Develop A Business Case And Project Charter For An IT System
Develop a business case and project charter for an IT system
You have been asked to be the project manager for the development of an information technology (IT) project. The system to be developed will allow a large company to coordinate and maintain its records of the professional development of its employees. The company has over 30,000 employees, who are located in four sites: Florida, Colorado, Illinois, and Texas. The system must allow employees to locate and schedule professional-development activities that are relevant to their positions. Sophisticated search capabilities are required, and the ability to add scheduled events to the employees' calendars is desired.
The system needs to support social networking, which will allow employees to determine who is attending various conferences and events. This will promote the fostering of relationships and ensure that the company has representation at important conferences. Once an activity has been completed, employees will use the system to submit the documentation. The system should support notifications, which will allow managers to receive notice whenever their direct reports have submitted documentation. The system should also notify employees if their deadline to complete a professional-development requirement is approaching and it has not yet been completed.
Because the expenditure has been approved for the project, it is now time to justify the start-up of the project with a business case. Using the above scenario, develop a business case and project charter (2–3 pages each). Include the following: Section 1: Business Case (Unit 1) Description of the problem or opportunity being presented to the business Costs and benefits of each alternative solution Recommended solution needed for approval List of alternative solutions, feasibility of each in a table, and the selected solution.
Section 2: Project Charter and WBS (Unit 1) Identify project vision Define scope of project List project deliverables List roles and responsibilities List risks, issues, and assumptions.
Paper For Above instruction
Business Case for an Employee Professional Development IT System
The rapid expansion and globalization of corporate operations necessitate robust systems to manage employee growth and engagement. To address this, the development of an Employee Professional Development (PD) Management System presents a significant opportunity for the company. This initiative aims to streamline professional development tracking, enhance communication, and foster community among a large, geographically dispersed workforce. The core problem lies in the current lack of an integrated platform capable of managing over 30,000 employees’ training and development activities efficiently across multiple sites—Florida, Colorado, Illinois, and Texas. The opportunity exists to leverage technology for improved HR processes, increased employee engagement, and alignment with corporate strategic goals.
Problem Statement
Currently, the company relies on manual, disparate methods to record, track, and manage employee professional development activities. These methods lead to inefficiencies, delays in documentation, inability to provide real-time updates, and limited visibility into employee training participation. Additionally, the absence of a centralized platform hampers employee connectivity, networking, and effective communication regarding training opportunities and conferences. The lack of notifications and calendar integration results in missed deadlines, incomplete documentation, and reduced compliance with professional development requirements.
Alternative Solutions
| Solution | Description | Feasibility | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manual Management Using Spreadsheets and Email Communication | Use existing tools like Excel and email for tracking | Low; no new software needed | Low cost, quick implementation | Inefficient, error-prone, poor scalability, limited reporting |
| Upgrading Existing HR System with Modules | Enhance current HR platform with training and development modules | Moderate; depends on current system capabilities | Leverages existing infrastructure | Limited customization, may not meet all advanced requirements |
| Development of a Custom Cloud-Based System | Build a new, tailored platform with specialized features | High; requires significant investment and development time | Highly customizable, scalable, supports social networking & notifications | Costly, time-consuming, requires ongoing maintenance |
Recommended Solution
After evaluating the alternatives, developing a custom cloud-based system is the optimal solution. Although it requires significant upfront investment, its scalability, advanced features—including sophisticated search, social networking, calendar integration, notifications—and ability to adapt to future needs justify its adoption. This solution will improve efficiency, compliance, and employee engagement, aligning with corporate strategic objectives.
Project Charter and WBS
Project Vision
To develop a comprehensive, user-friendly, and scalable IT system that centralizes and streamlines employee professional development management, fostering collaboration, timely documentation, and strategic growth.
Scope of the Project
The project includes designing, developing, and implementing a cloud-based platform that supports activity scheduling, advanced search, calendar integration, social networking, notifications, and documentation management for over 30,000 employees across four locations.
Project Deliverables
- System Requirements Specification Document
- System Design and Architecture
- Developed Software Application
- User Training Materials
- Deployment and Implementation Plan
- Support and Maintenance Plan
Roles and Responsibilities
- Project Manager: Oversee entire project, coordinate teams, monitor progress
- Business Analyst: Gather requirements, liaise with stakeholders
- System Developers: Design, develop, and test the platform
- UI/UX Designer: Ensure user-friendly interface
- Quality Assurance: Conduct testing, validate functionality
- IT Support: Provide technical support and deployment assistance
- Stakeholders (HR, Management): Provide input, approve phases
Risks, Issues, and Assumptions
- Risks: Scope creep, delays in development, data security breaches, low user adoption
- Issues: Integration challenges with existing systems, resource availability
- Assumptions: Stakeholder support remains stable; technical infrastructure supports development requirements
References
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- Schwalbe, K. (2018). Information Technology Project Management (9th ed.). Cengage Learning.
- Kerzner, H. (2017). Project Management: A Systems Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling. Wiley.
- ISO. (2015). ISO 21500:2012 Guidance on project management. International Organization for Standardization.
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- Meredith, J. R., & Mantel Jr, S. J. (2017). Project Management: A Managerial Approach. Wiley.
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- PMI. (2021). The Standard for Portfolio Management. PMI.