Family Vacation Processes, Essay Example

In any family vacation there are several steps that must be taken in order to initiate the idea of a vacation to the final execution and closing stages of the trip.  A simple family vacation is an excellent example of how Project Management plays an important role in the development of projects from the most basic projects to the more advanced complex projects performed in any industry.  Within the umbrella of Project Management there are several stages of planning known as life cycle phases, process groups and knowledge areas.  Each of these three planning groups offers a different insight into what one step of the planning process would involve.  The life cycle phases and process groups define specific stages of project management planning and are often meant to be followed in a particular chronological order.  On the other hand, knowledge areas is a part of Project Management that specifies a particular type of knowledge that is being gained or distributed during the planning stages.  Each of these steps in the planning of the family vacation is placed under a specific area for each of the three groupings.

First of all, the beginning step of the process was to have a conference call with multifamily members to gain their input regarding vacation cruise possibilities.  This step is clearly the initiation of the planning process and therefore falls under the initiation and initiation processes for life cycle phases and process groups.  However, because information is being communicated between family members this step involves Project Communication Management.  The next step was to research cruise lines related to vacation destinations, possible activities and the associated costs of the trip.  Because research is only being performed and no direct planning is yet involved, this step also falls under the initiation and initiation processes for life cycle phases and process groups.  This step also involves researching the potential costs for the trip and falls under the Project Cost Management knowledge area.

The third step involved conferencing with multiple family members to discuss the potential costs to narrow the possibilities.  Now, planning is directly involved in creating a tentative time frame and overall map for the vacation.  Therefore, this step involves planning for life cycle phases.  Because communication is being performed, this step involves Communication Processes and Project Communication Management for process groups and knowledge areas.  Next, the planning involves creating a budget.  This step involves direct financial planning and therefore falls under the Planning and Planning Processes for the life cycle phases and process groups.  Similar to the second step, this step involves Project Cost Management for knowledge areas to specify how much is to be spent on the entire trip.  Finally, the family performs a conference call with multiple members again to finalize the budget.  Again, communication and planning is involved as in step three, so this step will fall under Planning, Communication Processes and Project Communication Management for all three groupings.

The family must then create a schedule to follow on the vacation.  This schedule also involves planning and it involves integrating the information obtained thus far throughout the planning process into moving the process forward.  Therefore, this step falls under the Planning and Planning Processes groups for life cycle phases and process groups; however, it involves Project Integration Management for the knowledge areas.  Again, the family performs a conference call to finalize the schedule, which involves Planning, Communication Processes and Project Communication Management as explained in the previous conference call steps throughout the vacation planning process.

Now, the family is able to end the planning stages and finally proceed in executing the vacation.  The next step in the process is to travel to the place where the cruise will initially take off.  This steps falls under the execution and controlling phase for the life cycle phases and executing processes for process groups because the plan is being executed and the family is taking action to fulfill the plan.  This step also falls under the Project Integration Management for knowledge areas because it is taking the plan that has previously been created and integrating it into action.  Following this step, the family will then follow the created schedule for vacation activities.  This step is also executing and controlling the plan; however, it is also a step that requires the family to control and monitor the execution is carried out as planned.  Therefore, this step falls under the Controlling and Monitoring processes and also the Project Quality Management knowledge area to ensure that the schedule is carefully followed.

Finally, the family has fulfilled the vacation plans and schedules according to the budget that was agreed upon.  After the cruise returns, the family will then travel home.  This is still executing the plan because part of the plan must also include returning from the vacation and the family continues to perform an action to fulfill this plan.  This step falls under the Execution and Controlling phase and the Executing Processes.  Similar to step eight, the family is taking the plan and integrating it into action, which is why it clearly falls under the Project Integration Management knowledge area.  After the actions are concluded for the vacation, the family must have a closeout conference call with multiple family members to collect feedback on the vacation.  This step falls under the closing phase and closing processes because it concludes the vacation steps required for completion.  This step also assesses the quality of the vacation, so it must also fall under the Project Quality Management knowledge area for the family to use this information for additional vacations in the future.