African American First
Robinson and Family 2021 Jamaican Vacation
Toya Robinson
Project Management
MSPH 565 01 Online
Professor Segave
February 16, 2021
Table of Contents
PROJECT SCOPE & CHARTER
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
SCOPE MANAGEMENT PLAN
WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
PROJECT SCHEDULE
PROJECT BUDGET
COMMUNICATION PLAN
CHANGE CONTROL
RISK REGISTER & RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN
CHALLENGES FACED
RECOMMENDATIONS
REFERENCES
Project management is a skill that can be used in everyday life. In the textbook, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, PMBOK Guide (2017), Project Management is defined as “the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements”. The text goes on to say, “Project Management is accomplished through the appropriate application and integration of the project management processes identified for the project” (PMBOK Guide, 2017). Whether it is to manage the running of a household, starting up a new business, or planning a major event having an understanding of Project Management can provide the steps needed to successfully meet the end goal.
The PMBOK shares five phases a project must pass through which include initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, controlling, and closing. Some of the steps that are referred to as knowledge areas in the PMBOK found to be helpful for project management include creating a scope/ charter plan, project and scope management plan, work breakdown structure (WBS), and the project schedule and budget. There are a few additional steps that will be discussed in this paper. As I progress through this paper, I will share how I used the steps outlined in the PMBOK to plan a family vacation.
Project Scope & Charter
The project scope is an essential part of the planning that goes into the start of a project. The scope is used to determine some of the specifics of the project. The project goals, cost, tasks, deadlines, and deliverables are identified in the project scope. The scope acts as a detailed outline of all aspects of the scope and serves as the navigator for the project. The scope leads the way of showing the progress made within the project, ultimately showing the success of the plan. While creating my project scope I considered all the factors that would be important in planning a family vacation. I established that the vacation destination would be Jamaica in 2021after having a conversation with the sponsors and the rest of the team. I made a list of all the details needed to plan, book and execute this family vacation. Some of those details included designating the travel dates and confirming them with my family members, reserving the rooms at the resort and booking the flights, Confirming the reservations, and monitoring for travel advisories due to COVID19. My scope also included Post-Event Feedback in which my family and I would meet on a designated date after the trip to discuss the success of the trip. The information used at the post-event would be beneficial in planning future family vacations. The details of the scope were essential as it was to be presented to the sponsors, specifically my mother and mother-in-law who trusted me to do the planning but wanted to know the specifics.
The project charter is the document that is used to describe the project from beginning to end. The charter document can be short and includes objectives, how the objectives will be carried out, and who the stakeholders are. The charter is essential as it is used throughout each phase of the project. The charter includes the vision of the project along with the implementation of the plan to reach the end goal. The scope and the charter differ in the sense that the charter documents the existence of the project while the scope includes specifics of the project. Both forms are beneficial as they serve as the navigator for the project. One challenge of the scope and charter is that it cannot account for issues that may arise that were not part of the plan. There is no way to account for all the what-ifs within a project. Parts of the vacation planning called for backup plans. Having a backup plan, in the end, proved to be beneficial. Keeping a sense of flexibility was key in this phase of planning. The sponsors, team and understood that things don't always go as planned and that may be a time we would need to regroup and make a few changes. During the planning process, one of my struggles was trying to consider all the what-ifs which caused a delay in my decision making. The sponsors were great at keeping me accountable and helping to avoid delays.
Project Management Plan
The project management plan lays out how the different aspects of the project will be executed. The form serves as a central point of information for all parties including the sponsors, project manager, and team members. This form is used to explain how the project will be seen through until the end with all parts of the plan is properly executed, monitored, and controlled from start to finish. The project management plan includes the scope, charter, requirements of the management plan, and scope baseline. A benefit of this form is that it can be used by any member of the team as a source of communication and to specify different stages in the project’s progress.
Scope Management Plan
The scope management plan is used to provide a sense of guidance on how the task identified on the scope will be carried out. This document includes the measures that are in place for the project to have a successful end. The scope management plan can be considered an outline detailing the processes required to reach the expected end. In creating the scope management plan for my family vacation, I identified the major steps needed to plan the vacation. Those steps included planning, booking, vacation execution, and post-family feedback. Those steps were then broken down into smaller steps. When we started the vacation planning, we had to consider looking into flights, confirming the participants, making a checklist, and confirming a plan for meals. When booking we had to reserve our destination, book the flights, confirm shuttles and reserve the excursions. The execution of the vacation included confirming our reservations, monitoring for any issues related to COVID 19, and finally meeting for departure. Our post-vacation feedback was scheduled to take place in time for Thanksgiving dinner, the next time we would all be together as a family after the vacation.
Work Breakdown Structure
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a way to break down the steps of the project in order of importance or hierarchy. The WBS is used to show the work the team will complete meeting the objectives and deliverables. The WBS requires a multiple-step approach as many steps will need to be broken down into smaller steps to be managed. The WBS specifies exactly what the team is working on making the project plan concrete. Breaking the task down into smaller tasks helps to better manage time, risk, and cost. When I created the WBS for the family vacation there were smaller steps I missed. Had I broken many of the steps down I would have been able to see problem areas that could have used more attention.
Project Schedule
The project plan and the project schedule are two entirely different documents that can be easily confused. Though they are used for different purposes, together they increase the chance of a successful end. The project plan is an extensive document that outlines all aspects of the plan. The plan includes the budget, goals, risks, scope, and many other areas essential to the plan itself. Using a project plan can help to track the progress being made. The plan also serves as a means of communicating with the team members and making sure everyone is on the same page regarding the project.
The project schedule is used to identify the dates and order for the items listed on the plan. The schedule includes start and end dates and can serve as a checklist to track progress. The schedule can be used to keep the team on target so that they don’t fall behind in the goals of the plan. Although both documents are essential, they serve different purposes. There are alike in the sense that having both documents help to form an outline and timeline of the project which helps to keep the project progressing. An article dated 2021 stated, “in project management, both Project Plans and Project Schedules are critical documents for a project’s success. (Castle, 2021)”.
Project Budget
The project budget is a vital part of project management. The budget determines the direction of the project and what the project will entail. This family vacation was initially funded by the sponsors who happened to be my mother and mother in-law. Their contribution was $6000. Since none of us knew exactly how much the trip would cost my husband and I agreed that we would use our vacation fund, which was an additional $6000 to take care of any cost outside of the initial amount from our sponsors. The sponsors were also in agreement that any cost incurred after their $6000 would be covered by an alternate vacation fund.
To start an estimated budget/cost analysis was created. I went through and estimated what we thought different aspects of the trip would cost. We knew the process could fluctuate depending on when we booked. At the time prices were pretty steady and affordable as many people were not traveling due to COVID19. Once we were ready to book, we did see an increase in the cost of flights and the resort stay which may have been attributed to increased travel as COVID rates decreased. Another increase was made in the amount set aside for souvenirs as the kids thought they would need more money to purchase small items for their friends. The estimated budget was around $9000 and the actual budget with all increases was $11,025. We were able to fall in line with our budget and have a small amount left to begin saving for the next vacation.
Communication Plan
The communication management plan serves as documentation of the communication needs within a project. The PMBOK describes the communication plan as "a component of the project management plan that describes how project communication will be planned, structured, implemented and monitored for effectiveness” (PMBOK Guide, 2017, p. 377). The plan can help to identify how important information will be shared with the parties involved. The communication plan contains information regarding who will receive information about the project, how the information will be relayed, and when the information will be shared. The plan promotes success within the project by clearly outlining the project goals and expectations of team members.
Some benefits of the communication plan are, it helps to keep the project on track. It also serves as a way to keep open communication with all team members. A challenge I found with using the communication plan is effective and timely communication with team members. As the lead in many areas of planning, I often forget to update the members. The lack of communication can lead to issues within the team and a lack of accountability for the team leader. Scheduling periodic team meetings for updates may be one way to be sure all team members receive essential information regarding the project. Some of the things I had to take into account when creating the project scheduled included the team member's availability, how often updates would be shared and what method of communication we would use. The sponsors agreed with holding the meeting in person and over zoom depending on availability.
Change Control
The change control is used whenever there will be changes made to the scope, schedule, or budget. This is a great way to communicate anticipated changes or changes that the team did not see coming. Fortunately, there were not a lot of changes in regard to the family vacation. The change control was completed to specify the changes in the amount for the flights, resort stay, and souvenirs. Since there was already a plan in place the sponsors had no concerns and all changes were approved.
Risk Register & Risk Management Plan
The Risk Register & Risk Management Plan are used to document the issues that may arise and cause a hindrance to the project. In this form, the potential issues are identified, and the risk is measured. Once the potential risk is identified and measured the impact the issue will have on the project is formed along with the exposure abs the plan. COVID 19 was the lingering issue we had to monitor while planning this family vacation. As a family, we knew that we needed to keep ourselves healthy so we could enjoy the trip. Our plan to decrease the chances of being exposed to COVID included quarantining whenever possible, wearing masks while out, keeping a safe distance, and getting tested frequently. Travel restrictions were the other issue. We all closely monitored the news as much as we could up to the day before travel to be sure the restriction had been put in place. Had either of these risks occurred we were ready and willing to make the necessary changes.
Challenges Faced
I have experienced many challenges during this project. I did not put enough time and thought into the initial phases of this plan. I was quick to make move and complete steps not realizing more thought would have revealed additional steps I had left out. This can cause a delay and a need to backtrack potentially affecting the time allotted for a certain task. Delegating tasks to team members was hard for me. I will admit I think there are times I feel like it's just easier to do it myself. An article dated in 2013T stated, “If you can delegate properly it is not quicker to do the thing yourself” (Project Management and the Art of Delegation, 2013). Tam leaders have to understand the team member's strengths when delegating tasks. Attempting to complete all the tasks without delegating can lead to the team leader feeling overwhelmed, ultimately increasing stress associated with the project plan. My lesson in this is, it's ok to ask for help and to allow others to assist. The plan is a learning experience for all involved and should be treated as such. Communication was another area I need to improve in. It was easy for me to just keep moving through the planning process without updating the team members. As a leader, I believe you do the team a disservice by not keeping them informed whether they see a need for the information or not. There is also a sense of accountability for the team leader when the communication plan is utilized. Regularly scheduled meeting with the team to provide updates is a way to overcome this challenge.
Recommendations
My recommendations for successful project management include Rely on the team so you are not easily overwhelmed. There is so much to do and accomplish it's easy to get overwhelmed. Figure out the strengths of your team members and delegate accordingly. Another recommendation is to understand the risk. In the planning of any significant event, there is always a risk that something will fall through or not end up the way you had imagined. Once you understand the risk you can be prepared for the upset and have a plan. My last recommendation is to have a backup plan. It's impossible to plan for all the unexpected but you can have a plan in place if needed so you are not caught off guard and left wondering what your next move should be.
To conclude, Project management is a skill that can be utilized in many different life areas. It is an intense process that requires skill, thought, time, patience, and a team. Taking on the role of the project manager is no easy task. Carefully completing the steps listed in the PMBOK can increase the chances of a successful end to what is being planned. The steps or phases help you to be thorough in thinking, processing, planning, and execution ultimately leading to successful project end. Going forward, the skills I have learned while planning this family vacation I will be of great use in future endeavors and business opportunities.
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