Project Scope

Discuss about the Concepts and Procedures of Project Management.

The project’s main objective is to illustrate the incorporation of concepts and procedures of project management for the concerned project with the up-gradation of the present security foundation unit of XYZ Group Ltd. The organization performs offshore marine operation and is also present in gas and oil sectors. The whole project will be administrated by the Principles of Project Management Body of Knowledge or PMBOK. One of the frequently utilized and trusted methodology of project management, PMBOK is easy to utilize and has tested and proven procedures. It consists of the best practices in regards to project management that can be applied to all types of projects. The IT foundation of the security unit, in this regard, would go through various stages of project management, and this includes planning and designing, and after that execution, and in the end, evaluation.

Objective

To update XYZ Group Ltd.’s security unit’s IT infrastructure and to make it operational within the provided time period with pre-approved conditions and requested benefits, within a SGD 28,580 budget.

Following are key deliverables of the revamp security unit of XYZ  Group of the company:

• To provide secure unit to the company.
• To enhance daily operations of the company.
• To enhance integrity and security of company’s information.

Following are key deliverables of the project:

• The revamp process will include examining the current system and installation of new software on the system.
• The installation process shall include backing up existing data.
• The status and progress reports are required to be prepared and discussions should be held in team meetings.
• All workstations will be provided with Windows Server 2012 and latest updated anti-virus software.

Following are key milestones of revamp projectare as follows:

• Finalize upgrade project plan – 1^st October 2016
• Take backup of existing data – 4^th October 2016
• Selection of hardware – 8^th October 2016
• Selection of vendor – 15^th October 2016
• Hardware installation – 20^th October 2016
• Testing of revamped network – 24^th October 2016

Following are key technical requirements of revamp project:

• The plan for data backup should be prepared before revamping the unit.
• All data should be stored at centralized server and must be accessed by authentic users only.

Following are key limits and exclusions of revamp project:

• All project hardware and software should be delivered as per the assigned deadline.
• The client should approve the resources to be used in the project.
• All deliverables should be made within the assigned budget of the project.
• All deliverables should be made within the assigned deadline of the project.
• The cost may increase if the project gets delayed but deadline cannot be extended.

XYZ group of companies

There exists a robust correlation between project management and performance, time, and the project’s cost factor. For recognizing the criteria which are to be limited or enhanced, a project matrix needs to be incorporated.

• Constraint – The constraint specifies the criteria that are to be finished within the specified descriptions, scope, and time.
• Enhance – These are the criteria which are cleared for the project, however, time and cost would enhance project value.
• Accept – These criteria dictate that even though there is a slight amount of trade-off, it will still be approved to the project duration so that scope variation and budget overflow can be reduced.

During the whole refurbishment project of XYZ Group Ltd.’s security unit, one of the critical factors is time. This is due to the fact that in case the project duration goes beyond the approved deadline, then, the organization might lose out on budget and resources. Thus, the project manager needs to comply with the project deadline. It will be achieved by permitting some contingencies within the project. But, that is not desirable. The process of installation and upgradation’s backup plans can be modified, in accordance with the requirements of the project.

Level-3 packages of the WBS are as follows:

• Requirement analysis – Study the current structure and design of the secure unit.
• Conduct feasibility study – Finalize whether project is feasible to be done.
• Finalize project plan – Create the project plan with required resources and deadline.
• Prepare deliverables – Finalize deliverables of the project.
• Finalize communication plan – Finalize communication plan for project resources.
• Prepare testing plan – finalize testing plan to test the new network.
• Finalize change management plan – Finalize change management plan to combat with new change requests in the project.
• Finalize risk management plan – Finalize risk management plan to mitigate occurring risk in the project.
• Sign-off of plan – Get the project approved by the client.
• Conduct market research – Perform market research for new design of the network.
• Prepare configuration plan – Finalize plan for configuring and installing new systems.
• Prepare bill of the material – create bill of all the hardware and systems purchased.
• Open tender – Open request for tenders from hardware vendors.
• Create the criteria for vendor selection – Finalize selection criteria for vendors.
• Finalize vendors for hardware – Select hardware vendor.
• Perform quality check on selected hardware – conduct quality conduct for the new hardware installed and configured.
• Store parts in warehouse – Store required hardware parts in warehouse of the company.
• Test each machine–Conduct testing of each machine in the new network.
• Sign-off of testing – Get approval on testing of all machines.
• Place machine on the network – Conduct testing of entire new and revamped network.
• Sign off of network testing – Get approval on network testing.

Top down estimation

Consensus was used of the project’s team members. Their consensus was based on their previous experience of other projects.

(Duncan, 1996)

(Billows, 2016)

This method helps in calculating the earned value management metrics. It provides the overall cost of the businesss value statement. Apart from that, the continengecy funds it’s contains is derived from the risk plan.

(Kerzner, 2001)

References

Billows, D. (2016). Bottom-up Estimating. 4pm.com. Retrieved 27 July 2016, from https://www.4pm.com/bottom-up-estimating/

Duncan, W. (1996). A guide to the project management body of knowledge. Sylva, NC: PMI Communications.

Hyväri, I. (2006). Project management effectiveness in project-oriented business organizations. International Journal Of Project Management, 24(3), 216-225. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijproman.2005.09.001

Introduction to Project Management: Principles, Techniques and Tools. (2013) (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://oe.ucdavis.edu/local_resources/docs/projectmanagementtraining.pdf

Kerzner, H. (2001). Project management. New York: John Wiley.