The Appropriate Technology in Managing Different Business Projects - Assignment Example

Business Project Management Student’s Name: Institution’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Submission Date: Table of Contents Introduction 3 Task 1 3 1.1 Definition of the development technology 3 1.2 Reuse approach to be used 4 Task 2 5 2.1 The required sections of the quality manual 5 Task 3: BPR rationale 8 Conclusion 8 References 9 Introduction In the business world, resource management and application, is a very important process. This is because a majority of the resources are scarce and therefore they require to be optimally used for maximum production. This is the reason as to why the concept of reuse has come into perspective. Reuse is the process through which the different software resources that had been used previously are used in new applications. The concept that this article will try to demonstrate therefore is about using the appropriate technology in managing different business projects. Task 1 1.1 Definition of the development technology In the process of using the concept of reuse, one important factor that one has to bear in mind is the involved programme and the required development technology. For any existing business project management system, a specific development technology must be used. The development technology refers to the technology that is being used to develop the software resources that have already been used in order to make them more efficient and effective in the current systems of project management (Avison & Torkzadeh 2008). There are two specific development technologies that can be applied in the existing systems as the reuse elements and they are: the object oriented and the component-based development technologies. The two technologies can be applied in two different situations. While the object-oriented technology can be used in more than one application, the component-based development differs slightly in the sense that it can be applied in the general pieces of software interchangeably (Valacich et al 2009). Research is showing that the application of the development technology is proofing to be a very important means of ensuring that a software reuse is made possible and that it can deliver on its expected goals in a more effective and efficient manner. In the business project management environment, the development technology development is used to deal both with the cost and time aspects which are very critical in any management context in the sense that it affects the end result of the outcome. 1.2 Reuse approach to be used In the current systems, there are different reuse approaches that can be adopted in running the business management project. However, this is depended on the viability of each and every approach that is adopted and this is determined in relation to the time, cost, business goals, technical issues and the ability to increase the level of productivity alongside performing more other tasks in the management operations (Valacich et al 2009). In general, the solution that each reuse approach will generate is a factor of the choice to be made. This is because each and every project manager expects good results and therefore, it remains the biggest concern for any business to use the most suitable reuse approach that can help maximize production. The four different reuse approaches that are available for use in the business project management include: “Ad Hoc” reuse, facilitated reuse, managed reuse and designed reuse. The four approaches are differentiated by such aspects as the theme, the typical reuse level, the relative cost, the people and roles, processes and policies and the tools and technology. However, after an extensive analysis of these approaches and the interests that different businesses have when adopting a certain approach, the facilitated approach is most preferred. This is because unlike the other reuse approaches, the facilitate reuse approaches seeks to create an environment where each and every team member is encouraged to practice reuse (Manganelli et al 1994). The role of the organization in this case, is to make available the different tools techniques that can facilitate the reuse of the available assets and resources at a more affordable cost. This is particularly important in ensuring that corporate investment cost is kept at minimum. However, according to (Harrison and Pratt 1993), the approach is not the best in all occasions since the goals and objectives of each organization vary. Task 2 2.1 The required sections of the quality manual The ability of a project management system indicates the quality of the development technology to be used. This is because a system with many defects in the software will cost so much to run and operate but deliver very minimal results (Yeates & Wakefield 2004). With this in mind therefore, it is absolutely to develop a quality manual that outlines the important activities, processes and measures to be initiated to ensure that everything is well controlled and the intended results delivered. The following are the specific areas of the quality manual that will be considered in the current systems for it to work more effectively and help deliver on the goals and objectives of the organization. A. CUSTOMERS The customers are the major consideration in any business system. This is because any initiative that is being taken should be the one that benefits both the internal and external customer. Apart from helping improve the relationship interface between the business and its customers, a project manual must be able to deliver high quality products and services for the customers (Cadle & Yeates 2004). In this regard therefore, the system used must take into account what the customer requirements are, the best way to produce and deliver them and the contribution required of each party. This is important in ensuring that the system used is able to create some positive impact to the business including its customers. B. STANDARDS A Quality Management System (QMS) is used to specify the standards that must be followed when executing the different tasks performed within an organization. Standards are important in ensuring that the different parties in the systems understand what a certain work entails and the role of each so that all people are able to work as a team (Yeates & Wakefield 2004). What this means therefore, is that, a policy framework needs that defines what the commitments and the standards within the Business Management System (BMS) are, and how they need to be managed and controlled in the most formal way. In addition to this, there is need for the quality manual to consider the role of certification and maintenance. This is only achievable if the ISO 9001:2000 are applied. This is because they help establish and build a management system that ensures the required confidence of the conformance of the project to the specified requirements. C. QUALITY MEASURES In many occasions, the biggest challenge experienced when running a BMS, is the parameters to measure the quality of its outcome as a determinant of its success. However, this trend can be avoided if the cost of providing poor quality outcomes can be determined (Subramanian et al 1999). This is only possible if the four main strategies of getting the correct system are used and which include: prevention, appraisal, and areas of internal and external failures. This will help ensure that the BMS is conforming to the specified requirements. 2.2 Schedule Fagan Inspections (6 stages) The Fagan Inspection is a very important tool that had been designed by Michael Fagan while working with IBM in order to help the project manager eliminate any problems experienced with the walkthroughs. The Fagan Inspection outlines five strategies of managing the problems and which include, the moderator, the scribe, the reader, the author and the inspector (Yeates & Wakefield 2004). The Moderator The whole process of starting and running the BMS starts with the Moderator who is specialized in looking at a number of aspects such entry criteria, appointing the inspectors and liaising with the Project Manager among other works to ensure that a system developed conforms with the specified requirements (Barry 1995). The scribe The scribe records all the identified defects that need to be corrected and mark them using a unique number. The reader The work of the reader is to guide the inspection team through the identified defects and then paraphrase the identified content in agreement with the moderator. This is important in ensuring that the items are not misrepresented. The author The author in the BMS will be used as a reference source and as a validator of the system and is expected to liaise with the moderator in many different areas. The inspector The work of the inspector will be to go through the BMS document and identify any areas that will require further discussion during the meeting. This is important in ensuring that the content in the document is well understood. Task 3: BPR rationale The Business Process Re-engineering is described by Sotiris (2000) as the “fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of the business process that is aimed at achieving a dramatic improvement in critical, the current measures of performance which include cost, quality and service as well as speed.” The rationale of developing the Singaporean customer interface, is to help the business constantly reinvent itself so that it is always ahead of the customer demands and also help improve the current performance both regionally and internationally and therefore the need to have a customer interface (Subramanian et al 1999). Conclusion Business project management is an inevitable thing. To make it more effective, it requires the adoption of the most suitable BMS and Reuse approach that will save the business in terms of cost and time while remaining ahead in providing quality products and services for the customers. References Avison, D. & Torkzadeh, G. 2008. Information Systems Project Management, SAGE Publcications, p127-8 Barry B. 1995. COCOMO II Model Definition Manual, University of Southern California, USA Cadle, J & Yeates, Y. 2004. Project Management for Information Systems, Prentice Hall, p150-2 Harrison, B.D and Pratt, M.D.1993. A methodology for Reengineering Business., Planning Review 21(2), 6-11. Jones, C. 1991. Applied Software Measurement, Assuring Productivity and Quality, McGraw- Hill, New York, N.Y. Manganelli, R.L and Klein, M.M.1994. The Reengineering Handbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Business Transformation, American Management Association, New York. Sotiris, Z. 2000. Business process re-engineering, BPR Hellas, SA. Subramanian, M., Larry, W. and Hossein, C.S. 1999. Business process reengineering: a consolidated methodology, Wichita State University Wichita, USA. Valacich et al, 2009. Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design, 4th Ed, REUSE, Phi Learning Pvt Ltd, USA, p67-71. Yeates D & Wakefield T, 2004, Systems Analysis and Design, Prentice Hall, p93-107, p126- 7, p420-1. Read More