Pantera Project Plan
This project aims at developing the framework for creating a website for Pantera Company Limited. Websites are one of the major information and communication digital platforms for business and provide an all-time online presence. In this case, Pantera Company will enjoy a competitive advantage over other businesses that do not have an online presence; for instance, the company will have exposure to global markets and customer convenience. To develop a company website, several procedures are involved.
- Project integration management
This process involves laying out the kind of website required, assembling the project manager, and developing a project charter. A project management plan is also developed that forms the general direction, which the website will fall regarding the total costs, time frame, and all the resources required for the task (Schwalbe, 2008). The project plan will then be approved by the shareholders who follow up on the creation of the website at every developmental stage. Deliverables will also be produced and evaluated to troubleshoot any challenges that might arise. Also, request forms will be made to the company executive and approvals done by the stakeholders. Project integration management has two stages before the website project begins fully, which are the development of a project charter and project management.
- Develop Project Charter
Project charter for the website will describe the objectives, the entire process of developing the platform, and the executives behind its creation. In the document, the reason for the website is to create an online presence for the business, and the objectives include optimization of search engines, develop a user-friendly interface, establishing a communication channel, and regular updating of the company’s information, such as upcoming events. The shareholder’s names include Dr. James McCary and Mrs. Sally Montgomery, among others who have contributed to the creation of this company’s website. Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
- Statement of work
This document will describe comprehensive details on the employee’s qualifications and period of engagement in the project, where the location of engagement is within the IT block in Pantera Company ICT department building. The estimated duration for the engagement is three months, while the support IT personnel are required to have a degree certificate in Information and Communication Technology plus two years’ experience in the company.
- Project contract
An agreement is made between the stakeholders of the company and the ICT Department Manager that the project will have transparency and satisfy all the requirements. Secondly, the project team has a pact with the ICT department that all resources provided be used within the advancement of the project, and the final payment will be made upon completion of the website.
- Develop project management
A project team is set, and the main goal will be to develop a custom website for the company within three months. The team is subdivided into four groups, where each will concentrate on one task only assigned by the lead project manager.
- Leadership
The teams will have an overall project manager, who is the ICT Manager of Pantera Limited. The four teams will each have a task manager who will report progress to the overall head every week. Communication on the whole progress of the teams will be done each week, where they are expected to attain set targets.
- Contract Management
The overall manager will ensure all obligations assigned by the teams are achieved. The primary obligation being to satisfy the company executives with a user-friendly and compatible website. The project administrator will ensure operational and financial performance while reducing the risk of the finances for the website creation.
- Project Scope Management
The scope of this website defines the development of the online page for the company with desirable features and a customer-friendly digital platform. The Work Breakdown Structure is provided to indicate the processes involved before setting up a custom website for Pantera Company (Schwalbe, 2008). The timeline to be followed can be changed in case the processes fall behind schedule. The scope of the website creation is described by collecting the requirements and validating the scope.
- Collect the Project Requirements
The stakeholders’ needs, which include a fully developed website, are documented and other physical resources to attain the objectives. Obtaining all financial and resource needs for website creation will define the scope and final product functions. The requirements will be collected through document analysis and focus groups.
- Document analysis
The stakeholders’ website document will be analyzed by going through the requirements of the company and customer satisfaction sections. All information on the color, size, and scope of the website will be noted to be included in the final product.
- Focus groups
Discussions among the teams will be carried out to evaluate the details in the process and to understand the task at hand. The project manager will organize for the discussions before any task is initiated by the four teams to ensure uniformity and consistency.
- Verify and Control scope
The executives will regularly approve the deliverables, such as the Pantera’s logo, navigation pages, landing page design, and updating content for the website of the company at each stage. Stakeholders will approve that the website creation process follows the criteria laid down and finally sign off the project after completion. The methods used to verify and control the scope include requirements traceability matrix and scope variance.
- Requirements traceability matrix
This document will map and trace the clients’ requirements with the test cases and the noted defects. It will ensure that all functions of the website are incorporated in the document and followed upon completion of every task.
- Scope Variance
Deviation from the set baseline in finances, duration, and services done will be noted. If the variance is positive, then the project is ahead of schedule and running under the assigned finances. An unfavorable variance will alarm the team of lagging behind the schedule or overuse of the finances given.
- Project Schedule management
This website development will be divided into tasks to be completed gradually. A schedule is created where each task is assigned a specific time frame. However, the schedule is made to be flexible over time due to the anticipated changes in the various processes. Schedule management will involve estimation of activity duration and developing and controlling the schedule.
- Estimate activity durations
The planning for the website appearance and all details inclusive is expected to take a month. After that, custom coding to take a month, where each item on the website will appear first as required before heading to the next step. Activity durations involve work periods and estimated resources to accomplish tasks.
- Work periods needed
The time frame for working days will start at 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. Every worker to report at the required time and leave on time. Also, there are one-hour intervals for two break sessions and lunchtime. Only five days will account for the website development, thus the work will not continue during weekends or any national holiday.
- Estimated resources
Planning needs four weeks of work with a finance of ten thousand dollars for completion. Coding for the next four weeks will need all computers and human resources on the work, which will consume $80,000 on average.
- Develop and control schedule
The schedule will now be made with the job completion specified; for instance, website modeling to take place after eight weeks. Workers need to attain targets set to accomplish such tasks. Maintaining a schedule comprises of stating works completed percentages and the remaining work.
- Works completed percentages
The targets set amount to the small tasks given to the four teams, which will be met before deadlines. To create inner motivation, the tasks completed will be used to calculate the percentage of work completed.
- Remaining work
The tasks that remain will be stated so that the teams can evaluate their schedule and meet their targets.
- Project cost management
Cost management ensures that funds are available for the whole process of website creation and are continuously monitored to avoid overuse or under-utilization. Activities to determine the right budget for each progress and ways of following up spending are established (Schwalbe, 2008). Project cost management involves the estimation of the costs and determining the budget for all procedures.
- Estimate and control costs
Materials required to be purchased, for instance, computers or printers, and most importantly, human resource persons are noted. The labor costs for developers and IT consultants are laid down to ensure the right amount is availed at all times. Achieving control involves determining resource rates and setting a cost baseline.
- Resource rates
The cost of usage of human labor and the computers are determined to ensure funding is sufficient. Also, the daily costs of hiring consultants and graphic designers are accounted for. Additionally, the total costs are calculated for the entire website creation period.
- Cost baseline
The expected costs are established to the end of the process, where they act as the reference point. Any costs involved in the website creation procedure are compared to the set costs to ensure the finances are not far much less or more than the stipulated amount.
- Determine the budget
Operational finances are set in the form of a budget, alongside the use in all procedures. For instance, human resource payments are categorized into wages during working hours and salaries at the end of the project. To determine budgets, the labor costs operating costs are set first.
- Labor costs
The payment of the workers has considered first, as it is the primary input for the development of Pantera’s website. The wages are established early and paid on time. Prompt payment will act as a motivation to them.
- Operating costs
The running costs are accounted for, where buildings or outsourced resources are used. The costs of such items or people are put down to account and to act as proof to the executives of how the finances were spent.
- Project quality management
At this stage, the product quality is assessed to ensure the features required are present and functioning on the website, where the deliverables are inspected before putting in use. To check the quality of the website to be created, quality assurance is carried out, then quality control on the website (Schwalbe, 2008).
- Quality Assurance
For the website to meet all the requirements stated by the stakeholders, a quality inspection is crucial before the final stages. First, the personnel is assessed for their expertise to develop websites and communication channels used during the production. Also, website specifications are tested through control charts and benchmarking on the website formation.
- Control charts
Different charts used include range “R” control chart and attribute control charts, which assess the change in the progress of the website creation. The features are gradually incorporated into the website, and control charts trace the new developments.
- Benchmarking
The four teams will hold discussions on the quality of the website in comparison to other company’s websites. This exchange of ideas helps to identify internal opportunities to upgrade on the website. Benchmarking with the teams will help to develop a modern with necessary upgraded features that other websites do not have.
- Perform quality control
Maintaining the quality of the website through the incorporation of the features will be ensured. Modern interfaces and customer friendly main pages of the website will appeal to clients. To maintain the quality of the website information, the teams will use checklists and stratification approaches.
- Checklists
A list of the intended features to be added to the website will confirm that quality is maintained. More items can then be added to outdo the competition with other websites.
- Stratification
This tool ensures quality by dividing the required items into groups for closer monitoring. In this case, the features needed in the website are categorized into groups, such as outline, website pages, and navigation tabs.
- Project Human resource management
The manager will assemble the best team for the website development and ensure resources are provided and that they are all satisfied with the working conditions. Satisfied workers will lead to better work output (Lientz & Rea 2016).
- Acquire and develop team
For completion of the work on time, the manager will need to acquire the best team and organize the activities to finish the project within the set time frame. To achieve faster and more efficient coordination, managers will set rules and goals for the team.
- Set rules
Workers are different, and since they assemble for the specific task, it is wise to place guidelines to help achieve targets for smooth running of operations.
- Set goals
Managers will set goals that act as guiding towers towards quality achievement and timely operations. Working towards the goals is motivation and ensures consistency in the project.
- Manage project team
For an easy working environment, the head manager must organize the team for fast and quality work output. The division of labor within the small number of personnel will promote the fast development of the website creation. The team can engage in brainstorming sessions and developing Gantt charts.
- Brainstorming
Every team member will contribute towards achieving the goals of the website project. The decision-making process will need group discussion to strategize and implement all the necessary ideas to develop the best website.
- Gantt charts
The chart illustrates the progress of the tasks performed by the team. Also, it helps to coordinate the track activities towards the end of the website establishment. The stages are assigned to each of the four teams, which complete tasks and plan for the next procedures.
- Project communications management
Communication cuts across all stages in developing the website, where the stakeholders must be informed of the progress, the teams must respond to the lead manager, and the supervisor needs to inform the teams of updates on the project. Communication needs to be planned, and information later distributed (Schwalbe, 2008).
- Plan communication
Communication is organized through the channels and deciding the right message and the recipient. To plan communication, the information is first decided and then the audience.
- The Message
Workers have to decide on the best way to frame their information to be passed to the team managers and stakeholders. The managers also decide the information they pass to the executive on the progress of the task.
- The audience
The right information will be passed to the suitable person as wrong recipients of the message may not elicit the feedback desired; for instance, delay in schedule cannot be passed to the executive before the team manager.
- Distribute information
After the channels and the audience are established for the passing of information, it can now be distributed, either through meetings or digital forms, such as emails.
- Meetings
Regular meetings with the team members will establish the progress or the challenges through the project.
- E-mails and e-conferencing
Sending e-mails to the executives or the managers will update them on the progress of the project, or sometimes meetings can be held through electronic conferencing.
- Project risk management
Making a risk register will list the anticipated perils that may occur during the execution of the website creation. Evaluation of the ways to manage the risks is crucial to the team and the managers (Schwalbe, 2008). Risk management involves the identification of such perils and analyzing them.
- Identify risks
The teams can recognize the probable hindrances over the execution of the website, such as underestimation of resources and incompatibility of the website with internet hosts. Identifying involves assessing the risk exposure and the impact on the website.
- Risk exposure
The origin of risks that may hinder the progress of the website creation includes a lack of team cohesion, disengaged executive members, and taking too much time for the team to learn ideas or implement them.
- Impact of risks
The risks which may come up during the development of the website will have adverse effects, such as the breakdown of features needed, designs can be compromised, and the time taken is extended unnecessarily.
- Perform risk analysis
The sources of such risks are determined, and their nature established. Then, the solutions for such impedance are stated. Risk analysis involves checking value at risk and cost of credit.
- Value at risk
The measure of the total investment on the website development is established. The loss that may arise from the project is established in case the cost of resources changes to account for such risks.
- Cost of Credit
The ability of the final product returning all the costs incurred in developing the website is established. The capacity of the website to compensate the company and the collateral involved is determined to prepare for the loss in case it does not repay.
- Project procurement management
Planning on how to procure services to supplement the operation of the website prepares the company for the costs that may be incurred. Procurements are done through a request for proposals and terms of reference (Schwalbe, 2008). Overall planning includes planning and regulating such procurements.
- Plan procurements
Relationships are created with outside vendors on the goods and services needed to complete the project. The vendors are selected, and the procurements regulated.
- Selection
Vendors who offer the best goods and services are chosen for the desired outcome in the project. In this case, procuring the right computers will ensure continuity in the website development.
- Regulation of vendors
The number of vendors is then limited to the ones offering the best services, and the frequency of purchases is controlled to suit the project’s needs only.
- Regulating procurements
Control of the procurements helps in managing the finances allocated to the services. The products to be procured are only those needed to be incorporated in the process of website development, especially at the coding stage and final hosting services. Regulation involves monitoring and reviewing such services.
- Monitor procurements
The team managers can trace the procurement procedures and the products delivered to ascertain that only those needed are purchased. Products that are then procured are to be appropriately utilized to achieve the end product- custom website for the company.
- Review procurements
The procedures and methods used to select vendors should be regulated through constant inspections. This evaluation will help the teams get the needed resources to finalize the website hosting process.
In conclusion, after all the processes are done, then the project for website creation needs final approval by the stakeholders. The website is inspected for quality, and the specifications earlier stated just before hosting to the search engines or the domains. The team manager presents the full project with all the necessary reports on the risks analysis, financial expenditure, and website security data to the company.
References
Lientz, B., & Rea, K. (2016). Breakthrough technology project management. Routledge.
Schwalbe, K. (2008). Information Technology Project Management, Reprint. Cengage Learning.