EDID 6511

ABIIT Student Retention Center

Planning Documents
By:
Nyeisha George-Minott
Presented in Partial Fulfilment of
EDID 6511 Facilitating and Managing Learning
Date of submission: November 28, 2016

Email:

nyeisha.georgeminott@my.open.uwi.edu

University:

University of the West Indies (UWI) Open Campus

Course Coordinator: Dr. Camille Dickson-Deane

EDID 6511

PROJECT PLAN
ABIIT Student Retention Center

EDID 6511

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.....................................................................................................................................4
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................5
Project Management Approach....................................................................................................................6
Key Stakeholders............................................................................................................................6
Assumptions...................................................................................................................................6
Constraints......................................................................................................................................7
Project Scope..................................................................................................................................7
Statement of Work..........................................................................................................................7
Milestone List.................................................................................................................................8
Work Breakdown Structure and Schedule Baseline.....................................................................................8
Work Breakdown Schedule.............................................................................................................9
WBS Dictionary...........................................................................................................................10
The Schedule................................................................................................................................13
The Gantt Chart............................................................................................................................14
The PDM Diagram.......................................................................................................................15
Contingency Plan..........................................................................................................................16
Change Management Plan.........................................................................................................................17
Cost Management Plan..............................................................................................................................19
Budget..........................................................................................................................................19
Cost Baseline................................................................................................................................20
Earned Value Management...........................................................................................................20
Procurement Management Plan.................................................................................................................24
Quality Management Plan.........................................................................................................................24
Quality roles and responsibilities..................................................................................................24
Quality control..............................................................................................................................24
Quality assurance..........................................................................................................................24
Quality Monitoring.......................................................................................................................24
Quality Baseline...........................................................................................................................24
PDCA Plan Do Check Act................................................................................................25
Cause and Effect Diagram............................................................................................................25
Risk Management Plan..............................................................................................................................25
Risk Register................................................................................................................................26
Risk Breakdown structure.............................................................................................................27
Project Improvement and Review..............................................................................................................28

EDID 6511

Appendices...................................................................................................................................29

Executive Summary
This document is a compilation of the relevant documents necessary for the proposal plan for the
ABIIT student retention center. It includes the project, key milestones, schedule base line and
Work breakdown structure, communication, quality and risk management plans, and other
related documents.
The project involves the creation of the ABIIT student retention center. The main deliverables
include the creation of brochures for distribution and a series of lectures focusing on practical
skills for student success.
Key stakeholders include the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, ABIIT
management, Lecturers, Counsellors, students and parents.

EDID 6511

Introduction
It has been 15 years since the Antigua and Barbuda International Institute of Technology begun
its task of offering tertiary level education to the nationals of Antigua and Barbuda. Located at
the Coolidge Campus, St. George Antigua, it offers associate degrees in Business, Accounting,
Computer Science, Graphic Design and Architectual Technology. The current student enrollment
stands at almost 300 and the student body consists of secondary school leavers and the working
adult.
Currently there is no dedicated unit/department tasked with the charge of retaining students. The
marketing department does have its advertising campaigns and social media ventures in an
attempt to recruit new students. However what is lacking is a more targeted effort at retaining
those students. This project will create a center to help retain current students and will directly
impact students and their involvement in study life at ABIIT.

EDID 6511

Project Management Approach

Key Stakeholders, team and staf
Below is a list of the key personnel who will be responsible for completion of the project, as well
as other personnel involved in the project.
Client
Sponsor
Project manager
Team/Staff

Students of ABIIT
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
Nyeisha George-Minott
[Danille Martin Head of Campus]
[Kyla Warren - Building Manager]
[Genevieve Cox Counselor]
[Rachele Wagstaffe - Lecturer]
[Rhonda Grant Graphic Designer]

The project manager, Nyeisha George-Minott has the overall authority of managing and
executing this project according to this project plan and its subsidiary management plans. Under
the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the project and other
documents will be reviewed and approved. All decisions on funding will be made by the project
sponsor.
The project team will be a cross functional self-managed team consisting of Danielle Martin,
Kyla Warren, Genevieve Cox, Rachele Wagstaffe, and Rhonda Grant.

Assumptions
The following assumptions are noted for this project
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Approval is sought from the Ministry of Educaiton, Science and Technology

Career brocures are suitable to the areas of study offered at ABIIT
A project office is already set up
Project team is already assigned
Project team can handle assigned tasks

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Constraints
The following constraints are noted for this project
1. Lack of supplies to furnish the retention center
2. Potential understaffing
3. Financial constraints pertaining to designing and printing brochures.

Project Scope

The project involves the creation of the ABIIT Student Retention Center. The creation of
Brochures on career choices for distribution and a series of lectures focusing on practical skills
for student success. Competent and qualified conusellors along with peer mentors will assist
students in their study and career paths. New and prospective students stand to gain from the
wealth of information that can be made available through this center. The main emphasis is on
the career choices presented in informative and attractive brochures and a series of lectures on
professional and job skills that will help students today and in the future.
This project will not offer lecture series to other tertiary level institutions and is only for the
students at the Antigua and Barbuda Intenational Institute of Technology.

Statement of Work
The following are the main goals and Objectives of this project

Locate Office Space within the ABIIT building to house the retention center
Appoint qualified counsellors
Recruit Student volunteer peer mentors
Print and distribute career brochures
Create and schedule lecture series

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Milestone List
The table below lists the major milestones for the ABIIT Student Retention
Center Project.. Smaller milestones not see in this table are included in the
project schedule and WBS.
Milestone

Description

Initiation of Project plan

Consulting with project

management team,
scheduling meetings on cost,
meeting with stakeholdersn
and signing off on project
Consulting with building
manager about available
space, moving existing office
equiptment and furniture into
space
Consulting the ministry of
education in hiring a full time
and part time counsellors and
recruitting student
voulenteers
Using Microsoft Office
Publisher, 6 brochures are
designed and compiled into
PDF documents and printed.
Using Microsoft Office
PowerPoint, 4 lectures are
designed and scheduled
Invitations and programmes
are prepared for distribution in
preparation for the opening
opening of the retentin center.

Locate office space

Hire required Employees

Design and print

brochrues

Design and schedule

lecture series
Planning opening
ceremony

Target
date
10/01/201
6

10/17/201
6

11/28/201
6

11/22/201
6

12/12/201
6
02/02/201
7

Work Breakdown Structure and Schedule

Baseline

EDID 6511

The Work Breakdown Structure for the ABIIT Student Retention Center seen below were
developed through close collaboration among project team memebrs and stakeholders and
extensive research. The breakdown depicts tasks related to project management, locating office
space in the building, hiring required employees, designing and printing of brochures, designing
and scheduling of lecture series, and planning opening ceremony. The WBS dictionary that
follows defines all work packages and includes all tasks, resouces and deliverables. These will
help with resource planning, task completion and ensuring that requirements are met,

Work Breakdown Schedule

EDID 6511

10

WBS Dictionary

Project Name: ABIIT Student Retention Center

Project Manager: Nyeisha George-Minott
Level
Title
Description
1.1

Project Management
Planning

1.1.1

Consult with
Management team on
project charter
Schedule meeting on
cost/budget
Meet with
stakeholders

1.1.2
1.1.2.1

1.1.2.2
1.2

1.2.1

1.2.2

1.2.2.1

1.2.2.2

1.3

Resources

The project charter and other

related documents are created and
ready for consultation
The Project team consults on the
project charter and plans the way
forward
A meeting on budget/cost is held
by the project team.
Key stakeholders are briefed on the
project charter and other related
documents.
The Project is approved and signed

N/A

The building manager and project

manager determine the available
space in the ABIIT building
suitable to house the Retention
Center
Consult with Building The building manager surveys
Manager
selected location and makes
suggestions on the best use of the
space
Collect Keys and Door The keys to the office door and a
sign from Building
new door sign will be collected
Manager
from the building manager
Arrange for the
The building manager will arrange
cleaning of the office
for the cleaner to clean the office
space
space
Move existing office
Existing available furniture is
furniture and
moved into the selected office
equipment
space.

N/A

Sign off on Project

Locate Office Space
within ABIIT building

Hire Required
Employees

Suitable employees will be sought

N/A

N/A
N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Cleaning
supplies
Moving
platform
deck and
trolley
N/A

EDID 6511

1.3.1

1.3.2

1.3.2.1
1.3.2.2

1.4
1.4.1

1.4.2

1.4.2.1

11

Consult with Ministry

of Education, Science
and Technology
Request for Hire two
counsellors (1 full
time, 1 part time)
Appoint Counsellors
to Positions
Recruit Student
Volunteers
Design and Print
brochures
Find appropriate
desktop publishing
software (Microsoft
Publisher)
Identify career
information to be
included in the 6
brochures
Compile and save
documents as PDFs

1.4.2.2

Print 50 copies of each

brochure

1.5

Design and Schedule

lecture series
Find appropriate
presentation software
(Microsoft
PowerPoint)
Identify the four topics
to be presented
Create presentation on
topic 1:

1.5.1

1.5.2
1.5.2.1

1.5.2.2

Create presentation on
topic 2:

1.5.2.3

Create presentation on
topic 3:

The Ministry will advise on the

available human resources

N/A

Two counsellors (1 full time and 1

part time) will be brought on staff

N/A

The two hired counsellors will be

appointed to their new position
The counsellors will assist in
recruiting student volunteers who
will help mentor fellow students
Plans are put in place to design and
print the career brochures
Microsoft Publisher will be used to
design the career brochures.

N/A

Quality and relevant information

and graphics is sought to be
included in the brochures. All
relevant to the 6 career paths
Brochure files will be compiled
and saved as PDF for easy file
transfer and printing.
50 copies of each brochure will be
printed at first until additional
copies are needed
The series of 4 lectures will be
compiled
Microsoft PowerPoint or other
presentation software will be used
to create Presentations

N/A

The four main topics for the lecture

series will be compiled
Information compiled on topic 1:
Doing your best in school: study,
test taking and time management
skills
Information compiled on topic 2:
Learning the skills you need to
success today and tomorrow
Information compiled on topic 3:
Learning to behave like a
professional

N/A

N/A

N/A
Microsoft
Publisher

N/A

Printer,
toner, paper
N/A
Microsoft
PowerPoint

N/A

N/A

N/A

EDID 6511

1.5.2.4

1.6

1.6.1
1.6.2

1.6.2.1

1.6.2.2

1.6.2.3

12

Create presentation on
topic 4:

Planning opening
ceremony
List persons to be
invited
Prepare
invitations/prepare
programmes
Distribute
invitations/print
programmes
Setting up lecture hall

Arrange tables, chairs

and decorations

Information compiled on topic 4:

Getting the job you want: job
search strategies and
entrepreneurship
The opening ceremony for the
launch of the student center is
planned
A list of special invited guests is
created
Invitation letters/card is prepared.
The order of service programme
sheets are prepared
Invitations are distributed to
special guests and programme
sheets are printed
Making sure the AC unit is turned
on, the podium, screen and projects
are in place
The chairs, tables and other
decorations are arranged to provide
adequate seating and an inviting
space.

N/A

N/A

N/A
Microsoft
Word
Printer,
toner, paper
Podium,
screen,
projectors
AC Remote
Chairs, tables
and
decorations

The project schedule is being maintaned as a Smartsheet Gantt chart by the

project manager. Any proposed changes to the schedule will need the
approval of the sponsor. Below are the Gantt chart and PDM diagram to
assist in sequencing, alloting and managing time for all the project activities.
To assist with creating the PDM a project task information table was created.
See appendix B.

EDID 6511

The Schedule

13

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The Gantt Chart

14

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The PDM Diagram

15

Contingency Plan
Contingency Checklist
Area
Moving office

Issues
No existing

Actions
Consult with the

Who
Project manager, Building

Furniture

furniture

ministry of education

manager

available

and request furniture,

No moving

equiptment and trolly.

trolly
Printing brochures

availble
Insufficient

Procure toner from a

printer toner

office supply company.

Insufficient

Request for a supply of

supply of

paper for the

printing

Government Printery

Graphic Desinger

paper
Design and Schedule of Delay in the

Delegate the task of

lecture series

completion

creating at least two of

of series

the lecture series to

topics to be

another team member.

Lecturer/Counsellor

presented
Despite having a well thoughtout pan, there wlso neds to be a contingency plan in case anyhing
goes wrong or is unavailable in regards to moving office furniture, printing brochures etc.

Change Management Plan

The following steps comprises the cahnge control process for all projects that will be utalized on
the ABIIT Student Retention Plan Project.

Step 1
Identify
need for
change

Step 2
Log
chance
in the
change
request
register

Step 3
Subm it
change
request
to
Project
m anage
r

Step 4

Step 5

Project
m anager
Conducts
an
evaluatio
n of the
change

Project
m anager
m akes
decision
on
approval
from
sponsor

Step 6
Im plem
ent
change

Any team member of stakeholder may submit a change requies for the ABIIT Student Retention
Center Project. The project sponsor will approve all changes, any changes to the project scope
cost or schedule must meet the sponsors approval. The project manager will log all change
resuests and track through completion whether approved or not.

Communications Management Plan

This communication plan sets the communications framework for this project. It will serve as a
guide for communication throughout the life of the project and will be updated as required. The
project manager will take the lead role in ensureing effective comminication on the project.

Communication
Type

Description

Frequency Format

Participants/
Distribution

Deliverable

Owner

Kick off meeting

Email project charter

Document and discuss

Once

Project Sponsor,
Team and

Project Charter

Project

Email/face-

the way forward

to-face

Stakeholders

Manager

Weekly Project
Team Meeting

Meeting to review
action register and
status

Weekly

In Person

Project Team

Updated Action
Register

Project
Manager

Project Monthly
Review (PMR)

Present metrics and

status to team and
sponsor

Monthly

In Person

Project Sponsor,
Team, and
Stakeholders

Status and Metric

Presentation

Project
Manager

Status reports

Present closeout of
project phases and
kickoff next phase

As Needed Email

Project Sponsor,
Team and
Stakeholders

Phase completion
report and phase
kickoff

Project
Manager

Project team directory for all communications is:

Name

Title

Email

Office Phone

Cell Phone

Michael Browne

Project Sponsor

M.brown@gmail.com

xxx-xxx-xxxx

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Nyeisha George-Minott

Project Manager

N. Minott@gmail.com

xxx-xxx-xxxx

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Danille Martin

Head of Campus

D.Martin@gmail.com

xxx-xxx-xxxx

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Kyla Warren

Building Manager

K.Warren@gmail.com

xxx-xxx-xxxx

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Genevieve Cox

Counselor

G.Cox@gmail.com

xxx-xxx-xxxx

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Rachele Wagstaffe

Lecturer

R.Wagstaffe@gmail.com

xxx-xxx-xxxx

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Rhonda Grant

Graphic Designer

RGrant@gmail.com

xxx-xxx-xxxx

xxx-xxx-xxxx

Communications Conduct:

Meetings:
The Project Manager will distribute a meeting agenda at least 2 days prior to any scheduled
meeting and all participants are expected to review the agenda prior to the meeting. During all
project meetings the timekeeper will ensure that the group adheres to the times stated in the
agenda and the recorder will take all notes for distribution to the team upon completion of the
meeting. It is imperative that all participants arrive to each meeting on time and all cell phones
and blackberries should be turned off or set to vibrate mode to minimize distractions. Meeting
minutes will be distributed no later than 24 hours after each meeting is completed.

Email:
All email pertaining to the ABIIT Student Retention Center should be professional, free of errors,
and provide brief communication. Email should be distributed to the correct project participants
in accordance with the communication matrix above based on its content. All attachments should
be in one of the organizations standard software suite programs and adhere to established
company formats. If the email is to bring an issue forward then it should discuss what the issue
is, provide a brief background on the issue, and provide a recommendation to correct the issue.
The Project Manager should be included on any email pertaining to the ABIIT Student Retention
Center.

Informal Communications:
While informal communication is a part of every project and is necessary for successful project
completion, any issues, concerns, or updates that arise from informal discussion between team
members must be communicated to the Project Manager so the appropriate action may be taken.

Cost Management Plan

Budget
The budget provides the detail estimates and necessary costs for labor, material, and other items
for the duration of the project. Costs for the project have been itemized and justification has been
provided for each cost element.

Project budget
INCOME

Amounts in $EC

External Funding

Annually

Ministry of Education, Science and Technology

Pending or
awarded
120,000

Total External Income

120,000

Total INCOME

120,000.0

EXPENSES

Amounts in $EC
Annually

Salaries
Project Manager
Counsellors
Graphic Designer
Instructor

Printing costs

Paid by Treasury
Department in the
Ministry of Finance

Pending

Paper

6,000

Toner

12,000

Printer Maintenance

20,000
Subtotal

38,000

Other expenses
Equipment costs (Please specify)

14,000

General office expenses/stationary

12,000

Internet, telephone

23,888

Miscellaneous

20,000

Other

10,000
Subtotal

Total EXPENSES

79,888

117,888.0

Cost Baseline
Earned Value Management
The EVM was used to compare the budgeted cost with the actual cost during the project between
the periods October 10 October 31 2016. Several scheduled activities took place during this
time as seen on the Gantt chart. The tasks included. Recruiting student volunteers, hiring
qualified counsellors, designing brochures, Design lecture series presentations, printing
brochures and scheduling lecture series dates.

Below is a view of the EVM Worksheet, inclusive of the earned value worksheet and Actual cost
worksheet.

Procurement Management Plan

Any furniture and equiptment used is the existing property of the Antigua and Barbuda International
Institutie of Technology. Any other reqired supplies are procured through the building manager at
the request of the Ministry of Education Scienc and Technology.

Quality Management Plan

Quality, or the lack of quality, affects the entire organization at ABIIT from management to students
and from product to maintenance. Managing the quality of the student retention center may prove to
be difficult. This document will outline the quality roles and responsibilities, quality control, quality
assurance and monitoring. All members of the project team will play a role in quality mangement. It
is imperative that the team ensures the work is completed at an adequate level of quality from
individual work packages to the final project deliverable.
Quality roles and responsibilities The project manager is responsible for quality management
throughout the duration of the project. The remaining members of the project team, as well as the
stakeholders
Quality control This will utalize tools and methodologies that
Quality assurance
Quality Monitoring

Quality Baseline

Total Quality Management program will be in place. One aspect of this involves the never-ending
process of continuous improvement using the PDCA. Additionally the Cause and Effect diagram
and benchmarking are used.

PDCA Plan Do Check Act

4. Act

1. Plan

Implemen
t the
plan,
document

Identify a
problem
and make
a plan

Is the
plan
working?

Test the
plan

3. check

2. Do

Cause and Efect Diagram

Risk Management Plan

ID

RQ-1

Risk Name

Risk Description

Impact on

Probability

Owner

Project

of

High

Occurance
Medium

Project

Time

Delay in the priting and

RQ-2

People

delivery of brochrues
Lack of skills

Medium

Medium

manager
Project

RQ-3

Cost

Expense of printing

Medium

Medium

Manager
Project

Quality

materials
Poor quality lecture series

Medium

Manager
Project

RQ-4

High

Manager
The approaceh for managing risk on the ABIIT student retention center project involves assessing
the risks and identifying a mitigation strategy for those risks.
Creating a Risk Breakdown Schedule for this project helps to organize the risks that have been
identified into categories.The Risk register give a unique perspective to the individual risks and
their possible impact and probable occurance to the project.

Risk Register

Risk Breakdown structure

Schedule
delays
Time
Changes

Shortages
People
Skills
deficiency
Estimating
errors

Escalation
Risks

Costs
Office
Furniture

Printing

delay printing
of brochures
Delivearbles
delayed
lecture series
presentations
brochures

Quality

Performance

Lecture series

Project Improvement and Review

As the project draws to a close, the project team will seek to make sure that what it
set out to do was actually achieved. Delivering the ABIIT student retention Center is
the objective of the project. There is a further need to check to see if improvements
will deliver still greater benefit. Lessons learnt during the project will be taken
advantage of in effectively designing and executing future projects.
To Measure the projects success the project team will use the Post-Implementation
Review (PIR) Process. This will be performed both by an internal review agent and an
independent reviewer.

Key project documents will be reviewed

Interviews and surveys will be used to collect information
A gap analysis will be conducted, by reviewing the project charter to evaluate
how closely the project results match the origional objectives.
The expected deliverables will also be reviewed to ensure that theese have
been delivered to an accceptable level of quality.
If there are gaps, the team will endeveor to find solutions and how they can be
closed. T
The satisfaction of the stakeholders is also be reviewed. Being sure to identify if
the sponsors were satisfied, if the project met the clients (students) needs.
Also the projects costs and benefits
Areas of further development will be reviewed with the aim of looking into
future opportunities, changes and benefits

Appendices

Appendix A Project Charter at a glance

Appendix B Project Task Information Table

Project Task Information Table
Task #
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Task 4
Task 5
Task 6
Task 7
Task 8
Task 9
Task 10
Task 11
Task 12
Task 13

Activity
Initiate Project management plan
Consult with Project Mgmt. team
Schedule Meeting on Cost/Budget
Meet with Stakeholders
Sign off on Project
Locate Office Space
Hire and appoint counselors
Design brochures
Design lecture series
Move Furniture and equipment
Recruit Student Volunteers
Print Brochures
Schedule Lecture series

Task 14
Task 15
Task 16
Task 17

Plan Opening Ceremony

Distribute invitation letters
Opening Ceremony
Retention Center open

Predecessor
none
Task 1
Task 2
Task 1
Tasks 1,2,3
Task 4
Task 4
Task 4
Task 4
Task 5
Task 6
Task 7
Task 8
Tasks
4,5,6,7,8
Task 13
Task 14
Task 15

Start Date
End Date
Duration (days)
9/5/2016
9/9/2016
5
9/12/2016
9/23/2016
12
9/15/2016
9/17/2016
3
9/19/2016
9/28/2016
10
10/1/2016
10/2/2016
2
10/3/2016
10/5/2016
3
10/15/2016 11/14/2016
31
10/10/2016 10/31/2016
22
10/3/2016
11/1/2016
30
10/10/2016 10/17/2016
8
10/24/2016 10/31/2016
38
11/1/2016
11/22/2016
22
11/2/2016
12/12/2016
41
12/5/2016
1/16/2017
1/31/2017
2/1/2017

1/11/2017
1/23/2017
1/31/2017
2/1/2017

38
8
1
1