Introduction
In this project, you will be using basic project management skills to plan for the design, construction, outfitting, and stocking of a new retail store in Brazil for your US-based home improvement company. As this is the first time the company has opened a store in an international market, your will blaze a new trail for the company and set the example for future international expansion.
This project will require you to create several deliverables using templates provided in the steps below to ensure that the new store is fully operational by the target date.
To get started, click Step 1: Become Familiar with Project Scope.
Step 1: Become Familiar with Project Scope
A few hours after your call with Latoya Green, you receive an email from her executive assistant that defines the high-level deliverables and timelines for this project in a project statement of work (SOW).
INBOX: 1 New Message
Subject: Deliverables and Timeline for Store Opening
From: Cassandra Seltzer, Executive Assistant, TCS, Inc.
To: You
Greetings,
You will need to know the high-level deliverables and timelines for this project, which can be found in the project statement of work (SOW).
The SOW for this project lists the following requirements:
• design the new store building, garage, parking lots, and landscaping
• obtain required licenses and permits
• prepare the site and lay the foundation
• construct the new store building and finish the interior
• construct the garage and garden center
• outfit the store with shelves, fixtures, and IT systems (e.g., communications and payment systems)
• pave the parking lots and landscape the exterior of the store
• stock the store with inventory (For this project, stick to a storewide, high-level inventory budget, though you may have to make estimates based on different product categories, such as lumber, hardware, appliances, etc.)
• staff, hire, and train store personnel
The SOW specifically notes that your project scope does not include the following:
• marketing or publicity
• other actions and costs related to operation of the new store
This project will require that you and your team create the following deliverables within the time frames described in this project, using standard templates provided in subsequent steps by TCS management. These steps will ensure that the new store is fully operational by the target date. Those deliverables, described in detail later, include the following:
• a project charter
• a stakeholder management plan
• a high-level work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project
• a risk register that identifies 5–10 key project risks and the team’s proposed responses for handling such risks
• a Gantt chart showing key project activities and the project’s critical path
• a high-level project cost estimate, with supporting justifications, for the labor, materials, and overhead for the new facility to be ready for operation by the assigned target date
• a project management plan
Thank you for your attention. Our group will be in touch.
Cassandra Seltzer
From your client file on Terrapin Construction Supply, Inc., you are informed that there are five major product groups at each TCS store: plumbing and electrical supplies; building materials; hardware and tools; seasonal, garden, and yard items; and paint, flooring, and wall coverings.
Each TCS store has a store manager, assistant store manager, bookkeeper, information systems manager, a manager for each of the five major product groups, customer service employees to assist with purchases on the store floor, cashiers, receiving and stocking employees, and maintenance and janitorial employees.
In summary, you know a lot about what you need to have 10 months from now, but how will you get there? You do not have much experience with formal project management so you message a colleague who recently acquired a project management professional (PMP) certification.
In the next step, your friend delivers the requested help, outlining several key project management topics.
Step 2: Become Familiar with Project Management Concepts
In the previous step, you received a SOW and the authorized templates from the CEO’s office. You also put out an SOS to a friend, who emails you the next day.
INBOX: 1 New Message
Subject: Re: Help!
From: Jorge Linville
To: You
Got your message, good to hear from you and glad to hear you’re still with Maryland Creative Solutions.
Sounds like a big project you’ve been tasked with. I’m happy to help out where I can.
To begin, I’d suggest doing some background reading to familiarize yourself with a few key topics. I’ll help get you get started:
• First of all, you should know what a project is and what it isn’t. Basically, you need an introduction to project management.
• Next, you’re going to need to understand how to apply project management processes and the triple constraint, because these concepts are going affect a lot of other project components.
• You’ll need to draft a project charter and understand the concepts of stakeholders and stakeholder management.
• You’ll also need to plan the nuts and bolts of the work to be done with a work breakdown structure (WBS) and Gantt charts, and you’ll need to know how to determine the critical path.
• And of course, nothing is free, so you’ll need to understand project cost estimating and project procurement.
• Critically, you should understand project risk and risk registers so that you can actually develop a project risk register.
• And you’ll need to be able to write a good project management plan overview.
Those are the basics, at least. Hope this helps, and good luck!
Jorge
After you have reviewed these project management resources, proceed to the next step, where you will develop a project charter.
Step 3: Develop a Project Charter
Very glad that you reached out for Jorge’s insight and resources, you proceed with the formal requirements listed in the project statement of work.
Your team has established guidelines for communication and accountability on this project. Now, your team will need to develop a project charter using the provided project charter template. While this document will not be turned in until the end of Week 4, it will guide your development of the project management plan. Note that TCS CEO Latoya Green is your project sponsor and the key stakeholder who must approve and sign the project charter.
When you have completed your project charter, continue to the next step, where you will develop a stakeholder management plan.
Step 4: Develop a Stakeholder Management Plan
Following your team project charter, you are invited to a check-in web meeting with MCS CEO Jillian Best to discuss next steps with the TCS project:
Calendar Invite: Jillian Best, CEO
“I’m glad your team has agreed on a charter for TCS,” Jillian says. “Now I want you to really start nailing down some of the specifics of this project, such as involved parties, responsibilities, risks, and costs.
“To this point, TCS management has provided you with information and templates for this project, your team has set guidelines to work together effectively, and you have used that information to develop a project charter for Latoya Green to approve. Now, you are ready to begin thinking about stakeholders and stakeholder management.
“Your team needs to develop a stakeholder management plan. I’m attaching a stakeholder management plan template to follow. The plan should identify potential stakeholders by their general role, such as CFO, local government offical, vice president of marketing, etc. There is one exception: You must name Latoya Green as your project sponsor.
“Good work team, looking forward to seeing the stakeholder management plan.”
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