INFS2848 Information System Project Management For Tesco

The case study will provide students with an opportunity to choose a case project and work in teams to apply the theoretical concepts, knowledge and techniques.

1. Develop a work breakdown structure (WBS)

2. Analyses the scope, cost and schedule requirements and model these on a project scheduling management tool e.g. MS Project

3. Produce a report detailing the PM plan and the critical path

ing issues with managing its inventory as it requires huge efforts to maintain a track record of such a huge inventory. Hence, Tesco made the decision to develop an inventory management system which could help in recording and track the data in a proper and appropriate way (Khan, et. al., 2016). It was recognised that many of the times customers were returning from the store because of unavailability of the stock. So as to provide a better set of solution to the issue faced by the organisation a decision was made to work on a project of the information system. IT department of the Tesco helped in providing the information related to the inventory management system and how the system will work in managing the inventory and tracking the record for the same (Kucherov, & Zamulin, 2016). The company was initiating change in which one f the most challenging tasks is negotiation with the team in project selection.

Negotiation with the team is a most challenging as well as most important aspect attached with any of the organization. It is required that a project should be initiated by ensuring that all the employees working on the same should provide their approval and should agree to work on the project. Hence, negotiation was done between Tesco and the team which will work on the project (Wasson, 2015). There were a certain set of terms and conditions which took place and an agreement was made in relation to the project. Some of the terms and conditions which were negotiated were:

Tesco will provide all the resources in a well in advance form so that IT team could work without any hindrance and could process the project in a smooth manner (Shtub, 2017).

A team of 4 members will work on the project so as to ensure that the project could get completed within the planned dates

Project will be formulated on a fixed term, means any fluctuations in the market will not have any impact on the project process

Project will be completed within 50 days which is more than enough

Budget which was decided for the project was of $65000 (Stanek, Babkin, & Zubov, 2016)

Proper set infrastructure and systems will be availed to the IT team so that they could work effectively on the project and could ensure to complete the same within the required dates. 

Project Life Cycle and its Requirements

Project life cycle helps in determining all the phases which will be included in a project. A step by step process is being availed in managing a project of the information system. Quality is one of the most important aspects which are required to be focused upon by the project manager so as to complete the same within the required dates (Põder, & Lukki, 2011). Following a systematic as well as a step by step process will help in fulfilling all the requirements of the project and will provide a better set of support for the completion of the same within the required dates and frameworks. 

A proper process is being followed so as to manage a project and its inventory in a proper way. In an inventory management system track record of each and every aspect is being kept. Information related to physical inventory is being recorded by the store manager; the POS handles the inquiry related to the same (Mainga, 2017). After recording the data a system returns the information to the RTV which helps in keeping a track record of inbound merchandises as well as outbound merchandises. This flow of information keeps on rotating according to the requirement of the store as well as demand in the market.

Project Lifecycle

To ensure that the type of inventory management system discussed above should be formulated in a proper way it is required that a project lifecycle should be prepared. Project life cycle helps in providing the guidance to the project manager make the decisions and to forecast the activities which are required to be implemented in next stage of the project. Project lifecycle is a set process which will help in providing a direction to the project manager so as to formulate the project in a proper and in an appropriate way (Desmond, 2016). 

Project life cycle comprises of four phases which are required to be taken into consideration by a project manager. These phases are:

Phase 1 (Concept): In this phase, data is being gathered regarding the requirement of the project. Needs, goals, practicality, economics, resources, strategies, risks, alternatives, sell concepts and approvals are some of the aspects which are taken into consideration in the first phase of the project (Coronel & Morris, 2016). It is the initiation phase in which all the aspects of the project are being taken into consideration and decision for the further processing is being made.

Phase 2(Development): It is the second phase which is taken into consideration after getting all the approvals in the initiation phase (Khan, et. al., 2016). In the development phase, a project manager has to ensure that he should take certain aspects into consideration like feasibility, objectives, budgets, team, cash flow, financing, re-assessing risk and project charter. After taking all the aspects into consideration decision should be made of whether to go or not to go with the project.

Phase 3 (Execution): This is the third phase of project manager. There are many of the aspects which are required to be taken into consideration for the development of the project. These aspects are, mobilizing the team, planning, and scheduling, technical requirements, work packages, procurement, testing, issue resolving, progress monitoring, forecasting, reports and deliver the facilities. These aspects help in managing the project progress and delivering the same in a proper way (Kucherov, & Zamulin, 2016).

Phase 4 (Transfer): Phase 4 is the transfer phase in which the project is being transferred to the ultimate user. In this phase training is provided to the team who will work on the project and reviews and feedbacks are being taken into consideration (Pigott, & Hobbs, 2011). All the responsibilities are being transferred to the ultimate user and project is being closed and terminated.

Work Breakdown Structure

This is the phase of the project in which planning is done so as to breakdown the activities of the project in small tasks. It is required that a project manager should understand all the aspects and should ensure to divide all the activities of the project and provide a set time so as to complete them in a proper and effective way.

(Wasson, 2015)

Scope

The project is initiated by the organisation on the basis of certain scopes. In the same manner, a project which is developed for Tesco also has a scope which is to develop software which could help in managing the inventory. Inventory management is one of the most important aspects attached with any retail business. Hence, the project which is initiated will help Tesco in managing and tracking the inventory and the stock in a proper way (Stanek, Babkin, & Zubov, 2016).

 Project Budget

Project Management Model

Project management model is taken into consideration in this report which will help in providing the information related to all the aspects which are required to be taken into consideration in an IT project (Põder, & Lukki, 2011). The model helps in developing the understanding of business goals, review of the projects, user profile, monitored launching, requirement definition, usability testing, external specification, system testing, component development, development testing and system implementation. 

This model will help in managing and bringing quality to the project with the effect of which Tesco will be able to get what it has planned for managing the inventory.  

Project Management Plan

Project management plan includes certain phases which are required to be taken into consideration these phases are:

Human resource planning

Planning work management

Time management plan

Cost management plan (Mainga, 2017)

Information management plan

Development of risk management plan

Quality management plan  

Critical Path

The above critical path is developed for the project of Tesco. It will help in finding the most appropriate path of completing the task. This path will help in managing the project in a most effective and efficient manner.

Conclusion

Evaluating all the aspects indulged in the report it could be concluded that planning is one of the most important aspects required to be taken into consideration by the project manager. It is required that a project manager should focus on all the aspects indulged in the report like developing a work breakdown structure, project lifecycle, and critical path method. Evaluating the project scope will help the project manager in providing the direction and will help in availing quality to the project. Project Budget will help in managing the funds and will help in availing all the resources. Focusing on project schedule will help the project manager in completing the same within the required and planned dates.

References

Cengage Lea Schwalbe, K., (2015). Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.

Coronel, C. and Morris, S., (2016). Database systems: design, implementation, & management. Chicago: Cengage Learning.

Desmond, C. (2016). Project to plan for significant process change. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 44(2), 15-16.

Khan, F., Thodi, P., Imtiaz, S. and Abbassi, R., (2016). Real-time monitoring and management of offshore process system integrity. Current Opinion in Chemical Engineering, 14, 61-71.

Kucherov, D. and Zamulin, A., (2016). Employer branding practices for young talents in IT companies (Russian experience). Human Resource Development International, 19(2), 178-188.

Mainga, W. (2017). Examining project learning, project management competencies and project efficiency in project-based firms (PBFs). International Journal Of Managing Projects In Business, 10(3), 114-117.

Pigott, D. and Hobbs, V. (2011). Complex knowledge modeling with functional entity relationship diagrams. VINE, 41(2), 192-211.

Põder, T., & Lukki, T. (2011). A critical review of checklist-based evaluation of environmental impact statements. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 29(1), 27-36.

Reiss, G. (2013). Project Management Demystified. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis.

Shtub, A. (2017). Project segmentation—a tool for project management. International Journal of Project Management, 15(1), 15-19.

Stanek, Babkin, & Zubov. (2016). A new approach to configurable primary data collection. Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 133, 169-181.

Wasson, C.S., (2015). System Engineering Analysis, Design, and Development: Concepts, Principles, and Practices. John Wiley & Sons.