CONVOCATION 2019

PROJECT REPORT

PROJECT MANAGEMENT (MBA G523)

Submitted To
Dr. RAJESH MATAI

Submitted By (Group 1)

M GAYATHRI SHEETAL 2017H1490294P

KALYANI UPADHYE 2017H1490310P
ARPIT AGARWAL 2017H1490311P
ANKIT GHOSH 2017H1490339P
AKHIL MADHU 2017H1490340P
CHICHULA VENKATESH 2017H1490358P
BHARAT KUMAR PATTEM 2017H1490360P
VAVILALA KARTHIK 2017H1490366P

Department of Management
BITS Pilani
2018 -2019

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Contents
PROJECT SCOPE .......................................................................................................................................................... 3
 Project objective ............................................................................................................................................ 3
 Deliverables.................................................................................................................................................... 3
 Milestones...................................................................................................................................................... 3
 Technical requirements ................................................................................................................................. 3
 Limits and exclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 3
 Customer review ............................................................................................................................................ 4
PROCESS BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE .......................................................................................................................... 5
PROJECT TEAMS AND REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 9
PROJECT NETWORK INFORMATION......................................................................................................................... 10
ACTIVITY-ON-NODE (AON) NETWORK ..................................................................................................................... 11
PROJECT COST .......................................................................................................................................................... 12
MANAGING RISKS .................................................................................................................................................... 15
 Risk Identification......................................................................................................................................... 15
 Risk Assessment ........................................................................................................................................... 15
 Risk Response Matrix ................................................................................................................................... 16
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT ............................................................................................................................. 17
PROJECT CLOSURE ................................................................................................................................................... 19

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PROJECT SCOPE
 Project objective – To successfully plan and conduct Convocation 2019 at BITSPILANI, Pilani campus
for the outgoing batches on July 21st 2019
 Deliverables –
o Graduation certificates to the outgoing students
o Annual awards & recognitions to the top performers in academics, sports and other extra-
curricular activities
o Food facilities for all the invitees and accommodation for the chief guests invited
o E-mail/hard copy invitations to all the invitees
o Transport facilities for the chief guests
 Milestones -
o Identifying prospective chief-guests from various sources like alumni relations, Institutional
contacts, past guest list etc. and sending out initiation mails to invite them to the campus by
March 15th 2019.
o Preparing final guest lists, invitations and sending them out by April 15th 2019.
o Design, test and go-live of convocation website by May 10th 2019.
o Sending out initiation mails to all the outgoing students by May 20th 2019.
o Finalizing the contract for photo and videography for the event by June 1st 2019.
o Finalizing the transport contract for the chief-guests by June 5th 2019.
o Sending out Invitations to the registered students by June 10th 2019.
o Finalizing the catering contract by June 10th 2019.
o Ordering and delivery of trophies and certificates for awards by June 30th 2019.
o Preparation of student kits consisting of yearbook, convocation attire, congratulatory card,
pen and a notepad by June 30th 2019
o Making arrangements and finalizing the same for accommodation at VFAST and Alumni home
on campus by July 10th 2019.
o Dress rehearsal on July 20th 2019.

 Technical requirements –
o Sound system: Sound system, mikes, speakers.
o Lighting: On stage colored lights, basic lighting at the venue.
o Video: Projectors and screen, event recording and photography.
o Miscellaneous: Backup system, Tables, chairs, Nameplates, curtains etc.

 Limits and exclusions –

Institution will be providing accommodation only for the chief guests. Students and parents have to make their
own arrangements for the same. However, the list of nearby hotels with their tariffs and contacts will provided
on the convocation website

o The convocation attire will be provided as part of a student kit on the day of the event on a
rental basis. The institution will be collecting a caution deposit for the same which is refundable
on successful return of the attire

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 o The food contract only includes tea/coffee and lunch provision on the day of the event
o Only the students who will be completing their degree in 2019 are eligible for the convocation

 Customer review –
o Feedback from students

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 PROCESS BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE

Convocation 2019

Exclusive Invitation Event

Student Awards and Guest Technical
website s Entertaining support recognition Venue(F)
kit(C) management( Food(H) deliverables
performance personnel
(A) (B) (E) G) (I)
(D)

Exclusive
website(A)

Registration Accommo Food

Schedule
details dation preferences
List of nearby
Instruction Fee hotels with Time and Important
tariffs and Dates Login
s details events contacts
contacts

For For
Convocati Registratio Individual Fee net
Initiation Deadlines Rehearsal general technical
on n food banking
queries issues
preference
s

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 Invitations
(B)

E-mail Hard copy

Students& Institutional Institutional

Faculty Chief guests Chief guests dignitaries
dignitaries
parents

Student kit (C)

Congratulatory
Yearbook Attire Pen & notepad
card

Event support
personnel ( D)

Sound,lighting and
On-campus
video
support & Event host Caterers
management
assistance
teams

Registration teams Volunteers

To help & assist

On-stage Help desk
guests

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 Awards and
recognition
(E)

Graduation Student
certificates awards

Best outgoing Top academic

Miscellaneous
student performers

Venue (F)

Sufficient
Decoration Seating Banner
capacity

Carpet Plants Banners

Food(H)

Lunch
Coffee/tea
buffet

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 Guest
management(G)

Accommodation Transport

Special assistance for

Vfast Alumni home Cab service
female chief guests

Technical
deliverables
(I)

Sound Lighting Furnitu

Video
re
Sound system
Mik Spea management
e,po kers
diu Onsta Basi Backu
m ge c p
Phot
Projector Event
ogra
& screen phy recor
ding

Wat Table Nam

Tables/ch Curta
erb - epla
airs ins
ottl cloth tes
es es

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PROJECT TEAMS AND REQUIREMENTS

Below is a list of teams that would be required to conduct the convocation 2019 successfully. The teams are
required to be cross-functional i.e.

1) Event Management Team:

 This team would be looking after the management of the entire Convocation 2019 event and will be
coordinating with all the other teams. It ensures proper planning and scheduling for all the deliverables
promised.
 It would be planning various events that are to be done on convocation day and scheduling these
events.
 Volunteers from the 1st year and the 2nd year would be required and one of them would be the Point of
Contact. Each volunteer has to be present in one of the working team. For example: one volunteer in
technical team, one in hospitality and logistics team, one in food management/catering team.
 Each volunteer has to look after the requirements of their team.

2) Invitations Team (Guest and students):

 The work of this team is to send invitations to all the students and the guests for the convocation.
 Once the online registrations are done, the team has to make a detailed list of the students who are
interested in attending the convocation.

Requirements:

 List and emails of the entire pass out students.

 List of all the chief guests of the past and finalizing the new possible chief guest
considering their response to the initial email invitation sent.
 Printout and other decoration items for the hard copy invites to be sent.

3) Logistics and Hospitality Team:

 The work of this team is to look after the logistics, operational aspects and accommodation for the
guests.
 Its work is to see that all the arrangements such as seats, stalls, stage setup requirements. Also it needs
to coordinate with the vendors who are providing all these things.
 The logistics team would also require 1st year and 2nd year volunteers.

4) Award and degree distribution team:

 The team has to finalize the final design for the awards and certificates.
 They also would have to co-ordinate with the Invitations team to get the exact count of the students
attending the event.
 This team will look into smooth distribution of awards and degree certificates to the students during the
convocation. Coordinate with the chief guests during award distribution. They also have to co-ordinate
with the anchor for the event.

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 5) Food management/Catering team:
 They have to negotiate with the caterers to get the best deal for the event.
 Also, they would require the list of the students and guests from the invitations team.
 Food preference form list from the website development and maintenance team.
 Co-ordination with the event management team and the logistics team to set up the stalls and for
other requirements.

6) Website Development and Maintenance Team:

 The team develops and maintains the convocation website.

Requirements:

3-4 Full stack developers and support/maintenance people.

7) Auditorium Force Team:

 This team looks after the entire backstage support.

 They also assist the sounds and the lights team.

PROJECT NETWORK INFORMATION

We have estimated the project duration considering the previous year’s convocation and also taking references
from our own department event Interface’18

Activity Description Predecessor Duration Relationship

(hrs)
A Preparation of schedule - 48 -
B Design of website - 168 -
C Invitation and A 168 Start to Finish
confirmation of guests
D Booking venue as per A 24 Start to Finish
schedule
E Registration of students B, A 168 Start to Finish
F Arranging rooms and C 24 Start to Finish
transportation for the
confirmed guest
G Decoration of the venue D 36 Start to Finish
H Arranging technical D 48 Start to Finish
deliverables
I Allotment of hostel E 24 Start to Finish
rooms for registered
candidates and
certificates
J Ordering food according E, F 72 Start to Finish
to the preference
K Convocation G, H, I, J 24 Start to Finish

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ACTIVITY-ON-NODE (AON) NETWORK

336 I 360
0 B 168 168 E 336 48 48
0 0 0 0 384 24 408
0 168 168 168 168 336

216 F 240
96 96
312 24 336 336 J 408
0 0 408 K 432
336 72 408 0 0
0 A 48 48 C 216
408 24 432
96 96 96 96
96 48 144 144 168 312

48 D 72 72 G 108
288 288 300 300
336 24 360 372 36 408

72 H 120
288 288
360 48 408

Inference:

The critical Path is: B-E-J-K

This network therefore shows that the design of website is the most important activity in terms of time.

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PROJECT COST
We have used the apportion method of estimating project cost. The estimates considered are:

Students-1200, Chief guests-10 and Institutional dignitaries -50

Convocation 2019
Total Cost:
1672700
100%
Student Event Awards
Invitatio Entertainin Guest Food(H)
Exclusive kit(C) support and Technical
ns g Venue(F management (11.2%)
website (69.94%) personnel recogniti deliverable
performanc ) (G) 188000
(A) (B) e on s (I)
1170000 (D) (1.91%) (2.69%)
(0.54%) (0.07%) (E)
(4.78%) 32000 45000
8000 1200 (8.87%)
80000
148500

Each hard copy of the invitation is considered to be of Rs.20

Invitations (B)
(0.07%)
1200

Hard copy
E-mail (0.07%)
1200

Institutional
Chief guests dignitaries
Students& Institutional
Faculty Chief guests (0.019%) (0.06%)
parents dignitaries
200 1000

Considering that year book cost is Rs.350, attire cost is Rs.600, congratulatory card if Rs.10 and pen& notepad
costs Rs.15, below are the cost details.

Student kit (C)

(69.94%)
1170000

Yearbook Attire Congratulatory Pen & notepad

(25.10%) (43.04%) card(0.717%) 18000(1.076%)
420000 720000 12000

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 Event support
personnel ( D)
(4.78%)
80000

Sound,lighting and
video management Caterers
On-campus support &
Event host teams (0.6%)
assistance
(4.18%)
10000
70000

Registration teams Volunteers

On-stage Help desk To help & assist guests

Graduation certificates- Rs.100 each, Student awards- Rs.150 each.

Since there are 30 branches in BITS Pilani, considering top 2 academic performers awards for 30 branches makes it to 60
students, best 30 outgoing students and 100 other miscellaneous awards.

Awards and recognition

(E)
(8.87%)
148500

Graduation Student awards

certificates (1.7%)
(7.17%) 28500

120000

Top academic
Best outgoing student Miscellaneous
performers
(0.26%) (0.89%)
(0.53%)
4500 15000
9000

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 Venue (F)
(1.91%)
32000

Decoration Banner
Sufficient
(0.717%) Seating (1.193%)
capacity
12000 20000

Carpet Plants
(0.597%) (0.12%) Banners
10000 2000

Guest management(G)
(2.69%)
45000

Accommodation Transport
(0.895%) (1.79%)
15000 30000

Vfast Alumni home Special assistance for female

Cab service chief guests
(0.298%) (0.597%) (0.89%)
(0.89%)
5000 10000 15000 15000

Considering the per plate cost to be Rs.150, and ~Rs.7 for tea/coffee

Food(H) 11.2%
188000

Lunch buffet
Coffee/tea
(10.76%)
(0.44%) 8000
180000

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MANAGING RISKS

 Risk Identification
There are several risks that have a possibility to occur during the convocation. The main risks are selected and
analyzed. To make the risks more viewable, risks can be categorized into different sections like technical,
External, Organizational, Project management. But here, most of the risks get segregated in technical section.

Important risks focused are:

1) Handling too many deliverables at a time.

2) Delay in invitation through mails or in-hand to students and chief guests.

3) Delay in schedule of events on the day of convocation.

4) Delay in print of certificates and mementos to be distributed to students.

5) Electricity interruption during the time of convocation.

6) Accidents, mishaps and disasters.

7) Unable to get approvals from all departments.

8) Running out of budget.

9) Insufficient food for students and guests.

10) Insufficient seating capacity for all the students and visitors.

 Risk Assessment
After the main risks are identified, the risks should be assessed based on the severity and probability. There are
many methods to assess the risks. We choose risk assessment form for assessing the risks. Risk assessment form
mainly focuses on three factors, Likelihood, Detection and Impact.

 Each of the risks is ranked from 1 to 5 based on the levels.

 In Probability, 1 is of less probability rank and 5 is most probability from occurrence of risk.
 In impact, 1 is low impact and 5 is high impact risk.
 In detection, 1 is lots of time to react and 5 is no warning.

Based on these parameters all the above risks are ranked and assessed.

Risk Event Likelihood Impact Detection When

Difficulty
Delay in inviting students and chief 2 3 2 Prior to start
guests
Handling too many deliverables 2 2 1 Anytime

Delay in scheduled events 4 4 4 After the start of

event

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 Delay in print of certificates and 3 3 3 Prior to start
mementos
Electricity interruption 3 4 5 During event

Accidents and Mishaps 2 5 5 During event

Unable to get approvals 3 3 1 February

Running out of budget 3 4 2 February –March

Insufficient food 3 4 4 After the event

Insufficient seating capacity 3 3 3 Before and during

event

Table1: Risk Assessment Form

 Risk Response Matrix

After all the risks are prioritized based on the scores of risk assessment form, the response for each risk are
recorded. For this we use risk response matrix, where it majorly focuses on response, contingency plan, trigger
and who is responsible.

Risk Event Response Contingency Plan Trigger Who is

responsible?
Delay in inviting Mitigate: Schedule it 2 If hardcopy invitations Call from Chief Logistics and
students and chief months before the are not ready send Organiser Hospitality
guests convocation mails lead

Handling too many Mitigate: Allot timing for Readdress project Project teams Organising
deliverables each deliverable and scope committee
prioritize
Delay in scheduled Mitigate: Rehearsal and If delay by hour or Call from Event PoC
events buffer time for each two, skip a cultural Organising
event performance committee
Delay in print of Mitigate: Allot separate Speed up the process Call from Logistics and
certificates and team for certificates and with other dealers Committee Hospitality
mementos mementos regarding delay Lead

Electricity interruption Mitigate: Alternate Alternate source like Power Cuts Power supply
source like invertor or invertor or generator department
generator supply supply

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Accidents and Mishaps Retain: Firefighting and Firefighting and Accidents in Organising
ambulance ambulance place Committee

Unable to get Mitigate: Schedule it 2 Try convincing and Incharge Logistics and
approvals months prior meet higher Hospitality
authorities

Running out of budget Mitigate: Maintain Hire a book keeper Call from Chief Treasurer and
budget lines for each Organiser and Book Keeper
deliverable and buffer Book keeper
for miscellaneous
expenses
Insufficient food Mitigate: Prominent Link with other Call from logistics Catering Team
caterers and buffer for caterers with about shortage
100-200 extra increased capacity
Insufficient seating Mitigate: Maintaining First preference to Call from Event
capacity count of students students and guests hospitality Management
attending and booking and then visitors regarding no team.
hall space
Table 2: Risk Response Matrix

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

Incremental Milestones:
This is used to check the progress of the project. We can come to know whether the project is going as per the
schedule or not. As the milestones are decided, we can check whether the project is running as per the schedule
or not. For example, the final guest lists must be out by April 15th, 2019. Performance measurement is done on a
timely basis. It is used to check both time and cost involved in the project.

All the deliverables that are to be given to the students/guests must be in hand before time. The logistics team
must take care of that.

Metric Types:
1) Resources
a) Cost/Budget :
The budget for Convocation is decided initially and it should be carefully
managed. If anything is going beyond the estimated budget, Cash reserves can
be used. Care should be taken so that cash reserves need not be used.
b) Resource Utilization:
Man and material planned during the estimation must be effectively utilized.
Resource Utilization is the key performance metric and the outcome of the
project largely lies on this.

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 2) Progress
a) Development Progress:
Keeping track of the developments in the project is crucial for Convocation
because this will avoid last minute problems and also help for the successful
completion of the event.
b) Milestone Completion:
Checking the milestones is a very important part in any project as it helps the
team in knowing the progress of the project.

Status Report:

A status report is analogous to a camera snapshot of a project at a specific point in time. Status Report is
developed based on the baseline plan derived from the WBS. It involves every detail about the state of the
project.

The following performance indexes can be used after the completion of the project.

Cost Performance Index (CPI)

• Measures the cost efficiency of work accomplished to date.

• CPI = Estimated Cost / Actual Cost

Scheduling Performance Index (SPI)

• Measures scheduling efficiency

• SPI = Estimated Time / Actual Time

Interpretation of Index

Index Cost (CPI) Schedule (SPI)

>1 Under cost Ahead of schedule
1 On cost On schedule
<1 Over Cost Behind Schedule

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PROJECT CLOSURE

Project Title: Convocation 2019

Prepared by: [Chief Co-ordinator]

Date:

Task Status Comments

Team
1. Has staff been released or notified of new assignments?
2. Has performance reviews of all the teams conducted?
Vendors
3. Have performance reviews for all vendors been conducted?
4. Have project accounts been finalized and all billing closed?
Customers (Students & Guests)
5. Have all the students who applied for convocation received their
degrees?
6. Have all the awards been distributed to the relevant individuals?
7. Was feedback taken from students and guests to assess their
satisfaction with deliverables?
Equipment and facilities
8. Have the resources of the sound department like Cables, mixer,
loudspeakers returned?
9. Have the resources of the lights department returned?
10. Has the date for closure review set and stakeholders notified?

Signatures:

Position Name Date Contact

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