QIM505 Multimedia Project Management

Complete Project Proposal

James Boldiston
QIM0010/19
 Project build proposal for Rehab Plastics

This document contains a description in detail to build an integrated learning

application for Rehab Plastics. Known as the Recycling Education And Learning Application
or REAL for short, the application is designed to solve an identified gap Rehab Plastics
business model. Note that for the purposes of QIM505, this project is a real project that
will be produced as Rehab Plastics is a real business and the need to create the educational
multimedia as described here is actually required; the project proposal as described here is
not fictional. This document is a proposal to develop and as such suggests a path that will
be followed across the project to come.

The Rehab Plastics business model

Rehab plastics is based in Penang, Malaysia. The company has developed small scale
plastic recycling machinery that local communities can use to shred waste plastic and then
produce new products from that recycled plastics.
These new plastic products can then be sold online to consumers who are looking to
support and buy products that have helped the environment.
The company produces a shredder and a plastic melting extruder that can make a wide
variety of products. The business model of Rehab Plastics is build and sell systems that allow
communities to process waste plastics and sell products made from plastic processing for
profit to the community. Rehab Plastic turns rubbish into a valuable and free commodity.
The communities are motivated to collect, process and then make and sell products.
Rehab Plastics has a simple to use e-commerce website to allow easy product management.
The process of production is depicted below.
Rehab Plastics has developed the equipment and process to start marketing the system
and plans to begin active selling in October 2020.

In summary, new plastic products are made from waste plastic. Below are products
made from recycled plastic shampoo bottles. At left are mousepads and right are drink
coasters made from old shampoo bottles. A set of three coasters sells for $12 USD and costs
less than 10 cents to produce.
 At right is a shredder as
developed by Rehab Plastics. The unit
can be powered by single phase
household powerpoints. Plastic bottles
are added into the steel box on the left
and turned into 5mm pieces of plastic.
These pieces are melted in a mould to
make item such as the mousemats as
shown in the photo above.
The cost of the plastic recycling
machines is ideally covered by local
government where the community
repays a grant over 12 months by selling
recycled products.

The cost of the two machines is $7,000 USD. It is planned to sell units into
Europe, USA, Australia/NZ to local councils and provide a cheaper model that is discounted
to communities in Africa, Asia and South America. Waste management budgets in local
councils in Australia are typically more than hundreds of millions of dollars and there are
two hundred local councils in Australia; the market opportunity is good. However, there is
a problem with the plastic collection process that has been identified.

A business model issue identified

The company has identified that the production process needs support. An
educational multimedia package in order to educate communities on how to collect plastic
and how to process the plastic before shredding. Real world research has discovered
confusion exists as to what plastic can be recycled and how to centralise collection and
processing before shredding. This will lead to a shortage of available plastic to process.
This in turn threatens the success of early adopters of the Rehab Plastics model.
 The REAL application as a solution - Project Scope
The Recycling Education And Learning Application or REAL for short is a tool to support
community leaders educate their communities to ensure the business model risk as above is
managed. To do this the REAL’s application architecture is:
1. A responsive package of html5 compliant screens containing media purpose built to
support learning about the Rehab Plastic recycling model.
2. Media includes videos, printable posters and learning tools to pass onto to communities
how to collect and pre-process plastic before shredding.
3. Download as a compressed file (zip) from the Rehabplastics website, the application
runs on PC and MAC based computers.
4. Filetypes in the REAL app are PDF, .html, .jpg, .doc and .mp4.
5.
How does the REAL application work?
The application has a master script in a single word doc that provides the process a
local user champion undertakes using REAL to educate their community. In effect, the user
champion sets up areas that are easy to access comprising three (3) large bins for three
types of plastic (type 2, high density type 5 and low/medium density type low). They then
print the three posters showing what these types of plastic container look like and how to
tell from the stamped type number on the bottle. These posters are placed by the bins.
Following the script, the user champion then holds short meetings with the
community to walk them through the training information in the REAL application. By way
of a diagram the process is as depicted below in terms of knowledge transfer and end result
of using the REAL application.

Project

Development Model
The project development will be based on SCRUM rapid prototyping and development
which in effect is an agile development model. Using sprints of 2 weeks to produce
incremental productivity, the project will over 4 sprints build the REAL application.
Rather than a waterfall approach of pure development, then test/user acceptance and
release, REAL will be developed over SCRUM sprints where user testing will occur as
development delivers incremental change. In this way, UAT or user acceptance testing is
deep and detailed to ensure REAL delivers on the project ambition; REAL is designed to
quickly and clearly educate people on how to collect and process plastic waste in their
communities.
The agile model of development used in building REAL is depicted in the diagram
below. Further, this document summarises in a later section (See Project plan) the phases,
tasks and milestones as described in the REAL developments Project Plan. A link is also
provided to the Microsoft Project Plan format master project file which can be reviewed
online as a companion to this document.
The development model used allows for quick delivery of incremental versions of the
project that have gathered back end user feedback as the build rolls forward to a final master
version of the REAL application. Graphically this can be represented as:

Of note, during the development, wire frames, empathy mapping to user journeys and
prototyping as unit testing would occur before building in a formal sense to inform the process
so as to meet the user expectations of a learning system designed to educate on plastic
recycling. By way of example the following diagram(s) over page depict a wire frame for the
project and a screen snap from what would be the prototype of the REAL application. The
project plan (as included in this document) has tasks in the first phase of development to
produce wire frames, empathy maps, a user journey and working prototype to provide the
strongest possible ‘railroad track’; the project has a clearly defined model to be built. In part
this is to mitigate the risk of the project being a virtual team without face to face meetings;
the project collateral such as wire frames makes understanding the common vision of the
project simpler.

The REAL application will be when delivered:

I. 14 pages of interactive full screen responsive design;
II. Navigation over touch/click as per the site map to be drafted
III. Graphics to build printable posters, add value to the REAL pages and make a 5 minute
video. Graphics are still images and animated GIFs so as to be HTML5 compliant.
IV. Copy written/layout of design crafted with the personas of users in mind that is
educationally ‘solid’ - takes into account models of building multimedia such as Mayer’s
instructional design, Bloom’s cognitive theory of learning and Keller’s ARC model of
instructional design.
Wire frame above detailing page content across the REAL application that will be produced

Example splash page from REAL prototype that will be further developed
 The Project Manager in an agile development
Of interest, in an agile development the project manager is less leader and more a
facilitator of meeting and people empowering; the project manager acts to ensure all project
team members have equitable control of the project sprint deliveries and that their is clear
communication. The team lead/project manager (see overpage) in the case of REAL, is more
of a traditional project lead that liases with stake holders; sets the goal; programs tasks and
assigns delivery items.
In effect, the development of REAL will use agile models of development with
traditional project management of reporting - however the team leads can within their brief
have creative leadership in the agile sense.

The Project Team

The REAL development team comprises the following roles. As noted, a unique
feature of this project is that it is a real development that will be produced going forward.
Project Manager (PM) -
The PM will prepare the brief for the project; create the target project personas for the
delivery; identify hardware/software requirements and set a budget as needed to deliver the
project.
Across the project there will be four development sprints that the PM will formally
commence and close-off off. The PM will convene a joint team SCRUM meeting (this meeting
examines the delivery produced during the sprint and what if any issues need to be resolved)
before close-off.
Lead Designer (LD) -
The LD will respond to the project brief with wireframes, designs and mock-ups in
conjunction with the technical input of the lead technical architect/analyst or LT (see
below).
The LD creates any and all graphics and creates a palette and complies with the
Rehab Plastics brand identity in doing so to follow on from existing communications from
Rehab Plastics.
Lead technical architect and information analyst (LT) -
The LT specifies the framework of the application with a regard to the underlying
technology - html5 or flash; iframes or responsive for example. In this project they also act
to provide the functional specification - what functions/message does the application need to
carry or in effect what knowledge exactly is needed to be transferred and how should that
knowledge be grouped.
User testing lead (UT) -
The UT designs the test scripts test users will use to ensure the application is educating as
required and that the application is clear, consise and focuses on the desired outcomes.
The UT ensures that the application derives itself from Mayer’s items of instruction.
Notes on the roles and the Project Plan
With reference to the master Microsoft project plan underpinning the REAL
delivery, the resources named in the project plan use the naming convention as per the
above identities. For example, a task in the project plan may have a resource allocated to it
called Lead Designer which is described by the project roles listed above.

Resources and budget constraints in the project

The resources needed to deliver the REAL application are three fold: infotech
software and hardware; human resources; and budget. These three items are now
considered.

Software/hardware matrix
The table below indicates the software and hardware required to build the application.
The role the software plays is indicated as either design or structure where design is graphical
creation and structure is application structure (the creation of pages and features that deliver
the graphics). Critically, the software and hardware are common, widespread and easily
supported applications and platforms that are proven; we are not going to plan a delivery that
cannot be delivered due to a limitation of the software/hardware forge we craft with. Note
the software below sets the requirement for the hardware on which it runs and hence the
specification of the hardware is dependent in the software needs. For completeness, the
phase of the project in which the software is used is indicated.

Software Hardware Role of the software Phase

Adobe Captivate Intel I5 with 8gb Mb Structure Development
Microsoft Project Intel I5 with 8gb Mb Structure Scoping
Adobe Photoshop Intel I5 with 8gb Mb Design Scoping/Development
Adobe Premiere As above with GTX1650 Design Development
graphics card

Figma Intel I5 with 8gb Mb Structure/Design Scoping

Note that in the project all the software/hardware required is accessible from the platforms
the human capital wired into the project already possess.

Human Resources and the project demand

As noted in the project team identities depicted above, the REAL project requires
four(4) people to fulfill roles in the project: a project manager; a designer; an application
builder or architect; and a user test manager.
The REAL application is in effect the following components:
A. Software integration to allow an interactive experience that meshes graphics and
navigable menus
B. Media aligned to the styles guide of Rehab Plastics
C. Test user results from designed user test scripts
D. Planning, design and roll-out of a self-contained educational package
The roles as described above have attributes of design and build sufficient to deliver
the REAL application within the timeframe as indicated in the project plan.

Project Budget
The budget for the project is 8,000 Myr. This is spent to promote and market the
application over social media platforms. The line item for the spend is as follows:

Platform Spend Result

Facebook 3000 Myr 250,000 impressions to
Australia/NZ users
Instagram 3000 Myr 250,000 impressions to
Australia/NZ users
LinkedIn 2000 Myr 150,000 impressions to
Australia/NZ users

An impression is a delivered in context ad identifying Rehab Plastics and the REAL

application. The ad will direct ‘eyes’ back to the Rehab Plastics web portal to create sales
opportunities and will leverage the story to tell on the development of the REAL
application. This spend occurs during the roll-out phase as indicated on the project plan.
The other four remaining phases have no line items of budget expense as the
delivery is underpinned by human capital that is free to the project that have the required
software/hardware and expertise to deliver. Whilst a risk (see project risks), these
resources as a risk are mitigated over the project timeline (see mitigation below).
 As a project for a start-up venture that is funded by third party investment, there are
no tax implications per se or SST costs to be factored into the budget. The buyer of the
social media in the the roll-out phase is based outside Malaysia and they do not collect SST.

Project Timeline
The project uses Microsoft Project and deploys as five phases - Scoping; Development;
Acceptance; Roll-out; Review. The project makes use of kick-off and completion milestones
with human resources allocated to indented tasks that belong to one of the five project
phases. For ease of review, the entire project is depicted in the diagram below. The project
format is discussed over page.
The phases in the project are Scoping; Development; Acceptance; Roll-out; and Review.
The Scoping phase defines the parameters of the project; the project deliverable and the
format that the deliverable will take.
The Development phase is split into four sprints with each sprint having a deliverable build
of the application as the outcome. This deliverable is then user tested with feedback from
users driving change that is incorporated into a next and subsequent build. This method of
delivery is oft called the spiral model: within the development there is per review that
ensures that the final delivery is not a ‘big bang’ of content that is required to be tested and
evaluated before release. The REAL application is incrementally tested and change is added
that incorporates user feedback as the application moves through early development to a
final build which then moves the project into the Acceptance phase.
During the Development phase, a group of selected users who best fit the project personas
developed as representing the REAL application user base test the application using
application scripts. These scripts require the user to test the functions of the application by
providing requirements but without telling the users exactly how to access these functions:
the application should be self-evident and if it is not then the application changes with user
input to make it so. Users are also quizzed to ensure the application is passing on the
information that Rehab Plastics needs community users to understand: what plastic can be
recycled; how do you clean it; and where do you take it to be recycled.
The Acceptance phase follows the Development phase. In this phase a new group of testers
are gathered with no prior insight into the application - they are in effect blind to the
development process and will have no preconceived understanding. Provided with user
scripts to use the application, the users will again be asked what knowledge they gained
about plastic recycling to ensure that the application has adequately delivered on the project
ambition.
The Roll-out phase then follows. This is where the REAL application is releases into the
‘wild’ and end users in communities can use the application to support their recycling
operations.
As a project wrap, a final Review phase follows to isolate what went well and what could be
improved in the project. As well as detailing a future time when the application will be
slated to be enhanced to on board lessons learned from actual use.
The various resources in the project are allocated to tasks in the project.
Over the four sprints in the project development, the project changes from actioning the
defined design, wire frame and prototyping models the project began with and becomes in
turn responsive to the feedback from test users.
Over page, extracts from the project plan detail the structures as noted above.
The diagram above is the non expanded view of the project and shows the five project phases.
Note the project start and end dates; the project kicks-off early August to complete early
Novmber 2020.

At left is an expanded view of the project.

Within each phase are nested with start and end
dates that create and expected time to complete
expressed as a number of days. The sub task
Sprint 1 is expanded to show the tasks that
belong to the first of four sprints in the
devlopment phase.
Note that tasks with 0 days are
milestones that are used to highlight key
contingencies to be met before moving
the project to a subsequent phase or
task.

Graphically this is depicted in the below extract from the project plan. Blue diamond
shapes are milestones that must be completed before the task following can commence. The
length of the blue line references the number of days expected to be needed to complete the
task. The resources as human capital needed for a task are written next to each task.
 Evaluation/risks
As a spiral styled project, evaluation occurs across all phases of the delivery. Of note:

⚫ each development sprint has an end of sprint development team meeting review
(refer to SCRUM meeting in the project plan)

⚫ User testing is incremental and adds value as development continues

(refer to Test Build in the project plan)

⚫ The underlying project sponsor is engaged with regular reports as to progress

(refer to Business Report in the project plan)

On completion of the project a formal review is conducted to note what was worked well
‘out of the box’, what needed correction and if noted, what failed to work.
Evaluation is driven by the project team, business review and by persona matched test
modelling by test users.
Whilst assisting to ensure a successful outcome, the REAL project has by its nature underlying
risks that need to be understood and mitigated.

Risks
The REAL project delivers for a start-up known as Rehab Plastic. The build and design
of the equipment has been seed funded and the budget for the ongoing operation is entirely
required over the next 7 months to market and promote the recycling model.
 Fortunately, expertise has been found that will work gratis and the software required
to build REAL is bought and paid for already and exists on the laptops/pcs of the project team.
There are no hardware/software costs per se. However, from experience the project
manager of this delivery knows that little expectation can be places of free resources; not
being paid, the resources cannot be held to an aggressive timeline. Further, unexpected delays
due to these free resources having more pressing matters to attend to may and likely will
occur.
Of further note, the test users reviewing the application will take time to find as they
need to be like minded people who want to see change in plastic waste management and are
willing to give of their time.
A final threat to a successful outcome is that the project will be unable to meet given
they reside in other locations outside Malaysia; only the PM resides in Penang. A lack of clear
and concise direction can lead to wasting of resource time in avoidable re-works.

Risk Mitigation

Task deadlines
The project plan has been developed with task time to deliver estimates based on
previous experience as a number of days which is then doubled; the amount of time required
to build the application is in effect twice that which it should. Rehab Plastics will need the
REAL application by November 2020 when, it is estimated, global markets will return
attention to business after the Covid-19 epidemic and issues like plastic waste will again have
a voice that can be heard.
With a November 2020 timeline, starting in early August to draft the application allows
timeline ‘fat’ to be inbuilt to allow for slippage and other time and resource impacts to be
absorbed.
Test users
Likewise, finding people matching the personas of the REAL applications user audience
will take time. Eight(8) people are estimated to be required in the first cohort of testers and
a further new eight(8) required to test the final sprint 4 development. Allowing 7 working
days to scout for eight(8) people is adequate. It should be noted that if testers cannot be
found, the project could look to a small payment for time.
However, the personas of the users of the Rehab Plastics model will have as an
attribute an eco friendly/recycling understanding so it is important that first and foremost the
testers are willing to be involved rather than influenced to be involved.

Communications
 With the project team unable to meet directly, video conferencing will be adequate
to allow catch-up to further the project delivery. There are four(4) development meetings
over 8 week which is sufficient to ensure the project is coherent; the deliverable is a working
application with the attributes of an educational application that is simple, easy to use and
practically delivers a plastic waste recycling knowledge to user communities.
Critically, the build team are experienced and are able to work constructively together
without personality issues.

Project Proposal Summary

The REAL project is a real requirement that is intended to commence early August to
complete early November 2020. The project is a spiral model with agile features to build
regular delivery of testable builds as progress towards a final master delivery item.
Making use of wire frames, personas and prototypes to inform the build, the project
commences with a clear intended outcome. The scope of the project is bedded down and
not, given the timeline and design, an impossible task as the human resources building the
application are experienced in project delivery with a history of working together.
Risks are mitigated and understood; with regular review to ensure the direction the
project is taking is meeting the target objective.
Making use of Microsoft Project, the format of the project is built on traditional
project phases coupled with an agile decoupling from a traditional waterfall build of develop,
then test and release.