Executive Summary
Project implementation is significant when the objectives have to be realised. Even though a project initiation is involving and it takes a lot of time, the related activities also consume several resources.
This Project Initiation Document (PID) focuses on developing a business productivity project. This is done for Upright Seating Company Pty Ltd.
The project aims to make the implementing organisation improve the overall productivity, thus it is able to realise its goals of increasing efficiency and effectiveness.
The approaches that the project embraced from start till the end was qualitative and quantitative. It employed interviews, questionnaires and surveys in carrying out the research and its major phases included conception, definition, planning, execution/launching, performance, monitoring, control, and close/finalization.
The project used material resources such as money, space, technology and human resources. The human resources include the facilitators, coordinators, developers, implementers, researchers and analysts to carry out the project’s implementation right from its start till the end.
The project was intended to last for 22 weeks due to overlapping of some activities.
When budgeting, the project’s material and human resources cost more money. For example, a total of $27,725 was needed to start the project.
This budget accounted for the cost of space, computers, furniture, and fittings. In addition, it catered for the salaries for the human resources, depending on the qualification of the officials such as the facilitators, coordinators, developers, implementers, researchers and analysts.
In essence, proper remuneration of the staff and availability of material and financial resources were necessary for the successful implementation of the project.
Introduction
Victoria University Information Systems Consulting provides different services to its clients in the field of business and information.
The business productivity project was done for Upright Seating Company Pty Ltd, but first presented to the consulting company for approval before sending it to the prospective client for review.
It focused on a business development initiative that established the stages, which a prospective business person or entity should consider when developing a better strategy for the success of the company.
In addition, it was developed to provide the client with an overview of the proposed project so that they could determine if they wanted to proceed with the project.
Therefore, the project encompassed the scope, approach, schedules of activities (citing the duration of each and graphical representation in a Gantt chart), resources, and budget that stood at $ 27,725.
Project Scope
Focusing on the scope, the project aims to make the implementing organisation improve the overall productivity. The main objectives of the project included various elements.
First, it aimed to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the operations. Second, the project intended to improve the client’s productivity in terms of quantity and quality.
Third, it sought to streamline the production operations and monitoring process to advice for necessary alterations in the production.
This meant that the implementing company maximises on the use of its resources. This was necessary and significant for the project’s success.
Some of the business problems identified and discussed in the project that it sought to address included the use of inefficient equipment, improper utilisation of resources, ineffective management of human resources, poor quality products, and low quantity of goods.
The problems usually affect the quality and quantity of unit production in the company, thus affecting profitability. Furthermore, inefficient systems were found to underutilise the available material and human resources.
The project was expected to yield several benefits to the company such as use of improved and efficient equipment, improved utilization of material resources (raw materials), effective management of human resources, boost the quality of the company products, and increase the amount of goods.
These benefits are likely to ensure prudent utilisation of the resources, thus resulting into sustainability of the business operations. In this regard, the research was successful since the researcher obtained most of the pertinent information for making comparison and carrying out an analysis of the whole project.
The experience that the researcher comes across and the way he or she accomplishes them shows the strength of achieving the project’s scope and objectives.
Though there can be some problems in data gathering, especially from conservative respondent, the project’s scope becomes the driving force for the researcher to achieve success.
For example, a number of the potential respondents might decline to finish the survey questions or refuse to return the dully completed forms, yet they could have voluntarily agreed to participate.
Despite such problems in meeting the objectives of the study, it was finally successful since the researcher obtained more reliable and appropriate data from the methods that he/she used such as surveys and interviews, which were adequately completed.
List of System Capabilities (Assumptions)
A system is assumed to be efficient and time-saving since it is capable of increasing the rate and quality of production. Secondly, it is assumed to have the capability of tracking records of the organization policies, individual and business clients.
Third, the system could be used in planning and making schedules of activities. It could also assist in searching, reporting, prospecting, and communicating the company information to its stakeholders.
Project Approach
The approaches that the research took from start till the end were qualitative as well as quantitative using interviews, questionnaires and surveys.
The reason for this is that specific tasks and their outcome are measured qualitatively, while the length of time each activity is quantified.
The major phases of the project and their duration included conception that was lasting for three weeks, definition (5 weeks), planning (14 weeks), execution/launching (5 weeks), performance (4weeks), monitoring (7 weeks), control (8 weeks), and close/finalisation (5 weeks).
The entire project took 22 weeks to be completed, as shown in the table and graphical representation in Gantt chart, because some activities overlap as shown below.
Project Schedule
The project was implemented in series where each activity took specific number of weeks to complete. Besides, the length of each activity was fixed, depending on the period that the entire project was carried out.
Some activities were longer, depending on the specific tasks that had to be accomplished. Although certain activities overlapped, there were others that only commenced after the end of another. For example, activities A and B were done concurrently.
While activities B, C and D, C and D only commenced after A was competed. This is one of the reasons explaining the project duration, totaling to 22 weeks.
Table 1: Durations for Each Activity
Figure 1: Project Schedule
Project Resources
In project management and implementation, capital/material and human resources are the primary products. The project utilized material resources such as money, space and technology.
On the other hand, the human resources such as the project facilitators, coordinators, developers, implementers, researchers and analysts. The availability of the materials and human resources facilitated the project from initiation to its end.
Budget Analysis
The budget for the entire project is large since all the activities and the people involved in the implementation have to be paid salaries and wages.
Space and technology cost more money, because the project managers hired space and technological tools. The costs of space (office) and tools (computers, furniture and fittings) differ from one place to another.
On the other hand, the human resources also cost more money, depending on the qualification of the officials, including the facilitators, coordinators, developers, implementers, researchers and analysts are paid to carry out the entire project from its inception till completion.
Table 2: Summary of the Proposed Budget
