Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign

This report discusses the project selection methods used for the Uber app redesign project for drivers and explores the key documents required at the project initiation stage.

Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
Selection of an appropriate project is an important activity because it can bring efficiencies
and success to an organization. In the current report, a case of Uber has been taken to
understand how project selection methods play a significant role in deciding which projects
to execute and also a whether PMBOK methodology would be used for exploring initial
process groups and project document requirements. Uber is planning to redesign its app for
the drivers and to ensure that this app has all essentials, the company has taken inputs from
drivers and has involved hundreds of engineers in the development process. This report
contains details of the project selection methods that were used for the Uber app
redevelopment project for drivers as well as explored the key documents required at the
project initiation stage. These include a stakeholder register and a project charter. A project
charter neds to be prepared at the initial stages of the project to get the approval for
development. A stakeholder register helps identify, assess, and understand stakeholder
requirements so that they can be recorded and the project designed and developed with their
considerations.
There are mainly two categories of selection methods that can be used for projects. These
include benefit measurement and constrained optimization. Benefit measurement include
techniques like cost benefit analysis, payback calculation, net present value, discounted cash
flow, Rate of return, and opportunity cost. These methods are targeted to calculated the
monetary impact of the project and understand If it would be profitable (SAEO, 2015).
Constraint optimization methods consider non-monetary things like customer service
relationships, organizational goals, management change, stakeholder views, and political
issues. In the current project of Uber app redesign, the project selection method used is the
optimization method that has invited views of drivers as stakeholders to understand how the
original app can be improved to help them serve customers better (Clements & Gido, 2006).
Uber decided to take up the project for redevelopment because they wanted to enhance the
engagement of Uber app with the drivers so that their experience could be improved which
would help them serve the customers better. With this development, the company is
expecting to achieve more efficiencies in its operations. It would reshape the way drivers
interact with the application and the company. The project involves investigation into the
working environment of the drivers and planning for improvement of the same (Gardiner,
2005).
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Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
As per PMBOK guide, the first step to development of a project is project initiation. During
this stage, an initiating process group is formed for obtaining the project requirements and
obtaining an authorization from sponsors to develop project to fulfil those requirements,. The
process group involves activities, processes, and skills needed for execution. The internal as
well as external stakeholders of the project are identified at this stage to capture requirements
information which is normally presented in the form of a project charter that details the
objectives, requirements, resources, and other essentials of the project needed for approval.
At this stage, teams are initialized phases for project development are defined (PMI, 2013).
Two key processes that are involved in initiation include development of a project charter
and identification of stakeholders which is reflected using a stakeholder register. The project
charter would serve as an input document for the further processes involved in the project
management. It would help a project sponsor understand how the project would be executed
and what difference would it make to the companies goals. On the basis of the inputs from
the project charter, a project sponsor can take a decision whether the project selected is viable
and should be approved for development. A stakeholder register would help understand key
stakeholder of the projects, their requirements, influences and needs so that they can be taken
care of during the project. The register would also imply the needs of communication content
as well as frequencies such that the register can be used for a detailed project planning. The
understanding of stakeholders would ensure that the plan is made according to stakeholder
considerations and thus, they are engaged well on a project (Beringer & Kock, 2013).
A project charter identifies project objectives, key stakeholders, team roles and
responsibilities, risks, budget constraints and project manager authority. Considering the
current project that invited development of the drivers app, the project charter would contain
the following details (Fournet, 2011) –
Overview: The project involves exploration of views of the drivers to incorporate them in the
development of drivers app which would be done by the developers including designers and
engineers from Uber.
Project Objective: The objective of this project is to design a drivers app that is able to better
serve the needs of customer and engage drivers more effectively with the Uber application
Project scope; The activities that are within the scope of the project include –
 Identification of application feature and development requirements from drivers
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Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
 Involvement of engineers and designers through community to help them remain
updated on inputs from drivers
 Designing of the new drivers app to better serve the needs of the project
 Development of the drivers application by involving engineers from Uber (Berbec,
2014)
Major Milestones: The major milestones of the project would include –
 Study of the working environment of the current drivers of Uber
 Gathering of inputs from all Uber drivers on improvement of the application
 Creation of new design on the basis of the inputs from the drivers
 Development of the interface and application components
 Testing of the new software involving drivers for user testing
Major deliverables of the project are –
 Collective requirements document obtained from the inputs taken from drivers across
Uber implementations
 Design of the new drivers application created considering inputs from drivers
 Application modules developed as per the application requirement defined
The project is getting executed with some assumptions that are followed. These include –
 The drivers app would engage the drivers better and would improve its performance
 Upon launch, the project would get acceptance in the market and will be profitable for
Uber
 The design created for the application would have great implications on the drivers
environment and it would affect their earning, power, quality of life and autonomy
while working with Uber
Stakeholder Register: A stakeholder register contains details of stakeholder identification,
assessment, and classification. The stakeholders identified for the Uber project are the
drivers, designers, and engineers. Each of these stakeholders can be assessed on the basis of
their requirements, communication needs, expectations, communication frequency, influence
on the project, interest levels and power. Stakeholders can be classified based on their levels
of power and interest or other attributes such as internal or external, a supporter, positive,
resister or neutral (Beringer & Kock, 2013).
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Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
Stakeh
older
group
Type
of
stakeh
older
Require
ments
Communi
cation
needs
Expectati
on
Frequen
cy
Influe
nce
Intere
st
Powe
r
Design
ers
Neutral Understa
nd the
design
needs of
the
drivers
and how
design
compone
nts can
affect
their
usage
patterns
Inputs
from
drivers to
be
received
Get more
accurate
requireme
nt for
designing
Weekly Mode
rate
Mode
rate
Low
Engine
ers
Suppor
ter
Understa
nd the
develop
ment
needs of
the
drivers
and how
design
compone
nts can
affect
their
usage
patterns
Inputs
from
drivers to
be
received
Get more
accurate
requireme
nt for
developm
ent
daily Mode
rate
High Mode
rate
Drivers Positiv To have During Have an As and High Mode Mode
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Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
e an
applicati
on that
serves
all their
needs
related
to cab
booking
and is
able to
take care
of their
related
concerns
. The
design
of the
applicati
on
should
have a
positive
impact
on the
earnings
of
drivers,
their life
styles,
and
autonom
y at
requireme
nt
gathering
and as and
when
needed
(C.R &
Thomas,
2011)
applicatio
n that is
more
convenien
ce and
easy to
use for
which all
the
requireme
nts are
collected
from the
drivers.
They are
provided
with
appropriat
e
channels
of
communi
cation to
give their
inputs
when
they
have
time to
commun
icate
rate rate
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Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
work
Project
Sponso
r
Suppor
tive
The
project
should
be
profitabl
e for the
company
so must
include
all
needed
engaging
features
so that
more
and
more
drivers
use Uber
services
(Heerken
s, 2015)
Project
objectives
, budget,
roles and
responsibi
lities,
risks, and
stakehold
ers
The
applicatio
n to meet
all driver
requireme
nts and
prove
profitable
for the
company
by
helping it
gain more
business
During
the
project
initiatio
n stage
and post
mileston
e
completi
ons
High High High
Custom
ers
Neutral To have
all the
required
features
in the
app and
a good
service
experien
ce from
the
Communi
cation
during the
project
initiation
stage for
requireme
nts
gathering
and post
the
The
applicatio
n should
be easy
and fast
to use as
well as
should
have all
the
needed
Project
initiatio
n and
project
closure
High Mode
rate
Mode
rate
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Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
drivers developm
ent of the
new app
to
introduce
to the
market
features
for better
service
provisioni
ng. The
drivers
must be
friendly
and easy
to
coordinat
e with
while
taking
cabs for
travel
This report was prepared to understand how projects are selected in practice and how the
project initiation group works. The report reveals that project selection method can be
focused on the monetary benefits or the non-monetary benefits. In the case of Uber redesign
project, the focus was on the non-monetary benefit that company wanted to gain by
increasing engagement from drivers. The project initiations stage involved development of a
project charter and a stakeholder register as two key initiation process documents.
References
Berbec, I. S. (2014). Aligning Project Scope And Deliverables With Business Strategy. KTH
Royal Institute of Technology .
Beringer, C. J., & Kock, A. D. (2013). Behavior of internal stakeholders in project portfolio
management and its impact on success. International Journal of Project
Management, 31(6), 840-846.
C.R, K., & Thomas, S. M. (2011). Requirement Gathering for small Projects using Agile
Methods. IJCA, 122-128.
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Project Selection and Execution of Uber App Redesign
Clements, J. P., & Gido, J. .. (2006). Effective Project Management. Thompson.
Fournet, B. (2011). PM unusual: the three key challenges facing project managers over the
next five years. TX. Newtown Square, PA: PMI® Global Congress.
Gardiner, P. D. (2005). Project Management: A Strategic Planning Approach. Macmillan
International Higher Education.
FME. (2014). Project Scope Management: Project Skills. FME (2nd ed., pp. 15-18).
Heerkens, G. (2015). Project management. Mcgraw-Hill Education..
Jainendrakumar, T. D. (2016). Project Stakeholder Management. PM World Journal, 5(5), 1-
9.
PMI. (2013). A Guide to Project Management Body of Knowledge. PMI (3rd ed., pp. 14-18).
SAEO. (2015). Cost Estimating Manual for Projects . SAEO (2nd ed., pp. 15-18).
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