Consulting Projects

Training Projects

On Demand Project Management

Consulting Projects

Problem: There was no single, consistently applied way in which IT projects were being planned or managed. As a result, it was extremely difficult to understand project, program or portfolio status and overall resource utilization.

Solution: AIS developed a series of project management processes to enable this client to quickly develop consistent project plans and then track and report project progress and status. To support these processes, AIS developed a series of Microsoft Project based templates, and then created a Microsoft Project Lab where project managers could practice using the templates and processes in a safe environment prior to employing them in a production environment. The result was a reduction in the time required for project managers to develop project plans, and for senior managers to understand overall status. Also, resource utilization issues for both over and under utilization were more easily identified and resolved.

Problem: A major enterprise wide custom ERP system was in danger of not meeting its deadline for implementation. If late, the cost to the vendor would be $1.2 M and the cost to this client far more. The question became whether or not to continue on to try and hit the deadline, and in the event the decision was to proceed, how best to do so.

Solution: A troubled Project Triage was immediately conducted. The results showed two primary problems. The first problem was in getting agreement on classifying three things: changes to scope, original scope and software bugs. The second problem was the time it took to get modified (for whatever reason) software developed, tested and included into the final production build, effectively Project Management Office was established.

AIS established a PMO and associated set of processes to address both of the above primary problems. Remote development and testing centers were established in the client's IT center in Toronto, along with three other centers in Vermont, Massachusetts and at a Holiday Inn in Toronto located next door to the IT center.

All modifications were completed and tested, and the application was certified to be deployed onto the bank’s network almost exactly 24 hours before the deadline was due to hit.

Problem: The IT organization determined that a significant majority of it’s projects were late, over budget, and delivered reduced functionality at time of implementation. Compounding the problem was a belief that the organization’s resources were not being properly utilized with some under utilized with the majority being significantly over utilized.

Solution: AIS conducted a situational analysis and determined that the key problem was a lack of readily accessible information that management could review early on to address the above problems as they began to occur.

This was addressed by installing Microsoft Project Server. First, a set of new procedures were created that defined how information was to be entered into the server and made available for reporting purposes. Next, these procedures were mapped to the client ’s SDLC and related IT methodologies. Finally, training was provided on all aspects of the solution to ensure that it would work as intended, and that all levels of user were comfortable with the new solution. Once completed, a production instance was instantiated. From start to finish, the entire project came in ahead of schedule, under budget and as specified.