1. Peak LAN Project Kirk Baringer Meagan Beeman Allison Benton
Yolanda Boyd
Thomas Guess

2. Project Information Peak Systems, located in Meridian, Louisiana
Information Systems Consultants
Project: City of Meridian’s social welfare agency
Goal: to build complete Local Area Network (LAN)
Budget $90,000 to be completed in 26 days
1. The project is to be completed on 20 laptops and two printers among other equipment to have a working network.
2. Budget must be met and completed on time.
3. Both parties are in a binding contract. Peak systems is to meet limits and exclusion stated.

3. Project Team Risk Team Size Three people Team Composition
Project Manager and two interns
Is this enough manpower?
There is a great deal of work that must be accomplished with just a team of three personnel. Wires and cables need to be laid. Computers and printers need to be set up. The hardware and software must be tested. The customers will need support and training.
There is a great risk the two interns could get pulled from the project or need to focus on their class work.
Peak Systems needs to ask themselves if they can realistically accomplish the project with this much manpower.

4. Project Team Risk Team Size Three people Team Composition
Project Manager and two interns
Is this enough manpower?
There is a great deal of work that must be accomplished with just a team of three personnel. Wires and cables need to be laid. Computers and printers need to be set up. The hardware and software must be tested. The customers will need support and training.
There is a great risk the two interns could get pulled from the project or need to focus on their class work.
Peak Systems needs to ask themselves if they can realistically accomplish the project with this much manpower.

5. Project Team Risk Team Size Three people Team Composition
Project Manager and two interns
Is this enough manpower?
There is a great deal of work that must be accomplished with just a team of three personnel. Wires and cables need to be laid. Computers and printers need to be set up. The hardware and software must be tested. The customers will need support and training.
There is a great risk the two interns could get pulled from the project or need to focus on their class work.
Peak Systems needs to ask themselves if they can realistically accomplish the project with this much manpower.

6. Budget Risk Established budget is $90,000 Do not cut corners
Cheaper Hardware
Hardware and Software compatibility
Hardware reliability
Is this a realistic budget?
You should never cut corners on anything when it comes to computer hardware and software. You get what you pay for.
The biggest problem with setting up a LAN system is hardware and software compatibility. Cheaper hardware could present problems with hardware and software compatibility. It could also create hardware reliability which could cost more in the long run.
Peak Systems needs to present a realistic budget number which does not cut corners and could prevent these types of hardware and software issues.

7. Timeline Risk Project complete in one month Allot of hardware Hardware
Locating and purchasing
Delivery
Testing
Multiple suppliers
Is this enough time?
There is allot of hardware that first needs to be located before it can be purchased. Then it must be delivered in enough time to be tested to eliminate any issues with hardware and software compatibility.
Multiple suppliers is an valid option which could reduce the time required to acquire, setup, and test hardware.
Hardware and software compatibility issues will only lead to delays in project completion.

8. External Access Risk Security Wired always better
Privacy Act information
Wireless less secure
Physical vs. internet based database
Database corruption
When it comes to LAN systems it is always better to be wired versus wireless. A wireless connection is less secure than a wired connection.
The database to be used might contain information subject to the Privacy Act of This personal information could be compromised via an unsecure wireless connection.
When field workers access a physical database via a wireless connection there is the potential for the database to be corrupted when the wireless connection is lost. Customer could utilize an internet based database system.

9. User Account Risk List must be accurate Names, roles, and permissions
Log on problems
Access problems
Earlier enough in project
When the customer hands over the list of employees the list must be accurate. It must list the correct roles and permissions for each user account that needs to be created. If the list is not accurate employees may not even be able to log onto computers. They may not be able to access network printers or drives. They might not even have the right permissions for certain database features.
The step of creating user accounts is earlier enough in the project where things could get fixed with little delay to the project.

10. Risk Assessment Mapping out risks can be beneficial for a project.
Helps prepare a team for what might occur.
Scenario analysis is the most commonly used technique for analyzing risks.

11. Risk Assessment Matrix
Risk Event
Likelihood
Impact
Detection Difficulty
When
Team Size
Very High
High
Very Low
Continuous
Budget
Low
Availability of hardware and software
Moderate
Installation
Secure external/wireless
access
User priorities & authorizations -can’t log on
Start-up
Impact scales are used to identify risks and how those risks affect project priorities.
Peak Systems risk were evaluated in terms of rank-order descriptors.
Risk assessment chart is based on likelihood of an event, how easy it is to detect the event, the impact of the risk and the possibility of when the risk event would occur.

12. Project Team Risk Risk Management Matrix Risk Event Response
Contingency Plan
Trigger
Who is Responsible
Team size
Add personnel
Sub-contract if possible and within budget
Workload compared to timeline
Peak Project
Manager working with City of Meridian
Budget
Increase budget or downsize project
Negotiate with the City of Meridian
At the earliest point it becomes obvious the budget is too small
City of Meridian
And Peak project manager
Availability of hardware and software
Send bids out to several suppliers
See if extras can be placed on standby and returned if unused
From the onset of the LAN project if there are shortages
Peak project manager
Secure external/wireless
access
Set up tests to ensure this system is working and secure
Have alternate ways for remote employees to access the server
At the earliest point this system can be tested and doesn’t work.
Peak Project manager
User priorities & authorizations -can’t log on
Have a standby system while transitioning to the new LAN or work weekends and off peak hours
Have a secondary server system on standby and don’t take the entire LAN down until the new system is running
At the earliest point the LAN can be tested, run tests periodically throughout the installation to help catch glitches.

13. Team Size Add personnel if needed Sub-contract if within budget
Risk Event
Response
Contingency Plan
Trigger
Who is Responsible
Team size
Add personnel
Sub-contract if possible and within budget
Workload compared to timeline
Peak Project
Manager working with City of Meridian
Add personnel if needed
Sub-contract if within budget
Use the workload compared to the timeline as the trigger
Responsibility lies with both, Peak and the City of Meridian

14. Team Budget Increase the budget if possible or downsize the scope
Risk Event
Response
Contingency Plan
Trigger
Who is Responsible
Budget
Increase budget or downsize project
Negotiate with the City of Meridian
At the earliest point it becomes obvious the budget is too small
City of Meridian
And Peak project manager
Increase the budget if possible or downsize the scope
Negotiate the budget with the city of Meridian
When it becomes obvious the budget is too small - trigger
Responsibility lies with both, Peak and the City of Meridian

15. Availability of SW & HW
Risk Event
Response
Contingency Plan
Trigger
Who is Responsible
Availability of hardware and software
Send bids out to several suppliers
See if extras can be placed on standby and returned if unused
From the onset of the LAN project if there are shortages
Peak project manager
Send our multiple bids to suppliers of needed SW & HW
Research whether extras can be ordered and held/returned
If there are shortages this is an immediate trigger
The Peak project manager is solely responsible for this

16. Secure external/internal access
Risk Event
Response
Contingency Plan
Trigger
Who is Responsible
Secure external/wireless
access
Set up tests to ensure this system is working and secure
Have alternate ways for remote employees to access the server
At the earliest point this system can be tested and doesn’t work.
Peak Project manager
Frequently test to ensure the system is working and secure
Establish alternate ways for remote employees to access
Earliest point system is tested and fails - trigger
Responsibility lies with Peak project manager

17. Priorities: Authorizations/user log on
Risk Event
Response
Contingency Plan
Trigger
Who is Responsible
User priorities & authorizations -can’t log on
Have a standby system while transitioning to the new LAN or work weekends and off peak hours
Have a secondary server system on standby and don’t take the entire LAN down until the new system is running
At the earliest point the LAN can be tested, run tests periodically throughout the installation to help catch glitches.
Peak Project manager
Stand-by system while transitioning to new LAN
Work weekends and during non-peak hours to test
Establish secondary server for temporary back-up
Test LAN early and often; if it fails - trigger
Responsibility lies with Peak project manager

18. Performing Monte Carlo Simulation
A Monte Carlo simulation helps predict risk by using data to predict trends
Performing a risk analysis will assist both PEAK and the City of Meridian in determining if the LAN project can be completed on time and within budget
Having statistical data will allow the project manager to make sound decisions

19. Benefits of Monte Carlo Simulation
Allows for testing of theories before launching the LAN project
Provides statistical validity to the City by measuring probability that the project will meet its stated goals
Reveals trends that can be modified to decrease risk
Assists the project manager in communicating ways that the project can be restructured for enhanced quality, efficiency and cost

20. Steps to Perform Define the problem to be solved
Can project be completed on time and within budget?
Define the drivers/variables of the problem
What might some of the delays and hidden costs be?

21. Steps Cont. Define the uncertainty for the variables
Assign best, most likely and worst case estimates to the identified variables
Analyze the model using simulation
Create a model that will compute the assigned formulas to create estimates

22. End