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Rushitha 007
Our goal is simple yet profound: to empower our working adult students
with a flexible, user-friendly, and enriching E-learning environment that caters to their unique
needs, preferences, and aspirations. By harnessing the potential of technology, we aim to bridge
the gap between education and career, making learning a seamless and rewarding journey.
The pages that follow will unveil our detailed plan, strategies,
and methodologies for the successful implementation of this ambitious project. We invite you to
explore this proposal with enthusiasm and an open heart, as we embark on this exciting chapter
in the history of Columbia University in Europe.
3. Perform a Gap Analysis: Compare the current state of the organization's ICT infrastructure and
capabilities to the desired state based on strategic objectives and identified needs. Identify the
gaps that need to be addressed.
5. Assess Financial Viability: Evaluate the financial resources available for the project. Determine
whether the organization can afford the project, considering not only the initial investment but
also ongoing maintenance and operational costs.
6. Risk Assessment: Identify potential risks associated with the project. What are the risks of not
implementing the project? What are the risks and challenges associated with the project's
execution? Understanding the risks will help in decision-making.
7. Engage Stakeholders: Involve key stakeholders in the process of identifying needs. Their
insights and perspectives are valuable in ensuring that the project aligns with organizational goals
and addresses real issues.
8. Prioritize Needs: Not all identified needs may be equally important or urgent. Prioritize them
based on their impact on the organization's goals, compliance requirements, and potential return
on investment.
9. Build a Business Case: Create a compelling business case that outlines the identified needs, the
proposed ICT project, and the expected benefits, costs, and risks. Present this case to senior
management for approval and funding.
10. Alignment with Strategic Plan: Ensure that the proposed ICT project aligns with the
organization's overall strategic plan. It should be seen as an enabler of the strategic goals.
The project's strategic context and requirements are to align with the
organization's overall strategic goals and address specific needs and challenges identified through
a needs assessment.
Client Requirements:
Learning Objectives: Understand the specific educational goals and outcomes desired by
Columbia University for its working adult students.
Content: Determine the types of courses, subjects, and content that the university wishes to
offer on the E-learning platform.
User Experience: Define the expected user experience, including ease of navigation,
accessibility, and interactivity.
Scalability: Identify whether the platform should accommodate future growth in terms of
courses and users.
Customization: Explore whether customization options for individual learners or departments
are required.
Assessment and Reporting: Specify any assessment tools, grading systems, and reporting
capabilities needed.
Integration: Consider if the platform needs to integrate with existing systems or services used
by the university.
Data Privacy Regulations: Compliance with data privacy laws, such as GDPR in Europe, must
be ensured to protect the privacy of student data.
Accessibility Standards: Adherence to accessibility standards, like WCAG, is essential to
ensure the platform is usable by all, including individuals with disabilities.
Copyright Laws: Ensure that all content shared on the platform adheres to copyright laws and
licensing agreements.
Identify Risks: Begin by identifying potential risks that could impact the project. These may
include technical challenges, resource constraints, regulatory changes, or external factors like
market trends.
Assess Risks: Evaluate the likelihood and potential impact of each identified risk. Use a risk
assessment matrix to categorize risks based on severity and probability.
Prioritize Risks: Rank risks in order of priority, focusing on those with the highest potential
impact on project objectives.
Mitigation Strategies: Develop strategies to mitigate or reduce the impact of high-priority
risks. This may involve contingency plans, resource allocation, or process adjustments.
Monitoring and Control: Establish a monitoring and control process to regularly review and
update the risk assessment. Ensure that risk mitigation measures remain effective.
Purpose and Objectives: Define the purpose of the risk management plan and its objectives,
which include ensuring project success and minimizing negative impacts.
Roles and Responsibilities: Specify the roles and responsibilities of team members involved in
risk management, including who is responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks.
Risk Identification: Detail the process for identifying risks, which should involve ongoing input
from team members and stakeholders.
Risk Assessment: Describe how risks will be assessed, including the criteria for prioritizing risks
and the tools or techniques to be used.
Risk Mitigation: Outline the strategies and actions to be taken to mitigate high-priority risks.
Include contingency plans and resource allocation strategies.
Monitoring and Control: Explain how risks will be monitored throughout the project lifecycle,
including regular review meetings, status reports, and triggers for action.
Communication Plan: Define how risks and their mitigation efforts will be communicated to
stakeholders, including frequency and reporting formats.
Documentation: Specify how risk-related documentation will be maintained, including risk
registers, mitigation plans, and updates.
Review and Update: Clarify the process for reviewing and updating the risk management plan as
the project progresses and new risks emerge.
Contingency Plans: Develop contingency plans for major risks that could severely impact the
project's success. Outline the steps to be taken if these risks materialize.
Define and document specifications, terms of reference and skills required for
project
1. Specifications:
Definition: Terms of reference are a formal document that outlines the project's
objectives, scope, roles, responsibilities, and governance structure.
Purpose: To define the project's boundaries, establish responsibilities, and provide a
framework for decision-making and accountability.
Components: TOR typically includes project objectives, project scope (including what's
in and out of scope), project organization structure, roles and responsibilities of team
members and stakeholders, and reporting and communication protocols.
Definition: A list of skills and qualifications needed for the successful execution of the
project.
Purpose: To ensure that the project team possesses the necessary expertise to meet
project goals and requirements.
Components: Skills required may include technical skills (e.g., programming languages,
software proficiency), project management skills (e.g., PMP certification), domain-
specific knowledge (e.g., education technology for an e-learning project), communication
skills, and soft skills (e.g., problem-solving, leadership).
Documentation:
3. Estimate Costs:
For each identified cost item, estimate the expected expenditure. Use historical data, vendor
quotes, industry benchmarks, or expert judgment to make accurate cost estimates.
4. Allocate Costs:
Distribute the estimated costs across the project's timeline. Determine when and how each cost
item will be incurred during the project's duration.
8. Obtain Approvals:
Share the budget document with relevant stakeholders, including project sponsors and
management, for review and approval. Ensure that the budget aligns with project requirements
and organizational goals.
Project Planning: The ability to create a detailed project plan, including defining scope,
setting objectives, and outlining tasks and timelines.
Resource Management: Efficiently allocate and manage project resources, including
personnel, budget, and materials.
Risk Management: Identify potential risks, assess their impact, and develop strategies to
mitigate or respond to them.
Stakeholder Management: Effectively communicate with and manage the expectations of
project stakeholders, including clients, team members, and sponsors.
Quality Management: Ensure that project deliverables meet quality standards and project
objectives.
Leadership: Lead and motivate the project team, providing direction and guidance
throughout the project.
Communication: Clearly and concisely convey project information to team members,
stakeholders, and senior management.
Conflict Resolution: Resolve conflicts and disputes within the project team to maintain a
positive working environment.
Technical Skills:
Technical Expertise: Possess knowledge and expertise relevant to the project's field,
industry, or technology.
Data Analysis: Analyze data and information to make informed project decisions.
Software Proficiency: Be proficient in project management software and tools for
planning, scheduling, and tracking progress.
Academies Australasia College Project Management DIT114
Diploma of Information Technology October 2023
Problem-Solving and Decision-Making:
Time Management: Efficiently allocate and manage time to meet project milestones and
deadlines.
Organization: Keep project documentation, tasks, and resources well-organized.
Financial Management:
Budgeting: Create, manage, and adhere to project budgets, ensuring cost control and
resource optimization.
Negotiation Skills:
Negotiation: Negotiate terms, contracts, and agreements with suppliers, vendors, and
stakeholders to achieve favorable outcomes.
Team Collaboration:
Teamwork: Foster collaboration and teamwork among project team members, promoting
a positive and productive work environment.
Customer Service: Understand and meet the needs and expectations of project clients or
customers.
Ethical Behavior: Act with integrity, ethics, and professionalism in all project-related
activities.
Risk Assessment: Identify, assess, and manage project risks to minimize potential issues.
Contract Management:
Start by identifying all the resources required for the project. These resources can be categorized
into several types, including:
Create a detailed list of the specific resources needed for each aspect of the project. Include
essential details such as quantity, specifications, quality standards, and any special requirements.
Assess the availability of these resources both internally within your organization and externally
through suppliers, contractors, or partners. Identify any potential resource constraints,
limitations, or lead times.
Estimate the costs associated with acquiring and utilizing these resources. This includes labor
costs, material costs, equipment rental fees, software licenses, and any other relevant expenses.
Assign resources to specific project tasks or activities based on the project schedule and
requirements. Ensure that each task has the necessary resources allocated to it.
Create a resource plan that outlines how and when resources will be acquired, allocated, and
released throughout the project lifecycle. Consider resource leveling to optimize resource usage
and avoid overallocation.
Obtain commitments from internal departments or external vendors to ensure that the required
resources will be available when needed. This may involve signing contracts, agreements, or
purchase orders.
Define processes for resource management, including resource allocation, utilization tracking,
and resource release or reallocation if project priorities change.
Continuously monitor resource usage against the resource plan. Identify resource-related issues,
such as overutilization, shortages, or cost variances, and take corrective actions as needed.
- Communicate resource needs, plans, and status to relevant stakeholders, including project team
members, managers, and external partners. Provide regular updates on resource utilization and
any deviations from the plan.
- Ensure that all resource acquisition and allocation processes comply with legal and regulatory
requirements, including procurement laws, labor laws, and contractual obligations.
1. Human Resources:
Project Manager: A dedicated project manager will be assigned to oversee the entire project,
ensuring that it stays on track and within scope. This individual will be responsible for
coordinating efforts, managing the team, and communicating with stakeholders.
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs): SMEs in educational technology, instructional design, and e-
learning will be engaged to provide expertise in content development and course design.
Instructional Designers: These professionals will play a crucial role in structuring the course
content, ensuring it aligns with pedagogical principles and learner needs.
Content Developers: Skilled content creators, including writers, graphic designers, and
multimedia specialists, will be required to produce high-quality interactive learning materials.
Research Team: Experts in educational research and data analysis will be necessary to conduct
the target audience analysis and gather insights into learner preferences and abilities.
IT Team: IT specialists will be responsible for identifying and setting up the necessary hardware
and software infrastructure for the E-learning platform.
Educational Psychologist: A specialist in educational psychology will be involved in assessing
learning abilities and prerequisites for course design.
Computers and Servers: Adequate computer hardware and servers will be required to host the
E-learning platform, ensuring it can handle user traffic and data storage.
Software Licenses: Licensing for learning management systems (LMS), content creation tools,
and any specialized software needed for interactive content development.
Internet Bandwidth: Sufficient internet bandwidth to support online course delivery, including
video streaming and interactive features.
Office Space: A physical office space for project meetings, coordination, and collaboration
among team members.
4. Financial Resources:
Budget Allocation: A budget will be established to fund the project, covering personnel salaries,
software licenses, hardware purchases, content development costs, and any unforeseen expenses.
Legal Expertise: Legal counsel may be needed to ensure compliance with data protection laws,
copyright regulations, and any other legal requirements related to the E-learning platform.
Training Programs: Training and capacity-building programs may be required for team members
to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to support the project effectively.
Develop and document timelines, schedules and critical path for project.
1. Identification of Stakeholders:
Conduct a thorough analysis to identify all relevant stakeholders. This includes internal
stakeholders (e.g., university administration, faculty, IT department) and external stakeholders
(e.g., students, parents, regulatory authorities).
2. Stakeholder Mapping:
Create a stakeholder map to categorize stakeholders based on their level of influence and interest
in the project. This will help prioritize engagement efforts.
Clearly define the objectives and goals of the stakeholder consultation process. Understand what
information needs to be gathered, what decisions need stakeholder input, and what outcomes are
expected.
4. Communication Plan:
Develop a comprehensive communication plan that outlines how, when, and through which
channels stakeholders will be engaged. Consider various communication methods, including
meetings, surveys, emails, and forums.
Academies Australasia College Project Management DIT114
Diploma of Information Technology October 2023
5. Tailored Engagement Approaches:
Customize engagement approaches for different stakeholder groups. For example, faculty
members may require detailed briefings, while students may benefit from surveys and interactive
sessions.
6. Information Sharing:
Ensure transparency by sharing relevant project information with stakeholders. Provide updates
on project progress, milestones, and challenges.
7. Feedback Collection:
Establish mechanisms for collecting feedback from stakeholders. This can include surveys, focus
groups, town hall meetings, and online forums. Feedback should be actively sought and valued.
8. Incorporating Feedback:
Analyze the feedback received and incorporate valuable insights into project planning and
decision-making. Demonstrating that stakeholder input is influential builds trust.
9. Conflict Resolution:
- Document all stakeholder interactions, feedback, decisions, and outcomes. Maintain a clear
record of the consultation process for transparency and accountability.
- Periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the consultation strategy. Use lessons learned to refine
and improve future stakeholder engagement efforts.
- Ensure that the stakeholder consultation strategy complies with organizational policies,
guidelines, and legal requirements. Seek necessary approvals if required.
1. Assemble the project team and commence work for the Columbia University e- learning
project
No Management’s Query [4 marks] Project Manager’s Feedback [4 marks]
1 What is the project scope and client’s The project scope for the Columbia
respond? University e-learning project encompasses
the development and implementation of an
online learning platform tailored to the
needs of working adult students. The
client's response has been positive, with a
clear understanding of the project's
objectives and expectations.
2 What is the communication reporting Our team follows a structured
processes and channel for your team communication reporting process using
members? regular team meetings and a dedicated
project management software platform.
This ensures efficient collaboration,
information sharing, and progress tracking
among team members.
3 How would you ensure project plan and To align the project plan and staff
staff performance are in align with Project performance with Project KPIs, we will
KPI? establish clear KPI metrics, monitor
progress regularly, provide necessary
training and resources, and conduct
Academies Australasia College Project Management DIT114
Diploma of Information Technology October 2023
performance evaluations to ensure that team
efforts are directed towards achieving the
defined KPIs.
4 How would you monitor resourcing, Project Manager's Feedback: "We will
corrections, changes, or addition to reflect implement a robust monitoring and control
changing circumstances? system to track resource allocation,
corrections, and changes. This will include
regular status checks, change request
procedures, and reallocation of resources as
needed to adapt to changing circumstances
while minimizing project disruptions.