Introduction to Projects and System Analysis

What is a project? A project, in business and science, is a collaborative enterprise, involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular aim. It is temporary, rather than permanent, social system constituted by teams within or across an organization to accomplish particular tasks under time constraints.

Project Stakeholders Are those entities within or outside an organization which sponsor a project, or have an interest or a gain upon a successful completion of a project may have a positive or negative influence in the project completion

Project Stakeholders The following are examples of project stakeholders: Project leader Project team members Upper management Project customer Resource managers Line managers Product user group Project testers

Project Team Members

Project Team Members

Systems Analysis & Design Strategic Planning – A Framework for IT Systems Development Strategic planning is the process of identifying long-term organizational goals, strategies, and resources Strategic Planning Overview SWOT analysis

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Business Case Critical Success Factors Planning Team Motivation Saying NO Avoiding Scope Creep Risk Management Project Closure

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Business Case The business case is the justification for the project and should list the expected benefits. This is something everyone involved in the project can focus on and the reason why the project is taking place.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Business Case It should describe the project clearly, provide the justification to proceed, and estimate the project’s financial impact.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Critical Success Factors These are the must have items that the project needs to achieve. Define with the customer the Critical Success Factors that will make the project a success.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Planning Time spent planning is time well spent. All projects must have a plan with sufficient detail so that everyone involved knows where the project is going.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Planning A good plan provides the following benefits: Clearly documented project milestones and deliverables A valid and realistic time-scale Allows accurate cost estimates to be produced Details resource requirements

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Planning A good plan provides the following benefits: Acts as an early warning system, providing visibility of task slippage Keeps the project team focused and aware of project progress

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Team Motivation A motivated team will go that extra mile to deliver a project on time and to budget. Keep your team motivated by involving them throughout the project and by planning frequent milestones to help them feel they are making progress.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Team Motivation Communication is the key here, so let your team know when they are performing well, not just when they are performing badly.  

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Saying NO Never promise anything you know you can't deliver, you are just storing up problems for later. Stick to your guns no matter how senior or important the person is, they'll thank you for it later.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Avoiding Scope Creep A scope creep refers to the uncontrolled changes or continuous growth in a project's scope. Ensure that you set expectations correctly at the outset of the project and clearly define what is in and out of scope. Record it in the key project document.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Risk Management Produce a risk log with an action plan to minimize each risk and then publish it to all the key stakeholders in your project.

Key Factors to Ensure Project Success Project Closure Remember that projects have a finite life. At the end of a project be firm, agree with the customer that the Critical Success Factors have been met, the project delivered, tested, released and ask them to sign the project off. Use a Customer Acceptance Form or User Acceptance Form

Information Systems Projects Main Reasons for Systems Projects Systems request Improved service Support for new products and services Better performance More information Stronger controls Encryption and biometric devices Reduced cost

Information Systems Projects Factors that Affect Systems Projects Internal Factors Strategic plan Top managers User requests Information technology department Existing systems and data

Information Systems Projects Factors that Affect Systems Projects External Factors Technology Suppliers Customers Competitors The economy Government

The Systems Analyst Position A systems analyst investigates, analyzes, designs, develops, installs, evaluates, and maintains a company’s information systems. On large projects, the analyst works as a member of an IT department team. Smaller companies often use consultants to perform the work.

The Systems Analyst Position Responsibilities Translate business requirements into practical IT projects to meet needs Required Skills and Background Solid communication skills and analytic ability Certification

The Systems Analyst Position Required Skills and Background Career Opportunities Job titles Company organization Company size Corporate culture Salary, location, and future growth

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