UCAM/CIQ/203 Project Plan for Mediterranean Shipping Company Assessment Task 2 Answer
Answer
Purpose of this project plan:
The project plan is beneficial for the project manager that helps the project manager to clearly explain the expectations of the project to the project members (Kerzner, 2017). The project plan helps the manager to determine the task for each member, the schedule for each task, analyze the project risks, etc (Fleming and Koppelman, 2016). It ensures the efficiency of the business operations and prevents the wastage of time and money.
The efficient project plan will help the member of the project to clarify the task and role of each employee and supplier (Meredith, Shafer, and Mantel Jr, 2017). It helps the members of the project to identify that employees are meet their deadlines or not, employees and suppliers understand the specific task and urgency of the task or not.
Background Information:
According to this case scenario, this project plan develops a plan for the Mediterranean Shipping Company for implementing the Artificial intelligence software to enhance efficiency in the business operations. This project plan develops a plan for this company to implement a voice-enabled personal assistant on a cruise for enhancing their business operations.
Artificial intelligence is the simulation of intelligence like humans in the machines. These types of machines are programmed to work and think like humans and these machines are mimic of human action. Features of the AI changes the entire business activity of the cruise ship that reduces the chance of the human error, improves the entire decision-making process, etc (Capterra.com. 2020). It allows the driver of the cruise to set up speed. In many organizations, AI has implemented with the implementation of the Computer-Aided design system within the organization.
Project objectives:
The following are the project objectives for this entire project plan.
- Completion of the project within the proper schedule.
- Completion of the project within the project budget.
- Testing of the software efficiently after installation.
- Implementation of full benefits and features of the AI system.
- Arrangement of a training session for employees to successful implementation.
- Detection of issues in each step and mitigate those issues with full of efficiency.
Organisation objectives:
Following are the objectives of the organization in this project plan:
- To enhance the satisfaction level of customers.
- To improve the security level of the cruise ships regarding the supply chain security and customer security.
- To increases the competitive advantages of the company.
- To intelligently predict the needs and requirements of the guest through communication.
- To use in the supply chain management system of the MSC for reducing the operational cost and to efficiently manage the inventory system.
- To keep a monitor on the ships while moving the cargo across the world.
- To use in the manufacturing site of the company to control the quality of the cruise ships.
- To shorten the design timing of the cruise ships in the manufacturing site.
- To reduce the waste of the materials and improve the reuse of the material in production.
- To develop a virtual representation of the ships for monitoring the entire system.
Project scope:
The scope of this project is to install the AI software into cruise ships to offer a wide choice of facilities and services to customers. The installation of the AI software within the timeframe that includes many other features’ installation:
- Installation of cloud-based programs with the facilities of the internet-connected devices in cruise ships.
- Installation of the internet-connected applications to enhance the services of the AI software.
- Installation of interactive information touch screen around the cruise ships.
- Organizing training sessions for the cruise ship operators and cruise ship hostesses and hosts.
- Installation of the sensor in everything to maintain the security within the cruise ships.
- Installation of other specifications according to the requirement of the software.
- Replacement of the older techniques with AI techniques on all new ships.
- Presenting the virtual representation of the cruise ships along with the installation of sensors and data collection methods and cameras.
Project assumption:
The following project’s assumptions have prepared to successfully execute the entire plan of the project:
- No hidden project costs will add to the project budget.
- The import of the new hardware system will have occurred within the exact project timeframe.
- System engineers and Information technology engineers will be available in the manufacturing site
- Funds will be available according to the requirements of the installation process.
- The project members will maintain all steps of the projects according to the plan.
- Switchover into the new technology and system after the testing of the entire system.
- Users will be available as per the requirement for testing.
Project roles and responsibilities:
The roles and responsibilities should clearly explain to every project member. The project manager should organize a regular meeting with their members to ensure compliance and effectiveness according to the project plan.
Role | Responsibilities | Participant (s) |
Sponsor of the project | Review every details and component of the project. Select members and Develop the board of director Approve the project budget | CEO of the company |
Committee members | Ensure about the funds and its availability according to the requirement. Provide regular guidance to the manager of the project | Manager of the finance Director of the information technology department. Corporate associate |
Manager of the entire project | Develop the project plan and project budget. Preparing the schedule for every task. Manage the step by step implementation of the project. Regularly Contact with the sponsor of the project and committee members. Regularly inform about the activities to the project sponsor. Authorize the payment options and purchasing of the new products. Supervising the manufacturing site, supply chain system, Supervise the IT engineers, suppliers of the raw materials, and specialist of application. Supervising the team members of the project and encourage the staffs. Ensuring the security of the employees and customers. Scheduling the training session for employees Analysing the risk and its mitigation process | Manager of the entire organisation. |
Team members of the project | Understand the requirement and urgency of the project. Understand the role and responsibilities Highlights the concern areas to the manager. Properly operate and implement the exact design in the process. Review and testing the workflow processes. Ensure the efficiency of the entire project operation. | Operation manger. Cruise staffs, hosts and hostess Cruise operators. Manufacturing and supply chain operators. IT engineers |
AI installation experts | Supply of the hardware and software devices as per the requirements. Installation of the AI Configuration of the entire system Provide training to the user and power user. | AI application specialist AI engineers. IT engineers |
Timeline of the project:
The timeline of the project is scheduled by seasonal trends and operational activity.
The starting of the operation and finishing of each step will be calculated based on the following factors:
- The off-peak season of the company is from July to November.
- Project proposal, planning of the project, and design phases should be completed by the end of the July month.
- Completion of the project must be by the end of November to ensure the efficiency in the business operation at the peak season in December and to achieve the objectives of the business.
GANTT CHART
GANNET Chart illustrates the entire schedule of the project (Nurre and Weir, 2017).
Month | July’20 | Aug’20 | Sep’20 | Oct’20 | Nov’20 | ||||||||||||||
Week | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
Task | |||||||||||||||||||
Obtain proposal from the MSC with the plan of installation and SRS analysis | |||||||||||||||||||
Demonstration of system | |||||||||||||||||||
Analysing SRS | |||||||||||||||||||
Questions from suppliers | |||||||||||||||||||
Case submission of business | |||||||||||||||||||
Submission of budget | |||||||||||||||||||
Planning of the project | |||||||||||||||||||
Objective agreement | |||||||||||||||||||
Planning of resources | |||||||||||||||||||
A request for fund and order of purchase | |||||||||||||||||||
Infrastructure of IT | |||||||||||||||||||
Delivery of hardware | |||||||||||||||||||
Software installation | |||||||||||||||||||
Training of employees and users | |||||||||||||||||||
testing | |||||||||||||||||||
monitor | |||||||||||||||||||
completion | |||||||||||||||||||
Risk management:
AI experts and the team members of the project should work closely and communicate with each other to effectively manage and minimize the potential risk in the entire process. The project plan should develop in a way that defines the backup support for managing the risk (Hopkin, 2018).
Risk | Score of Probability 1-5 | Score of Impact 1-5 | Impact | Mitigation |
Delays in installation and delivery | 4 | 2 | Execution and completion of the project may be affected by this risk | Timely purchasing the products and develop orders for purchasing. Communicate effectively with the suppliers. |
Unavailability of IT engineers/ AI application experts when required | 3 | 5 | Execution of the project affected by this. Lack of training session for users. | Backup of AI application experts or IT engineers should be provided in case any circumstances occur. |
Issues in adopting the new technological services | 1 | 3 | Lack of training and lack of trust of the cruise ships operators while using the AI software. | Training with full of explanation and motivating employees. Explaining the feature of the AI practically to avoid errors. Explaining them the benefits of the implementation. |
Crashes of the System while installation and integration | 4 | 5 | Delays in reporting | Team members of the project should be analysis the risk in the project. AI experts should ensure about the specific requirements of the software to complete the project. |
Stakeholder Management:
Followings are the identified stakeholder
Nature of the Impact | Category | Particulars | |
Internal | Business shareholders | Business chairman Members of the board of directors | |
Business management | CEO Director of IT Director of Finance Operations manager of the cruise ship Employees | ||
Employees | Employees in the production site Cruise ship operators Cruise ship hosts and hostess | ||
External | Customers | Tourists | |
Competitors | Other shipping company | ||
Suppliers | AI software and hardware | ||
Clients | Consumer brands of clothes, furniture etc. | ||
Government |
|
Following matrix for analysing stakeholders:
Management strategy for stakeholders:
Category | Particulars | Quadrant | Key interest | Main action | Activities of Management |
Shareholders of the business | Chairperson, members of the board of director | 3 | Return profit for investing money | Closely manage | Budgeting and planning of the business, reminders of ROI and profits |
Business management | CEO | 3 | Return profit for investing money, successful investigation and implementation | Closely manage | Planning and preparing a timeline for projects. Report of progress, analysing risk, identifying issues and solutions |
Director of IT, director of finance | 3 | Return profit for investing money, successful investigation and implementation | Closely manage | Planning and preparing a timeline for projects. Report of progress, analysing risk, identifying issues and solutions | |
Manager of the entire business | 3 | Efficiency in operation, profit percentage, efficient implementation, | Closely manage | Planning and preparing a timeline for projects. Report of progress, analysing risk, identifying issues and solutions, developing order for purchase, monitoring on the team, fund request. | |
Operation manager | 3 | Efficiency in operation, profit percentage, efficient implementation, | Closely manage | Planning and preparing a timeline for projects. Report of progress, analysing risk, identifying issues and solutions, training and meetings with employees | |
Employees | Cruise ship host and hostess Cruise ship operators | 3 | Customer safety, | Closely manage | Regular training of team members, progress meetings |
Suppliers | Hardware and software suppliers | 3 | Configuration and installation of new technological features | Closely manage | Planning and preparing a timeline for projects. Report of progress, analysing risk, identifying issues and solutions, training and meetings with employees |
Customers | Tourists | 4 | Customer safety, | Fulfil customer satisfaction | Survey to identify customer satisfaction |
clients | Consumer brands of clothes, furniture etc. | 4 | Safety of consumers | Fulfil client satisfaction | Provides updated information about new technology |
Government | Government of country | 1 | Legal rules and regulations | Keep them satisfied | Adhere to the country’s legal rules |
Competitors | Other shipping company | 2 | Offering Advance technologies | Monitor | Monitor for taking action according to their movement |
Funding for the project:
It is essential to strictly control the funding of the project to complete the project within the approved project budget.
- The request of MSC will submit to the project sponsors for approval of funding.
- ROI, benefits, and profits will monitor.
- Payment scheduled for employees and engineers.
Communication plan:
Communication plays a vital role to ensure the operational efficiency in the entire project plan.
Top-down communication approach:
- Organize training for employee and users
- Guide the team members of the project.
- Successfully management of resistance.
Bottom-up communication approach:
- To guide, motivate, and encourage the team members to positively adopt technological changes.
- Risk management and find solutions to mitigate potential issues.
Middle-out communication approach:
- Ensuring efficiency in business operation.
- Reducing the effect of downtime.
- Ensuring effective communication between AI experts and team members of the project.
PERT Diagram:
PERT Diagram is an efficient project management tool that helps the project manager to schedule time and organises the task based on the time to complete the project (Rahardianto, Sarno, and Budiawati, 2018).
Disadvantages of the PERT Diagram:
- This diagram cannot handle the entire situation when two or more projects share and use common resources.
- This diagram requires a lot of information to successfully develop a project plan.
- A lot of time needs to develop an effective project plan.
- This diagram does not have a space for entering the unexpected occurrences.
Ways to mitigate these issues:
- The project manager should develop a GANTT Chart along with the PERT Chart.
- Ensure it that common resources should consider as per requirements.
Figure 1: PERT CHART
Source: (Created by author)
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