Assignment 2

PROJECT CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT

BACKGROUND

The Board of EdMedia International Pty Ltd (EdMI) approved your Project Charter and Project Management Plan.  The Planning and Execution phases have therefore been funded for implementation.  The timeline for the project milestones has been agreed. 

On 2 May 2022 you have completed the tender evaluation process and engaged the following contractors and other entities within the project team:

• StreamTech (ST) demonstrated in their tender response that they had significant capabilities to develop and implement the video streaming and games server solution.  Additionally, they indicated that they have the resources necessary to implement this successfully.  Their project team is headed by Roy Clark (Project Manager – ST).   ST has been contracted to provide the following Scope of Work (SOW):
  • OCA and Games Servers.  ST will implement all aspects of the Open Connect Appliances (OCA) and Games Servers for each of the Content Delivery Network (CDN) nodes.  Please note that EdMI will be procuring the hardware, as discussed below.  ST will build the associated systems that will allow the hardware to achieve the objectives.  ST has indicated that they can complete the baseline developments within three months, once the hardware is made available to them.
  • Client Software.  ST will be developing the client software, so it is compatible with PCs (backwards compatible to Windows 7), Apple, Android, and Smart TV hardware.  This will require a complete code development.  StreamTech is planning to utilise an Agile development process to try to meet a deadline of mid-September 2022.  Their design is currently not complete, but ST has demonstrated in their tender response that they have been able to successfully develop and implement similar client products.
  • Media File Conversion.  They will be responsible for the conversion of existing media files into compatible FLV/MP4 formats and uploading these into the OCA systems.  ST has said that they have an automated system to do this already, so they believe this to be low risk.
  • Streaming Technologies.  ST will integrate appropriate codecs and an H.265 (HEVC)/RTSP solution for both the client and server infrastructure.  This will require substantial development, and their first analysis is that it will take at least until late Aug. 2022 to complete this task.

• Batch Update.  They will be responsible for implementing the batch update systems for distribution of the OCA and Games Server content between the nodes.  This will utilise a COTS capability, which StreamTech has identified as being low risk.  At this stage, they are planning to be ready to test the baseline solution as a part of System Test around the middle of Aug. 2022.
  • System Health and Load Sharing.  The ST solution involves utilising a tailored version of a COTS product.  To provide this, StreamTech has engaged the owner of this software as a subcontractor. This company is called PH and it is a very large multinational organisation.   However, at this stage, EdMI has not seen a copy of the subcontract.  The large multinational company has indicated that the system modifications for their package should be implemented by mid-to-late Sep. 2022.  However, they are currently unwilling to provide progress reports during the development cycle.  Once the system is supplied, the COTS package will be ‘black box’, and the large multinational company will own all of the associated Intellectual Property.
  • Future Video/Game Uploads.  ST will implement a system that will allow EdMI to convert (as necessary) and upload new content readily into the OCA and Games Servers.  This is already available and has been demonstrated by ST, but it is untested with this type of environment.
• DemSet has already engaged its team, which is being Project Managed by Pardeep Kaur.  This DemSet team is responsible for developing and implementing the:
  • Web-Front-End.  The web-front-end will be developed using PHP and will use calls to some functions that have already been created by DemSet.  DemSet has indicated that the required solution will, therefore, be able to reuse about 30% of their existing code base.  They have agreed that EdMI will own all of the code base and Intellectual Property for the web-front-end as a result of this project, so it can be readily maintained by other contractors as necessary.  They currently expect that they would finish the development of the web-front-end around late Aug. 2022, so it will be ready for System Testing.
  • Client Database.  DemSet has proposed modifying an existing Oracle Database solution that they have already created.  Their proposed solution will deliver a secure client database system that will interface with the web-front-end, the OCA system, and the Games Server.  DemSet believe this system will be ready for System Testing by the end of the first week in Sep. 2022.  No pricing has been provided for Oracle license costs at this stage.
  • Database Replication/DR, etc.   DemSet is responsible for delivering the database replication, failover and Disaster Recovery (DR) systems for the client database.  It is intended that the replication system will leverage standard Oracle protocols.
  • Security.  DemSet will be responsible for developing a standard set of security protocols and systems that will be implemented and monitored across the entire system.  Consequently, DemSet will cover all aspects including application (including client, streaming, OCA, web-front-end, and games), firewall, router, network, database, replication, etc.   They are aiming to have their security plan available for distribution to StreamTech and other stakeholders by around the first week in Aug. 2022.
• DCPlus is a nationwide shared Colocation (CoLo) datacentre supplier with a good reputation.  The Client Manager at DCPlus is Catherine Dobbs.  DCPlus have been engaged to provide Tier 3 quality services for the support of each of the nodes (see this web page for a simple synopsis of Tier 3.  This support will include:
  • DC Systems and Services.  This will include the provision of high redundancy monitored and secure systems within their datacentres.  Originally, the plan is just to utilise one rack within a secure data room.
  • Network Connectivity.  DCPlus will coordinate the provision of as much network bandwidth as EdMI needs.  They assess the risks associated with this as low because they already have significant fibre ‘pipes’ with high levels of redundancy in place, and firm service agreements with all of the large telcos.  This should mean that future expansion of EduStream will be able to be supported effectively with network connectivity.
  • DataCentre Management System (DCMS).  DCPlus has included utilisation of their integrated DCMS as a part of the CoLo support package.  This will facilitate our access to, and control of, pertinent parts of their DataCentre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) system (see  for more information on DCIM).  DCIM can, therefore, be conducted in parallel with the System Health Management (SHM) functionality.  To implement this system, EdMI will need to procure and set to work hardware that will run the DCMS application in an operations room at our Perth facility.  The entire system will need to be set to work prior to the Pilot 1 (Perth) system going live.
• MBSD is an India-based Service Centre.  Their Implementation Manager is Mr Rajiv Singh.  MBSD has been engaged to begin providing Level 1 services from the Perth go-live date for the Beta (14 Oct. 2022).  These services will include:
  • Level 1 Support.  They will provide Level 1 support for government/corporate/educational institutions as a part of a service management system.  You can find out more about the levels of support on this web page.Level 1 support will be coordinated through an ITIL compliant Service Desk Management System (SDMS) that will need to be populated with information that is to be provided by EdMI.
  • Escalation.  Where a problem cannot be resolved through the Service Centre Level 1 support, it will be escalated back to EdMI.
• JP-Media has been engaged to develop the mass marketing strategy for EduStream.  The JP-Media Client Support Manager (CSM) is Dan Hill.  He and his team will be working on a strategy for implementing EduStream sales to the mass market with Kate Lundy (EdMI’s Marketing Manager).  However, the EdMI project team will need to educate JP-Media and our own Marketing Department on the EduStream product and its capabilities.  JP-Media have indicated that they will also want to have input on the design of the user interfaces because they have significant expertise in making user-friendly interactions that will assist in the development of broad market buy-in.

Within this contractual engagement EdMI is responsible for the following:

• You will be responsible to the Project Sponsor, CEO and Board for overall project management, and reporting.
• EdMI will coordinate procurement of the OCA, servers and all other hardware (e.g. routers, firewalls, etc.) for the operational environment.  Please note that these will be required earlier than system deployment into the node, to allow the contractors to utilise them in their Development/Test Environments and to ensure that they are available for unit, integration, and system testing.
• Our team will coordinate all legal documents as the prime, including the development of the End User License Agreement.  This will be managed by Bill Sykes (the EdMI Lawyer)
• We have engaged Don Lemon (an EdMI consultant) to monitor the security system implementation and ensure that the solution will meet the required standards (including those in the Privacy Act).
• EdMI will coordinate the provision of the information that will be loaded into the Service Desk Management System, for Level 1 support (Knowledge Base/procedural support system decision tree information, etc.).  This will entail drawing information from each of the contractors and developing a step-by-step analysis system.
• Integration of all system documentation within a Knowledge Base/Wiki, so EdMI and the contractors can consolidate system information.  This system will be used to facilitate Configuration Management and Level 2/3 service support.
• Develop and maintain the web site for the FAQ materials that will provide help to non-institutional users.
• Implement the Level 2 and Level 3 support systems to deliver services to institutional/educational organisation clients.  It is not expected that this will include Field Services (e.g. by our current assessment there should be no need to have someone go out to a client site).

Finally, to facilitate beta/acceptance testing, the EdMI marketing team has engaged a total of 22 organisations, who are currently using EdMI’s videos and games software.  These organisations include seven large primary and secondary schools in each of the cities proposed for the nodes (e.g. Perth, Sydney and Melbourne).  Additionally, the National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA) (which is coordinated from Canberra) has asked to link into the pilot project, to trial deployment of the educational videos and games to three remote indigenous communities (one in Western Australia, one in New South Wales and one in the Northern Territory).

PROJECT MANAGEMENT DELIVERABLES

To complete Assignment 2 you will be required to complete the following documentation (each of these templates is provided within the LMS under the Assessments > Assignment 2 section):

• EVM Cost Analysis.  The information provided in the associated EVM-CostAnalysis.docx has been received as a part of the project reporting.  Your team must complete the analysis and fill in the report elements that are required in that document.
• Quality Management Plan (QMP).  You will be required to develop a Quality Management Plan using the QMP.docx file provided in the LMS. 
• Stakeholder & HR Management.  Your team are to develop a Communications Plan (CP) using the CP.docx template supplied in the LMS.  Your team’s response must address the diverse communications issues that will confront this project.
• Risk Management Plan (RMP).  As illustrated within the scenario information provided above, there are a range of implicit and explicit risks associated with this project.  Your team will need to develop a Risk Management Plan that will explain how you will manage these risks.
• Project Closure Review (PCR).  The last deliverable will be a Project Closure Review for Assignment 2.  Each member of your team will need to complete this individually and forward this your team’s Project Manager, who will upload each of them with the other documents.  This review must be provided as discussed in the PCR template (the PCR.docx file).

Once you have completed each of these documents the Project Manager for your team must upload the files into the LMS.    To help ensure that your work doesn’t get mixed up with others’, for the first four files use file names which follow this convention: Unit Code-Assignment Number-the first five characters of your group name, the Student Number of the Project Manager-the file identifier.  For instance, files uploaded by the ‘Super’ group, whose Project Manager has a student ID of 12345678 would be named as follows:

• EVM Cost Analysis.   ICT201-2-Super-12345678-EVM-CostAnalysis.docx
• Quality Management Plan (QMP).   ICT201-2-Super-12345678-QMP.docx
• Communications Plan (CP).   ICT201-2-Super-12345678-CP.docx
• Risk Management Plan (RMP).   ICT201-2-Super-123456788-RMP.docx

For the Project Closure Reviews use the following convention:  Unit Code-Assignment Number-the first five characters of your name-your Student Number-the file identifier.  For example, if your name was Ramandeep Kaur and your student number was 12345678, you would name your PCR as follows:

• Project Closure Review (PCR).  ICT201-2-Raman-12345678-PCR.pdf

COMPLETING THE ASSIGNMENT

You will be required to manage the assignment as a project, in line with the Project Team Charter that you developed.  Within this framework, it is highly recommended that you do the following:

• Each of you needs to work through the EVM Cost Analysis individually and then jointly check the answers as a team, so that every member of your group thoroughly understands the principles and how to develop the solution.
• You should allocate one or two members of your team to take the lead for completing the QMP, CP and RMP.  However, all members of the group must provide support and input to each of these deliverables.
• Each team member must complete the PCR once the other deliverables are finalised.  Once you have converted the file to Adobe format upload this directly into the LMS for Assignment 2.  No other person may change another person’s responses in the PCR.  If the comments and marks of one person are modified by someone else, this may result in the automatic failure for every member of that group.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

We will be covering these issues in the workshops.  Therefore, it will be important for everyone to attend the associated workshops.  The lecturer/tutors will also be available to answer questions.  You can, of course, ask such questions during the workshops you will be attending, or you can send an email to the lecturer/tutors. Please note, that it is recommended you get your questions in early.  If you ask questions late in the assignment development cycle, you may not receive the answer in time.

Please also be aware that additional information will be provided, in line with the topics being covered each week.  Therefore, don’t just rely on this document to provide the information that you will need.

ASSIGNMENT MARKING

The assignment will be assessed as though it was a set of documents forwarded for review by the CIO (the Project Sponsor).  Consequently, you will need to ensure that your materials reflect a high professional standard (Remember – in the real world, your job can depend on this).  The marks allocated for the Assignment will be allotted in terms of the percentages shown in the following table.

The second column in this table shows the total percentage of the allotted marks for each required document.  You will note that these add up to 100%.  Use this as a guide for allocating the amount of time and effort that you allocate to each assignment deliverable.   Within this allocation, the marks will be assigned in terms of the following:

• Content.  The largest part of the score allocated to each document relates to the content that is provided.  As a general rule, if your response covers all of the aspects explicitly provided in the assignment documentation and workshop discussions, you will get a score that equates to 60% of the maximum content mark.  If you have not included pertinent information in your solutions, you will get a lower mark.  Higher marks will be allocated where it is clear that you have gone beyond the information provided and thought about the real-world implications when developing your content.
• Clarity and Logic.  In this real-world scenario, you are writing the documents to go to a Board.  These people are not technologists and want to understand the logic through your clear communication of the issues.  Therefore, you will need to deliver the documents in a manner that is logical, readily understandable and well written.  Where you write the documents well and make it easy for the Board to understand, additional marks will be allocated.  These will equate to a maximum, as shown in the right-hand column of the preceding table.

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