Assignment 1: Project Proposal Initiation And Planning

Assignment 1 Project Proposal Initiation Planningnoteinformation

Provide a brief summary of the project. Describe at least three project goals and three project objectives. Identify the key customer(s) and at least two stakeholders. Describe at least three key milestones and/or deliverables. Include a high-level timeline with key tasks and deadlines. Estimate the project’s overall cost and necessary resources. Use credible resources to support your proposal. Follow APA formatting, include a cover page, and ensure originality.

Paper For Above instruction

The merger of University A and University B has necessitated the deployment of an integrated communication and productivity system to unify the newly formed institution’s operations. This project involves implementing a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system across fifty campuses and two headquarters, replacing traditional telephone services. Additionally, the universities aim to transition from Microsoft Office to Google G-Suite as their primary productivity suite, facilitating collaborative workflows and reducing licensing costs. The project further mandates replacing all existing campus mobile devices with the latest Google smartphones, supplied via Verizon Wireless. The overarching goal is to streamline communication and productivity infrastructure while significantly reducing operational expenditures, thereby supporting the strategic objectives of the merged university.

Three primary goals define this project: First, to ensure a seamless transition to a unified VoIP system that integrates with existing campus infrastructure and provides reliable, scalable communication channels for over 10,000 employees. Second, to successfully migrate all staff and students to Google G-Suite, replacing Microsoft Office, and ensuring minimal disruption and maximum adoption. Third, to replace all campus mobile devices with Google smartphones, establishing a cohesive mobile communication ecosystem compatible with Verizon Wireless services.

Corresponding objectives include establishing a comprehensive project plan with defined phases and deliverables within the first two months; completing the VoIP deployment across all campuses within six months; completing the migration to G-Suite within four months; and replacing all mobile devices within eight months. These objectives aim to deliver key functionalities, ensure user adoption, and achieve cost savings by the targeted completion date, typically within one year from project initiation.

Key customers of this project include the university CIO, responsible for overseeing strategic implementation, and the university’s administrative leadership, who will utilize the new systems daily. Stakeholders include faculty, IT staff, students, the telecommunications service provider (Verizon Wireless), and vendors supplying hardware and software. These groups have a vested interest in the project's success, affecting or affected by the outcomes, and their engagement is crucial for smooth implementation.

Critical milestones include: Completion of the detailed project plan (month 1), Deployment of VoIP systems across all campuses (month 6), and Full migration to G-Suite and replacement of mobile devices (month 8). Other key deliverables encompass hardware procurement, staff training sessions, system testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT). These milestones ensure disciplined progress, quality assurance, and stakeholder approval stages.

The high-level timeline spans approximately twelve months, beginning with project initiation and planning, proceeding through procurement, deployment, training, testing, and final migration. Essential tasks involve infrastructure assessment, vendor engagement, hardware and software installation, staff training, running pilot programs, and full-scale rollout. Critical deadlines include system readiness, completion of migrations, and project closure targets.

The estimated overall project cost is projected to be approximately $5 million, including hardware, software licenses, vendor services, and staffing. Staffing resources encompass project managers, technical specialists, trainers, and change management personnel. Non-staffing resources include hardware and software procurement, licensing fees, training materials, and communication campaigns. A detailed budget plan will ensure cost controls and resource availability aligned with project phases.

Supporting this proposal, credible sources include scholarly articles on unified communications, project management best practices, and case studies of similar implementations. These resources will inform planning, risk mitigation, and stakeholder engagement strategies, ensuring an efficient and successful project execution.

References

• Larson, E. W., & Gray, C. F. (2020). Project Management: The Managerial Process (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
• PMI. (2017). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide) (6th ed.). Project Management Institute.
• Cisco. (2022). Unified Communications: Deployment and Best Practices. Cisco Systems.
• Gartner. (2021). Cloud Collaboration Tools Market Share Analysis. Gartner Research.
• Schwalbe, K. (2018). Information Technology Project Management (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
• Google Cloud. (2023). G-Suite Migration Strategies. Google.
• Verizon Wireless. (2022). Enterprise Mobile Solutions. Verizon Communications.
• Smart, J. T., & Peterson, R. (2019). Improving Communication Efficiency in Large Organizations. Journal of Organizational Computing.
• Kemp, R., & Anderson, P. (2020). Managing Technology Transitions in Higher Education. Journal of Educational Technology.
• Pfeiffer, R. (2023). Best Practices in Large-Scale IT Deployments. IEEE Computer Society.