Assessment 1: Work Breakdown Structure(WBS)

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Develop a scope management plan and a work-breakdown structure for a given scenario or a real-world project of your choice, using the provided Project Scope Statement Template.

Introduction

This portfolio work project includes:

  1. A scope management plan.
  2. A work breakdown structure (WBS).

You may base your assessment on Cosmo, Inc., a developer and distributor of wearable technology, or use a project of your choice.

Scope is defined as, “The work performed to deliver a product, service or result with the specified features and functions” (Project Management Institute, 2017).

This document is a planning tool used to define, develop, monitor, and control the project requirements. The scope management plan is an important planning document because effective scope management is necessary for project success.

Reference

Project Management Institute. Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide) Sixth Edition and Agile Practice Guide. Newtown Square. PA. 2017.

Scenario

For this assessment, choose either Option A or Option B. You do not need to do both. Faculty will grade both options using the same scoring guide.

  • Option A: Based on the analysis completed by a task force at Cosmo, Inc., the marketing department must develop, implement, and test a new marketing campaign focused on maintaining current customer levels and increasing their customer base through the utilization of new technology. Refer to the document for more information.
  • Option B: You may choose a business of your own. It must include (but is not limited to) the following criteria:
    • Clear business objective and a specific completion outcome.
    • Project team with at least three members in addition to yourself. Each member must have defined roles and responsibilities
    • Completion window of 180 days.
    • Cost estimates that serve as the basis for a budget used as part of the plan development process.

Your Role

For both Options A and B, you are the project manager.

Requirements

Microsoft Project is the recommended software tool for this course due to its wide industry acceptance and its use in many project management professional roles. If you have not already done so, follow the instructions provided through the links below to download and install software or register for an account, as required.

  1. If you have a Capella MS Imagine account, go to Step 2. Otherwise, see the instructions for registering an account at .
  2. Log into the .
  3. Identify the version of MS Project that is compatible with your operating system.
  4. Download and install.

If you encounter any difficulties in the download and installation process, post a detailed question in the Ask Your Faculty Discussion in the menu dropdown when you click the image of your faculty. They should be able to help you or point you in the right direction for the answers you need.

Using Project in this course helps prepare you for future professional PM roles and responsibilities. Please use Project for tasks the software supports. If you have access to other tools such as Microsoft Visio, PowerPoint, and Word, or other project management software you believe may still meet the requirements of this course, please discuss your selected alternative with faculty.

Part 1: Scope Management Plan

Using the PMBOK Guide and the , develop your Project Scope Management Plan, including the following:

  1. Executive Summary Provides a brief overview of this project (for example, project purpose and justification):
    • Organization.
    • Specific problems with quantitative metrics.
    • Overall solutions.
    • High-level timeframe.
    • High-level budget.
    • Known risks and impacts.
  2. Business Objectives Ensures traceability in the project. Business goals and objectives are linked back to the vision, and each project objective is also linked to the business vision. Business objectivesthe business measures of project successrelate to cost, time, and quality. Examples include:
    • “Increase productivity by 30 percent.”
    • “Lower costs by 15 percent.”
    • “Reduce regulatory fees by $1 million.”
  3. Project Description Describes the proposed solution and helps define how the project supports the business objectives.
    • Project Scope: High-level deliverables of the project. Includes: Describe the functionality or elements included within the project. Does not include: Describe the functionality or elements related to project that are not included.
    • Dependencies (External and Internal): What functionality or elements of this project are dependent upon other elements including other projects, tasks, regulatory impacts, et cetera.
    • Assumptions: Assumptions form the basis for project planning. Assumptions are a source of project risk and must be identified.
    • Constraints: Limiting factors (resources, budget, time, materials, et cetera) that will impact the project, both negatively or positively.
  4. Project Milestones: A critical point or event in a project. Usually stated as a specific deliverable with Start and Finish dates.
  5. Project Approach: Describes the structure of the project. Provides a general description of the integrated processes including change management, communications, quality, resource management, critical success factors, risk management, and project organization. The project organization should be a graphical representation of the project organization or team.
  6. Authorizations: Gives approval and agreement of the scope of the project including time, costs, and resources.
Part 2: Work Breakdown Structure

Develop a work breakdown structure (WBS) based on your selected project. Your WBS should:

  • Include, at a minimum, four levels.
  • Be independent of or minimally interfacing with other dependent elements.
  • Be integrated so the total project can be understood.
  • Be measurable, in terms of progress.
Preparation

Use the software of your choice to develop the deliverables for this assessment.

This assessment has two parts and two deliverables:

  1. Part A Using the , include the following in your Project Scope Management Plan.
  2. Part B Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
    • Develop a work breakdown schedule. This includes an introduction and graphical representation of the totality of work identified in the Project Scope. Note: You may create graphical examples in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, or Visio and save them as a GIF or graphical image.
    • Analyze project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships to develop a staffing management plan.

Deliverable Format

  • References: Use scholarly or academic sources where applicable. There is no set number of references required for this assessment.
  • Format:
    • Use the provided .
    • Use Microsoft Word, Visio, or Powerpoint to develop the WBS document
    • Follow the corresponding , including single-spaced paragraphs. The Project Scope and WBS are professional documents.
    • Use APA style and format for references and in-text citations.
  • Length: Utilize the template, including the title page and References page.

Evaluation

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies through corresponding scoring guide criteria:

  • Competency 1: Create a project plan, including all subsidiary plans, to deliver project outcomes that meet stakeholder expectations.
    • Summarize the problem and background information.
    • Analyze the solution and the desired outcomes to identify roles and stakeholders.
    • Analyze project objectives to define the project scope.
    • Analyze the scope definition and the project objectives to establish a project baseline with deliverables, tasks, costs, and deadlines.
    • Analyze project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships to create a staffing management plan and WBS diagram.

Faculty will use the scoring guide to review your deliverables as if they were your immediate supervisor. Review the scoring guide prior to developing and submitting your assessment.