This case was developed as a learning resource in conjunction with Understanding Project Management A Practical Guide by Dave C. Barrett, published by CSP Books Inc.

BACKGROUND

You have recently purchased an old panel van with the hope that you can fulfill your dream of owning a food truck. You could not afford the van on your own and convinced your former classmate, Roshan Singh to join you in this venture. He agrees but insists on approving all decisions before they are implemented.

You have always liked Roshan. He is a friendly guy, but you remember that he can be difficult if he is not provided with all the details.

THE OPTIONS

Speaking of details, you must make the first decision soon if you are going to make the Fall festival season. How are you going to re-purpose the van from people-carrier to food truck? You start to think about some options:

1. In talking with some food truck owners in the past, you know that hiring a professional to do the whole job is a possibility.

2. You could pull together a team to completely re-fit the van without professional help.

3. And finally, there is the option of stripping the interior on your own, then have a professional install the specialized kitchen equipment.

The first option (professional) would be the easiest choice with the least inconvenience. A few quick calls let you know that this option would cost $50,000. The second option of running the total re-fit yourself has the least cost at $25,000, but you are concerned about timelines and imposing on your friends to do the work. The third option (prepping for the professional installation by yourself) may be difficult to coordinate with the pros and would come in at $35,000.

THE DECISION

1. Your team will create the specified project documents.

2. Your team will discuss with the Sponsor/Professor what option you recommend should be used.

ACTIVITY-BASED SCHEDULE
Date Produced
Project Name	[This section contains the project name that should appear consistently on all project documents. Organizations often have project naming conventions.]
Activity		Duration	Start Date	End Date
[Name of the phase]
[Name of the activity]		[Duration of the activity]	[Start date of the activity]	[End date of the activity]
[Name of the phase]
[Name of the activity]		[Duration of the activity]	[Start date of the activity]	[End date of the activity]

BUSINESS CASE
Proposed Project	[At this point, the project is not yet approved, so it may not have its final name or the name may change. The current name or identifier should be included here.]
Date Produced	[The date the Business Case is produced.]
Background	[This section should include information that will help the reader understand the context and background history regarding the potential project. This section should not be written assuming that the background is common knowledge, but instead should be specific in order to create a common understanding of the context.]
Business Need/ Opportunity	[This section should demonstrate the business need or opportunity that the proposed project will address.]
Options	[This section documents the potential approaches to complete the project. There are always a minimum of two options: perform the project or do nothing.]
Cost-Benefit Analysis
[This section contains the detailed costs and benefits of each option listed in the previous section. The costs may include considerations such as financial expenditures, the amount of time required, possible risks, and the potential for reduced quality. The benefits may include the potential of increased sales, market share, and brand recognition, and the reduction of errors and ongoing costs. Each option should be clearly identified and listed separately.]
Recommendation
[This section contains the recommended option from the previous section.]

COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT PLAN
Date Produced
Project Name	[This section contains the project name that should appear consistently on all project documents. Organizations often have project naming conventions.]
Communication Name	Description	Audience/Attendees	Timing
[Short name of the communication]	[Full description of the communication, including the purpose and the communication medium to be used.]	[People or group to receive or attend the communication]	[Date or frequency of the communication]