ITEC841:PROJECT MANAGEMENT
“ISPROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN”
SEMESTER 1,2017
CONTRIBUTION: 20% of Final Mark
ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND
Your group has been assigned one of the projects in Appendix 1. Groups can ‘request’ their preferred topic from Appendix 1 on a first come, first served basis. Some case studies clearly identify the organisation and system, others are more open. Make sure that the group decides on a specific organisation and system, based on the project briefing. Groups should have 4 members, and allocation of report segments is to be discussed with the lecturer.
You work for MIT Consulting, a leading IT project consulting company. Your expertise is in project management, scoping a project in terms of feasibility and providing an overview plan for board approval, negotiating with vendors and managing implementations.
You have been hired by the Client to provide a preliminary Project Plan for an important internal project. Client staff support the project and have secured Board approval for MIT Consulting to take the project to the next phase. (Prior consultants have recommended the project, but not fully scoped the detail.)
Your brief is to objectively assess the project and address the following issues in your report to the Board:
Section Description
A. Executive
Summary
B. Context Summarise the project background, benefits, additional research required, suggested process model and treatment of major risks. Conclude with overall recommendation as to the project’s priority.
Background for the project
How does this project fit in to the context of the organisation?
C. Business Case Financial and/or strategic justification Project success criteria.
How will the client know the project was successful?
How can the client ensure that the expected benefits are realised?
D. Process Model What additional studies are necessary?
e.g. Vendor selection, prototype to elicit detailed requirements with users, proof of concept to confirm technology, tools or platform etc.
What is the suggested project process model?
Clear diagrams are essential.
E. Risk
Management Plan Client wants to see ONLY ‘project specific’ risks. They are aware of the generic risks that affect virtually all IT projects.
Tables should include each major risk identifying the source, event, consequence, probability, existing control(s) and initial risk rating. Another table should include the risk treatment plan for each risk with an unacceptable rating including the cost justification and effectiveness (e.g. residual risk rating).
F. Conclusion In the Consultant’s opinion how does this project rate for the client? Should the client focus on other opportunities that have a better return on investment or a lower overall risk?
If this project is highly recommended, what are the key factors which have persuaded the Consultant?
REPORT AND PRESENTATION ASSESSMENT
Element Excellent to Good (100%) Pass (50%) Incomplete (25%)
Group Presentation Addresses all required elements in a clear and concise manner
Emphasises the key
issues of benefits,
process model and risks
Addresses some of the required elements
Some confusion with regard to the key issues of benefits,
process model and risks
Addresses few of the required elements Presentation is either confused or has a significant amount of irrelevant material
MARKING CRITERIA FOR REPORT
Section Marks
A, B & F Editorial Quality*
25%
C 25%
D 25%
E 25%
You will be marked according to the following criteria:
Element Excellent to Good (100%) Pass (50%) Incomplete (25%)
Section B – Business Case
Demonstrates high
level of understanding of the business case
Skilfully organises description of issues and application of references.
Demonstrates some understanding of the business case
Organises description of issues in some cases; shows some application of references.
Demonstrates little understanding of the business case
Little organisation used to describe issues; shows little application of references.
Use of ‘cut and paste’ from Web based
references
Element Excellent to Good (100%) Pass (50%) Incomplete (25%)
Section C – Process Model Addresses all elements when considering the process model
Provides a clear diagrammatic model that is well supported by its description
Addresses some elements when considering the process model Provides a diagrammatic model that has ambiguities and is not clearly described
Addresses few elements when considering the process model Provides an unclear model that is not adequately described or is missing altogether Use of ‘cut and paste’ from Web based
references
Element Excellent to Good (100%) Pass (50%) Incomplete (25%)
Section D – Risk
Management Plan
Addresses all elements when
considering the risk management plan
Provides a clear table including all the necessary parameters
Addresses some elements when considering the risk management plan
Provides a table that omits some key parameters
Addresses few elements when considering the risk management plan Provides an unclear table that is not complete or is missing altogether
APPENDIX 1 ISPROJECTS
2. WEB 2.0 AND STAFF INTRANET FOR A LARGE INVESTMENT COMPANY
AMP is one of Australia’s largest wealth management companies. It has decided to upgrade its intranet for all employees, suppliers and partners to reduce costs and improve productivity. Currently the intranet has most of the features below:
• Collaboration capabilities in terms of shared documents, meeting scheduling, expert finder, corporate client knowledge sharing using an old Lotus Notes platform
• Online HR functions such as annual leave, sick leave and pay queries using web front end to the Oracle ERP system
• Financial applications such as expense forms and travel bookings, according to company policies using a web front end to Oracle
• Online policies and training applications
• Online pc help desk support including bookings, trouble shooting, how-to guides
• Sales literature requests for sales people, e-literature for emailing clients • This intranet was developed during the 2000s
Your project is to firstly define the current intranet functionality and map to stakeholders. Then, to consider in terms of newer Web 2.0 technologies, how this older style intranet can be upgraded and reach extended for each of the identified stakeholder groups. This is really a program with phased projects. To make the task easier, you might want to assume that the original intranet was restricted to only internal employees and they now want to add functionality and extend to other stakeholders such as financial advisor agents and customers. Consider Web 2.0 possibilities.
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