Case Study: Manager Networks is an organisation that provides networking events for business people across Australia. The company runs regular networking events but has now decided to start an annual conference event focussing on an area of business considered to be of key importance. It is hoped that the conference will provide information on cutting edge leadership topics that focus on leadership skills, knowledge and trends.

It should also promote Management Networks, as well as providing professional development for its clients.

As the Administration Manager for Manager Networks, you have been asked by the CEO to develop and implement a project schedule for the conference. Although the CEO has ultimate responsibility for the conference, you will be responsible for the ongoing development of the conference in cooperation with several other staff members, who will use their expertise in different areas to support your project management.

Donna Chisholm, who is the co-ordinator of the Manager Networks' trainers, will help with contacting and lining up the speakers. She has already drafted a Conference Program, which can be used until the speakers have been finalised.

Dan Streep, the Administration Assistant has had experience with the ground level work required for a conference, and he will help to determine and prepare the venue.

Edith Partridge, the Chief Financial Officer will be in control of the finances of the conference.

Erin O'Donnell, the Manager Networks Marketing Manager, will co-ordinate the marketing material.

The conference will be conducted on 04 October 2020. It will be a one-day event, from 9 am to 4 pm.

For the purposes of this assessment task, assume that the date of the project team meeting is 09 April 2020.

The conference style will be formal, with a balance of conference elements to ensure that outcomes are achieved.

The participant target group is managers in all industries. This group will be targeted by email using the Manager Networks data base and publicised through social media such as LinkedIn.

Conference facilities require a centrally located venue that has a conference room that can accommodate up to 150 people. Invited speakers will want to be accommodated nearby, so there will need to be an appropriate hotel in the vicinity.

The venue will also need to be able to provide onsite catering for the meeting attendees.

Budget: projected attendee numbers will be 150 people, and the suggested conference price for participants is $500 plus GST. Each person is payed $500 per week

Speakers are to receive $400 each for their participation.

1. Write a draft Project Schedule (PS)

Use MS Excel to create a Project Schedule Gantt Chart that covers all of the tasks in your WBS.

For each task, estimate its duration and effort, then work out the sequencing and the dependencies between tasks.

Keep in mind that this will be a draft version only, and the baseline PS can only be established after you have incorporated the input from the rest of the project team.

Use Project Schedule Template to guide your work.

Item Topic Kickoff Activity Responsible Calendar 9-Apr 16-Apr Week beginning 23-Apr 30-Apr 7-May 14-May 21-May 28-May 4-Jun 11- Jun 18-Jun 25-Jun |2-Jul 19-Jul 16-Jul 23-Jul 30-Jul 16-Aug 13-Aug 20-Aug 27-Aug 3-Sep 10-Sep 17-Sep 24-Sep 1-Oct 3-Oct 15-Oct 22-Oct |29-Oct 5-Nov 12-Nov Cost Risk (if any )