WBS and Project Schedule – Zendesk Implementation

1. Introduction

1.1 Project overview

The main aim of the project is to create software that supports, promotes sales, and engages customers, ultimately, to create the best customer relationship. Customers desire for direct conversation in business transactions; hence implementing the Zendesk application ensures flawless communication with customers across all channels (Vaughan & Young, 2014). Notably, employees are also customers who find an internal help desk using the CRM to create a reliable and productive consumer-like experience

1.2 Project deliverables

1.3 Definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations

CRM- Customer Relationship Management

2. Project organization

2.1 Process model

2.1.1 Project inception

This is the first stage of starting off the project. It includes setting a team, a communication channel, and determining meeting schedules.

2.1.2 Iteration Planning

The following activities occur in this stage

• Defining team roles and responsibilities
• Identification of deliverables
• Selection of methods and tools to assist in developing the deliverables
• Setting up time frame
• Budget creation

2.1.3 Refine Requirements

This stage encompasses an analysis of requirements, and the team ensures the stakeholders’ needs and wants are aligned with the listed specifications.

2.1.4 Analysis and Design

Decision making is involved in this stage to prioritize the requirements of the project. Later, choices are settled upon after analysis as to the specification of the elements in the design.

2.1.5 Construction

This stage involves the process of changing the design into the implementation code as a product.

2.1.6 System Deployment

The project is provided with the environment designed at the initial stage.

2.1.7 Testing

The project is put into a test to determine its efficiency. At this stage, the main interest is to validate the constructed product meets the stakeholders’ expectations.  The best way to get reliable feedback is by presenting the construction result to the stakeholders and getting feedback.

2.1.8 Iteration Evaluation

This stage involves the evaluation of the planning process and the overall outcome of the project at the testing stage. The information gathered is useful in making changes, for instance, omissions or additions to the process before it is declared final.

2.2 Organizational Structure

2.2.1 Project Coordinator/Leader

The Human Resource Manager is responsible for leading the entire team in implementing the Zendesk application within the specified timeframe.

2.2.2 Requirements Role

This group is responsible for analyzing the needs of the customers, review the technological feasibility, and compare similar products to develop specification documents. The team’s objective is to come up with the best application within the constraints of the project.

2.2.3 Implementation Role

The team is in charge of identifying the appropriate technology in meeting the requirements and also coding the app as per the requirements.

2.2.4 Quality Analysis and Process Role

This group is responsible for documenting the process, testing specifications, and representing the customer. As a result, they enhance the usefulness of the application, its reliability, and its maintenance.

2.3 Organizational boundaries and interfaces

2.3.1 Customer

This section is useful in aligning the requirements of the project from the perspective of a potential customer.

2.3.2 Domain Expert

The domain expert helps understand the most recent version of the Zendesk application in customer relationship management.

2.3.3 Process Engineer

Process Engineers help in definition and detailed explanation of project management processes as well as documents.

2.3.4 Project Leader

This is the head in charge of planning meetings and taking minutes, keeping track of the current developments of the project. In case of delays, the project leader has the mandate to arrange for impromptu meetings to accomplish the deliverables.

2.3.5 Sub-Lead

The sub-leads are assistants of the overall team leaders who lead departmental meetings. Therefore, they are significant in helping the project leaders to accomplish the deliverables before deadlines and drive the project without much supervision.

2.3.6 Tester

Testers conduct the testing stage to determine the functionality of the project.

2.3.7 User Interface Designer

User interface design team define different application functions, layout and color scheme

2.3.8 Web Programmer

Web Programmers are required to handle the web side of the application, for example, in the creation of a website.

3. Managerial process

3.1 Management objectives and priorities

The main goal of the management is to coordinate the staff and delegate roles to them, mainly geared towards achieving the deliverables.  Notably, the highest priority of the management team is to meet the deadlines of the project. Next, management must produce quality deliverables.

3.2 Assumptions, dependencies, and constraints

3.2.1 Assumptions

1. Zendesk software allows the business to grow without growing pains. The software lets the company manipulate its support system and configure it (Grossfeld, 2017).
2. Customers get easy resolutions to their concerns.

• The software also raises sales; customers are persuaded to buy three times more.

1. Chatting and messaging enables customers to access services within the shortest duration; they wait less and find more happiness.
2. The project also assumes the best practices are built-in ready platform since all the business data are centralized.

3.2.2 Dependencies

The remote application configuration app depends on the latest version of the Zendesk application and internet availability.

3.2.3 Constraints

1. Using Zendesk as CRM software requires a lot of training
2. More expenses pile during technical setup.

• Zendesk application is relatively expensive when the business requires using all its features.

1. Security and safety are at stake because of the centralization of data. A little trigger can lead to loss of business data (Da Silva, 2016).
2. Zendesk software decreases the business flexibility to deal with customer issues, in case the staff over-relies on the software.

3.4 Monitoring and controlling mechanisms

The project is monitored three months after implementations to determine if the deliverables are efficient. To assess the success of the project, feedback is collected from internal and external stakeholders (Janakova, 2018).

5. Key Milestones and Budget

5.1 Key Milestones

5.2 Budget

References

Da Silva, A. A. C. (2016). Agile Software Process Improvement: A Case Study at Zendesk.

Grossfeld, B. (2017). A simple way to understand machine learning vs. deep learning-Zendesk.

Janakova, M. (2018). CRM & social networks. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 17(5), 1-15.

Vaughan, S., & De Young, A. (2014). Practical Zendesk Administration: A World-Class Customer Service Platform. O’Reilly Media, Inc