Tactical Planning
Tactical Planning
3. Managerial process plans.
This sections entails the management priorities and objectives of team Foxtrot as well as the process management plans. There will be addition of more plans as the document evolves
3.1 management priorities and objectives.
The primary objectives of team Foxtrot is to make sure that the project is completed successfully. The following must be performed by the team for the project to be considered successful:
- Utilize good engineering techniques in product development by applying the methods learned in class, putting reflective learning in practice and experiencing a new way of doing things.
- Deliver a quality product which meets the need agreed upon in the PRS by delivering a sable product and delivering a system which addresses the needs of the client at his or her satisfaction.
- Honor its commitments by meeting the deadlines of team and client as well as avoiding unrealistic commitments.
- Display professionalism by valuing team members’, clients’ and mentors’ time, accepting and supporting the decisions of the team, communicating frequently and opening, being proactive and taking responsibilities for project success.
- Make good use of the available resources by learning from each other, taking advantage of peer expertise and experimenting with the existing processes and tools.·
3.2 Startup plan.
This section includes a description of the resources and materials needed to begin the project. Since most of this information has been predefined, the section will not have a description of the rationale for most of these choices.
3.2.1 Staffing plan.
Section 2.3 shows the staffing resources for the project. Each team member will be available for six hours per week for the project duration. This time includes time spent with the mentors and time spent working of any project tasks, such as team and client meetings, document preparation and inspection, and tool development.
3.3 Reporting plan
Internal reporting for Foxtrot team members will be relatively informal. Each team member will provide a status report to the team during the weekly team meetings. The Team Lead will use this information to update the project plan. Mentors will be invited to attend the weekly meeting for general status issues. External reporting will be more formal. The team will give biweekly status reports to the customer at the client meetings to indicate progress.
3.4 Project management plan
3.4.1ntroduction
The purpose of the Spaghetti Bridge Project is to see if the spaghetti bridge can hold up 3.5 kilograms of weight successfully without collapsing. This project meets the client's needs for the spaghetti bridge and satisfies his requirements. The deliverables of the project shall entail the spaghetti bridge, the project file, the executive summary, three progress reports, and a critique report. The objectives of the Spaghetti Bridge Project are to fit in the test rig and successfully withstand the weight without collapsing.
The specific purpose of the overlying spaghetti bridge project is to observe the system and see if the bridge can support up to a total of 3.5 kilograms in a successful way without necessarily collapsing. Therefore, force is an important factor in the case. In order for the system to collapse, a certain limit of weight must be applied that must exceed the overlying weights that have been created to support the system.
In order to achieve the specified client’s request, a step by step schedule has been completed. The student within the same vicinity has enabled the project management process where the coordination of all the activities in order to develop the project has been achievable. The general management of the project is entirely overseen by team responsibilities. Team responsibilities will enable the project management process to be shared among different people who will play different roles to ensure that the completion is in agreement with the client’s request.
In order to construct the spaghetti bridge, detailed research of the necessary materials and the appropriate design to be used was applied. The research activities involved looking out for the specific type of spaghetti that is suitable for the project, the specific type of glue that will play part effectively in order to hold the bridge together with the available least weight, and the specific design that can hold the bridge together to maintain its stability with a weight that is twenty times more than its overlying weight.
The bridge is also expected to be sketched in order to provide a clear vision of the calibration limits that will be used. The calibration will be made more effective by using a smaller ratio.
3.4.2 Project Management Approach
Foxtrot has completed a step by step schedule to achieve the client request such that it meets the demands and deadlines of the client. The project management approach is based on a team of 3 students within the same vicinity. A team leader who assigns responsibilities and oversees construction, planning and other major activities performed will manage the project. The team leader will also share the responsibilities with group members doing equally as much. All members must work under the command of the team leader and meet deadlines of tasks.
Weekly group meeting were set for updating project requirements, deadlines, progress, and issues faced. The number of meetings weekly depended on the number of tasks that had to be completed in the following week. The locations of these meetings change from time to time but the most frequent meeting spot is Griffith University, Mt.Gravatt Campus, M14.
The budget allocated for the Spaghetti Bridge Project is $16150, the funding source is the project sponsor/client who will be notified if additional funding is required.
3.4.3 Project Scope
The main objective of the Spaghetti bridge project is to build a bridge out of 180 grams or less of thin dry spaghetti and glue so that it will be able to successfully hold up against the weight of at least 3.5 kilograms. The bridge must fit into the test rig, which is approximately 655 millimeters long, and the height must be 102 millimeters. The deliverables of the project shall include a suitable spaghetti bridge, which meets or exceeds all of the client’s requirements, an executive summary, project file, and critique report.
The construction of the spaghetti bridge firstly involves the research of appropriate materials and design to be used. This includes researching what type of spaghetti is suitable for this project, what type of glue will effectively hold the bridge together with the least added weight, and the design which can most likely hold more than twenty times its weight. Then the bridge will be sketched to scale if possible, otherwise it will be sketched in a smaller scale ratio. Spaghetti can be measured using ratio to find the right length of each piece for building the bridge. Once built, the bridge will undergo testing and will be redesigned and built according to test performance
3.4.4 Milestone List
3.4.4 Schedule Baseline and Structure of Work Breakdown
The WBS for the Foxtrot team Project is made up of work packages that do not exceed forty hours of work. However, they are at least four 4 hours of work. Packages of the work were developed via near collaboration among team members and stakeholders of the project research from the past projects and input from functional manager.
The WBS dictionary defines all work packages for this project. The definitions entail tasks, deliverables and resources. Each work package in the Work Breakdown Structure is defined in the dictionary and will help in planning of resources, completion of task and making sure deliverables meet the needs of the project. Work breakdown structure and the schedule baseline of the project are given in appendix A and B respectively.
3.4.5 Communications Management Plan
This sets the framework for communication for this noble project. The plan will work as a guide for communications in the whole life cycle of the project and there will be update to it as the needs of communication change. The communication management plan reveals and defines the duties of the team members of the project as pertaining to communications. The plans also entails a communications matrix that maps the communication needs of this project as well as the information conduct for meetings as well as other communication forms. There is also an inclusion of a project team directory to offer contact information for all stakeholders who are involved directly in the project.
In Team Foxtrot, communication is essential and usually occurs about 6 times a week. This includes the mediums of email, text messages, and face to face conversations. All team members make sure that the communication between one another is accurate, understandable and logical. In this project, the main and most effective communication is through weekly meetings because it is face to face and little or no misunderstandings occur.
The Project Team Co-coordinator will be on the forefront role in ensuring this project’s effective communication. The communications needs are vividly documented in the Communications Matrix as shown below. The matrix of communications will be utilized as the guide for the kind of information to be communicated, the person to communicate, and the right time to pass the information and to whom the information is to be passed.
Directory of project team for all communications are:
3.4.6 The Cost Management Plan
This plan is mainly to define how the costs of the Spaghetti bridge project will be managed. In team Foxtrot, Vigneshwar Kannan is in charge of costs management and the budget of the project. He also has the authority of whether to approve changes in the project and its budget.
The other group members are required to inform the project manager about the project’s progressive status and the cost during weekly group meetings. The cost performance is then measured by seeing if it is actually required and if the group members can work just as effectively without additional allocation of funds.
3.4.7 Procurement Management Plan
The coordinator of the project will provide management and oversight of all the procurement activities in this project. He or she is authorized approve all the procurement actions up to seventeen thousand dollars. The project sponsor must approve any procurement actions that exceed this amount. This project needs minimal procurement. However, in cases where procurement is needed, the coordinator of the project will work with the project team in identifying all services and items to be procured for the project to be completed successfully. If procurement becomes a necessity, the coordinator of the project will be in charge of managing any selected external resource or vendor. The coordinator of the project will also measure the performance as it relates to the vendor offering the necessary goods and services, and ensure this is communicated to the contracts and purchasing groups.
3.4.8 Schedule Management Plan
The schedule of this project beginning with the deliverables will be clearly identified in the Work Breakdown Structure of the project. The definition of activity will help in identifying the specific work package that must be performed to finish every deliverable. Sequencing of activity will be used in determining the work packages order and assign the relationships between activities of the project. Duration of activity estimating will be utilized in calculating the work periods number to finish the packages of work. Estimating of resource will be utilized in assigning the resources in order to finish schedule development. Upon the development of a preliminary schedule, the project team will review it and any resources that are tentatively assigned to the tasks of the project. The team members of the project as well the resources must be in agreement to the proposed work package assignments, schedule and durations. After this is achieved, the sponsor of the project will review and have the schedule approved, and it will then be base lined.
The designed milestones for all schedules of the project will include:
- Base line schedule of the project
- Approval of final budget of the project
- Kick-off of the project
- Approval of responsibilities and roles
- Completion of data inventory or mapping
- Implementation of the project
- Acceptance of the final deliverable.
The responsibilities and roles for the development of schedule include;
The coordinator of the project will have the mandate of facilitating definition of work package, estimating resources and duration with the project team as well as sequencing. He or she will also create the schedule of the project and validate with the stakeholders, sponsor and team of the project. The coordinator of the project will obtain the approval of the schedule from the sponsor of the project and baseline it.
The team of the project has the responsibility for participating in work package sequencing, definition, resource estimating and duration. The team will also ensure the reviewing and validation of the schedule proposed and performs the assigned activities after the approval of the schedule. The sponsor of the project will participate in reviewing the proposed schedule and make approval to the final schedule prior to it being base lined.
3.4.9 Quality Management Plan
Every member of this project will have a role to play in quality management. The team members will have to make sure that work is finished at an adequate quality level from the individual work package to the last deliverables of the projects. The quality responsibilities and roles for this project include;
The sponsor of the project is responsible for the approval of quality standards for this project. He or she will be responsible in reviewing all the project deliverables and tasks to make sure to make sure the compliance with the approved and established quality standards. To add on that, the sponsor of the project will sign off on the last acceptance of the deliverable of the project.
The coordinator of this project is in charge of quality management in the entire period of the project. He or she is responsible for the implementation of quality management plan and making sure that all the processes, documentation and tasks are compliant with plan. Coordinator of the project will also work with the quality specialists of the project to ensure the establishment of quality standards that are acceptable.
Quality specialists have the responsibility of working with the project coordinator in the development and implementation of the quality management plan. The specialists recommend methodology and tools for tracking the quality and standards to establish quality levels that are acceptable. This project’s quality assurance will make sure that all the processes that are used in project completion meet the acceptable quality standards. These entire processes standard are in place to minimize waste and maximize efficiency of the project.
3.4.10 Risk Management Plan
Risk management approach for the spaghetti Bridge project entails a methodical process used by the team members of the project make identification, scoring and ranking of various risks. Every effort will actually be made to identify risk proactively a head of time so as to implement a strategy for mitigation from the onset of the project. There was the addition of the most probable and highest impact risk to the schedule of the project to make sure that the assigned manager of risk takes the most effective steps to implement mitigation response at the right time during the schedule.
The managers of risk will offer status updates on all risks assigned to them in the project team meetings that will be held twice a week. After the project is completed the project team will analyze each risk and risk management process during the process of closing. The team members of the project will identify any kind of improvements, which can be made to management process of the risk basing on their analysis. The improvements will be recorded as part of the learned lessons knowledge base.
3.4.11Risk Register.
This project’s risk register is offered in Risk register in the appendix section.
3.4.12 Staffing Management Plan
The Spaghetti Bridge Project will be made up of a matrix of structure with assistance from a variety of internal organization. There will be internal performance of all the work. The staffing needs for this project will include:
Project Co-ord (1 position) – Responsible for co-ordination for the Spaghetti Bridge Project. The Project Co-ord is responsible for coordinating the creating, planning and managing every work activity, tracking, communication, reporting and performance evaluations.
Developer (x2 positions) – responsible for all design and development tasks for the Spaghetti Bridge Project and making sure the functionality is compliant with the standards and quality. He or she will play the role of working with the project coordinator to manage risk, create work package, and identify requirements as well as creating reports. The project coordinator who will offer performance feedback will coordinate the Developers.
3.4.13 Cost Baseline
This project’s cost baseline entails all the budgeted costs for Spaghetti Bridge project successful completion.
3.5 Engineering plan
The engineering plan that is used for the Spaghetti Bridge Project is mainly to complete the Spaghetti Bridge within the given period, which satisfies all the client’s requirements and does not exceed to sponsor’s budget. It also includes the completion of all related documentation for the project at the corresponding gateways.
3.5.1Research
The research conducted for the Spaghetti Bridge Project involves understanding what the clients wants and how this can be achieved. The client’s requirements were that a bridge had to be built by using 180 grams or less of thin dry spaghetti, which spanned 655 mm and was a height of 102 mm by using a choice of glue. In research of materials the brand with the strongest spaghetti was chosen and an adhesive which could successfully hold the spaghetti together. The design of the bridge was also researched and an efficient design which seemed to be the most resilient.
3.5.2 Alternative solutions
In some situations Team Foxtrot will have to come up with alternate solutions. An example of this is if the bridge does not hold up to the weight during testing, a new design will have to be made.
3.5.3 Evaluation
When encountered with a problem, which requires an alternative solution group, members including the project manager (since this is a small-scale project) are required to think individually and come up with solutions. After each member has a solution, they come together for a meeting where the group evaluates each idea one by one. Through this process, an appropriate solution is selected.
3.5.4 Monitoring
The project manager monitors the developers to see the quality of work. Developers are to commence their work in a way such that the project manager will always know the current progress and will be able to make any necessary changes. On demand reporting occurs if the project manager requires to know the status of the task in progress, otherwise a general report is given by each member (this also includes project manager) during weekly meetings.
3.5.5 Communication
Communication in Team Foxtrot occurs on a regular basis through weekly meetings, email, and text messages. However, the most effective mode of communication was weekly meetings because everything on the agenda could be discussed there and then. Communication to the client is as requested by him/her although a standard project progress report is presented at four main gateways with two weeks interval between each.
3.6 Knowledge management plan
Knowledge is stored and made available to all group members as information through hardcopy and soft copy (e.g. Email, Google drive). This is done so that the developers and project manager get access to research findings, documentation, etc. whenever it is required. Information stored must be circulated to other group members once it is modified and group members must also be notified when a certain piece of information is no longer required.
3.7 Quality management plan
The Quality Management Plan for the Spaghetti Bridge project will establish the activities, processes, and procedures for ensuring a quality product upon the conclusion of the project. This plan’s purpose is to:
- Ensure quality is planned
- Define how quality will be managed
- Define quality assurance activities
- Define quality control activities
- Define acceptable quality standards
3.8 Issues/Conflict resolution plan
Conflict in management of project is almost inevitable; however, it is not always bad. It can help in developing the individuals and improve the organization by building on the individual assets of its team members. Conflict can result to the underlying issues. People can be forced to confront possible defects in a solution and opt for a better one. This conflict resolution plan shows how to manage and avoid unnecessary conflict.
Firstly, almost all conflicts that arise come from unclear instructions and therefore all important communication takes place both verbally and written. The written part may be used for later reference for when the verbal communication is not exactly remembered. Tasks assigned to each group member are made clear and recorded to avoid confusion. At the end of each weekly meeting, where everyone can point out if they have any problems and the manager of the project can assist in solving it a section. The first step in resolving conflict entails getting the involved parties to agree to the problem nature. By having the problem defined, the manager of the project can make assessment of the amount of effort and time require to go into fixing the problem. As the project is planned and executed, there will be conflicts and differences of opinion.
3.9 Monitoring and controlling strategies
Team Foxtrot will actively track plans and the processes it has established. Several methods will be implemented for effectively tracking of the project.
3.9.1Weekly team meetings
Each week, the team coordinator will chair a team meeting to update members on the project’s status and to discuss any new issues. Time permitting will also be an opportunity to brainstorm ideas and provide suggestions and comments. Each team meeting will commence with an update of the open action items so everyone will have an understanding of the status and progress of each action item. The team meeting will then continue with the agenda for the meeting. Finally, the team meeting will end with the project plan review, the list of risks and new action items. If and when there is an open issue with the team, it will be discussed at the weekly team meeting and handled accordingly. Team members on a per-need basis may request additional meetings.
3.9.2 Bi-weekly client meetings
Every other week, the customer liaison will facilitate a client meeting to provide an update of the project’s status to the client, and to elicit requirements from the clients. At this meeting, each team member will be able to request clarifications and ask questions regarding the project. Similar to the team meeting, each client meeting will commence with an update of the open action items. The client meeting will then continue with the objective stated for the meeting. Finally, the client meeting will end with the listing of new action items. When there is an open issue with the client, it will be discussed at a client meeting. Depending on the level of the issue, the customer liaison may email the client directly.
3.9.3 Brainstorming meetings
On a per-needed basis, the developers of Team Foxtrot will meet to brainstorm on some issue or discuss action items. This meeting is designed for team members to work together on project’s proportions. This working meeting is informal and it is intended to be a learning time for each member of the team.
3.9.4 Paired tasks
Specifically during the development (building) phase of the project, paired construction will be part of the team's process.
