Answer to Question #224210 in Management for kukus

Question

1. A project team has put together a plan for grand organizational transformation project, and forwarded the same for the approval of the stakeholders. The stakeholders, having reviewed the project plan, asked the project manager to clearly demonstrate and present the project inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impacts in order to expedite the approval process. Assuming that you are the Project Manager in charge seeking the approval of the stakeholders.

 

A.  Outline the possible inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impacts of the project

B. Identify the key stakeholders and then draw a role map diagram showing the influence and reporting relationship 

Answer 1

A.

Many people and organizations appear to have a difficult time distinguishing between a project's inputs, outputs, outcomes, impact, and results. This results in a great deal of ambiguity, poor communication, dissatisfied project teams, and dissatisfied stakeholders. Inputs are frequently misunderstood to be the same as actions. These terms, however, are not interchangeable. In simple terms, inputs are the items that we use to carry out the project. Inputs in any project, for example, would include things like time from internal and/or external staff, money, hardware and/or software, office space, and so on. Inputs ensure that a project's anticipated outcomes may be accomplished.

The first level of results linked with a project are these. Outputs, which are often mistaken with "activities," are the project's direct short-term results. They are the scopes that have been provided. The concrete and intangible outcomes of project work. A new product or service, a new ERP system to replace an old one, or personnel being trained as part of a digital upskilling project are all examples of outputs.

This is the project's second level of results, and it refers to the project's medium-term repercussions. The majority of outcomes are related to the project's purpose (s). For example, the new ERP system is used by all users in scope, has a 99.99 percent uptime, has enhanced customer satisfaction by 25%, has reduced operational costs by 15%, and so on. Once the product/service is in place, these criteria must be measured over a set period of time. As a result, it can't be quantified right at the end of the job.

This is the third level of project outcomes, and it represents the project's long-term outcome. Most of the time, determining the exclusive influence of a project is challenging because multiple other initiatives, all of which are not identical in nature, might have the same effect. Financial value contribution (increased turnover, profit, and so on) or competitive advantage, for example. This third degree of achievement is what I refer to as "Business Success." Business success is defined by identifying the criteria by which the supplied product or service adds value to the overall organization, as well as how it contributes financially and/or strategically to the company.

B.