https://northeastern.blackboard.com/bbcswebdav/pid-16014794-dt-content-rid-27671701_1/xid-27671701_1For this week's assignment, you will write a Feasibility Study that compares 2 Cases. The objectiv

Project Feasibility Study

<Proposed Project Name>

<Project Sponsor- Business Line Executive>

Feasibility Study

<Proposed Project Name>

<Business Line - Business Line Executive>

Project Sponsor: <Name>

Document prepared by: <Name>

Document date: <Date>

The Project Feasibility Study serves several purposes:

• Documents the business problem from the perspective of the XXX Business Line (exec) / project sponsor

• Explores high-level alternatives to solve the business problem

• Suggests the recommended approach to solve the problem

• Provides indication of the scale of investment required (CAPEX, BAU, M&E)

• Determines feasibility of pursuing the project (Beginning of prioritization process)

• Provides clear documentation for a sponsor decision (Decision milestone – phase gating, Go/No Go)

• Establishes initial approach for the Project Charter

The Feasibility Study should be conducted when there is uncertainty or multiple alternatives regarding the approach to solve a business problem. The study will help the sponsor examine all possible options before investing in project initiation, planning and execution.

When a decision has been made by the business line sponsor regarding the solution to pursue, the Feasibility Study information can be used to quickly establish the Project Charter, which provides direction for the Project Initiation Phase.

The executive summary sets the feasibility study in context, and should include a brief summary of the recommendation. It should also include a statement of feasibility and be no more than a page in length. This enables the briefest of reviews of the document to gain an idea of its entire content.

This section establishes any existing relevant considerations, and indicates clearly drivers for change. It contains a statement of the problem and situation, and should, ideally, be in the customer’s own words.

Assessment includes how project will fit in current-state business & technical environment. This analysis feeds back to the Business Line Executive (via PPM Governance Committee?) the business objectives/goals in the context of the current environment after using the relevant problem assessment techniques plus additional investigation as necessary (e.g. market research, RFI, internal analysis). This analysis should result in the description of opportunities for business improvement, as well as the critical success factors (CSF) for the initiative.

During analysis of the opportunity and need, risks to the business may be identified. These should be documented here, and are separate to the Project Risks later documented in the Risk Management Plan. This section should also include the risks involved if no action is taken at all.

Based on the business analysis and risks, the following potential solutions should be considered to solve the business problem:

• pure IT (In-house development)

• none IT (Vendor Procurement, outsource, etc)

• mixed IT/none IT (Vendor application with in-house ‘tailoring’)

• do nothing (No recognized Business value to proceed with this project)

Multiple options should be analyzed and described with the pros and cons clearly stated.

Describe the recommended solution and explain why it is the best approach based on the business analysis.

It may be appropriate in extreme circumstances to recommend fast tracking directly to the Execution Phase. This might include:

• Totally unforeseen requirements arising with very short lead-time, e.g. Government Legislation, Business Regulator regulations, a disaster

• The project is in a low risk high return area of the business, with a time dependent opportunity

• Business Benefits are so high that earliest implementation of the capability to realize them is a risk worth taking.

• Business survival or dramatic reduction in market share is at stake

However, even in these circumstances there are some minimum tasks from the Initiation Phase that must be performed:

The Project Initiation Document and most of its contents should be completed to an appropriate level. This should include as a minimum:

• Project Flexibility matrix

• Major Deliverables (High Level)

• High Level Project Schedule (Project Phases, Major Milestones, ROM planning)

• High level Project Risk, Assumptions, Issues, Definitions (RAID) Plans

• Project Roles and Responsibilities (generic roles)

Examples of business impacts are as follows:

• strategic and business fit

• impact of costs to the business

• impact to other in-place systems or processes

• XXX people or culture change

• training and documentation

• efficiencies and cost savings

• market or XXX customer perceptions

• delivery or rollout impacts (e.g. enterprise wide resource impacts)

The expected duration of the proposed solution should be detailed here in Gantt chart form. The high level phases, deliverables & known milestones of the project should be detailed in a clear and concise manner. (Audience: Executive level review)

Note: A final detailed schedule estimate will be provided at the end of the Planning Phase.

<Insert Gantt chart>

Example: The following is provided for budgetary purposes only. It is based on the information provided so far and can be assumed to be +/- 25% accurate. A final detailed cost estimate will be provided at the end of the Project Planning Phase.

<Insert budgetary estimate. It is important that no false sense of accuracy is given. No better than 2 significant figures should be included.>

Cost Assumptions:

• Detail what the above estimate covers - refer to elements of the scope covered by the costs.

• Costs shown are in-house vs. vendor purchased, any new resource (FTE) hires, new SW/HW, Mx costs, etc.

List the benefits of the recommended solution. There should be an attempt to quantify benefits in financial terms where possible, and to analyze those benefits that cannot be quantified - i.e. by stating any quality improvements or other measurable benefits (market share, retain competitive advantage, etc).

Provide a high level Return on Investment analysis [ROI] (if possible) (e.g., Net Present Value, payback period, etc.)

All other pertinent information should be contained within appendices. This may contain, for example:

• Meeting minutes / Requests from XXX customers

• Information from suppliers, vendors

• High level requirements from business owners

• Supporting market or industry data (e.g. Best Practices analyses)

• Results of RFI’s