JBH Project Plan(Business Plan)

QUESTION

Competencies
Identify the role projects play in meeting the goals of an organization.
Explain the activities that occur when initiating a project.
Classify the components of project planning.
Evaluate project implementation techniques.
Evaluate project performance.
Distinguish project management methodologies and tools.
Scenario
You are a Senior Project Manager for JBH Software Solutions and are about begin on a new project and training a new associate at the same time. The scope of the project is a total system upgrade for the customer service area. The project has a budget of $15 Million and has a duration of 24 months for completion. Since you are the Senior Project Manager, upper management is looking to you for guidance and best practices for the project management lifecycle at JBH.

Instructions
Create a project plan for JBH Software Solutions that includes required documentation such as business case, risk mitigation plan, communication plan, scope statement, scorecard, and project timelines. Include details about methodologies and tools used to manage the project. Review the deliverables from prior modules as a guide to complete this assignment.

ANSWER

Business Case: JBH Project Plan

Executive Summary

JBH Software Solutions is a corporation that offers technology services. The company provides a variety of services, including computer repair, automotive, designing technologies, and consulting services. The company was founded in 2010 under the management of Shirley Philips. It has ensured the integration of strategic organizational objectives to assert its competitiveness within the USA market. The company’s mission is to offer the most suitable services to its consumers and fulfill their demands. Hence, it continually implements new advanced technologies to address consumer needs. Currently, the company intends to expand its customer services department so that it can further serve its customers effectively. JBH Software Solutions has decided to implement a project that will purposely address this concern. Project performance can be enhanced through the application of skills and knowledge. The project’s success will require that the organization is dedicated to implementing efficient project management throughout the project. The incorporation of project management activities will target to increase value to organizational performance. Project activities will be scalable to the scope, magnitude and complexity of the program while also utilizing effective approaches to execute and monitor project status. The project’s implementation necessitates a basic level of consistency across the organization by offering flexibility and applying project management standards that work most effectively for the company.

Purpose

The purpose of the JBH Software Solutions project is to implement more improvised customer services to meet the increasing needs of the organization’s clients. The project will intend to integrate new advanced technologies within the customer services department. Information technological services assert a worthwhile investment. The benefits are identified and risks are managed whilst business activities are supported to ensure the appropriate utilization of the limited resources. Technical investments are regularly complex and require strategic decision making prior to their implementation. The purpose of this business case is to:

Identify the most suitable approach that can be integrated to enhance customer services.
To facilitate proper decision-making processes applicable to solve the problem.
Assess the probable implications when certain options are implemented or not.
Offer an objective assessment.
Examine how the selected options correspond to company’s objectives.
Determine the resources, benefits, and costs that are required for implementation.
Offer a proposal on the best alternative.

Approach

The business case’s approach will be comprehensive, as it will not be confined to fiscal estimates. Even though budgetary estimates are crucial, they do not address other issues. Stakeholders’ expertise and resource availability may also be prioritized. All these components will be utilized in investment evaluation and planning.

Project scope

The project is expected to take approximately 2 years. A budget of about 15 million dollars will be assigned for the successful undertaking of the project. The accomplishment of the program will result in an estimated 25% increase in overall returns. Moreover, additional benefits consisting of reductions in delayed services, as well as more effective consumer-centric approaches, will be promoted. Consumers will be provided with more accurate and updated company information.

Project Objectives:

Improve customer satisfaction by 20% by the end of the year 2020.
Decrease overall project and IT support costs.
Enhance efficiency of projecting accuracy as well as administration.
Enforce consistent reporting processes and business developments.

Project stakeholders

A steering committee –will provide counsel, ensure the delivery of project outputs, and the attainment of project outcomes. The committee will offer guidance, support, and identify any concerns that impede project development though they will not actively participate in the project activities.

Team members –will be involved in project activities, including data collection and recording of data.

Project manager – will oversee the entire project. He or she will be responsible for leading the team members and planning, executing, and managing the program. The manager will also be involved in motivating the team members, cost estimating and budgeting, assessing and managing risks, resource planning, monitoring project progress, and ensuring consumer satisfaction.

Others – Headquarters and specific work personnel within the customer services department

Alternatives

Alternative 1: Increase the number of customer service work personnel.

Alternative 2: Integrate customer relationships training programs for staff.

Alternative

Advantages

Disadvantages

Impact on key stakeholders

Alternative 1

· Improves customer and employee interactions

· Moderate risk

· High capital costs required to identify and hire the most suitable work personnel

· Improved customer satisfaction

· Improved business processes

· Customers will be able to interact with their service providers

Alternative 2

· High strategic alignment

· Low risk since already implemented

· Less effective and time-consuming

· Employees will be imparted with skills on how to interact with consumers efficiently.

· Improves customer support.

Benefits

The integration of improved technologies will enable more efficient customer services. Customers will be able to interact with company staff through online platforms. Further, any transactions or queries will be addressed effectively. JBH Software Solutions will be able to meet its customers’ demands. In turn, customer satisfaction will increase, and they will become more loyal. More customers will also be attracted to the company’s services.

Overall sales and market shares will significantly improve.

Costs

Major project costs will include:

Training costs
Hardware equipment
Software equipment
Stakeholders’ fee

Risks

Added costs will be incurred, especially in the training of staff.The staff will be required to learn how new technologies will function. The trainers will also require compensation. This may result in reduced productivity. The substantial costs will vary depending on the size of the business, its geographical extension, technology level and activity type. Since JBH Software Solutions is a big company, increased expenses are probable. As a matter of fact, most of the expenses will be incurred from data conversion from former applications to new ones, processes’ reconfiguration, and hardware and software costs.
Information security- company information may be hacked by malicious individuals leading to the possibility of information leakage. The web server that contains the organization’s data packages may encounter blockage and inhibit the services to authorized users.
Technology integration and upgrading – the technology will continuously need to be upgraded.
Regulatory compliance- the utilization of the particular practices should be preceded by feasibility studies in order to identify potential threats an organization may be exposed to since in numerous instances, risk prevention is essential in managing concerns that may arise.
Resource management- the mismanagement of resources, including funds and equipment, may disrupt project progress.
There may be resistance from staff regarding the introduction to new technologies. Employees may be unwilling to assess and understand the significance of the applications and their utilization. They may also presume that more responsibilities will be required for such a complex solution.

Assumptions

The company will be able to negotiate the anticipated costs for hardware and software equipment.
Low initial loss of productivity: During the initial phases of the project, employee output may significantly be impacted. Most of the customer service department employees will be required to learn the new application since they will be needed to interact more with customers through online platforms.
The resources allocated are sufficient and will enable the completion of the project. There will be a consistent supply of resources and financial services throughout the entire project.
The project will be completed within the set time-frame, after 2 years since its implementation.
Project operations will not interfere with other company activities. The rest of the company activities will continue. The customer services department is the only department that will likely undergo most of the developments.
Employee burdened annual cost = 250 workdays per year at 8 hours per day
2% salary increase per year for each employee.
1.5% inflation rate per year is expected.

Organizational Considerations

The successful implementation will need support from all stakeholders. Employee acceptance is vital for the progress of the project. The management team also needs to provide adequate support if the project is to operate efficiently.

Financial Analysis

Net Present Value (NPV) will be utilized in making capital investment decisions since it assesses all critical elements of a project, including the duration of investment, outflow and inflow. Additionally, it prioritizes the risks associated with potential investment alternatives and profitability. Using the NPV, JBH Software Solutions will be able to effectively analyze the benefits and costs of the project. In as much as the project is costly with a budget of approximately 15 million dollars; the perceived benefits are likely to exceed the costs of the project. If the project is successfully completed, it is expected that customer satisfaction will increase by an estimated 25%.This implies that the company sales could increase with an equal proportion. Moreover, consumer loyalty will increase, and more prospective customers will increase. Therefore, the benefits will outweigh the costs since the project outcomes will generally promote the company’s expansion.

Project constraints

The Project manager will be required to manage funds by balancing between excessive utilization of the capital and under-spending. Poor budgeting may lead to improper use of allocated funds. The costs will become a constraint, and rarely will the intended budget meet all the requirements.

Quality– the quality of the project may become a constraint. If the deliveries of the anticipated project outcomes are not met, then it implies that the quality has also not been met. When stakeholders are against the project, the quality may be interfered with.

Scope is yet another constraint. If all the project requirements are not met, it will be difficult to achieve the program objectives. Moreover, the delivery of outputs and project outcomes may also be disrupted.

Schedule is one of the main constraints, as most projects report incomplete activities and delayed funding reports. With the poor allocation of resources, inaccurate estimation of activity schedules, and the improper identification of tasks, the project is likely to be constrained.

SWOT Analysis

Strength

Several strengths of the company will aid in the achievement of program objectives. JBH Software Solutions is a recognized company with an already existing target market.

Weakness

High substantial costs will make it challenging to implement the project. The purchase of hardware and software equipment and the acquisition of new technologies will require high capital.

Opportunities

Through the integration of technologies that target customer focus, JBH Software Solutions will be able to increase new opportunities to the extended market that will be attracted by better customer services, hence further increasing its market shares.

Threats

The organization’s competitors may devise more effective technologies, creating an increasingly competitive market that may interfere with the expansion of JBH Software Solutions.

Marketing strategy

The target market will be identified, and particular products will be tailored to attract the consumer. The product will be designed to capture the consumers’ attention. Online platforms including Face book and Twitter will be utilized to further develop the program and access a broader clientele. Project stakeholders will be encouraged to participate in promoting the project through funding and campaigns.

RISK MITIGATION PLAN

Acquisition processes generally involve several risks. JBH Software Solutions must recognize that a risk management plan is critical to minimize probable risks. Through risk management, the development of actions that facilitate risk reduction and increase opportunities will be enabled. The risk management plan will constitute risk sharing, risk avoidance, risk transfer, and risk reduction (Ahmed, 2017). The risk mitigation plan will constitute two phases, namely: identifying certain measures that can minimize the probability of risks occurring and the development of a contingency plan to manage risk if they occur. These mitigation processes will be documented and frequently examined. First, the failure points for every risk will be identified. Each failure point will be recorded, indicating that the factor has reached a critical end. Alternatives should then be provided to control the critical points.

Contingency planning will involve the detection of tasks that can be conducted to enforce the mitigation strategy. The identification of necessary resources such as funds, labor, and equipment should then be determined before creating a contingency plan schedule. Training materials and escalation procedures will also be identified. The plan will be reviewed and published and distributed to the entire project team. It will be included in the project budget though only the high risks will be considered. As the project progresses, the risk factors will continue to be monitored. The team will have the mandate to perform contingency plans in cases when the trigger events recorded in the risk analysis happen to occur. Since risk management is a continual process, it will be conducted through the entire project. Activities such as risk assessment and risk identification, risk reporting, tracking trigger events, and contingency plans will be performed regularly. It is expected that several risk attributes, including impact and probability, will change as the project progresses.

Risks	Probability	Risk management
Costs	Highly likely	· Engage technical professionals to provide advice regarding financial estimates.
Employee resistance	Likely	· Train employees on significance of new technologies.
Regulatory compliance	Unlikely	· Comply with the already set regulations.
Resource mismanagement	Likely	· Hire financial experts and strictly adhere to the budget. · Project manager should ensure that resources are well-managed through consistent monitoring.

Methodologies and tools

A combination of Xtreme Programming (XP) and Adaptive Framework methodologies will be incorporated. Xtreme programming (XP) methodology will be used to define values and processes and enhance software quality in order to ensure receptiveness to changing consumer requirements. This methodology will be utilized because it is simple to handle, allows communication and feedback (Abdalhamid, Mohammed & Mishra, 2019). In the Adaptive Framework methodology, the project scope is a variable while the costs and time are constant (Qureshi & Kashif, 2017). Hence the JBH Software Solutions project team will be able to adjust the scope during implementation to facilitate desired outcomes from the project. Management tools such as the Gantt chart and the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) will be utilized. The Gantt chart will be used to determine the interdependencies between tasks and track time. The WBS will break down the deliverables into manageable tasks that can be scheduled and have the necessary team members assigned to them. This tool is a standard project management tool; thus will be required for most of the project planning.

COMMUNICATION PLAN

Board decisions will be examined and communicated to the entire project team every two weeks. All project stakeholders will be encouraged to provide their feedback on a regular basis through emails or social media platforms. The steering committee will be required to hold meetings with other team members, at least each month, so as to motivate the members. The customer services employees will hold meetings on a weekly basis to provide their remarks regarding the progress of the project. They will be allowed to state their concerns and provide suggestions as to measures that can be integrated to ensure project success. An official review of the requirements will be regularly conducted, and upon completion of the project, the corporate department will file reports to the audit team. The company website will continuously update the progress of the project for any interested parties. The services and support, projects, strategies will also be contained in the website. Team members will regularly be updated about the progress of the project through their emails, mobile applications or social networks. The final concession will be communicated to the Executive Board by November 2021. The entire project will require to be completed by 15th November 2022.As the Senior manager, I will direct all the updates and major developments from my office.

SCOPE STATEMENT

The fundamental consideration for this program is to enhance customer focus. All objectives should be entwined to assert a successful project. JBH Software Solutions targets to expand its consumer base through the provision of high-quality services to its current customers and to its prospective customers. The project’s initial phase will aim to comprehend the customers’ key elements and necessities. Since there is currently high competition within the industry due to constant research activities and inventions, it is crucial that JBH Software Solutions integrates a more customer-centric approach to enhance economies of scale and acquire significant market shares.

Scope Description– A customer service technology, such as mobile applications, should be identified. The technology should be installed within the customer services department. Customer services staff will be trained on how to utilize the technology. An administration system will be determined so that the technology can be configured by the customer service personnel.

Out of scope:

Supporting other teams other than the customer department staff.
The capability of routing complex customer service tasks.

Project Deliverables:

The installation of a customer service technology.
A training manual for existing and new customer services personnel.

The project will however not focus on the rescheduling of customer access to particular support lines and application dates that are planned for the latter project will not be included.The project will be accepted when the customer service personnel consent to the deliverables being able to meet their necessities. The project will also become a success if a post-test indicates that consumer satisfaction has increased by at least 5% within the first year. The probable constraints will consist of a lack of commitment among team members. It is presumed that team members will avail themselves to create the WBS.

SCORECARD

Multiple projects necessitate the evaluation of their performance by the managerial team in order to establish strategies required to ascertain overall project improvement. Consistent monitoring and evaluation warrant the identification of appropriate approaches that managerial teams can implement to ensure project timeliness and successful completion of program objectives. Since JBH Software Solutions is a corporate that undertakes complex projects that are costly and time-consuming, it is essential that a scorecard is utilized to assert each program’s progress and the classification of areas that require improvement.

This is a profitable undertaking as it is evident that in approximately 1 year , the company will have began to accumulate a significant amount of revenue. This will elevate the production processes and market coverage. In turn, the company will attract more stakeholders, including consumers and investors. Although there will be reduced profits within the first 6 months, as a result of acquisition processes, the company will begin to identify an improvement in sales at the end of the year. The sales will then continue to increase steadily. Project and corporate management will be vital in the endorsement of the program. They could contribute either financially or through their expertise. Successful completion of the program will guarantee a consistent advancement of market shares, enhanced consumer support and increased confidence among company stakeholders. Consequently, the organizational objectives will be achieved, as well.

As aforementioned, JBH Software Solutions is to offer its customers with the best services and ensure that their demands are met. To address its intended goal, JBH Software Solutions should incorporate the following strategies;

Offer distinct quality services.
Improve its customer services by increasing efficiency.
Motivate its employees, stakeholders, and partners.
Enhance the utilization of services.
Learn from its competitors.

JBH Software Solutions administrator should seek assistance from departmental managers to implement this scorecard. They should assert that the strategies align with customer support objectives.

TIMELINES

Key performance Indicators

Scope -To improve customer services

Time frame – 2 years

Budget – 15 million dollars

Starting Date -3^rdNovember2020

Finishing date -15^th November 2022

Goals

Intended goal	Planned	Actual
Customer increase	74%	68%
Customer satisfaction	80%	72%
Market share stability	91%	76%

Internal Business Processes

Metric	Planned	Actual
Meetings	15	12
Email notifications	20
Communication	Regularly	Depending on project progress
Legal documentation	Before 3^rdNovember 2020	Incomplete
Project data security	In progress	98%

Project Implementation

Date	Task	Stakeholders
June 2020	Evaluation team meeting	Team members
July 2020	Steering committee meeting	Steering committee
August 2020	Vendor selection	Project manager
August 2020	Contract agreement with selected vendor	Evaluation team
November 2020	Start implementation of project	Team members
May 2021	Team meeting	All stakeholders
June 2021	Purchase equipment	Project manager and evaluation team
July 2021	Project scope planning	Team members
April 2022	Project analysis	Evaluation team
February 2022	Draft standards	Project manager and assistant
June 2022	Design implementation plan	Project manager
November 2022	Complete project

References

Abdalhamid, S., Mohammed, A. O., & Mishra, A. (2019, July). Agile and Quality: A Systematic Mapping Study. In 2019 International Conference of Computer Science and Renewable Energies (ICCSRE) (pp. 1-7). IEEE.http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/ICCSRE.2019.8807763

Ahmed, R. (2017). Risk Mitigation Strategies in Innovative Projects. In Key Issues for Management of Innovative Projects. IntechOpen.http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.69004

Qureshi, M. R. J., & Kashif, M. (2017). Adaptive framework to manage multiple teams using agile methodologies. International Journal of Modern Education and Computer Science, 9(1), 52.https://doi.org/10.5815/IJMECS.2017.01.06