MS PROJECT

Running head: IT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 1

IT PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 4

Work Packages

IT Project Implementation for Telecomm Ltd

Asama Tarar

Jeffrey Pullen

11/09/2015

Section I

The changes required in the IT project plan for Telecomm Ltd would entail specific variation in the platforms used in the initial implementation plan. Initially, the three projects that were planned for implementation included; the installation of business intelligence platform, the implementation of Statistical Analysis System software technology, and the creation of an effectively network infrastructure. In this case, the changes would include an addition of an ERP software to ensure the performance of the workforce within the Telecomms Ltd employees.

ERP is an effectively coordinated information technology system that would ensure the company’s performance is enhanced. To understand how the implementation of a coordinated IT system offers a competitive advantage of a firm, it is essential to acknowledge three core reasons for the failure of information technology related projects as commonly cited by IT managers. In this case, IT managers cite the three reasons as; poor planning or management, change in business objectives and goals during the implementation process of a project, and lack of proper management support completion (Houston, 2011). Also, in the majority of completed projects, technology is usually deployed in a vacuum; hence users resist it. The implementation of coordinated information technology systems, such as ERP would provide an ultimate solution to the three reasons for failure, and thus would give Telecomms Ltd a competitive advantage in the already competitive market. Since the implementation of systems like ERP directly provides solution to common problems that act as drawbacks regarding the competitiveness of firm, it is, therefore, evident that its use place Telecomms Ltd above its rival companies in the market share (Wallace & Kremzar, 2001).

The use ERP, which is a reliable coordinated IT system entails three distinctive implementation strategies that a firm can choose depending on its specific needs. The changes in the projects would be as follows: The three implementation strategies are independently capable of providing a relatively competitive advantage for many companies. These strategies are: big bang, phased rollout, and parallel adoption. In the big bang implementation strategy, happens in a single instance, whereby all the users are moved to a new system on a designated (Wallace & Kremzar, 2001). The phased rollout implementation on the other hand usually involves a changeover in several phases, and it is executed in an extended period. In this case, the users move onto the new system in a series of steps (Houston, 2011). Lastly, the parallel adoption implementation strategy allows both legacy and the new ERP system to run at the same time. It is also essential to note that users in this strategy get to learn the new system while still working on the old system (Wallace & Kremzar, 2001). The three strategies effectively changes the information system of Telecomms Ltd tremendously such that it positively affects its competitiveness in the market share.

Section II

Project Costs

The costs of the project as guided by the changes would be as follows:

· Purchase of ERP software – 1500 US Dollars.

· Installation costs of the ERP software – 800 US Dollars.

· Labor costs for the implementation of the ERP system into the initial IT project at Telecomms Ltd - 300 US Dollars.

Section III

Project Delivery

In the implementation of the IT project changes at the Telecomms Ltd, which entails the inclusion of an ERP system, it is important to ensure little time is taken in the process. The changes in the projects would be as follows: The three implementation strategies to be used will take 5 days each to implement. These strategies are: big bang, phased rollout, and parallel adoption. This means that the implementation of the ERP system would take a total of 15 days to effect the changes on the IT Project at the Telecomms Ltd.

References

Houston Neal. (2011). ERP Implementation Strategies - A Guide to ERP Implementation Methodology. Software Advice. Retrieved from http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/manufacturing/erp-implementation-strategies-1031101/

Wallace, T. F., & Kremzar, M. H. (2001). ERP: Making it happen : the implementers' guide to success with enterprise resource planning. New York: Wiley.