Assignment 1: Project Proposal - Initiation & Planning
Note: Information from Assignment 1 will be used to complete Assignments 2 and 4. Assignments 1, 2, and 4 will cover all aspects of the project life cycle relevant to the following project.
VoIP / G-Suite Project
University A and University B have closed on their merger. Per the merger, you have been hired as the Project Manager overseeing the deployment of a new VoIP phone system for the combined University and deployment of Google G-Suite to replace the University's use of MS Office. Also, all of the school's cell phones will be exchanged for the latest Google smartphone and the service provider will be Verizon Wireless.
The combined University comprises fifty campus locations and two headquarters buildings. The combined university has over 10,000 employees serving over 100,000 students. The CIO is pressured to complete this project as soon as possible so that the combined universities can terminate their expensive license agreements with Microsoft. Note: All project submissions are submitted to Safe Assign for originality review.
Write a four to six page paper in which you define the scope of your project. In your paper you must:
1. Provide a brief summary of the project.
2. Describe at least three project goals and three project objectives.
3. Identify the key customer(s) and at least two stakeholders for the project. Remember, you are delivering the project to your customer(s); however, there are others (stakeholders) who have a vested interest in the project.
4. Describe at least three key milestones and /or deliverables for the project.
5. Describe a high-level timeline that includes key tasks and deadlines.
6. Estimate the project's overall cost and any key staffing and non-staffing resources needed.
Assignment 2: Project Proposal - WBS & Project Schedule
In Assignment 1, you defined key portions of the VoIP / G-Suite project. Now, it is time to develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and project schedule. Note: Please use the project from Assignment 1 to complete this assignment.
This assignment requires you to:
1. Create a WBS for the project using the proper format (MS Word, MS Excel, Visio, or any other applicable format) to depict WBS graphically (see Figure 4.4 from Chapter 4 of the Larson textbook). Alternatively, you may use a coded format using MS Word (See Exhibit 4.1 from Chapter 4 of the Larson textbook as an example). The example is in MS Project format, but the same could be done in MS Excel).
2. Create a project schedule that lists all of the core activities, dates (start & finish), and resources to complete the project. While it is recommended that you use MS Project, you can use MS Excel to create your schedule. Your project schedule must contain at least 30 separate activities/tasks.
Assignment 3: IT Project Managers - Balancing Ethics, Leadership, & Technology
IT Project managers do a lot more than calculations and reporting; they must keep the team on track, ensure ethical decisions are made, deal with conflict, and, depending on the type of organization, they may perform employee evaluations, issue bonuses, hire and lay off personnel, and other tasks. In this paper, you will discuss some of the key elements of the project management process.
Write a six to eight page paper in which you:
1. Discuss at least two different roles that IT project managers can play in organizational leadership.
2. Describe at least three human resource factors that affect project management.
3. Recommend at least three conflict resolution techniques that IT project managers can utilize to keep team members productive.
4. Explain at least three leadership approaches and when they are best utilized.
5. Describe at least three ethical situations or dilemmas that IT project managers might face in their role within an organization.
6. Assess the role of technology in project management.
Assignment 4: Project Proposal - Execution, Control, and Closure
Note: This is the third of three assignments which, as a whole, cover all aspects of the project life cycle relevant to the VoIP / G-Suite project.
Now, it is time for you to discuss the project's challenges (e.g., risks), performance management plan (e.g., earned value management), and proposed plan for closing the project when it is done.
Write a four to six page paper in which you define the execution, control, and closure aspects of your chosen project. In your paper you must:
1. Provide a brief summary of your chosen project.
2. Identify and discuss your project's greatest challenges (at least three) and provide a recommendation for addressing each of the challenges.
3. Examine how you manage your project performance via earned value management (EVM). Identify at least three key EVM metrics you will use for your project.
4. Discuss your plan to properly close the project when it is over.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.