Max Therapy That Is Related to Chinese Medicine - Essay Example

Project Final Report Name Institution Course Lecturer Date 1.0 Executive Summary Research project implementation success or failure depends on its set success criteria or outcomes, its support, success metrics and budget. When these critical factors are well established, the researcher assumes much control over the project. Max therapy research project was carried out from a broader view that was understood by the group members. As a result, the group ensured that it had adequate skills. Gantt chart and WBS existed to guide the project and ensure that it was not late. Internal support ensured that burn rate and frustration were minimal. Ultimately, the best criteria for the project success were consideration of immediate project needs as well as broader business requirements. The group emphasized on monitoring and control of the research progress through reporting, meetings and documentation. The research techniques had to relate with the aspects of the sample population. The research used three methodologies; electronic surveys – for customers who have ever used Max therapy services, questionnaire – for new customers that visited Max therapy and interview for Max therapy manager. Each method was suitable with the depth of information that was needed, location and availability of the respondents. The research found an in-depth analysis of Max therapy management, promotional strategy and relationship with the current and new customers. The findings found out that, there were shortcomings in Max in areas of human resource management, due to high employees’ turnover, non-strategic promotion by use of Chinese language and voucher purchase promotional mix. Exploits of new social media channels, employees’ placement and allowances, abundant voucher promotions were highly emphasized to improve the condition. Table of Contents 1.0 Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 2.0 Project Background Overview 4 2.1 The research goal was to: 4 2.2 Success criteria: 4 2.3 Project objectives: 5 3.0 Project Metrics: 5 4.0 Project outputs/findings: 8 5.0 Recommendations: 10 6.0 Lessons learned report 12 References 13 2.0 Project Background Overview The project was a research that was set to study an industry, Max therapy that is related to Chinese medicine. The company that was established in 2004 at Knox shopping centre grew to 24 stores in Australia through its reputation and in 2010 they started Max therapy institute with the approval from the government. Following their vision to reach local and foreigners, the research was set to analyze their promotion strategies to get customers attention and approval. The research development comprises the work undertaken on systematic basis to increase the number of customers, increase customer services and devise new ways of management. 2.1 The research goal was to: Analyze the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) for Max therapy as a model for its strategic advancement. The goal of the project was to increase skills for students in research and teamwork and look at ways that can improve Max therapy engagement and customize Max delivery and achieve better outcomes for its management, promotion and services for Max, including holistic conduct through customer services actions. 2.2 Success criteria: The research was set the measures that will assure the team of its success including: To recommend activities and changes that would promote increased organizational performance To propose an organizational undertakings and improvements that would ensure customer service feedback, and Ensure employees’ feedback by reducing high turnover which may negatively affect customer relationship and retention. 2.3 Project objectives: The project was guided by three objectives which narrowed the aspects that were researched on in the research. The research objectives included: 1. Offer a management proposal for expand the services rapidly and retain employees and solving the transportation problems 2. Promote a promotional proposal by improving the strategies used; preference to new social media and emphasis on health knowledge. 3. Offer abundant promotions both customer bought and free vouchers The goals, objectives and success criteria offered the group a brief introduction and tools for tracking and measuring the trend of research. They gave the research the attention it needed which helped to improve the research by laying emphasis on range of factors. Through the objectives, it was simpler to track and trace the manner in which research was done and what would be collected in the data to ensure precise measurements. Precisely, the goals, objectives and success criteria gave the research its true value and impacted on the outcomes. By combining the critical factor, the research assumed direction from its initiation, got a roadmap and a completion point. 3.0 Project Metrics: As Ivan, Visoiu & Palaghita (2008) observes, the project metric and measures were used as roadmap to gain agreement within the group on vital and key metrics to measure the success of the project. First we included all the measuring units that allowed us to see the scope, duration, constraints, thresholds, averages and minimums as discussed here. The measures were on the other hand used to represent information to establish common understanding of the research status and condition. WBS and Gantt chart were the tracking documents that were followed to the point. Communication matrix was the worst followed as the most group members preferred the efficient phone reporting when an activity was not demanding. The project worked within its budget and its schedule that run for one month. There were 13 tasks that were evenly divided over the month. From the start, the time allocated for project start, deciding and contacting the company and arranges an interview only run for a week. However, we found it necessary to review the metrics and re-look on pre and post project reporting. As we planned, it took longer to settle on a single methodology and to standardize the data elements that would be used for interview. It was agreed that, the internal data collected from the research would provide the most important part of our research themes and solutions to the problems that faced Max. We therefore sought to reschedule our project by adding one week to prepare adequately. The group thought that it would work hard on other planned activities of less significance to compensate the additional week. Data collection, identification of the problem and writing the assignment run as planned. One of the factors seen was high collaboration of group members as they got on the track of the research. Responsibilities were well aligned with each member having a role and time for completion. The direction got from the initial plan was vital as it measured activity delivery against the time scheduled. The best thing about the last three parts of the project is that there were segmented activities that were guided by real measures, clear and concise metrics. The purpose of the project was tracked through the WBS, corrective action determined and taken according to the other matrix that applied. The project scope was formulated well allowing the group to implement, review and audit its progress. The scope was as comprehensive as possible creating targets that were continually followed for reporting and documentation. Reporting process was established and this were assigned specific group members to follow on the progress. Reporting was not always predictable due to existing face-to-face and phone communication. At times, when the group was separated by roles that individual carried alone, it took long to meet face-to-face. However, reports were recorded accordingly with the set dates. In most meetings, two or three members met and in most cases, there was an apology from one of us. It became a trend and in the course of discussion the areas that needed attention had to be explained over the phone. Group management was efficient and effective as two of the members were involved in calling, sending reminders, updating the project progress and report about the status of the project. The group governance prepared the members well for the next activities. They communicated what had to be achieved and benchmarked the outcomes of each member’s activity. The success of the project metric is attributed to obtained “buy-in”, provided feedback, selection of metrics based on project goals such as research designs that suited the manager, new and returning customers. The project run well as there was a defined in and out scope and defined governance process. The project identified key individuals, defined authority, accountability levels, defined participants with activities and a reporting structure. The process allowed us to control the risk such as lack of group understanding of the project scope, lack of healthy participation in meetings, activities and reporting. From the start we ensured that there was no lack of steering committee team commitment and clear defined authority to make decision. Group showed maximum participation in major project activities like collection of data from employees, exploration of collected information, brainstorming for solutions and discussion of recommendations. 4.0 Project outputs/findings: The project outputs correlated with scope and therefore validated it. The metrics promoted processes. The project involved stakeholders to collect the baseline data through the planned methodologies. For the different segments of participants in the research, the group successfully developed tools and techniques that generated the desirable data for the project. The data that was gathered and consequently brainstormed correlated to the business goals and objectives. The group was able to perform the industry research as planned and recommend improvement, as a goal of the project. After combining the major input; time and cost with the process; people, tools, techniques and environment, the output was quite pleasing to the standards set on the onset. The output are related to the four main processes where the group first understood what to be done, predicted activities outcomes before they started, controlled activities like interview schedule and questionnaires and evaluate the results depending on the success criteria. The project milestone concurred with periodic status meetings and progress reports. The group identified the external constraints; limited time and resources/money to carry out the project. It therefore implemented process in form of activities, weekly plans, meeting/reporting guided by WBS, communication matrix and Gantt chart. The measurement needs for the project was guided by the goals and objectives. The group combined interview, electronic survey, and questionnaires to bring the different population/sample segments data together for analysis. Project boundary was created by setting the commencement date, the last week of August and applied measures to track the progress and take a corrective action where there was a variance from the plan, like the initial week that extended. The clearly defined goals were achieved as the group allocated adequate resources. The group focused on project issues that helped in managing the risk like running over schedule and project budget which would be detrimental due to lack of means to raise more finances. The group leaders provided timely feedback. The project metric model combined the time-schedule, resources and people to achieve the deliverable (Furse, et al 2006). The defined reporting approach was achieved due to the use of different modes of reporting; face-to-face and over the phone. The group members ensured that they reported the actual status of their activity to ensure that it was documented accordingly. The defined responsibilities, both individual and group ones had been achieved as planned. As defined, members knew who will be involved in collecting data; conducting interview with the manager; done by two of us in the presence of other and each member was assigned a number of customers from whom the project set to collect data. As defined, the group had to brainstorm the results and this was achieved in order to ascertain whether the data collected matched with the criteria for success. As defined, project reporting needs were met, and other inputs the project members ensure were frequent motivation and support. In the face-to-face meeting, we set to listen, respect other members’ opinions, work together and contributing equally and report based on research. The code of conduct was kept and this reduced controversies, members’ frustration and disagreement that would have extended the project time. Participation outcomes was average with its strengths seen as task were distributed to each member, every member was prepared for reporting, however, the meeting schedule at least twice in a week was not followed to the point as there were apologies in most meetings. Communication run well as all discussion were kept on track as per the schedule. We had made clear goals first by our comprehensive plan. However, listening and speaking would not be rated as effective due to problems in having complete attendance. The group competently motivated everyone to participate from the beginning. We highly encouraged each other not to give up by calling others to know the challenges and outcomes of each member’s activity. Where a member was reluctant to do an activity like interviewing the manger, we allowed one of us to volunteer to avoid shoddy work. Our discussion allowed divergent views that encouraged ideas to develop and encouraged innovation in course of project like in interview where an elicited idea was to be considered. Meeting guidelines was not accurately met as planned. Though we met every week, not all team members would attend in all meetings due to other commitment that coincided with the weekly program. However, each meeting discussed and surveyed an issue at a time as planned. 5.0 Recommendations: Cameron & Green (2012), the effort to implement change for max is both institution-wide and focus at departmental level. Effective change management skills are highly needed and should be exhibited by the manager. There are a number of recommendations offered for Max following the research findings including: Max need an effective management of human resources and aspects related to employees needed for the future success of its services. High employee turnover will diminish the capacity of Max to retain loyal clients. Clients would want to have employees who attend to their sensitive health matters in a continuous process. Max should therefore retain those employees that are highly preferred by offering incentives so that they may initiate long-term services to improve its effectiveness. Such employees should be moved through ranks quickly to offer solution on task resolution and offer people skills. The manager should also offer guidance to such staff and show them the advantage of staying longer in such a growing business (Cameron & Green 2012). Max should therefore ensure that the employees, whom quite a number comprise of part-time students employee are retained. Some of the way to ensure retention is offering jobs to students whose career is in line with Max therapies. Students’ employee should be assigned a store that is near their usual residential place or near the school. Max need to identify and remove the barriers in the organization before they implement the action plans. Apart from ensuring that they have reliable staffs, they should avoid other recurring barriers like lack of resources and service issues. The importance of removing these barriers may be overshadowed by the desire to implement action plans. For successful removal of barriers, appropriate people need to be assigned responsibility to do so. Max should have a structure that makes manage the action set in place, design, deploy and evaluate the approach. An organizational competency is very important in overcoming the barriers. A holistic strategy is required to bring out the change and Max should focus on building a competent leadership, projects, process and skills and leverage all of them to build change. The promotional strategy is lacking in its approach and channels of reaching the customers. Max has disseminated its promotional messages in Chinese language which limits the number of customers who encounter with it. As much as they are targeting the foreigners and mostly those from China, they still need to offer services to locals which comprise of the larger segment of potential customers. The promotion should be integral and use a language that can reach all the customers in the vicinity where Max services are offered. They should also focus more on health knowledge than on advertisement itself. The channels used by Max are limited and they should make use of cheaper and interactive platforms such as new social media where customers can engage with staff in evaluating Max services and recommend them to larger networks of people. That way, Max will have reached potential customers through cheaper way of advertising where they can also offer comprehensive reports. The personalized promotion should be abundant where Max should offer both gift voucher for buying and free voucher. 6.0 Lessons learned report The project met the scope as it was structured in four phases; start project, data collection, identify problem and writing assignment was further broken down into 13 sub-phases. The scope was met by assigning a number of activities in each week. The activities were met accordingly by updating members on what to meet each week. The actual time scheduled for the project run July 21 to August 11 but overrun to August 25. A number of activities would not have run as scheduled due to delayed feedback from Contact Company, lateness of questionnaire return and analysis. The project had important activities that would not have been overlooked while others run consequently. Obviously, project overrun schedule required more cost since all the other meetings had been done as required. However, the additional two weeks added minimal cost to the whole project. The success criteria; to increase performance, customer service feedback and employees feedback was met by ensuring all the tools and techniques were applied for the project to exactly measure as planned. Project management require the group members to be ready and aware of the next task. Multitasking is prevalent and harmful as members switch from one task to another unpredictably. Another lesson was not to over-define tasks as it causes misunderstanding. It is good to provide a holistic view for all members where the big picture allow members to see where they can fit well in project responsibilities (Kerzner 2013). Use of data collection methods was effective than it was thought by the group. However, the project overruns the planned schedule. Next time, we would allocate extra money and extend the time for activities that depend on other parties beyond our scope of control like the respondents. References Cameron, E., & Green, M 2012, Making Sense of Change Management: A Complete Guide to the Models Tools and Techniques of Organizational Change. Buy now from Kogan Page. Furse, M., et al 2006, The STAR project: context, objectives and approaches.Hydrobiologia, 566(1), 3-29. Ivan, I., Visoiu, A., & Palaghita, D 2008, IT Project metrics. Journal of applied quantitative methods, 302. Kerzner, H. R 2013, Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. Wiley. Read More