this list of project stakeholders. They are stakeholders in the project by virtue of the fact that they
govern the schools where the drivers will be carrying children to and from. It is up to them to
figure out whether or not the schools that they govern require hiring new drivers or they are
already well sorted in that regard (Cleland & Ireland, 2009).
The school administrators are also stakeholders in the Gwinnett County project. These
include the school principals/head teachers and their deputies together with the heads of
departments. Since the project in context in this regard directly impacts on the operations of the
schools, they can either choose to support it or not. It all depends on the essence that they see in
the project. Therefore, their attitude towards the project is generally neutral (Cleland & Ireland,
2009).
The parents are the other major stakeholders in this project. They are the direct contacts
of the children who will be ferried by the said bus drivers if the project comes to be. Parents
want their children to be at school at the right time and not have to miss breakfast in the name of
PROJECT PLANNING AND INITIATION
5
trying to catch the next bus. They need this project like yesterday and therefore their attitude
towards it is largely positive (Cleland & Ireland, 2009).
The unemployed bus drivers are also the other major category of stakeholders in the
Gwinnett County project. These are the people who will be employed when the project is
commenced. There are many drivers out there in Gwinnett County who are seeking employment.
Probably the school bus driver project will be a great revelation and opportunity for them to
finally change their lives for the better (Cleland & Ireland, 2009).
Last but not least, the project funders are also major stakeholders in the bus driver
project. They are responsible for proving the necessary funds that are required in order to ensure
that the project is a success. Since they give the money, which is pivotal element in the project,
they would want to see the money being put into some meaningful use throughout the project.
Whether it is in terms of training drivers or creating awareness for the project, funds are to be
used in the right avenues so that the project is a success at the end of the day. Since they are
funding the project, their attitude towards the project is positive. They are funding the project
due to the fact that they know it is worthwhile to do so (Cleland & Ireland, 2009).
The following is a Work Breakdown Structure for the bus driver Gwinnett County
project. It represents the core aspects of the project that will be undertaken in due course in
order to make sure that the project is a success in the end. There is a need to understand that this
Work Breakdown Structure is not a final output but constant reviews will be integrated in order
to make is thorough and more effective for use in the project that is just about to be commenced.
PROJECT PLANNING AND INITIATION
6
Gwinnett County
Bus Driver Project
Project Proposal
Drafting project
Proposal
Presenting
Project
Proposal to
Management
for Approval
Initiation and planning
Implementation
Definition of
project
Buying school
buses
Definition of
project scope and
nature of work
Employing bus
drivers
Stakeholder
analysis and
integration/engag
ement
Carrying
maintenance
and repairs on
the buses
Project plan and
Work Breakdown
Structure
Assessing
the project
periodically
Review
Track
project
successes
and
failures
over time
PROJECT PLANNING AND INITIATION
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In order for the work breakdown structure above to hold water in the context of the Gwinnett
County, GA bus driver project, there is need to have a reliable project plan or network (Tate,
2007). The network shows the integral part of the project at hand and how various tasks in the
project intertwine in order to yield the final result.
Conclusion
In order to make sure that the Gwinnett County, GA project is carried out in the most
effective manner, there is need to ensure that all the components in this section are put into
consideration. There also comes the need to carry out proper planning prior to the initiation of
the project. Most importantly, all stakeholders have to be made part and parcel of the project.
Recent research has shown that regular stakeholder involvements in projects bring in a high
chance of approval or acceptance when the project is finally completed and submitted. By
sticking to the core objectives of the projects, it is also highly likely that the project will be well
received in the end.
PROJECT PLANNING AND INITIATION
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References
Cleland, D. I., & Ireland, L. R. (2009). Project management: strategic design and
implementation (Vol. 4). Singapore: McGraw-Hill.
Gray, C., & Larson, E. (2014). Project management: The managerial process (6th ed.). Boston,
MA: McGraw-Hill.
Hayes, D. S. (2000, March). Evaluation and application of a project charter template to improve
the project planning process. Project Management Institute.
Lewis, J. P. (2005). Project Planning, Scheduling & Control, 4E. McGraw-Hill Pub. Co..
Tate, A. (2007). Generating project networks. In Proceedings of the 5th international joint
conference on Artificial intelligence-Volume 2 (pp. 888-893). Morgan Kaufmann
Publishers Inc.
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