Case Study -

'Mr. & Mrs. Smith's New Kitchen'

Project Description

Mr. and Mrs. Smith are first time home owners who recently purchased an older home. The house was built in the 1960s. The kitchen is outdated and old fashioned and so the Smiths have budgeted for a kitchen renovation. They have hired you as a project manager for the project. They understand that you know how to use project management to achieve the project objectives while meeting their schedule and budget constraints.

Project Background

Prior to purchasing their home, Mr. and Mrs. Smith hired a structural engineering company to check out the property. The results of the analysis showed that the house is structurally sound without any known defects.

The Smiths have looked around quite a bit and feel they have a good idea of the features they would like to have in the remodeled kitchen. New cupboards, plumbing, lighting, and appliances are desired. The Smiths have realized that new windows are something they cannot afford at this time.

You are responsible for:

schedule development, progress reports (budget, schedule, scope);

stakeholder communication and management approval of major project tasks; managing procurement of equipment and materials; and

creating risk assessments.

Project Challenges

The Smiths are expecting their first child in 2 months. The work must be completed in that time period - before their child arrives.

The maximum budget is $20,000 for all materials and labour.

Project Success Factors

Your success factors include:

Meeting client needs and meeting or improving on budget

Meeting all scheduling goals, and completing each phase with no scheduling delays

Achieving a high level of customer satisfaction with the finished project

Questions

1. Given the scenario presented above, wr ite a simple project charter for the Smith's kitchen renovation project. Include a description of the project, identify the project manager and indicate the appropriate authority to proceed with the project.

2. What project management tools or techniques would you recommend be used to gather and document the project requirements and scope? Explain why each tool and/or technique would benefit the project.

3. What tools and techniques would you use to develop a project schedule for use in the project management plan? Illustrate with a simple project schedule for the Smith's kitchen project.

4. What tools and techniques would you use to develop a project budget? How would you present this information for use in the project management plan? Illustrate with a simple project budget for the Smith's kitchen project.

5. Describe three risks that could affect this project. Identify the risk, assess its impact, and explain the response strategy you would use.

6. The Smiths will have changes that come to mind as the project moves forward. Explain how you would manage these changes and why you think this is important.