Project Integration Management Plan

Using software of your choice and the PMBOK Guide, develop a schedule and integrated-change plan for your project. Using a provided template, also develop the project cost estimate (budget). In this assessment, you will develop a project integration management plan. You may base your work on the Cosmo, Inc. case study or select a business or IT project of your own. Project integration management involves aligning and coordinating all aspects of a projectsuch as scope, time, cost, quality, and resourcesto achieve successful outcomes. It ensures that various processes and project management activities are unified and work together throughout the entire project life cycle. This includes managing trade-offs and changes in a way that maintains overall project balance and alignment with goals. A key art of integration management is change management, which evaluates the potential impacts of changes across all elements of the project. When managed effectively, this integrated approach helps reduce risks and improve stakeholder satisfaction. In addition to building our integration plan, this assessment encourages you to consider how artificial intelligence is reshaping project integration. Al tools can support dynamic scheduling, automate change impact analysis, and enhance decision-making through real-time data insights. You’ll be asked to explore current Al applications in integration management and imagine how Al could lead future innovations in project coordination and control. By the end of this assessment you will have developed a comprehensive plan that reflects both traditional integration practices and forward-thinking strategies for leading AI-enhanced projects. Collapse All Instructions In this interactive simulation exercise, you will practice managing a project and making key decisions regarding activity sequencing, cost estimation, and change control processes. By engaging with Al-driven stakeholder bots, you’ll simulate real-world scenarios that can help you sharpen your project management skills. The simulation encourages critical thinking, problem-solving, and effective communication all while giving you hands-on experience with project management tools and decision-making. Step-by-Step Process for Simulating Stakeholder Interactions in Project Management Step 1: Understand Stakeholder Profiles. For this simulation, you’ll simulate conversations with the following stakeholders. Each stakeholder will have a distinct perspective and role in the project: Project Sponsor: “Sara the Strategist.” Focus: Strategic alignment, ROI, deadlines, and risk minimization. Personality: Visionary, ambitious, willing to take calculated risks, with a focus on long-term success. IT Manager: “Ian the Implementer.” Focus: Technical feasibility, system stability, and resource management. Personality: Detail-oriented, pragmatic, and prioritizes sustainable technical solutions. Finance Director: “Fiona the Frugal.” Focus: Cost control, financial sustainability, and ROI. Personality: Conservative meticulous in financial oversight focused on minimizing costs while ensuring return on investment. End-User Representative: “Emma the Empathetic.” Focus: Usability, training, and ensuring that the project meets the needs of end-users. Personality: Empathetic, user-focused, and dedicated to improving the user experience. Operations Manager: “Omar the Organizer.” Focus: Process efficiency, smooth implementation, and minimal disruption to daily operations. Personality: Organized, efficiency-driven, and focused on ensuring operations continue without major disruptions. Step 2: Select Your Scenario. Choose Scenario A or Scenario B. Scenario A: A marketing campaign for Cosmo, Inc. aimed at maintaining current customers and expanding the customer base through new technology (refer to the Cosmo, Inc. Case Study [DOC]). Scenario B: You choose a business of your own, with a clear objective, team, and a 180-day completion window. Step 3: Set Up Your Team. You will simulate your role as the Project Manager. Follow the steps below to initiate the simulation: Log into your Al tool (e.g., ChatGPT). Understand your role as the Project Manager. Input the following prompt to simulate a conversation with all stakeholders: Prompt for Al Tool (Example): Please simulate a team of stakeholders for a marketing campaign project that I can interact with. Each stakeholder should respond based on the following roles, characteristics, and potential areas of conflict. Project Sponsor: Sara the Strategist. Visionary focused on strategic alignment maximizing ROI and ensuring deadlines are met. IT Manager: “Ian the Implementer.” Detail-oriented, focused on system stability and technical feasibility. Finance Director: “Fiona the Frugal.” Conservative, focused on cost control, financial sustainability, and ROI. End-User Representative: “Emma the Empathetic.” User-focused, empathetic, and focused on ensuring the project meets user needs. Operations Manager: “Omar the Organizer.” Organized, efficiency-driven, and focused on integrating the project into daily Operations. Step 4: Inform Al of Your Scenario and Begin Interaction. Input your scenario prompt into the Al tool based on your chosen scenario (A or B). Here are examples of two different prompts you can use to start the conversation: Scenario A: Marketing Campaign Budget Cut. Prompt: “Team, the marketing campaign is facing a mandatory budget reduction. Let’s discuss how to handle the budget cuts without compromising the project’s success. Which features can we eliminate without sacrificing strategic goals or user satisfaction?” Scenario B: Business Cost Estimate and Change Control. Prompt: “Team, we are moving forward with a new business project that has a budget cap. I need to prepare a cost estimate and identify areas for change control. Let’s discuss potential budget constraints, dependencies, and assumptions.” Step 5: Engage in Dialogue with Stakeholders. Use these example follow-up questions to stimulate conversation and explore different perspectives: For Budget Cut Scenario (Scenario A): To Fiona: “Fiona, can you share your thoughts on the proposed cuts? What areas do you think we can trim while maintaining ROI?” To Ian: “Ian can you help assess if cutting some technical features will impact system stability?” To Emma: “Emma, do you think cutting features will impact user satisfaction? What features are non-negotiable for the end-users?” To Omar: “Omar, how will cutting these features affect daily operations and process integration?” For Business Cost Estimate and Change Control (Scenario B): To Fiona: “Fiona what do you foresee as the main cost constraints for this project?” To Ian: “Can you identify which technical aspects might be more expensive to execute?” To Emma: “Emma, what user-centric features do we need to ensure are prioritized?” To Omar: “Omar, what operational dependencies should we consider while preparing the budget?” Step 6: Use Your Selected Tool to Create Required Documents. Once you have discussed the project scenario with stakeholders, proceed to create the following documents based on your interaction: Activity Sequencing Document. Use LibreOffice, OpenProject, or MS Excel to create a diagram illustrating the logical relationships among project activities. Use finish-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-start, and start-to-finish, relationships where applicable. Project Cost Estimate. Use the Cost Estimate Template [XLS] or any similar spreadsheet tool. Include labor, materials, contractors, and any other relevant categories. Identify constraints, dependencies, and assumptions and provide a graphical representation of the budget. Integrated Change Control Plan. Use your chosen word-processing tool to develop this plan. Include instructions for setting up a change-control board, procedures for reviewing changes, and a strategy for implementing approved changes. Step 7: Reflect and Discuss. After completing the deliverables reflect on the following: Stakeholder Influence: How did the differing perspectives of stakeholders influence your decisions regarding activity sequencing, cost estimation, and change control? Tools: How did the use of Al tools, such as ChatGPT, assist you in managing stakeholder dynamics and simulating real-life challenges in project management? What Would You Do Differently?: Based on the simulation, how would you adjust your strategy, in a real-world scenario? Deliverables and Requirements Submit the following documents for your assessment: Activity Sequencing Document (Word, Libre, OpenProject, MS Excel). Project Cost Estimate (XLS template or similar). Integrated Change Control Plan (Word, Libre, OpenProject). These documents must demonstrate your ability to manage project activities, estimate costs, and set up a change-control process in the context of either Scenario A or Scenario B. Follow the Academic and Professional Document Guidelines [PDF], and include APA citations where applicable. By completing this interactive simulation, you will demonstrate your ability to engage with stakeholders, make project decisions, and apply project management tools to real-world scenarios. Competencies Measured By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and scoring guide criteria: Competency 1: Create a project plan, including all subsidiary plans, to deliver project outcomes that meet stakeholder expectations. Create a diagram that shows the logical relationships among the schedule activities. Develop a cost estimate document that identifies constraints, dependencies, and assumptions. Competency 2: Lead and manage teams, users, stakeholders, and sponsors. Assign appropriate activities to each team member. Competency 4: Establish change-control processes, and use the tools and techniques to assure approvals. Create a plan to set up a change-control board; create schedule of recurring meetings to review and approve requested changes and to manage approved change procedures.