PROJECT MANAGEMENT: CASE STUDY

Project Management: Case Study

Project Management: Case Study

PART I

Question 1

Lack of good project definition can easily turns a corporate strategy, or an IS project, into a modern day Towel of Babel. Clear and accurate definition of a project is one of the most important actions you can take to ensure the project's success. The clearer the target the more likely you are to hit it. Defining a project is a process of selection and reduction of the ideas and perspectives of those involved into a set of clearly defined objectives, key success criteria and evaluated risks.

For this particular case study, it can easily be related that this definition process should culminate in the production of a Project Definition document, sometimes called a Project Charter. The Project Definition document should be approved and issued by a manager with the authority to apply organisational resources to the project activities. Therefore, the seniority of the manager or the management team will be commensurate with the size, cost and business value of the project. As a minimum, the Project Definition should include a statement of the business need that the project seeks to address and the description of the product, service or deliverable business objectives that will be its output. When a project is performed under a contract between seller and buyer, the signed contract may well serve as the project charter for the seller. However this may not necessarily be the case for the buyer whose project may include more than the product or service purchase under the contract.

So, this is clear that adequately defining a project to the People is important when implementing a system and can directly affect its success or failure. The way to define a project is to ask a standard set of questions of yourself (as Project Leader) the project team, colleagues with particular expertise and senior managers.

Question 2

By making a fresh start, Mr. Mistry would definitely gain a lot more. Previously there were few lacking in the project handling due to which it was not a success. The way project was defined, and then the way it was delegated and the overall management were not up to the mark. This time following points must be defined well before the start of the project in order to make a good success.

The Purpose (or Mission)

This is the reason for doing the project

What is the project about in broad terms?

Who wants it done and why?

What is its title?

The Goals

These are the targets we want to meet

What is it we want to achieve?

When do we want to achieve it?

What are our specific aims?

Why are these goals essential to the project?

The Beneficial Gains or Scope

This is how our organisation will gain. Here we define our performance criteria and set our quality standards for the project.

How will things be different if the project is successfully completed?

Is there a clear need and can it be quantified?

Who will benefit, how will they benefit and what will they gain?

Do the beneficiaries agree about ...