Projects are the driving force behind change for any organization, especially when it comes to organizing and operating a collaborative event. Accordingly, the way to create business value of an organization through the implementation of project activities depends on the capabilities and resources of the organization, as well as on its project management strategy. According to Geraldi and Söderlund (2017), “project management traditionally refers to the processes, tools, techniques, and concepts to manage the execution of the project” (p. 57). Thus, the initial phase of the Lucky Me Animal Rescue adoption should begin with a comprehensive analysis: what goals this project strives to achieve and what means are there to support them. A professional, well-designed team is crucial for any initiative – the scope of tasks and responsibilities calls for a diversified approach only a cooperation of skilled individuals can employ. Therefore, it is imperative to determine who will be working on the project and what formation should the team implement, as the event’s success will depend on the effectivity of its collaborative efforts.
The project team should be formed after the initial phase analysis is complete to begin preparations for the event. It is expected that the team will be comprised of individuals who have already worked together before to lower the risks of conflicts and increase cooperation. To prepare for the event, the team will be asked to come and work at the Lucky Me Animal Rescue for a day in order to gain better understanding of the organization’s challenges and goals. Sylvius (2017) emphasizes that the collaboration of sustainability and project management creates a new way of thinking in the field of PM. This will also help unify the team, as cooperative work would help the members establish positive contact and develop a communication flow. Considering all of the above, the team will have to operate both in reality and online. The members will need to group together to discuss the process of preparations, and online meetings will help with communicating small tasks and details.
In terms of members, the team will need a social media marketing specialist to provide a high-quality coverage of the event in Internet, as well as a designer and a copywriter to create unique content for it. Seeing as they will work closely together on the same task, all three will need to have a significant level of expertise to be able to align their visions into a well-developed product. The SMM-manager will have to execute leadership skills to communicate their ideas to the designer and the copywriter, and guide them throughout the whole process of preparing media coverage.
Next, a communication specialist will be needed: they will have to constantly communicate with press and rescue representatives to manage the flow of public information about the event. A small sub-group of sanitation experts will be necessary to develop the guest welcoming and hygiene managing routine in the light of latest pandemic. Finally, another sub-group consisting of event-managers from the company and animal specialists from the rescue will work together on the general event planning and provision. They will need to exercise good leadership and time-management competencies, as well as expertise in budgeting. Each team member is important, as they will have to take on specific tasks that will require special skills and knowledge. Only by joining together the professional abilities of every employee, it will be possible to design a successful event.
An important part of project planning is keeping stakeholders updated to ensure the consistency of the work. The team will schedule weekly meetings with the main stakeholders – the company’s managing lead, the rescue and the state/city’s representatives – to provide them with the information on the event progress. Larsson and Larsson (2020) add that “extensive collaborative business arrangement has promoted sustainable deliveries based upon organizational learning and continuous improvements” (p. 585). During these meetings, the stakeholders will evaluate what has already been done and discuss what is planned ahead to ensure the team’s adherence to the plan and policies.
References
Geraldi, J., & Söderlund, J. (2018). Project studies: What it is, where it is going. International Journal of Project Management, 36(1), 55–70. Web.
Larsson, J., & Larsson, L. (2020). Integration, application and importance of collaboration in Sustainable Project Management. Sustainability, 12(2), 585. Web.
Silvius, G. (2017). Sustainability as a new school of thought in Project Management. Journal of Cleaner Production, 166, 1479–1493. Web.