PLANNING TOOLS AND STRATEGIES
Feasibility Studies, Cost Analysis and Project Management

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Table of Contents for Module 9

• Learning objectives for Module 9
• 9.1: Project management, planning models & product development
• 9.2 Management control tools
• 9.3 Feasibility studies and RFP's
• 9.4 Cost benefit analysis
• 9.5 Assessment & evaluation
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Learning objectives for Module 9

• Upon successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
  1. Define the functions of project management
  2. Discuss the process defined in various planning models
  3. Define the steps of instructional product development

9.1: Project management, planning models & product development

• Project management functions:
  1. Plan
  2. Organize
  3. Direct
  4. Control

• Some key planninc documents
  1. Needs assessment
  2. Feasibility study
  3. Request for proposal
  4. Project management
  5. Post evaluation

• Planning models:
  1. Waterfall Life-cycle product development model
  2. Evolutionary product development model
  3. Exploratory product development model
  4. Rapid prototyping product development model
  5. A planning model
  6. Project development planning

• Stages of product development:
  1. Design
  2. Development
  3. Evaluation

9.2: Management control tools

• Ontario Central School policy development case study with "milestones."
  1. Milestone 1. (2 weeks from start) Policy committee formed.
  2. Milestone 2. (5 weeks from date committee formed) Policy from other schools collected.
  3. Milestone 3. (1 week from date committee formed) Reviewed with CSA and got her approval.
  4. Milestone 4. (1 week from date CSA approves project) Faculty survey completed.
  5. Milestone 5. (3 weeks from date CSA approves project) Students surveyed.
  6. Milestone 6. (All survey data analysis completed)
     • 3 weeks to analyze policy survey data from other school.
     • 1 week to analyze faculty survey data.
     • 2 weeks to analyze student survey data.
  7. Milestone 7. (1 week to write policy from date all survey data analyzed.
  8. Milestone 8. (1 week to get "sign-off" from CSA and school attorney.
  9. Milestone 9. School board votes on policy on the day the CSA & attorney sign-off on the policy.

• Flowchart

• Gantt Chart
  • Gantt Chart links

• PERT - Performance Evaluation Review Technique
  • PERT Chart review
  • PERT Chart examples

9.3: Feasibility studies and RFP's

• General feasibility study format

  1. Title page with particulars
  2. Table of contents
  3. Executive summary
     • What's the issue
     • Why is it important
     • What should be done
     • How much will it cost
  4. Methodology & investigators
  5. Needs assessment
  6. Scope
  7. Goals & objectives
  8. Alternatives
  9. Cost / benefit analysis of alternatives
  10. Recommendations
• Some feasibility study links

  • Multimodal Transportation Terminal Feasibility Study, Columbus, OH
  • Feasibility Study: Radiotelescope Project
  • FEASIBILITY STUDY AND MARKET ANALYSIS FOR HERITAGE NORTH
  • CHINA'S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT NETWORKING PROGRAM (CSDNP): FEASIBILITY STUD
• General RFP format

  1. Title page with particulars
  2. Table of contents
  3. Executive summary
     • Brief statement of work
     • Brief submission format
     • Time frames for submission
     • How costs are to be itimized
  4. Detailed statement of work
  5. Complete set of submission forms and format
  6. Calendar of important dates
  7. Detailed cost analysis process
  8. Any legal issues

9.4 Cost / benefit analysis

• General format of a cost / benefit study

  1. Title page with particulars
  2. Table of contents
  3. Executive summary
     • What's the issue
     • Brief methodology
     • Brief costs of alternatives
     • Selected alternative
  4. Investigators
  5. Methodology - which calculation format
     • Net present value (NPV)
     • Return on asset value (ROA>
     • Return on investment (ROI>
     • Etc.
  6. Scope
  7. Alternatives
  8. Cost / benefit analysis of alternatives
  9. Recommendations
  10. Glossary
• Some Internet links
  • School to Work Interagency Transition Partnership (SWITP) Cost / Benefit Study
  • DOE Cost/Benefit Analysis
  • A Cost-Benefit Analysis of United States Motor Carrier Safety
  • Counting Health Care Costs in the United States: A Hermeneutical Study of Cost Benefit Research.

9.5: Assessment & evaluation

• Pre-assessment
• On-going assessment
• Post-evaluation
• Assessment methods depend on the nature of product.