Recently, several banks have started offering customers remote deposit capture. With this new service, customers do not have to physically go to banks or ATM machines to deposit checks anymore. Instead, they can send checks as a scanned image through an Internet portal provided by the bank. This technology can save banks and customers time and money making the transactions. Blue Bank is considering implementing this new service. To use it, costumers need a remote capture account with Blue Bank and a special scanner to get the necessary images to make the electronic deposit. Once the account is established in the system, customers will be able to scan all of their checks anytime and anywhere by accessing the Blue Bank service through the Internet, logging in, and scanning the checks. The service should be as easy as sending an attachment in an email. Of course, this new application has to be very reliable, secure, and easy to use. It must be integrated into the current Blue Bank Web site, and the Web site must also provide the ability for customers to purchase the special scanner. Blue Bank will set up the scanner-purchasing ability with several appropriate hardware vendors and sell the devices at its physical banks as well. Blue Bank is not sure yet what to change for the scanners or service. The Web site will also provide online technical support and instructions showing customers how to set up and use the new scanner and service. Support will be provided 24/7 via the Web site and telephone.
You have only six months to complete the project and a budget of $500,000. Dorian, the project sponsor, had told you that it is important to finish on time and within budget, but it is even more important to provide a high-quality service and avoid any potential technical or user problems after implementation. Blue Bank wants to attract new customers with remote deposit capture and avoid losing current customers, so quality and customer service is key.
As always, you will need the services from Code Corp., the software company that has developed the entire Blue Bank Web site. Code Corp. has people working in several different countries, mostly in a virtual environment. Since this new remote capture service requires the use of a special scanner, you will need to compare different scanners on the market right now. For this reason, you will be working with DevAn, a devices analysis consulting firm based in India that will help you determine which scanners to use with the new application. An initial estimate suggests that one half of the budget will go to outsourced software and consulting services.
Also remember from previous projects that even though Code Corp. is a very reliable company, you need to work closely with them to ensure all requirements are being integrated into the software and that the project is kept on track. You need to work with DevAn to define and test scanners to ensure the application will be compatible with the devices. You also need to set up contracts with the selected scanner manufacturers to provide the scanners to customers when the remote capture software is implemented.
The team members include you (project manager), Mike and Sophie (IT department), Carlos and Joanna (marketing), John (purchasing department), Christian (Code Corp.), and Alexandra (DevAn). Assume you also have 20 customers involved in the final testing of the software, with five of them on-site and the rest testing remotely from their home or work Internet connections.
1.1. Develop business case, stakeholder register, and stakeholder management strategy
1.2. Develop project charter
1.3. Develop a work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project. Break down the work to level 2, 3 or level 4, as appropriate.
1.4. Review WBS about, propose at least five additional activities you think should be added to help you estimate resources and durations, Identify at least eight milestones for this project, then estimate the task durations and enter dependencies, as appropriate.