Project Management Principles and Practices Capstone Project by University of California Irvine Continuing Education
Project Components/Course Objectives
Course Objectives and Project Components The components of the capstone course project map to the course objectives. Each course objective is to be met by completing a specific part of the project. The objectives are included below. Each objective is outlined in detailed in module 2, which explains the the description and and directions for each portion of the project assignment and reveals the grading rubric for the peer review for each course objective.
Upon completing this series, you will:
1. Write a narrative charter statement
2. Create a work breakdown structure
3. Sequence project activities
4. Build a project schedule
5. Create a project budget
6. Create a responsibility assignment matrix
7. Identify project risks and define responses for those risks
The components created represent some of the critical planning deliverables that a project manager creates with his or her team. Each student may use a project of their own or select a project from the sample projects listed below in the next section. If a student desires to use his or her own project, that project may be work related or personal. If work related, the student should ensure that he or she has permission from their organization and does not divulge the name of the organization unless he or she has specific permission to do so. Typically the best project is the one that allows the student to really make use of what has been learned in the courses leading up to this capstone. In a perfect world this project would be both fun, interesting to work on and useful. Students are already aware of what makes a project a project. In the interest of helpfulness, some ideas: implementation of new software or hardware or business processes. The creation of a new product or service. A large event, such as a wedding, fund raising event or party or concert or festival. The reorganization of a department or an entire company.
Sample Projects for Use If a student does not have access to a viable project to use for this capstone, then any one of the ideas below may be used. Please note that students are meant to take these ideas and build upon them. Each student is to take the idea and come up with his or her own full project scope and boundaries.
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A new CEO has arrived. She believes that the current company structure is ineffective. You are to be the project manager who leads her executive team in a company-wide reorganization. This reorganization includes some work to determine how the new structure will be identified, the work to gain support for this new structure at the executive level, the communications about the new structure to the entire company and a transition plan to take the company from the current structure to the new one.
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Your company is celebrating 50 years in business. The executive team would like to take an opportunity to recognize this milestone. Their purpose is to reward employees, build morale and also let customers; future customers and competitors know about the longevity of the company and adopt a ‘we are here to stay’ type of campaign. This milestone is definitely a marketing event. The celebration should include customers and employees. Definitely there should be a big celebration, but the executive team wants more than that. They want events and announcements and campaigns going throughout the entire year. You will project manage this effort.
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You have joined a start up company whose goal is to create an iPhone knockoff or copy. The idea is to out ‘iPhone’ the iPhone, but at 50% of the cost to the customer. You are the project manager of the team who will identify what features will go into this iPhone copy, determine how to manufacture the phones for less than the real iPhone and determine how to market this new copy. The project ends once the idea has either been abandoned or the new copy phone has been available for sale for 45 days.