Project Planning and Radiology Information System - Assignment Example

Running Head: Project Planning Software Project Management (Project Planning Report) Assessment 2 COMP593 Group number Group members Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 1.0 Introduction 4 1 Establish project scope and objectives 4 1.1 establishing the objectives of the project 4 1.2 establish the project authority 5 1.3 Stakeholders analysis 5 1.4 Modifying objectives in the light of the stakeholder analysis 6 1.5 Establishing methods of communication with all parties 6 2. Establish project infrastructure 7 2.1 identifying relationship between the project and strategic planning 7 2.2 identifying installation standards and procedures 7 2.3 identify project team organization 8 3 Analysis of project characteristics 8 3.1 Distinguish the project as either objective- or product-driven 8 3.2 analyze other project characteristics 9 3.3 identify high-level project risks 9 3.4 user requirements concerning implementation 9 3.5 select development methodology and life-cycle approach 10 4.1 Identify project products and activities 11 4.2 document generic product flows 12 4.4 product ideal activity network 13 5 Estimate efforts for each activity 14 5.1 Revise plan to create controllable activities. 14 6 Identify activity risks 15 6.1 identify and quantify activity-based risks 15 6.2 plan risk reduction and contingency measures where appropriate 16 7 Allocate resources 16 7.1 identify and allocate resources 17 7.2 Revise plans and estimates to take into account resource constraints. 17 8 Review/publicize plan 18 8.1 Review quality aspects of the project plan 18 8.2 Documentation plans and obtain agreement 18 Conclusion 18 1.0 Introduction To have a project completed within on time and within budget, planning should be given much weight and priority. According to Harold (2003), project planning is part of project management where activities are scheduled and progress report given on each activity in a project environment. The process of project planning can be subdivide into the following activities; establishing the project scope and the objectives of that particular project, identifying the project infrastructure, identify and analyze the characteristics of a project, point out the products and activities of the project, estimate effort of each activity, be able to identify the risks of the activities and allocated resources to different activities in the project. Many projects fail because project leaders fail to plan; planning does not only save on time but money and many problems when implementing the project plan. A proposed system of PRG Radiology Information System (PRINS) will be used while carrying out the project planning activities. 1 Establish project scope and objectives A project is termed as successful if all the goals and the objectives of the stakeholders this met. A stakeholder is anybody directly or indirectly affected by the project. To attain project success, the scope of the project should be established together with the objectives of the project. The process of establishing the scopes and objectives ensures that all the stakeholders agree and are committed to the success of the project. 1.1 establishing the objectives of the project The PRG Radiology Information system has the following objectives clearly outlined: To be able to computerize medical client’s records and services in the radiology To be able to centralize patient records for easy access and quick retrieval (network the system). To be able to produce budget plans by the system. 1.2 establish the project authority This project will be supervised by a single project manager with other leaders heading different section within the project. 1.3 Stakeholders analysis A stakeholder is any party that has an interest in the project. It is important that they are identified because they determine the success or failure of the system. The possible stakeholders of PRINS are: 1. Medical clients 2. Doctors and other hospital workers 3. Hospital management team 4. Project sponsors 5. Project development team It is important that all the expectations of the stakeholders should be considered, these expectations or goals can be categorized according to their priority. In project management all conflicting goals should be resolved at this stage. Stakeholders can be identified and interviewed to seek their opinion or expectation concerning the proposed. Needs that do not add benefit to the system should be recorded as low priority needs then disregarded or given little attention in the implementation process. The needs that add benefit to the system should be recorded as high priority needs and should be prioritized in implementation process. 1.4 Modifying objectives in the light of the stakeholder analysis After interviewing the stakeholders, they would like their views and comments implemented in the project. These reassures them that they are part of the project hence they will offer their full support to the project development process. When designing the objectives of the project there are some objectives that might not be clear or unidentified it is therefore important to implement comments that add benefit to the system operation. This process should be done consciously to avoid system creep where the system enlarge which may result to unattainable project scope. It is commented that proper filter of the stakeholders comment be done with a scale of prioritizing the comments or needs. 1.5 Establishing methods of communication with all parties All parties should be updated of all the programs and progress of the project. Therefore a proper communication channel should be designed. Communication channels such as through the leaders to the team members can be implemented, direct communication is another option that the development team can use. Weekly or monthly progress reports will be the communication channel that will be used where a full description of project progress, milestones achieved and work scheduled for the next period. 2. Establish project infrastructure To be able to carry out the project infrastructure should be available. Project leaders and the entire team should be able to clearly understand the project infrastructure. The following are the steps in identifying project infrastructure: 2.1 identifying relationship between the project and strategic planning It is important that each project proposed should be aiming at realizing the strategic plan of the organization. A strategic plan is what a given organization is expected to achieve by within a given period of time. A technical framework of an organization should not be in conflict with proposed system for instance hardware and software standards which are needed to communicate with each other. The strategic plan PRG is to offer better medical services to its clients while the proposed system seeks to improve record keeping and proper budget plans using the PRG Radiology Information System, hence the system’s objectives aims at improving services to the clients. The proposed system will enable the medical staff in achieving the strategic plans. 2.2 identifying installation standards and procedures Development procedures are design for any organization that deals with software development. The proposed system will provide project documentation which will detail project installation and technical guideline to the users of the system. The proposed system will centralize all it Information technology activities at the headquarters. This will require a server to run the system with a multiprocessor computer with memory 8 gigabytes, larger storage devices and fast internet connection. Each station will have personal computers for doctor to access the server machine. For software standards, given that this is a system that should be secured from attacks stable programming languages such as Java, Javaservlets, Javascript, Cgi And Perl to create a web interface to a database. 2.3 identify project team organization There will be several leaders of the project working on each module then integrate the system. All the leaders of modules will report to the project manager. It is necessary for project especially large like the proposed system might have control on how the project is organized. The project will be divided into three sections, web interface, and database and networking section, where each section will have a top managerial team which will ensure that the system schedule is fully implemented. 3 Analysis of project characteristics To ensure that appropriate methods are implemented in the project development it is important to analyze the project characteristics. The following steps are undertaken in analyzing project character. 3.1 Distinguish the project as either objective- or product-driven The proposed system will be objective driven project where the developers will be seeking to give deliverables according to the objectives. 3.2 analyze other project characteristics The proposed system puts safety as a critical issue where patients’ records should not be accessed by unauthorized people. Medical records a client should remain confidential. The system is also life treating where if patient’s records are mixed up or the system fails patients can be given wrong treatment. The proposed system will engage the service of dedicated software developers with intensive testing before implementing the system to ensure that it is stable. 3.3 identify high-level project risks The issue that may undermine the successful implementation of any project requires intensive analysis of possible risks. Risk analysis in software development project should be undertaken to point out problems and challenges which will determine system failure or success. High level risks are the events that are likely to occur and whenever they occur their damage is largely felt and can lead to total failure of the system or additional cost. The risks that might undermine the success of the proposed system may result from funding issues where the cost of paying professionals that will be required because the project is large and security sensitive, Other identified risks in the software development project revolve around over budgeting, under budgeting, distribution, upgrading and operational risks. 3.4 user requirements concerning implementation The main users of the proposed system will be doctors and other medical staffs within the radiology hospital, over the years they have been using Microsoft Windows operating system, therefore there requirement is that the system be implemented on Windows operating system, which has been taken into consideration. 3.5 select development methodology and life-cycle approach Incremental methodology will be used in developing the proposed system because it is flexible where it is less costly to change the scope of the project, user requirements may raise that bring benefit to the system which must be incorporated in the system design therefore this methodology is suitable. A working system is also generated quickly and in the early stages of the life cycle. This methodology also emphasizes testing therefore system testing and debugging of small software is done. It is also easier to manage risks at very iteration. The figure 3.5 illustrates how incremental methodology will be used. Incremental model will ensure that the system is divided into small manageable modules that are very well tested before integrating. Build #1 Build #2 Build # N Figure 3.5 incremental model 4.1 Identify project products and activities This step of project planning entails a detailed outline of the activities that will be done at each stage. Each activity is well outlined. It is important to document all the products that are expected by the stakeholders from the project activities this will ensure that every activity is accounted for. There are two types of products in the development of the system; deliverables these are products that will be handed over to the clients and intermediate products are those that are not final products but they are needed in the process of creating deliverables. A breakdown structure will be used to document the products of the proposed system which will be organized in a hierarchal manner. The products in this project will be large number of technical products and operating instructions. Figure 4.1 a product breakdown structure for a system development task 4.2 document generic product flows A product flow diagram is used to illustrate how products are created and their relationship clearly shown. Dependency of products is shown that some products must be available before other products are created. Figure 4.2 illustrate the product flow for designing software where user requirement should be identified before specifying the specification of the system then a method f system design is designed. Figure 4.2 a product flow diagram for the software development task 4.4 product ideal activity network This step establishes the sequence of the flow of activities that will output the product in the system. From the product flow diagram a network flow diagram can be constructed and represented as flows. This activity network depends on the methodology being used in the system life cycle, incremental emphasizes on having small manageable parts developed then integrated later for implementation. System development will be divided into two modules A and B where module A will be interface design while module B will be database design then the two will be integrated. Figure 4.4 a network activity of the proposed project 5 Estimate efforts for each activity A bottom-up estimate of the effort will be used to estimate the effort of each activity where, the activities are divided into smaller components, then the effort of each individual is estimated which is required to accomplish these smaller components. The estimates of the entire tasks are obtained from the aggregates of the smaller components efforts. This approach is used because it has been proved to be accurate in effort estimation of each activity. Time effort will be used to estimate the individual effort how much time an individual will take to accomplish a given task. This method will be appropriate because the team of developers are experienced people therefore there is no time wasting. Although it is believed that as the developer’s skills I, prove they may take more time in designing complex modules line of codes will also be used to substantiate the amount of effort of each individuals. 5.1 Revise plan to create controllable activities. It should be possible to control some activities which will take a long period of time. Such tasks can be decomposed further into small components then carried in stages. This will enable the project leaders to measure the effort done in accomplish the activity and also be able to state whether the activity was a failure or success. It was realized that testing of the project will take a long time of 6 weeks before implementation this long time does not facilitate proper measure if the testing activity was successful or not therefore testing will be done in stages, where every module will be tested this may take less two weeks. From the communication channels availed it was established that monthly meetings to be carried out to give progress report, these period is long especially when challenges occur they will take long to resolve therefore report progress meeting will be held after every 2 weeks to report on the project report. 6 Identify activity risks Activity risks are those events that when they occur in the development process they will lead to a loss. Therefore every project leader should identify possible risks and plan how to mitigate them. 6.1 identify and quantify activity-based risks Risk assessment Importance Likelihood Total software development failure H L Inability to distribute H L Over budgeting M - Under budgeting H M Software upgrade failure M L Operational failure of the software M M Where H- high M- median L- likely ‘-’ not likely A risk analysis of this software development project is necessary to establish various problems and challenges which may lead to the total failure or delayed completion of the software being developed. One of the major identified risks revolves around the failure to develop the intended software. This risk is classified as highly important but with low likelihood of occurring. Total failure of the project may emanate from funding issues or high turnover among the technical expertise hired to develop the project. The level of professionalism and experience among the hired personnel also help in lowering the risk. Other identified risks in the software development project revolve around over budgeting, under budgeting, distribution, upgrading and operational risks. 6.2 plan risk reduction and contingency measures where appropriate To mitigate these risks, the project management team has set aside funds classified as miscellaneous in the budget to cater for any under budgeting eventualities. We need many classes to show the employees how the new medical client system works, to prevent future risks. 7 Allocate resources Resources are very important in a project development. Proper use and utilization of each resource contributes to be success of the project. Safe solution has a strategy to ensure that all the resources are not under-utilized or over-utilized, to over-utilize resource may results in to low quality product. 7.1 identify and allocate resources The medical client system will require a team of system analyst, programmers with vest knowledge in Java and web technologies who will ensure a secure web interface designed, web designers who will work along with the programmers in the interface design and modules, database developers who will design the database and ensure its implementation and network administers who will ensure that the system is networked. 7.2 Revise plans and estimates to take into account resource constraints. Developer team in Safe Solution had assigned programmers and web designers to the development process after deliberation there will be no web designers but only experienced Java developers who will work on the interface. Another sub-module within the interface design for budget planning requires extra resources because of its complexity, therefore two more system analyst we be relocated from the networking module because this is a module that comes later in the development life cycle. Figure 7.2 A Gantt chart showing how resources are allocated 8 Review/publicize plan This planning activity ensures that a completed task actually meets the required standards and laid down procedures. Some tasks may be signed off as complete but they are of low quality or poorly done hence failure of the system. The following steps will be undertaken by developer team in Safe Solution in the development of the client medical system. 8.1 Review quality aspects of the project plan Safe Solution will work according to established quality standards and procedures manual which are designed for quality of every completed task. Given that incremental model will be used, each module will be well analyzed before coding starts this will ensure that during integration there will be no problems. There are installation standards for the system where the platform and specifications for hardware are well documented. 8.2 Documentation plans and obtain agreement There will be a mutual agreement among the developers of Safe solutions to ensure that they are binding to the development process. An agreement between the hospital management and the development team will also be obtained to ensure that all the stakeholders commit to the development process. For the documentation of the system proper documentation will be done for each module and at every stage of the development methodology. Conclusion This section has detailed the project planning activities of the medical client system. It the project objectives together with the scope were identified, the characteristics of the project was established while the infrastructure was also discussed. For any projects there must be products which results from activities taking place both deliverables and intermediate precuts were identified with their activities, project planning also involves allocation of resources to activities and establishment of quality control which are clearly documented in this article. Moreover, risk analysis and risk contingency plans were identified. It is therefore clear that project planning involves a sequence of activities that not only help the development team to save money but also time and ensure high quality product without delays or failure. . Read More