Project Management Assumptions - Essay Example

As a project manager, a detailed write-up of a scope statement, relating specifically to sales and marketing, is required for the identified project. The report would likewise include a description of the deliverables the team will produce, what type of information it will contain, and the level of detail expected. In addition, the exclusions to the scope would be identified. Further, any assumptions made about the rest of the project's scope that impact one’s decisions around the sales and marketing scope would be defined. An additional page would be included to identify key points to be shared in one’s conversation with the managers where their possible objections would be identified and the prospective response detailed to those objections. The assumptions made would be emphasized along with details on what to expect the sales department would do, and any follow-up that still needs to be done around the scope. A compilation of the scope statement with deliverables, exclusions, and assumptions, along with the key points page for submission is hereby presented.

Given that one is assigned as a project manager of a new product, identified as a multiple container system that requires minimal cabinet storage space in the consumer's home, to be introduced nine months from now, one is tasked to present a project scope statement with deliverables, exclusions, and assumptions, along with the key points page for submission to the sales and marketing managers in an upcoming meeting next week.

The project is to launch a new product, a multiple container system that requires minimal cabinet storage space in the consumer’s home, within nine months from now. The product is described in greater detail as similar to a competitor's product but will have significantly more features. As reported, this product will open new markets for the sales channel, lay the foundation for add-on products, and generate new revenues.

The objective therefore is for sales and marketing personnel to make the necessary preparations in terms of designing appropriate marketing strategies encompassing the 4Ps: product, pricing, place and promotions to be used for the launching of the new product.

Sales Team:
- Generate sales forecasts.
- Set the price for the new product.
- Familiarize the team with potential add-on products.
- Identify potential customers within sales boundaries.
- Conduct sales force education and orientation for the new product.
- Synchronize the schedule of designing strategies with the manufacturing and marketing team.

Marketing Team:
- Design advertisements and promotional campaigns for the new product.
- Identify strategic markets.
- Monitor prospective competitors’ responses to the new product.
- Provide all crucial marketing materials (brochures, product specifications and features, packaging).
- Determine schedules for home sales events to launch the new product.
- Synchronize the schedule of identified activities with the manufacturing and sales team.

Exclusions:
- Product specifications and photographs of the product are to be sourced from Winsome’s manufacturing department.
- Seek prices of raw materials and production costs for pricing to be set by the sales team, including costs of packaging.

Assumptions:
- It is assumed that the manufacturing department is currently perfecting the actual product model with complete details of raw materials to be provided to the sales department for price setting.
- The time frame is synchronized at nine months from the current date to launch the product to enable sales and marketing teams to prepare strategies required for launching the new product.
- It is also assumed that an identified budget has been allocated and known to both sales and marketing teams to enable them to make the necessary strategies and operate within budget.

It was noted that the product would be similar to a competitor's product but would have significantly more features, have you confirmed what these new features are and how this would impact the pricing strategy to be designed? The design and production departments are still in the process of perfecting the product. Until such time that we receive the final model, we cannot confirm significant differences and new options that are to be added to our new product. However, we should be able to design our pricing strategy depending on the marked similarity or difference with the products offered by our competitors. If my pricing is excessively high, we could lose prospective customers; and if we price significantly low, consumers might perceive the product as low in quality. We will be more definite when the final product specifications and features are available.

Given that competitors already market a similar product, don’t you think that nine months from now is a considerably long time for us to launch this product with practically the same features? Our focus is not to market a product with similar features as those of our competitors. The design and production teams are thinking of creating innovative features that would make our new product distinct and therefore be better preferred by home consumers. Time would be on our side for perfecting a new product that has innovative features and could offer add-on products with it – rather than trying to rush production and compromise the design.