For Ann Harris

Christopher Mihun

Project Justification

Under Armour’s new product launching will be marketed through the e-commerce stores of the company. As the company’s chief information officer, the management wants to develop a website application which can be used as the e-commerce site the company’s new product marketing and accessibility to consumers. Through an e-commerce site, it is important for the company to target a large number of global and local communities. The entry into the market will not be expensive but rather cheap and easily accessible (Kraft, & Lee, 2009). The project for developing an upgraded e-commerce site which will help the company’s research and development, marketing, human resources and customer service to interact with the consumers in the contemporary communities. The rise of the sporting industry and apparel demands, there is the sudden demand for improving accessibility and consumer satisfaction. This can be achieved through the company’s approach for an international and locally based e-commerce to collect consumer demands and offer a new approach to consumer customization for their products.

Aligning the Project to the Organizational Strategy

Under Armour’s mission is to “to make all athletes better through passion, design and the relentless pursuit of innovation.” The approach for connecting communication technologies with the seamless use of the internet will increase how the passion and design meet consumer customization. Through the e-commerce site, consumers, athletes, and other sporting personalities will be able to order through a mass customization segment of the website application (Chaffey, 2007). The e-commerce will allow a one on one communication and interaction with the research and development of the company. This will engage the company to ensure and learn about the modern trends in the community and the impact of these trends on the company’s market approaches. The e-commerce will also give the consumers an easier way for processing payments and ordering products and apparels through the company’s mass customization application. The mass customization and online payment processing will help the company to define its growth measure and market consumption. It is a study which will help in the planning and creative application for an organization’s processing and planning to meet and improve its operational performance (Kraft, & Lee, 2009). As a strategy, it is important to use and develop different resources to meet and increase operational effectiveness to support operational development.

Identification of Stakeholders

a) Project manager

The project manager will be responsible for the overall management of the project and development of the e-commerce website. The project manager will be able to effectively develop and improve operational effectiveness, develop task allocation and control of risks of the project (Project Management Institute, 2013). He/she will ensure the necessary project plans and scope is well-maintained to avoid any relapse in the process of improving operational effectiveness.

b) System users

The market and users of the e-commerce will be central in defining their needs and expectations. They will be the field of study for the system and developers of the e-commerce applications. They will develop and help in the definition of the core functional uses and expectations of the system. The main aim is to help in the system analysis and gathering of the needs of the systems (Kraft, & Lee, 2009). They will work in hand in hand with the system developers for an efficient allocation of resources and determination of the needs of the e-commerce.

c) Business analysts

Project budgeting needs to be well-prepared and maintained to help in the functional performance and processing. It is also a process for ensuring there is a logical solution for offering, developing, and increasing operational effectiveness and allocations of functional performance in terms of meeting the budget and all the processing of the system development processes (Project Management Institute, 2013). Business analysts will also keep track of the project’s progress by highlighting any changes and issues which might hinder the successful completion of the project.

d) Software developers

These are the experts who will use the needs of the users and non-functional needs of the system to develop a website which will meet the expectations and needs of the company (Project Management Institute, 2013). They will be responsible for system planning and testing to ensure the website meets the functional and nonfunctional needs.

e) System analysts

The system analysts will also be central and essential for the development, planning and utilization of the necessary needs such as meeting the expectations of the functional teams (Project Management Institute, 2013). They will work in hand in hand with system developers to ensure the deliverables meet the expectations and timelines offered by the company.

f) Project development team

The project development team will be under the guidance and leadership of the project manager. The will ensure there is a constant communication and this will help in implementing the needed resources and processes (Project Management Institute, 2013). Their effort and communication will ensure a positive communication to meet the demands and expectations of the project have and are met.

g) Company owners

The company which is Under Armour will be responsible for the allocation and distribution of resources for the project. The development of the e-commerce will be central to the development and planning of the future processes of the company’s apparel marketing and development.

References

Chaffey, D. (2007). E-business and E-commerce Management: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. Pearson Education.

Kraft, P., & Lee, J. W. (2009). Protecting the house of Under Armour. Sport Marketing Quarterly, 18(2), 112.

Project Management Institute. (2013b). A guide to the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK guide) (5th ed.). [Vital Source version]. Retrieved from https://online.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781935589815/cfi/6/4!/4/2@0:94.1