1. Theory of Project Assessment
1.1 Cisco Systems “Project Analysis”
The Cisco System is known for designing and selling Internet protocol (IP) centred networking products (Claise et al., 2012). Furthermore, the organisation offer vast array of services related to Information Technology (IT) Industry.
1.1.1 Cisco Project Under Evaluation
This contextual investigation depicts Cisco IT’s in-house utilisation of Cisco remote connectivity and Cisco IP Communications advancements in conjunction with a creative working environment outline to make a more successful work environment for Cisco’s workforce.
1.1.2 Project Objectives
Objectives were to raise profitability, upgrade coordinated effort, expand worker fulfilment, and decrease real estate and innovation costs. The Cisco worldwide system is an innovative organisation that is one of the biggest and most complex. Cisco workers are mostly on the move and spend less time for working on a single particular desk or working area (Andy Neely et al., 2015). In light of the requirements vision was to empower the workers to induce creativity by increasing portability-using elements of Cisco IP Communications innovation. The new environment would empower them to pick any workspace for whatever length of time that they required it, it can be exactly an hour or throughout the day.
1.2 Principles of Project Management Measuring Success at Cisco
A project is a temporary endeavour undertaken to achieve specific goals and objectives having a defined start and finish. The project management is discussed considering the triple constraints (Iron Triangle) Scope, time, Cost, and Quality (Liu et al., 2013).
Project management is a concept that uses established set of principles and standards to lead a project from its start point till the end ensuring all deliverables are met according to the customer’s requirements.
1.2.1 Criterion for Success or Failure
The success criterion was established in the scope statement of Cisco Systems for improving office workspace with introduction of IT systems. Project success criterions are the standards established on which the project is evaluated and termed successful or unsuccessful (Kiran and Kinghorn, 2013). The success parameters can be explained as following
Table 1 Cisco Project Success Criterion
| Cisco Systems Project | |
| Success Criterion | Description |
| Enable collaboration | Increasing chance of planned and unplanned meeting and removing distances via collaboration over technology like e-mail, voice mail, Cisco VT Advantage telephony. |
| Reducing real estate cost | By removing the traditional seats or locations to employees the organization will be able to free two third of the space. This will allow the Cisco Systems to save real estate cost by 37%. |
| Minimizing Infrastructural Cost | A wireless system does not use wires or cables that make it very compatible and easily accessible where as reduces cost for maintain complex porting and extended wiring. |
1.2.2 Triple Constraint and Criterion for Project Success
1.2.2.1 Project Schedule Management
Management of project schedule is very important criterion for success, since sponsors require the desired output at a particular amount of time (Liu et al., 2015). To manage project schedules (Time) techniques like critical path method and network diagram is used to analyse the dependencies between task and then designing it according to the competencies and resource availability (Kuchta, 2014). The project manager can use techniques like crashing and fast tracking to get back on schedule (Mishra and Mahanty, 2014).
1.2.2.2 Project Cost Management
Cost management is another significant factor for achieving project success like every project has definite start and finish similarly the project also has a defined budget (Mishra and Mahanty, 2014). The cost incurred in achieving the deliverable is defined in Planned value of each task (Doloi, 2012). Furthermore, project manager uses earned value management techniques to manage the cost during the execution. Task as closely monitored and earned value is continuously mapped with planned value enabling increased control over cost and increases chances for success (Love et al., 2012).
1.2.2.3 Project Scope
The project scope is a factor that defines success as the output meets the expectations/requirements of the clients (Adams and Foltz, 2012). The project is successful when all deliverables are aligned according to the client’s requirements (McCann, 2013). Failing to deliver any one of the deliverables the project is deemed a failure.
1.2.2.4 Quality
Quality is meeting stakeholder’s expectations in terms of number of defects in a system produced. The quality is defined by the customer shows that how much tolerant client is towards defects (Liu et al., 2015). The project will be termed as failure if it delivers a major defect towards the customer. Other wise success lays in meeting stakeholders expectations.
Project manager can create a win-win scenario by using lean six-sigma technique or ISO PDCA cycle in addition to deployment of Quality management system comprising of quality assurance and control (Cusworth and Franks, 2013).
1.2.3 Various Other Criterion for Project Succes
The above table shows various other factors for success like user involvement and top management support with clear requirements defined. Proper planning and communicating realistic expectations help achieving project success.
Similarly the above table shows the factors that contribute to project failure like if the customer or clients inputs are not effectively taken or client is not effectively engaged with in the process (Burke, 2013). Henceforth would result in incomplete requirements and escalating to changing requirements frequently. These factors lead to failure of a project.
1.3 Principles of Project Management for System Life Cycle Stage
Project management principles refer to the utilisation of information, abilities, apparatuses, and strategies to effectively manoeuvre project activities or work packages. The activities are with a specific end goal to meet or surpass sponsors/clients requirements and desires from a task (Cervone, 2011). Meeting or surpassing sponsors needs and desires constantly includes adjusting and finding a balance among components scope, time, cost, and quality. This is important since partners might be with contrasting needs or wants (Drouin et al., 2012).
The term project management in many cases is used to depict an enterprise’s way to deal with the management of operations. Every project is marked by the delivery of a specific deliverable and objective where as deliverable or objective is a tangible and a verifiable work product. Every stage is marked with a specific deliverable and after the assessment of deliverable being according to the standards the product is allowed to move to next stage other wise appropriate corrective actions are made (Zwikael, 2012).
Table 4 Project Management Principles and Lifecycle Stage
| Project Management Principles and Life Cycle Stage | ||
| Stages | Appropriate Principle | Output |
| Project Conceptualisation | Conduct Feasibility study | Project is feasible or not |
| Project Initiation | Sign Project Charter/ Design a Scope Statement | Signed Charter and Scope |
| Project Planning | Project team meetings, quality parameters and Risk Assessment | Project Plan |
| Project Implementation | Quality Assurance, Risk Monitoring and Control, Critical Path Method management, WBS, Lean or Agile management. | Deliverable According to Customer requirements |
| Project Closure | Stakeholder meeting, Presentations and Outcome management | Lessons Learnt |
1.4 Elements Involved in Project Closure
Following table explains the essential elements that need consideration for project closure (Alexandra-Mihaela and Danut, 2013).
Table 5 Essential Elements for Project Closure
Project closure is a significant aspect of the project management and it is the last stage in the undertaking life cycle. The task closure report is documented and submitted to the program manager or senior management for assessment and client’s approval (Gido and Clements, 2014). The Program director is responsible for all the exercises included in the undertaking conclusion report and regarding project as closed when all the exercises have been finished. The project manager is responsible for having a last meeting with the colleagues to discuss about what were the issues and how was their experience all through the venture and where they needed to improve. The project manager directed an overview of the project and communicated the deliverable to the consumers (Burke and Barron, 2014).
2. Project Plan
2.1 Project Initiation Document
2.1.1 Document History
Table 6 Document History
| Document Owner | Project Management Consultancy |
| Document Location | United Kingdom |
| Document Status | Planning Stage |
| Revision History | 1st July 2015 |
Table 7 Version Information
| Version number | Revision date | Previous revision date | Summary of changes | Changes marked |
| 0.11.2015 | 1st July 2015 | 5th June 2015 | Project Plan Updated | – |
2.1.2 Approvals
Table 8 Project Approval
| Name | Signature | Responsibility | Date of issue | Version |
| PMC- Program Manager | Overall Monitoring | 1st June 2015 | 0.11.2015 | |
| Sponsor | Approval | 15th June 2015 | 0.11.2015 | |
| Project Manager | Project deliverables | 29th May 2015 | 0.11.2015 |
2.2 Introduction to “Upgrade Database” Project
Currently the organization is performing its operation manually that results in excessive cost and low productivity. The project is being initiated to increase efficiency of the organization and allow them to achieve growth and induce innovation in work processes.
2.2 Key Deliverable
Table 9 Key Deliverables
| Activities | Deliverable Date |
| Project Feasibility Study | 23-8-15 |
| Technology Need Assessment | 26-8-15 |
| Tech equipment Procurement | 21-8-15 |
| Data Base Framework Setup | 4-09-15 |
| Portal For Financial Records | 23-9-15 |
| Portal for Sales Person Sales Data Recording | 29-09-15 |
| Portal for Project team roles and Responsibilities | 4-09-15 |
| Project Evaluation portal | 15-09-15 |
| One touch Project report generation tool | 20-09-15 |
| Data Base Online Web Integration | 4-11-15 |
| Project Interactive desktop on Database | 4-12-15 |
2.3 Project Plan
2.3.1 Work Breakdown Structure
Table 10 Work Breakdown Structure
| 1. B2B Marketplace Launch Work Breakdown Structure | ||||||
| ID | Task Name | Duration | Start | Finish | Pre | Resource |
| 1. Planning Phase | 60 days | 12/22/14 | 3/13/15 | Project Manager | ||
| 1.1 Defining Scope | 15 days | 12/22/14 | 1/9/15 | Quality & Risk Manager/ Project team | ||
| 1.2 Stakeholder Meetings | 10 days | 1/12/15 | 1/23/15 | 3 | Presenters/ Project Manager | |
| 1.3 Scope Signing | 35 days | 1/26/15 | 3/13/15 | 4 | Project Manager/ Support Members | |
| 2. Database Procurement and Installation | 80 days | 3/16/15 | 7/3/15 | 5,2 | IT Manager | |
| 2.1 Market research for information | 30 days | 3/16/15 | 4/24/15 | 5 | Market Research Team | |
| 2.2 Required equipment List Finalization | 25 days | 4/27/15 | 5/29/15 | 7 | Project Team/ Market Research Team | |
| 2.3 Procurement of equipment | 17 days | 6/1/15 | 6/23/15 | 8 | IT / Database / Risk Manager | |
| 2.4 Database equipment installation | 20 days | 6/1/15 | 6/26/15 | 8 | Database Manager | |
| 2.5 Working Inspection | 5 days | 6/29/15 | 7/3/15 | 10 | IT manager | |
| 3. Data Base Framework Setup | 35 days | 7/6/15 | 8/21/15 | 11,6 | Project Manager/ IT manager | |
| 3.1 Portal For Financial Records | 21 days | 7/6/15 | 8/3/15 | 11 | IT analyst | |
| 3.2 Portal for Sales Person Sales Data Recording | 23 days | 7/6/15 | 8/5/15 | 11 | Consultant/IT analyst | |
| 3.3 Portal for Project team roles and Responsibilities | 35 days | 7/6/15 | 8/21/15 | 11 | Software programmer | |
| 3.4 Project Evaluation portal | 27 days | 7/6/15 | 8/11/15 | 11 | Marketing Manager/ Software Engineer | |
| 3.5 One touch Project report generation tool | 32 days | 7/6/15 | 8/18/15 | 11 | Customer Care officer/ Software Programmer | |
| 4. Data Base Online Web Integration | 45 days | 7/6/15 | 9/4/15 | 11 | Marketing Manager/IT analyst/ Designer | |
| 5. Project Interactive desktop on Database | 90 days | 9/7/15 | 1/8/16 | 16,12 | Project Manager/ IT manager | |
| 6. Closure of the project | 20 days | 1/11/16 | 2/5/16 | 19 | Project manager / Project Team |
2.3.2 Project Scheduling
Table 11 Legends For Network Diagram
| Legend for Network Diagram | |||||||||||
| # | ID | Activity | Pre | # | ID | Activity | Pre | # | ID | Activity | Pre |
| P | Database Installation and Automation | 8. | B2 | Required equipment List Finalization | 7 | 15. | C3 | Portal for Project team roles and Responsibilities | 11 | ||
| A | Planning Phase | 9. | B3 | Procurement of equipment | 8 | 16. | C4 D | Project Evaluation portal | 11 | ||
| A1 | Defining Scope | 10. | B4 | Database equipment installation | 8 | 17. | C5 D1 | One touch Project report generation tool | 11 | ||
| A2 | Stakeholder Meetings | 3 | 11. | B5 | Working Inspection | 10 | 18. | D | Data Base Online Web Integration | 11 | |
| A3 | Scope Signing | 4 | 12. | C | Data Base Framework Setup | 11,6 | 19. | E | Project Interactive desktop on Database | 11 | |
| B | Database Procurement and Installation | 5,2 | 13. | C1 | Portal For Financial Records | 11 | 20. | F | Closure of the project | 19 | |
| B1 | Market research for information | 5 | 14. | C2 | Portal for Sales Person Sales Data Recording | 11 | 21. |
2.4 Project Monitoring and Control
Risk management will be carried out by following the risk register, where it will be used to ensure all the risk are being mitigated as identified in the planning stage. Furthermore the monitoring and control process will maintain strong quality orientation where process audits will ensure that defects are not produced. Inspection will be performed at the end of each phase to ensure specifications are dully met.
2.5 Conditions at Closure Stage
The organization will have moved to paperless environment and fully automated system will be working and managers will be reporting positive reviews regarding its productivity. The sponsor will approve the project after achieve satisfactory results.
References
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