Case Study: Information Systems SAP Project at NIBCO, Inc. NIBCO had planned to
ID: 3590211 • Letter: C
Question
Case Study: Information Systems SAP Project at NIBCO, Inc.
NIBCO had planned to go live with the ERP project on December 1, 1997, the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday.7 The baseline project schedule is shown in Figure 8-12. The four phases (preparation, analysis, design, and implementation) were scheduled as shown with a post-live date of March 31, 1998, the actual end date of the SAP project. After the go-live date of December 1, 1997, the project team had to spend time on the project in post-production activities and quality assurance. The post-live activities also included:
- Check system performance on a daily basis;
- Validation of business processes and their configuration;
- Follow-up training for users;
- Signoffs;
- Add new application components; and
- Automating and improving business processes.
NIBCO wanted to schedule the project closure dates with anticipated possible problems. The project leadership team spent a lot of time planning the end date. It developed extended versions of the schedule in order to mitigate the risk of possible extension; the following are the various scenarios of schedule proposed by the project team:
1. A first plan where the organization has to perform at a very superior level to attain the maximum performance possible that coincided with the baseline schedule;
2. A second plan where the organization has to perform at a standard level to attain the standard performance; and
3. A third plan where the organization can perform at a lower level to attain the minimum performance.
All three plans are shown in Figures CI-8-3 through CI-8-5. The difference in schedule between the first plan and the second plan was four months. The difference in schedule between the second plan and the third plan was another three months. On the whole, the project plan was presented to the stakeholders with a project schedule that varied from 18 months to 24 months.
Case Questions
1. If you have a project team of 40 members consisting of 10 SAP experts, 10 SAP power users who are also experts in various NIBCO processes, 10 end-users who are familiar with some process knowledge, and 10 information systems staff, how would you allocate resources in Figures CI-8-1 through CI-8-5?
2. What are the criteria and drivers that would ensure project completion for each one of the plans proposed in Figures CI-8-1 through CI-8-5?
Explanation / Answer
What are the criteria and drivers that would ensure project completion for each one of the plans proposed:
1. A first plan where the organization has to perform at a very superior level to attain the maximum performance possible that coincided with the baseline schedule for that we need to follow the following
- We all must know about the Leadership of developing the organisation.
- we should Creating and Developing the entire working team.
- we should give them better Coaching and Mentoring the team
- we always maintain the Customer Service Focus
- we should rectify the Conflict Resolution
- We should maintain the Effective Communication
- Leading through Change
- There must be a Relationship Building within the team.
- Motivation and Self-direction
- There must be a effective Teamwork
- There must be Leadership Development
2. A second plan where the organization has to perform at a standard level to attain the standard performance for that we need to follow the following
- Saving and securing all the business data of a organisation or a big company.
- In order to align security with the corporate culture we should Understand the values and culture of your organization
- Understand the current Strengths and the Weaknesses, and Opportunities, and Threats in the business.
- Identifying what needs to be done in the company or in an organisation.
- Identifying what should be done first in business.
- Approaches to obtaining funding
- Promoting the work of the team
- Developing effective metrics and Dashboards in the business
- Learning to innovate with the business so that it will be useful to business development.
3. A third plan where the organization can perform at a lower level to attain the minimum performance for that we need to follow the following
- Developing a team mission statement that will be used in an company or in an organizational with there goals
- In order to make the team more successful we should try to Learn to identify, understand, and manage customers.
- we always make sure of business and there Understanding on doing business and how business leaders develop strategy
- Make more informed purchase decisions to Apply analysis on vendors
- Understand the hackers and attacker motivations and techniques in all aspects
- Understand assets and process of business that are most valuable to the business.
- Learn the strategic planning of kill chain and threat intelligence in all levels.
- In order to have better understand business goals we should Identify market forces that drive the business in present days.