Tech Cat Tees
E-commerce store for tech-savvy cat enthusiasts
Featured image courtesy of Rawpixel and used only for display purposes.
Context
Tech Cat Tees is an e-commerce venture targeting the niche market intersection of technology enthusiasts and cat lovers. The project addressed the lack of specialized apparel for this demographic by launching a print-on-demand online store offering unique unisex t-shirts with tech-and-cat-themed designs. As sole project owner, I planned all aspects including platform setup, AI-generated design creation, fulfillment integration, content development, and marketing strategy. The project operated on a $4,000 CAD budget with a target launch date of December 31, 2024, aiming to achieve $2,000 monthly revenue and 1,500 unique visitors within three months post-launch.
Note: In this coursework scenario, I assumed the role of project manager to apply PM principles in a realistic business context.
Methodology
The project followed a waterfall methodology with nine sequential phases spanning six months. This predictive approach suited the fixed budget ($4,000 CAD), firm deadline (December 31, 2024), and clear dependencies between phases—each milestone required completion before progressing to the next. The structured framework enabled systematic execution across e-commerce setup, fulfillment integration, design production, content implementation, marketing, pre-launch testing, official launch, and project closeout.
Process
I developed a complete project plan for launching an e-commerce store targeting tech-savvy cat enthusiasts. The planning process involved defining clear business objectives (market penetration, revenue generation, brand establishment, customer engagement, scalable operations) and establishing measurable product objectives including conversion rates, customer satisfaction targets, and operational benchmarks.
I conducted comprehensive risk assessment, identifying and analyzing 12 key risks across financial, legal, technical, and operational categories. For each risk, I evaluated likelihood and impact, then developed appropriate response strategies (accept, avoid, or mitigate) with specific action steps—such as maintaining contingency funds for financial constraints, ensuring copyright compliance for AI-generated designs, and selecting reliable e-commerce platforms to avoid service disruptions.
The planning phase included creating a detailed Work Breakdown Structure decomposing the project into nine major phases with 50+ discrete activities. I developed a six-month project schedule with nine milestone target dates, mapping the progression from initial platform setup through final launch and closeout.
I prepared a comprehensive budget breakdown allocating the $4,000 CAD across e-commerce subscriptions, print-on-demand services, marketing campaigns, website customization, content creation, and contingency reserves. I documented several project assumptions regarding technical capabilities, market demand, service reliability, and scalability, along with eight constraints including solo project management, budget limitations, and third-party dependencies.
For stakeholder management, I conducted power/interest analysis and developed a communications plan establishing protocols for interacting with customers, service providers, regulatory authorities, and my personal support network. I also created a four-step change management process defining how scope, schedule, or budget changes would be identified, assessed, approved, and implemented throughout the project lifecycle.
Artifacts
- Comprehensive Project Plan – Complete project charter with background, business objectives, product goals, performance metrics (3% conversion rate, 4.5/5 satisfaction rating, 95% orders shipped within 48 hours), scope definition, budget breakdown, and timeline.
- Risk Management Plan – Assessment of 12 risks with likelihood/impact ratings and response strategies (accept, avoid, mitigate) for financial, legal, technical, and operational threats.
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) – Nine-phase hierarchical task breakdown covering 50+ activities from planning through closeout
- Project Schedule (Gantt Chart) – Six-month timeline with milestone target dates and task dependencies.
- Budget Allocation – $4,000 CAD budget distributed across e-commerce subscription, print-on-demand fees, marketing campaigns, customization, content creation, and contingency.
- Stakeholder Analysis & Communications Plan – Power/interest grid and communication protocols for sponsor, team, customers, service providers, and support network.
- Change Management Process – Four-step change control procedure with approval authority and impact assessment protocols.
- Project Assumptions Document – 15 documented assumptions regarding technical capabilities, market demand, service reliability, and scalability.
- Project Constraints Documentation – Identified constraints including solo management, budget cap, launch deadline, third-party dependencies, and legal compliance requirements.