Description
Flexible Benefits System Implementation at Shah Alam Medical Center
A Case Study from Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology by John M. Nicholas & Herman Steyn
Flexible Benefits System Implementation at Shah Alam Medical Center
A Case Study from Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology by John M. Nicholas & Herman Steyn
PRESENTED BY ASHISH MASSEY (E 28)
The Case
Reduce the cost and improve the value and service of its employee benefits coverage
Senior Mgmt. of Shah Alam Medical Center
Procure and Implement a new system
The New System
Improved responsiveness to employee needs Added benefits flexibility Better cost management
Greater coordination of human resource objectives with business strategies
The Team
Multi-functional team of 13 members
6 technical experts from the consulting firm of Hun and Bar Software (HBS). Human Resources (HR) Financial Systems (FS) Information Services (IS)
Project Preparation
• Workshop - for participants from Shah Alam and HBS
• to clarify and finalize project objectives • develop a project plan, milestones, and schedule
• Project completion - set at 10 months
• HBS to develop and supply all hardware and software for the new system • The system to be brought on-line, tested, and approved • HR workers - to be trained on how to operate the system and load existing employee data • All Shah Alam employees - to be educated about and enrolled in the new benefits process • The enrolment data to be entered in the system
Leadership
• The director of FS - chosen project Leader
• Technical background • Previous experience with IS group
Project Leader
Director of FS
Team Leader
Ensure that the new system met HR requirements and the needs of Shah Alam employees
HR
IS Ensure that the new software interfaced with other Shah Alam systems
Members of the Shah Alam team worked on the project on a part-time basis half the time on the project, the other half on their normal daily duties.
PM & TL’s gave the project priority.
Meeting project requirements and time deadlines was imperative.
PM given authority over functional managers and project team members for all project-related decisions.
Question 1
What form of project management (basic, program, etc.) does this case most closely resemble?
Basic Project Management – Matrix type
[since resources are allotted (borrowed) from the functional units]
Question 2
The project manager is also the director of FS, one of several departments that will be affected by the new benefits system. Does this seem like a good idea? What are the pros and cons of her being selected?
It is recommended that someone from outside the affected departments must take responsibility for meeting the project’s goals. However, in this case the PM has IT background & has worked with IS before – which will help.
Question 3
Comment on the team members’ part-time assignment to the project, and the expectation that they give the project top priority.
It is a very common practice for team members to work part-time on a project. However, they not be able to give top priority to the project until and unless they have their functional managers’ complete support.
Question 4
Much of the success of this project depends on the performance of team members who are not employed by Shah Alam, namely the HBS consultants. They must develop the entire hardware/software benefits system. Why was an outside firm likely chosen for such an important part of the project? What difficulties might this pose to the project manager in meeting project goals?
The development of the hardware/software must have been outsourced since HBS must be competent enough to do the job. The internal IS team is responsible for the regular operations of the firm and not development. The PM may face problems if the HBS’s development team delays the delivery of the system. This will in turn delay the system to go on-line and every thing after it.
Key Takeaways
• Project Manager should have relevant experience in managing new products.
• The project manager should have complete control/free hand over the resources borrowed from other affected functions.
• The project team should have members from all the affected functions.
• Tasks should be outsourced if the firm does not hold a certain competency.
• Timeline planning should be done properly - incase a stakeholder defaults, there still should be enough time to complete the project.
THANK YOU
doc_817379228.pptx
Flexible Benefits System Implementation at Shah Alam Medical Center
A Case Study from Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology by John M. Nicholas & Herman Steyn
Flexible Benefits System Implementation at Shah Alam Medical Center
A Case Study from Project Management for Engineering, Business and Technology by John M. Nicholas & Herman Steyn
PRESENTED BY ASHISH MASSEY (E 28)
The Case
Reduce the cost and improve the value and service of its employee benefits coverage
Senior Mgmt. of Shah Alam Medical Center
Procure and Implement a new system
The New System
Improved responsiveness to employee needs Added benefits flexibility Better cost management
Greater coordination of human resource objectives with business strategies
The Team
Multi-functional team of 13 members
6 technical experts from the consulting firm of Hun and Bar Software (HBS). Human Resources (HR) Financial Systems (FS) Information Services (IS)
Project Preparation
• Workshop - for participants from Shah Alam and HBS
• to clarify and finalize project objectives • develop a project plan, milestones, and schedule
• Project completion - set at 10 months
• HBS to develop and supply all hardware and software for the new system • The system to be brought on-line, tested, and approved • HR workers - to be trained on how to operate the system and load existing employee data • All Shah Alam employees - to be educated about and enrolled in the new benefits process • The enrolment data to be entered in the system
Leadership
• The director of FS - chosen project Leader
• Technical background • Previous experience with IS group
Project Leader
Director of FS
Team Leader
Ensure that the new system met HR requirements and the needs of Shah Alam employees
HR
IS Ensure that the new software interfaced with other Shah Alam systems
Members of the Shah Alam team worked on the project on a part-time basis half the time on the project, the other half on their normal daily duties.
PM & TL’s gave the project priority.
Meeting project requirements and time deadlines was imperative.
PM given authority over functional managers and project team members for all project-related decisions.
Question 1
What form of project management (basic, program, etc.) does this case most closely resemble?
Basic Project Management – Matrix type
[since resources are allotted (borrowed) from the functional units]
Question 2
The project manager is also the director of FS, one of several departments that will be affected by the new benefits system. Does this seem like a good idea? What are the pros and cons of her being selected?
It is recommended that someone from outside the affected departments must take responsibility for meeting the project’s goals. However, in this case the PM has IT background & has worked with IS before – which will help.
Question 3
Comment on the team members’ part-time assignment to the project, and the expectation that they give the project top priority.
It is a very common practice for team members to work part-time on a project. However, they not be able to give top priority to the project until and unless they have their functional managers’ complete support.
Question 4
Much of the success of this project depends on the performance of team members who are not employed by Shah Alam, namely the HBS consultants. They must develop the entire hardware/software benefits system. Why was an outside firm likely chosen for such an important part of the project? What difficulties might this pose to the project manager in meeting project goals?
The development of the hardware/software must have been outsourced since HBS must be competent enough to do the job. The internal IS team is responsible for the regular operations of the firm and not development. The PM may face problems if the HBS’s development team delays the delivery of the system. This will in turn delay the system to go on-line and every thing after it.
Key Takeaways
• Project Manager should have relevant experience in managing new products.
• The project manager should have complete control/free hand over the resources borrowed from other affected functions.
• The project team should have members from all the affected functions.
• Tasks should be outsourced if the firm does not hold a certain competency.
• Timeline planning should be done properly - incase a stakeholder defaults, there still should be enough time to complete the project.
THANK YOU
doc_817379228.pptx