Creating and Enhancing Age-Friendly Communities Conference Final Project

RUNNING HEAD: GRACIOUS, GRAY & GROWING: A CONFERENCE PROJECT

Gracious, Gray and Growing: A Conference

Project Management – Final Project

Patricia K. Gleich

PAD 6137

University of West Florida

April 26, 2010

GRACIOUS, GRAY & GROWING: A CONFERENCE 2

Abstract

This project paper describes a concept for a conference t0 be held under the auspices of the

College of Professional Studies of the University of West Florida. The primary focus of the

Gracious, Grey and Growing: Creating and Enhancing Age-Friendly Communities

Conference will bring to Northwest Florida a group of experts who are working with

communities across the U.S. to promote livable, sustainable communities geared toward older

adults who are aging in place. The focus of the conference is tri-dimensional - to make

community leaders in Northwest Florida aware of the need for the creation of aging-friendly

communities, to provide resources and showcase promising practice models that are currently

implemented in similar communities, and, finally, to address local government policies and

community funding priorities.


Gracious, Gray and Growing: Creating and Enhancing Age-Friendly Communities

Conference

The Project

Rationale

Florida currently ranks first among all 50 states in the percentage of the population over

age 65 with 19% of the population in this cohort compared to 13% nationally. And while

demographic shifts in the U.S. aging population are anticipated, projections for the growth

indicate that Florida will continue to have the oldest population in the U.S. with the proportion of

persons age 65 and older growing steadily to 27%, almost 8 million of the population by 2030

(U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2008). Although typically viewed as a “younger” region of the state

of Florida, in Northwest Florida (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton Counties), the

population age 60 and over is expected to increase by almost 30,000 people over the next five

years – 64.8 % of total population growth (41,178). Importantly, over 30% of the over age 60

growth will be people over age 70 ( County Population by Age Group, Race, Gender, and

Hispanic Origin, 2008).

Project Scope

A. Project objective

Utilizing the outline and description of the project scope as presented in the text (Gray &

Larson, 2007, p. 92), the objective of the project will be to plan and host a 2-day conference in

Pensacola, Florida, through the University of West Florida, College of Professional Studies for

local government officials and key leaders in local communities. The specific objectives of the

conference project will be to use speakers, demographic data and promising practice models to:

(1) Inform and update local governments on the changing demographics of Northwest Florida

and South Alabama and the potential community impact of these changing demographics

(2) Present an overview of current national “Aging Initiatives”


(3) Provide promising practice community-based aging initiative models

(4) Introduce UWF, state and regionally based resource individuals who are experienced in

helping local communities begin age-friendly programs, or who can assist in development of

age-friendly public policies.

The focus of the conference (breadth of the project) will be to provide information to

local elected and non-elected, key community leaders from Northwest Florida on ways that

communities can be more accessible to and supportive of an increasing aging population.

B. Deliverables

The primary deliverable of this conference will be the conference program itself,

speakers, exhibitors, presentations and adequate content to address the focus of the conference.

Tangible secondary deliverables will include the printed program and other relevant handouts,

appropriate exhibitors, network formation, etc.

C. Milestones

Milestones in the life of this project would include: selection of the planning and

implementation committees, construction of a budget, identification of speakers, promotion of

the conference, contracting with exhibitors, and receiving paid registrations from sufficient

conference participants to cover the conference expenses.

D. Technical requirements

Technical requirements for the conference will include the necessary equipment for

presentations, electrical hook-ups for exhibitors, any equipment needed for accommodating

participants who require ADA adaptive devices for communication and mobility.

E. Limits and exclusions

The prospective conference hotel can accommodate only 150 participants overnight, thus


the size of the conference is somewhat limited. In addition, the conference is directed toward

local community leaders (elected and non-elected). Invitations to attend the conference will be

directed to people who are community leaders and appropriate state level people who work with

aging and with community issues, rather than the general public who might happen to be

interested in aging issues.

F. Communications and Review with Customer

Identifying a customer with which to review the progress of this project is difficult since

the actual customer will be participants who will be involved only in attending the conference.

So, for the purposes of this conference, the customer is the tiered leadership, first from UWF-

COPS, second the two project committees, and third, the project/conference coordinator.

Monthly meetings will be held involving all three tiers of leadership. Because the committees are

active in planning and implementing the conference, written reports of activities carried out

between meetings will be used to keep each person/group apprised.

As the project is allied with COPS-UWF, in addition to the R=responsible and S=support

coding on the responsibility matrix, and A=approve has been added. The successful conference

will reflect on COPS-UWF. A conference that is less than successful will also reflect on COPS –

UWF, for this reason, certain aspects of the project/conference, would it seems appropriately be

approved by COPS leadership as a failsafe mechanism.

To facilitate communication among all working on the conference an interactive project

website will be constructed. This website will be hosted at no charge as an in-kind contribution

to the conference as a pilot project of a local web-hosting service that wishes to remain

anonymous. All of the project planning and implementation documents and charts will be hosted

interactively on the project website, facilitating communication and allowing the project


leadership to see the scenarios in play and to utilize “what if” scenarios. In that way the

leadership team (committees) will have virtual continuous contact with the progress of the

project (Gray & Larson, 2007, p. 372)

The ultimate review will take place after the conference when a “post-mortem” involving

leaders and all paid and volunteer staff will be held to review the conference evaluations and the

conference process.

Project Priorities

This would be a reasonable matrix for this project. Because of the hotel and speakers, the time is

constrained. It is possible that insufficient registrations and income from the registrations could

result in a smaller participant group, and this would decrease the amount paid to the hotel for

breaks, meals and amenities, however, these are covered as part of the registration fee, so even

with a smaller number of participants, the conference could go one as planned. Key here is

keeping track of registrations and “guarantee” dates for the hotel. Following the diagram in the

text (Gray & Larson, 2007, p. 97), the priority matrix would be illustrated as follows:

TIME PERFORMANCE COST

CONSTRAIN XXX XXX

ENHANCE XXX

ACCEPT XXX XXX

Figure 1 Project Priority Matrix

The following scenarios are examples of situations that might arise in the planning and

implementation of this project:

1. Time-constrain, scope-enhance, cost-accept

If for instance, near the conference we learned that the Florida State Office on Aging wanted to

be more visible at the conference, it would not be possible to add days or formal program, but the


Florida State Office on Aging can decide to fund a reception one evening for the conference

participants and hand out specific materials.

2. Time-constrain, scope accept, cost-enhance

A second situation that might occur around the conference would be again, date unchangeable,

but if one of the speakers, an author of a new book on writing public policy for aging

communities was forced to cancel at the last moment, but instead donated a copy of her book to

each participant.

Work Breakdown Structure

The work breakdown structure for the project follows on the next page displayed as Table

1. Because this project is a conference with several streams of sequential activities, each building

on the one before it, it is more of a process breakdown structure (PBS) than a WBS. A PBS

structure is appropriate her because “the final outcome is a product of a series of steps or phases”

(Gray & Larson, 2007, p. 106).

For purposes of explanation, the PBS is color coded in order to tie the streams of work to

the project responsibility matrix and to the Gantt Chart. This coding should expedite following

the work, the responsibilities and the timelines.


Process Work Breakdown Structure for Gracious, Gray and growing - A Conference – UWF College of Professional Studies*

*Activities are sequential and the work process proceeds from one step to the next, each step being dependent upon the completion of the step preceding.

Staffing Venue Speakers /

Conference Program

Marketing and Printed Program

Committee

Monitoring

& Evaluation

Set up mail and

online

registration

Obtain mailing

lists of local

government

officials & Key

Community

Design

conference

brochure and

Drop-dead Cool

Conference Program

& Happy speakers

Requests

bids from

hotels/

Conference

Select

location, find

exhibitors

Visit hotels

–

conference

Negotiate

meeting space

rates

Distribute, collect

and analyze

Identify well-known

persons in field

Greet and

register

conference

attendees

Provide content and

quantity to designer

Select design, let

bids & select

graphics designer

Develop general

content; obtain

speaker bios/

Check all contracts

and logistical

arrangements for

Develop Budget

reporting and

Timeline

Interactive website

Prepare evaluation

form for attendees

and speakers

Screen and

Hire Staff

Develop Job

Descriptions

for Project

Post Job

Descriptions

for Project

Location is prepared for

conference

Orient/Train

Staff

Recruit

Conference

Volunteers from

PA Students

Develop Job

Descriptions

for

Post Job

Descriptions

for Project

Orient/Train

Volunteers

Students

Conference Logistics Committee Conference Program Committee

Fully Scheduled Staff

and Volunteers for

Conference

Plan meals,

breaks,

equipment

needs, etc

Develop

Conference

Budget

Facilitate

Conference

Post-

Mortem

Select & Invite &

Confirm Keynote – hold

Negotiate Fee and

expenses with Keynote

Select & Confirm

additional speakers

Negotiate Fee and

expenses with all

Conference Program

Is Set

Proof & Approve

Program

OUTPUTS

Obtain and

communicate

equipment needs from

Accept

Registrations

Assign Staff

to each

project phase

On-site

Registration Advise Media

Select and train

breakout facilitators

Table A – Work/Process Breakdown Structure

The project responsibility matrix follows on the next page. As explained earlier because of the

relationship between the conference and the UWF-COPS, a coding of A=Approval was added to

depict decisions that will be presented to the COPS leadership for approval


Table B - Responsibility Matrix Key - A=Approve, R=Responsible, S=Support Person or Entity Responsible/Approving/Supporting

TASK Leadershi

p (COPS-

UWF)

Log

Com

Prog

Com

Confe

r

Coord

Confe

r

Assist

Confer

Supprt

Vl

1

Vl

2

Vl

3

Vl

4

Vl

5

Select Planning Committee R

Designate Logistics & Program Subcommittees R S S

Develop Budget for Conference A R R

Establish Monthly Committee Meetings S R R R

Develop Job Descriptions for Project Staff & Volunteers

A R R

Post Job Descriptions for Project Staff & Volunteers R R S

Screen & Hire Staff A R R S

Select Volunteers A R

Assign Staff A A R S

Assign Volunteers R R

Orient & Train Staff and Volunteers S S R R S

Visit Prospective Hotels and Conference Centers R

Request Bids from Hotels/Conference Centers R

Negotiate meeting space rates A R S

Solicit Exhibitors for Conference R S S

Plan Meals & Breaks A R S

Hotel Set-up A R S

Identify Well-Known Speakers in Field A R R

Select and Invite Keynote R S

Select & Confirm Additional Speakers A S S

Confirm, Negotiate Fees & Expenses with Speakers A R S

Select and train breakout facilitators R S S

Set total Conference Program & Advise Media R R S S

Select design and designer for brochure & program R R

Develop General Content for Conference Program R R S S

Provide content and quantity to designer R S

Proof and Approve Program A A R

Obtain & Communicate Equipment Needs R S

Implement Conference R R R R R

Obtain Key Mailing Lists R S

Finalize conference brochure &mail to key lists A A R S S

Set-up mail and online registration process R R S

Accept Registrations R R R S S S

Staff On-Site Registration R R R S S S S S

Develop Budget Time-line& Interactive WEBSITE A R R R S

Prepare evaluation form for attendees & speakers R R

Check all contracts & logistical arrangements/scheduling

A R

Distribute, collect and analyze evaluation forms R R S S S S S

Facilitate Conference Post Mortem A R R S S S S S S S


B. Estimate of Project Times and Costs

The budget on the following page displays the anticipated or projected expenditures and

income – based on registrations of 150 participants at a cost of $250.00 per registrant.

Substantial savings were experienced by selecting speakers who would by inexpensive.

Notes to the budget:

Much of the budget goes without explanation. The paid staff are mature graduate

assistants who dedicate a portion of their time to this project and the salaries. The support person

is a full-time employee who will be asked to take on additional responsibilities and her .his

regular salary will be back-filled from the conference account (as will the assistantship funds).

The primary keynote is Kathy Sykes, Director of the Aging Initiative of the

Environmental protection Agency. She does not charge a fee and covers her own expenses. Other

speakers are well known in their field but all from within the state of Florida and associated with

sister universities, and are known for being passionate enough about the topic to travel

inexpensively. The remaining keynote speakers are, Stephen M. Golant, PhD, who specializes in

low-income elderly housing (Univ of Fl); Jill Quadagno, PhD, who specializes in older women’s

issues and health care, Pepper Institute on Aging and Public Policy, FSU and Janice Allen-

Kelsey, PhD, who specializes in African American community issues and is Associate Professor

of Sociology/Gerontology at Bethune-Cookman University

Space and computer use have been donated by UWF, thus no rent, utilities or equipment

have been charged against the conference. If the project goes according to budget, COPS will

realize a net profit of $10,100 after the repayment of the $25,000 loan for planning and operating

costs.


Table C – Project Budget PROJECT BUDGET

EXPENDITURES

Item Cost Detail Total

Staff, Salaries and Fringes:

Conference Coordinator (Graduate Assistant) $ 10.25 hr

10 hrs x 30 wks,

15 hrs 18 wks $ 5,843.00

Conference Assistant (Graduate Assistant) $ 10.25 hr 5 hours x 20 wks $ 1,025.00

Clerical Sup @10.00/hr 5 hr/wk $ 10.00 5 hrs x 40 wks $ 2,000.00

Clerical Support Benefits $ 700 (@35%) $ 700.00

Total Salary and Fringe $ 9,568.00

Committee Expenses ( 10 members)

Food & Local Travel (12 meetings) $ 75 $ 900.00

2 overnights at conference / shared $ 0 - Hotel Comped $ 00.00

Total Committee Expenses $ 900.00

Conference Brochure - Design and print $ 1500 $ 1,500.00

Conference Program - Design and Print $ 1000 $ 1,000.00

Incidental Printing & Copying $ 300 $ 300.00

Printing $ 2,800.00

Keynote Speaker Expenses

Main Keynote: Kathy Sykes (EPA- Aging Initiative) $ 0 - $ - 00.00

Keynote 2,3 & 4: Fee ($500) and Expenses ($350.00) $ 2550.00

Keynote Total $ 2,550.00

Office Space and Utilities $ - UWF-Inkind $ -

Computer, Phone and Internet $ - UWF-Inkind $ -

Interactive Project WEBSITE $ 0

$ 00.0

Consumables $ 700 $ 700.00

Postage and Shipping $ 1000 $ 1,000.00

Office Supplies $ 250.00 $ 250.00

Operating Total $ 1,950.00

Conference Hotel

Meeting Rooms $ 5000 $ 5,000.00

Breaks / per person $ 3.00 5 /2 days $ 2,250.00

Equipment UWF-Inkind $ 0.0 0

Banquet Dinner @ 23.50 / person+16% $ 4098 $ 4,089.00

Hotel Total $ 11,839.00

Total Conference Costs $ 29,107.00

INCOME

Exhibitor Fees (10) (@ 200) $ 12,000.00

150 Full Registrations (@ 250) $ 37,500.00

125 Student Registrations (@ 50) $ 6,250.00

Sale of pins, books , conference tee-shirts, bags, etc $ 8,500.00

Total Conference Income $ 64,250.00

Income over expenses. $ 35,143.00


Project Plan and Timeline of activities (Gantt Chart)

The project plan is to plan and implement a two-day conference in Pensacola Florida for

community leaders. This conference will provide awareness information, resources and support

to enable them to begin the community awareness that necessarily precedes community planning

for residents who will age in place. As Northwest Florida has not been even tangentially

involved in this type of activity the conference will bring some notoriety to the University of

West Florida as being on the “cutting edge” of this planning in the region.

Speakers will be used to both increase the awareness of the aging population and present

promising practices that have been developed in other communities. Small breakout sessions will

be used to facilitate discussion and to enable networking among communities.

The Public Administration Department of the College of Professional Studies of

University of West Florida will also unveil the new specialization in Demographics at the

conference, highlighting the course components that will assist communities in understanding

ways in which the population shifts of local communities affect the service requirements.

The timeline of activities (Gantt Chart) follows on the next page with project steps

(activities) and the sequence of the project steps. The project steps are once again coded to the

streams of the P/WBS and the responsibility chart. I used a 15 month project period to provide

adequate time to gather names and addresses of the target group and then to notify potential

participants. I have indicated when each step of the plan is initiated and the duration of that

activity. The sequential nature of the activities is apparent from the chart.


Table D. - Gantt Chart

GANTT CHART FOR

PROJECT/CONFERENCE

Ap

r-10

May

-

10

Jun

-10

Jul-1

0

Au

g-1

0

Sep

-10

Oct-1

0

No

v-1

0

Dec

-10

Jan-1

1

Feb

-11

Mar-1

1

Ap

r-11

May

-

11

Jun

-11

List of Activities Start Dur 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

Select Planning Committee 1 15 # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Designate Logistics and Program Subcommittees 1 15 # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Develop Budget for Conference 2 1 #

Establish Monthly Committee Meetings 2 14

Develop Job Descriptions for Project Staff & Volunteers 2 6 # # # # # #

Post Job Descriptions for Project Staff & Volunteers 2 1 #

Screen & Hire Staff; Select Volunteers 2 1 #

Assign Staff & Volunteers 3 13 # # # # # # # # # # # #

Orient & Train Staff and Volunteers 3 12 # # # # # # # # # # # #

Visit Prospective Hotels and Conference Centers 3 1 #

Request Bids from Hotels/Conference Centers 3 1 #

Identify and contract with Exhibitors 3 5

Negotiate meeting space rates 3 1 #

Plan Meals & Breaks 6 6 # # # # # #

Hotel Set-up 6 11 # # # # # # # # #

Identify Well-Known Speakers in Field 2 1 #

Select and Invite Keynote 3 1 #

Select & Confirm Additional Speakers 4 1 #

Confirm, Negotiate Fees & Expenses with Speakers 4 1 #

Select and train breakout facilitators 9 6 # # # # #

Set total Conference Program 6 1 #

Select design and designer for brochure & program 2 1 #

Develop General Content for Conference Program 6 3 # # #

Provide content and quantity to designer 9 1 #

Proof and Approve Program 10 1 #

Obtain & Communicate Equipment Needs 8 1 #

Implement Conference 14 1 #

Obtain Key Mailing Lists 2 1 #

Finalize conference brochure and mail to key lists 3 2 # #

Set-up mail and online registration process 5 9 # # # # # # # # #

Accept Registrations 5 10 # # # # # # # # # Staff On-Site Registration 13 2 # # Develop Budget reporting Timeline 1 14 # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Prepare evaluation form for attendees and speakers 13 2 # # Check all contracts and logistical arrangements/scheduling 2 14 # # # # # # # # # # # # # # Distribute, collect and analyze evaluation forms 14 2 # # Facilitate Conference Post Mortem 15 1 #


Risk Management Plan

Although a conference involving 200 people if one considered leadership, staff, speakers

and participants has inherent risks, one of the primary keys to managing risk is to stay ahead of

deadlines. For example, promotional materials must be sent out with adequate notice to possible

participants. This single step, if off schedule, can have a severe impact on the conference.

The Risk Management grid follows with examples of risks than might be faced in this type of

project.

Table E Risk Assessment - Management Plan

Risk Management

Risk Mitigate Transfer Avoid Share Contingency Plan

Unpopular Topic - Low Attendance

XXX Shrink Conference

Committees fail to perform XXX Staff take on more responsibilities

Budget Estimates Inadequate XXX Find Extra Income or drop

amenity

Time-line too optimistic XXX Adjust Expectations

Printed materials are behind schedule

XXX Set deadlines earlier than needed

Very popular topic - Overbook Attendance

XXX Find back-up hotel, extra breakout facilitators

Speaker Cancels XXX Ask Dr. Kramer to step in

Weather XXX Schedule ahead of hurricane season

Staff Turnover XXX Rehire - Retrain

Equipment not Delivered XXX Reserve UWF Equipment

Risk Response


Project Evaluation

The project will be evaluated concurrently and retrospectively. The two project

committees and the conference coordinator will have daily (concurrent) responsibility for the

ongoing monitoring of the project. They will ensure that the project is on track and timely by use

of the very specific Gantt Chart. They will also monitor - on a daily basis – the very critical

progress of conference registrations. They will also monitor expenditures through the interactive

conference website as these will be displayed immediately.

The project will be evaluated retrospectively, as well. Each participant in the conference

will complete a detailed evaluation form, with speakers, presenters, facilitators and breakout

leaders supplying information that addresses procedures and process of the conference as well as

the experiences. Because the project/conference has educational goals, the participants will be

asked to recap new information and skill building they experienced through the content of the

conference.

A retrospective audit will also be performed to explore and evaluate the efficiency of the

overall project.


References

County Population by Age Group, Race, Gender, and Hispanic Origin. (2008, 4 1). Retrieved 4

18, 2010, from Office of Economic and Demographic Research: The Florida Legislature :

http://edr.state.fl.us/population

Gray, C., & Larson, E. (2007). Project Management: the maagerial process (4th ed.). New York:

MCGraw-Hill.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). (2010). Washington,

DC: American Psychological Association.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. (2008). Table 2. Projections of the Population by Selected Age

Groups and Sex for the United States: 2010 to 2050 (NP2008-T2). Retrieved 4 4, 2010,

from http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/summarytables.html


Sample “save the date” advance mailer:

()

University of West Florida, College of Professional Studies

Presents:

Gracious, Gray and Growing:

Creating and Enhancing Age-Friendly Communities

Conference

This conference will bring to Northwest Florida a group of experts

who are working with communities across the U.S. to promote

livable, sustainable communities that are geared toward older

adults who are aging in place.

Date: May 12-14, 2011

Location: Hampton Inn, Pensacola Beach, Florida

Conference Registration: $250.00

Housing:

•Gulf side room: $109.00 plus tax

•Bay side room: $89.00 plus tax

For additional information call: (850) XXX.XXXX Or email: [email protected]

Creating and Enhancing Age-Friendly Communities Conference Final Project

Documents

american psychological

negotiate

key lists

logistical

work breakdown

volunteers

breaks hotel

project responsibility