Project Management| Human Resource Management
Introduction
The project that I chose was to install privacy fence. I have been contemplating for a while because I did not want to offend my neighbors. Since the death of my neighbors this is a much needed project since the daughter does not respect my space and property. Installing six foot cedar privacy fence will allow my grandchildren to play in the backyard worry free. Installing this fence will give us a peace of mind knowing that our neighbors can no longer walk freely through our backyard. I prefer to have the fencing done professionally. In this paper, I will discuss the beginning and end, the results, a series of activities that must be done to complete the project; and required resources to complete the work. This project started on October 15and was completed on October 27th. This project added beautification and security to my home.
Describe at least three (3) project goals and three (3) project objectives
In order to complete this project there several step that must be completed before we can I can begin the project. My plans are to have the fencing installed by a professional company. I have decided to have the privacy fence starting at the side of the house to run in back yard. The first project goal will be to have several trees removed from my back yard so it will not compromise the installing. The objective to have those trees removed would be to protect the fencing from trees falling because of a storm that will leave damage to the fence. The second project goal will be to have the stumps grinded so it will not affect the fence later on. The objective to remove the stumps is to prevent growth underneath the fencing surface to affect the work.The third project goal will be to fill in those holes with approximately two loads of top soil dirt to give the surface a smooth look. The objective is to have the back yard cleared so there won’t be any interferences while installing the fence and also for safety reason to prevent anyone from hurting themselves. Starting a project without clear objectives, specific directions and a prepared plan of action is like starting out on a road trip with no idea where you’re going or how to get there. You will waste gas, time and effort. Likewise, your business suffers when you try to implement a plan without clarity and forethought. While you certainly may not be able to predict the final outcome of the project, you can define the scope of the technical and organizational components of the project, how many resources you’re willing to allocate to the entire project, establish clear deadlines and the expected results (Ray, 2017).
Identify the key customer(s) and at least two (2) stakeholders for your project. Remember, you are delivering the project to your customer(s); however, there are others (stakeholders) who have a vested interest in your project.
This project is one that I have been talking about for quite a while, I knew I wanted it down and I want it done correct. As I visited several hardware stores I saw display of different fencing, versus building the fence manually I began to weigh my options. The key customers would be me and my family. The stakeholders in this project would be Carolina Fence Company and the Neighborhood Association. I chose Carolina Fence Company because I knew they were familiar with the qualifications of what would be expected from the neighborhood association before installing privacy fence. I am familiar with their work and I do know that there work is guaranteed and they stand behind their work. As the stakeholders, I knew Carolina Fence Company would do the job correctly there reputation is on the line. A project is successful when it achieves its objectives and meets or exceeds the expectations of the stakeholders. But who are the stakeholders? Stakeholders are individuals who either care about or have a vested interest in your project. They are the people who are actively involved with the work of the project or have something to either gain or lose as a result of the project (Watt, 2015).
Provide a brief summary of your chosen project
My chosen project was to have privacy fence installed and done correctly. My family and I needed the extra security of knowing that our neighbors are no longer walking freely in our backyard. The goal was to install six foot privacy with a locked gate. For years my family I felt the need for a fence but did not want to offend our neighbors because they looked out for us, but we knew one day this project need to be done.
Describe at least three (3) key milestones and /or deliverables for your project.
As the planning begins each area knew what they were responsible for. A deliverable is a measurable and verifiable outcome or object that a project team must create and deliver according to the terms of an agreement. An intangible deliverable is a particular outcome that the team achieves, such as an increase in a company’s accounts receivable turnover ratio. A tangible deliverable is a concrete or material object created by the team, such as a report, a custom software component or a computer. A deliverable can be an interim result that contributes to the completion of the entire project, such as the creation of help desk tickets for a help desk implementation project. The deliverable can also be the final result of the project, such as an operational help desk (Nordmeyer, 2017).
Describe a high-level timeline that includes key tasks and deadlines.
There were several tasks that needed to be completed before the installing of the fence. The high-level timeline of events consist of the trees being removedwhich our team consist of family and friends who volunteered their time to have the trees removed, the goal was to cut the logs into five inches so the County would remove it from the house, so this was also time consuming. We estimated the removal of the trees would take approximately three days. The tree grinding would only take one day to remove the stumps along with the top soil being installed. The actual installing of the fence should take three days. All the tasks should be completed by the November 22nd deadline.
Estimate the project’s overall cost and any key staffing and non-staffing resources needed
For this project I estimated about four thousand dollars. The tree removal, stump grinding and the delivery of the top soil was done by family and friends. The key staffing resources include the laborers who installed the fence. Non-staffing resources were family and friends and tools.Although my family and friends volunteered to help with this project I surprise them with a fifty gift card to their favorite restaurant or department store to show my appreciation.
Examine your project’s greatest challenge and provide a recommendation for addressing the challenge in question
The major challenge when planning for the projectwas organizing the project around families and friends schedule. Everything was scheduled on a timeline as to what event should happen next. All of the work prior to installing the fence needed to be completed before the installation scheduled arrival time.The major challenge when planning for the project is allocation of resources to different departments.
Conclusion
Starting a project without clear objectives, specific directions and a prepared plan of action is like starting out on a road trip with no idea where you’re going or how to get there. When planning any type of project if you are not properly prepared it can be a challenge.With this project because I had a timeline that made my project run smoothly and everything was done as scheduled. In the future as I prepare for upcoming events I will utilize project management to eliminate the stress.
REFERENCES
Nordmeyer, B. (2017, October 16). Deliverables vs Milestone. Retrieved from AZ Central: https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/deliverables-vs-milestones-16232.html
Ray, L. (2017, July 17). Chron. Retrieved from The Importance of Clear Objectives, Directions & Project Plans: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/importance-clear-objectives-directions-project-plans-32965.html
Watt, A. (2015). Stakeholder Management. In J. Solera, Project Management (p. 145). Michigan: Creative Commons Attribution.
