NV Salon System
- Pages: 20
- Word count: 4887
- Category: Management
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To provide a natural-based, superior, economic hair care product for our culturally diverse consumer. We are committed to becoming an educator of natural-based product usage, a lifestyle consultant for fashion and culture, and a community ambassador for the less fortunate in our society.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH
Executive Summary
NV Salons new product launch shall be determined upon factors including profitability, increased industry recognition, and marketability. It is our belief; NV Salons needs a successful project that will provide us with potentially rapid growth in a new market. Part of our strategic initiative is to explore different markets for opportunities that will meet our objective. Research has shown that there is a need for, an affordable natural based hair care system that our company can and will meet which will increase our product line into a growing target market. By using expert analysis and product testing techniques we can provide the product customers are searching for. To further elaborate, establishing this hair care line will meet customer expectations as well as create a profitable aspect to our business.
The Project Manager, Takenya Allison, has the overall authority and responsibility for managing and executing this project according to this Project Plan and it Subsidiary Management Plans.
PROJECT SCOPE
The following outlines the scope of our project:
1. Defining the Brand
a. Address both graphics and structural design issues.
b. What words can we use to provide a sense of what NV is?
c. Need to confirm how many SKUs are in the initial launch.
d. Which are the lead SKUs (i.e., if we were to use a few items to represent the line in initial exploratory work, which would they be)?
e. Package design.
f. Approval package design and initial quantity.
g. Create professional retail and professional brochures.
h. Create business cards, shampoo capes, cutting capes, bags, and tent cards.
1. Create a recruitment strategy
a. Distributor recruitment.
b. Criteria.
c. Precertification.
d. Training.
e. Contracts.
2. Inventory management Control
a. Determine which EDI system to use.
b. Create a seamless system.
Specific Project Scope Exclusions
• Create a marketing strategy. This is out of scope because it would require outsourcing a marketing consultant.
• Create social network strategy. This is out of scope. Our focus is on print media only at this time.
• Create a distribution strategy. This is out of scope. Our project boundary focuses on recruitment only at this time.
MILESTONE LIST
This project can be broken up into three sections which have a milestone that will complete each phase. The first is when we will launch the initial product. Much work is included before this can happen and that is why when this is completed it will be a major milestone. Secondly, when we confirm what the lead products will be, we will have reached another major milestone. The last major milestone and the most important is when we determine which Edi system to use.
Milestone Description Date
Confirm Initial Product launch Initiate the launch of our product after all preliminary steps are met. Q2 2010
Confirm all Lead Products Confirm what products will lead the product line of NV Salon Q4 2010
Determine which EDI system to use. After all preliminary research we will establish which EDI system works best for us. Q3/2012
SCHEDULE BASELINE AND WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE
Below is a network diagram which will serve as our schedule baseline:
The following is our WBS For this project:
1.1.1 GO TO ELANCE.COM AND SELECT THE BEST MARKETING COMPANY TO CREATE OUR BRAND MESSAGE
2.1 Select Target Focus Group
2.2 Create focus group sample survey
2.3.1 Collect and chart focus group data (pivot table)
2.3.2 Analyze and Evaluate focus group data
2.3.3 Document results of focus group data
2.3.4 Analyze and create pivot table
3.1 Evaluate marketing regions to be selected for product testing in salons
3.2 Select technicians per region based on established criteria
3.3 Perform client consultation to determine products to use (release waivers)
3.4.1 Allergy Test
3.4.2 Porosity test
3.4.3 Relaxer application; strict adherence to procedure
3.4.4 Air form technique
3.5 Review results from Salon
4 Select Stylist based on the established criteria
5 Confirm Lead Products
5.1 Confirm package design
5.2 Approve Initial Order
5.3 Create Brochures
5.4 Create Business Cards
6 Recruitment Strategies
6.1 Create distributor recruitment
6.2 Create a selection criteria
6.3 Precertification
7.1 Training is provided to distributor trainees
7.2 Product Knowledge course
7.3 Provide Computer Software course
7.4 Provide Sales Training course
7.5 Provides Policies and Procedures Course
8.1 Creates a control mechanism to track distributors performance and renewal information
9.1 Determine which EDI system to use
10 Lessons Learned
10.1 Identify Risks
10.2 Analyze
10.3 Plan
PROJECT CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLANS
Describe the purpose of the Change Management Plan using the following guidelines. Do not merely describe the content of the plan, but explain why Change Management is necessary for the project.
Product launches are dynamic efforts and as such change is inevitable. One of the greatest challenges to a project’s success is controlling the impact of change or managing changes to the benefit of the project objectives. By accepting the fact that change will occur and planning for the management of change, the probability of project success is increased and enhanced.
The purpose of the Change Control Plan is to define all processes, practices, tools, review bodies, and authority necessary to monitor and control project performance, identified change and the potential impact of change on project objectives.
Roles and Responsibilities
Describe how the following project participants, at a minimum, perform in the planning and execution of project change management.
• Project Sponsor
• Project Manager
• Project Team
• Other Stakeholders
Review and Approval Process
Describe the process to identify change in the project scope, cost and budget. Describe the change approval authorities and review boards that will process project change control documents.
Following are the steps involved in the change control process. A process flow diagram at the end of this section graphically displays the steps.
• A potential change is identified by any team member or project stakeholder.
• The change request form is completed with the assistance of the Project Manager.
• The Project Team evaluates the request to make sure impacts are thoroughly discussed and identified on the form. Decision-makers should be able to clearly see the impact of change on the project (time cost, scope, quality and risks).
• If the impact of the change the thresholds outlined in this plan then the change is presented to the review board. The board’s chair has ultimate approval or denial of the change. Any changes under the threshold for approval are sent to Project Manager for approval.
• If the change is denied the reason is documented and the requestor is notified. No other action is taken.
• If the change is approved then it is documented and implemented. The change will be reflected in all the appropriate Project Management documents.
• If a change request is deferred, then one of two actions is taken. In the case where a “trigger event” which would necessitate the change is known, the Project Team will monitor the occurrence of the event. The change request will be re-visited when the event occurs. Otherwise, the Project Team will schedule a date to re-evaluate the request.
CHANGE REQUEST
Project Title: Date Prepared:
Person Requesting Change: Change Number:
Category of Change:
Scope Quality Requirements
Cost Schedule Documents
Detailed Description of Proposed Change:
Justification for Proposed Change:
Impacts of Change:
Scope Increase Decrease Modify
Description:
Quality Increase Decrease Modify
Description:
Requirements Increase Decrease Modify
Description:
Cost Increase Decrease Modify
Description:
Schedule Increase Decrease Modify
Description:
Project Documents
Comments:
Disposition Approve Defer Reject
Justification:
Change Control Board Signatures:
Name Role Signature
Date:
Change Request Process Flow Diagram
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT PLAN
Describe the purpose of the Communications Management Plan using the following guidelines. Do not merely describe the content of the plan, but explain why Communications Management is necessary for the project:
The success of any project is heavily reliant upon the project team members and stakeholders being thoroughly informed in a timely manner. Information such as scope, time, cost or quality changes, current project schedule status, current and projected cost data, and project decisions or issues all need to be disseminated to project members and stakeholders. This Communications Plan establishes the project’s processes and requirements for the collection and distribution of project data.
Document accessibility and security are also key factors. Not every project participant requires access to every project document, but some information should be available to all. Methods need to be in place to identify security and accessibility to project information.
COST MANAGEMENT PLAN
Describe the purpose of the cost management plan using the following guidelines. Do not merely describe the content of the plan, but why Cost Management is necessary for the project:
The objective of the cost management plan is to make certain that project costs are monitored and controlled and that the project is delivered within budget.
Cost changes, especially for complex projects, are common as project activities are completed and more information and detail become available. Cost changes can be caused by several factors such as the unavailability of critical resources, material delivery, or cost of new technology. The objective of the cost management plan is to make certain that project costs are monitored and controlled and that the project is delivered within budget.
Roles and Responsibilities
Describe how the following project participants, at a minimum, perform in the planning and execution of project cost management
• Project Sponsor
• Project Manager
• Project Team
• Project Stakeholders
• Project Budget
Describe the iterative process of preparing high-level conceptual budget estimates during the project initiation phase and evolving to a detailed, time-phased, WBS based budget during the planning phase of the project. Describe the process for base lining the budget to enable performance measurement. Describe how the budget will be maintained and the process that will be followed if budget changes are required. Describe periodic budget reviews and how project stakeholders will be kept informed of their impact on the budget.
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Cost Change Review and Approval Process
Describe the organization and process for evaluating and assessing project budget/cost changes. Define the authority for accepting and approving changes in cost. Include the evaluation process to assess the impact of cost changes on project scope, schedule, risk and quality. Note: the cost change review and approval process should be contained within the Integrated Change Control Management Process. Reference to that process should be included within this statement.
The integrated change management process must be followed to initiate any changes or revisions to the cost estimate. Other aspects of the project, including scope, risks, requirements, acquisition plan etc., may impact budget changes.
In determining whether to make a cost change, consideration is given to impacts on scope, schedule, risk, quality and staffing. The change management plan should contain further explanation of the re-base lining process. The status of all change requests is communicated to appropriate project stakeholders in accordance with the project’s communications plan.
Review the project budget and determine that all development costs have been identified.
The project constraints will have stated the maximum project cost. This task is intended to develop an initial project budget within these constraints.
Develop an initial project level estimate of costs. As with the sliding planning window, this project level estimate is intended to give an overall cost of the project. It is a top-down estimate, and will be revised and revalidated at the end of each stage. Although there will be many assumptions, it is very important that an initial estimate of project costs is completed. Failure to produce an initial estimate of project cost, with supporting assumptions and caveats, will tend to suggest that the project objective, scope, approach and resourcing have not been properly thought through.
COST ESTIMATING WORKSHEET
Project Title:
Date Prepared:
Parametric Estimates
WBS ID Cost Variable Cost per Unit Number of Units Cost Estimate
Analogous Estimates
WBS ID Previous Activity Previous Cost Current Activity Multiplier Cost Estimate
Three Point Estimates
WBS ID Optimistic Cost Most Likely Cost Pessimistic Cost Weighting Equation Expected Cost Estimate
PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT PLAN
(adapted from PMdocs Project Management Plan Template)
This Procurement Management Plan sets the procurement framework for the NV Salon product launch project. The plan will serve as a guide for managing procurement throughout the life of the project and will be updated as acquisition needs change. This plan identifies and defines the items to be procured, the types of contracts to be used in support of this project, the contract approval process, and decision criteria.
Takenya Allison, the owner/project manager will provide oversight and management for all procurement activities under this project. She will work with the project team to identify all items to be procured for the successful completion of the project. The sponsoring organizations and financial partners will assist in reviewing the procurement list prior to releasing it for contracting and purchasing. The contracts and purchasing department will review the procurement items, determine whether it is advantageous to make or buy the items, and begin the vendor selection, purchasing and the contracting process.
The following procurement items and/or services have been determined to be essential for project completion and success. The following list of items/services, justification, and timeline are pending review prior to contracting and purchasing:
The following procurement items and/or services have been determined to be essential for project completion and success. The following list of items/services, justification, and timeline are pending review prior to contracting and purchasing:
Item/Service Justification Needed By
Hdpe bottles Part of retailed product
Shipping department
Disc caps
Part of retailed product shipping
Sprayers
Part of retailed product
shipping
Boxes
Part of retailed product
shipping
Labels
Part of retailed product
shipping
Packing material
Part of retailed product shipping
Brochures
Part of retailed product
shipping
Posters
Part of retailed product
shipping
Decals
Part of retailed product
shipping
Bags
Part of retailed product shipping
Receipts
Part of retailed product
shipping
In addition to the above list of procurement items, the following individuals are authorized to approve purchases for the project team:
Name Role
Takenya Allison Owner/ Project Manager
All items and services to be procured for this project will be solicited under firm-fixed price contracts. The project manager will define the item types, quantities, services and required delivery dates. Bids will then be solicited from selected vendors in order to procure the items within the required time frame and at a reasonable cost under the firm fixed price.
The criteria for the selection and award of procurement contracts under this project will be based on the following decision criteria:
– Supply capability: on time and in required quantity
– Supply capability: at required quality level
– Cost
– Past performance
These criteria will be measured by the Project Manager. (Adapted from PMdocs Project Management Plan Template)
PROJECT SCOPE MANAGEMENT PLAN
For the NV Salon product launch project, scope management will be the sole responsibility of the Project Manager. Our project’s scope is defined by the Scope Statement, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and WBS Dictionary. The Owner/Project Manager, Takenya Allison, will approve scope documentation, including deliverable quality checklists and work performance measurements. Proposed scope changes will be submitted to the Project Manager for evaluation. Upon approval of scope changes, the Project Manager will update all project documents and communicate the scope change to all stakeholders. (Adapted from PMdocs Project Management Plan Template)
SCHEDULE MANAGEMENT PLAN
Project schedules will be created using MS Project 2007 starting with the deliverables identified in the project’s Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Deliverables will be defined by the specified activities required to accomplish the individual work packages of the WBS. The sequencing of these activities will be determined by and arrow-on-node network diagram showing the necessary order of work packages and relationships between project activities. Activity duration estimating will be used to calculate the number of work periods required to complete work packages. Resource estimating will be used to assign resources to work packages in order to complete schedule development.
Once a preliminary schedule has been developed, it will be reviewed by the project team and any resources tentatively assigned to project tasks. The project team and resources must agree to the proposed work package assignments, durations, and schedule. Once an agreement on these items is reached, the project manager will review and approve the schedule and it will then be baseline.
Some milestones for gauging the project schedule’s development and maturity will be:
• Finalization and approval of scope statement
• Fourth-level WBS complete, along with WBS Dictionary
• Baseline project schedule
• Approval of final project budget
• Project kick-off
• Approval of roles and responsibilities
• Requirements definition approval
• Project implementation
• Acceptance of final deliverables
Roles and responsibilities for schedule development are as follows:
Allison:
• Facilitate work package definition, sequencing, and estimating duration and resources with the project team.
• Validate schedule with project team, stakeholders, and sponsoring organization/financial partners.
• obtain schedule approval from the sponsoring organization and financial partners
• Baseline the schedule.
Project Team:
• Participate in work package definition, sequencing, and duration and resource estimating.
• Review and validate the proposed schedule and
• Perform assigned activities once schedule is approved.
Sponsoring Organization and financial partners will participate in reviews of the proposed schedule and approve the final schedule before it is baseline. (Adapted from PMdocs Project Management Plan Template)
QUALITY MANAGEMENT PLAN
The NV Salon Project Quality Management Plan documents the necessary information required to effectively manage project quality from planning to delivery. It defines the project’s quality policies, procedures, criteria for and areas of application, and roles, responsibilities and authorities.
Perform Quality Planning
As part of the project, the team will use quality management processes to guarantee the expected outcome of the project by defining the quality specifications.
The Quality Management Plan focuses team efforts on how the quality requirements and specifications are to be obtained, and how the specification will be met during the project.
In order to visualize the entire process and to help identify where the major milestones to achieve the quality specifications are, the team developed a process flowchart. It will show the main process steps and the decision points to make sure the specifications are met:
Perform Quality Assurance
With the quality activities agreed upon comes an obvious need to ensure these measures are being upheld. Because most of the activities have quantifiable measures, this process will be much easier. As the project progresses and this business plan takes shape, it will be critical for our team to collect performance results continually to ensure that our quality plan is successful. With the use of MS Project we can check the status of deliverables, the progress of the schedule, and analyze our processes from a quality standpoint.
On page 204, the PMBOK Guide describes quality audits as follows, “a quality audit is a structured, independent review to determine whether project activities comply with organizational and project policies, processes, and procedures.” (PMBOK, 2008) This can be a tool used to:
• Identify all the good/best practices being implemented
• Identify any gaps/shortcomings
• Share the good practices introduced or implemented in similar projects in the organization and/ or industry.
• Highlight contributions of each audit in the lessons learned repository of the organization.
These audits will be very important for ECO-EFX as we progress with our product and business plan. Some of the results of performing quality assurance will be the updating of the quality management plan, cost management plan, our schedule, documentation of new and helpful processes, and better quality training programs.
This quality plan will be continually updated, as is any quality assurance plan within organizations. As we progress, we will discuss ways to improve processes and procedures periodically. If we realize one of our quality measures or activities is not being used correctly or does not work, we will be free to change these procedures accordingly.
Perform Quality Control
Lastly, ECO-EFX will have the responsibility to perform quality control. The PMBOK Guide on page 206 says, “Perform Quality Assurance is the process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality activities to assess performance and recommend necessary changes.” (PMBOK, 2008) This is where the use of tools such as flowcharts, histograms, Pareto charts, statistical sampling, and control charts can be used appropriately to monitor and document how activities are performing. The objective when using these tools is to understand how your processes are working. For example, a flowchart’s main purpose is to determine failing processes and identify potential process improvement opportunities. By doing this, ECO-EFX can update our activities and processes accordingly.
The inputs that will go into our quality performance measures are:
• Project management plan
• Quality checklists
• Quality activities
• Work performance measurements
• Approved change requests
• Deliverables
Quality performance is often subjective and that is why it is so important to spend adequate time developing activities that can be measured quantitatively. Otherwise, management has nothing to analyze in regards to quality procedures, policies, or activities. In order to visualize the entire process and to help identify where the major milestones to achieve the quality specifications are, our team will use the aforementioned process flowchart. It will show the main process steps and the decision points to make sure the specifications are met.
With the measures we take to perform quality control, we can control quality measurements, validate our decisions for our listed activities, validate our deliverables, change any unnecessary procedures, update our project management plan, update project documents, and review any necessary issues concerning our quality plan. As this project progresses, specifics of plans and procedures will become clearer.
RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN
The Risk Management for NV salon project will be conducted by the Project Manager together with the team. The risks will be identified and will be discussed in the weekly meetings reviews.
The Project Manager will use a risk register to list all the risks identified and the actions to mitigate or to increase the opportunities in case of positive risks.
Every week the team meets and all the risks are reviewed and the actions are reported and the status updated. During the discussion of the actions, if any change is required, it will be sent to the Change Management Process as described in the project change control process section in this document.
The team will initially discuss all the risks that will compose the initial list of risks to be managed. As the project progress, new risks may be identified and will be included in the risk register for analysis.
The Risk Register will identify all the risks and will contain the following additional information to support the risk management process:
• Risk ID: A code to identify the risk
• Risk Description: A explanation of the risk event
• Risk Category:
• Impact description: It will explain what happens if the risk occurs
• Probability of Occurrence: An index indication the change of occurrence in percentage
• Impact: An index indication the level of impact if the risk occurs. From 1 (low) to 10 (high).
• Risk Likelihood. An index indicating the likelihood of the risk. It is obtained by (Prob. X Impact)
• Status of the risk. If the risk is active or closed.
• Mitigation Plan: It will provide what are the actions the team will be performing in order to reduce the probability of occurrence of the risk (in case of a negative risk) or increase it (in case of a positive risk). It will also provide actions to reduce the potential impact of the risk (negative risk) or increase it (positive risk).
• Contingency Plan: It will describe what actions will be performed if the risk occurs.
Risk Identification
The team will perform the Risks Identification initial session to refine the initial risks highlighted in the Project Charter and to add new risks to the process by performing the stakeholders, WBS, budget, schedule and resources analysis. As stated in Gray and Larson on page 200 of their book, Project Management: the managerial process, use of the “risk breakdown structure in conjunction with work breakdown structures help management teams identify and eventually analyze risk.” (Gray and Larson, 2008).
After the initial risks identification is ready, the team will provide ongoing review of the risks and the Project Manager will review and manage the risks, by triggering mitigation plans and contingency plans if needed.
After the team initial discussion, the risks were identified and categorized serving as the basis for the subsequent risk management processes.
Perform Quantitative and Qualitative Risk Analysis
For every risk, the team will perform the selection of the risks that should be included and they will be quantified as described above and a prioritization can be performed based on the risk likelihood index.
The Risk Register will update with the information collected.
Plan Risk Responses
At this step, the team collected the risk information and for every risk in the list the team will define what will be the mitigation and contingency plans and the Risk Register will be updated accordingly.
STAFFING MANAGEMENT PLAN
The majority of the resources for the project will be outsourced. All the resources will be identified based on the work breakdown structure (WBS) as defined in the scope management plan. After the identification of the resources needed, a procurement step will be done to hire the companies or resources that will perform the activities.
In the initial stage of the project, as part of the company strategy, a very low number of resources are utilized. As the project progress and the outcomes expected are captured, the project scales up to more resources as needed.
The resources and their initial allocation per quarter are shown in the table below:
The resources will be managed by the Project Manager (Owner) and the procurement will be based on the experience, background of the company and the previous relationship and trust with the company in the previous projects.
COST BASELINE
Describe how performance reporting will be accomplished (i.e., deliverables, activity, contract, departmentally, etc.) and what performance characteristics will be reported. The reporting measures should also include a project overview of total performance to date with project completion projections. The description should include the development of financial, budget and schedule data required for the Earned Value Management System
QUALITY BASELINE
In regard to project performance:
• Milestones will be met on time.
• After due date reports will be obtained to clarify and detail reasons for failure to achieve the milestone deadline.
• Reports will be analyzed and evaluated for corrective measures. (Brainstorming, fishbone charts, FEMA)
• Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle will be invoked for the next deliverable in the critical chain.
• Budget constraints will be kept within a five per cent overrun.
• Three per cent excess expenditure on a given work package will trigger internal auditing.
• Over five per cent excess will trigger review and revision. (Scope or time compromise: budget is fixed!)
• Plan, Do, Check, Act cycle will be invoked for the next deliverable in the critical chain.
In regard to product to be launched:
• Consumer experience as measured through focus group and salon testing must be highly positive.
• As this is a very subjective measure, the key to quality is detailed specific responses to the product experience. Price, appearance, texture, and smell may weigh a bit less than effectiveness, but all of them count. Every deviation from 100% satisfaction must be thoroughly explored and evaluated for possible corrective response.
• Salon personnel experience (both NV and non-NV participants) must be overwhelmingly favorable.
• Another very subjective measure, for which reason, we may not rely on the nice noises people make when they do not want to say what they mean.
• There must be detailed analyses of questionnaire responses and tightly focused follow-up on all less responses that are less than excitedly positive.
Purpose of Closeout Report
Describe the purpose of the Closeout Report using the following guidelines:
The closeout report insures that personnel, contract, administrative, and financial issues are resolved, that documents are archived, and lessons learned are captured.
Administrative Closure
Were the objectives of the project met?
Review the project objectives and indicate if the objectives were met. If there were deviations from the baseline objectives and the final product, describe those here.
Archiving Project Artifacts
Describe how project documents will be collected and archived for future reference. Documentation to consider:
• Financial records
• Cost and schedule performance reports and records
• Quality data
• Correspondence
• Meeting Notes
• Status Reports
• Issue and Action Log
• Risk Log
• Contract Files
• Change Requests
• Technical documents
• Acceptance records
Lessons Learned
Conduct a lessons learned session to discuss and capture the performance (e.g., what worked well, what didn’t work well) from start to finish on the project. Capturing and incorporating lessons learned on future projects are among the most important ways in which an organization gathers information to institutionalize repeatable processes and avoid repeated mistakes.
Plans for Post Implementation Review (PIR)
Describe the plan to conduct the Post Implementation Review (PIR).
Final Customer Acceptance
Describe the achievement of final customer acceptance. Describe the final meeting with customer, who attended and what disciplines were represented (finance, contracts, quality, etc.) Discuss the documents signed. If open issues remain discuss the plan for their resolution.
Financial Records
Discuss the review of invoices, purchase orders, and final cost reporting. Describe where the final cost records are archived.
Final Project Performance Report
Summarize the project’s scope management, schedule performance, cost performance, quality achievements and a review of the risk containment performance. Discuss the reasons for cost or schedule variances.
Contract Closure
Resolution of Contract Open Issues
Describe any open contract issues and the plans to obtain closure to the issues.
Collection and Audit of Contract Documents
Contract closure is essentially a collection and audit of the contract documentation. Documentation to be collected includes but is not limited to:
• Original contracts
• Contract changes
• Schedules
• Performance reports
• Describe the plan and actions for closing any contracts and associated tasks.