Case Study You should read this case study carefully, then, refer back to it frequently while preparing your answers to each question. You are part of a small team developing mobile phone applications. Your current project involves developing a game that can be played on a mobile phone and allows Bluetooth connectivity for network play. The game is to have a winter theme, and management wants the game available by 1 June 2025. The Marketing Department needs a prototype of the game by 1 May 2025 to allow sufficient time to market the game to the target audience. The total budget allocated for this project is $3000. The Marketing Department has also indicated that it is your team's responsibility to identify the target audience and conduct a survey of a sample of them to identify the most appropriate distribution channel for your game. Management would like to see your team's project plan before giving the go-ahead on the project. Thus, you are required to provide the following on behalf of your team. Questions: a) Identify five stakeholders and indicate their influence on the project. b) Prepare a preliminary scope statement. Refer to the lecture slides for the Scope statement template. c) Provide a WBS (level 2/3) - Word doc or MS Project. Refer to the lecture slides for the WBS structure. d) Provide the Resources, Schedule (Gantt Chart) and Budget for the project. Please use Project Libre to create the Gantt chart. You can download Project Libre at https://sourceforge.net/projects/projectlibre/ https://sourceforge.net/projects/projectlibre/files/ProjectLibre/ (Target the high-level details that the Board of Directors will require to decide). e) Prepare a communication plan for all your team members and the key stakeholders.............

here is the question and now i will provide you with the answer below, can you please provide me with the feedback whether its right or wrong..... if wrong, can you please help me improve it to score the highest possible marks....

Executive Summary

This project report delivers a comprehensive project plan for the design and deployment of "Winter Wonderland," a mobile game with Bluetooth-enabled multiplayer capability, aligned with a winter theme. Designed to be engaging, seasonal, and easy to access, the game supports local multiplayer play and aims to release a prototype by 1 May 2025 and a final version by 1 June 2025. Operating under a strict $3000 budget, the project requires alignment between development, marketing, and end-users to ensure commercial viability and user satisfaction. The report applies core project management principles from PMBOK and Agile methodologies to guide the planning, execution, and delivery stages. Key focus areas include stakeholder engagement, resource management, scheduling via a Gantt chart, budget planning, and a communication framework. This structured approach is essential to mitigate risks, meet tight deadlines, and deliver quality outcomes within constraints. By integrating survey-driven decision-making and iterative testing, the project maximizes its chances of successful deployment and positive reception in the mobile gaming market.

2. Introduction

The mobile gaming industry has undergone rapid transformation in the last decade, fueled by ubiquitous smartphone adoption and advances in digital connectivity. Seasonal games, especially those with easy multiplayer functionality, are in demand due to their appeal during specific cultural or festive periods. In this context, the "Winter Wonderland" mobile game project is both timely and strategically sound. The game is intended to create an immersive experience with a winter theme, offering offline Bluetooth multiplayer functionality to cater to users without constant internet access.

From a project management perspective, this initiative encompasses classic ICT project challenges, including constrained budgets, tight timelines, cross-functional team coordination, and iterative development processes. As outlined by the Project Management Institute (2021), the application of structured project methodologies like the PMBOK Guide, combined with adaptive Agile strategies, provides a balanced framework for delivering high-value products efficiently. This report presents a comprehensive project plan, including stakeholder identification, scope definition, resource scheduling, budgeting, risk mitigation strategies, and communication planning. The emphasis is on achieving stakeholder satisfaction, minimizing rework, and ensuring timely delivery by applying contemporary tools and best practices in project management.

3. Stakeholder Identification and Analysis

Stakeholders are defined as individuals or groups who are affected by or can influence the outcome of a project (PMI, 2021). Proper stakeholder management is essential for aligning expectations, maintaining support, and avoiding resistance or scope creep. In the Winter Wonderland project, stakeholders fall into both internal and external categories, each with distinct interests and levels of influence.

Table 1: Stakeholder Analysis

Stakeholder	Type	Influence	Role and Impact
Project Sponsor / Management	Internal	High	Authorizes project initiation, allocates the $3000 budget, and approves key deliverables. Their decision-making authority directly influences the project timeline and scope.
Development Team	Internal	High	Executes core tasksgame design, coding, testing. Their availability, skills, and collaboration efficiency determine whether the game meets technical and functional expectations.
Marketing Department	Internal	Medium-High	Responsible for campaign development based on early access to the prototype. Their research guides audience targeting and distribution strategies, influencing revenue potential.
Target Users / Survey Participants	External	Medium	End-users whose feedback through surveys informs game design and platform preferences. Ensuring engagement and accurate data from this group is critical to product-market fit.
App Store Platforms	External	Low-Medium	Entities like the Apple App Store and Google Play that set publishing standards, pricing models, and compliance requirements. They can delay or reject the app if guidelines aren't met.

Effective stakeholder mapping, such as Mendelow's Matrix, can further guide communication frequency and style for each group (Bourne, 2015). Prioritizing high-power and high-interest stakeholders ensures key decision-makers are well-informed and invested throughout the project lifecycle.

4. Preliminary Scope Statement

A scope statement is essential to define the boundaries, objectives, deliverables, and constraints of a project. It ensures that stakeholders have a unified understanding of what the project includes and excludes, which helps prevent scope creep and enables better risk management (PMI, 2021).

Project Title: Winter Wonderland Mobile Game

Project Purpose and Justification: The purpose of this project is to develop a Bluetooth-based, winter-themed mobile game that allows for network play without the need for internet connectivity. The game fills a niche for casual multiplayer gaming during the winter season, leveraging the increased interest in themed entertainment. From a business perspective, the limited scope and defined timeline allow the development team to deliver a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) with high user engagement potential. The decision to incorporate Bluetooth functionality aligns with market research showing demand for lightweight, offline games in certain demographics (Newzoo, 2023).

Product Scope Description: The mobile game will include a user interface designed with winter aesthetics, basic controls, and Bluetooth-enabled multiplayer capabilities. It will be built for Android and iOS platforms, and optimized for casual gameplay among friends. The game design will emphasize accessibility, speed, and fun. It will not include monetization features or advanced online functionality at launch.

Project Objectives:

Deliver a working prototype to the marketing team by 1 May 2025.

Launch a completed version of the game on app stores by 1 June 2025.

Remain within a $3000 project budget.

Conduct a survey to determine the most suitable distribution platform based on user preferences.

Deliverables:

Project Charter and planning documentation

Prototype game version

Final version submitted to app stores

Market research survey and analysis

Compliance documents for app store submission

Exclusions:

Online multiplayer capability via servers

In-game purchases or monetization strategies

Support for additional languages beyond English

Constraints:

Time: Must deliver the prototype and final version by the specified deadlines

Budget: Strict limit of $3000

Scope: Focus only on Bluetooth-based multiplayer with core gaming functionality

Assumptions:

The development team will be fully available throughout the project

Bluetooth functionality will be consistent across devices tested

App store requirements remain stable throughout the development cycle

Target users will provide sufficient survey responses for data analysis

Acceptance Criteria:

Game prototype is approved by marketing by the 1 May 2025 deadline

Final version is tested, meets internal quality standards, and is approved by app stores by 1 June 2025

Survey yields actionable insights to support marketing decisions

A well-structured scope statement helps establish performance baselines and ensures the project's focus remains aligned with its business goals (Kerzner, 2017).

5. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of the total scope of work to accomplish project objectives and create the deliverables. It provides clarity by organizing project activities into manageable sections, thereby facilitating better control over timelines, costs, and responsibilities (PMI, 2021).

A well-developed WBS ensures traceability between the work and the deliverables, allowing project teams to assign ownership, monitor progress, and identify risks early. In this project, the WBS uses a Level 2/3 breakdown to reflect both high-level project phases and their associated subtasks.

Figure 1: Level 2/3 WBS for Winter Wonderland Game Project

Initiation

1.1 Define goals and objectives

1.2 Identify stakeholders

1.3 Develop project charter

Planning

2.1 Define scope and deliverables

2.2 Develop schedule and assign resources

2.3 Risk and quality planning

2.4 Approve project plan

Design

3.1 Create game storyline and characters

3.2 Wireframe and UI mock-ups

3.3 Bluetooth multiplayer framework design

Development

4.1 Code game logic and user interface

4.2 Integrate Bluetooth functionality

4.3 Internal alpha testing

Prototype Release

5.1 Compile and prepare prototype

5.2 Internal demo and revisions

5.3 Delivery to marketing

User Research

6.1 Define target audience

6.2 Design survey questions

6.3 Conduct and analyze survey

6.4 Choose distribution platform

Final Testing and QA

7.1 External beta testing

7.2 Debugging and performance checks

7.3 Prepare app store compliance documentation

Deployment

8.1 Submit to app stores

8.2 Final release announcement

8.3 Launch support and updates

Closure

9.1 Final report and presentation

9.2 Team debriefing and feedback session

9.3 Archive project documents

This WBS integrates principles from both waterfall and agile methodologies. For example, the development cycle adopts iterative testing and feedback, while the overall structure retains a phased approach typical of predictive planning. The result is a hybrid framework that improves adaptability without sacrificing control over scope and deliverables (Kerzner, 2017). and measurable outcomes, facilitating both waterfall and agile elements of project execution.

6. Resources, Gantt Chart, and Budget

Resource Requirements Efficient resource allocation is critical for a low-budget, time-sensitive project. The roles below are selected for cross-functional delivery:

Role	Responsibility	Allocation
Project Manager	Planning, stakeholder communication, reporting	20%
Game Developer	Core development, debugging, versioning	40%
UI/UX Designer	Game aesthetics, UI wireframes, animation	20%
QA Tester	Testing (unit, alpha, beta), feedback reporting	10%
Marketing Analyst	Survey design, data analysis, coordination	10%

Gantt Chart Overview The following simplified chart illustrates major phases (detailed Gantt to be prepared in ProjectLibre):

Phase	Start	End	Duration
Initiation	01 Mar 2025	05 Mar 2025	5 days
Planning	06 Mar 2025	15 Mar 2025	10 days
Design	16 Mar 2025	26 Mar 2025	10 days
Development	27 Mar 2025	20 Apr 2025	25 days
Prototype Release	21 Apr 2025	01 May 2025	11 days
Survey + Research	01 Apr 2025	30 Apr 2025	30 days (overlap)
Final Testing	02 May 2025	20 May 2025	19 days
Deployment	21 May 2025	01 Jun 2025	12 days
Closure	02 Jun 2025	05 Jun 2025	4 days

Budget Allocation (Total AUD $3000) A strict budget is managed through strategic resource prioritization:

Category	Estimated Cost
Developer Hours	$1200
UI/UX Design Software & Assets	$500
Testing Tools and Devices	$400
Marketing Surveys & Analytics	$500
App Store Publishing Fees	$300
Miscellaneous / Contingency	$100

The budget aligns with agile delivery, where MVP (minimum viable product) testing and feedback loops are emphasized before additional costs (Highsmith, 2019).

7. Communication Plan

An effective communication plan ensures that all stakeholders are kept informed and aligned throughout the project lifecycle. Communication in ICT projects is vital to synchronize tasks across different functional teams, mitigate misunderstandings, and maintain engagement with decision-makers and end-users. The Project Management Institute (2021) emphasizes that clear communication channels contribute significantly to project success by enhancing transparency and enabling proactive risk management.

In the Winter Wonderland project, a diverse set of internal and external stakeholders have varying information needs. This necessitates a structured communication matrix that specifies what information should be communicated, who is responsible, and how often it should be shared.

Table 2: Communication Plan

Stakeholder	Information Required	Communication Method	Frequency	Owner
Project Sponsor	Project status, financial tracking, milestone achievements	Formal reports, emails, milestone presentations	Bi-weekly and on milestones	Project Manager
Development Team	Task allocations, deadlines, issue tracking, sprint updates	Daily stand-ups, Slack, sprint review meetings	Daily	Scrum Master / Project Manager
Marketing Department	Prototype availability, survey feedback results, design alignment	Weekly syncs, shared dashboards, progress reports	Weekly	Marketing Analyst
Survey Respondents	Survey instructions, participation follow-up, thank-you messages	Online forms, email notifications	One-time with reminder	Marketing Analyst
QA Tester	Testing scope, bug report protocols, testing timelines	Jira updates, email briefings, shared documents	As required during testing phases	QA Lead

Communication will use both synchronous (e.g., meetings, video calls) and asynchronous (e.g., Slack, email, dashboards) tools. For traceability and record-keeping, all key updates will be documented in a shared drive accessible to all core team members. Escalation protocols will be defined to handle delays or risk incidents, ensuring swift stakeholder response when issues arise.

By tailoring communication strategies based on stakeholder power and interestdrawing from tools such as the RACI matrix and stakeholder engagement gridsthe project can build trust and ensure accountability (Bourne, 2015). This structured communication framework supports timely feedback loops, reduces project ambiguity, and increases the likelihood of successful delivery.

8. Conclusion

The Winter Wonderland mobile game project illustrates how strategic project management, when grounded in formal methodologies like PMBOK and Agile frameworks, can effectively transform a conceptual idea into a structured, achievable deliverable. This report provided a roadmap from initiation to closure, highlighting how well-defined objectives, clear stakeholder engagement, meticulous planning, and adaptive execution contribute to successful project outcomes.

The game's scopedelivering a Bluetooth-enabled multiplayer experience within a $3000 budgetdemands careful attention to resource allocation, team coordination, and risk management. The report emphasizes the integration of hybrid project methodologies: the structured sequencing of Waterfall ensures milestone accountability, while Agile methods like iterative development and rapid prototyping allow the project team to respond quickly to change and feedback.

Communication emerged as a central success factor, enabling real-time collaboration across technical and marketing teams, as well as engagement with end-users through surveys. Tools such as stakeholder matrices, Gantt charts, and the Work Breakdown Structure offered clarity and transparency to both management and team members.

With effective use of a lightweight budget, phased deliverables, and targeted user research, this project is positioned to deliver a fun and functional product on time. The plan is not just academically sound, but also commercially viable, offering lessons in how ICT project managers can deliver quality solutions by balancing strategic alignment, user engagement, and agile responsiveness..............