A Project

You work for a company that builds and purchases privately held businesses.  Currently, a large portion of the company’s portfolio consists of owning shopping malls.  The leadership is interested in exploring the restaurant industry.  They are considering launching a single restaurant as a test case.  If this restaurant succeeds, it would then be replicated in multiple locations as a chain and a new and independent business vertical for your firm.  Your team has been tasked with developing the concept for the restaurant and presenting the case for your idea at the next senior leadership strategy meeting.  Your company is very data driven and will expect rigorous thought and evidence to support the ideas presented.  Your company plans to finance this test case with debt so you should factor this into your financial considerations.  Your company has a strong credit rating so you can expect the ability to secure your desired debt as long as it makes sense on a business level.

Your sponsor formerly taught at UConn’s BAPM program and is a stickler for PM process.  You will be expected to create and update the following types of documents throughout your project:

Charter (PowerPoint)

Gantt Chart (Microsoft Project)

Financial Projections (Excel) – No need for advanced finance or accounting, just provide basic information on estimated cost, revenue, and profit projections

Supplementals (Microsoft Office) – Provide evidence to support your financial projections and business case

Final Presentation (PowerPoint) – Present the case for your restaurant concept

Deadlines:

Charter First Draft – February 21, 2017 at 2:00pm

Gantt Chart First Draft – March 7, 2017 at 2:00pm

All final documentation (Charter, Gantt, Financials, Supplementals, and Presentation Slides) – April 16, 2017 at 11:59pm

Prepared to present – April 18, 2016 at 2:00pm and April 25, 2016 at 2:00pm

You should have your documentation updated each week to represent the activities and thinking of your team.  You sponsor has been known to call unscheduled meetings to discuss the project and to review the current status of deliverables.  Keep in mind that all projects are subject to change due to sponsor or business requirements.