Phases Of College Education Completion And Building Project Managers

Sub-Task 1.1 What are the phases that your college education completion life cycle might have?

Sub-Task 1.2 What are some of the activities included with each phase?

Sub-Task 1.3 What are some of the techniques you might use to help complete those activities?

Sub-Task 1.4 What models might you create? Differentiate the models you create to get you through college from those that help you plan and control the process of completing college.

Sub-Task 1.5 What are some of the tools you might use to help you complete the models?

Sub-Task 2.1Do you think the decision by CLT to build project managers from its existing employee base is a good one? What advice would you give CLT to make sure it has strong project management skills in the company?

Sub-Task 2.2 What kind of criteria would you develop for Monica to use to measure whether Stewart (or any other potential project manager) is ready for project management responsibility?

Sub-Task 2.3 How would you structure the job for new project managersto ensure or at least increase the possibility of a high level of success?

Sub-Task 2.4 If you were Monica, what kind of advice would you give Stewart about managing his career and attaining his immediate goal of becoming a project manager?

Edward knows he should involve other stakeholders to help define system requirements. He is not quite sure whom he should contact. Should he go to senior executives? Should he contact middle management?

Sub-Task 3.1 What is the best method for Edward to involve the brokers (users) in the development of the updated online trading system? Should he use a questionnaire? Should he interview the brokers in each of the company’s 30 offices or would one or two brokers representing the entire group be better? How can Edward ensure that the information about requirements is complete, yet not lose too much time doing so?

Sub-Task 3.2 Concerning customer input for the new system, how can Edward involve customers in the process? How can he interest them in participating? What methods can Edward use to ensure that the customers he involves are representative of John and Jacob’s entire customer group?

Sub-Task 3.3 As Edward considers what other stakeholders he should include, what are some criteria he should use? Develop some guidelines to help him build a list of people to include.

Phases of College Education

1.1 Phases of College Education

After high school, just like many of the students, I switched off for some time, but with time I am wondering which college I would join. Some of my schoolmates had already enrolled in college when we were in high school, but most of us were still undecided which was the best place to go for higher studies. Between the decision on what campus to join all through to graduation, there are different phases or stages to go through.

Preparation and Admission to Campus

After settling on the best-suited college, one then starts following on what is needed to join the college, filling the admission forms, buying the required stuff by the college. The next step is reporting and admission to the campus and then enrollment.

Acclimatization

The first few weeks in the college, one is familiarizing with the environment and, making new friends. Also in this period is when one learns what happens on campus. Attending the lectures and introduction to the course and getting an insight what to expect during the learning period.

Serious Learning and Evaluations

After settling down, then it was time for serious studies and extended periods of research. Then, as expected followed the evaluation tests. It then becomes a cycle throughout the remaining period of study, learning, and assessment.

Industrial Attachment and Projects

In the last academic year, as required by the curriculum there is going out on an industrial attachment and then embarking in doing final projects for the course as preparations for graduation start.

Graduation

After years of study, it is the crowning moment of the course, the graduation.

1.2 Activities Carried out in the Phases

During the preparation stage, purchase of the material needed for the college then filling the admission forms. Once on the campus, it is the protocol, going from office to office registering to the school system.

At the acclimatization phase, first-year students walk around the college getting to know the places and people.

After the settling down its gets down to the core reason for joining the school. Expect to attend lectures, doing group discussions, going out for research, class presentations and taking examinations (Conrad and Serlin, 2013).

As the end of the course nears, projects and sometimes industrial attachment. Here one puts into practice all that they have learned in the past years.

The graduation phase does not have a lot of work. It involves follow-up of all the exam results and clearing any pending thing in the college and then the ceremony of graduation.

Activities Carried out in the Phases

1.3 Techniques used

The first stage becomes a success if one has to be keen and active in the acquisition of the various material and also one has to be punctual so that they may not miss the admission chance by reporting late after the closure of the period.

When getting to know the campus, one is expected to be adventurous and social to make new friends. Punctuality also is required when it comes to lecture attendance.

When the core business kicks on, only the aggressive, smart and hardworking gets the chance to excel in this stage.

Projects are always tiring and need a lot of time to complete them. For one to accomplish this phase successfully, commitment and hard work are necessary.

For the graduation part, only keen follow-up is needed, then joining the others in wearing the gowns at the ceremony.

1.4 Models

A model can de defined as, representation of a concept that can be used in the real life to achieve a certain goal. Bearing this in mind college education completion is the goal in this project, the model to be formulated should be directed towards that. One can decide to use different ways to achieve the goals and so there are many models to guide a person and it is up to him or her to choose the one that suits him or her.

1. The Good Student Model

This model represents the students who are serious with their academic progress and are always focussing on the learning process. When not in the class they are found doing the constructive co-cirricular activities. In this model the practitioners blind themselves from the other happenings on the campus. Mostly these students are in guided by the personal principles and the governing regulations.

1. The Bad Student Model

Here the student is in the colleg for fun and self pleasure instead of the academic aspect. The embracers indulge in the fun activities outside class and are the ones on the wrong side of the rules governing the student code of conduct. Mostly these students are pushed by peer influence and group effect.

1. The Moderate Student Model

Under this model, the student balances between class work and the non-class activities while in the campus. They don’t over indulge in any side but have an experience in every aspect of the campus life. Students following this model tend to have more social appeal because they interact with different kinds of people in the campus.

Techniques Used

1.5 Tools Used to Make the Models

When formulating the model I focused on the following as the guiding pointers:

1. Academic aspects
2. Governing rules and regulations
3. Co-curricular activities
4. Social activities
5. Peer influence

2.1 Building Project Managers from Existing Employees

The decision to build project managers from existing employees is an excellent idea because the workers are already informed of the project and are in good understanding of what the goals are because they have been working on the project for some time (Westcott, 2015). Building them to be managers will also in a way be seen as an act of faith in them, and in turn, they will be motivated and give more effort towards realizing the set goals of the project.

CTL should not just choose Stewart because he has prospered in the past. They should consider the best suited and equipped with the necessary skills to manage the project.

2.2 Criteria to Measure if the Employees are ready for Appraisal

The measuring elements of success in project management are: what part did the personnel play, how was the success rate compared to the set goals, how well did he or she cooperate with the other players in the team, how good are they in communication and how do they manage their time.

It is necessary for Monica and CTL Company to be very keen when choosing who to build or get as a project manager. The managers act as the engines for the project progression, and if they get it wrong at this stage, it will be an absolute disaster (Young, 2013). So, when choosing a project manager, it will be great if they choose in accordance with the abilities and skills they possess. Some of the core competencies include:

1. Excellent Communication

It is advisable to get an individual who can translate the vision, ideas, goals, and issues and produce reports and presentations throughout the project. This personnel should also know the best way to present different information to different people involved in the project.

1. Risk Management

Good project managers know that in the process of work things go wrong and for them to go through such times they duly plan for them from the first stages. So when CTL is going to get a project manager, they should look for an individual who can act calm when uncertainty strikes and work it out instead of panicking.

1. Team Management

Good project managers should be able to blend with the people he is working for and know them as per their strengths and weaknesses. From here he or she can motivate and even inspire them. By doing this, they feel that they are part of the project and appreciated and this will improve the team spirit and hence give a boost to the project realization (Young, 2013).

1. Leadership

Models

Leadership is an aspect that is essential for a person aspiring to be a project manager because he is the uppermost part of the project and they must have the ability to steer the team to the right direction (Westcott, 2015). Many people have the technical skills of a project manager, but they miss the leadership competencies. So when narrowing down to a project manager, CTL should consider the ability of a person to take the appropriate actions, prioritize and make the difficult decisions in the course of the project.

1. Organization

A project manager should be an individual who puts things in order from the start. Right from personal organization to group and resource organization. If CTL gets an organized individual, then they are on the verge of getting a good project management because once you got a person who arranges all the activities and categorizes resources accordingly, then you got the right person to lead a project (Roberts, 2014).

2.3 Structuring Job Description to fit the New Project Manager

To reach the highest level of productivity as a project manager it needs one to work in an environment that favors the project one is managing. So for CTL to get the best from the new project manager it is good to structure the job in a way that the manager will have full control of the project. Also it is good to make sure that in the job description, the manager links well with the other departments in the company so that there can be smooth running of the project from all entities (Roberts, 2013).

2.4 Advice to the Employees

Monica, should tell Stewart that to become a very competent project manager he has to make sure that:

1. He knows when to delegate duties and when to take actions

For one to prosper as a project manager, he has to accept that there are things that other people in the team do best and others have to be his work no matter how difficult or easy they seem.

1. He keeps close to the team

Ensuring a healthy relationship with your team gives you an opportunity to learn about the individuals and know how best you can fine tune the duties to get to the goals set (Longman and Mullins, 2015). This close relationship helps strengthen the team spirit. Finally when you are constantly in touch with the team, you also at the same time have a close follow up of the project and can monitor the progress.

1. He should define the scope of the project clearly

Tools Used to Make the Models

For Stewart to be a good manager, he should define the project and the boundaries that govern it. He should be ready to write down the scope in which the project operates and even better if he calls the team for a sit down where he will explain to them what the expectations are throughout the project and what they are to achieve in the end (Frame, 2013).

3.1 Brokers’ Involvement in Online Trading System

The best way to get information from the brokers is through interviews, because you can clarify a question if the person does not get the question well unlike in questionnaires where there is no the clarification advantage and hence information given may be useless (Cargan, 2016). Interviewing all the brokers will consume a lot of time, so getting a representation is the best option provided you get the personnel who are well informed on how the system works.

3.2 Customers’ Involvement in Online Trading System

The customer an important entry in the business scope and his opinion is very important. Edward should ensure that he involves them in his research and the best way is through the online platform. Edward and his team should work to create a questionnaire that will be run on the John and Jacob, Inc. official website (Babbie, 2016). Even better is when it appears as a pop up in every opening of the website. For it to interest the customer it has to be short and straight to the point and addressing them in such a way that they feel the questionnaire is for their own good. This is a good way to reach out to the real representative of the John and Jacob, Inc. customers (Delahaye, 2016).

3.3 Criteria on how to Choose Stakeholders to be Involved

When it comes to the stakeholders it might be quite confusing but it is also good to notice that they have a say I every action that the company takes because in one or another way they are affected. The best thing to do here is to inform them of the survey and also find a way to involve them by having a representative from every quarter, so that he can get their views on the current system, and on what part they think should be improved. To achieve this he should get information on who is in the best position to give a comment on the system and then face to face interview will serve the best when dealing with the senior executives and the middle management, as it is a show of confidence in what you doing and they also get a chance to meet the person who is going to take their company into the next level (Watzlawik and Born, 2014). For the back-office function personnel, questionnaires can be used to get their take.

References

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