Fundamental project management tasks and principles.
demonstrate your project planning skills in your role as a contracted project manager and apply the fundamental project management tasks and principles.
As an independent project manager, you have just been contracted by Innovative Automotive, an automobile accessories company that has been in business for 15 years. The company developed a new product: an after-market accessory that attaches to any windshield wiper and helps solve the problem of removing bugs from the front windshield.
You have been hired to manage the product launch. The project was started 18 months ago and was managed by the then-director of product development who has left for another opportunity. This project is floundering. It is 6 months behind schedule and over budget, and it lacks commitment from the four other functional groups who are key stakeholders: sales, accounting, IT, and order processing. This product needs to be brought to market in 6 months.
Write a 700- to 1,050-word project plan draft of how you intend to bring the project up to speed in which you:
o List the 3 primary characteristics of this product development project that qualify it to be considered a project.
o Summarize the project life cycle that will likely follow this project.
o Identify 2 to 3 of the constraints that the PM will be required to manage.
o Identify at least 5 stakeholders you imagine will be key to the success of this project.
o Determine the best project structure for this project.
o Describe the type of power you will likely have as a contract PM leading this project and requiring input and fractional resources from various other departments.
o Summarize the steps you will take to reform the team and name the type of team culture (using the Human Synergistics Circumplex) you will try to develop.
Sample Solution
The Criminal Justice System: Interplay and Implications
1. Main Components:
The criminal justice system comprises three main pillars:
- Law Enforcement: Responsible for investigating crimes, making arrests, and collecting evidence.
- Courts: Adjudicate criminal cases, determine guilt or innocence, and impose sentences.
- Corrections: Oversee the punishment and rehabilitation of convicted offenders, including incarceration, probation, and parole.
Full Answer Section
2. Interrelatedness:
These components are not isolated entities but rather function in a continuous cycle:
- Law enforcement feeds information to the courts through arrests and investigations.
- Courts make decisions that impact corrections (e.g., sentencing, release conditions).
- Corrections provide feedback to law enforcement (e.g., recidivism rates, rehabilitation needs).
- All components operate within legal frameworks and public policies.
3. Potential Conflicts:
Despite their interrelatedness, conflicts can arise:
- Resource competition: Limited budgets can lead to tension between competing needs (e.g., police investigations vs. rehabilitation programs).
- Philosophical differences: Varying perspectives on punishment (retribution vs. rehabilitation) can create friction between courts and corrections.
- Systemic biases: Racial, socioeconomic, and other biases can impact decision-making at all levels, leading to unequal outcomes.
4. Steps and Roles:
Pre-Trial:
- Law Enforcement: Investigate, arrest, gather evidence.
- Decision Point: Whether to pursue charges based on probable cause.
- Courts: Conduct initial hearings, set bail conditions.
Trial:
- Prosecution: Presents evidence to prove guilt.
- Defense: Challenges evidence, protects defendant's rights.
- Courts: Rule on legal matters, oversee trial process.
- Decision Point: Jury verdict (guilty/not guilty) or judge's decision.
Post-Trial:
- Courts: Impose sentences, consider appeals.
- Corrections: Implement sentences, provide rehabilitation, manage offender release.
- Decision Point: Parole decisions, release conditions, probation violations.
5. Impact on Justice Administration:
The interrelatedness of the system can have both positive and negative effects:
Positive:
- Collaboration: Sharing information and resources can improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Holistic Approach: Addressing all aspects of crime can foster rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.
- Accountability: Each component holds the others accountable, potentially reducing abuses.
Negative:
- Power Imbalances: One component may exert undue influence over others, hindering fairness.
- Systemic Bias: Biases at one level can perpetuate throughout the system, leading to unequal outcomes.
- Complexity: Navigating the interconnectedness can be challenging, creating barriers to justice.
Conclusion:
The criminal justice system's interconnectedness presents both opportunities and challenges for administering justice. Understanding these interactions is crucial for identifying and addressing potential biases, promoting collaboration, and ultimately ensuring a fairer and more effective system.