Module: COMP1770 Professional Project Management Contribution: 100% of course

Professional Project Management - Term 1 - MAC PDF file required

Greenwich Module Leader: Dr A Rawal Due date:

This coursework should take an average student who is up to date with tutorial work approximately 50
hours

Learning Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate the understanding of and apply project management techniques in a diversity of
computer, information, and communication contexts;
2. Identify and critically discuss risk applicable to projects within the context.

Plagiarism is presenting somebody else’s work as your own. It includes copying information directly from
the Web or books without referencing the material; submitting joint coursework as an individual effort;
copying another student’s coursework; stealing or buying coursework from someone else and submitting
it as your own work. Suspected plagiarism will be investigated and if found to have occurred will be
dealt with according to the procedures set down by the University.
All material copied or amended from any source (e.g., internet, books) must be referenced correctly
according to the reference style you are using.
Your work will be submitted for electronic plagiarism checking. Any attempt to bypass our plagiarism
detection systems will be treated as a severe Assessment Offence.

Coursework Submission Requirements

• An electronic copy of your work for this coursework should be fully uploaded by midnight (local time)
on the Deadline Date.
• The last version you upload will be the one that is marked.
• For this coursework you must submit a single Acrobat PDF document. In general, any text in the
document must not be an image (i.e. must not be scanned) and would normally be generated from
other documents (e.g. MS Office using "Save As .. PDF").
• There are limits on the file size. The current limits are displayed on the coursework submission page
on the Intranet
• Make sure that any files you upload are virus-free and not protected by a password or corrupted
otherwise they will be treated as null submissions.
• Comments on your work will be available from the Coursework page on the Intranet. The grade will
be made available in the portal.
• You must NOT submit a paper copy of this coursework.
• All coursework must be submitted as above
• The University website has details of the current Coursework Regulations, including details of
penalties for late submission, procedures for Extenuating Circumstances, and penalties for
Assessment Offences. See http://www2.gre.ac.uk/current-students/regs for details.

Page 1 of 8
Coursework Specification:

This coursework is divided into two components: Section A (Teamwork) and Section B (Individual
Reflection). Completion of both sections is mandatory to successfully pass the module.

Team Formation and Management: Students are required to form self-selected teams of 4 to 5
members. Each team will be responsible for its own internal management and coordination. It is
imperative that all members contribute equally to the project. Any team member found to have
neglected their agreed tasks, as determined through a formal review, may incur penalties that affect
both their individual and the team’s overall grades.

Assignment Scope: The focus of this coursework is on project planning and management. You are
required to develop a detailed project plan; however, the implementation phase, including the
development or coding of a working product, is not part of this assignment.

Case Study: The Artisan Homeware Store’s Digital Transition

The Artisan Homeware Store, a beloved family-owned business, has been a cornerstone of the local
community since its establishment in 1975. Founded by a skilled craftsman with a passion for quality
and tradition, the store specializes in handmade, high-quality home goods, including pottery, textiles,
and furniture. Over the years, The Artisan has become renowned for its unique products, personalized
customer service, and commitment to preserving traditional craftsmanship. This dedication has
fostered a loyal customer base that spans multiple generations.

However, the retail landscape is changing, and The Artisan Homeware Store faces several significant
challenges:

• Increasing Competition: The local and online markets are increasingly competitive, with many
businesses offering similar homeware products. The Artisan must find ways to differentiate
itself and maintain its loyal customer base.

• Seasonal Demand Fluctuations: Sales at The Artisan are highly dependent on peak shopping
seasons such as holidays and special occasions. The business needs to explore new strategies
to generate consistent revenue throughout the year.

• Demographic Shifts: The majority of The Artisan’s customers are older, and while they remain
loyal, there is a pressing need to attract younger generations who value both quality and
convenience in their shopping experiences.

• Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Recent global disruptions have led to occasional shortages in the
materials needed for crafting their products, affecting inventory and customer satisfaction.
The Artisan needs a more resilient supply chain strategy.

The Strategic Response: Recognizing the necessity of evolving with the times, The Artisan Homeware
Store has decided to embark on a digital transformation journey. This strategic shift aims to enhance
the business’s online presence while staying true to its core values of quality, tradition, and
craftsmanship. The Artisan seeks to develop an e-commerce platform that not only offers its products
to a wider audience but also educates customers about the art of traditional homeware crafting,
thereby fostering a deeper connection with the brand.

Key Stakeholders:

• Founder and Owner, Ms. Eleanor Craft: Ms. Craft, who inherited the business from her father,
is deeply committed to preserving the store's legacy while embracing new opportunities for

Page 2 of 8
 growth. Her vision will guide the digital transformation, ensuring that it aligns with the store’s
heritage.

• Senior Management Team: The senior management team, including the Chief Operating
Officer, Marketing Director, and Craftsmanship Lead, will be crucial in shaping the project.
They are responsible for providing strategic guidance and ensuring that the project stays true
to the company’s mission.

• IT Department - Lead Developer, John Spencer: John and his team will be responsible for
building and maintaining the e-commerce platform, ensuring it is secure, user-friendly, and
capable of handling the store’s unique product offerings. They will also integrate inventory
management systems to streamline operations.

• Human Resources (HR) - HR Manager, Karen Davis: Karen will manage workforce training and
development, ensuring that employees are equipped to handle the digital shift. She will also
oversee any necessary recruitment to support the project.

• Marketing Director, Lisa Roberts: Lisa and her team will drive the digital marketing efforts,
including website design, social media campaigns, and content creation that highlights the
craftsmanship behind the products. They will focus on attracting younger customers without
alienating the existing loyal base.

• Craftsmanship Lead, Henry Moss: Henry, who oversees the artisans creating the products, will
ensure that the online product descriptions and presentations accurately reflect the quality
and craftsmanship that The Artisan is known for. He will also explore opportunities to
showcase the crafting process through online workshops or videos.

• Suppliers: The Artisan’s relationships with suppliers of raw materials are vital. They will be key
partners in ensuring a steady supply of high-quality materials and may need to adapt to new
digital inventory systems.

• Regulatory Authorities: Compliance with e-commerce regulations, including data protection

and online sales tax, is essential. The Artisan will work closely with regulatory bodies to ensure
full compliance.

Challenges and Goals: The Artisan Homeware Store faces a dual challenge: it must modernize to stay
competitive, while also maintaining its identity as a purveyor of traditional, handcrafted goods. The
goal is to create an online platform that is as much about storytelling and education as it is about
selling products. This will involve careful planning and execution across multiple areas. Below is
transcript of the key stakeholders.

1. Eleanor Craft (Owner): "One of our primary goals is to develop a robust, user-friendly e-commerce
platform. This platform needs to make browsing and purchasing as seamless as possible for our
customers while really showcasing what makes The Artisan unique—our commitment to quality
and traditional craftsmanship."

2. Lisa Roberts (Marketing Director): "To complement the new platform, we’re crafting a
comprehensive digital marketing strategy. This will include social media campaigns, email
marketing, and content creation aimed at drawing in new customers, especially from younger
generations. We want to ensure they connect with our brand and see the value in what we offer."

Page 3 of 8
3. John Spencer (IT Lead): "On the operational side, enhancing our supply chain resilience is key. We
need to streamline our processes to ensure a consistent supply of high-quality materials. This will
help us avoid stockouts and maintain customer satisfaction."

4. Karen Davis (HR Manager): "And of course, we can’t forget about our team. It’s crucial that all
staff are well-trained and comfortable with the new digital tools we’ll be implementing. We’ll be
focusing on training and adaptation to make sure everyone is on board and confident in these
new processes."

Project Budget and Timeline: A budget of £300,000 has been allocated for this digital transformation,
with a nine-month timeline to bring the project to fruition. This includes costs for platform
development, marketing initiatives, staff training, and any additional resources required to ensure a
smooth transition.

The Artisan Homeware Store’s digital transformation represents a significant step forward in
preserving its legacy while adapting to the modern retail environment. The project team will be tasked
with balancing innovation with tradition, creating a digital experience that resonates with both
longtime customers and new audiences.

Eleanor Craft (Owner): "While we're excited about launching this e-commerce platform, we need to
be aware of the risk that it may not fully capture the essence of our in-store experience. There's a
chance that the uniqueness of our handcrafted products might not translate well online, potentially
leading to a disconnect with our loyal customers."

Lisa Roberts (Marketing Director): "Another risk is that our digital marketing efforts might not
immediately resonate with younger demographics. We’re venturing into a space where we haven’t
traditionally been strong, and there’s a possibility that our campaigns could miss the mark, leading to
wasted resources or a slow uptake."

John Spencer (IT Lead): "From a technical standpoint, we face the risk of potential disruptions during
the integration of new systems. If the e-commerce platform doesn't sync smoothly with our existing
inventory management and supply chain systems, it could lead to operational delays, stock
inaccuracies, or even downtime."

Karen Davis (HR Manager): "On the human side, there’s always the risk of resistance to change. Some
of our staff may struggle with the transition to new digital tools, which could lead to decreased
productivity or even attrition if the adaptation process isn't handled carefully."

Success will be measured by the ability to not only increase sales but also to enhance the brand’s
reputation as a leader in quality, handmade homeware products.

Remember that this assignment involves project planning, and you are not asked to implement your
proposals. You would also need to make realistic assumptions to help deliver this project plan.

Deliverables:

Project Context:

As part of your responsibilities within [Your Organization Name], you have been appointed to a
strategic project team tasked with driving a key digital transformation initiative. This project is
critical to our organization’s efforts to innovate and remain competitive in an evolving market.

Your Task: Collaborating in teams of 4-5 members, you are expected to develop a detailed and
comprehensive project plan. Your plan should thoroughly address the following key aspects:

Page 4 of 8
The report (Section A and B) must be approximately 3000 words in length and must have
following sections:

Title page with team member names followed by a contents page.

A. Section A (2500 words)

1. Aim of the Project

1.1. A description of the SCOPE of your project (i.e. what your project is about), and a
statement of what your project does NOT include.

1.2. Identification of two SMART objectives relevant to your project. Remember that
each objective must satisfy all SMART components.

2. Stakeholders

2.1. Identify the stakeholders for this project and prepare a RACI chart to help clarify
roles and responsibilities. Document key assumptions in preparing the chart.

3. Requirement Prioritised Listing (RPL)

3.1. Identify the requirements of the case study and document the prioritised listing with
the help of MoSCoW technique.

4. Delivery Plan

4.1. Create a detailed delivery plan that includes a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
Use the MoSCoW priorities to guide the estimation and scheduling of deliverables.
Present this in a Gantt chart, developed using appropriate software such as MS
Project. The final Gantt chart should be clear, well-scaled, and highlight any
dependencies.

5. Project Risk - For this section you will identify the risk associated with your project.

5.1. Attempt a SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) that relates to
your project. It should help identify the broad negative and positive risks that apply
to a project with relevant citations to valid sources to make it realistic.

5.2. Develop a Risk Register that identifies at least five potential risks related to the
project, along with corresponding mitigation strategies for each.

6. Cost

6.1. What are the estimated costs and resources associated with your project? You
should itemise each cost in a table. You need to outline any assumptions that you
have made in putting together these projections. It is very important that you are
realistic in the projections that you make. You should make it clear if you
recommend that any expenditure needs to be over the budget limit that has been
allocated. If you have been able to ascertain any sources of income you should also
include these where appropriate. You should cite evidence form valid sources to
make your estimates realistic.

7. Conclusion - For this section you will summarise the key points and highlight the summarised
recommendations.

Page 5 of 8
B. Section B – Individual Reflection (500 words)
1. Roles and Reflective Critique

1.1. Identify the roles and responsibilities adopted by team members. What was your role and
what did you contribute towards in the group work?

1.2. What has been learned about the nature of team working in this context and what the
group/team could have done more efficiently? How conflicting views were resolved, and
how you can improve the work or your approach in the future.

1.3. Everyone’s group contribution in assumed at 100% for each member unless specified by
your group; if contribution is not equal then reduce the 100% accordingly of the member
that has not fully contributed. It should be done with groups consensus and agreement.
All group members can provide their signatures to confirm below.

Team Performa
Student name Role Contribution Student’s signature
(100%)
1. 100%
2. 100%
3. 100%
4. 100%

1.4. Appendices as necessary

1.5. Harvard style of referencing is required when citing evidence.

Finally,

A couple of final points of advice. Firstly, make sure that sure that the different sections of the
project plan fit together well and that there aren’t any contradictions / inconsistencies in the
plan. Please also remember that for this work you are required to reference your sources. This
would not be the case in a normal project plan, but it is a requirement for this coursework,
referencing provides evidence of the research your group has done.

• Grading criteria
• An exceptional piece of work must demonstrate a strong level of
engagement with the topic and the ability to apply project planning
techniques/concepts to a professional standard.
• An exceptional demonstration of initiative, research, critical analysis,
80% + organisation, engagement, and application
• An exemplary approach to writing the report and conveying a novel
argument.
• A thorough and detailed understanding of the need to identify and
mitigate risk.

Page 6 of 8
 • The ability to critically evaluate and discuss the appropriate options in an
effective way.
• Proper use of referencing throughout your report.
• An excellent piece of work must demonstrate a robust level of
engagement with the topic and the ability to apply project planning
techniques/concepts to an impressive standard.
• An impressive demonstration of initiative, research, critical analysis,
70%- organisation, engagement, and application.
79% • An excellent approach to writing your report and conveying your
argument.
• A detailed understanding of the need to identify and mitigate risk.
• The ability to critically evaluate and discuss the appropriate options in an
effective way.
• Proper use of referencing throughout your report.
• A good to very good piece of work must demonstrate a clear
understanding of the topic and the ability to apply project planning
techniques/concepts to a robust standard.
• A good to very good demonstration of initiative, research, critical
60%- analysis, organisation, engagement, and application.
69% • A robust approach to writing your report and conveying your argument.
• A clear understanding of the need to identify and mitigate risk.
• The ability to critically evaluate and discuss the relevant options in a
concise way.
• Proper use of referencing throughout your report.
• A satisfactory piece of work must demonstrate a sound understanding of
the topic and the ability to apply project planning techniques/concepts to
an acceptable standard.
• A satisfactory demonstration of initiative, research, critical analysis,
50%- organisation, engagement and application.
59% • A sound approach to writing your report and conveying your argument.
• A reasonable understanding of the need to identify and mitigate risk.
• The ability to critically evaluate and discuss the relevant options in a
competent discussion. .
• Proper use of referencing throughout your report but may have minor
inconsistencies.
• A basic piece of work must demonstrate a limited understanding of the
topic and the ability to apply project planning techniques/concepts to a
limited standard.
• A barely satisfactory demonstration of initiative, research, critical
40%- analysis, organisation, engagement, and application.
49% • Barely sufficient evidence of effective report writing for the assignment.
Basic report writing skills that enable you to set out a structured, if weak,
argument.
• A basic understanding of the need to identify and mitigate risk.
• The ability to evaluate and discuss the main options in a basic way.
• Not used appropriate referencing partially or throughout the report.
• An unsatisfactory piece of work must demonstrate a poor understanding
30-39% of the topic and the inability to apply properly project planning
techniques/concepts studied in class.

Page 7 of 8
 • Narrowly fails to demonstrate of initiative, research, critical analysis,
organisation, engagement, and application.
• Narrowly fails to provide sufficient evidence of effective understanding
report writing for this assignment.
• An unsatisfactory understanding of risk and its mitigation documented.
• The ability to evaluate and discuss the main options in an unsatisfactory
way.
• Not referenced the report adequately or not at all.
• Poor piece of work must demonstrate a little or no understanding of the
topic and the inability to apply project planning techniques/concepts fully
and clearly.
• Unable to fully demonstrate of initiative, research, critical analysis,
0-29% organisation, engagement, and application.
• Little to no understanding of the requirements of the assignment.
• Poor understanding of risk and its mitigation documented.
• An unsatisfactory attempt at evaluating and discussing the main options in
a coherent way.
• Not referenced the report as required or not at all.

• Assessment criteria (Part A and Part B)

• Part A (90%)
o Project Aim
▪ SCOPE of your project - 5%
▪ SMART objectives - 5%
o KEY stakeholders and RACI chart – 15%
o Requirement Prioritised Listing (RPL) – 15%
o Delivery Plan - 15%
o Project Risks – 20%
o Costing - 10%
o Professional written communication and referencing – 5%
• Part B (10%)
o Individual Contribution and Role - 5%
o What has been learned about the nature of team working in this context – 5%

Page 8 of 8