COMP2750 - Lecture 3 - Projectment Management PDF

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COMP2750 – Lecture 3 Unit 5: Project Management

Learning Objectives     

Understand how projects are initiated and selected, define a business problem and determine the feasibility of a proposed project Evaluate hardware and software and the way it supports human interactions with technology Forecast and analyse tangible and intangible costs and benefits Manage a project by preparing a budget, creating a work breakdown structure, scheduling activities and controlling the schedule and costs Build and manage a project team

Major Topics 1. Project initiation  Begins with problems or with opportunities for improvement in business as the organisation adapts to change 2. Determining project feasibility  Need to work with decision makers to determine if it is feasible 3. Ascertaining hardware and software needs 4. Identifying and forecasting costs and benefits 5. Managing time and activities 6. Project scheduling  Project are scheduled through the use of tools such as Gantt charts and PERT diagrams 7. Estimating cost 8. Managing systems analysis team members  Part of assuring the productivity analysis team members is effectively managing scheduled activities

Project Initiation Both problems and opportunities can arise as the organisation adapts to and copes with natural, evolutionary change. 

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Problems in an organisation o Problems or symptoms of problems with processes that are invisible in output and that could require the help of a system analyst include excessive errors and work performed to slowly, incompletely, incorrectly or not at all. Defining the problem o An analyst first defines the problems and objectives of the system Selection of projects

Checking Output Observing employee behaviour, and listening to feedback are all ways to help the analyst pinpoint systems problems and opportunities.

To Identify Problems Check output against performance criteria

Observe behaviour of employees

Listen to external feedbacks from: Vendors and service providers Customers Suppliers

Look for These Specific Signs Too many errors Work completed slowly Work done incorrectly Work done incompletely Work not done at all High absenteeism High job dissatisfaction High job turnover Complaints Suggestions or improvement Loss of sales Lower sales

Problem Definition    

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Problem statement o Paragraph or two stating the problem or opportunity Issues o Independent pieces pertaining to the problem or opportunity Objectives o Goals that match the issue point-by-point Requirements o The things that must be accomplished along with the possible solutions, constraints, that limit the development of the system Use the problem definition to create a preliminary test plan

Identifying Issues 

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Before the problem definition is produced information is gathered from interviews, observations and document analysis with the users. Major points are then identified as issues. Once the issues are identified (current situation), objectives are stated (desired situation). Sometimes this may require follow-up interviews. After the objectives are stated the relative importance of the issues or objectives is determined. Due to constraints it is generally necessary to order the objectives to determine which are most critical.

Selection of Projects 

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Backing from management o Do you have the endorsement of the people who eventually will foot the bill? (Absolutely nothing can be accomplished without it). Appropriate timing of project commitment o Can a time commitment be made for the installation of new systems or improvement to existing ones? Possibility of improving attainment of organisational goals o Will the project put the organisation on target, not deter it from its goals? Practical in terms of resources for the system analyst and organisation o Is there expertise and resources to carry out the project? Worthwhile projects compared with other ways the organisation could invest resources o Is this project worth committing resources to instead of reserving these resources for other potential projects? Is there possibility of other improvement?

Improving Attainment of Organisational Goals       

Improving corporate profits Supporting the competitive strategy of the organisation Improving cooperation with vendors and partners Improving internal operations support Improving internal decision support so that decisions are more effective Improving customer service Increasing employee morale

Worthwhile Project Compared with Other Ways the Organisation Could Invest Resources Many possible objectives exist including:       

Speeding up a process Streaming a process Combining processes Reducing errors in input Reducing redundant storage Reducing redundant output Improving system and subsystem integration

Determining Feasibility Assessed in three principle ways:   

Operationally Technically Economically

The Three Key Elements of Feasibility Include: Technical, Economic and Operational Feasibility The three key elements of feasibility 

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Technical feasibility o Add on to present system o Technology available to meet users’ needs Economic feasibility o Systems analysts’ time o Cost of systems study o Cost of employees’ time for study o Estimated cost of hardware o Cost of packaged software or software development Operational feasibility o Whether the system will operate when put in service o Whether the system will be used

Technical Feasibility Sometimes add-one are costly and not worthwhile, because they meet needs inefficiently.  

Can current technical resources be upgraded or added to in a manner that fulfills the request under consideration? If not, is there technology in existence that meets the specification?

Economic Feasibility  

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Economic feasibility determines whether value of the investment exceeds the time cost Includes: o Analyst and analyst team time o Business employee time o Hardware o Software o Software development If short-term costs are not overshadowed by long-term gains or produce no immediate reduction in operating costs, the system is not economically feasible.

Operational Feasibility    

Operational feasibility determines if the human resources are available to operate the system once it has been installed Users that do not want a new system may prevent it from becoming operationally feasible If users are satisfied with current system resistance to implementing a new system will be strong If users are dissatisfied with the current system and have expressed a need for change chances are the new system will be used

Estimating Workloads  

The newly-proposed system should cut down required human and computer time Systems analysts formulate numbers that represent both current and projected work loads for the system so that any hardware obtained will possess the capability to handle current and future workloads

Task

Method

Personnel When and How

Human time Requirements Computer time Requirements

Existing System Compare performance of distribution warehouses by running the summary program Computer are run when needed; processing is done from the workstation Distribution manager Daily: Enter shipments on Excel spreadsheet, verify accuracy of spreadsheet manually and then write files to backup media. Monthly: Run program that summarises daily records and prints report, get report and make evaluations Daily: 20 minutes Monthly: 30 Minutes Daily: 20 minutes Monthly: 30 Minutes

Proposed System Compare performance of distribution warehouses on the Web-based dashboard Updates occur immediately, processing is done online Distribution manager Daily: Enter shipments on the Web-based system using automatically backed up drop-down boxes. Data are to remote location. Monthly: Compare warehouses online using the performance dashboard; print only if needed. Daily: 10 minutes Monthly: 10 minutes Daily: 10 minutes Monthly: 10 minutes

Ascertaining Hardware and Software Needs  

Only when systems analysts, user and management have a good grasp of what kinds of tasks must be accomplished, can hardware options be considered. Steps used to determine hardware and software needs: o Inventory computer hardware currently available o Estimate current and future system workloads o Evaluate available hardware and software o Choose the vendor o Acquire the computer equipment

Steps in Choosing Hardware and Software

Inventory Computer Hardware    

Begin by inventory what computer hardware is already available in the organisation. Type of equipment – Model number, manufacturer Operation status of the equipment – On order, in storage, in need of repair Financial arrangement for equipment – Owned, leased or rented

Evaluating Hardware Criteria that the systems analysts and users should use to evaluate performance of different systems hardware:    

Time required for average transactions – Including how long it takes to input data and how long it takes to receive output Total volume capacity of the system – How much can be processed at the same time before a problem arises Idle time of the CPU or network Size of memory provided

People That Evaluate Hardware   

Management Users Systems analysts

Evaluating computer hardware is the shared responsibility of management, users and systems analysts. Although vendors supply details about their offerings, analyst over see the evaluation personally. Systems analysts will educate users and administration about advantages and disadvantages.

Acquisition of Computer Equipment  

Purchasing Using Cloud Services

Influential factors:   

What are the initial and the long-term costs Can capital afford to be tied up in computer equipment? Should the business have full control of and responsibility for the computer equipment

Available Cloud Services Available cloud services may include:       

Web hosting Email hosting Application hosting Backup Storage and processing of databases Archiving Ecommerce

Three Main Categories of Cloud Computing   

Software as a Service (SaaS) Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Platform as a Service (PaaS)

Software as a Service (SaaS)  

A software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted. It is sometimes referred to as “on-demand software” Also known as Web-based software, on-demand software and hosted software

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) 

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Online services that provide high-level APIs used to dereference various low-level details of underlying network infrastructure like physical computing resources, location, data partitioning, scaring, security, backup etc IaaS-cloud providers supply these resources on-demand form their large pools equipment installed in data centres.

Platform as a Service (PaaS) 

Provides a platform allowing customers to develop, run and manage applications without the complexity of building and maintaining the infrastructure typically associated with developing and launching an app.

Strategic Cloud Computing Decisions  

Decisions on cloud computing can first be addressed on a strategic level Business should focus on: o Define a high-level business case that focuses on high-level benefits o Define core requirements o Define core technologies for the enterprise

Benefits of Cloud Computing     

Less time spent maintaining legacy systems May be simpler to acquire IT services Scalable applications that can grow by adding more cloud resources Consisting across multiple platforms Capital is not tied up

Drawbacks of Cloud Computing   

Loss of control of data stored in the cloud Potential security threats to data that is not stored on premises Reliability of the Internet as a platform

Purchasing Hardware or Using Cloud Services Advantages and Disadvantages Buying Compute r Hardware Using Cloud Services

Advantages Full control over hardware and software Often cheaper in the long run Provides tax advantages through depreciation Maintenance and upgrade performed by provider Ability to change software and hardware rapidly Scalable – can grow quickly Consistent over multiple platforms No capital is tied up

Disadvantages Initial cost is high Risk of obsolescence Risk of being stuck if choice was wrong Full responsibility for operation and maintenance Company doesn’t control it’s own data Data security is at risk Reliability risks of the Internet platform Proprietary APIs and software may make switching providers difficult

Evaluating Vendor Support    

Hardware support Software support Installation and training support Maintenance support

Vendor Services Hardware Support

Software Support

Installation and Training

Maintenance

Cloud Services

Software as a Service

Specifics Vendors Typically Offer Full line of hardware Quality products Warranty Complete software needs Custom programming Warranty Commitment to schedule In-house training Technical assistance Routine maintenance procedures Specified response time in emergencies Equipment loan while repair is being done Web hosting Email hosting Data storage Automatic software upgrades Support services Security and antivirus protection

Software Alternatives Creating Custom Software

Purchasing COTS Package

Using SaaS

Advantages Specific response to specialised business needs Innovation may give firm a competitive advantage In-house staff available to maintain software Pride of ownership Refined in the commercial world Increased reliability Increased functionality Often lower initial cost Already in use by other firms Help and training comes with software Organisation that do not specialise in information systems can focus on what they do best (their strategic mission) There is no need to hire, train or retain a large IT staff. There is no expenditure of employee time on non-essential IT tasks

Disadvantages May be significantly higher cost compared to COTS software of ASP Necessity of hiring or working with development team Ongoing maintenance

Programming focused; not business focused Must live with the existing features Limited customisation Uncertain financial future of vendor Less ownership and commitment Loss of control of data, systems, IT employees and schedules Concern over the financial viability and long-run stability of the SaaS provider Security, confidentiality and privacy concerns Loss of potential strategic corporate advantage regarding innovativeness of application.

Software Evaluation Evaluate packaged software based on a demonstration with test data from the business considering it and an examination of accompanying documentation.      

Performance effectiveness Performance efficiency Ease of use Flexibility Quality of documentation Manufacturer support

Guidelines for Evaluating Software Software requirements and their features 

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Performance effectiveness o Able to perform all required tasks o Able to perform all tasks desired o Well-designed display screens o Adequate capacity Performance efficiency o Fast response time o Efficient input o Efficient output o Efficient storage of data o Efficient backup

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Ease of use o Satisfactory user interface o Help menus available o “Read me” files for last-minute chages o Flexible interface o Adequate feedback o Good error recovery Flexibility o Options for input o Options for output o Usable with other software Quality of documentation o Good organisation o Adequate online tutorial o Website with FAQ Manufacturer support o Technical support hotline o Newsletter/email o Website with downloadable product updates

Identifying Benefits and Costs    

Tangible benefits are advantages measurable in dollars through the use of the information system Intangible benefits are difficult to measure Tangible costs are accurately projected by the systems analysts and accounting personnel Intangible costs are difficult to estimate and may not be known

Tangible Benefits  

Advantages measurable in dollars that accrue to the organisation through the use of the information system Examples: o Increase in the speed of processing o Access to otherwise inaccessible information o Access to information on a more timely basis o The advantage of the computer’s superior calculation power o Decreases in the amount of employee time needed to complete specific tasks

Intangible Benefits  

Intangible benefits are benefits from use of the information system that are difficult to measure Examples: o Improving the decision-making process o Enhancing accuracy o Becoming more competitive in customer service o Maintaining a good business image o Increasing job satisfaction

Tangible Costs  

Those that can be accurately projected by systems analysts and the business accounting personnel Examples: o Cost of equipment o Cost of resources o Cost of systems analysts’ time o Cost of programmers’ time o Employees’ salaries

Intangible Costs  

Those that are difficult to estimate and may not be known Examples: o Losing a competitive edge o Losing the reputation of being first o Declining company image o Ineffective decision making

Comparing Costs and Benefits  

Break-even analysis Payback

Break-Even Analysis Break-even analysis of a store maintains inventory using a manual system. The computer system would be cost-effective of the business if the business sold about 600 units per week.

Payback Analysis Showing a Payback Period of Three and a Half Years

Managing Time and Activities  

The work breakdown structure Time estimation techniques

Work breakdown structure  

Often a project needs to be broken down into smaller tasks or activities These tasks together make up a work breakdown structure (WBS)

Properties   

Each task or activity contains one deliverable, or tangible outcome, from the activity Each task can be assigned to single individual or a single group Each task has a responsible person monitoring and controlling performance

Developing a WBS   

Decomposition, starting with large ideas, then breaking them down into manageable activities Product oriented, building a website can be broken down into many parts Process-oriented, emphasise the importance of each phase

WBS Sample – Process-Oriented

Time Estimation Techniques     

Relying on experience Using analogies Using three-point estimation Identifying function points Using time estimation software

Beginning to Plan a Project by Breaking It into Three Major Activities Phase Analysis

Design

Implementation

Activity Data gathering Data flow and decision analysis Proposal preparation Data entry design Input design Output design Data organisation Implementation Evaluation

Refining the Planning and Scheduling of Analysis Activities by Adding Detailed Tasks and Establishing the Time Required to Complete the Tasks Activity Data Gathering

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