In the first three units of this course, you have learned about the following:
Unit I: You learned about the relationship between project management and accomplishing organizational strategic objectives. One way for the company to showcase this relationship is by creating a strategy map. A strategy map is a visual representation that showcases the company’s strategy on a single page. It is also used to communicate how the project aligns to the big-picture strategic objectives of the company.
Unit II: You learned about the organizational structures and cultures in which projects must operate.
Unit III: You learned that two of the most important elements of a project are the project team and the project stakeholders. The stakeholders will state their expectations and their critical success factors for what a successful project will look like during the project’s initiation phase. The project team will be responsible for completing the tasks to meet the critical success factors.
Throughout this course, you will be basing your assignments on a hypothetical project for a local nonprofit animal rescue, Lucky Me Animal Rescue. The animal rescue organization has asked you to be the project manager for their annual outdoor adoption event. You will begin the first part of the project you will complete for this course by choosing one of the three major organizational structures to associate with Lucky Me Animal Rescue. The structure you choose to associate with the rescue is up to you, but keep in mind that it will continue to be the environment for your project as you complete the additional assignments in this course.
Next, you will write a proposal you can deliver to the rescue’s leadership and stakeholders to help them understand how the adoption event will be managed within the identified organizational structure. The goal is to help them understand how their organizational structure will affect the project. Your proposal should start with a very brief identification and description of Lucky Me Animal Rescue’s organizational structure. You must then address how that structure will affect project characteristics. Refer to Table 2.1 in the textbook for a list of specific characteristics.
Finally, at a minimum, your proposal must also accomplish the following:
examine the project manager’s role in the structure,
explore how project communication will be conducted within the structure, and
assess how project personnel and resources are affected by the organizational structure and how this can impact project progress and completion.
Your proposal should also include two appendices. Appendix 1 will consist of a strategy map that includes the elements below:
Business need: Explain what is prompting this project and the need for action. Summarize why this is considered a project and not a task.
Analysis of the situation: Identify the organization’s strategies, goals, and objectives.
Recommendations: Explain why the project should be undertaken and how it will meet organizational goals.
Evaluation: Describe the plan for measuring the benefits the project will deliver.
Appendix 2 will consist of the following information in which you will consider the 5Ws and 1H of project management:
personnel who will be on the team and your expectations of the team,
ways you will prepare the team and promote unity and cohesion,
when the team will be formed and where they will operate (e.g., group, individual, virtual),
why each member of the team is important, and
how the team continue to manage the stakeholders’ expectations and keep them informed of the project’s progress.
Part 1 of your project will consist of at least five pages in length. The proposal should be at least two pages, Appendix 1 should be one page, and Appendix 2 should be two pages. You must use at least seven sources that are either peer-reviewed or academic in nature to support your submission. One of these may be the textbook. Adhere to APA Style when constructing this assignment, including the title page and in-text citations and references for all sources that are used. Please note that no abstract is needed.
