PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN/STRATEGY

for PROPOSED MINNA CITY CENTRE PROJECT, NIGER STATE

OCTOBER 1, 2013
[Company address]

DOCUMENT INFORMATION AND APPROVALS

Version History
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 3
2.0 Method of preparation of Schedules and Networks .................................................................. 3
2.1 Designated milestones for all project schedules: ...................................................................... 3
2.2 Roles and responsibilities for schedule development: .............................................................. 4
3.0 Method of preparation of Estimates and Cost plans ................................................................. 4
3.1 Cost Management Approach..................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Cost Variance Response Process .............................................................................................. 6
4.0 Quality Plans ............................................................................................................................. 6
5.0 Configuration Management System ......................................................................................... 7
6.0 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) .......................................................................................... 9
6.1 Outline view of the MCCP WBS .............................................................................................. 9
6.2 Tree Structure View of the MCCP WBS ................................................................................ 10
7.0 Management Reporting System .............................................................................................. 11

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1.0 Introduction
The Minna City Centre Project (MCCP) Project Implementation Strategy/Plan details the
project management techniques and tools that will be applied to the project. The objective of
this implementation plan will be to reduce the risk of implementation failure during the
execution of the MCCP. Specifically, it gives a summary of the following:

Method of preparation of; schedules and networks, estimates and cost plans, quality
plans and safety plans.

Definition of configuration management system.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and operational links to cost management systems.

Management reporting system.

2.0 Method of preparation of Schedules and Networks

Project schedules and networks displaying how the works for the Minna City Centre Project is
structured to be carried out, will be created using any version of MS Project. It will begin with
the deliverables identified in the projects Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), followed by
activity definition to identify the specific work packages which must be performed to complete
each deliverable. Activity sequencing will be used to determine the order of work packages
and assign relationships between project activities. Activity duration estimating will be used
to calculate the number of work periods required to complete work packages. Resource
estimating will be used to assign resources to work packages in order to complete schedule
development. Once a preliminary schedule has been developed, it will be reviewed by the
project team and any resources tentatively assigned to project tasks. The project team and
resources must agree to the proposed work package assignments, durations, and schedule.
Once this is achieved the project sponsor will review and approve the schedule and it will then
be base lined.
2.1 Designated milestones for all project schedules:

Completion of scope statement and WBS/WBS Dictionary

Base lined project schedule

Approval of final project budget

Project kick-off

Approval of roles and responsibilities

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Requirements definition approval

Completion of data mapping/inventory

Project implementation

Acceptance of final deliverables

2.2 Roles and responsibilities for schedule development:

The project manager will be responsible for facilitating work package definition,
sequencing, and estimating duration and resources with the project team. The project
manager will also create the project schedule using MS Project and validate the schedule
with the project team, stakeholders, and the project sponsor. The project manager will
obtain schedule approval from the project sponsor and baseline the schedule.
The project team is responsible for participating in work package definition, sequencing,
duration, and resource estimating. The project team will also review and validate the
proposed schedule and perform assigned activities once the schedule is approved. The
project sponsor will participate in reviews of the proposed schedule and approve the final
schedule before it is base lined. The project stakeholders will participate in reviews of the
proposed schedule and assist in its validation.

3.0 Method of preparation of Estimates and Cost plans

Estimates and cost plans defining how costs on the Minna City Center Project will be
managed throughout the projects lifecycle, will be prepared by the project manager using
MS project. The Project Manager will be responsible for managing and reporting on the
projects cost throughout the duration of the project. During the monthly project status
meeting, the Project Manager will meet with management to present and review the
projects cost performance for the preceding month. Performance will be measured using
earned value. The Project Manager is responsible for accounting for cost deviations and
presenting the Project Sponsor with options for getting the project back on budget. The
Project Sponsor has the authority to make changes to the project to bring it back within
budget.
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3.1 Cost Management Approach

Costs for Minna City Center project (MCCP) will be managed at the fourth level of the
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). Control Accounts (CA) will be created at this level to
track costs. Earned Value calculations for the CAs will measure and manage the financial
performance of the project. Cost variances of +/- 0.1 in the cost and schedule performance
indexes will change the status of the cost to cautionary; as such, those values will be
changed to yellow in the project status reports. Cost variances of +/- 0.2 in the cost and
schedule performance indexes will change the status of the cost to an alert stage; as such,
those values will be changed to red in the project status reports. This will require corrective
action from the Project Manager in order to bring the cost and/or schedule performance
indexes below the alert level. Corrective actions will require a project change request and
be must approved by the Project Sponsor before it can become within the scope of the
project.
Performance of the project will be measured using Earned Value Management. The
following four Earned Value metrics will be used to measure to projects cost
performance:

Schedule Variance (SV)

Cost Variance (CV)

Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

If the Schedule Performance Index or Cost Performance Index has a variance of between
0.1 and 0.2 the Project Manager must report the reason for the exception. If the SPI or CPI
has a variance of greater than 0.2 the Project Manager must report the reason for the
exception and provide management a detailed corrective plan to bring the projects
performance back to acceptable levels.

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Table 1: Project Performance Measurement

Performance Measure

Yellow

Red

Schedule Performance Index (SPI)

Between 0.9 and 0.8 or

Less Than 0.8 or Greater

Between 1.1 and 1.2

than 1.2

Between 0.9 and 0.8 or

Less Than 0.8 or Greater

Between 1.1 and 1.2

than 1.2

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

3.2 Cost Variance Response Process

The Control thresholds for the MCCP will be a CPI or SPI of less than 0.8 or greater than
1.2. If the project reaches one of these Control thresholds a Cost Variance Corrective
Action Plan is required. The Project Manager will present the Project Sponsor with options
for corrective actions within five business days from when the cost variance is first
reported. Within three business days from when the Project Sponsor selects a corrective
action option, the Project Manager will present the Project Sponsor with a formal Cost
Variance Corrective Action Plan. The Cost Variance Corrective Action Plan will detail
the actions necessary to bring the project back within budget and the means by which the
effectiveness of the actions in the plan will be measured. Upon acceptance of the Cost
Variance Corrective Action Plan it will become a part of the project plan and the project
will be updated to reflect the corrective actions.
4.0 Quality Plans
All members of the Minna City Center Project team will play a role in quality management.
The team will ensure that work is completed at an adequate level of quality from individual
work packages to the final project deliverable. The following will be the quality roles and
responsibilities for the MCCP:

The Project Sponsor will be responsible for approving all quality standards for the
MCCP. The Project Sponsor will review all project tasks and deliverables to ensure

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compliance with established and approved quality standards. Additionally, the Project
Sponsor will sign off on the final acceptance of the project deliverable.

The Project Manager will be responsible for quality management throughout the
duration of the project. The Project Manager is responsible for implementing the
Quality Management Plan and ensuring all tasks, processes, and documentation are
compliant with the plan. The Project Manager will work with the projects approved
quality specialists to establish acceptable quality standards. The Project Manager is
also responsible for communicating and tracking all quality standards to the project
team and stakeholders.

The approved Quality Specialists for the MCCP will be responsible for working with
the Project Manager to develop and implement the Quality Management Plan. The
Quality Specialists will recommend tools and methodologies for tracking quality and
standards to establish acceptable quality levels. The Quality Specialists will also create
and maintain Quality Control and Assurance Logs throughout the project. Metrics will
be established and used to measure quality throughout the project life cycle for the
product and processes. The Quality Group Manager will be responsible for working
with the project team to define these metrics, conduct measurements, and analyze
results. These product and process measurements will be used as one criterion in
determining the success of the project and must be reviewed by the project sponsor

The remaining members of the project team, as well as the stakeholders will be
responsible for assisting the Project Manager and Quality Specialists in the
establishment of acceptable quality standards. They will also work to ensure that all
quality standards are met and communicate any concerns regarding quality to the
Project Manager.

5.0 Configuration Management System

As the various work packages for the MCCP evolve and develop, changes which may occur
in any of the work packages will be managed by the Project Manager through configuration
management baselines. The configuration management baselines establishes the original

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scope of the project and becomes the vehicle against which change can be established. The
Project Manager will work with a configuration or change control committee which will
be responsible for considering change requests in the context of the project as a whole in
order to allow a decision to be made as to whether or not to proceed with the change. The
following steps constitute the procedure that will be utilized by the change control
committee in the consideration of any change request:
Step 1: Identify the need for a change (put forward by any Stakeholder)
Step 2: Log change in the change request register (a register of all change requests
for the duration of the project)
Step 3: Conduct an evaluation of the change requested for (the change control
committee will conduct an evaluation of the impact of the change to cost, risk,
schedule, and scope).
Step 4: Submit change request to the project manager.
Step 5: Change Control Committee decision (the change control committee will
discuss the proposed change with the project manager and decide whether or not it
will be approved based on all submitted information.
Step 6: Implement change- if a change is approved by the change control
committee, the project manager will update and re-baseline project documentation
as necessary, as well as ensure all changes are communicated to the team and
stakeholders.

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6.0 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Works for the Minna City Center Project will be carried out in the order shown in the
MCCP work breakdown structure. As shown in the WBS, the tasks involved in the MCCP
will be broken down into five different levels, namely; Project conception/Initiation,
project planning, project development/execution, project implementation/control, project
termination/closeout. Each of these levels will be further broken down into smaller work
packages, such that close collaboration among project team members and stakeholders will
be achieved. The maximum duration which each work package will take, will be estimated
by the project manager and subsequently, represented as the programme of work for the
MCCP.
6.1 Outline view of the MCCP WBS
1. Minna City Center Project
1.1 Project conception/Initiation
1.1.1 Briefing process (Business case and Investment appraisals
1.1.2 Feasibility studies
1.1.3 Develop project charter
1.1.4 Project Sponsor Reviews Project Charter
1.1.5 Project Charter Signed/Approved
1.2 Project Planning
1.2.1 Create Preliminary Scope Statement
1.2.2 Determine Project Team
1.2.3 Project Team Kickoff Meeting
1.2.4 Develop Project Plan
1.2.5 Submit Project Plan
1.2.6 Milestone: Project Plan Approval
1.3 Project development/Execution
1.3.1 Project Kickoff Meeting
1.3.2 Verify & Validate User Requirements
1.3.3 Conceptual design
1.3.4 Detail design
1.3.5 Production information stage
1.4 Project implementation/Control
1.4.1 Procurement process
1.4.2 Contract award
1.4.3 Construction stage
1.4.4 Project Status Meetings
1.4.5 Update Project Management Plan
1.5 Project termination/Closeout
1.5.1 Audit Procurement
1.5.2 Document Lessons Learned
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1.5.3 Update Files/Records

1.5.4 Gain Formal Acceptance/commissioning
1.5.5 Handing over/sign off

6.2 Tree Structure View of the MCCP WBS

Minna City
Center Project
1

Project
conception/initiatio
n

Project Planning
1.2

1.1
Briefing process
(Business case and
investment appraisals

Project
development/Execu
tion

Project
implementation/Co
ntrol

Project
termination/Closeo
ut

1.3

1.4

1.5

Create Preliminary
Scope Statement

Project Kickoff
Meeting

1.2.1

1.3.1

Determine Project
Team

Verify & Validate User

Requirements

1.2.2

1.3.2

Develop Project
Charter

Project Team Kickoff

Meeting

Conceptual Design

Construction stage

Update Files/ Records

1.1.3

1.2.3

1.3.3

1.4.3

1.5.3

Project Sponsor
Reviews Project
Charter

Develop Project Plan

Detail design

1.2.4

1.3.4

Project Status
Meetings
1.4.4

Gain Formal
Acceptance/Commissi
oning

Production
information stage

Update Project
Management Plan

1.3.5

1.4.5

Handing
Over/Signoff
1.5.5

1.1.1

Feasibility studies
1.1.2

1.1.4

Project Charter
Signed/Approved
1.1.5

Submit Project Plan

1.2.5

Procurement Process

Audit Procurement

1.4.1

1.5.1

Contract award

Document Lessons
Learned

1.4.2

1.5.2

1.5.4

Milestone: Project
Plan Approved
1.2.6

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7.0 Management Reporting System

The Cost Account Variance Analysis Report (CAVAR) will be adopted as the reporting system
for the MCCP. The report will be developed for senior management, based on cost accounts. It
will be generated directly from cost data and would be assembled each month. The report will
show the variance performance of the project as a whole and then down to finer levels of detail
according to the WBS. The CAVAR system will generally show the overall performance
characteristics for the whole project at its initial level. It would then go on to produce cost variances
(CV) and schedule variances (SV) figures for all the work packages right through the project.

Cost Account Code:

WBS Code:
Reporting level:
Cost Performance Data
ACWP
BCWP
Month
Project
Reasons for Variance

BCWS

CV

SV

EAC

VAR

Proposed corrective action

Tracking
Originator:
PM authorization:
Change control authorization:
Figure 1: CAVAR reporting system

The CAVAR report would summarise performance for the MCCP as a whole and for each layer
of component WBS elements. It would also specifically identify WBS elements where cost or time
overruns are occurring. Negative variances would be traced back until an origin point can be
identified. Appropriate investigations would then be carried out to isolate the precise reasons for
the bad performance and appropriate corrective action would be recommended by the project
manager as part of the CAVAR report.

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