Assignment Task:
Overview:
In this assignment, you will produce two documents: a project schedule using MS Project and a budget.
The project schedule is the tool that communicates what work needs to be performed, which resources of the organization will perform the work and the timeframes in which that work needs to be performed. The project schedule should reflect all of the work associated with delivering the project on time. Without a full and complete schedule, the project manager will be unable to communicate the complete effort, in terms of cost and resources, necessary to deliver the project.
The project budget is a tool used by project managers to estimate the total cost of a project. A Project Budget template includes a detailed estimate of all costs that are likely to be incurred before the project is completed
Project Schedule Instructions:
1. Create the Project Schedule in MS Project.
2. Break down the Work Packages into the Activities necessary to create the deliverables.
- You should have a minimum of approximately 40 activity tasks.
- Use the Verb / Adj. / Noun format in naming activities.
- Refer to the example below:
- Kitchen Cabinets (Deliverable)
- Design Kitchen Cabinets (Activity)
- Request Kitchen Cabinet Bids
- Approve Kitchen Cabinet Contract
- Install Kitchen Cabinets
3. Enter estimated durations for each activity created; keep resources in mind but do not assign resources.
4. If effort and duration differ, adjust the task type and effort to account for the difference
5. Create at least 12 activity notes that contain the following information:
- Estimating method used (bottom-up, top-down, etc.)
- Basis of estimate (past experience, SME, vendor quote, etc.)
- One or two reasons why actual duration may vary from the estimated duration
6. Add at least four milestones to your project.
- Place milestones at key points throughout the project.
- Make milestones 'red' to show where they are.
Project Budget Instructions:
1. Create the budget in MS Word. A MS Word template may be used for the formatting, but all content must be original to you.
2. A brief description of the project.
3. Description of the estimating process. At minimum address the following items:
- What estimating method or methods will you be using?
- Why will you be using these methods? Provide a valid explanation as to why these methods were chosen over the alternatives.
- Who will be responsible for creating the estimates?
- Who will be responsible for reviewing and approving the estimates?
- How will the estimates be aggregated?
- How will you seek to account for padding and reserves in your estimates?
4. Statement regarding the level of accuracy and units of measure and organizational procedures link (see PMBOK Guide page 148).
5. The current estimate of your chosen project.
6. After completing the schedule in MS Project, create a brief summary of the costs associated with the major deliverables of your project.
- Some of you will need to add material costs to the estimates, as MsProject will only include costs associated with labor resources at this point.
- It is best to create a table of the major deliverable and the cost associated with each and then provide a total
Requirements:
1. Schedule Document:
- Submit the MS Project file.
2. Budget Document:
- Paper length of 2-3 pages
- Professionally formatted using titles, headers, and bullets where appropriate.
- It must be well organized, well written, and formatted.