IBM - Enterprise Integration Project - Business Plan Example

High Level Plan- Final Plan 6 IBM Enterprise Integration Project Plan General Information Information to be provided in this section is general in nature and provides the necessary information about the organization of the project and project participants. Project Name: Information System Integration Date: Controlling Agency: IBM Modification Date:       Executive Summary Being a Software and technology company, IBM is always involved in huge innovations and inventions that must be well planned and managed. Additionally, the company has been acquiring smaller companies and assimilating them into the main stream. Therefore, the incorporation and integration of the new information systems must be well planned and managed. The company must therefore use an enterprise integration to ensure the integration is effective. Recently, the company made several acquisitions that included the SoftwareLayer Technologies a web hosting service and business operations of lighthouse security Group. In November 2014 they announced a global partnership with Twitter. These organizations had different but functional information systems that must be integrated into the IBM system. An effective integration of the information systems at the company must be done based on an implementation plan that will ensure support for an enterprise wide business process integration and standardization. ERP systems can be complex and difficult to implement, but a structured and disciplined approach can greatly facilitate the implementation. Business Needs/Problems The IBM Company is a huge company that has several branches all over the world, communication and maintenance of autonomy is one of the major factors that must be considered in implementing the integration of information systems. Additionally, IBM is one of the largest suppliers of technology hence there must be accuracy in the inventory and all transaction activities in all the branches and affiliates of the company. Finally, the company always ships all the purchases to different destinations in the worl hence the need for accuracy and follow up in shipping of all products from the company. Statement of Work Tis report is an implementation plan for the integration of the new information systems at IBM. The works include the overview of existing system and subsequent identification of the applications and resources needed for implementation of the integration plan. It also includes the identification of the tasks, responsibilities and the time frame for completion of the tasks. Deliverables: Enterprise integration Plan. Work based structure for all the activities. A Gantt chart for all activities in the Plan. Project Objectives Identify the steps and processes for implementation of the enterprise integration. Develop a work schedule for implementing the identified steps and processes. Establish a definite plan that will guide the implementation process. Project Approach The project involves an assessment of the current enterprise integration in the company. The identified integration plan is laid out and the steps are clearly elaborated. The different responsibilities are assigned and the resources and time schedules are allocated to the different tasks and activities. Project Scope Statement Project Results/Completion Criteria Upon completion of the project the results expected include the improvement of service provision at all IBM branches, outlets and affiliates. This is expected from the implementation of the Unified enterprise integration that will improve the activities in the company hence improving the level of service provision. The results of the project are closely monitored against the stated objectives and evaluated to determine whether they meet the objectives. This is done through site visits and close monitoring to effectively achieve the desired results. Content of the Project The project comprise of several stages that include; Initiation This stage is the familiarization stage where users and the project implementation team familiarize with the information systems in place, and identify what needs to be implemented or improved to enhance system performance. Planning The planning stage involves activities such as project planning, discovery of processes, selection of the needed software, hardware selection and processing, and networking selection. The selection of the needed software and hardware is determined based on the agreements and selection criteria determined during the kick off meeting. Execution Project execution is initiated once the project planning stage is accomplished. At this stage, several activities that include network configuration, hardware installation, software installation , integration and system testing is carried out. Control This stage of the project implementation entails activities that are related to control environment, change management, security of the system, technology support and disaster recovery training. Close out. This stage is mainly the last stage of the project implementation plan. Activities at this stage involve demonstration, training and carrying out follow up site visits. Critical Success Factors In order to ensure success of the implementation project the company must maintain all the initial transactions and processes. This reduces the problems that are normally associated with complete change over. In essence, the project is aimed at integrating new information systems into the existing system. The implementation should also stick to the set out procedures and process for implementation but at the same time they must be flexible and be able to accommodate constructive changes. The leadership and management of the company is another critical success factor. The leadership and management team of the company must be the front runners steering the project to its success. Finally, there must be a focused scope and project management that eliminates or minimize customizations. Technical Project Components IBM Company is made of different branches, affiliates and outlets that have departments with varied hardware and software requirements. The needs are assessed through a criterion that will determine the importance of each department and the need for the specified software and hardware. The basic components that will be required for the integration of new information systems in the company include: A central management Portal A transactional database. Customizable reporting process from each Branch and each department. Resource planning and scheduling. External access through the use of web services and workflow management. Project Plan Documents Summary This section provides a summary of the sections included in the project plan. The plan involves the following sections: WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE A summarized table that contains all the activities of each stage of the implementation process. The stages include; initiation, planning, execution, control and closure. The table also comprises the duration and cost implication of each activity RESOURCE PLAN The resource plan section entails an elaboration of the resources that are needed for the implementation of the project. These include personnel, hardware and software and networking tools. PROJECT SCHEDULE The project schedule section provides a schedule of activities and tasks in form of a Gantt chart. The Chart includes the milestones, task dependencies, task duration and delivery dates. RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN Provide a description of all risks identified for the project and a plan to integrate risk management throughout the project. QUALITY CONTROL PLAN Provides a Quality Plan that defines the person(s) responsible for project quality assurance, procedures used and resources required to conduct quality assurance. COMMUNICATIONS PLAN Defines the information needs of the project stakeholders and the project team by documenting what, when, and how the information will be distributed. CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN Provides the project team with a change management methodology for identifying and controlling project scope. IBM Enterprise Integration Work Breakdown Structure Work Breakdown Structure WBS Element Activity/Task Name Effort/ Duration Cost 1.0 Initiation 1 Week $ 1,000 Familiarization 1 Week 1,000 2.0 Planning 3 Weeks $34,800 Project Planning 1 Week $ 2,000 Kickoff Meeting 1 Day $100 Process Discovery 2 Days $1,200 Software Selection and Procurement 3 Days $15,000 Hardware Selection and Procurement 3 Days $15,000 Networking Selection and Procurement 3 Days $1,500 3.0 Execution 3 Weeks $ 5,000 Hardware Installation 4 Days $1,000 Network Configuration 4 Days $500 Software Installation and Configuration 3 Days $500 Software Integration 3Days $1,500 System Testing 1 Week $1,500 4.0 Control 2 Weeks $3,800 Control Environment 5 Days $500 Change Management 5 Days $500 Security Continuous $1,000 Technical Support Continuous $300 Disaster Recovery Training 2 Days $1,500 5.0 Closeout 1 Week $1,800 Demonstration Meeting 1 Days $200 Training 3 Days $1,000 Follow-up Site Visits 3 Days $600 $46,400 IBM Enterprise Integration Resource Plan RESOURCE PROFILES Several resources are needed for the implementation of the project, the resources ensure that the objectives of the project are realized. They include: Human resources: Several personnel and experts are needed to carry out various tasks and activities in the implementation process. The Project Manager will be in-charge of managing all the activities in the project, the ICT manager in the company can assume this role, the project team can include the departmental heads, ICT staff, system administrators, and any other staff members that will be needed from the company or consulted outside the company. Capital: These include all the money and resources that are needed to acquire the necessary hardware, software and to engage the necessary personnel. Some of the hardware resources needed include server systems, network hardware, additional PCs, database servers and storage devices among others. The software needed will be the Enterprise Resource Planning systems, operating systems, Database management systems among others. Materials and supplies: These include the additional materials and supplies that are needed for implementing the project. They include office equipment, stationary, office space among others. The Information Technology such as mobile computing, artificial intelligence, decision support systems. PROJECT RESOURCE INFORMATION Resource Cost Estimate Availability Output Human Resource $60,000 Available High Hardware $55,000 Available High Software $30,000 Available High Network resources $40,000 Available High Information technology $20,000 Available High RESOURCE STAFFING PLAN After establishing the human resources required for the project, develop a staffing plan that shows the number of personnel, by type, that will be required on the project on a monthly basis. Personnel Category Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Management Project Manager Departmental heads Project Manager Departmental heads Project Manager Departmental heads Project Manager Departmental heads Project Manager Departmental heads Project Manager Departmental heads Control Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Project Manager Installation ICT staff Project manager ICT staff Project manager ICT staff Project manager Training Project Manager ICT training personnel Follow-up Project manager Selected ICT personel IBM Enterprise Integration Project Schedule Risk Management RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGY Several risks are associated with the project and they need to be managed to minimize their impacts on the project and the organization at large. The risks faced in this project are risks common to Enterprise Resource Planning and integration. Possible risks and their probability of occurrence, level of impact and the management approach are summarized in the table below: Risk Probability of Occurrence Level of impact Management approach Change Management High High Mitigation Lack of governance and Accountability Low High Mitigation Inappropriate staffing Low High Prevention Information technology infrastructure problems High High Mitigation Data migration problems. High High Prevention Delay in go live Medium Medium Acceptance Inadequate project design and management Low High Prevention Lack of training Low High Mitigation Prioritize risks 1. Develop a risk register 2. Develop a scale for risk assessment probability of occurrence impact of occurrence 3. Rate risks by probability level of impact 4. Prioritize risks multiply values to create a risk index 5. Develop a risk management plan, selecting at least one of the following approaches for each risk: Avoidance Prevention Mitigation (reduction Sharing Acceptance (retention Quality Control Plan ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA The implemented information systems integration framework should be able to effectively integrate the information systems without interfering with other operations of the system. The project will be successful if it provides efficient integration that enhances harmonious environment with all the information systems in all branches and departments in the company. It should also enhance smooth integration at the different departments and branches of the company. The system will be tested and debugged to ensure that it meets all the services that it is intended to. As a result the system will be implemented in phased process and ensure that it is accepted by each department before moving to the next phase. QUALITY ASSURANCE ACTIVITIES The quality can be assured through: Documentation of activities and processes. Continuous operational and technical support. Scheduling of communication activities. Continuous Improvement Processes. Prepare manuals for activities such as system modules, installation of programs and troubleshooting system problems. Creation of procedures, policies and regulations. PROJECT MONITORING AND CONTROL Setting control measures at each stage of project implementation and determining whether the desired objectives have been met is an effective way to monitor and control the project. The project can also be controlled by placing targets after each phase of implementation. The targets are measured against the desired milestones and setting of performance indicators. Regular reports must also be produced. PROJECT TEAM QUALITY RESPONSIBILITIES The project manager who is the team leader is responsible for determining the audit procedures and the quality testing. Audit reviews and check lists are administered by other team members such as the system administrator or analyst. The acceptance tests and evaluation is done by users at different departments, branches and outlets of the company. The management is entirely responsible for decision making roles such as budgetary allocations and determination of the course of action throughout the process. Communications Plan ROLES IN SENDING AND RECEIVING COMMUNICATION Stakeholders: Periodic information and reports are sent to the stakeholders regarding the implementation process. They are also furnished with periodic updates on the progress of implementation. These information is communicated through reports and annual general meetings and board meetings. Another perfect way of conveying these information is through status conferences and inception meetings. Sponsor: The sponsor must be furnished with reports and information on the progress of the project that include budget reports, detailed breakdown of utilization of resources during the implementation process. The sponsor also provides information and communication to the organization regarding availability of the finances and other resources. Project Manager: All meetings are convened by the project manager; he also establishes communication channels to the different branches, departments in the organization. He disseminates information on project progress, the status and milestones of the deliverables. The manager also communicates to all stakeholders, project team, sponsor and all other relevant players in the project implementation. Project Team: The team includes all the personnel and human resource that is needed for implementation of the plan, therefore the team must communicate with each other and the management of the project. They are responsible for generating the progress reports, and status reports to be presented to the management and the entire organization. Procurement: Procurement officers purchase all the required resources for the project. Therefore, they must be provided with product specifications and descriptions, price quotations for the needed resources. They in turn prepare purchase orders and deliver invoices for the resources. Quality: The quality assurance department is furnished with the quality assurance documents that include the periodic progress reports, policies and regulations among others. INFORMATION TYPE Different types of information will be generated throughout the implementation process these include audio, electronic, video among others. This information will be disseminated through various ways. Type of Information Mode of Dissemination Voice information Mobile Communication, Video and Teleconferencing, Voice Calls. Video information Video conferencing Electronic E-Mail, Internet, Company website Written Information Memos, emails, reports EXISTING SYSTEMS Existing communication systems include company website, company email, mailing address, memo and social media. LENGTH OF INVOLVEMENT The stakeholders will receive communication during the entire implementation of the project. ENVIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS It is important to consider the fact that software development and technology environments have different ways and channels of communication. This is due to the fact that the environment will somehow impact the communication strategy in the project. METHOD FOR UPDATING THE COMMUNICATION PLAN The communication plan is updated once there is no effectiveness in the available communication channels. Change Management Plan Project Sponsor: The project sponsor provides the required resources and other financial support that will be needed for the project implementation. It is anticipated that changes may occur along the way. Therefore the sonsir may be called to increase funding or cut funding. They are also in-charge of approving the budget increases or reductions in the course of the project. Project Manager: They are the main personnel responsible for the major approvals, implementation, documentation and monitoring all the changes in the project implementation. Customer/Client Management: Customer is responsible for documenting all the changes and reviewing whether they are needed, or not. Additionally, they are responsible for approving the changes that may directly impact them such as changes that touch on their personal data. Project Team Leads: Project team leads are the major initiators of change; they are responsible for identifying the need for change, documenting the supporting reasons for making the change. Project Team Members: Project team members consult each other regarding the changes that need to be effected in the project implementation process. References Hohpe, G., & Woolf, B. (2004). Enterprise integration patterns: Designing, building, and deploying messaging solutions. Addison-Wesley Professional. Lam, W., & Shankararaman, V. (2004). An enterprise integration methodology. IT professional, 6(2), 40-48. Ortiz, A., Lario, F., & Ros, L. (1999). Enterprise integration—business processes integrated management: a proposal for a methodology to develop enterprise integration programs. Computers in Industry, 40(2), 155-171. Smith, D., OBrien, L., Barbacci, M., & Coallier, F. (2002, October). A roadmap for enterprise integration. In Software Technology and Engineering Practice, 2002. STEP 2002. Proceedings. 10th International Workshop on (pp. 94-102). IEEE. Read More