Part 4: Controlling Scenario The memo that the project sponsors and Anna sent ha
ID: 378499 • Letter: P
Question
Part 4: Controlling
Scenario
The memo that the project sponsors and Anna sent had mixed reviews, but the first bi- monthly meeting was very effective in airing everyone’s concerns and clearing up misconceptions. The project team realized that in addition to high-level bi-monthly meetings, they would need to have more detailed meetings and reports to help keep the project on track. Each division assigned a user represented to assist the project team. It was critical that the team develop a good list of requirements for this new system, emphasizing the most important ones in the first year. They know that new features may be added the following year.
3.A few user representatives insist that the system must include functionality for professional development, even though your earlier analysis suggested that this capability should not be added at this time. Corporate policy suggests that each employee have at least forty hours of job-related courses/seminars to make sure they stay abreast in the dynamic biotechnology field. Several managers believe the company can be more efficient by negotiating with educational suppliers in providing some of these courses on-site. The project team knows that adding this capability will make the project take longer to complete and cost more money. Write a short memo explaining why the professional development functionality should be done as a follow-on project.
Explanation / Answer
Below is why professional development functionality should be done as a follow-on project -
1. Addition of a new functionality and capability to an ongoing project will result in shifting of the focus of the resources which affects the quality of the deliverables of the current project.
2. Apart from the quality of the deliverables, the new functionality learning and adaptation also affects the timelines of the deliverables as considerable time goes into the new functionality.
3. Cost of the overall project increases due to the cost it takes to provide trainings and seminars on the new functionality as well as the additional costs due to the delays on the current project.
4. Once the current project is completed, professional development capability can be initiated as a follow-on project to ensure it enhances the learning going forward as the resources can solely focus on the learning.