Scenario

Wilmont's is three months into a major project, and the individual who had been in the role of project manager information systems left suddenly, leaving the project in jeopardy. You have been hired by James Connor, CIO, to take over the role of project manager to lead the information-systems component needed for the project (as outlined in the following: Monitor Project Status Case Study).

The three major issues of concern are:

1. Managers at both organizations are complaining about not getting accurate and timely information on the progress of the project. The reports they are receiving are not provided on a regular basis and contain incomplete or inconsistent information. There is also no consistency in the format. Some information is conveyed in a meeting or in a phone call, some receive informal email communications, and still others receive written reports in memo format.
2. The project team complains that while they have regular project status meetings, there is never an agenda and they only occasionally receive minutes documenting what was agreed to in the meeting.
3. Programmers working on the required software code development are complaining about the number changes they are being asked to make. Requests are being made by phone, email, or informal discussions. While they admit that many of the requests are worthy of consideration, there does not seem to be any control over this process and they are beginning to fear that these ad hoc requests will delay project completion.

In your interview, Mr. Connor explained these problems. In response, you explained best practices in project management and how completing a stakeholder analysis, having a formal communications plan, and having a change management plan in place eliminates these types of problems. Mr. Connor stated he was not aware that these documents had been created for the information systems component of the project. He hires you on the spot, expecting you to follow through, create these documents, and bring the project under control.

• Change Management Plan: Your change management plan must include the following:
• Introduction and Change Management Approach: Briefly explain the purpose and importance of creating a change management plan. Consider your overall approach for change management with this particular project and summarize it here. Be sure to refer to the scenario and explain how this will address one or more of the current project problems.
  • Definitions of Change: You should also consider the definitions of the different types of change that may be requested. For instance, might there be changes to the schedule, budget, scope, and so on? How might these changes impact the project?
• Proposed Change Control Process: Describe the proposed change control process from start to finish using numbered steps. The change control process should be a repeatable process for future projects. It should begin with the requested change, then conclude with the implementation or denial of the change.
  • Roles and Responsibilities: In this section, describe the roles and responsibilities for each of the following groups: project sponsor, project manager, and project team/stakeholders (those requesting changes). You may use a bulleted list with key points.