ASSIGNMENT 1

Imagine you are managing a project to develop a mobile app for retail
company. The project has four phase: initiation, planning, execution, and
closure. The goal is to enhance the customer experience by providing
features like product browsing, online purchasing, and customer feedback.

Q1 Initiation phase

Based on case study what would be the key deliverables during the
initiation phase of this project? How would you determine the feasibility of
the mobile app project and what stakeholders would need to be involved
in this phase?

Ans1 n the initiation phase of a mobile app project for a retail company,
the main focus is to establish the project's foundation, assess its
feasibility, and define high-level objectives. Here’s an overview of the key
deliverables, feasibility assessment, and stakeholder involvement during
this phase:

Key Deliverables

1. Project Charter: A document outlining the project’s objectives,

scope, and high-level requirements. It includes:

o Project purpose and justification (e.g., improving customer

engagement and sales through a mobile app)

o Project objectives (e.g., increase online purchases by 20%,

improve customer satisfaction)

o Expected benefits (e.g., enhanced user experience,

competitive advantage in the retail market)

o Rough timeline and estimated budget

o Key stakeholders and their roles

2. Initial Requirements Document: A high-level summary of app

features and functionality, such as:

o Product catalog and browsing capability

o Secure online purchasing options

o Customer feedback and review functionality

o User account and order tracking features

 3. Feasibility Study: A comprehensive analysis that determines
whether the project is technically and financially viable.

4. Stakeholder Analysis: Identification of key stakeholders and

analysis of their influence, interests, and impact on the project. This
includes creating a stakeholder map or engagement plan.

5. Business Case: A document that provides a compelling reason for

the project by analyzing the benefits, costs, and potential risks. It
should answer the question, "Why should we pursue this mobile
app?"

6. Preliminary Risk Assessment: Identification of major potential

risks (e.g., budget limitations, technical challenges, resource
availability) and possible mitigation strategies.

Feasibility Determination

To assess feasibility, the following steps would be taken:

1. Market Research: Evaluate the demand for a mobile app in the

retail industry by examining competitors, customer preferences, and
emerging trends.

2. Technical Feasibility: Assess the organization’s current technical

capabilities to build, integrate, and support the app, including the IT
infrastructure, security measures, and mobile platforms (iOS,
Android).

3. Financial Feasibility: Perform an initial budget estimate to ensure

that resources are available. This includes evaluating the cost of
development, design, maintenance, and potential marketing costs.

4. Operational Feasibility: Ensure that the app aligns with the

company’s operational workflows and that the retail company has
the resources to support the app (e.g., customer service for app-
related issues).

5. Legal and Regulatory Feasibility: Identify any compliance

requirements, such as data protection and consumer rights,
particularly for handling customer feedback and purchase
transactions.

Key Stakeholders Involved

1. Project Sponsor: Typically a senior executive who champions the

project, provides funding, and ensures alignment with strategic
goals.
 2. Business Analysts: To define and gather requirements, understand
customer needs, and map out core app features.

3. Product Manager: Ensures the app’s features meet customer

needs and align with business objectives.

4. IT/Technical Team Lead: Assesses technical requirements,

provides input on infrastructure, and identifies any tech-related
constraints.

5. Marketing Team: Provides insights on target customers and

contributes to the app's branding and user engagement strategy.

6. Customer Service Representatives: Provide insights into

customer pain points and feedback needs, which can be integrated
into the app design.

7. Finance Team: Assesses budget requirements, funding sources,

and cost-benefit analysis.

8. Legal/Compliance Team: Reviews any regulatory or compliance

requirements, such as data protection laws or e-commerce
regulations.

9. Select Customer Representatives: If possible, engaging a few

loyal customers or conducting surveys with potential users to gauge
interest and needs can be helpful for tailoring features.

Involving these stakeholders early ensures that the project aligns with the
company's goals, meets customer needs, and is feasible within available
resources and timelines.

Q2 Planning phase:

Create a brief project plan for the mobile app development. What key
element (eg. Scope, timelines, resources) would you include in the plan?
How would you address potential challenges related to app development
during this phase?

Ans2 Scope of the Project

o App Features: Detailed list of the core features (e.g., product

catalog, online purchasing, customer reviews, account
management, order tracking).

o Functional Requirements: Specifications for each feature,

such as payment gateway integration, user registration, and
push notifications.
 o Non-functional Requirements: Performance, security, and
usability expectations (e.g., app load time, secure
transactions, ease of navigation).

o Out-of-Scope Items: Define what the app will not include to

avoid scope creep, like advanced analytics or personalized AI
recommendations if not feasible in this version.

2. Timeline

o Project Phases: Break down the project into phases (e.g.,

design, development, testing, deployment).

Resources and Budget

o Team Roles: Identify team members and roles, including a

project manager, developers, UI/UX designers, QA testers, and
marketing support.

o Budget Estimate: A detailed breakdown of costs, such as

development (internal or external), design, testing, and post-
launch marketing.

o Resource Allocation: Ensure the right resources are

available at each stage, such as additional developers during
testing or designers early on.

3. Risk Management Plan

o Risk Identification: Recognize potential risks such as:

 Delays due to technical complexities

 Budget overruns

 Data security issues

o Risk Mitigation Strategies: Outline approaches for each

risk. For example:

 Contingency time for each development phase

 Regular budget reviews and adjustment

 Ensuring secure coding practices and compliance with

data protection standards

4. Quality Assurance and Testing Strategy

o Testing Phases: Include unit testing, integration testing, and

user acceptance testing (UAT).
 o Bug Tracking and Resolution: Establish a bug-tracking
system to identify and resolve issues.

o Beta Testing: Schedule beta testing with a select group of

users to gather feedback and ensure the app meets user
expectations.

5. Communication Plan

o Stakeholder Updates: Regular updates for stakeholders to

report progress and resolve any issues early.

o Team Meetings: Weekly or biweekly team meetings to

discuss progress, challenges, and changes in requirements.

o Feedback Loops: Designated channels for stakeholders to

provide feedback on app features and design as development
progresses.

6. Deployment and Launch Plan

o App Store Readiness: Plan for app store submission

requirements (e.g., app description, screenshots, promotional
materials).

o Marketing Strategy: Outline pre-launch and post-launch

marketing activities to ensure customer awareness.

o User Support: Prepare a customer support plan to handle

app-related queries post-launch.

Addressing Potential Challenges

1. Scope Creep

o Clearly define the project scope in the plan, and implement a

change control process to evaluate any new feature requests.
Only approve changes that align with strategic goals and
budget.

2. Budget Constraints

o Track expenses closely and set up a buffer for unforeseen

costs. Regularly review costs with the finance team and
reprioritize features if budget issues arise.

3. Timeline Delays

o Allocate buffer time in each phase to account for delays. Set

clear deadlines and regularly track progress to address any
setbacks early.
 4. Technical Challenges

o Conduct technical feasibility assessments early for complex

features and prepare alternative solutions if specific
integrations are challenging. Ensure the development team
has access to resources and expertise needed for more
complex integrations (e.g., payment gateways).

5. Quality Assurance

o Schedule ample time for testing, including user acceptance

and beta testing, to catch bugs and improve app functionality.
Address any feedback from beta users before the public
launch.

6. Customer Experience Alignment

o Engage with customer service and marketing teams to ensure

the app’s features and design meet customer expectations.
Incorporate customer feedback from early testing to improve
the user experience.

This project plan provides a structured path for the mobile app
development, while contingency plans and stakeholder communication
help mitigate potential challenges.

Q3 Execution Phase

Discuss how would manage the execution of the project, ensuring that the
mobile app is developed according to project plan. What tools or
methodologies (eg., agile, waterfall) would you apply and why are they
suitable for this project?

Ans3 During the execution phase, the focus is on managing the

development process, coordinating resources, tracking progress, and
ensuring that the mobile app is developed according to the project plan.
To achieve this, a suitable project management methodology and relevant
tools should be applied to keep the team on track, ensure quality, and
allow for adjustments based on feedback.

Project Management Methodology

Agile Methodology: For this mobile app project, an Agile approach

(specifically, Scrum) is highly suitable due to the following reasons:

1. Iterative Development: Agile allows for iterative development,

which means that work is done in short sprints (typically 2–4 weeks)
 with continuous feedback. This is ideal for a mobile app because it
enables the team to develop core features incrementally, test them,
and gather feedback from stakeholders and beta testers throughout
the development process.

2. Flexibility: Mobile app projects often require adjustments to

features or user experience based on user feedback and evolving
requirements. Agile’s flexibility enables the team to adapt to
changes more easily without significant disruptions to the timeline.

3. Stakeholder Engagement: Agile encourages frequent check-ins

with stakeholders, ensuring they are regularly updated and can
provide feedback, reducing the risk of major surprises during the
final delivery.

4. Focus on Quality: Agile’s emphasis on testing at each stage of

development ensures that bugs and usability issues are identified
and resolved early, improving the final product’s quality.

Key Tools and How They Support Execution

1. Project Management and Task Tracking Tool (e.g., Jira, Trello)

o Purpose: These tools are used to organize and manage tasks,

track sprint progress, and assign responsibilities.

Communication Tool (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams)

o Purpose: Ensures smooth communication across the team

and stakeholders, helping to address questions or issues
promptly.

Version Control System (e.g., GitHub, GitLab)

o Purpose: Manages code changes and allows team members

to work collaboratively while ensuring code integrity.

Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) Tool (e.g.,

Jenkins, CircleCI)

o Purpose: Automates testing and deployment, ensuring that

the latest code changes are consistently integrated and
checked for errors.

Design Collaboration Tool (e.g., Figma, Adobe XD)

o Purpose: Enables designers to create and share prototypes

and design assets, making it easier for developers to
implement the UI/UX as intended.
Testing and Bug Tracking Tool (e.g., TestRail, Bugzilla)

o Purpose: Manages test cases, tracks bugs, and documents

resolutions.

Execution Management Process

1. Sprint Planning and Daily Stand-ups

o Sprint Planning: At the start of each sprint, the team defines

tasks (user stories) for that sprint based on the project
backlog. Priorities are set based on feature importance and
dependencies.

o Daily Stand-ups: Each team member provides an update on

their work status, any blockers, and their plan for the day. This
ensures continuous progress and early identification of issues.

2. Regular Sprint Reviews and Retrospectives

o Sprint Review: At the end of each sprint, the team

demonstrates completed features to stakeholders for
feedback. This provides insights into whether the app aligns
with stakeholder expectations and allows for early
adjustments.

o Sprint Retrospective: The team discusses what went well,

what didn’t, and how processes can improve. This helps
optimize the team’s workflow and productivity for future
sprints.

3. Continuous Testing and Quality Assurance

o Automated Testing: Implement automated testing as part of

the CI/CD pipeline to check for code integrity and functionality
as new features are added.

o Manual Testing: QA team performs manual tests to evaluate

the app’s usability and functionality, especially for complex
features or user flows that are hard to automate.

o User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Toward the final stages,

UAT is conducted with a select group of users to gather
feedback and ensure the app meets user expectations.

4. Stakeholder Communication and Feedback Loops

o Regular progress reports are shared with stakeholders,

highlighting completed work, challenges, and upcoming tasks.
 Stakeholder feedback is incorporated into the sprint planning
process, ensuring alignment with business needs.

5. Risk Monitoring and Management

o Track risks identified in the planning phase and monitor any

new risks as they arise. Potential issues (e.g., delayed tasks,
budget overrun) are managed with proactive adjustments,
such as reassigning resources or revisiting the project scope if
needed.

Why Agile is Suitable for this Project

Agile is ideal for a project of this nature due to its flexibility, frequent
feedback loops, and focus on incremental development. With Agile, the
team can incorporate stakeholder feedback, adjust to evolving
requirements, and ensure high-quality delivery, making it well-suited for a
mobile app aimed at enhancing customer experience in a competitive
retail environment.

This approach ensures that the mobile app development aligns closely
with both business goals and customer expectations, allowing the team to
deliver a polished, effective app within the project timeline.

Q4. Monitoring, controlling and closure

How would you monitor the progress the mobile app project to ensure it
stays on track? Describe how you would handle deviations from the plan.
After the app is launched, what steps would you take in the closure phase
to ensure project success and stakeholder satisfaction?

Ans4 n the monitoring, controlling, and closure phases, the focus is on

tracking project progress, addressing any issues, and ensuring a
successful project handoff and closure. Here’s how each of these phases
would be managed:

Monitoring and Controlling Progress

To ensure the mobile app project stays on track, monitoring progress and
handling any deviations from the project plan are essential. The following
methods and tools would be applied:

Progress Tracking with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

o KPIs: Track metrics such as sprint completion rate, bug

resolution time, and feature completion percentage. KPIs
provide insight into whether the team is progressing according
to the timeline and help identify any bottlenecks.
Regular Status Meetings and Reports

o Daily Stand-Ups: Continue daily stand-ups to provide

updates, identify blockers, and confirm that tasks are
progressing as expected.

o Weekly Project Reports: Share weekly status updates with

stakeholders, including completed tasks, issues, and any
upcoming milestones.

Risk Management and Issue Resolution

o Risk Log: Maintain an updated risk log to monitor potential

issues that could impact timelines, quality, or budget.

o Proactive Problem-Solving: When risks materialize, address

them quickly by reassigning resources, adjusting timelines, or
revisiting the project scope as needed. If budget constraints
arise, reprioritize features to stay within budget without
compromising core functionality.

Quality Control and Testing

o Automated and Manual Testing: Regular automated tests

are run via CI/CD tools to detect bugs and ensure new code
meets quality standards. Manual testing focuses on usability
and user experience.

Handling Deviations from the Plan

When deviations from the plan occur, they are managed through the
following steps:

1. Identify and Analyze the Deviation

o Understand the root cause of any delays or issues by

reviewing the project metrics and team feedback. Determine if
the deviation is due to underestimated complexity, resource
shortages, or other factors.

2. Reassess and Adjust the Plan

o If tasks are delayed, assess if additional resources (e.g.,

additional developers or designers) are needed or if certain
tasks can be reprioritized or broken down into smaller steps to
keep the project moving.

3. Engage Stakeholders for Feedback and Approval

 o Communicate any significant changes in scope, timeline, or
budget with stakeholders to ensure transparency. For larger
adjustments, get stakeholder approval to realign expectations.

4. Implement Corrective Actions

o Adjust timelines, reassign tasks, or, if necessary, reduce scope

to ensure the project can still be delivered on time and within
budget. For example, if feature development is behind
schedule, deprioritize lower-priority features to focus on core
functionalities.

5. Monitor New Changes Closely

o After implementing corrective actions, closely track the impact

to ensure the project remains on course. This may involve
more frequent check-ins and increased testing if technical
issues were the cause.

Closure Phase Steps

Once the app is launched, the project enters the closure phase. During
this phase, the goal is to wrap up all project activities, confirm stakeholder
satisfaction, and ensure a smooth handoff. Here’s how the closure phase
would be managed:

Final Quality and Performance Review

o Post-Launch Testing: Conduct a final round of testing to

confirm all app features are functioning as expected. This may
include live user feedback, load testing, and performance
analysis to ensure the app is meeting performance
benchmarks.

Stakeholder and Customer Feedback

o Collect Stakeholder Feedback: Schedule a final meeting

with stakeholders to review the project outcomes, assess if
the app meets their expectations, and gather any last
feedback for improvement.

o User Feedback Collection: Gather feedback from early app

users to identify any remaining issues or potential
enhancements. This feedback can be used to plan future
updates or improvements.

2. Documentation and Knowledge Transfer

 o Project Documentation: Ensure all project documents are
completed and accessible. This includes the project plan,
requirements, testing logs, bug fixes, and a summary of any
deviations or challenges faced.

o Knowledge Transfer to Support Team: Provide a

comprehensive handoff to the operations and support team,
including training and documentation on app maintenance,
common troubleshooting procedures, and an overview of
known limitations.

3. Evaluate Project Success

o Success Metrics Review: Review project success metrics,

such as app performance, user feedback, and alignment with
initial goals. This confirms that the app has met its objectives
and provides closure for stakeholders.

4. Close Project Financials

Close Financials and Budget Reconciliation: Review final project

costs and reconcile the budget. Any unused funds can be documented or
reallocated, and final reports are shared with finance and stakeholders.

5. Prepare for Ongoing Maintenance and Support

o Transition to Maintenance Mode: Set up a plan for ongoing

support, updates, and user support. Create a system for
tracking app performance and user issues, ensuring that the
app remains functional and up-to-date post-launch.

o Plan for Future Enhancements: Based on user feedback

and stakeholder input, create a backlog of potential future
updates or new features. This keeps the app’s roadmap
aligned with business and customer needs.

Ensuring Stakeholder Satisfaction in Closure

To ensure stakeholder satisfaction in the closure phase, focus on effective

communication and transparency. By reviewing final outcomes with
stakeholders, addressing any unresolved issues, and gathering their
feedback, stakeholders feel engaged and heard. Clear project
documentation, a successful handoff, and demonstrated alignment with
project goals reassure stakeholders of the project’s value and success.

This structured approach to monitoring, controlling, and closing ensures

the mobile app project is managed effectively, meets quality expectations,
and sets a strong foundation for future improvements.