220

ICP Final Report JohnW 03/09/2016

Executive Summary
Introduction


The Information Consulting Project is a multi-week spanning assignment giving students
the opportunity to work and gain exposure in real-world situations with regards to obtaining
information. Students have had the opportunity to work with a real IT Professional of their
choice to discuss and resolve an information need. Upon the clients information request, the
student (information consultant), must perform detailed research to report back to the client.

For the Information Consulting Project, I have worked closely with my family friend
currently working in IT Project Management. Chris Bellofatto, is a successful and experienced IT
professional. He has been an employee of Chubb Insurance for three years, and has had
exposure to multiple areas of the companys IT Department. Chubb & Son is an international
property, casualty, accident, and health insurance company which specializes in high net worth
exposure and VIP premiums over $50,000. Chriss current title is IT Project Management
Analyst. He facilitates Chubb ITs project management duties to guide projects and initiatives in
a fluid process along the Systems Development Life Cycle. Chris plays a pivotal role in providing
project manager reporting standards, project timelines, and project statuses. However, the
project management software Chubb currently utilizes to manage this data is over a decade old
and beginning to hinder the companys capabilities. Recently, my client has been approached
by senior management to provide details on a possible company-wide PM system upgrade to
ensure Chubb IT stay relevant and efficient. Chris has asked me to gather and consolidate
information in regards to a PM solution for Chubbs international IT Department.

Findings

Chubb is a large corporation with ongoing processes, so the new project management
system will require easy implementation. Another need is a cloud-based platform for make
data and collaboration easier among team members and project managers. Though my clients
information need is largely based upon research of a comparison of commercial products and
features, I was able to obtain reputable sources to my clients satisfaction. I have compiled the
following:
Information relevant for products meeting the requirements of my clients
Project Management Office
Which software solutions are the most easily implemented
Which software solutions are mobile friendly/cloud-based
Pros and cons of the most viable option discovered in my research

With this information, my client aims to address senior management with the most
practical solution to allow Chubb IT to upgrade is structural software with minimal downtime
and improve efficiency in the long run.

Search Technologies and Search Strategies Used

Throughout the Information Consulting Project, I utilized many search technologies,

practices, and strategies to fulfill my clients information request. My main method of
searching was through the popular search engine, Google.com. Thought most of this
information is not scholarly or peer reviewed, it was the most efficient and effective way to sort
through commercial project management software currently on the market. Most the features
and operational details of the software were cited through the companys product homepage
where an in-depth review of the product and its capabilities were displayed. I was able to
utilize Academic Search Premier for SDLC and Project Management Software information,
however, to get more specific with the topic of project management software, I utilized ACM
(association for Computing Machinery). These databases provided my scholarly and peer
reviewed sources. Overall, Google was a more helpful search technology to access information
related to the specific product by the seller/creator of the technology.


The search process I used was centered around Boolean operators to ensure efficient
findings of relevant information. The operators were especially helpful in researching among
the databases. Academic Search Premier even displays a user-friendly search field to add an
And or Or value to your base search phrase. For example, I utilized the And operator to
search Project Management And Implementation And Software. Because the And
operator is exclusive, the results populated required overlap of all the terms, thus, narrowing
my results and displaying more sources I may find useful. Challenges I faced included finding
information relevant to products and actual features pertaining to my clients needs. I was
hoping to establish a more scholarly background about some of the more popular software for
IT Project Management, but my efforts focused on this aspect were better suited for
Google.com and the product pages of software currently on the market.

Communications with and Feedback from the IT Professional

During the information gathering process of the Information Consulting Project, my
client, Chris Bellofatto, and I communicated via email and telephone. Our main method of
communication was through asynchronous email, however, our method of communication for
the actual interview was over the phone. We utilized email prior to and after the interview to
handle the logistics of the project such as interview times and our schedules, and assignment
details such as the feedback from and project requirements. We scheduled the interview for
February 2, 2016 for 6:00pm after work because it worked perfectly for both of us. I would
have perfered to meet in person to have a more synchronous conversation, but because of the
project deadline and our busy schedules, this was not possible. After the interview over the
phone, there were a few points of contact via email describing the coming stages of the project.
The following weekend, we discussed via telephone the project requirements for the annotated
bibliography as well as the feedback form which was promptly returned to me.


Chris reviewed my annotated bibliography shortly after its competition. He was pleased
with the information it presented toward the goal of an upgraded project management
software system. We talked via email with regards to his satisfaction, as well as what he would
have liked ot see done differently. He appreciated cited sources coming from the actual
product page to make sure the features were relevant with the needs of Chubb IT. Chris did
comment on the formatting of the annotated bibliography with a few minor errors. Also,
though Chris was pleased to see the general information regarding the SDLC from management
tool perspective, he expressed to me that he would have liked to see similar information in
greater detail. Overall, Chris was pleased with the annotated bibliography and felt it provided
him information capable of aiding his report to IT senior management.

Final Annotated Bibliogaphy

Deliver Winning Projects. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016, from https://products.office.com/enus/project/project-and-portfolio-management-software#a
The website source above is Microsofts homepage for its project management solution called
Microsoft Project Online. This is an extremely viable option for my client as many of his needs
are detailed on the product page. Another aspect about this product is that it system is also
cloud-based, a major specification of my client. This software seems to be the most cohesive
solution for my client.
Online Project & Task Management Software Product Tour | WorkZone. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01,
2016, from https://www.workzone.com/tour/project-dashboard/
WorkZone project management software is a low cost alternative to Microsoft Project Online.
Users, project managers, and IT personnel can work collaboratively with shared calendars and
To-Dos. A major drawback to this software is the lack of major integration with mobile
platforms. However, to keep all options open to my client this information is valuable to learn
about other projects providing project management solutions.
OmniPlan 3. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016, from https://www.omnigroup.com/omniplan
OmniPlan is a top contender among the project management systems. This platform is built
specifically for a mobile-friendly environment and is centered around collaboration. Interactive
Ghantt Charts allow IT personnel to interact in real time with project workflows. This system is
also highly customizable with compatibility with many third party tools to expand upon features
as they become relevant in the IT field. Expanablitiy without a major system overhaul is very
important to a large international company to minimize downtime.
Reasons to use Online Project Management Software. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016, from
http://www.projectinsight.net/white-papers/reasons-to-use-online-project-management- software
This article is sourced from a respected online community focused on project management
solutions. The articles main ideas focus upon the benefits of integrating a comprehensive
project management system. There are many reasons discussed, but the age of technology
makes these systems invaluable.
Grech, T. (2015). The intersection of agile and waterfall. Industrial Engineer: IE, 47(8), 47-49.
This source is a valuable resource from a respected industrial engineering e-magazine. It
discusses the differences and similarities, as well as pros and cons of the agile and waterfall
project management methods utilized for the SDLC. The articles main focus is informing the
reader of the best uses for each method, but also why aspects of both methods used
simultaneously is useful. My client requires information regarding software to add the project
pathway, so a general overview of these methods is helpful.

Kuhrmann, M., & Fernndez, D. M. (2015). From pragmatic to systematic software process
improvement: an evaluated approach. IET Software, 9(6), 157-165. doi:10.1049/iet- sen.2014.0190
This article goes deep into the specifications that define a SPI or software project improvement.
Because my client requires system integration into a large corporate IT department, this article
is very relevant to his needs. The article also goes in depth with the approach to plan and
initiate, as well as manage and gather feedback as the project improvement progresses.
Getting started with project management tools Wrike features. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016,
from https://www.wrike.com/tour/
This website is the product page for a project management tool called Wrike. Write is an
excellent cloud-based option for my client. This software is built upon the compilation of tasks
of a project. As I know from our interview, my clients projects are managed via a task oriented
structure. So the focus on tasks on the software end is paramount for successful operation of
the PMO.
da. Silva Lopes, J., Braga, J. L., & Filho, M. R. (2015). Systems dynamics model for decision support in
risk assessment in software projects. Journal Of Software: Evolution & Process, 27(12), 976-989.
doi:10.1002/smr.1754
This source above discusses the implications of faulty IT Project reporting and analysis. Without
proper tools to detail how much exposure the company faces within certain deliverables, the
efforts of project managers is wasted and could be expended on other aspects of the
department. This information is necessary for my client to realize the impact of his IT
Departments technology remaining in the past. This source is valuable information that an
upgrade is due to lower risk.
OpenProject.org - Open source project management software. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016, from
https://www.openproject.org/
OpenProject is a free and open source alternative to Microsoft Project. This is a very popular
project management system as the open source capabilities enable all types of features limited
with MS Project. Organization and collaporation are highlighted features of this software, as
well as the complex detailing for project task timelines and statuses, a process highly valued at
Chubb IT.
Some benefits and drawbacks of Microsoft Project - TechRepublic. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2016,
from http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/tech-decision-maker/some-benefits-and- drawbacks-ofmicrosoft-project/
This source highlights some of the many pros, as well as cons, found by certain corporations
upon integrating with MS project online. I provided this source as it is from a highly respected
online community of technology information with an unbiased initiative to inform the
consumer. My client will find this article valuable as it provides reason for and against the
upgrade to MS Project Office which is most likely the most viable tool to reach his needs for the
PMO department.

Reflection

7.1. My overall experience with the Information Consulting Project was positive. It was
great to work as a real world information consultant and actually work with and learn about the
needs of and organization such as Chubb Insurance and its IT Department. I also enjoyed
learning about Chriss roles and responsibilities in the Project Management Office.

7.2. By going out of the classroom, I was able to work with and learn from an experienced IT
Professional. If this was not a compenant of the IC Project, the material and work would be
much less beneficial to students, it would simply be another student-student project with no
real work exposure. Not only did I research the clients needs, but I also learned what my client
would have this need and how it is connected to Chubb IT as an international company.

7.3. Working and communicating with my IT Professional has been a fluid and dynamic
process that required adjusting to both of our busy schedules. I learned that content is
paramount for information consultants. Relevant and accurate information is key as the client
will utilize that information for his job and to better his standing in his current
position/company. Poor information could have a direct effect on your clients standing with a
job. I learned a lot about the role of my client. I learned what deliverables he is measured for
on a timely bases, as well as what goals the Chubb IT Department holds as an international
company.

7.4. As my topic required less scholarly information sources, I feel certain search tools were
rather inefficient at times. Google provided me the best results with respect to direct
information regarding the actual products feasible to be used by Chubb IT. However, in utilizing
search techniques such as boolean operators and strings, I was able to more effectively search
through my findings and compile information for my client. I also learned how important it is to
utilize multiple search engines to obtain the most accurate and detailed information. Using one
search engine system would not be sufficient as an Information Consultant.