Project Motorcycles - Business Plan Example

Project Motorcycles Tony Webb Pamela Payne BUS 375- Project Management February 28th Table of Contents Scope of the project 3 Project management plan 3 Staff required 4 Team-building strategies 5 Role of the project manager 6 Characteristics of an effective project manager 6 Importance of identifying critical path 7 Elements of the Work Breakdown Structure 7 Elements of Pricing and costing strategy 7 References 8 Appendix 9 Scope of the project The scope of this project can be identified in the underlying objective behind the same. The project caters to include hybrid engine systems in middle weight motorcycles in order to manufacture and produce eco-friendly products (Moore, 2007). The scope of this project lies in the fact that the world is facing new sorts of threats as a result of technological advancements. The threat of global warming is an alarming example. The project has been designed with a resolution that aims to reduce the amount of environmental pollution by designing exhaust pipes of bikes with zero-level carbon dioxide emission. The technological advancements being made, in the contemporary world, concern the environment hugely. It is at this time that the company finds the challenge of adaptation worth taking, precisely because of the fact that the society is inclined to opt for a process of appreciating and purchasing products, which does not pose any threat to the environment (Kemp, 2005). Moreover, this segment of motorcycle production is a promising one that has been showing a gradual development, over the past few years. Thus, bringing upon new changes will certainly prove to be beneficial for the company. Additionally, the changes would also prove beneficial from the perspective of users as inclusion of three cylinders within the engine of the motorcycle would make it fuel efficient, thereby significantly minimizing the fuel consumption cost. Project management plan The activities and operations to be included within the project will be thoroughly followed and implemented, so as to make sure that each and every activity associated with the project are completed in a successful manner without any lags. A strong quality control framework will serve as a good foundation, based upon which the project will be conducted. A quality management team will be appointed, who will be primarily responsible for ensuring that the project assignments comply with the set framework and will also scrutinize the outcomes of those assignments for meeting the set standard (Kleijnen, et al., 2011; Evans & Lindsay, 2011). The underlying reason behind establishing the quality control framework is to secure that customers receive full value for their money. That is only possible if the designed products satisfy all needs and requirements (Brennan & Shah, 2000). The project management plan also involves a risk management strategy, which has been formulated so as to mitigate any probable barriers that might escalate, during the project life cycle. Considering a project that is of such scale and magnitude and that involving a very rigorous and complex design, will always be susceptible to contingent risks, which might seriously affect the overall outcome of the project. The strategy identifies any probable risks associated with the project and outlines alternative plans, which can be applied in order to tackle such challenges. Planned meeting is an effective risk management tool, which has been deemed appropriate for this particular project. The meeting will involve detailed discussion regarding efficiency of risk management strategies and the fundamental agenda behind the meeting will be to extract feedback from each and every member associated with the project. A robust framework for communication will be established in order to make sure pertinent information is being shared between the top level management and project team members. This is a method adopted by an organization in order to ensure the fact that organizational objectives are completely aligned with that of the project team members. Additionally, an efficient communication management strategy will also help team members to bring the project to its conclusion within the specific deadline as well as the allotted budget. Staff required Designation Responsibility Skills required Number of staffs Project manager Lead project team and report status Project Management 1 Team lead Activity supervision and assessment Project management experience 2 Core team comprising highly skilled and qualified engineers and technicians Review deliverables, product assembling and manufacturing Technical expertise 20 (10 in each team) Quality management team Review quality of work done and match with set standards Specific to role description 5 Risk management and supervision team Assess risk and scrutinize performance Specific to role description 5 Review Team Conduct post-project activities, such as, gathering feedback. Project Management 10 Team-building strategies Set realistic goals: This is a very vital part of a project. Many companies have been witnessed to have failed just because they could not clarify the goal distinctively enough. There should be no room for deviation, while working towards the goals. Realistic deadlines have to be set for each and every goal and it is the duty of the project team members to follow the set deadlines. Effective communication: For a project of such scale and vigorousness, an effective communication between each and every team members and the top level management is imperative. Information needs to flow freely by all means of communication whether phone, e-mail or in person; and the same has to be done in a timely manner. Recognition: Every person likes to be recognized for the contributions that they have made. The same principle has to be followed in case of this particular project as well. Each and every contributions and accomplishments of individual team members have to be recognized. This is one way of fostering trust within them as well as providing them with a comfortable working environment. Cultural awareness: This is an essential part of an effective team building strategy. A team might comprise members belonging from different culture. Thus, being culturally aware should be made a primary requirement for each and every individual. This will help the management to reduce any chances of conflict of interest (American Council of the Blind, 2013). Role of the project manager The major role of the project manager is to ensure completion of the project. The individual assigned with the position of a project manager will take up the responsibility of monitoring progress of the project from its initial to interim phase; and then to its conclusion phase. The individual will also be responsible for developing the business case in close coordination with the project sponsor. Another requirement that is to be fulfilled by the project manager is to formulate a realistic project plan, which will recognize the resources required in order to complete a particular project. In addition, the project manager will also be responsible for managing the conclusion of the project, working in close coordination with the project team. The individual working as the project manager will also be required to report the project status to the top level management of the organization, the project sponsor/sponsors and other higher authorities. The primary attention of the project manager will lie in identifying risks associated with the project and other issues that are unfavourable for the project (Project Smart, 2013). Characteristics of an effective project manager As far as the nature of this project is concerned, the project manager should exhibit the following characteristics: Visionary: For a project which is concerned with developing an eco-friendly product, being visionary is one of the primary characteristic that a project manager should possess. Such projects are associated with innovation and until and unless a manager is visionary, innovation cannot be fostered. Highly Skilled Communicator: This is perhaps one of the pivotal characteristic, which a project manager should have in his bag of skills. Effective communication will ensure that organizational objectives are in complete alignment with the employees objectives. Knowledgeable and experienced: Considering the fact that developing an environment friendly and fuel efficient motorcycle is highly technology-centric, the project manager needs to have the knowhow regarding all intricacies of the project (Silver, 2014). Importance of identifying critical path The importance of identifying critical paths in projects lies in the fact that it helps the project manager to schedule activities associated with a project. It serves as an effective project management tool that helps a manager to identify the slack (delay) associated with any particular project assignment. Elements of the Work Breakdown Structure Project initiation phase: Draft project charter, define scope, state requirements, state high level roles and finalize charter. Plan project (Phase 1 - Formulate work plan): Draft staff requirements as well as prepare project schedule and budget plan. Plan project (Phase 2 - Formulate project control plan): Formulate quality management, risk management and communication management plan. Execute and control project: Identify area of improvements and analyze the scope, assess quality control mechanism, appoint international project management team, assemble the products, transfer to manufacturing division, reassemble and manufacture, conduct tests and monitor performance. Close the project: Follow up sessions and collection of post-project feedback. Elements of Pricing and costing strategy These are elements are: manufacturing cost per unit, scale and scope factors, inventory costs, purchasing power of buyers, economic stability of the market where target customers belong to, price of existing or older version products, discount structure, price offered by competitors, established base price and buyers as well as seller’s viewpoint. References American Council of the Blind. (2013). Strategies in Team-Building by Jessie Rayl. Retrieved from http://acb.org/node/1287 Brennan, J. & Shah, T. (2000). Quality assessment and institutional change: experiences from 14 countries. Higher Education, 40(3), 331-349. Evans, J. R. & Lindsay, W. M. (2011). The Management and Control of Quality. 8th edition. Cincinnati: South Western Cengage Learning. Kemp, S. (2005). Ultimate Guide to Project Management for Small Business: Get It Done Right! Irvine: Entrepreneur Press. Kleijnen, J., Dolmans, D., Willems, J. & Van Hout, H. (2011). Does internal quality management contribute to more control or to improvement of higher education? A survey on faculty’s perceptions. Quality Assurance in Education, 19(2), 141-155. Moore, D. (2007). Project Management: Designing Effective Organizational Structures in Construction. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons. Project Smart. (2013). Role of the Project Manager. Retrieved from http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/role-of-the-project-manager.html Silver, F. (2014). 7 Traits of Effective Project Managers. Retrieved from http://work.chron.com/7-traits-effective-project-managers-11512.html Appendix GANTT CHART Read More