Ivory Tower system

wiat Call UgalllLULIOL 1 bon types of problems? What could have been done to avoid these problems! 2. Would it make sense to apply a project selection model such as the weighted scoring model to this pro- ject to determine if it should be terminated? CASE Ivory Tower Systems Ivory Tower Systems (ITS) was founded by two former computer science professors to develop mobile apps for the consumer market that leverage state-of-the-art research in the computer science field. Typically, the company looks for opportunities to apply sophisticated algorithms to prac- tical problems with mass appeal. Its first app used a sophis- ticated optimization algorithm to create weekly meal plans based on data the users supplied about their food likes and dislikes, and their weekly food budget. Currently an app is under development code named Tour Guide. While there are many mapping apps currently available that provide directions from one location to another, Tour Guide allows the users to enter their starting location and multiple destinations. Then, based on a pro- prietary heuristic algorithm, the app would provide the optimal sequence to travel to all destinations and ulti- mately end at the starting location. It was envisioned that the app would be used by people to plan weekend errands as well as people on vacation to plan sight-seeing days. The project was originally planned to take 18 months. The project is now in its 16th month, and technical chal- lenges that should have been resolved months ago remain. As a result, the ITS founders decided to hire an external expert in software development projects to audit the project. The audit report is provided in Figure A. QUESTIONS 289 AUDIT REPORT Auditor: George lohnson Date of Audit: January 11 Project Audited: Tour Guide App Development Project Manager: Roger Gilbert INTRODUCTION The purpose of this project is to develop a prop in a mobile app that people can use to plan trips directions to each destination and would end at the starting location. project is to develop a proprietary heuristic algorithm and then embed the algorithm people can use to plan trips involving multiple destinations. The app would provide CURRENT STATUS Is significantly behind schedule. The deadline for the project is 2 months from the date of The project is significantly behind schedule. The dead icant technical challenges related to developing the algorithm remain to be this audit, and several significant technical challenges related to deve likely that numerous other significant challenges will arise as the project team resolved. Furthermore, it is likely that numerous other significant attempts to integrate the algorithm with the mapping database. FUTURE PROJECT STATUS Given the known technical challenges and likely challenges to arise, there is virtually no chanc project will meet its original due date. Furthermore, the longer the project is delayed, the more it will go over budget. Given the nature of the current and likely future technical challenges, it is not possible to estimace what changes should be made to the project's schedule or budget. CRITICAL MANAGEMENT ISSUES The project has been mismanaged from the start. While Mr. Gilbert has a solid technical background in computer science, he has no prior background or experience in leading a project. One team member confi- dentially communicated to me that because of his background, Mr. Gilbert spends almost all of his time trying to solve the technical problems related to developing the algorithm and spends little time actually managing the project. I personally found Mr. Gilbert to be very abrasive and unwilling to share key project documents. After meeting with Mr. Gilbert, I believe there is a good chance that his reluctance to share project-related documents stems from the fact that they simply do not exist. FINAL COMMENTS There is virtually no chance that the project will finish on schedule and on budget. I recommend that a new project manager be immediately appointed and Mr. Gilbert reassigned as a project team member. Alternatively, senior management may decide to terminate the project. Figure A QUESTIONS 3. What are the pros and cons of using an external audi- tor in this situation? Which type of auditor would you recommend for this project? 1. Do you have any concerns about the audit process at 11S? If so, what are they and what changes to their diting process would you recommend for the future? uique the audit report. What are its strengths and 2. Critique the audi weaknesses? wiat Call UgalllLULIOL 1 bon types of problems? What could have been done to avoid these problems! 2. Would it make sense to apply a project selection model such as the weighted scoring model to this pro- ject to determine if it should be terminated? CASE Ivory Tower Systems Ivory Tower Systems (ITS) was founded by two former computer science professors to develop mobile apps for the consumer market that leverage state-of-the-art research in the computer science field. Typically, the company looks for opportunities to apply sophisticated algorithms to prac- tical problems with mass appeal. Its first app used a sophis- ticated optimization algorithm to create weekly meal plans based on data the users supplied about their food likes and dislikes, and their weekly food budget. Currently an app is under development code named Tour Guide. While there are many mapping apps currently available that provide directions from one location to another, Tour Guide allows the users to enter their starting location and multiple destinations. Then, based on a pro- prietary heuristic algorithm, the app would provide the optimal sequence to travel to all destinations and ulti- mately end at the starting location. It was envisioned that the app would be used by people to plan weekend errands as well as people on vacation to plan sight-seeing days. The project was originally planned to take 18 months. The project is now in its 16th month, and technical chal- lenges that should have been resolved months ago remain. As a result, the ITS founders decided to hire an external expert in software development projects to audit the project. The audit report is provided in Figure A. QUESTIONS 289 AUDIT REPORT Auditor: George lohnson Date of Audit: January 11 Project Audited: Tour Guide App Development Project Manager: Roger Gilbert INTRODUCTION The purpose of this project is to develop a prop in a mobile app that people can use to plan trips directions to each destination and would end at the starting location. project is to develop a proprietary heuristic algorithm and then embed the algorithm people can use to plan trips involving multiple destinations. The app would provide CURRENT STATUS Is significantly behind schedule. The deadline for the project is 2 months from the date of The project is significantly behind schedule. The dead icant technical challenges related to developing the algorithm remain to be this audit, and several significant technical challenges related to deve likely that numerous other significant challenges will arise as the project team resolved. Furthermore, it is likely that numerous other significant attempts to integrate the algorithm with the mapping database. FUTURE PROJECT STATUS Given the known technical challenges and likely challenges to arise, there is virtually no chanc project will meet its original due date. Furthermore, the longer the project is delayed, the more it will go over budget. Given the nature of the current and likely future technical challenges, it is not possible to estimace what changes should be made to the project's schedule or budget. CRITICAL MANAGEMENT ISSUES The project has been mismanaged from the start. While Mr. Gilbert has a solid technical background in computer science, he has no prior background or experience in leading a project. One team member confi- dentially communicated to me that because of his background, Mr. Gilbert spends almost all of his time trying to solve the technical problems related to developing the algorithm and spends little time actually managing the project. I personally found Mr. Gilbert to be very abrasive and unwilling to share key project documents. After meeting with Mr. Gilbert, I believe there is a good chance that his reluctance to share project-related documents stems from the fact that they simply do not exist. FINAL COMMENTS There is virtually no chance that the project will finish on schedule and on budget. I recommend that a new project manager be immediately appointed and Mr. Gilbert reassigned as a project team member. Alternatively, senior management may decide to terminate the project. Figure A QUESTIONS 3. What are the pros and cons of using an external audi- tor in this situation? Which type of auditor would you recommend for this project? 1. Do you have any concerns about the audit process at 11S? If so, what are they and what changes to their diting process would you recommend for the future? uique the audit report. What are its strengths and 2. Critique the audi weaknesses