XGBBMM6402 Project Management for Expresso Cafe Assignment Sample

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Overview

Project Management utilizes tools, particular knowledge, techniques, and skills to provide value to the business. It is a procedure that includes planning, implementation, monitoring, and concluding the project, and a project leader is allotted to lead the plan. This report highlights a project management plan for a Café name Expresso Lounge Café which is situated on Oxford Street, central London it is a modern café that provides the facility to remote employees to work from the café. The project needs modern techniques and strategies to build a brand name that provides better quality, goods, and services to customers, etc. (Guo, 2022). According to the project plan the report includes different approaches, methodologies, and critical analysis to develop the plan that becomes part of the café. The key feature of the project plan is to make the right decision, reduce risk management, and develop a shareholder analysis for the case company in the market. For the success of the project plan, the report provided suggestions with all the needed resources for the Expresso Café.

Project Definition Process

The project Expresso Cafe describes an organized approach for handling time, plans, resources, risks, and other aspects (Moradi, 2020). Some of the essential frameworks, approaches, and methodologies are discussed below:

Adaptive Project Framework (APF)

Expresso Café utilized this framework to develop its plan to execute and reach its goals. It involves the following 5 stages which are:

Project scope- Expresso Café needs meaningful customer engagement to launch the Café’s goals, aims, achievement criteria, risks, norms, difficulties, and requirements (Fabbro, 2021).
Cycle plan- For launching the café there is a need for high planning stage where project leaders start tasks, timetables, dependencies, and resource necessities.
Cycle build- the team begins its work whereas the leader adjusts the work opportunity; records change appeals, and ideas for improvement to develop the workforce for the café.
Customer checkpoint- project group and their customer review the outcomes before starting the next APF cycle.
Post version review- the project leader decides whether the Expresso café results were achieved, recognizes improvements, and gathers best practices (Hysa, 2019).

Kanban approach

It is an agile method that imagines work, bound work in progress, and supports quickly moving work from recital to the inclusive status. Although, the project contains a work breakdown structure for the Expresso café and acquire this structure from Kanban boards (Kerzner, 2019). This approach does not recommend any deadlines or set other time edges and also the entire group is answerable for the work delivery.

Event chain methodology

It is utilized to handle both expected and unexpected actions that affect project planning. There are major principles of event chain methodology which are involved in the Expresso Café:

Risk- the external risk of Expresso café includes being highly competitive to build a business in a certain market where other rivals can provide a similar offering.
Chain of events- the café should provide clients with clear and conformist information that will assist them to estimate their delay time. So, this may reduce delays in their level of concern affected by the uncertainty of the condition.
Critical Event String- the café needs to pay attention to time-consuming activities and execute those first.
Performance tracking- Expresso needs to track the performance of their coffee sales, client and employee satisfaction, profitability, repeat visitors, and revenue.

The project definition form involves resources, stakeholders, dependencies, milestones, and deliverables to complete this project plan (Ibraimova, et.al, 2019).

Overall Project Management ethos applied

The project management contains 2 different approaches that the team utilized to handle their project throughout the launching of a café. The Expresso café differs in the stages to involve a control or finishing stage. This traditional approach works best for the Expresso Café, it involves the initiation stage, plan and design, execution, checking or controlling, and closing.

Initiation stage

Interacting with stakeholders to know the purpose and preferred results of the project.
Deciding Specific, calculable, attainable, relevant, and time-limit goals.
Descriptive resources like budget and time limitations.
Confirming group size and roles required

Planning stage

Determining milestones that build up the aim to accomplish
Developing a timetable for responsibilities and milestones, involving time estimations and also potential time barriers.
Deciding how to interact with group members and shareholders.
Considering and handling risk by making a risk register (Di Giuda, et.al, 2020).
Holding a beginning meeting to start the plan

Executing stage

Utilizing tools such as the Gantt chart to track development on café project
Responding to threats when they are visible
Recording prices
Keeping group members inspired on the project
Keeping shareholders up-to-date on progress

Closing stage

Interacting with shareholders to the end of the development and offering an impact report
Interacting with new vendors of a project plan
Making a project closeout report
Celebrating the project's end successes.

Project Programme

The process of work breakdown structure involves developing the program of launching a café. This structure is a device that supports organizing the project by a chain of command.

1. Market research

Segmentation and demographic- Expresso cafe will look at numerous variables for considering target customers through the age range, gender, income, traditions, and religion (Malabagi, et.al, 2021). By analyzing this company will adapt its marketing and manufacturing accordingly.

Surveys- In the beginning, the company utilizes market study and demographics surveys for launching the café. Although, the café use strategies to understand the pricing and can focus on the product which are market fit, through feedback and survey to improve the quality of products and services.

Competitor’s analysis- the company should be supervising a competitive analysis for their café by creating a strong business strategy, developing unique value offerings, and producing products and services with particular target customers.

Research findings- by analyzing all the market research the company should recognize its target market and preferences as they are ready to pay for their products (Haverila, 2019). Although, selecting the correct location for a café and its menu must be attractive to their target market.

2. Construction phase

Indoor and outdoor seating area- the company should consider comfy and durable furniture both indoor and outdoor areas that can fit into the Expresso café elegance and theme.
Cashier and reception-they should be trained and guided for the initial point of interaction with customers and they should be greeting and invite customers. Their location must be easily noticeable and reachable to the consumers and a cash register to practice payments (Goncharenko, et.al, 2021). The company should consider advancing to a digital payment method to provide cashless transactions.
Washroom- the company should provide a hygienic and comfortable washroom for the clients and also offers basic amenities in the washroom.

3. Human resource

Recruitment- the companies should hire an efficient HR team to generate job description, conducts personal interviews, finishes paperwork, and make sure of the successful onboarding of fresh employees for the café.
Staff training- Company's HR group can make sure that by forming staff training and helping them by providing an overview of Expresso café. The case company should also be considered teaching basic customer services and providing training on food preparation and management, which can create their abilities to perform them best.
Cooking-set a menu and recipes that align with the café's style and target customers: Utilizing great quality ingredients to make sure that food tastes delicious and fresh, keeps clients coming back.

4. Marketing

Opening plan-outline café concepts involving its mission, target customers, list of items, and environment will support the company’s decision-making procedure during the development and opening stages.
The social media-the company should promote its café on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and another platform (Bhatt, et.al, 2019). These will create social engagement and attract customers to Expresso café.
Brochures- the company should also provide detailed information with image frames, icons, maps, and company culture to help the customer to reach Expresso café.
Advertisement-Expresso café should consider email marketing devices to promote their business.

Critical Path analysis

A critical path diagram is a visual representation of the project's tasks and their dependencies, showing the sequence of activities that must be completed on time to complete the project successfully. It identifies the critical path, which is the longest sequence of dependent activities that must be completed on time to ensure that the project finishes within the scheduled timeframe.

The rationale behind setting the path

The rationale behind setting the path in a particular manner is to identify the critical tasks that must be completed on time to ensure project success. By identifying the critical path, the project manager can focus on these tasks to ensure that they are completed on time and avoid delays in the project schedule.

Total slack for the project

The total slack for the project is the amount of time that a non-critical task can be delayed without delaying the project's completion date. The critical path has zero slack because any delay in completing a task on the critical path will delay the project's completion date.

Assumptions to develop the critical path

To develop the critical path, assumptions have to be made about the duration of tasks and their dependencies, which may not be accurate. The critical path diagram assumes that all tasks will be completed on time, which may not be realistic, and there may be unforeseen delays or dependencies that are not accounted for in the diagram. Therefore, the critical path diagram is a useful tool in project management, but it should be used in conjunction with other project management techniques, such as risk management, to ensure project success.

Decision-making methodology

Decision-making is an essential part of project management, it is a highly operative as well as efficient style that can support the company in taking correct decisions with considerable stability. Some of the methodologies involved in taking a good decision for the company are:

Command method- This is the perfect and fastest decision-making procedure as it does not include problems and discussions with other members. The company should utilize this decision-making technique in its business.
Consultation- it is mutual among all the decision-making methods for taking continuing decisions. Decision creator seeks ideas from others members and considers them attentively, but the final power of commitment remains with the owner (Mishchenko, et.al, 2021).
Voting- the most democratic method of decision-making is voting, during this procedure, the available choices are accepted to the notice of all members and individual actions are highly considered. Once the debates are finished, the decision nominated by the mass of voters is considered the last decision. Voting is the chosen decision-making system between committees, BOD, or senior executives of the company.

Financial Evaluation of the project

Financial cash flow for the project – when costs and income are to be incurred

The project contains cost management by valuing, assigning, and controlling the cost of the company. The procedure of cost management allows construction projects to forecast expenses that they have to gain in the upcoming days to decrease the possibility of budget overrun when a company's overall cost is 200,000 which is incurred to make a product. Marketing costs involved cost planning, styling, product designing, purchasing, production preparation, etc. Income gained through an increase in selling, offering a discount on meals and combo offers, etc.

Total borrowing required

The project launching of the café requires borrowing about 100,000 from the bank of the company and so, and this will increase the capitalization of the café.

How would you minimize the borrowing and costs for the project?

The company reduced the borrowing and prices for the project by increasing sales by investing in high-quality products with low prices. The company can negotiate the costs with dealers and suppliers to increase price reduction (Dvorsky, et.al, 2021).

Value Management approach

This approach is an organized review of vital project purposes or presentations, focused on accomplishing the greatest value for the money. It takes a complete sight of the project role involving capital and regular costs.

Risk Management

The risk register includes examining the project results and objectives that might be alteration caused by the effect of the risk event. Risk is recognized and their effect on the project is assessed which gives support by taking mitigation plans for those threats. The elements of the risk upon which the mitigation strategies are built:

Risk of project delay- the project should complete on time because the date of launch project will fail and the company cannot use time effectively caused by delay.
Risk of problems among workers- This is a mutual risk, Chaos between workers can be caused by several reasons and it can affect the total project (Willumsen, et.al 2019).
Risk of excess budgeting- The cafe holder have fix financial plan and it can be changed due to changes in the costs of goods and services. It contains both high effect and probability.
Risk of mismanagement of resources- this risk is caused by miscommunication between employees to the owner, due to this employee does not utilize resources efficiently are a great cause of wastage.

How and why have you chosen these elements of risk?

It is essential to analyze risk for launching a café, considering some vital elements of risk relevant to market rivalry, supply chain, product plan, and regulatory agreement. In case, these elements of risk must be realistic to measure or mitigate and the above-discussed elements offer a complete understanding of the effect of the possible risk on the project.

Reflection on your project team’s performance

How did you organize yourselves?

From the above project, I learned about the strategies and approaches which are included in project management. I analyzed several factors and objectives to understand the work structure of the project. My team reflecting their experiences and escaping situations they do not need to repeat in future projects. I analyze that my team coordinates with each other and understands or supports every member of their work. I organize myself by completing my urgent task on time and these skills help me to stay systematized which gives me the flexibility to balance my work and life. I also utilize my schedule and to-do list to hold myself organized according to my work plan. If I look at unexpected challenges far ahead in the day, then I still achieved my main task. Although, I also learned to interact clearly and quickly with my group members regarding deadlines, progress, and any task that I require addressing. I always stay organized to manage a heavy workload involving some deadlines by ensuring these approaches.

Was there anything you would like to change about how you worked?

I would like to change my working style such as logical, supportive, idea-oriented, etc. to improve my team performance. So that my team members discuss ideas with each other and make appropriate decisions together (Song, 2019). Some common areas for improvement in project management include improving communication, enhancing time management skills, being more proactive in identifying and mitigating risks, and promoting teamwork and collaboration among team members. These improvements can help to enhance project efficiency, reduce delays, and achieve better results. Therefore, it is essential to review past projects and identify areas for improvement, which can be implemented in future projects to enhance project management practices and achieve better results.

What lessons do you intend to take forward to your professional life?

The lessons I acquired from this module, I like to take forward in my professional life because is the high level of knowledge and skills which is helpful for planning and management. By understanding the project, I am prepared to face challenges and to work co-ordinately with others. I also learn that without taking risks and creating mistakes, I can never achieve success. From this module, the lessons that can be taken forward to professional life include the importance of project planning, risk management, communication, and leadership skills. Effective project management skills are essential in any industry, and the ability to work collaboratively and think critically can significantly enhance the outcome of a project. Overall, organizing a project team requires a combination of effective communication, planning, and management skills, and taking forward the lessons learned from this module can contribute to better project management practices in the future.

References

Bhatt, R., Thakker, R., Sukhadia, O., Kunadia, S., Kumar, A. and Kiran, M.B., 2019. Challenges in the Implementation of the Critical Path Method-A Review.

Di Giuda, G.M., Locatelli, M., Schievano, M., Pellegrini, L., Pattini, G., Giana, P.E. and Seghezzi, E., 2020. Natural language processing for information and project management. Digital transformation of the design, construction, and management processes of the built environment, pp.95-102.

Dvorsky, J., Belas, J., Gavurova, B. and Brabenec, T., 2021. Business risk management in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 34(1), pp.1690-1708.

Fabbro, E. and Tonchia, S., 2021. Project management maturity models: Literature review and new developments. The Journal of Modern Project Management, 8(3).

Goncharenko, L.P., Sokolnikova, I.V., Soltakhanov, A.U. and Sybachin, S.A., 2021. Organizational and Economic Aspects of Innovative Digital Project Management. In ”Smart Technologies" for Society, State and Economy 13 (pp. 1481-1488). Springer International Publishing.

Guo, K. and Zhang, L., 2022. Multi-objective optimization for improved project management: Current status and future directions. Automation in Construction, 139, p.104256.

Haverila, M.J. and Haverila, K.C., 2019. Customer-centric success measures in project management. International Journal of Business Excellence, 19(2), pp.203-222.

Hysa, B. and Spalek, S., 2019. Opportunities and threats presented by social media in project management. Heliyon, 5(4), p.e01488.

Ibraimova, S.S., Seisenbaeva, Z.M., Karyakin, A.M., Genkin, E.V. and Velikorossov, V.V., 2019. Teamwork within agile project management techniques. In International Conference Industrial Technology and Engineering (pp. 235-237).

Kerzner, H., 2019. Using the project management maturity model: strategic planning for project management. John Wiley & Sons.

Malabagi, S., Kulkarni, V.N., Gaitonde, V.N., Satish, G.J. and Kotturshettar, B.B., 2021, July. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM): A decision-making tool for project management. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2358, No. 1, p. 100013). AIP Publishing LLC.

Mishchenko, S., Naumenkova, S., Mishchenko, V. and Dorofeiev, D., 2021. Innovation risk management in financial institutions. Investment Management and Financial Innovations, 18(1), pp.191-203.

Moradi, S., Kähkönen, K. and Aaltonen, K., 2020. Comparison of research and industry views on project managers’ competencies. International journal of managing projects in business, 13(3), pp.543-572.

Song, W. and Zhu, J., 2019. A multistage risk decision-making method for normal cloud model considering behavior characteristics. Applied Soft Computing, 78, pp.393-406.

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