Reference no: EM131064442

Executive summary

An executive summary is a very useful tool in communicating your information to busy people. It is essentially a short summary (often no more than a page) of the report objectives, findings, and conclusions.

Contents

Any report over three pages in length should have a list of contents. A list of contents not only helps people find their way around the report but it also gives an indication of what is in the report and the structure.

Introduction

The introduction should set the scene for the report by concisely describing the reason for the report and the background or history relevant to the report.

Body

The body should address the main information including:
- objectives of the review;
- how the review was conducted, who was consulted, etc; and
- results of the review and key issues identified.

Summary/Conclusions/Recommendations

Your conclusions should be clearly justified with reference to the results of the review. Your recommendations should be made twice, briefly in the opening summary or Executive Summary and then in more detail in the recommendations section.

Instructions

Utilising a current or upcoming project within your own workplace or the scenario below, complete the project tasks that follow. If you use your own project, ensure you outline the scope of the project before you begin the tasks.

Scenario

CA City Retail Group will be opening a new Café in six months' time. As part of the opening, you will need to complete the following:
- Build a commercial kitchen
- Create a dining area
- Hire and train staff
- Procure supplies for opening
In terms of hiring staff you will need the following personnel:
a. Department manager
b. Chef
c. Kitchen hand
d. Customer service operator
e. Cleaner

Task 1

1. You are required to access a project charter or brief for your project. If you are using your own workplace project provide your trainer with a copy of the project charter or brief. If using the scenario provided you can access the project charter in Appendix A.

a) Using the project charter define your project and explain how it relates to the organisation's objectives (minimum 200 words)

Learner should establish the project purpose and scope from the information provided in the project charter. Information in the charter will be high-level project direction. The learner should note key milestones in this response; along with any project constraints and assumptions.

b) What other documents or sources of information can assist you to define the parameters of your project?Project scope documents, project charters; organisational strategic objectives and plans; information from the project sponsor/owner.

2. Complete the table below to list all key stakeholders for the project. List the stakeholders in order of priority (I.e. start your list with stakeholders that are crucial to the success of the project, working down the list to stakeholder that have minimal impact on the project success)

Name	Position	Reason why this person is considered a project stakeholder
	Project Sponsor	Learner should provide a justification of the stakeholders impact, power and influence on the project success
	Project Manager
	Project team members
	Cafe Department Managers
	Director of HR
	Director of Finance
	Outsourced Construction Company
	Chef
	Kitchen hand
	Customer service operator
cleaner

3. In order to undertake your project you will need to consider the relevant legislation, standards and codes of practice that will impact on your project. Using the scenario, or your workplace, conduct research to understand these project requirements. Report on your findings and include details of how you conducted your research and what stakeholders you consulted with that held the authority to guide you.(minimum 300 words)

4. You have been told during this process to reach out to other CA City Retail Group Cafés (or to organisations/associations relevant to your industry) to obtain appropriate advice on strategies for your project execution. What are three questions you could ask to guarantee success?

5. Referencing your project charter:

a) List the resources that are available for your project

b) Draft an email to the project sponsor to confirm your ability to access these resources. If you have identified the need for additional resources that are not noted in the project charter; seek to gain authority to access these resources

6. Prepare a communication matrix which will show how you plan to communicate with your stakeholders and what reports you will be providing. You may use a format similar to the table below:

7. Identify who you will need in your team to assist you with completing this project. Compile a staffing plan for your project team. You are identifying the project roles and skills that will be required to complete your project. Ensure you include the Project Manager role in this table.

Task 2

You are required to develop a project management plan for this project. A project management plan template has been provided. Complete the following tasks to develop your project plan:

1. Referring to your project charter input all relevant project information into your project management plan.

2. Risks are inevitable within projects and therefore the management of risks need to be systematic and documented.

a) Explain the process for identifying and managing risk in a project:-

Step 1: Identify the possible project risks
Step 2: Classify the project risks
Step 3: Record the risk rating
Step 4: Plan risk response

b) Complete a risk assessment for your project; you may elect to use the risk assessment matrix template that has been provided. Ensure your risk analysis includes risk assessment in relation to workplace health and safety (WHS).

3. Develop a budget for your project. You may use the budget template provided.

4. Draft an email to your project sponsor to gain their approval of your project budget

5. Explain two methods that you will use to consult with your project team and obtain feedback and input for project planning

There are many project management tools and techniques that you can use to assist you with both creating a project schedule and managing your project. The following is a list of tools and techniques, in the space provided describe how these tools and techniques can be applied to contribute to the success of your project. One example has been provided to get you started:-

6. Prepare your subsidiary project management plans, which will include:
a. Quality management plan
b. Change management plan
c. Procurement management plan

Templates have been provided to assist you. Once you have completed these documents they are inserted into your project management plan.

7. Now you can finalise your project management plan and draft an email to your project sponsor to obtain approval to commence the project.

Task 3

Your project has now moved into execute and control project management phase. You are required to complete the following tasks:

1. Complete a Responsibility Assignment Matrix for your project. You may use the template that has been provided.

2. In addition to providing your project team with a copy of the RAM, detail some other tools or methods you could use to ensure your project team members fully understand their project roles and responsibilities?

3. Your project team includes a new employee who has joined the organisation having recently relocated from China. The employee has extensive project experience in her home country; however she is conscious of that current level of English literacy and language requires ongoing development. Explain what you could do to support this project team member?

4. Whilst to project is in execute and control phase, name three ways you will provide support to your project team members and how will you go about this

5. It is now time for you to issue your first project status report to your key stakeholders. You may create your own project status report, or utilised the template provided. Please ensure your project status report includes:
- Progress against established milestones
- Details of last risk assessment review and outcomes
- Report on status of project budget
- Report on status of project schedule
- Report on statues of project quality
- Any identified resource issues

6. Refer to your communication plan and advise how your will distribute this first project status report to your stakeholders?

7. You have just been advised that two project team members will need to be withdrawn from the project as of next week; for a period of four weeks. Update your project risk assessment matrix to reflect this change.

8. Outline what additional resources you need at this point to be able to achieve the project deliverables?Think outside the box on strategies you could investigate to ensure project success. Explain how you would go about negotiating for these additional resources. (min 200 words)

Task 4

Congratulations, your project has moved into the closing phase. Complete the following tasks:

1. Now that the project is drawing to a close what financial records do you need to attend to? Explain how you would go about actioning this task; including how you would ensure that all records are accurate?

2. Explain how you will you go about moving your project team members into alternative roles within the organisation?

3. What activities will you ensure take place so that your project team members are acknowledged for their efforts and contributions.

4. Name an external and internal stakeholder who would need to give you the necessary sign-off for project completion. (Hint: external to do with legislation)

5. Your project is complete and operational. Explain how you would review the outcomes of your project against the project scope and plan. Identify two team members that will assist you with this review.

6. Explain in detail three lessons you have learnt about planning, budgeting and communication during this project. Minimum 300 words.

7. Review the organisation's mission and values statement (for the scenario this is provided in Appendix); how does this project relate to the organisations mission and values?

CA City Retail Group Mission statement:

Combining the best products, services, processes and procedures with strategically planned growth and expansion for the benefit of our CA City community.

CA City Retail Group Values:
- Proactive strategic expansion
- Planned and organised progression
- Integral to the communities activities
- Providing employment for our local community
- A progressive, innovative and enjoyable place for work and play

8. Complete the following table to explain the relevance of the following organisational policies and procedures when managing a project:

Organisational Policy/Procedure	Relevance to project management
Budgets and Finance	Projects must be delivered within the organisational budget requirements and use organisational policies and procedures for approval and management of financial expenditure
Human Resources	Projects will be governed by organisational policies and procedures for recruitment, selection, workplace health and safety, anti-discrimination, employee conduct.
Quality Assurance	Projects will need to be operational within the established quality assurance process for the organisation.  A project manager needs to establish organisational standards, compliance requirements and quality procedures and processes
Authority and Delegations	Organisations will have established chain of authority and delegations of power.  The project may run within these established regulations; or the project may require alternative arrangements.  This needs to be clearly established before the project is commenced.
Record Keeping	Project documentation may be stored in accordance with established organisational policies and procedures to protect the privacy and confidentiality of the project information.  Records for project expenditure will follow established financial record keeping for compliance and taxation purposes
Documentation and Reporting	Documentation and reports for project management will follow compliance standards and organisational requirements.