Project Management Case Study

Working in a four person team, we replicated real world experience by going through a case study in the four phases of project management process: initiation, planning, execution, and closing. The team, calling ourselves “Far Flung Consultants,” took on the project. Our company involved in the case study was PJ Enterprises, a lifestyle retailer using an order by phone catalogue. Progressing through the phases and problem solving challenges, we successfully created training to meet the needs of the client.

Below is an explanation of the process with snap shots of examples showing what we did and how we did it (not complete documents nor all documents used). The action sections state what I did directly. I was often the researcher and recorder of meeting minutes and making sure everything was clear as what we were doing. I also though up a lot of activities in the planning phase.

Learned: How important communication, people skills, and details are throughout the process and how crucial time is to all of it. Open communication to voice concerns about problems, predicting actions via details, and managing people and time.  These are the most important parts of project management. Being clear and front with goals, and taking care of small issues as soon as possible to prevent very giant headaches and even bigger issues in the future.

Issues that developed: Time zone issues, careful wording of content, technology issues, sometimes roles and tasks weren’t as clear as they should be.

How issues were overcome: Careful and immediate communication, asking questions, being proactive when something comes up, and being understanding and honest with our team mates.

Info 

Project Information (The following info is taken from documents used for the project)

PJ Enterprises is a successful mail-order catalog business with ambitious growth targets. Following a high-level gap analysis, Far Flung Consultants identified a series of performance issues that might impact growth potential. Two key issues are: 

• A high customer complaint rate, with poor telephone etiquette often cited.
• Telephone operators averaging three calls per hour, instead of the targeted six.

Business Case 

Training project: Currently, two out of three customers complain about poor customer service, with poor telephone etiquette topping the list of issues cited. The ramifications of this include lost sales, reduced repeat business (50% of customers say they won’t return), reputational damage, and lower morale among staff. Implementing a telephone etiquette training program and ensuring its uptake will improve the customer experience and reduce the complaint rate, thereby supporting sales and the likelihood of customers returning.

Project Deliverables  

• SCORM-compliant CBT on telephone etiquette.
• Report on realistic call volume handled by each operator, with recommendations to support future growth.

In Scope  

• Telephone etiquette training –
• In English (later amended to include Spanish)
• One course only.
• Call target report and recommendations (non-training).

Initiation phase

• • Gap Analysis Strategy Document

This phase is all about establishing goals, timelines, budgets and responsibilities of both the team and of the client. The gap analysis was created as a part of the initiation phase. We worked together to identity training and non-training needed to bridge the gap from the issue to the desired results. Measurable metrics for each were also created so we may be able better align our goals for what we need to do and when we know we have accomplished them matching with business goals desired by the company. It gave us a better understanding of the problems, what they are doing to the company and how might we nest tackle the issues. Asking ourselves the questions (while considering the aim of the business goals: “What do we want them to do or know? How can they demonstrate this?” This particular document was very helpful in keeping everything aligned and defined. The track for our train while traveling through the process. Also great to identify if training was necessary or the company had to take another approach.

Action: I helped identify problems and used my time at working a customer service facing roles to think of possible solutions and reasons for the issues.

• • Project Charter

This document was created for stakeholders with stated metrics, in scope and out of scope activities and content, risks, assumptions, metrics, and stating the facts of what were working with. The charter is for everyone to understand what exactly the services entail and what the company needs. It also helps think of risks, threats, and other such things that could prolong timelines. Used as a tool of vital communication so there are few to no misunderstandings which can easily derail a project or cause it to go over time and budget. It’s vital to have the stake holders and those stated as responsible an din communication of the project progress to sign off and acknowledge what the project entails so there are no surprises. This was much like the gap analysis but written in a more client friendly way.

Action: For this part, I helped re-word things, organize information, and think of risks that could effect outcome and progress.

Planning phase

• • Work breakdown structure( not pictured), project schedule, and communications matrix

These stated who is doing what, when and spelled out the timelines and process. We worked on this section with each other for a little while. The communication matrix is useful in stating processes of who to communicate with and who to contact with certain segments of the project process and development.

Action: Other than checking for contact, I didn’t do to much with these two documents other than when we were in group, as we had other document to work on. This was truly a group effort.

• • Instructional Design Document

We all did our research and from the gap analysis sheet and past class experiences, we came up with the terminal objectives and enabling objectives. We had to create engagement and delivery ideas, activities, and assessments that would measure learner success. We had to use more of the Mager style method of writing objectives. The most difficult part of this phase was the wording of the terminal and enabling objectives, especially the enabling objectives. Both using action words and covering all the criteria within the statement.

Action: Thought up of activities and assessments that were used on the Design Document. Helped with wording the objectives appropriately to make sure they were measurable and demonstrable.

• • Storyboard

• We each did a part of the storyboard. We used a template from a team member and planned to put it all together.

Action: It was my responsibility to collect everyone’s sections, review it, try to make it a little more uniform, and then create the introduction pages, the landing page, and the learning theories and citations needed from sources used. I had to fill in the little details if they weren’t included and all developer notes.

Execution phase

• • Change request form (top), bid verification (not pictured), agenda discussing request (not pictured), and scope verification (bottom).

This is where scope issues commonly can turn up, whether due to communication issues, organization issues, or just that the client has simply changed their mind about something or a risk factor out of the teams control has happened. This is where extra documentation and pre-planning is crucial. In this phase we checked over progress of the project, had the client decide to add an extra component of the project (Spanish version of CBT training). We discussed it in our meeting and recorded it in our minutes. Then we had the client fill out a change request, as they were changing the scope of the project and would add extra time delay and budget cost. A bid verification was filled out for a Spanish translation service to take care of the material. When everything was all ready, a scope verification form was filled out and signed by all parties to confirm communication and understanding of what has happened and has to happen.

Action: We used the change request form I found. I recorded the meeting minutes and added the part about the discussion. We all helped fill out the documents.

Closing phase

The final phase in the process came with a lot of confirmation and standardization and attention to minute details. It was about quality control and quality assurance. While this was a case study so we couldn’t actual watch it in action and analyze results and evaluate via company results / hitting metrics and learner surveys, we went over all the material for submission. The person we deemed as team leader signed off. The closing phase is critical for the finality of the project. The definite beginning and the definite end.

Action: I helped cite information and check over contents for cohesiveness before presentation. It’s good to get closure by stakeholder sign off so everyone is on the same page.