Project Management Report: Analysis of SingularLogic's IT Projects

This report provides an analysis of project management strategies applicable to SingularLogic, an IT company. It begins with an introduction to the company's structure and challenges, particularly those related to managing cooperation between different departments and the research and development department. The report then delves into the understanding of PMBOK knowledge areas, emphasizing project integration, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk, and procurement management. It compares and contrasts various project management approaches, including Agile, Waterfall, Scrum, Prince2, and PMBOK, evaluating their suitability for SingularLogic's context. The application of project management tools for managing risks is also discussed, with a focus on SWOT analysis, risk registers, probability matrices, and quality assessments. The report concludes by reiterating the importance of effective project management for achieving SingularLogic's goals, particularly in the design of an effective consumer interface portal. The report references several academic sources to support its analysis and recommendations.

Project Management
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Contents
Introduction:...............................................................................................................................2
Understanding knowledge areas................................................................................................2
Comparing and contrasting project management approaches....................................................4
Application of project management tools for managing risks...................................................5
Conclusion:................................................................................................................................6
References:.................................................................................................................................6
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Introduction:
SingularLogic is the IT Company having 29% of share in providing software services and 26%
in providing software licensing. The business is looking forward to increase their marketing
area by making three marketing segments to initialize long range of activities. Implementation
of IT software in private sector is carried by enterprise division. It helps in providing IT
software and services to the large organizations. Distribution of IT software and application is
done by software division so that large market area for distribution of services is covered.
Integrator division is developed for providing services and IT solution to the government
sector. It can help for broadcasting the result of election. 740 employees are employed in
research and development department. Budget is passed for managing cooperation between
departments and managing customer interface. Research and development department of
company works together with software project management department to design effective
consumer interface portal. Outcome of the undertaken project depend on the launching of
product and marketing procedures implied for delivery process. Company is facing challenges
and risks in managing cooperation between different departments of the organization with
research and development department. To resolve complexities associated with the R&D
department it is required to deploy effective project management techniques so that risks
associated with the organization can be minimized.
Understanding knowledge areas
Selection of the project management techniques depends on the alignment of organization goal
with the project management goal. It is required to give emphasis on reducing overall cost of
project and increasing its efficiency so that organization resources and IT solution can be
effectively distributed among their consumers.
Complexities of SingularLogic Company are resolved by undergoing process through 10
phases of project management body of knowledge PMBOK.
 Project integration phase: In project integration phase, various departments of
SingularLogic will integrate with R &D cell to achieve common objective of increasing
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supply of software solution through designing of consumer interface which helps in
managing the availability of skilled staff. Bottleneck situation can be handled by cutting
down overall cost by financial department (Hampus, 2015).
 Project Scope management phase: Scope of the project is to design an integrate plan for
all departments so that efficiency of R&D department can be enhanced. Decision
making capabilities of top management can be enhanced by bringing awareness of
quality of service provided to the customers. Integration of R&D with various
departments is on top priority which amalgamated with distribution of work to
resources used so that bottleneck situation of availability of skilled worker in
department can be managed.
 Project Time management phase: Planning and sequencing of activities depends on the
availability of resources. Estimation of time required completing marketing and supply
of software solution depends on resources availability.
 Project cost management phase: Emphasis is given on cost cutting so that scheduling of
project can be done in minimum cost. Budget preparation and cost control parameters
helps in managing R&D more organized.
 Project quality management phase: Quality of service provided to the customers can be
enhanced by developing effective quality planning, assurance, and control procedures.
It helps in increasing popularity of the company among the customers by providing
them quality of services and IT solution as on their demand (Haron, and et.al., 2014).
 Project human resource management phase: Scheduling of resources at the organization
helps in minimizing conflicts and chaotic environment at work place and managing
availability of skilled staff at R&D department to minimize bottleneck situation at work
place (Eskerod, and Jepsen, 2013).
 Project Communication phase: It is the important section of company to manage
coordination and synchronisation between different departments. Development of team
and division of work increases the quality of service provided to the consumers.
 Project risks management phase: Project goal can be achieved within minimum time by
minimizing risks and complexities associated with the business process. It is an
essential step to be taken so that risks can be identified at project start-up phase so that
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their impact on the underlying phases can be minimized and objectives and goal of the
enterprise can be achieved (Liberatore, Johnson, and Smith, 2015).
 Project procurement phase: Purchasing and delivery of IT solution to the consumers is
the chain whose success increases the turnover of the enterprise. Planning of
procurement should be done so that underflow and overflow condition of IT software
and services cannot occur.
Authorization of the project is given in the project initiation phase to enable coordination and
synchronization between different departments of SingularLogic Company. Outcome of the
undertaken project depend on the launching of product and marketing procedures implied for
delivery process (Morris, 2009). Emphasis is required to be given on initial document prepared
for satisfying the business need.
Comparing and contrasting project management approaches
There are various project management approaches for scheduling and planning of project so
that efficiency of company can be enhanced.
Agile methodology works by processing small cycles to achieve milestones of the project. It is
not suitable for this project because here emphasis is given on coordination and
synchronization of different departments not the manufacturing of the product.
Waterfall methodology is the sequential approach and time consuming process. It is mainly
used in construction field. It is not applicable on SingularLogic Company because focus is to
given on cost and time cutting procedures (Morris, 2013).
Scrum methodology: It is based on agile framework. Collaboration of team works in the
direction for development and designing of the product which cannot be applicable in the given
case.
Prince 2 Methodology: It is flexible in nature and works in the direction to give the product
within the estimated time and cost. Roles and responsibilities of the working staff is clearly
defined during the project initiation phase. It is not applicable in this project because emphasis
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is given on managing cooperation between different departments of the organization with
research and development department.
PMBOK: In PMBOK, project is divided into four phases which are named as initiation,
planning, execution, and monitoring and control (Project Management Institute, 2017).
Completion of project scope and division of work among the resources is carried in initiation
phase. Centralization between three departments of the company is required so that marketing
of the IT solution can be effectively carried out. Knowledge areas help in completing all phases
with minimum risks factors associated with it.
Application of project management tools for managing risks
Success of the project depends on the minimum risks and uncertainties associated with the
project. Assessing of the risks can be done by identifying the root cause analysis of the
undertaken process and working schedule. SWOT analysis focus on identifying the strength,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the association of R&D department with
the other department of the company.
It is required to develop a risk register which gives the brief information on the risks associated
with the project such as unavailability of skilled staff, unavailability of IT solution, no
customer interface, less communication between departments, overrunning of cost and time,
and others. Probability matrix gives the association of impact of risks on the working process
of the company which can affect the marketing of IT solution and hinders the company growth
and turnover. Assessment of quality is an important step to gain confidence and trust of
consumers. Quality of the IT solution should be checked regularly so that quality of services
can be provided to the consumers on their demand. Cause and effect of risks should be
examined which helps in synchronising the work of R&D with the organization goal (Asadi,
2015). From the investigation, it has been seen that business is looking forward to increase
their marketing area by making three marketing segments to initialize long range of activities.
It is required to identify risks and uncertainties associated with different knowledge areas of
the project during the project initiation phase. Division of work, setting of milestones and
quality control parameters helps in improving the performance of the company. Root cause
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analysis of the project failure works in the direction to improve the coordination of
departments in relation with the R&D so that customer interface can be developed within the
estimated cost and time. Assignment of work and development of the project schedule helps in
minimizing the chaotic environment at work place.
Conclusion:
Research and development department of company works together with software project
management department to design effective consumer interface portal. Planning of
procurement should be done so that underflow and overflow condition of IT software and
services cannot occur. Quality of service provided to the customers can be enhanced by
developing effective quality planning, assurance, and control procedures. Centralization
between three departments of the company is required so that marketing of the IT solution can
be effectively carried out.
References:
Asadi, Z. (2015). An investigation of risks management strategies in projects. Retrieved from
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/307849736_An_investigation_of_risk_mana
gement_strategies_in_projects
Eskerod, P., and Jepsen, A. (2013). Project Stakeholder management. Farnahan, Surrey,
England: Gower.
Hampus, P. (2015). Corporate responsiveness to drivers of change. 1st ed. Retrieved from
http://www.diva-portal.se/smash/get/diva2:448649/FULLTEXT01.pdf
Haron, N., Devi, P., Hassim, S., alias, A, Tahir, M., Harun, A. (2014). Project Management
practice and its effects on project success in construction industry. 1st ed. Retrieved
from http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1757-899X/291/1/012008
Liberatore, M., Johnson, B., and Smith, C. (2015). Project Management in construction:
Software use and research direction. 1st ed. Retrieved from
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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/245283314_Project_Management_in_Constr
uction_Software_Use_and_Research_Directions
Morris, P. (2009). Research and future of project Management. 1st ed. Retrieved from
https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/17538371011014080
Morris, P. (2013). Reconstructing project management. Chichester, England: Wiley-Blackwell
Project Management Institute. (2017). A guide to the project management body of knowledge.
6st ed. Newton Square, PA: PMI Turner, J.R. Retrieved from
http://www.cs.bilkent.edu.tr/~cagatay/cs413/PMBOK.pdf
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