The Educational Quality Component Business Plan Subcomponent Planning

Who are the members of the Quality Component project review team?

NAME OF SUBCOMPONENT:________________________________

Key Performance Indicator:

·      Who is the subcomponent project sponsor?

·      Who is the subcomponent project manager?

·      Who are the members of the subcomponent project team?

Name             Centre/Department/Unit                 Contact #

2.  PROJECT DEFINITION

2.1 Background

Describe, briefly, the background to the project:

·      Explain why the subcomponent has come about (eg, as a result of a strategy study, as a result of findings from another project):

·      Which other associated projects or initiatives, business plans, or conclusions from previous studies lead to this subcomponent

2.2 Business Objectives

·      Explain the business objectives the subcomponent will satisfy:

·      Explain how the subcomponent supports the business strategy

(the overall goals of the MES-WB Project):

2.3 Benefits

·      What are the Financial Benefits of this subcomponent? 

(These should be stated in “money” terms (eg, increased revenue, cost savings, etc.)

·      What are the Nonfinancial Benefits of this subcomponent?

(Changes in operational and key performance indicators should be quantified.  If you are unable to quantify a particular benefit describe it as best you can – just because you can’t count it, doesn’t mean to say it does not count.

·      Include a statement on what else the subcomponent will accomplish.

·      What are the minimum conditions of satisfaction required in order to declare the subcomponent a success (eg, achievement of a specific market share, revenue, cost saving)?

·      What is the method for measuring and confirming the achievement of each benefit?

·      What are any possible events which, if they occur, will lead you to consider terminating the project?

2.4 Output Definition

l Describe, in one paragraph, what the project is going to produce overall.  (This may be a new product, a new culture, process, manufacturing line, computer system.  Section 2.6 will list the key deliverables and these need not be stated here.  The output definition document will contain the detail.)

2.5 Scope, Impacts and Interdependencies

Define the work necessary to meet the business objectives outlined in Section 2.2 and to create the output described in Section 2.4. 

·      What is the work needed to be undertaken?

·      What are the boundaries of the subcomponent?

·      What  aspects are specifically excluded from the scope of the subcomponent?

·      What are the key interdependencies with other projects?

·      What  is the impact that the project will have on current operations and existing projects within the MES?

·      What  functions or departments in the organization will be affected?

·      List all other assumptions:

2.6   Deliverables

List the major deliverables from the subcomponent and which are needed to create the output described in Section 2.4. 

·      What are the final deliverables of the subcomponent (which are to be handed over by the project team to the users at the end of the project)?

Final Deliverables:

Name                         Format/content         Person accountable     Sign-off by

·      What are the temporary deliverables of the subcomponent (which are to be produced during the course of the project for review and sign-off?

Temporary Deliverables:

Name                         Format/content         Person accountable     Sign-off by

 (If the list is extensive, you should detail them in an appendix and only list the very key ones in the main body of the document.  May use deliverable report form.  Listed in Appendix in Business Plan Template.)

2.7 Timescales

Outline the overall project timescales by stating the target completion dates for key milestones.  Include all the staged framework milestones; development gate, trial gate, RFS gate, launch, project complete.  Add any other significant milestones or events such as the letting (tendering) of a major contract.  (WB plan over four year period.)

Assume start date of February, 1999—end date of February, 2003.

2.8 Risks and Opportunities

·      List of the significant risks and opportunities that may potentially jeopardize or enhance the success of the subcomponent:

·      List the actions that will be taken at the outset to reduce the likelihood of each risk identified:

·      What actions or contingency plans could be implemented should any risk or opportunity happen?

2.9 Prerequisites, Assumptions, and Constraints

·      What circumstances exist outside your control which must be in place if your subcomponent is to be successful?  (conditions for implementation)

·      List all assumptions that have been made about the environment (eg, economic factors, competitors, systems, people) in which the project is to be conducted:

·      List any constraints which have been imposed on the project which may affect the outcome:

2.10 Project and Implementation Approach

·      Describe how the project will be undertaken and explain why you have chosen this particular approach. 

·      List the work breakdown structure (eg, phases, stages, subprojects, work packages) with justification as to why they were so structured:

·      Who are the key interfaces between subcomponent elements and suppliers of the resources?

(Where subprojects are complex, each one should be formally addressed using sections 2 (project definition) and 3 (project organization) of this document, eg, Subcomponent 5 will address individually both MIS and Strategic Planning/MES capacity building skills/study analysis Key Performance Indicators.)

2.11 Analysis of Options

Summarize the key points from the investigative studies, stating which options have been rejected and which have been carried forward for further analysis.  Give your reasons for any choices made.

PROJECT DEFINITION CHECKLIST

Use this checklist to review the project definition section that you have just developed to ensure that it meets all of these criteria.  If the answer to any of the criteria statements is no, you will need to further develop that portion of the project definition section.

Criteria:

¨  Has a subcomponent definition been written, reviewed by the stakeholders, and approved by the project sponsor?

¨ Do the scope and objectives of the subcomponent  meet the needs of the MES-WB Project?

¨ Have the benefits been fully assessed and quantified wherever possible?

¨ Do the benefits match the needs?

¨ Have all the risks been identified and categorized?

¨ Has a comprehensive and satisfactory work breakdown been developed?

¨ Does the work breakdown reflect the deliverables to be produced?

¨ Are all key logical relationships between projects and activities clear?

¨ Has the plan been developed to minimize or offset the risks?

The only way a project can be delivered is by its deliverables.  For each deliverable check:

¨ Are the project deliverables relevant and are they feasible both to produce and implement?

¨ Have quality criteria been established?

¨ Is it clear who is accountable for preparing each deliverable?

¨ Is it clear who will review the deliverable prior to signing off acceptance of each deliverable?

¨ Is it clear who will sign off each deliverable?

¨  Has sufficient time been allowed for reviewing/amending each deliverable?

3.  PROJECT ORGANIZATION

·      For purposes of documenting the subcomponent, which administration needs (filing) will be use and who is responsible? 

                        Format                                                Responsible person

·      Project summary details

·      Contact list

·      Project log

·      Business plan and change log

·      Progress reports

·      Project logs

·      Schedule

·      Finances

·      Meetings

·      Key control deliverables

·      Correspondence

3.1  Review and Approval Points

Review Points

What review points are built into the plan to check that:

·      the project still meets the real business need and is achievable;

·      the quality of the deliverables is adequate;

·      the plans are in place;

·      the project is working?

When are the formal reviews scheduled (every three months or when a major commitment is to be made)? 

Who will participate in the formal reviews?

3.2  Change Control

Who can authorize a change in the scope, cost, benefits and timescale baseline?

What is the procedure that must be followed to authorize a change?

3.3  Progress Reporting

Which types of reports will be kept for purposes of reporting?

3.4  Project team and stakeholders

·      Identify the stakeholders and the influence they have:

·      Identify the communications strategy that will be used to keep the stakeholders informed and supportive.

·      Explain how will you t rack the results of the strategy to keep the stakeholders informed and supportive:

1.  FINANCE

1.1   Financial appraisal

·      What does each stage and work package in the project costs?

·      Who is accountable for those costs;?

·      What is the financial benefits deriving from the project?

·      What financial commitments have been made and by whom?

·      Who must give financial authorization?.

 (See Appendix D.  This is where the detailed information is included.)

1.2  Financial commentary

·      Explain how hard/soft the cost estimates are:

·      List any concerns regarding the financing of the project:

4                      APPENDICES TEMPLATES (Models):

A. Business Commitment TEMPLATE

 (WB identification of conditions required for implementation)
B.  Schedule plan TEMPLATE

(WB sequence of activities over 4 years)
C.  Resource plan TEMPLATE

(WB estimated resources needed for implementation)
D.  Financial plan TEMPLATE

(WB estimated costs for implementation)
E.  Terms of Reference TEMPLATE (Consultants for 1^st year)

F.  Financial sensitivity TEMPLATE

(WB sustainability of investments)

G. Output definition document TEMPLATE

(See section 2.4)

H. Subcomponent activity flow chart TEMPLATE

(WB plan of action)