Choose a project to work on for the course and create a 4–8 page project charter or proposal.
The Course Project Scenario
In this course you will concentrate on a small-scale project of your own choosing and will imagine that you are its project manager (PM). You will employ fundamental principles and best practices to conduct your project from initiation to conclusion. Each assessment provides specific details. This first assessment focuses on the initiation phase of the project, which is primarily focused on capturing customer needs and outlining the project by creating a project proposal or charter.
By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:
· Competency 1: Develop the initiation process of a project.
o Describe customer needs and assumptions through the proper interpretation of project objectives.
o Outline a project’s scope by identifying appropriate deliverables.
o Create a project budget estimate that provides a close approximation of project costs.
o Describe high-level risks that could impact a project.
o Create a project schedule estimate with key milestones and completion date.
· Competency 6: Communicate effectively.
o Communicate effectively in a professional manner consistent with the standards and conventions of project management.
The initiating phase of the project life cycle starts with recognizing a need, problem, or opportunity. Projects are identified in various ways: during an organization’s strategic planning, as part of normal business operations, in response to unexpected events, or as a result of a group or individual deciding to organize a project.
Project Charters and Proposals
Once a project is selected, it is formally authorized using a document referred to as the project charter or proposal. These two documents are often slightly different. A project charter is often the term used on internal corporate projects, while a proposal is often more appropriate for external projects or services that are offered by outside firms or vendors. Both documents also summarize the key conditions and parameters for the project and establish the baseline plan for conducting it. The sponsor or client must approve the document in order for the project to proceed and receive funding
Course Project Background
The goal of the course is for you to apply the fundamental principles of the project management process to being your own project manager on a small-scale project. As you progress through the assessments in the course, you will apply the five project management process groups and the Project Management Institute’s (PMI) areas of knowledge to your personal project.
Select and start to formulate a project that you will use to complete the assessments in this course.
Example Topics:
· Stage a theatrical production at your community theater.
· Plan a traditional wedding.
· Build or renovate a house.
· Upgrade company computer systems (servers, PCs, applications).
· Implement new wireless technology.
· Develop, manufacture, and sell a new product.
· Create an e-commerce Web site.
· Develop and implement new HR policies and procedures.
· Plan a company picnic or charity fund-raising event.
· Take a group on an international vacation.
Preparation
Imagine that you are the manager for the project you have selected. For this assessment concentrate on the initiation process group by writing the project charter or proposal for a sponsor or client.
Directions
Create a proposal or charter for your project that effectively captures the essence of the project. It should enable a strong foundation for the project’s management and timely completion within budget and describe the following items:
· Customer need.
· Assumptions.
· Project scope.
· Deliverables.
· Resources.
· Schedule (due date or major milestones only).
· Price (general terms or budget only).
· Risk.
Title your chosen document as either a “charter” for internally sponsored corporate projects or as a “proposal” for projects that are external to a business, for example, responses to RFPs. Each may have slightly different components. For example, a charter might include a business case, where none would be required with a project. Another example might be that a charter would not include a profit margin in the budget, while a proposal certainly would. For more information read the Internet article Project Proposal vs Project Charter, found in the Resources.
Additional Requirements
· Length: The focus of the proposal should be on quality of the content—clear, concise and convincing—rather than quantity or number of pages. The project proposal can range from 4 to 8 pages double-spaced pages.
· Font: 12 point Times New Roman.
· References: Use proper current APA style and formatting when citing and referencing your sources. Refer to the Capella Online Writing Center’s APA Style and Format for more information.

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