Reference no: EM133251556

Case Study: Silver Wattle Solutions (SWS) Pty Ltd Silver Wattle Solutions (SWS) is an Australian company that makes a range of ingredients harvested from Australian wattle trees . Operations include the management of dedicated wattle tree farms , a manufacturing plant, and s ales and distribution. In recent years the company has grown by purchasing s mall native tree farms in locations across Australia. These farms are usually run by small operators , with limited staff. Buying smaller farms is a successful growth strategy which has enabled the company to ramp up production and export of their extracted minerals, oils, wattle seeds and other ingredients. One of the challenges with this expansion strategy is the need to bring these small farms into a standard business operating system, or Enterprises e Resource Planning (ERP) system. This includes elements such as HR (recruiting, payroll, performance management), tracking and management of expenses and s ales , and as s et management (status of trees and their readiness for harvesting). The small tree farms, prior to being purchased by SWS, have historically used vastly different systems for managing their business needs. These range from individual excel files to paper-based systems . Many of these systems contain years of data that is considered essential to the performance of healthy tree growth, and which help ensure the trees are harvested at the right time. SWS is keen to ensure this information is transitioned to the cloud-based replacement system in a careful a nd accurate way. SWS has been through an investigation of potential Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms has decided to utilize Microsoft Dyna mics 365 Business Central. This platform does not specialize in tree production and management. A plug-in will need to be developed to ensure farm-specific data can be recorded a nd drawn from in order to meet the specific needs of each farm and their harvesting schedule. Moving from individua l systems to a cloud-based platform is not expected to be easy. SWS Head Office has identified the need for a dedicated project manager to oversee the project, identify a nd manage key project risks , and to design a project plan that will work with a nd meet the needs of each of the smaller tree producing companies . The project is considered a high priority for SWS however it must not interfere with peak harvesting season, which is July-October.

Review the case study above and consider the following questions :

Question 1. In planning this project, you want to ensure you apply a project management methodology that works best for the specific project circumstances . Asses s each of the project management methodologies covered in CSE5PM and recommend one project management methodology you believe would work best. Provide your reasons on why you believe this to be the best approach.

Question 2. There are risks with any approach, and as Project Manager you understand this . Outline some of the key risks with your preferred project management methodology. Asses s how these risks might impact on project budget, schedule and quality as expressed in the time-quality-cos t triangle theory. Identify which 's ide/ s 'of the triangle you believe could be compromised and which of the others should be prioritized. Provide a justification for your answer.

Question 3. It is difficult to find people with the right expertise to develop a tree-management system plug-in. You consider approaching SWS management to discuss separating this from the main project components . Outline benefits and risks from doing this and make a recommendation on the best way forward.

Question 4. Develop an outline (major headings and subheadings only) project management plan specific to the project.

Question 5. Provide an outline of the critical skills and project managing style you think would be essential in a Project Manager for this project. Ensure your answer relates to the specifics of this case study