Assignment #1 Submission

Project Scheduling and Risk Management

Q1.

Scheduling plan
 Project
Initiation

Project Pre-Event
Closure Planning

measuring
and
Scheduling Content
Reporting Plan Creation

Contingency
On-the event
Plan to
day activity
implement

Post-Event
Activities

The "Toronto Sun and Caribana" case study's scheduling plan aims to efficiently deliver project
outcomes, ensuring comprehensive media coverage for the Caribana event, based on assumptions and
critical considerations that shape the estimation and sequencing of main project activities.
Assumptions  The significance of Caribana coverage for the Toronto Sun
 The breadth of media coverage
 Availability of resources
 Availability of current Caribana organizer information
 Controllable weather circumstances
Critical  The start of the project with defined goals and a clear scope
Aspects  Pre-event planning that involves consulting with stakeholders
 Task delegation and resource allocation
 Careful activity sequencing and backup plans for unanticipated difficulties
Consequences  Enhanced readership and potential revenue rise
 Improved stakeholder interactions and future partnership opportunities
 Comprehensive event coverage increasing reputation
  Optimal resource use for operational efficiency

Assumption:
The project assumes resource availability as planned, with potential delays affecting schedule. Effective
and efficient stakeholder engagement is very crucial for smooth progress, with active involvement from
Toronto Sun, Caribana organizers, and authorities. Weather conditions, especially outdoor events, are
considered and contingency measures are in place to address disruptions.
Critical Aspects:
The project scope includes key deliverables like promotional campaigns, event logistics, and coverage,
with detailed work breakdown structures. A critical path analysis is used to determine the longest
sequence of activities, focusing resources and attention. Efficient resource allocation is balanced to
minimize bottlenecks and optimize productivity. Contingency plans mainly included to address potential
disruptions. A comprehensive risk management plan is in place to mitigate threats and expedite the
schedule.
Consequences:
Adherence to the Toronto Sun's scheduling plan is crucial for timely project completion and successful
coverage of Caribana, as deviations could lead to missed opportunities, increased costs, or compromised
coverage quality.
Conclusion:
Our scheduling plan is a comprehensive roadmap for our project management approach, considering
assumptions, elements, and potential consequences, ensuring a successful partnership between The
Toronto Sun and Caribana.

Q2.

WBS Hand drawn

Project scope

The primary objective of the project is to successfully plan, organize, and execute the construction of a
parade float for the Toronto Sun's participation in the Scotia Bank Caribana Festival.

Core issues

Time Limit:

o The project is under a tight deadline, with only 8 weeks and

o Critical tasks must be carefully planned and executed before the deadline.

Communications with Festival Management Committee (FMC) Teams:

o Initiating communication with the FMC teams responsible for coordinating the Caribana
Festival and facing difficulty reaching them because of a delay in response.

Budget limitations and decision-making:

o Making decisions regarding the hiring of a driver and contractor within a budget of $400
and balancing the cost

Vendor Approval:

o Depending on approved vendors for the design elements crucial to the float's appearance

Volunteer Recruitment and T-shirt Design:

o Recruiting volunteers and obtaining RSVPs, along with designing and obtaining approval
for volunteer t-shirts,
o Challenges include response time from volunteers, design approvals, and production.

Volunteer Waiver Forms:

 o Acquiring volunteer waiver forms from HR and navigating potential delays in the legal
department's review.

Entertainment Hiring and Budgeting:

o Hiring entertainers for the parade, considering budget limitations and availability.

IMPORTANCE AND DEVELOPMENT:

The creation of a thorough timeline and task schedule is prioritized due to the impending deadline. For
the purpose of acquiring important information, communication with the festival management committee
must be established.

As soon as you get in touch, the design of the float will begin following negotiations with the FMC
representative. arranging a meeting with the design team to ensure quick development. Getting the list of
authorized vendors and starting the hiring procedure are essential first steps. It's important to have truck
arrangements and driver hiring done right away. starting the volunteer recruitment process and bringing
the t-shirt design and approval along. figuring out the most effective way to ship t-shirts. early requests
for volunteer waiver paperwork to allow for any delays. starting the process of hiring performers.

The project's success hinges on meticulous planning, effective time management, and resourceful
decision-making. Addressing these key issues in a strategic manner will pave the way for successful float
construction within the given constraints.

Q3.

The two major constraint presented by the project stakeholders that should affect the scheduling plan are
Time constraints and budget constraint.

Time constraint :

The 8-week time slot limit that is approaching makes it extremely difficult to finish all of the
requirements by August 2. From her early years and during her time in college, Samantha Morrison was
highly engaged in the community. She participated in a variety of events and projects, acquired
experience working on complex skill jobs, and eventually earned a position in the Toronto Sun's
marketing department. She is under pressure to take on a significant project. The issue is unrelated to her
suitability as a project manager. It was never in doubt, but in order to ensure there are no setbacks on
parade day, it is necessary to prepare a timetable and task schedule in advance of the approaching
deadline. This calls for following a meticulous process regarding the delicate circumstance and making as
few mistakes as possible with the scheduling. The initiative wasn't initially hers; rather, it was a
colleague's. When that colleague didn't advance on the given assignment, Larissa Presso, Morrison's
supervisor and the Toronto Sun's director of promotion, decided that Morrison should step in and take
over.
 Budget constraint : Another significant limitation is the small budget. Samantha will search for a lot of
alternative commercials and sponsors due to her relatively small budget of only $400 in cash in addition
to offers of counter advertisements, which will ultimately effect the schedule plan.

The two major requirements by project stakeholders for the project that should affect the scheduling plan
are :

1. Schedule requirements

The schedule requirement is to get the plan start with numerous tasks ahead to deal with. Samantha’s task
on executing and controlling the project task is very demandable on a concise and appeal plan that will
get everything organize and will minimize the mistakes for once again there will be no setbacks of pulling
out the plan intended. Thing must be needed to be properly Scheduled, executed and controlled.

2. Resource requirements

Regarding the Caribana Parade, the necessary resources include renting a flatbed truck by 10:00 a.m. on
August 1, 2008, making sure the truck driver arrives an hour early, making sure all volunteers sign the
safety waiver forms thirty minutes prior to the event starting, and making sure the float is ordered in time.

Q4.

Estimat
e(Durati
M on (3-
os point
t Pessi estimat
WBS Optimisti lik misti e Predecesso
ID Activity Description c ely c values) r
Meeting with different
departments and
1.1.2 1 leaders 4 9 14 9 0
Review and Approval of
2
1.2.1 Float design 11 16 21 16 1
selection of contractor
3 and rent flatbed truck
1.2.2 driver 4 8 12 8 1
Purchase float raw
1.2.3. 4 material and cut &
1 assemble float sections 2 3 4 3 2,3
1.2.3. Float construction and
5
2 decoration 1 2 3 2 4
1.3.2 6 T-shirt design, 23 27 31 27 1
 production, and
shipping
1.3.3. Approval of advertising
7 4 5
1 partners 3 4 1,6
1.3.4. Preparation Waiver
8 5 6
1 form by HR team 4 5 7
1.3.4. Review Waiver form by
9 11 12
2 the legal team 10 11 8
1.3.5 10 Volunteer Give Aways 10 11 12 11 2
Entertainment
11 20 27
1.4.1 Selection 13 20 2
Entertainment
12 2 3
1.4.2 Approval by Director 1 2 11
Signing the contract by
13 2 3
1.4.3 Entertainers 1 2 12
Obtain contra
14 2 3
1.5.1 advertisement. 1 2 1
Receive Advertisement
15 8 10
1.5.2 banner 7 8 10
1.6.1 16 Check with FMC 1 1 1 1 5
1.6.2 17 Float Sign-In 1 1 1 1 13,15,16
Monitoring & Control
1.6.3 18 float decoration and
volunteers 1 1 1 1 9,14, 17

Q5.
Q6.

Gantt Chart :-
Days

01-Aug-08
02-Aug-08
05-Jun-08
06-Jun-08
07-Jun-08
08-Jun-08
09-Jun-08
10-Jun-08
11-Jun-08
12-Jun-08
13-Jun-08
14-Jun-08
15-Jun-08
16-Jun-08
17-Jun-08
18-Jun-08
19-Jun-08
20-Jun-08
21-Jun-08
22-Jun-08
23-Jun-08
24-Jun-08
25-Jun-08
26-Jun-08
27-Jun-08
28-Jun-08
29-Jun-08
30-Jun-08
01-Jul-08
02-Jul-08
03-Jul-08
04-Jul-08
05-Jul-08
06-Jul-08
07-Jul-08
08-Jul-08
09-Jul-08
10-Jul-08
11-Jul-08
12-Jul-08
13-Jul-08
14-Jul-08
15-Jul-08
16-Jul-08
17-Jul-08
18-Jul-08
19-Jul-08
20-Jul-08
21-Jul-08
22-Jul-08
23-Jul-08
24-Jul-08
25-Jul-08
26-Jul-08
27-Jul-08
28-Jul-08
29-Jul-08
30-Jul-08
31-Jul-08
Description
Meeting with
different
departments and
leaders 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
Review and
Approval of Float
design 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
selection of
contractor and rent
flatbed truck driver 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Purchase float raw
material and cut &
assemble float
sections 4 4 4 4
Float construction
and decoration 5 5 5
T-shirt design,
production, and
shipping 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

Approval of
advertising partners 7 7 7 7 7

Preparation Waiver
form by HR team 8 8 8 8 8 8

Review Waiver form

by the legal team 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
Volunteer Give
Aways 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10
Entertainment
Selection 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11 11
Entertainment
Approval by
Director 12 12 12
Signing the contract
by Entertainers 13 13 13
Obtain contra
advertisement. 14 14 14
Receive
Advertisement
banner 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
Check with FMC 16 16
Float Sign-In 17 17
Monitoring &
Control float
decoration and
volunteers 18 18

6.1
The scheduling plan for a project should align with the primary goal of covering the Caribana event,
make sure that adequate resources, stakeholders’ engagement, implement robust risk management,
ensure the quality assurance, and have a clear feedback process, be adaptable, adhere to the project
timeline, budget, comply with legal and ethical standards, emphasize clear communication among team
members, and include adequate documentation for future reference. Regular monitoring and evaluation
will help identify deviations and allow for necessary adjustments to ensure success.
6.2
Based on the case study provided, let's analyze the activities using an Activity on Node (AON) network
diagram. This technique helps visualize the sequence of activities and their dependencies. Here are the
arguments based on the AON diagram:

1.Critical Path Identification:

•The AON diagram will help identify the critical path, which represents the longest sequence of activities
that determines the shortest possible duration for the project. In this case, critical activities like creating
the timeline, communicating with the Festival Management Committee (FMC), and starting the float
design are pivotal.

2. Task Dependencies:

•The AON diagram will clearly show the dependencies between tasks. For example, before initiating the
float design, communication with the FMC representative is crucial. This visual representation helps in
understanding the logical flow of activities.

3. Parallel Activities:

•By examining the AON diagram, it's possible to identify activities that can be executed in parallel. For
instance, while waiting for FMC responses, tasks like arranging a meeting with the design team, getting
the list of authorized vendors, and starting the hiring process can be carried out concurrently.

4. Resource Allocation:

•The AON diagram will highlight activities that require similar resources, allowing for efficient resource
allocation. For example, hiring a driver and arranging truck logistics can be coordinated to optimize
resource usage.

5. Identification of Slack Time:

•The AON diagram will indicate the float time available for each non-critical activity. This helps in
understanding which activities have flexibility in their start and end dates, providing a buffer for any
potential delays.

6. Risk Assessment:

•By visually representing the project's flow, the AON diagram enables a clearer assessment of potential
risks. For example, if a critical activity on the critical path is delayed, it will directly impact the project's
timeline.

7. Bottleneck Identification:

•The AON diagram can highlight potential bottlenecks where multiple dependent activities converge. For
instance, if there's a delay in obtaining the list of authorized vendors, it could cause a ripple effect on
subsequent tasks.

8. Decision-Making Support:

•With the AON diagram, stakeholders can make informed decisions regarding resource allocation, task
prioritization, and risk management. For instance, if a critical activity is at risk of delay, resources can be
re-allocated to ensure it stays on track.
9. Efficient Communication:

•The AON diagram provides a visual aid for explaining project dependencies and timelines to
stakeholders. It facilitates effective communication about the project's progress and potential challenges.

10. Performance Evaluation:

•The AON diagram allows for tracking actual progress against planned progress, making it easier to
evaluate if the project is on schedule or if corrective actions need to be taken.

6.3

A timeline and work schedule are crucial to guaranteeing that the project is finished and does not cause
any problems or failures for the next event. Determine whether jobs may be completed concurrently or
simultaneously without sacrificing quality. For instance, we can focus on other projects like
corresponding with vendors while we wait for responses from volunteers. Furthermore, by concentrating
on the tasks that are most important to the project's schedule and success, we can make sure that they
receive the highest priority and the resources they require. Additionally, reducing the time can be
achieved by closely collaborating with decision-makers such as Larissa Presso to speed the approval
process for designs, vendor lists, and other crucial papers. Moreover, looking for ways to ship items like t-
shirts more quickly, even if it means paying more. This can help the production process go more
smoothly. There is a lot of pressure on this project because there are only eight weeks left for the
Toronto Sun parade float. Since time is of the essence, settling the matter first must be prioritized.
Selecting entertainment, creating and distributing t-shirts, evaluating and approving float designs, and
designing them are the longest-running activities. We can reduce the overall time if the time required for
each of the three actions is reduced.