Description

Lab 8

Firstly, I will organise you into new groups.  You will remain in these groups for this session and Case 5 -9.  The write-up of cases 5-9 comprises Part 2 of the assignment.

Record the names of your group here, and list their contact details.  Groups are up to 4, and are randomly assigned.

Lab Timing

Assign teams  10 mins

Task 1             40 mins

Task 2             40 mins

Task 3             10 mins

Case 5: Project Quality Management

The Remote Deposit Capture Project team is working hard to ensure that the new system meets expectations. Even though you have a detailed scope statement, schedule, and so on, you want to be sure that the project will please key stakeholders, in particular Harold, the project sponsor, and Tricia, the VP of Marketing. Both of these senior managers are very aware of customers’ needs, so it is important that the new service is stable, secure, and easy to use. They both want the remote deposit capture capability to be ready as soon as possible so the company can start promoting this new service. You know that you cannot meet the schedule goal and provide a high quality service. You also think you will need additional funds since both suppliers have spent more than planned already, and you are only halfway into the project.

Tasks

1.    As a group: Develop a list of quality standards or requirements related to meeting the stakeholder expectations, focusing on both senior management and customer expectations. Provide a brief description of at least four different requirements. For example, a requirement might be that the new feature is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and that the time it takes to properly scan one check is less than ten seconds.

2.    As a group: You have decided to expand the testing program to observe several potential customers using early versions of the system to get their feedback. Write a one- to two-page paper describing how this testing might work. Try to find information on how real companies get customer feedback such as this.

3.   Complete this individually for assignment Part 2: After looking at results of early customer testing of the new system, you decide to create a Pareto diagram to analyse the problems or suggestions users reported. Use the template for a Pareto diagram and the following information to create it, and then discuss what this analysis recommends.  Use this time to explore the Pareto diagram with your team.

Your Homework

1.     Complete all of Case 5

2.     Revise and polish hand-ins for Cases 1-4, assemble and submit Part 1 for marking.

3.     Prepare task 3 for inclusion in the Assignment Part 2

4.     Read all of Case 6

Lab 9

Lab Timing

Task 1             40 mins

Task 2             20 mins

Task 3             40 mins

Case 6: Project Human Resource Management

You want to make sure that the final testing of the remote capture software goes well. You will have people from your project team and both suppliers involved in the testing. You need to clarify who needs to do what, and you need to provide proper motivation for everyone involved, including the testers. Recall that the team members include you (project manager), Mike and Sophie (IT department), Carlos and Joanna (marketing), Simon (purchasing department), Christian (Code Corp.), and Alexandra (DevAn). Assume you also have 20 customers involved in the final testing of the software, with five of them on-site and the rest testing remotely from their home or work Internet connections.

Tasks

1.    Complete this individually for assignment Part 2:  Prepare a responsibility assignment matrix based (the simple version from the textbook, with only R and P codes) on the following information.

The main tasks that need to be done for final customer testing are:

1. determine the demographics for the customer testers
2. locate the testers
3. develop the test
4. prepare the facilities for the on-site testing
5. create the survey and other methods for getting customer feedback
6. analyse the results

Prepare a RACI chart to help clarify roles and responsibilities for these customer-testing tasks. Document key assumptions you make in preparing the chart.

2.    As a group: Senior management has asked you to plan for the support required in the first year for the remote capture system after the project is completed. Assume that there will be two phone service people working 24-7 all year, one person providing online support 24-7 all year, four marketing people working on promotions full-time the first six months, two marketing people working on promotions  the last six months, and one internal IT person providing technical support half-time all year. Create a resource histogram, similar to the one in Figure 9-6, based on this information.

3.    As a group: The marketing people are having problems deciding on a promotional strategy for the new remote capture service. The two people responsible for the campaign simply cannot agree on an approach. One wants to focus primarily on an online campaign, while the other thinks a more traditional approach (having people on-site at the various banks the first week the service is available, giving away free scanners at various banks, having radio and television advertising of the service) is best. You tried meeting with them both together, but it’s clear that neither of them wants to give up his/her idea. Write a one-page paper summarizing the actions you could take the way you could work with the key people involved. Be sure to address how you would understand each person’s point of view while creating a realistic solution.

Your Homework

1.     Complete all of Case 6

2.     Prepare task 1 for inclusion in the Assignment Part 2

3.     Read all of Case 7

4.     Watch the video in the Lab directory “ProjectInABox\Planner Risks and Issues.wmv”