Project Performance

PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS AS THEY ARE WRITTEN BELOW. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS!! MUST BE ALL ORIGINAL WORK AND NO PLAGIARISM. There are 2 parts to this assignment!! make sure you are committed to completing this assignment before you decide to bid on it!!

Assignment 3: Project Performance

Due Week 6 and worth 230 points

Build on the project from Assignment 2.  This assignment consists of two (2) sections: 

1. MS Project Exercise 

2. Project Performance paper

You must submit both sections as separate files for the completion of this assignment. Label each file name according to the section of the assignment for which it is written. Additionally, you may create and / or assume all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.

Section 1: MS Project Exercise

Update the project schedule in MS Project to account for the following changes: 

Develop a network schedule for your project using either the arrow diagramming method or the precedence method. Also, your project schedule should illustrate float/slack for each activity.

Section 2: Project Performance Paper

Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you:

1.  Summarize your project. Note: Your summary should include, but not be limited to, the project’s key objectives, projected costs and resources, and high-level timeline. 

2. Create a responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) for your project, and justify your response.

3. Outline the network schedule for your project. Include a narrative description of your network schedule.

4. Analyze the critical path of your project, and discuss the total float in the project. Next, suggest the primary measures that you would use in order to manage the critical path and reduce the float in the project.   

5. Identify and discuss at least one (1) best practice from the PMBOK textbook for each process group that you would apply in order to manage the project schedule. Justify your response.

Your assignment must follow these formatting guidelines: 

Typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. 

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 and the reference page are not included in the required page length. 

WORK PACKAGES

1

WORK PACKAGES 1

Development of a military budget

Mary Krenisky

Professor J. Scott

BUS 419

July 30, 2018

Development of a military budget

1. Specify the main changes that you have made to the project in question. Next, analyze the key manner in which you have aligned your WBS in order to deliver the project.

The key alterations that have been made in the project schedule involve the formation of the work packages. Work packages are the small components of a work breakdown composition that assists in allocating costs and timespan to the activities. These activities are required to be accomplished in a sequential manner to achieve the required results and fulfill a work package. As this project was mainly about the creation of the military budget so it included five key work packages. These work packages are developed according to the nature of the activities that will be performed to obtain the objectives of the specified work packages. As far as the military budget is concerned, work packages developed are retirement & social benefits, audit and risk evaluation, equipment maintenance, training and development, and logistics, appraisals and rewards. These work packages are obtained from the particular activities which are assembled together.

The work breakdown structure has been aligned according to the changes that have been made in the project schedule to create work packages. Certain changes have been made in the WBS to support the work packages. For example, the duration of the activities has been revised and work packages are included in the work break down structure. Furthermore, specific ventures are classified individually for each work package.

2. Provide the costs estimate for the tasks. Note: Your estimate should include, but not be limited to, fixed and variable cost components.

There are total five work packages created on the basis of segregation of the tasks. The overall cost that is needed to complete each work package has been added in the relevant section of the work break down structure. These cost estimates have been made on the basis of the resources needed for each activity. For instance, the total costs required for the five work packages are; WP 1 = $126 (retirement and social benefits), WP 2=$118 (Audit and risk evaluation), WP 3=$121 (Equipment maintenance), WP 4= $109 (Training and development) and WP 5=$118 (logistics, appraisals and rewards). These cost estimates involve fixed and variable costs needed to complete the specified ventures.

3. Suggest the primary measures that you would use in order to successfully deliver the project.

Various measures can be used to deliver the project in a successful way. It is important to perform basic work on a project before its initiation. For instance, the stakeholders and anticipated advantages of the project should be forecasted (6 steps approach, N.D). It usually happens that when the requirements of a project are not clear, it leads towards collapse of the particular project. Therefore, I would make it important for every beneficiary to understand the needs of the project without having any ambiguity regarding the project. For this purpose, clear and open communication will be encouraged. A well determined project charter aids to the success of a project or scheme. If the extent and needs of the projects are clarified and understood well, it becomes easy for a project manager to create the schedule of the project. Moreover, the evaluation of the existing resources assists in developing the work breakdown structures and associated milestones.

Furthermore, the inspection and control done on each stage results in successful achievement of the anticipated goals. Monitoring is a conducive technique to determine the gaps and take reifying actions (6 steps approach, N.D). It ensures that everything is done as planned and thus, assists in minimizing the project costs that in opposite case are spent on additional activities. Recurrent feedback from team members help the manager to strengthen his vision regarding current project. It is significant to take care of all these measures to effectively transport a project.

References

Zilicus. (N.D). 6 steps approach to effective project management. Retrieved July 28, 2018 from

http://zilicus.com/Resources/blog-2014/6-Steps-To-Effective-Project-Management.html

WORK PACKAGES AND REVISED WORK BREAKDOWN SCHEDULE

Work Packages:

Military Budget

WP 1. Retirement & Social benefits

WP 5. Logistics, appraisals, rewards

WP 4. Training & Development

WP 3. Equipment Maintenance

WP 2. Audit & Risk Evaluation

5.1. Logistics

4.1. Training for army

3.1. Warfighting readiness

2.1. Institutional reform

1.1. Pension

5.2. National celebrations

4.2. Space network

1.2. Health

3.2. Maintenance

2.2. Internal audit

1.3. Education

5.3. Door prizes

4.3. Reinforcing submarines

3.3. Shipyard capacity

2.3. Risk management

5.4. Reinforcing op. activities

4.4. Practice exercises

3.4. Maintaining aviation depot

2.4. Aviation accident scheme

1.4. Counselling Schemes

5.5. Evaluation &rewards

4.5. Procurement

3.5. Investment in munitions

2.5. Assessing intervened areas

1.5. Child & youth Schemes

Project

Work Packages

Activities

Cost

Start date

End date

Developing the military budget

WP 1 (Retirement and Social security benefits)

Pensions

$126

1/1/2019

12/31/2019

Health

Education

Counseling Schemes

Child & Youth Schemes

WP 2 (Audit & risk evaluation)

Institutional Reform

$118

2/1/2019

12/31/2019

Internal audit

Risk management

Aviation accident avoidance scheme

Assessment of intervened areas

WP 3 (Equipment Maintenance)

Warfighting readiness

$121

2/1/2019

9/30/2019

Maintenance

Shipyard capacity

Maintenance of aviation depot

Investment in eclectic munitions

WP 4 (Training & Development)

Training for army

$109

1/2/2019

12/30/2019

Space network

Reinforcing submarines

Practice exercises

Procurement

WP 5 (Logistics, Appraisals & Rewards)

Logistics

$118

1/2/2019

12/31/2019

National celebrations

Door prizes

Reinforcing operational activities

Performance evaluation & rewards

Revised Work breakdown Structure