Case 2 Prep - Project Management at MM

Objectives: 1. Launch “Green Meters” project by September 5th 2. Integrate all aspects of the company value chain (marketing or!ering manufacturing shipping service etc"# 3. Integrate $ith I% information management rene$al (IM&# project

Constraints: 1. 'ersonnel limitations

 %here is not enough staff to complete each project !etaile! in the I% plan $ithin the  promise! timelines" 2. Skill set

 Mc)ann $oul! nee! to go else$here to hire the necessary nec essary technical skills nee!e! for the project" 3. %ime constraint

 %he “Green Meters” project is !ue in *+ months $hich ,scar Mc)ann believes is not enough time for successful completion" -e notes that it is likely that this sche!ule may  place significant pressure on his team" 4. Soft$are issues

 .eb/0 .eb/0 is base! on outmo!e! technology" technolog y" It $as chosen as the front en! of the  project but it $ill take a lot of $ork to integrate $ith MM1s MM1s outmo!e! backen! systems" %he in!ustry has agree! on a ne$ stan!ar! an! continue! c ontinue! use of .eb/0 .eb/0 $ill put them out of !ate before “Green Meters” hits the street" 5. )orporate politics

 2n IM& issue has arisen that is affecting the status of Mc)ann1s Mc)ann 1s “Green Meters”  project" It is note! that this problem has come about !ue to corporate politics" 6. )ommunication

 Lin!a the usability !esigner $orking from home is upset because the pro!uct team has  been making changes $ithout consulting her" 2s $ell she has also voice! an issue regar!ing her benefits package" %he issue $as brought about after an -& rep left the company"

Underlying Problems

%he e3pe!ite! launch of MM1s ne$ project has reveale! several un!erlying  problems the firm has neglecte! to a!!ress" %he first problem pertains to organi4ational culture" ,n several occasions Mc)ann e3presses !iscontent over company politics" -e notes that he $ill not be able to !eliver his man!ate unless he is able to overcome “huge  political challenges $ith regar!s to the IM& project"” .ith three months to launch !ate corporate politics issues seem to intensify an! Mc)ann asserts that unless %ompkins s$itches to a ne$ !ata !ictionary for IM& his ne$ “Green Meters” project $ill fail" In a!!ition to this it shoul! also be note! that MM is fairly !isorgani4e! both in terms of corporate values an! structure" Lin!a an at home $orker has been !enie! several health  benefits to $hich Mc)ann attributes to an unreceptive attitu!e in -&" %he -& rep for I% has left the company over  months ago an! MM has yet to hire anyone to fill this voi!" %he ne3t issue pertains to I% infrastructure" %he soft$are package that $as chosen for the front en! of the “Green Meters” project is outmo!e!" ,ver the last year the in!ustry has !evelope! a ne$ stan!ar! $hich $oul! make the current .eb/0 out!ate!" MM has taken no steps to up!ate their soft$are an! it is likely that at the current point in time they !o not have the necessary resources to up!ate or alter their current soft$are" 2s $ell Mc)ann note! that successful completion of the pro!uct $oul! re6uire outsi!e I% skills" %his means that either there is no one $ithin the co mpany that has the necessary I% skills for this project or they simply !o not have enough I% employees" Raning o! Problems

*" ,utmo!e! I% Infrastructure +" 'oor7inefficient organi4ational culture Raning "#sti!ication

I ranke! the poor an! outmo!e! I% Infrastructure as the key problem because it is likely the main reason $hy Mc)ann feels he may not be able to complete the project on time" 0p!ating the soft$are $ill likely re6uire both sufficient financial resources as $ell as a resche!ule! launch !ate" Mc)ann1s Senior I% a!visor has ma!e it clear that they $ill either nee! to remain using out!ate! soft$are or resche!ule in or!er to allo$ time for a successful up!ate" .hile it may be costly to up!ate the bigger issue at play here is the launch !ate" %he e3ecutive panel has lau!e! this project as the company $inner an! has  provi!e! full scholarship" %hey are counting on a successful an! timely launch in or!er to help boost company performance" 2 lot is banking on this project launch $hich inclu!es company stock price profitability an! perhaps most importantly Mc)ann1s cre!ibility" %hus the outmo!e! I% infrastructure poses as the biggest issue that cou l! potentially si!etrack a successful project completion"