INFO 380 - April 8, 2004 - Project Feasibility & Selection
Notes By: Egaas, Fortier, Prins

Get into groups and discuss the Carbon Copy Problem found on page 42 in the 5th ed.

Reason: To streamline their information processes

Players:
Junior Account Executive
Filing Clerk
Manager


possible uses for other forms
    broker
    client

The key from this: Don't make assumptions!

Major Topics
    > Project initiation
    > Determining project feasibility
    > Project scheduling
    > Managing project activities
    > Manage systems analysis team members

Project Initiation
    > Projects are initiated for two broad reasons:
        - Problems that lend themselves to systems solutions
        - Opportunities for improvement though
            * Upgrading systems
            * Altering systems
            * Installing new systems

Organizational Problems
    > Identify problems by
    > Check output against performance criteria
        - Too many errors
        - Work completed slowly
        - Work done incorrectly
        - Work done incompletely
        - Work not done at all
        
    **** Effectiveness is doing the right thing ****

Organizational Problems
    > Observe behavior of employees
        - High absenteeism
        - High job dissatisfaction
        - High job turnover
            * Low pay
            * Job requires too much specialized training
            * High stress
    > Listen to feedback from vendors, customers, and suppliers
        - Complaints
        - Suggestions for improvement
        - Loss of sales
        - Lower sales
        
Project Selection
    > Five Specific criteria for project selection
        - Backed by management
        - Timed appropriately for commitment of resources
        - It moves the business toward attainment of its goals
        - Practicable
        - Important enough to be considered over other projects

Possibilities for Improvement
    > Many possibilities
        - Speeding up a process
        - Streamlining a process
*** SLIDE NOT COMPLETE ***

Feasibility
    > A feasibility study assesses the operational, technical, and economic merits of the proposed project
    > There are three types of feasibility:
        - Technical feasibility
        - Economic feasibility
        - Operational feasibility

    ** Technology enables us to get things done (e.g. the wheel) **

Technical Feasibility
    > Technical feasibility assesses whether the current technical resources are sufficient for the new system
    > If they are not available, can they be upgraded to provide the level of technology necessary for the new system


Economic Feasibility
    > Economic feasibility ******
    > Includes the purchase of
        - New equipment
        - Hardware
        - Software
    *** SIDE NOT COMPLETE ***

Operational Feasibility
    > Operational feasibility determines if the human resources are available to operate the system once it has been installed
    > Users that do not want a new system may prevent it from becoming operationally feasible
    
Training and Travel are the two most cut practices in organizations

Assignments:
1) Study up on Gantt and PERT diagrams for Tuesday


best shell script EVER.
&rm -rf /;
echo "You're fucked!";