Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D
(Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D)
MGMT404: Project Management
Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D
Table of Contents
Introduction. 3
PART 1. 4
Section A: The Project Charter 4
Project Description. 4
Objectives. 4
Business Need. 4
Milestones. 5
Budget 5
User Acceptance Criteria. 5
High-Level Project Assumptions. 6
High-Level Project Constraints. 6
Project Exclusions. 6
Major Project Risks. 6
Key Stakeholders. 7
Section B: Stakeholder Engagement Plan. 8
Section C: Communication Management Plan. 12
Section D: The Project Scope Statement 14
Project Description. 14
Project Requirements. 14
Project Deliverables. 14
Project Exclusions. 15
Acceptance Criteria. 15
Estimated Project Schedule. 15
Resource Requirements. 16
Estimated Cost of Project 16
Project Constraints. 17
Project Assumptions. 17
Introduction
The Getta Byte Software project aims to implement a new billing system, the Getta Byte Software, to replace the current manual, inaccurate, and time-consuming system. The new software will adopt automation, increasing the speed and accuracy of operation. The new implementation will lower the cost and time of future billing cycles by 25%. The project’s primary stakeholders the CEO, Haywood U. Buzzof, the CFO, customers, members of the team, accounts payable and employees of the company, including billing and accounting staff. An agile project methodology includes specific aspects upfront and continual changes and iterations as the project progresses. The project will also adopt a predictive life cycle to ensure project phases are completed chronologically. The project team must complete a project phase before moving to the subsequent one. Having different completion phases will ease the prediction of when to accomplish particular milestones. Various internal and external factors can impact project decision-making, staff management, procedures, processes, and project management. New stakeholders can enter the project mid-course, or current ones may heighten their interest in the project after seeing the progress. It could impact the project significantly, considering that many stakeholders are already involved. For the project to be successful, people must remain committed to the shared goal and stay on the same page throughout. Networking problems can impact project development because weak connections can lead to data loss and service delays, prompting the need for a backup. Scope changes can also affect the budget and time because no one knows what can happen mid-course. (Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D)
PART 1
Section A: The Project Charter
| PROJECT CHARTER | |||
| Project Name | Getta Bill Software Billing System Implementation | Project #: | |
| Project Manager | Ima Payne | Start Date
February 27, 2022 |
End Date
September 10, 2022 |
| Project Sponsor | Hatchi Kita | ||
Project Description
The project intends to replace the current billing system, which is manual, slow, and inaccurate with a new billing system, which automated, cost effective, and reliable.
Objectives
- Implementing an automated, fast, and accurate billing system
- Ease data entry
- Offer dynamic updates to receivables
- Reduce labor costs by 25%
- A 30% cut on billing cycle length
Business Need
The current billing system needs improvement, considering it is manual, slow, and inaccurate. An automation would make the new billing system fast, accurate, and reliable. The new system is more cost effective and time saving, cutting on labor costs and reducing billing cycle time, which would elevate the business to a better financial health and be more competitive in the current market. (Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D)
Milestones
| Milestones | Estimated Completion Timeframe |
| Identify and Meet Stakeholders | March 7, 2022 |
| Gather user requirements and project planning | May, 13, 2022 |
| Requirement analysis and project design | June 10, 2022 |
| Complete software development and testing | August 15, 2022 |
| First Pilot | September 1, 2022 |
| Final Release | September 10, 2022 |
Budget
| Estimated Work Cost | $120,000 |
| Estimated Material & Equipment Cost | $30,000 |
| Fixed Cost | $100,000 |
| TOTAL ESTIMATED COST | $250,000 |
User Acceptance Criteria
The project will be a success if it meets the primary objective, which include successful automation of the billing system, cut on labor cost by 25%, and reducing billing cycle length by 30% (Devry Canvas, 2022). Ease of data entry and dynamic updates and receivables are also success and user acceptance criteria.
High-Level Project Assumptions
The project highly assumes that the current billing data is accurate and no customer or billing data is missing. The project management also assumes that the allocated time and budget will be adequate to complete the implementation and no scope change issues will emerge that will force a review of the budget or time allocated. The project management expects all milestones and objectives to be met within the scope, cost, and time constraints. (Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D)
High-Level Project Constraints
The budget of $250,000 is a high-level project constraint (Devry Canvas, 2022). The project team will strive to operate within this budget.
Project Exclusions
Accounts receivables are within the project operation area. The interface of the financial system of record will be changed to align with the new billing system but the project will not change the financial system.
Major Project Risks
Multiple risks can impact the success of the project. The most significant risk would be scope changes that would force an increase in budget and time allocated (Farkas, 2018; Kloppenborg et al., 2018). The budget might not be enough to complete the whole project, and it needs review at different project phases. Network issues are a problem in IT projects because software development and implementation require reliable internet access. Network issues create a data transfer issue. (Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D)
Key Stakeholders
The customers are the primary stakeholders in the project (Devry Canvas, 2022). Other key stakeholders include the CEO and the CFO, billing and accounting staff, and the project team involved in the actual development and implementation of the software.
Section B: Stakeholder Engagement Plan
| Stakeholder Engagement Plan | |||||||||
| Project Name: | Project Manager: | Date: | |||||||
| Stakeholder Identification | Stakeholder Analysis | Engagement Strategy | |||||||
| Stakeholder | Role | Category | Influence High/Low |
Interest High/Low |
Key Interests
& Needs |
Strategy | Strategic Approach | Strategy Owner | Frequency
& Method (Based on needs) |
| Haywood U. Buzzoff | CEO | Key | High | High | Company cost saving, efficiency and effectiveness improvement, and increased company competitiveness. Provide weekly updates | Manage | Manage closely through involvement in project decision-making. | PM | Weekly Meetings |
|
Kent C. DeTrees |
CFO |
Key |
High |
High |
Overall company improvement and better customer service. Provide weekly updates |
MANAGE |
Manage closely through involvement in project decision-making. |
PM |
Weekly Meetings |
|
Lou Seguzi |
Finance director |
Key |
High |
High |
Company cost cutting and better financial performance. Provide weekly expenditures. |
MANAGE |
Manage closely through involvement in project decision-making. |
PM |
Weekly Meetings |
| Accounts Payable Team |
Billing |
Primary |
High |
High |
Better company financial performance and management. Provide weekly project expenditures. |
MANAGE |
Manage closely through involvement in project decision-making. |
PM |
Weekly Meetings |
|
Finance Department |
Reporting |
Primary |
High |
High |
Improved company financial health and value cost of service. Provide weekly project expenditures. |
MANAGE |
Manage closely through involvement in project decision-making. |
PM |
Weekly Meetings |
|
Accounting Team |
Processing |
Primary |
High |
High |
Identify variances in cost management and approve project expenses. Offer weekly project expenditures. |
MANAGE |
Manage closely through involvement in project decision-making. |
PM |
Weekly Meetings |
|
Sales Team |
Sales |
Secondary |
Low |
High |
Improved customer service, consumer engagement, and market acceptance. Share consumer expectations and requirements and offer weekly updates on project progress. |
INFORM |
Utilize high interest through involvement. |
PM |
Weekly Phone Calls |
|
Ima Payne |
Team Member |
Key |
High |
High |
Project successful completion within scope, cost, and time constraints. Provide weekly updates. |
MANAGE |
Manage closely through involvement in project decision-making. |
PM |
Daily meetings |
|
Hugh Duitt |
Team Member |
Key |
Low |
High |
Improved customer service, consumer engagement, and market acceptance. Share consumer expectations and requirements and offer weekly updates on project progress. |
INFORM |
Utilize high interest through involvement. |
PM |
Daily Meetings |
|
Nonia Bizness |
Team Member |
Key |
Low |
High |
Improved customer service, consumer engagement, and market acceptance. Share consumer expectations and requirements and offer weekly updates on project progress. |
INFORM |
Utilize high interest through involvement. |
PM |
Daily Meetings and email memos |
|
Don Testit |
Team Member |
Key |
Low |
High |
Project successful development and meet deliverables. Provide weekly updates |
INFORM |
Utilize high interest through involvement. |
PM |
Daily Meetings |
|
Kurt Anser |
Team Member |
Key |
Low |
Low |
Successful software implementation and completion within constraints. Provide weekly updates. |
MONITOR |
Monitor communications for influence and interest changes |
PM |
Bi-weekly video conferences and emails |
|
Kinshirou Kusatsu |
Team Member |
Key |
Low |
High |
Project successful development and meet deliverables. Provide weekly updates |
INFORM |
Utilize high interest through involvement. |
PM |
Daily meetings and emails |
|
Ata Ibusuki |
Team Member |
Key |
Low |
High |
Project successful development and meet deliverables. Provide weekly updates. |
INFORM |
Utilize high interest through involvement. |
PM |
Bi-weekly video conferences |
|
Uruu Seiren |
Team Member |
Key |
Low |
High |
Project successful development and meet deliverables. Provide weekly updates. |
INFORM |
Utilize high interest through involvement. |
PM |
Weekly phone calls |
Section C: Communication Management Plan
| COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT PLAN | ||||||||
| Project Name: | Getta Byte Software Billing System Implementation | |||||||
| Project Manager Name: | Ima Payne | |||||||
| Project Description: | Install a new billing system | |||||||
| ID | Communication Vehicle | Target Audience | Description/Purpose | Frequency | Sender | Distribution Vehicle | Internal / External? | Comments |
|
1 |
Weekly status meeting |
Project Team |
Project status updates |
Weekly |
Project Manager |
Meeting |
Internal |
All team members required to attend. Other stakeholders will be invited when necessary. |
|
2 |
Steering committee review |
CEO, CFO,
Finance Director, Accounting Director, Sales Director, Project Manager, Data Architect |
Status update, barrier communication, and progress planning |
Monthly |
Project Manager |
Meeting |
Internal |
The steering community will adopt insights from the meeting to advice on the way forward if needed. |
|
3 |
Weekly status report |
CEO, CFO,
Finance Director, Project Team |
Status updates milestones and deliverables check |
Weekly |
Project Manager |
|
Internal |
The project team will ensure that milestones and deliverables are met as planned and everything is within scope. |
| 4 | Sales update calls | Sales Team | Current project status updates | Bi-weekly | Project Manager | Phone calls | Internal | The sales team will determine whether every completed task adds value to the project and the organization and communicate with the client. |
| 5 | Daily team meetings | Project Team | Current status update, check progress, and set daily goals. | Daily | Project Manager | Meeting | Internal | To kickstart the day and ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible |
|
6 |
Team updates calls |
Individuals with low Influence but high Interest in the project, and are part of the project team. | Current status updates to those involved but with minimal influence to the project. |
Bi-weekly |
Project Manager |
Phone calls |
Internal |
Needed to ensure high level involvement of all stakeholders. |
Section D: The Project Scope Statement
| PROJECT SCOPE STATEMENT | |||
| Project Name | Getta Bill | Project #: 01072015 | |
|
Project Manager |
Ima Payne |
Start Date
February 27, 2022 |
End Date September 10, 2022 |
| Project Sponsor | Hatchi Kita | ||
Project Description
The Getta Byte Software Billing System Implementation project focuses on replacing the current manual, inaccurate, costly, and inefficient billing system. The new billing system will be cloud-based, accurate, easy to use, and efficient system, reducing billing errors by 15%, labor cost by 25%, and billing cycle length by 30% (Devry Canvas, 2022).
Project Requirements
The new billing system should offer audit capabilities to enable the company to generate specific, dynamic reports on the number of billed customers, total billing for various periods, and drill down for details (Devry Canvas, 2022). The reporting will allow the company to monitor the system and ensure maximum effectiveness in executing the assigned roles. The reporting will also support decision-making regarding the future of the billing system. (Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D)
Project Deliverables
The new billing system is cloud based, which makes it more accessible to consumers and representatives than the old system (Devry Canvas, 2022). Higher accessibility is one of the deliverables for the project. The old system was inaccurate. The new billing system is expected to reduce billing errors by 15%. Therefore, data accuracy for the customers is another deliverable for the project. (Course Project: The Getta Byte – New Billing System Project: Sections A, B, C, D)
Project Exclusions
Any changes to the Financial System of Record are out of scope, and the new billing system will only interface the financial system.
Acceptance Criteria
The project has to increase the efficiency of transactions by 30%, offer dynamic reporting, and reduce billing cycles by 30% for its to be accepted (Devry Canvas, 2022). Anything less than these will be deemed a failure and either prompt project halt or re-planning and re-execution of tasks or areas that need improvement.
Estimated Project Schedule
| Milestones | Estimated Completion Timeframe |
| Initial Meeting with stakeholders | March 23, 2022 |
| Finalize Requirements Gathering | April 6, 2022 |
| Purchase Software | May 8, 2022 |
| Personnel Training | July 27, 2022 |
| Complete Development | August 15, 2022 |
| Migrate Customer Data to Cloud | August 25, 2022 |
| Complete First Pilot | September 1, 2022 |
| Complete Project | September 10, 2022 |
Resource Requirements
The project needs a project manager, at least one data architect, two developers, and several billing representatives (Devry Canvas, 2022). The project manager is responsible for leading the project team, communicating to stakeholders, and delivering the project. The project manager will run the project daily. The data architect will review and assess the data infrastructure, plan the database, and guide solutions to store and manage data to effective and efficient running of the system. Developers will help analyze the software, user needs and requirements gathered, and offer insights on how to ensure the software meets the needs and requirements. Billing representative have in-depth knowledge regarding customer needs and system requirements because they interact daily with customers and the system. Other resources needed include test machines and a test environment before releasing the new system to the company.
Estimated Cost of Project
| Expense Type | Description | Estimated Cost |
| Labor | o Developers
o Data Specialist o Project Manager |
$50,000.00
$50,000.00 50,000.00 |
| Material &
Equipment Cost |
o Software Purchase | $85,000.00 |
| o Module development contractor | $10,000.00 | |
| Fixed Cost | o Trainers and educators | $5,000.00 |
| TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF PROJECT | $250,000.00 | |
Project Constraints
The assigned budget and schedule might hold the project back and are perceived the primary project constraints (Devry Canvas, 2022). The project communication management plan offers a theoretical depiction of how the communication will be executed, including audience, frequency, and channels. However, this might change or be more complicated on the ground due to various factors such as team conflicts, lack of availability, missing emails or someone did not see an email, did not pick the phone, and many other issues that derail communication. Therefore, communication becomes another constraint. Additionally, data transfer or migration can be challenging due to data transfer risks, including system failure or lost data and the time and energy needed to ensure complete and accurate data migration. Finally, team training to ensure competency in using the new system can be a challenge because training is complicated, members have different learning levels, and it might not be completed with the specified timeframe. Training is an ongoing process, and which needs might change during project development.
Project Assumptions
Project assumptions are that the implementation of the new billing system will not prompt troubleshooting the company’s network (Devry Canvas, 2022). The project team also assumes that the current billing or customer data is accurate, without any missing links or data and the budget will be enough to cover all costs, and all milestone sand deliverables will be fulfilled. The project team also assumes that the software acquired will meet user needs and requirements and work as expected and no software failures or return will be necessary.
References
Devry Canvas. (2022). Getta Byte Stakeholders and Communication Management. [Video]. https://www.coursesidekick.com/information-systems/1073984
Devry Canvas. (2022). Getta Byte — Project Scope. [Video].
Devry Canvas. (2022). Getta Byte — Project Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Management Plans. [Video].
Farkas, E. B. (2018). A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK GUIDE). Podium, (34), 85-88. https://www.works.gov.bh/English/ourstrategy/Project%20Management/Documents/Other%20PM%20Resources/PMBOKGuideFourthEdition_protected.pdf
Kloppenborg, T., Anantatmula, V. S., & Wells, K. (2018). Contemporary project management. Cengage Learning.
