You are a manager at Winsome Manufacturing Company, a company that produces plastic storage containers and sells them to the home consumer through home sales events. At the company’s quarterly meeting, the head of marketing described a new product to be introduced in the first quarter of the next fiscal year, approximately nine months from now. The product will be a room-sized plastic storage unit suitable to the outside of the home; it is similar to a competitor’s product but will have significantly more features. This product will open new markets for the sales channel, lay the foundation for add-on products, and generate new revenues. You have only seen preliminary sketches of the potential product but are very excited by the new product.
The project will require participation from the design, production, purchasing, shipping, sales, and marketing departments. Winsome Manufacturing owns a line of injection molds suitable, so all manufacturing will be done in-house. The project manager for this project has not yet been selected, but that decision is expected to be made in the next week.
You have been asked to come to a preliminary project initiation meeting that will result in the identification of the project sponsor and creation of the project charter.In preparation for the meeting, answer the following questions:
- Who are the project stakeholders? How will they be involved in the project?
- Who should be the project sponsor? Why?
- From which department should the project manager come? Why?
- What are the expected results of the project?
- What is the project charter?
- What problem will it solve?
- What are the ramifications for not doing it?