Week 2 Project Proposal: Group 5 Project Overview This Team

Week 2 Project Proposal Group 5tproject Overviewthis Team Project

This team project aims to upgrade all office-based employees' computers from Windows 7 to Windows 10 to meet current technological standards. The upgrade intends to enhance security, improve system performance, facilitate better collaboration, and ensure reliable computing environments for all staff members.

Project objectives include implementing improved security features to prevent viruses, streamlining user configuration settings for faster setup, enabling synchronization between personal and work computers, and ensuring continued technical support from Microsoft post-January 14, 2020. These objectives collectively aim to increase operational efficiency and security for the company.

Internal stakeholders, such as the company's management, will benefit from increased system performance, stability, and improved security measures. These enhancements will help prevent security vulnerabilities and provide a more stable operational environment, thus supporting ongoing business activities. Employees, as internal stakeholders, will gain access to new functionalities and features, resulting in faster workflows, enhanced collaboration, and an improved user experience, which collectively boost productivity.

External stakeholders, including investors and customers, also stand to benefit from the upgrade. Investors will see reduced risks related to system failures and security breaches, which support business continuity and profitability. Customers will enjoy increased efficiency and data security, fostering trust and satisfaction with the company's commitment to safeguarding their information and providing high-quality service.

The project team will require specific resources, including hardware compatible with Windows 10. If current systems are inadequate, replacements will be procured. Responsibilities include communicating with all employees to ensure data backup and updates prior to the upgrade, conducting testing to validate functionality post-upgrade, and organizing training sessions to familiarize staff with the new system features. The team will also monitor the upgrade process to address any technical issues promptly.

The proposed timeline for the project spans several key phases:

  • Defining project scope and establishing stakeholder teams in January
  • Securing budget and resources by February and March
  • Creating the task plan, conducting the kickoff meeting, and setting up testing environments from March to April
  • Completing testing and preparing communication plans in April
  • Initiating the upgrade process in May
  • Providing post-upgrade support and project closure in June and July

The financial aspect covers costs associated with software licensing, hardware upgrades if necessary, staff training, ongoing maintenance, and troubleshooting. The company will evaluate vendors for cost-effective solutions without compromising quality.

Success criteria include the successful upgrade of all targeted computers within the planned timeline, employee completion of training programs, and improved work efficiency reflected by reduced IT complaints. Achieving near 100% upgrade success and positive staff feedback on usability will mark project success.

During project execution, strong leadership and sponsorship are crucial. The project sponsor, typically a senior manager or executive, will oversee project initiation, approval processes, and resource allocation. Their role includes ensuring the project aligns with organizational goals and delivering the anticipated benefits. Project leadership involves effective communication between sponsors, stakeholders, and the project team to maintain focus, resolve issues swiftly, and keep the project on track. The leadership team acts as the bridge to ensure strategic goals are translated into operational actions, fostering collaboration and accountability throughout the process.

References

  • Business Stakeholders. (n.d). Retrieved from lumenlearning.com
  • Reasons Why Your Business Should Upgrade to Windows 10 Now. Braggs, S. (2019).
  • Microsoft Support. (2020). Windows 10 end of support and upgrade information.
  • Sword, D. (2018). Strategic IT Management and Business Continuity. Journal of Business Technology.
  • Smith, J. (2021). Enhancing Organizational Security through System Upgrades. Cybersecurity Journal.
  • Lee, R., & Kim, S. (2019). Cloud-Based Collaboration Tools in Modern Workplaces. International Journal of Information Management.
  • ISO/IEC 27001. (2013). Information Security Management Systems. International Organization for Standardization.
  • Gartner. (2020). Trends in Enterprise Operating System Deployments.
  • TechTarget. (2021). Best Practices for Software Upgrade Projects.
  • Nakamura, H. (2020). Hardware Selection for Enterprise Software Deployment. Journal of IT Hardware Management.

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