Complex Projects

Description

Reflect on the most complex project you’ve been involved in and then respond to the following in a minimum of 175 words:

• How would you describe the project, including the work breakdown structure, tasks, subtasks, work packages, and whether you were on the critical path?
• What role did the project manager play in the project’s success or failure? Include a specific example to support your response.
• How did the project align with the organizational strategy?
• How important was project management in ensuring the project met timelines, budget, and quality standards?

Reply to these two classmate’s statements below whether you agree or disagree. State why and explain. or your faculty member. Be constructive and professional. You will respond in 100 words each statement.

1) Hi class

One of the most complex projects I was involved in was the development of a comprehensive e-commerce platform for a retail company. The project was structured using a detailed work breakdown structure (WBS) that divided the project into several key phases:planing, design, development, testing, and deployment. Each phase was further broken down into tasks and subtasks. For instance, the development phase included task such as front-end development, back-end development, and database integration, each with its own set of subtasks and work packages. I was part of the development team, specifically working on the back-end development, which was on the critical path due to its dependencies on both the design and database integration tasks. The project manager played a crucial role in the project’s succes by effectively coordinating between different teams, managing resources, and ensuring that each phase was completed on time. For example, when the design phase faced delays , the project manager reallocated resources and adjusted timelines to keep the project on track. The project aligned with the organizational strategy by enhancing the company’s digital presence and expanding its market reach, which was a key strategic goal. Project management was vital in ensuring the project met its timelines, budget, and quality standards. The project manager’s ability to foresee potential risks and implement mitigation strategies was instrumental in maintaining the project’s quality and ensuring it was delivered within the allocated budget and time frame.

2)Hi Everyone,

One of the most notable projects that I have been involved in was the implementation of an online confirmation and payment service for a dermatology pharmacy. Before this process was developed, patients would pay for their medication via phone and have their sensitive information stored within the pharmacy’s electronic system. To protect this information, an application was created to have patients access an online portal to not only pay for their prescriptions, but confirm if they would like to proceed with the filling of the prescription and allow them to correct any details on their profile that would interfere in completion (i.e. incorrect address where we would ship their medication).

For the pharmacy technicians and cashiers who had the most interaction with this new application, there were but a few tasks. The technicians were initially responsible for garnering attention and interest in using this application—this meant urging patients who were used to calling in to pay via the portal by sending them a personalized link after each phone call. While the process was simplified for patients, there were still little manual steps taken behind the scenes. Marking the orders as completed after payment via the online portal so that patients weren’t charged twice—once on the portal and once in our electronic system—was one of the most important tasks. This was also my placement on the critical path of this project until a solidified solution came about that synced the system’s progress and the online portal.

The project manager had little hand in the success of the new application. Apart from being present for questions, concerns, and updates regarding the project, the ultimate success of the project depended on the representatives. The project manager mainly operated as the overseer who would document and communicate progress and hurdles to the powers that be.

The organizational strategy revolved ensuring that patients had their prescriptions shipped to their doors from the comfort of their homes within three business days at the least. This project aligned with the organizational strategy by allowing the patients to have more of a hand in their personal information and ultimately, the speed in which things can be processed. The project introduced more efficiency in the workplace by limiting clerical errors and delays due to payment/shipping issues.

In terms of project management, I would say that it was mildly important. The pilot application had to be introduced in a timely manner so that results could be communicated and an official declaration could be made on if we would proceed with this or not. Unfortunately, I’m unaware of how this project impacted the budget. I imagine that it became more of an expense for the organization because the process was previously 100% manual/over the phone. Stepping outside of the budget didn’t seem to be possible on the end of the pharmacy—I’m sure that the software developers had more of an influence on the budget than the pharmacy workers who used it. The workers who had hands-on interaction with the application and direct communication with the patients who used it influenced the level of quality. I would say that project management aided this by ensuring that all progress/pushback was documented and addressed accordingly.