execution, control, and closure aspects of the new communication system of the newly merged University AB

execution, control, and closure aspects of the new communication system of the newly merged University AB

Introduction

The implementation of a new system requires adequate planning of the various project lifecycle phases. To accomplish this goal, there is great importance of a stepwise analysis of all the parts. In this paper, we shall analyze the execution, control, and closure aspects of the new communication system of the newly merged University AB.

Discussion

Summary of Project

With the merger of University B and A, there is a need to overhaul the communication system of the new university. To enhance efficiency, the new university requires a new outlay of its communication processes. Efficiency looks at reducing costs and improving quick and affordable communication to all stakeholders. To meet this efficiency, there is a need to have appropriate suppliers. The new system will have various features which include a voice over the internet protocol hardware and software, a universal G-suite program by Google, and the use of new smartphones that are adaptable to the new system.

Challenges of the Project

One of the most significant challenges when implementing the new system is the knowledge gap. Many organizations are often ill-equipped to fully educate their staff on the intricacies of new systems. Thus, a lack of knowledge becomes a challenge when dealing with back-office issues. This is a challenge that can be costly for new systems as they may not be fully utilized. To add on, this challenge can cause many people to oppose the new system, which can cause further problems. This is a challenge that can be fixed by investing in the education of the new system to the staff. Training to the staff can be implemented by looking at the human resource within the organization and how to equip them to have the right skill set to exploit the new system for various developmental purposes of the new institution.

The second major challenge of the new system is the management issue. For a new system to be utilized efficiently, it has to be supported by the top management (Almalki et al., 2017). Gaining the support of the senior management can be problematic where there is are different management techniques being merged, such as in this case. The management has to have a clear sight of where the organization ought to be, the vision, and how the system will get the organization to the point. To solve this challenge, there is a need to have in place active managerial roles. Strong administrative roles will help in the improvement of the top manager’s support for the new system.

The third challenge for the system is environmental challenges. In this case, environmental challenges refer to factors that are not easily visible or controllable by the management. These factors include organizational culture and the coordination of activities and responsibilities. During the merger, many operations may be competing for the limited resources within the organization. This challenge may lead to slow implementation or scrapping off of the new system. To avoid this challenge, there is a need to have the systems and the resources of the organization better aligned. This can look at having the right attitude by the management and dealing with any existing political conflicts that may exist within the organization.

EVM for the Project

One of the tools that are readily available for managers to measure the performance of projects is the earned value management (EVM) system. The work performed versus the work that has been planned can easily be measured using this metric (Marshall, 2007). To add on, scheduling and control of costs as well as forecasting can be performed adequately using the system. There are three essential metrics under EVM that will be used for this project. They include planned value, actual cost, and earned value.

To begin with the planned value, this is an EVM metric that is determined at the onset of the project. This is the value of the entire project. As such, all the aspects of the project will be considered, which include the costing of the equipment as well as any human resource compensation for the project. The sum of all the costs of the project is totalled. The total planned value that the project will cost is then set as the baseline. The baseline determines if the project is on-course.

The second metric that the project will use is the actual cost. The costs of all equipment and other activities that are undertaken through the project are recorded. The costs are the amounts that the project manager and other team players actually pay for the various services. This is, therefore, an on-going metric as long as the project is running. The tracking of actual costs can be conducted using spreadsheets as well as other manual accounting techniques.

The third metric is the earned value. The earned value looks at finding out the actual value of the project up to a certain extent, vis-à-vis the planned value. As such, if a project is estimated to cost about $100,000, at 75% completion should have earned the value of $75,000. As such, using the three metrics can enable the accurate determination of the cost and time aspects of a project and the success.

Closing the Project

One of the critical phases of a project lifecycle is closing the project. The final step of the project is closing. All the deliverables that are outlined at the beginning of the project are reviewed at this stage (Küçük, 2014). To add on, the ownership of the project is transferred at this stage to all the necessary stakeholders. There are three main things that the project closure looks at. These parts include the success of the completion of the various aspects as per the plan and scope, the execution of the multiple processes, and the approval by the parties at the end of the project.

There are six essential steps that will be followed in the closure of the project. The first is the transfer of all the deliverables. This step ensures that all the deliverables are completed successfully, and they are handed over to the final client. The second phase of the closure phase is confirmation of the project completion. Not only should the project be declared completed, but the project should also be confirmed to be completed. This is a joint process where the project clients and the team agree on the various aspects of the completion. The third part of closing a project is a review of all contracts and documentation. This third part ensures that all parties are paid for any work that they have done, and there are no unpaid invoices.

There are three more phases of project closure. The fourth part of project closure is the release of resources. This is the phase where the human resource and other equipment that were used are released for use to other projects. As such, suppliers, contractors, and other partners are formally dissolved off their duties. The fifth part of the closure is performing a post-mortem. The failures and success of the project are reviewed for the purpose of using for reference in the future. At this point, the costs, the schedule, and the quality of the overall project are all reviewed. The project management team is also involved in this step as their feedback offers an adequate background for the accurate review of the project. Finally, the documentation of the project is indexed and stored effectively. Some of the documentation includes contracts, plans of the project, costs, and schedules.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the project lifecycle involves various activities. These activities include the execution, control, and closure of a project. The implementation of the project is often faced with various challenges. The most significant challenges that face the current project is the lack of knowledge by staff on the new system, management issues, and environmental issues. These can be managed by investing in education and training, aligning the management activities, and dealing with past political conflicts within the organization. There is a need to look at the value metrics that are used to measure the performance of a project. There are three critical metrics used for this project which include planned value, actual costs, and earned value. There are six essential steps to closing a project. These steps of project closure are necessary in determining the success of a project and offering lessons for future reference.