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Project Management Case Studies

Traceability System Enhancement Project
Michigan Electronic Grants System (MEGS)
Children’s Nutrition Application Project (CNAP)

Traceability System Enhancement Project

1. Project Information:

2. Scope of Work:

A defense contractor needed to enhance and maintain an existing product Traceability System that tracked the sources and lots of materials and sub-assemblies used in the military systems they manufactured. The system captured product information for each system component, using 2 and 3D barcode systems. It produced barcode labels for material, assemblies, and shipping for their products as they moved through the manufacturing processes.

The major objectives for the Traceability Enhancement Project were to:

1. Provide better security and process integrity by
   • Implementing standardized security authorization process that can be administered by business owners.
   • Ensuring all system actions are recorded in the system with associated user ID and date/time stamp.
   • Ensuring all process steps are complete and accurate prior to attempting subsequent process steps.
   • Providing ability to review all traceability actions on any part/component at any step in the process.
2. Enhance the Traceability system with new and improved functionality, such as
   • Incorporate a check digit into barcodes to validate data received from scanners.
   • Provide capability to move material/parts to rejected status and prevent rejected material from reentering the normal flow without an approval process.
   • Allow support for external customers to specify their own criteria (Label formats, export, etc) without impacting the internal processes.
   • Capturing additional information not currently used in the Traceability System.
   • Support for client specific labeling.

3. Project Approach:

Worked closely with the internal IT department to develop plans, including a statement of work (SOW).

Confirmed the system requirements by developing a thorough requirements document. Verified the system status and addressed immediate problems in production. Completed a thorough system test to confirm the current system status before implementing the enhancements. Established a change management process.

Implemented designs, after approval, and then supported user acceptance testing before deploying the enhanced system in production.

Tools Used for Project

.NET 4.0; SQL Server 2008; Rational Unified Process templates, and Visio.

4. Vendor Deliverables:

A.J. Boggs delivered:

• Project Plans
• Traceability System Requirements Specification
• Bug Reports
• Change Management Priorities and Work Estimates
• Detailed Designs
• Design Review Recommendations
• Systems Test Results
• Project Status Reports
• Next Phase Schedules, Work Plans, and Budgets
• Meeting Minutes, Status Reports, Memorandum
• Acceptance Testing Results
• Production Support

Results:

Successful deployment of the Enhanced Traceability System.

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Michigan Electronic Grants System (MEGS)

1. Project Information:

2. Scope of Work:

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) was seeking help planning for their Post Millennium Grants Application and Approval System. The mission was to study their needs and develop a detailed project plan that would specify the requirements needed to create an Internet-based (and LAN-based) grants application and approval system to make the MDE grants process easier for all parties involved. Applicant organizations include public school districts, public school academies, universities, non-profit organizations, as well as the MDE managers of the grant programs.

MDE needed to articulate the needs of multiple users, account for the differences in multiple constituency groups, and create design specifications that would lead to a robust grants application and approval system, designed to take full advantage of current technology. The Planning Specifications contractor would work as part of a team of MDE staff in order to produce the specifications that will lead to an Invitation to Bid.

Business Objectives

• Perform Current Needs Assessment
• Identify Critical Success Factors and Develop a Plan
• Develop an Acquisition Strategy
• Define System Requirements and Specifications
• Facilitate Focus Groups
• Prepare a Statement of Work
• Review and Negotiate Bids from Contractors
• Manage Project Communication and Change Management
• Manage Vendor Relationships
• Provide Quality Assurance throughout the Process

3. Project Approach:

Worked closely with the Office of Information Technology Services to develop plans (functional, technical and security requirement and work plans), requests for proposals, and processes to assure the quality and timely delivery of the system. The Rational Unified Process (RUP) was followed.

Conducted interviews with internal and external users and other stakeholders to define the vision and the scope of the system. Identified the features required and helped to prioritize their importance. Interviewed MDE Management and IT staff. Reviewed existing grant program processes and interviewed current users of MDE grant services (e.g., Intermediate School District staff).

A statement of work was developed along with specifications for an ITB.

Developed a work plan and budgets to procure, develop, implement, and support the system. Managed the implementation phase of MEGS on behalf of the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).

Provided statewide training for school district staff. Provided help desk support and worked with program offices and consultants to develop plans for migration to the eGrants system.

4. Vendor Activities:

Methodology	Rational Unified Process
Phases	Cycle 1 (3 Months)	Develop System Vision Develop Project Plans and Acquisition Strategy Develop Use Cases Define Security Requirements Define Statement of Work Develop Detailed System Specs Produce ITB Document Obtain executive approval for cycle 2
	Cycle 2 (3 Months)	Review Bids Negotiate Vendor Contracts Establish Project Schedules and Budgets
	Cycle 3 (8 Months)	Project Status Reports Issue Management Change Management (Requirements) Coordination of MDE Response to Project Needs Vendor Management
	Cycle 4 (12 Months)	Same as Cycle 3 plus Statewide Training and Help Desk Support
Organization		Initially: 2 Project Managers, 1 Senior Consultant Ongoing: 1Project Manager, 1 Senior Consultant

A.J. Boggs met with MDE management and developed the system vision. Worked with SOM staff and other contractors to develop the specifications, use cases, and detailed system requirements. The eGrants planning led to the development of an IT Steering Committee within MDE. A.J. Boggs provided project management to facilitate the development of a comprehensive IT Strategic Plan for MDE; met with directors throughout the agency to identify needs and issues to be addressed; helped to define the agency vision and mission; completed a current situation assessment; facilitated meetings to review strategies, goals, and objectives; and revised and published the plan.

Tools Used for Project

Used RUP (Inception) templates, Rational Requisite Pro (use case & requirements management), and ER Win (Relational Database Designing).

5. Vendor Deliverables:

A.J. Boggs delivered:

• MEGS Vision Document
• MEGS Statements of Work
• MEGS Security Specifications
• MEGS Schedules, Work Plans, and Budgets
• Meeting Minutes, Status Reports, Memorandum
• Executive Briefings
• Presentation Materials for Meetings and Conferences
• Scope of Work / Requirements Documents
• Training Materials
• Help Desk Call Resolution
• Risk Assessments and Mitigation Strategies
• System Performance and Recommendations for Improvement Reports
• Systems Test Results
• Design Review Recommendations
• Acceptance Testing Results
• Vendor Assessments

Results:

Successful deployment of MEGS. More...
Ongoing management of new system.
Grant deployment and maintenance activities

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Children’s Nutrition Application Project (CNAP)

1. Project Information:

2. Scope of Work:

The Michigan Department of Education annually reimburses schools and childcare programs for over $200 million through State and USDA funded nutrition programs.

The Office of School Support Services contracted A.J. Boggs to provide project management services and quality assurance support for their child and adult nutrition application processes. The goal of the project was to develop the plans for the system, including the acquisition strategy.

Business Objectives

• Perform Current Needs Assessment
• Identify Critical Success Factors and Develop a Plan
• Develop an Acquisition Strategy
• Define System Requirements and Specifications
• Prepare a Statement of Work
• Review and Negotiate Bids from Contractors
• Establish Quality Assurance Processes for the System Development Phase
• Manage Development and Project Implementation

3. Project Approach:

The Rational Unified Process (RUP) was followed. A needs assessment was performed through reviews of IT systems, development processes, and system documentation. A.J. Boggs conducted interviews with internal and external users and other stakeholders to define the vision and the scope of the system. MDE staff were interviewed and focus groups met to discuss the system requirements. School district personnel and childcare center sponsors were also interviewed to identify their needs and concerns.

The system requirements were identified and the features prioritized by importance. A statement of work was developed along with requirement specifications, and work plans to develop and implement the system using existing contractors.

Used RUP (Inception) and ER Win (Relational Database Designing).

4. Vendor Activities:

Initially, A.J. Boggs identified some issues with requirements management. Met with MDE management and recommended using RUP and use cases to define the system requirements. Worked with SOM staff and other contractors to develop the specifications and acquisition plans. Delivered on time and under budget.

Tools Used for Project

Used RUP (Inception) templates and ER Win (Relational Database Designing).

5. Vendor Deliverables:

A.J. Boggs delivered:

• CNAP Vision Document
• CNAP Statement of Work
• CNAP System Requirements Documents
• System Development Schedule and Budget
• Issues Tracking Process
• Acquisition Strategy

Results:

Completed Requirements Phase
Successful Vendor Sourcing
Currently Managing the Development and Implementation Phases

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