TCM750 Term Project Instructions
This term project aims to assess the student’s ability to analyze, evaluate and modify an organization’s business processes to develop project management strategies and operational managerial actions. Students should apply project management tools, techniques, and skills and demonstrate autonomy, accountability, adaptability, and judgment to manage complex professional and technical activities. In this individual assignment, students will determine a company’s current project management maturity level and create an action plan for moving to the next level.
All submitted documents must be submitted via Blackboard in MS Word. Sample submissions are also posted as references for formatting and expected quality. There are two main deliverables associated with this term project:
1. Company Interview
The purpose of this assignment is to have you interview an organization to determine the organization’s current level of maturity by following Kerzner’s Project Management Maturity Model. You will work on this assignment individually. You may choose any company including the one in which you work. If you do choose your own company, you must choose someone other than yourself to interview. This person should be familiar with the interworking of the organization. They do not need to have the title of Project Manager.
You will apply the assessment instrument for level 2 as outlined on pages 70-74 of the textbook. You will ask the interviewee the questions on pages 71-72 and record the score as instructed. You will score the responses per Exhibit 2 on pages 72-73. You will then create a table like the one at the bottom of page 73 with X’s in the appropriate cells. Finally, you will provide a discussion of which phases (Embryonic, Executive Management Acceptance, Line Management Acceptance, Growth, and Maturity) appear to be complete following the example at the top of page 74 (high scores at +6 or greater indicate the phase is complete). For a point of reference, the interview should be 45 minutes to an hour in length rather than a 5-10-minute endeavor.
Hint: Choose a company that is easy to access. You may want to avoid large multinational companies as they typically are willing to complete a phone interview, but not willing to review any action plan.
Grading Rubric
10 Points Student provided each of the 20 questions (from pages 71-72) with the score for each one
10 Points Student provided at least 2-3 sentences of backup per question
10 Points Student identified at the end of the interview where they think the organization is regarding the Project Management Life Cycle phase and provides backup for the phase identified.
Action Plan and PM Tools
This assignment aims to analyze the results of the Company Interview; develop an action plan for getting the organization to the next level/phase of the PM Maturity Model and utilize project management tools in doing so. Students will demonstrate autonomy, accountability, adaptability, and judgment to manage complex professional and technical activities.
Upon completing the Company Interview Assignment, you will follow the methodology outlined in “How to Analyze a Case in 16 Steps” to write a term paper including an action plan with recommendations for getting the organization to the next level/phase. This action plan is to include project management tools such as a schedule, budget, resources, and defined levels of quality. The action plan is to address characteristics of the respective level as well as common roadblocks which are provided in the text. You are to cite the text as much as possible as the rationale behind your action plan which will provide credibility to your recommendations. In other words, you are not just making up the recommendations based on your own level of understanding prior to taking this course.
Hint: The action plan should have content like a case study. Please provide the schedule, budget, communications plan, etc. for the company to implement your action plan.