Project Management Final Paper[WLOs 3] [CLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].docx

Project Management Final Paper
[WLOs: 3] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
Before starting with this final assignment, please (a) complete
this week’s readings, (b) review the weekly lecture, (c) review
grading rubric, (d) read the Eight Simple Rules of Good
Writing, and (e) review the PRM300 Week 5 Final Paper
template from your class. It is highly recommended that you use
grading rubric as your checklist to ensure every element is
included in your final paper.
While a five-week course barely covers the full range of
responsibilities of a project manager, it should have given you a
solid perspective on what does it take to manage a project. Now
that you have a basic understanding of the project management
life cycle, it is your turn to share what you have learned.
The Project Management Final Paper needs to include
screenshot examples and explanations of project selection form,
project scope template, work breakdown structures (WBS), and
the Gantt chart created in prior weeks. Be sure to update these
examples based on: (a) any new criteria presented in these
instructions, (b) any feedback you received on the previous
assignments, (c) any knowledge you obtained in the class,
and/or (d) any additional information you obtained during your
research so that your final paper can reflect project management
best practices.
Include the following elements in your paper:
Introduction
· Introduce the paper and highlight what the paper will include.
· Explain what a project is and how project management can
contribute to an organization’s success.
· Briefly outline the five process groups in the project
management life cycle.
Initiating
· Explain the pre-planning stage of the project management
lifecycle.

· Explain project management terms, tools, and techniques that
are applicable to the pre-planning/project selection stage.
· Describe the elements of the project selection form.
· Provide an example of a project selection form.
· Explain the purpose of a project selection form.
· Insert an updated and corrected copy of the project selection
form from week 1 to use as an example.
· Explain the elements of the project selection form and their
importance.
Planning
· Explain the planning process of the project management
lifecycle.
are applicable to the planning stage.
· Explain the purpose of the project scope statement and all the
terms used in the project scope template.
· Project Basics:
· Project Name
· Project Sponsor
· Project Scope Statement
· Project Scope:
· Assumptions
· Milestones
· Out of Scope (Exclusions)
· Project Execution:
· Stakeholders
· Time estimate
· Cost estimate
· Project Acceptance Criteria
· Insert a corrected and updated screenshot of your project
scope template from week 2 into your final paper.
· Be sure to use the feedback you received and what you learned
in the class
· If you need help with obtaining a screenshot or embedding an
image, then please review these tutorials: See How to Use the
Snipping Tool in Windows 10 [Tutorial].

· Explain the work breakdown structure (WBS), project
milestones, and the critical path.
· Explain how these elements relate to your project’s status.
· Create a work breakdown structure (WBS) in the ProjectLibre
or modify the example you created in week 3, incorporating
both instructor and peer feedback (as applicable).
· Include a screenshot of the WBS as an example in your paper.
(Make sure the example contains the appropriate level of
details, so the reader understands the full context of the project
without assuming anything.)
Executing
· Explain the executing process group of the project
management lifecycle.
are applicable to executing the project.
· Explain the change control process.
Monitoring and Controlling
· Explain the monitoring and controlling within the project
management lifecycle.
are applicable to monitoring and controlling the project.
Closing
· Explain the closing process within the project management
lifecycle.
are applicable to closing a project or phase.
· Explain what a “Lessons Learned” report is and highlight its
importance for future projects within the organization.
Conclusion
· Conclude the paper by reiterating how project management
improves an organization’s success and highlighting the
importance of using the five process groups for accomplishing a
project’s objectives. (Review the Writing Center’s page
on Introductions and Conclusionsfor more information.)
Your Project Management Final Paper
· The final paper must be 2,500 to 3,500 words in length (10 to

12 pages, not including title page, screen captures, or references
pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the
Ashford Writing Center’s APA Styleresources.
· Must include a separate title page with the following:
· Title of paper
· Student’s name
· Course name and number
· Instructor’s name
· Date submitted
For further assistance with the formatting and the title page,
refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013.
· Must utilize academic tone in your final paper. See
the Academic Voice for additional guidance.
· Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph. Your
introduction paragraph needs to end with a clear thesis
statement that indicates the purpose of your paper.
· For assistance on writing Introductions & Conclusionsas well
as Writing a Thesis Statementrefer to the Ashford Writing
Center resources.
· Must use at least four scholarly, peer-reviewed, or credible
sources in addition to the course text.
· The Scholarly, Peer-Reviewed, and Other Credible
Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source
types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is
appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor.
Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a
specific source for a particular assignment.
· Must document any information used from sources in APA
style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s Citing Within
Your Paper guide.
· Refer to APA Style Elements for the use of section headings
throughout this paper.
· Must include a separate references page that is formatted
according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing
Center. See the Formatting Your References List resource in the
Ashford Writing Center for specifications.

PRM300 Week 2 - Project Scope Template
Section 1 - Project Overview:
Project Name
Clinic Renovation 2019. The project is a renovation of a clinic
that has become worn out over the ages.
Project Manager
Brea Sylvester
Date
11 October 2019
Project Sponsor
Medical Association Board
Document ver. #
Version 01
Project Scope
Statement
The project will span for seven weeks and is expected to take
one dozen construction workers.
SECTION 2 - Project Details:
High-level of Work Breakdown Structure
1. Flooring
1.a. Tiling where different tiles will be put in different parts of
the clinic. For example wet areas will be installed with anti-slip
tiles and receptions or waiting areas will be installed with
normal tiles.
1.b. Renovation of pipes. The pipes affected during flooring
will be replaced with newer and better models (Heagney, 2016).
2. Wall plastering
2.a. Demolishing cracked walls or parts that are dangling off the
wall, and replacing with new ones.
3. Painting the walls
3.a. Applying new coats of paints to the walls.

4.Roofing
4.a. Removing rusted and wornout iron sheets.
4.b. Puttting new and rust-resistant iron sheets.
5. Furniture
5.a. Removing old furniture.
5.b. Adding new furniture pieces.
Assumptions
The clinic will be partly evacuated to allow the renovations to
take place. This will be determined by the availability of space
in alternative accommodations. Additionally, if the team works
fast enough, patients can be moved to already renovated rooms
to allow for space.
The Medical Association Board will be able to disburse the
initial funding in time (Kerzner, 2017). This will allow for
contracting of masons and construction workers.
Stakeholders
Medical Association Board. The board of the Medical
Association received our proposal and expressed interest in
funding our project. Normally, it caters for public clinics and
hospitals but were eager to help given the condition of the
clinic (Meredith et al., 2017).
Time estimate
10-17th October: Contracting of masons and construction
workers.
18th-22nd October: Sourcing of materials and paint (Turner,
2016).
23rd-30th October: Renovation commencement.
31st October-30th November: Renovation work.
2nd December: Delivery of the renovated clinic.
Cost estimate
Contracting of masons and construction workers:
3 masons x $100 dollars per day x 30 days = $9000
Construction workers:
9 construction workers x $70 per day x 30 days = $18900
Construction material:

Paint: 5 buckets x $200 = $1000
Plaster material:
2 trucks of concrete: 2 x $200 = $400
2 trucks of sand: 2 x $180 = $360
Roofing material:
40 pieces of iron sheets: 40 x $80 = $240
Flooring material:
30 boxes of tiles: 30 x $175 = $5250
Furniture:
10 chairs x $50 = $200
5 couches x $200 = $1000
10 tables x $100 = $1000
Total Initial Cost: $37350
Contingency Cost: $3735
Total Cost: $41085
Milestones
Disbursement of funds
Contracting of workforce
Renovation plans
Commencement of renovation
Flooring Work
Wall restoration
Renovation of roofing
Installation of new furniture
Painting work
Delivery of renovated clinic.
Out of Scope
(Exclusions)
Moving of clinic equipment to alternative accommodations
(Schwalbe, 2017).
Consultation with clinic officials for movement planning
Project Acceptance Criteria
Flooring work done
Roofing work done
Wall restoration

Painting work done
Installation of new furniture
Completion of the project deliverables
References
Heagney, J. (2016). Fundamentals of project management.
Amacom.
Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: a systems approach to
planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Meredith, J. R., Mantel Jr, S. J., & Shafer, S. M. (2017). Project
management: a managerial approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Schwalbe, K. (2017). An introduction to project management
(6th ed.). Retrieved from https://redshelf.com
Turner, R. (2016). Gower handbook of project management.
Routledge.
Running head: PROJECT SELECTION
4
PROJECT SELECTION

Project Selection
Name of Student
Institution Affiliation
Project Selection
Name of Project
Clinic Renovation 2019
Date
01/10/2019
Project Manager
Brea Sylvester
Problem Statement
This clinic is very old, due to old age, this clinic has lost its
client as the physical appeal is not there anymore. The drainage
and the sanitation pipe are faulty, making the clinic experience
numerous blockages in drainage. The walls of the clinic have
lost their color due to old age. Besides, some parts of the walls
have gaping cracks. Floor tiles have even gotten loose, and are
not in place anymore. The roofing of the clinic is also in a bad
state as the iron sheets have rusted. As a result of the problems
with roofing, the ceiling has been destroyed. Due to how old the

clinic is, the furniture of the dispensary is not standard. The
storage room for the clinic has since become small, and there is
a need for a bigger one. The pavements have been in a bad state
as potholes have developed. Equipment such as catheter has
been worn out and need replacement. The clinic's gate and doors
need repainting. As a result of heavy rains experienced recently,
the clinic's landscape has been tampered and needs to be redone.
Project Charter Statement
From the problems, it is evident that the renovation of the clinic
will enhance its appeal. The project team will be comprised of
five individuals, the project manager, the procurement manager,
operations manager, and two supervisors. The budget of the
project is $10,000. The project will be due in seven weeks, with
various activities of the project lifecycle falling in between that
time. The deliverables of the projects are solving all the defined
problems.
References
Muller, R. (2017). Project governance. Routledge.
Thiry, M. (2016). Program management. Routledge.
Running Head: CLINIC RENOVATION
CLINIC RENOVATION 12

Clinic Renovation
Institution
Professor
Student
Date
Introduction
Throughout this course, we’ve looked at the responsibilities of a
project manager and an understanding of what it takes to
manage a project. Also, some knowledge concerning the project
management cycle has been gained. In this paper on clinic
renovation, we shall discuss various issues that include a
definition of a project and how project management helps in an
organization’s success. We shall also discuss the project
management life cycle processes.
A project is a continuous activity aimed at creating a unique
product and cannot be accomplished instantly as it progresses in
steps. To meet a particular project there is an application of
knowledge and skills a process called project management.
Project management involves the proper allocation of resources
to meet project goals (Meredith et al 2017). Management
requires some approaches which help the organization to
succeed and get the desired outcome. Such approaches are
discussed below.
A cost-effective approach is a strategy used by managers
whether an in-house employee or a manager contracted for the
project. The manager is required to ensure that the project

initiated falls within the budget to avoid misuse and wastage of
resources and time. Monitoring resource procurement is another
approach to management where managers are supposed to know
the type and amount of resources required for a project. Getting
the most trained and fitting personnel to tackle a certain task in
the organization helps managers save on time and also work
within the budget lines as the workers are conversant with the
kind of task they are performing (Blaskovics 2016) .
Scope assessment approach involves analysis of a scope by
managers to know whether it will move the business forward
towards achieving its mission or it’s a drawback. At times, the
scope might not be working in line with the mission of the
organization and the managers should cooperate with other
leaders to change or terminate the project. Changing or
terminating helps in saving on the resources and which could be
wasted on the project.
Finally, to achieve an organization’s success, effective project
management should give a competitive advantage to the
business. The viability of a project is defined by the success of
a business by breaking down a project to smaller sections and
allocating experts in each section to help compete with other
businesses (Agarwal et al 2019). A manager in a studio business
can decide to divide work into selling, marketing and
installation sections where all the section aims at keeping the
customers happy and satisfied.
The project management life cycle is the processing of
controlling and directing a project and includes five process
groups. The processes include project conception and initiation,
definitions and planning, launch or execution, performance and
control, and finally project close. Project conception and
initiation is a process that involves examining the idea of the
project and determining whether ‘it will benefit the company.
This phase identifies the reality of a project through decision
making.
During the definition and planning phase of project
management, an outline of the work to be performed is written

and budget calculated to determine the resources required.
Managers use intelligent scheduling and management features to
plan a successful project delivery. Project launch or execution
is a phase that includes the distribution of tasks among different
workers who are informed of the status and risk tracking. The
managers can control and monitor the project as well as handle
any issue arising within the workers.
Project performance and control involve comparing the current
status and the progress to achieving the set target of the project.
The managers focus on objectives, quality deliverance and
performance of a project through constant supervision of
workers. Finally, the last process is a project close in which an
assessment is done after completion of the project to know if
the project was a success. The close encompasses project
evaluation, assessment and lessons learned.
Initiating
The pre-planning stage of the project management life cycle is a
combination of different activities that take place before the
planning process commences. This stage requires a manager to
gather the right people to discuss the project as a forward
momentum will be generated. These people include stakeholders
for decision making and subject matter experts as they will
facilitate the strategy of the project. After gathering the right
people, decisions are called out which help in achieving the
success of the business. The most important in decision making
is deciding on the funding and partnership towards the project.
However, in most cases it’s difficult to come up with decisions
at once, therefore, the team identifies what’s good for the
project.
The clinic renovation project would require people like the
manager, government agencies and the community who benefit
from the clinic to have a meeting and discuss the way forward.
Each party will give opinions concerning the renovation such as
the best contractor, the materials to be purchased, the areas
which require a lot of attention like the drainage system and
beds. The meeting will also discuss the funding and the

partnership to be included in the process. For instance, the
manager might think of working with other managers from
different organizations and borrowing ideas from them. This
decision will be accepted or rejected according to the impact it
will have on the renovation plan.
In the pre-planning stage, laying the foundation for the project
is best achieved by drafting a statement of objectives.
Commitment from key individuals and timeframe are other key
foundations for a project. Laying the foundation is accompanied
by a proper understanding of the “why” behind a project. The
understanding of the purpose of the project helps in keeping
everyone focused on achieving the goals of the project. The pre-
planning stage closes by approval for the project. The manager
now takes into consideration the decisions made and the
foundation lay to start a project.
Project selection is a process of assessing project ideas
according to the descriptions given for each project. As
different projects might have different ideas, a project is
selected based on the benefits and feasibility. Benefits describe
the reasons for taking such a project which is the measure of
positive outcomes. The benefits can be achieved in different
dimensions depending on the main purpose of the project. Such
benefits include economic, cultural and social as well as
biodiversity. Feasibility is measured in terms of the possibility
of success where the easiest project with the greatest benefits is
considered.
Planning
Project planning is a layout of the required resources, how to
achieve the resources, how to work within the timeframe as well
as working within the budget boundaries. Without a plan, a
project cannot work towards its objectives (Kerzner 2017). The
clinic renovation project requires to be planned well on how the
resources such as labor and raw materials will be acquired. The
source of funds must be known whether the government will
help and the community benefiting from the clinic will be
required to contribute. Clinic renovation will not only involve

the physical environment such as buildings but also changing
and adding more staff is part of the renovation. Some of the
clinicians have relaxed in their work and changing them helps
the clinic to resume its duties appropriately.
A project scope statement gives the deliverables; challenges
faced in the project, assumptions made and key success factors.
A scope helps the manager understand the expectations of
clients and make everyone stay updated about the progress of
the project. A clinic renovation has its goals set according to
the type of work expected and the time to be completed. The
manager is forced to know exactly what to do to ensure they
deliver according to the expectations. With a scope, the
manager can avoid mistakes such as delaying the renovation,
spending too much than planned and running out of cash in the
process and avoiding changes that might be experienced.
A work breakdown is the division of work into small
manageable sections. To understand the scope of a project, it’s
necessary to break it down to tasks and subtasks to help the
manager supervise well. Clinic renovation will call for
breakdowns such that there will be people working on the
drainage system, others with repainting of walls and the gates
while others maintain the flow. Other people will be required to
focus on recruiting new staff. The project manager will be able
to visit each department and monitor the work progress. Also,
the allocation of funds to such subtasks will not be a problem
and accountability will be enhanced.
Executing
The execution it the third stage in the project management life
cycle and includes the activities carried out to achieve the goals
outlined in the project management plan. Through execution,
people and other resources are integrated and coordinated
towards achieving the plan’s objectives. An execution process is
a collection of processes such as directing and managing project
work, performing quality assurance, acquiring, developing and
managing project teams, managing communications, conducting
procurements and finally engaging stakeholders (Carvalho et al

2015).
Each of the above techniques contributes to the success of a
project in a different way. Directing and managing project work
in this case clinic renovation helps to deliver results, work on
the provided data and enable renovation of the clinic as the
request made in this study. The activities involved are the
management of IT risks, performing activities that lead to
renovations and managing the customers and workers who
benefit from the clinic.
Quality assurance involves auditing requirements such as
improved and standard service delivery equipment in a clinic.
As time moves by and technology advances, the services
delivered in health units get outdated and therefore a need to
shift to the latest fashion of service delivery is necessary. The
management team also needs to be changed with time to allow
other people to experience and deliver services to the esteemed
customers. Such changes are the expected outputs from a
project.
Acquiring, developing and managing the project team is the
responsibility of the human resource department. Acquiring
means that new workers are assigned and new resources such as
calendars are put in place. Developing a project team requires
assessing the performance of workers and machines in the clinic
as well as training more workers. Managing means updating the
management and helping in the plan to renovate through
resolving conflicts among workers. Managing communication
helps the stakeholders to understand each other in facilitating
the project of renovation. A clinic renovation includes
government agents, social workers, and the community served.
All these parties must ensure proper communication and
understanding of the progress of the project.
Conducting procurement is the process of identifying workers,
giving the contract and signing the agreement. Renovation
involves demolishing old buildings and dumping of old and
worn-out equipment. The manager should make a careful
selection of the person to be given the contract and ensure that

the signing of an agreement is done before the work
commences. All this is done to ensure efficiency, transparency,
and accountability in the project. Finally, the execution process
ends by managing stakeholder engagement. The expectations,
and needs of stakeholders in the clinic renovation which is
finally achieved at the end of the project.
The change control process is the reviewing, approving and
managing of change requests in a project plan. Throughout the
life cycle of a project, change control must be conducted despite
the careful planning done. As the project progresses, to made
changes a cost must be incurred and therefore it’s necessary to
make the changes immediately to avoid the accumulation of
huge costs. While discussing a clinic renovation, t’s a process
that requires proper planning to avoid mistakes. Large amounts
of money will be required to ensure that the project is
completed and satisfies the stakeholders. Upon starting the
renovation process, the manager might get a cheaper or more
convenient and reliable constructor or get a better supplier of
raw materials needed in the process. The planning team will be
forced to make changes and adopt the better services available
despite the careful plan made at the beginning.
Changes might occur as a result of a change in taste of the
product, government policy, legislation or even change in
business strategy. The changes need to be taken care of by the
control change process which ensures that the effect of the
change interpreted in relevance to the expected outcome of the
project. As long as a competitive advantage is concerned in
projects, a change implementation must consider the effect on
the competitors as well as on the project itself. A project
mandate is to satisfy the objectives and goals set and if a
change does not adhere to that, then it should be rejected.
Monitoring and Controlling
Monitoring and controlling is a process that tracks the
performance of a project throughout the management activities.
It is purposely made to understand the current state of a project,
schedule and scope forecasts. Some issues arise in the process

of management which a manager should work on. For instance,
the renovation of a clinic might take shorter than expected. This
is because of the contractor’s commitment or other situations
that made the work easier. However, upon completion, so
mistakes might be noticed which led to poor results. This means
that the manager was not careful in monitoring the entire
activities, therefore, failing in the mission. Close supervision of
workers during their work is necessary as they work seriously
towards the objectivities set and ensure that they don’t
disappoint their managers.
Monitoring and controlling include some process-inputs which
aid in management. The processes include a project management
plan (PMP), project documents, work performance information,
agreements, enterprise environmental factors, and
organizational process assets (Kerzner 2019). The PMP involves
subsidiary plans which help in controlling the activities of the
project. Clinic renovation is a project which involves several
plans to enhance its effectiveness. Project documents include
the assumption log which carries the expectations of the project.
In clinic renovation, the expectations are that the walls will be
repainted, potholes filled, other equipment such as beds
maintained or replaced and other improvements.
Basis of estimates document shows the circumstances under
which different estimates were borrowed and how they can be
responded to. During planning, each stakeholder has a different
opinion concerning how the renovation has to be done. This
estimate helps to decide on how to respond to all those
opinions. A cost forecast is made to determine if the project
goes hand in hand with the set budget. If the renovation has to
take a certain amount of money and the project goes beyond the
budget the forecasts help to accommodate the changes. An issue
log is used to document the people responsible for solving
certain problems. If there is a delay in the supply of materials
such as cement, the manager or however responsible is
monitored using the log. Risk register and report contain the
risks incurred by individuals over the project.

The collection and analysis of data to produce output give work
performance information used for decision making. When the
clinic innovation process commences, the manager is
responsible for recording the progress. This information helps
the manager to evaluate work progress, notice areas of
improvement and decide on what to do. An agreement includes
terms and conditions which must be adhered to. According to
the standards of work expected, the manager and contractor
have to sign an agreement that brings them together. In case of
violation by any party, the other party can sue them.
Closing
As the name suggests, the closing phase involves all the final
activities in a project. The closing of a project helps in
releasing the resources used to do other jobs and ensures that
the planned work is completed as expected. Closing the clinic
renovation project means that the work is completed which
includes changing the drainage system and equipment as well as
changing the old structures. Closing is a one-time event unless
the organization is planning to stop the work for some reason
and resume later. In the case of renovation, if the closing has to
be done before completion of the work, the manager has to
release the contractor and workers to get work elsewhere.
However, it’s rare to find projects closing during work unless
some management problems occur such as improper allocation
of funds.
The closing phase requires tools and techniques, inputs and
outputs. The tools and techniques include expert judgment, data
analysis, and meetings. Inputs are project charter, project
management plan, project documents, acceptable deliverances,
business documents, and agreements. Outputs include project
documents updates, final products, final reports, and
organizational process updates. Apart from the aforementioned
importance of closing, other importance includes confirming
delivery, ensuring all costs are charged and closing the project
accounts. Several activities are carried out for administrative
closure to help in collecting the project reports, investigate

whether the project is a success or failure and lastly identify the
lesson learned.
Lessons Learned
Every project has some lessons learned which are captured
throughout the life cycle of the project. The lessons learned
report is necessary and helpful to other managers who might be
assigned similar duties. In the clinic renovation project, the
lessons learned can be used by another manager assigned the
duty of renovating or constructing a new health facility. The
problems and challenges faced in the projects are the lessons
learned which will be avoided in the next projects. Again, the
parts of the project which made it a success are captured and
put into consideration. The organizational archives keep such
information for references.
Conclusion
Project management improves an organization’s success by
incorporating the budget and ensuring that the project works
within the boundaries of the budget. Scope assessment helps to
determine whether a project is working towards its mission or
its failing. Lastly, project management improves the
organization’s success through a competitive advantage where
the business works towards beating its competitor (Badewi
2016). In accomplishing a project’s objective, the five process
groups help in managing the process as they are more simplified
and efforts concentrated at one point.
References
Agarwal, R., & Virine, L. (2019). Integration Stages of Project
Risk Management (PRM) into Enterprise Risk Management
(ERM). International Journal of Risk and Contingency
Management (IJRCM), 8(1), 13-33.
Badewi, A. (2016). The impact of project management (PM) and
benefits management (BM) practices on project success:

Towards developing a project benefits governance
framework. International Journal of Project Management, 34(4),
761-778.
Blaskovics, B. (2016). The impact of project manager on project
success—The case of ICT sector. Society and Economy. In
Central and Eastern Europe ǀ Journal of the Corvinus University
of Budapest, 38(2), 261-281.
Carvalho, M. M. D., & Rabechini Junior, R. (2015). Impact of
risk management on project performance: the importance of soft
skills. International Journal of Production Research, 53(2), 321-
340.
Kerzner, H. (2017). Project management: a systems approach to
planning, scheduling, and controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Kerzner, H. (2019). Using the project management maturity
model: strategic planning for project management. Wiley.
Meredith, J. R., Mantel Jr, S. J., & Shafer, S. M. (2017). Project
management: a managerial approach. John Wiley & Sons.
Week 5 – Ethics and Closing out the Project
Essential Skills for Success
In the past few years, the understanding that project managers’
need to excel at ‘soft’ human-centric skills as well as traditional
‘hard’ project management skill, has moved from a whisper to a
roar (Milligan, 2017). Traditional project management
organizations, like the Project Management Institute (PMI), are
now incorporating softer human-centric skills into their
curriculum
(Milligan, 2017).
In 2015, the Project Management Institute (PMI, 2015) formally
put these ideas together with the PMI Talent Triangle®. The
Talent
Triangle® shows the three essential skills project managers

need
to succeed, these skills are (PMI, 2015):
1) Technical project management skills -This category includes
domain specific knowledge and ‘hard’ project management
skills.
For example, managing a construction project requires
knowledge
and the material specification used to build a floor. ‘Hard’
project
management skills include tasks such as creating project scope,
work breakdown structures, earned value management analysis,
risk management, schedule management, and more.
2) Leadership skills - This category includes skills to lead and
motivate project team members. In most cases, project team
members do not formally report to a project manager, so the
project manager needs to possess many of the ‘soft’ and
leadership skills, including emotional intelligence, interpersonal
skills, team building, problem-solving, conflict management,
and
more.
3) Strategic and business management skills - This category
includes business-oriented skills necessary to manage projects
with the organization's overall strategy in mind. These skills
include strategic planning skills, market condition analysis,
strength and weakness analysis, compliance, legal requirements,
and more.
Managing projects and managing a team that does not actually
report to you can be difficult, but those who bring together their
technical project management skills (hard or technical skills)
with
leadership ‘soft’ people skills, while keeping the organization’s
objectives and long-term consequences of the project and
actions

in mind are the ones who are successful.
You may be wondering why we are talking about the PMI Talent
Triangle® during this week when the focus is on ethics. The
simple answer is integration. Before a project manager can act
ethically, he/she needs to be familiar with all three attributes of
the
PMI’s Talent Triangle®. When technical, leadership, and
business
management skills are ethically implemented, a project manager
can motivate and lead the project team from concept through
completion, achieving organization’s strategic goals.
Ethics
Ethics are principles that guide how decisions are made using
personal values of what is ‘right’ and what is ‘wrong’
(Schwalbe,
2017, p. 24-25). Just as many professions, like doctors, lawyers,
and public accountants, have their own set of professional codes
of conduct that guide their professions, The Project
Management
Institute has its own Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct
for
its members, volunteers, and who have obtained PMI
certifications. The PMI Code of Ethics enables stakeholders,
employees, vendors, and taxpayers to sleep at night knowing
project management professionals (PMPs) are held to strict and
high standards when they make decisions or act on their behalf
to
execute on projects (Alexander, 2017).
Remember though, that a standard code of ethics will not have
all
the answers to every ethical issue; it is simply a guide that can
help someone when they are faced with dilemmas. Wood (2016,
para. 2) noted that there are many grey areas when it comes to

defining ethical behavior. As with any decision, rationalization
supporting the decision made is a key part of the process. Wood
(2016) identified several common rationalizations that are often
used to support decisions but may not be ethical in certain
situations. Look at the rationalizations and see how many you
recognize.
Ethics and Project Management
Due to the nature of project management, project managers are
natural ‘connectors’; while managing project, they interact with
people from all over the organization, as well as with people
from
outside the organization. Effective project managers have
contacts everywhere, and usually know someone who knows
someone, who knows someone else, who can get a job done.
This ability can be invaluable during projects, since one never
knows what kind of challenges will arise during a project. It can
mean the difference between meeting or missing a deadline.
However, using one’s contacts to get things done is not without
risks.
Building a reputation for trustworthiness, honesty, and being
able
to handle issues in a calm and emotionally intelligent way is
critical to a project manager’s career. Project managers are
given
responsibility for managing budgets and resources and are
responsible to appropriately managing any confidential and/or
intellectual property (IP) information they have access to along
the way. Think about disclosing company’s gross revenue when
applying for a construction permit or knowing that successful
outsourcing project in one area of an organization will result in
job
losses in another area. Project managers are also responsible for
effectively managing the project life cycle to satisfy the
requirements of the sponsors and stakeholders. All of these
activities are subject to the ethical standards set out by PMI.

Project managers are entrusted with managing the resources
allocated to a project. Resource management is critical and is
often a factor affecting the timing of task completion. Managing
resources appropriately and in accordance with ethical practices
is critical to a project manager’s reputation.
Closing out projects
As you learned from your text, closing out the project and
documenting the lessons learned is an important part of project
management. Closing out phase includes several key
components, including notification of formal completion of a
project, project sponsor’s final acceptance of the project’s
deliverables, update documentation, closing out contracts, final
payment distribution to all the contractors and subcontractors,
and
opportunity for celebration.
Lessons learned
The lessons learned part of the closeout process captures the
elements that have been learned by the sponsor(s), primary
stakeholders, and members of the team as a result of doing the
project. This documentation is important to future project
planning
as it can give guidance to project managers who may be in the
initiating stage of a similar project. Knowing what went wrong
and
what went right can be a valuable planning information.
Project Management Resources
On December 14, 2016, President Barack Obama has signed into
law S.1550, the Program Management Improvement and
Accountability Act of 2015 (PMIAA), which will enhance
accountability and best practices in project and program
management throughout the federal government (PMI, 2016).
Passing of PMIAA confirms how standardized processes along
with project management framework can maximize efficiencies.

Those entering the field of project management may want to get
certified in project management. One valuable certification is
the
Project Management Professional (PMP®). The PMP®
certification signifies that you have a certain amount of
experience
and speak and understand the global language of project
management. The PMP® Certification can also provide a
significant advantage when it comes to salary and earning
potential. For more information on obtaining your PMP®, visit
www.pmi.org
(Links to an external site.)
website.
If you are looking for project management related tools, tips,
news, and resources then www.projectmanagement.com
, PMI’s sister site is an ultimate source. While you either need
to
be a member of PMI or have a subscription to access premium
content, anyone can access thousands of resources at no cost.
PMI also has local chapters in every major city around the US.
Membership and involvement in PMI’s local chapter(s) are
excellent resources to learn more project management
profession, to take PMP® exam preparation classes, to find a
mentor, and to network with others in the industry. PMI offers
discounted rates for students to join their organization. Lookup
‘PMI membership’ in your browser and follow the link on
pmi.org
to learn more about membership options.
Final Project
Your final project will result in a project management training
manual for your project. It will leverage the knowledge you
have

gained over the past five weeks of the course and give you the
opportunity to demonstrate what you have learned. You can also
use your final project as a portfolio example to demonstrate
your
learning to future employers.
It has been a pleasure to have you in class! Best of luck to you
in
your educational goals and in all your future career endeavors!
Key Terms This Week:
Close project or phase is defined in the 6th Edition of the
PMBOK® Guide as the “process of finalizing all activities
across
all of the Project Management Process Groups to formally
complete a project or phase” (PMI, 2017, p.701).
Lessons learned are the knowledge gained during a project
which shows how project events were addressed or should be
http://www.pmi.org/
http://www.pmi.org/
http://www.projectmanagement.com/
addressed in the future with the purpose of improving future
performance.
References
Alexander, M. (2017). The importance of being ethical in
project
management
. Retrieved from https://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-
importance-of-being-ethical-in-project-management/

Milligan, S. (2017, August 21). Agile Project Management Is
the
Wave of the Future
. Ashford University Business. Retrieved from https://
www.ashford.edu/online-degrees/business/agile-project-
management-is-the-wave-of-the-future
Project Management Institute (PMI). (n.d.). Code of ethics and
professional conduct
. Retrieved from http://www.pmi.org/-/media/pmi/documents/
public/pdf/ethics/pmi-code-of-ethics.pdf?sc_lang_temp=en
Project Management Institute (PMI). (2012). PMI ethical
decision
making framework
. Retrieved from https://www.mosaicprojects.com.au/PDF/
PMI_Ethical_Decision_Making_Framework.pdf
Project Management Institute. (2016). President Barack Obama
signs the program management improvement and accountability
act
. Retrieved from https://www.pmi.org/about/press-media/press-
releases/president-barack-obama-signs-the-program-
management-improvement-and-accountability-act
Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the project
management body of knowledge (PMBOK®) (6th ed.).
Newtown Square, Pa. Retrieved from https://
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/the-importance-of-being-
ethical-in-project-management/

https://www.ashford.edu/online-degrees/business/agile-project-
http://www.pmi.org/-
/media/pmi/documents/public/pdf/ethics/pmi-code-of-
ethics.pdf?sc_lang_temp=en
https://www.mosaicprojects.com.au/PDF/PMI_Ethical_Decision
_Making_Framework.pdf
https://www.pmi.org/about/press-media/press-
https://ashford.instructure.com/courses/1470/external_tools/retri
eve?display=borderless&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblue-sea-697d.quartiers047.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Flibrary.ashf

ord.edu%2FAccount%2FLtiLogin.aspx%3Fcustom_redirectresou
rce%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fblue-sea-697d.quartiers047.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Flibrary.ashford.edu%2Fezproxy.aspx
%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fblue-sea-697d.quartiers047.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttp%2Fsearch.ebscohost.com%2Flogin.as
px%3Fdirect%3Dtrue%252526AuthType%3Dip%2Ccpid%25252
6custid%3Ds8856897%252526db%3Dnlebk%252526AN%3D15
95321%252526site%3Dehost-live
ashford.instructure.com/courses/1470/external_tools/
retrieve?
display=borderless&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblue-sea-697d.quartiers047.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Flibrary.ashfor
d.edu%2FAccount%2FLtiLogin.aspx%3Fcustom_redirectreso
urce%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fblue-sea-697d.quartiers047.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttps%2Flibrary.ashford.edu%2Fezproxy.a
spx%3Furl%3Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fblue-sea-697d.quartiers047.workers.dev%3A443%2Fhttp%2Fsearch.ebscohost.com%2Fl
ogin.aspx%3Fdirect%3Dtrue%252526AuthType%3Dip%2Ccp
id%252526custid%3Ds8856897%252526db%3Dnlebk%2525
26AN%3D1595321%252526site%3Dehost-live
Schwalbe, K. (2017). Revised: An Introduction to Project
Management, Fifth Edition. Minneapolis, MN: Schwalbe

Publishing.
Wood, M. R. (2016). An introduction to ethics and project
management
. Retrieved from https://www.projectmanagement.com/articles/
316860/An-Introduction-to-Ethics-and-Project-Management
How to cite this lecture
Milligan, S. & Parikh, R. (2019). Ethics and Closing out the
Project. Ashford University. Retrieved from Canvas.
Materials in this lecture are based on the Project Management
Institute, A Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) – Sixth Edition, Project
Management Institute, Inc., 2017. Copyright and all rights
reserved. PMBOK® is a registered mark of the Project
Management Institute, Inc.
The PMP and the PMI Talent Triangle are registered marks of
the
Project Management Institute, Inc.
https://www.projectmanagement.com/articles/316860/An-
Introduction-to-Ethics-and-Project-Management

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