INF6001 Information Systems Project Management
Coursework Assignment 2024-25
1. Introduction
The purpose of the assignment is to provide you with the opportunity to try out the various project management techniques and apply them to a case study.
There are two components to the assessment: one group report (40%) and one individual report (60%). Each of these components have separate marking criteria, available in Blackboard. The assignment brief needs to be read together with the Marking Criteria sheets for the two assignments.
2. Learning Outcomes
The assessment covers the following learning outcomes of the module:
• Demonstrate awareness of the need for effective management of IS projects;
• Understand and use techniques for estimating IS and IT activities;
• Produce a project plan which indicates deliverables and milestones.
• Understand human resource and team management issues in IS development;
• Demonstrate the skills to schedule human and other resource for the development of an IS/IT system;
• Show awareness of risk assessment and management issues for IS projects;
• Show awareness of quality issues for IS projects.
3. Case Study: Project management of a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system
Background
The South Yorkshire based company ‘CraftBrew’ manufactures and supplies craft beer for the drinks industry. This beer is sold through its own chain of CraftBrew bars and through other independent bars and retailers. They also have an online shop and are stocked in selected large supermarket chains.
In 2022, CraftBrew developed an idea for a new investment scheme through their own platform. ‘Apply4Shares’, approved by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) which offered 330,000 new shares in the brewery aiming to raise a total of £3 million. In exchange for their cash, investors get a stake in the business and perks such as discounts online and at CraftBrew bars and a complimentary beer on their birthday.
Management expect sales to increase by 20% by the end of 2026, otherwise CraftBrew may lose out on market share and be unable to continue with its plans for international expansion. To support CraftBrew’s vision, the company intends to use some of the money raised to implement a new CRM system to help improve processes such as sales management, contact management and reporting.
The Executive have commissioned a project to provide a new CRM system and estimate the cost of the project to be £1million. The project will purchase an existing CRM software package and will configure it to meet CraftBrew’s specific requirements. A team of consultants, experienced at implementing this package, has already been identified to lead the project, including the configuration, customisation and handover of the system.
Scope of project
The three phases of the project are to manage the (I) selection/acquisition, (II) configuration/development and (III) deployment/handover of a new CRM application and related hardware within a £1million budget. You will create and manage a project team to undertake this project. This assignment relates to the key elements of planning the project.
Timing of project
The Board of Directors has allocated funds from 1 June 2025 so the project can commence then. The project must be completed – the system fully tested and handed over for operational use – by 1 June 2026.
Project governance
CraftBrew will establish a Project Board which will meet monthly to control the project.
4. What you need to do
4.1. Scope Management Plan
You need to develop the Scope Management Plan. This will include:
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). The WBS needs to be based on the Project Lifecycle and the Systems Development Lifecyle. If following the waterfall approach, the WBS needs to be based on phases, activities etc. If you follow an Agile approach, the WBS is based on epics, user stories etc. You need to start off with creating a hierarchical chart that defines the project phases and the system development phases. The System development phases will depend on what development approach you will follow (waterfall or agile). This is a choice that you need to make and follow through with it for the entire project. After this, you need to develop the list of deliverables and milestones (see below) so you need to consider the WBS on the basis of deliverables and work-to-be-done. You are NOT expected to prepare use case diagrams etc, but you need to account for the work required to prepare these.
• You need to convert your WBS to a Detailed Task List (DTL) and this DTL will need to contain the following:
o a clear hierarchical structure o how these are associated to each other
o Resource allocation: assign people to tasks (adding people may result in shorter completion times but will increase the budget)
o Estimates for tasks: based on what needs to be done by when and by whom, estimate the time required for each task (these estimates will depend on the development approach you follow). Make sure you explain how you calculated these (timeboxing, lines of code etc).
4.2. Detailed Project Plan
You have identified what is needed to complete the project in terms of work. You now need to focus on how you will achieve this. You need to develop a Detailed Project Plan. Based on the WBS and the DTL you need to consider whether you can shorten the project schedule (e.g., tasks can be executed in parallel if the resources are available). The detailed project plan (Gantt chart) needs to contain the following:
• Linkages between tasks. Opportunities for shortening the duration of the project need to consider task dependencies.
• Information on the beginning and end of the project (dates) and the number of days needed to complete the project (you need to consider weekends, bank holidays etc in your calculation)
• Information of the resources usage (are there resources underused/overused? There has to be some kind of balance so you need to include information on how you can balance the load if there are concerns)
• The above essentially will be depicted on the Gantt chart, but you also need to provide a narrative around the questions indicated above.
The above are still relevant if you follow an Agile approach, but instead you will need to develop the release plan rather than a Gantt Chart and provide an overview of the Kanban Board you will be using for tracking the project.
4.3. Risk Management Plan
Now that you have completed the project plan, KnowHow indicated that they feel comfortable with your proposal in that it meets their business needs, you need to develop the Risk Management Plan.
• You need to identify risks (minimum 5, maximum 10). There should be at least one risk identified for each of the project lifecycle phases (a phase may have one risk, and others considerably more).
• You need to analyse each risk using the tools you have been taught (matrix, register etc).
• For each risk, you need to identify and describe a mitigation strategy.
The risk management plan needs to take into consideration the SDLC method used.
4.4. Quality Management Plan
Your report needs to contain a Quality Management Plan. The plan should include the following:
• A brief statement describing the team’s approach to quality and your objectives for ensuring you deliver a system fit for purpose to your client.
• Develop and describe the quality-based metrics you will use
• Develop and describe the validation activities you need to complete
The quality management plan needs to take into consideration the SDLC method used.
4.5. Implementation Plan
Finally, you need to develop the Implementation Plan. Implementation/Deployment activities are needed to transform. a newly developed information system into an operational system for end users. The initial operation of a new information system generally requires a conversion process.
• You need to provide a strategy for the conversion (releasing the system to the client). There are different conversion strategies (direct cutover, parallel, phased). You need to choose one of these, and explain why you consider this strategy to be more relevant for the particular project.
• A number of implementation challenges can occur. Consider added complexities that often stem from having to adjust to new mindsets, communication patterns, and workflows.
• You also need to critically review alternative project management approaches that could be taken to manage the successful delivery of this project, while highlighting any specific issues that may be faced if they are chosen.
5. Assignment Details
The purpose of this coursework is to provide you with an opportunity to try out the various project management techniques and apply them to a case study.
Sections 3-5 of this document provide you with the project brief and details on what you need to prepare. You need to use the information provided, alongside your knowledge of project management to carry out a thorough project plan.
There are two components to the assessment.
5.1. Group Assignment (40% of mark): Project planning (2,000 words)
Based on the project outline provided by the client, you need to develop the documents indicated by points 1-2 of Section 5: Scope Management Plan and Detailed Project Plan. You will work on this group assignment within the groups assigned for the seminars.
The components required will need to be included in a single document. The document needs to be professionally looking, addressed to your client, KnowHow. This document will need to contain the following:
• Executive summary (5%) - Briefly introduce the report and summarise the main aspects of your project plan for the client (e.g., important deadlines, primary deliverables)
• Scope Management Plan (40%) – You need to provide the WBS for the project, considering both the Project Lifecycle and the Systems Development Lifecycle. You will need to choose an approach to development (waterfall or agile) and you will need to justify your decision on the basis of the information you have been given and the available literature. You will need to produce the DTL. Section 5.1 includes details with regards to what you need to cover exactly as part of the Scope Management Plan.
• Detailed Project Plan (40%) – The detailed project plan needs to be based on the WBS and the DTL you have included as part of the Scope Management Plan. You are expected to produce a comprehensive Gantt Chart (or the equivalent release plan if you do an agile project). Remember to include overhead tasks (e.g., meetings for sign off, sprint planning), dependencies between tasks, resources, and time estimates. You need to justify your decisions on the basis of the information you have been given and the available literature. Section 5.2 includes details with regards to what you need to cover exactly as part of the Detailed Project Plan.
• Appendix (pass/fail, i.e., you get no marks for including it, but you lose 3 marks if you don’t) – You need to include in the appendix the Team Contract (this refers to your Group work, NOT the project itself). You may need to update it as you move forward the assignment, and if you have included any updates, you need to include the first and the final version, and indicate and explain any such updates.
The Team Contract should include:
o Project team members, student ID, roles and responsibilities for the assignment:
what are the skills and knowledge you will contribute to the assignment and what you have been tasked with doing
o Means of communication: how you will communicate with each other (e.g., via , GMeet etc), when and where you will be meeting (e.g., every Tuesday, online)
o Rules and Expectations: how you will make decision during conflict, what happens in you miss a meeting, or a team member does not contribute to the assignment. o This document is mandatory and very important and you need to think carefully what you will include in that as it is meant to hold you accountable to each other and to your tutor. If the Team Contract is not included, you will lose 3 points.
Make sure that any important decisions you take are clearly presented, discussed and justified and that the report uses clear language (15%). To prepare the above you may want to use a software package such as MS Project, ProjectLibre, Lucidhart etc, or you can produce your content manually (hand written charts and figures). Irrespective of your choices, you need to ensure that everything is readable in your submission as outlined in Practical 1.
You should submit a single copy of the group assignment including the student ID of all group members. ONLY one group member should submit the group report on behalf of the group. It is your responsibility that all group members contribute equally, that all group members have access to the final submission and that ultimately get access to the tutor feedback you receive for your submission.
5.2. Individual Assignment (60% of mark): Monitoring and implementation (2,000 words)
You need to prepare your individual submission on the basis of the group submission. Based on the project outline provided by the client, you need to develop the documents indicated by points 3-5 of Section 5: Risk Management Plan, Quality Management Plan and Implementation Plan.
You will work on the individual assignment individually. You may consult with your team members but the final submission needs to be made on an individual basis.
The components required will need to be included in a single document. The document needs to be professionally looking, addressed to your client, KnowHow. This document will need to contain the following:
• Executive summary (5%) - Briefly introduce the report and summarise its main aspects (e.g., critical risks, significant quality metrics, approach to system release).
• Risk Management Plan (30%) - Identify and discuss key risks in this case and provide details of how you will mitigate selected risks that you identify. You need to prepare the Risk Matrix and the Risk Register. You need to justify your decisions on the basis of the information you have been given and the available literature. Section 5.3 includes details with regards to what you need to cover exactly as part of the Risk Management Plan.
• Quality Management Plan (15%) - Provide details of quality assurance for the case to ensure that that you maintain quality. You need to use the table provided in the template and include information on quality assurance validation metrics per deliverable, include overhead costs, and an indication regarding the relevant milestone. You need to justify your decisions on the basis of the information you have been given and the available literature. Section 5.4 includes details with regards to what you need to cover exactly as part of the Quality Management Plan.
• Implementation Plan (40%) – On the basis of the project brief and with support from the literature discuss how you will implement the project. You need to address the following:
o Provide an explanation of the strengths and weakness of the SDLC approach you followed (agile/waterfall). Explain what changes would be needed if you had followed the alternative option.
o Justify the release type you chose.
o You need to justify your decisions on the basis of the information you have been given and the available literature. Section 5.5 includes details with regards to what you need to cover exactly as part of the Implementation Plan.
You need to indicate your group number on the cover sheet of your submission. Make sure that any important decisions you take are clearly presented, discussed and justified and that the report uses clear language (10%). To prepare the above you may want to use a software package such as MS Project, ProjectLibre, Lucidhart etc, or you can produce your content manually (hand written charts and figures). Irrespective of your choices, you need to ensure that everything is readable in your submission as outlined in Practical 1.
6. General Advice
• Use the Template for the assignments (section 8 and section 9)
• Prepare your report with the word count in mind. You will need to add a cover page: for the group assignment, you will need to include the group number, the student IDs of each team member, and the word count of the submission; for the individual assignment, you will need to include the group number, your student ID and the word count. o If you fail to include the word count, or if the word count is not respected, a penalty is automatically applied (there is a +/- 10% buffer to the word limit).
▪ If your report is well below this word count, it means that it is underdeveloped. If it is well above it, it means that it includes repetitions or that some of the material may be outside the scope of the report.
▪ What’s included in the word count: everything except tables, figures, the cover page, the reference list, and any appendices.
▪ The wordcount shown in the template for the different sections is indicative: you can go up or down as long as the overall wordcount is respected.
o If you fail to include the group number for the individual assignment, you will lose 3 marks (this is a pass/fail marking criterion). o If you fail to include the Team Contract for the group assignment, you will lose 3 marks (this is a pass/fail marking criterion).
• You need to submit your report by the relevant deadline (see the Blackboard for the deadline). If you don’t submit by the deadline, a penalty is automatically applied. o All penalties (for deadlines, word counts and unfair means) are included in detail in the Student Handbook.
o You need to submit via Turnitin – you will need to follow the on screen instructions. When you have finally submitted, you will receive an email notification. If you do not receive the email notification, you have not submitted. You will need to try again. Do not leave your submission until the very last minute because the system may get congested, may be down or the uploading (especially if it is a large file) may finish after the deadline has expired – this will count as late submission!
• Make sure your diagrams, images, tables etc. are readable. If these do not comfortably fit within a single page, consider splitting them across 2-3 pages. o For the Gantt chart in particular, consider splitting it up horizontally, NOT VERTICALLY! This could be done phase to phase to ease readability. The tasks need to be seen together with the bars in the calendar view to be considered a Gantt Chart.
o For the WBS (and the Gantt Chart) consider placing them on a landscape orientation.
• Read the marking criteria carefully – they explain how you will be marked.
• Read sections 5 and 6 very carefully – they explain what the report needs to contain and what is the relative weight of each part. Pay attention to the template and follow it diligently. It will guide you and help you make sure you are not missing important parts of the report.