Applying Project Management for Business Growth
As an employee of a medium-sized company, I recently completed my first project management course. I identified a process improvement project that, upon completion, will improve customer retention and help grow the business into a new market. This essay outlines how an employee can use the knowledge acquired from a project management course to develop and present a process improvement project to management, which can improve business development and customer satisfaction.
Choosing an Iterative Development Life Cycle
After considering the various approaches to developing this project, the best way to present this idea is through an iterative development life cycle. The iterative development process is ideal for this project as it allows for quickly developing a working product and receiving customer feedback early on in the process (Alvarenga et al., 2020). This feedback can then be used to refine the product further and make necessary changes.
Key Documents in the Initiating Phase
The two key documents I will develop in the initiating phase are the project charter and the project statement of work. The project charter describes the project’s purpose, objectives, scope, deliverables, timeline, and budget. The project statement of work describes the tasks, services, and deliverables required to complete the project.
Planning Phase Deliverables
Additionally, I want to be prepared with key deliverables that I will develop or deliver in the planning phase. The first deliverable is a project charter, which will outline the project goals, objectives, and scope. The second deliverable I will create is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). This deliverable will help identify and organize the tasks needed to complete the project and will provide a comprehensive view of the project’s timeline and sequence of activities (Alvarenga et al., 2020).
The third deliverable is a Risk Management Plan that will identify, analyze, and manage potential risks that may impact the project’s success. The fourth deliverable I will create is a communication plan. This plan will outline how, when, and to whom information about the project will be communicated.
Executing Phase Deliverables
Moreover, I have identified four key deliverables in the executing phase that I would develop or deliver. The first deliverable is a project plan that should include a timeline of the project, a budget, a list of resources needed, risks, and a communication plan (Kreuzer et al., 2020). The timeline helps ensure that the project is completed on time, while the budget deliverable ensures that the project stays within the allocated budget. The list of resources provides all the necessary resources to complete the project, and the risks help identify areas where the project could fail. The communication plan will ensure that all parties involved are kept informed of the project’s progress.
The second deliverable is a project monitoring report, which provides an overview of the project’s progress and will allow the project manager to identify any issues that may arise. The third deliverable is a project closure report that includes the project’s results, the total cost, and any lessons learned. This report ensures that the project is completed in accordance with the original plan. The fourth deliverable is a post-implementation review, which provides an opportunity for the stakeholders to provide feedback on the project and identify areas for improvement. These four deliverables will ensure that the project is successful and that all parties involved are kept informed of its progress.
Leveraging Project Management for Success
In conclusion, to improve business and customer service, it is crucial to implement all the knowledge learned in the project management course. An iterative approach allows the development of a product in phases and testing each phase before proceeding to the next, which leads to reducing risks and ensuring that the final product meets customer expectations. By developing the project charter and the project statement of work, there will be an opportunity to demonstrate thorough deliberation of the project and a clear understanding of the risks and challenges associated with it. Besides, having key deliverables in place will help me present new ideas to management and develop a plan for the successful completion of the project.
References
Alvarenga, J.C., Branco, R.R., Guedes, A.L.A., Soares, C.A.P. & Silva, W.d.S.e. (2020). The project manager core competencies to project success. International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, 13 (2), 277-292. Web.
Kreuzer T., Roglinger M. & Rupprecht L. (2020) Customer-centric prioritization of process improvement projects. Decision Support Systems, 133, 113286. Web.