Peak LAN ProjectKirk BaringerMeagan BeemanAllison BentonYolanda BoydThomas Guess
Project Information•Peak Systems, located in Meridian, Louisiana•Information Systems Consultants•Project: City of Meridian’s social welfare agency•Goal: to build complete Local Area Network (LAN)•Budget $90,000 to be completed in 26 days
Project Team Risk•Team Size•Three people•Team Composition• Project Manager and two interns•Is this enough manpower?
Project Team Risk•Team Size•Three people•Team Composition• Project Manager and two interns•Is this enough manpower?
Project Team Risk•Team Size•Three people•Team Composition• Project Manager and two interns•Is this enough manpower?
Budget Risk•Established budget is $90,000•Do not cut corners•Cheaper Hardware•Hardware and Software compatibility•Hardware reliability•Is this a realistic budget?
Timeline Risk•Project complete in one month•Allot of hardware•Hardware• Locating and purchasing•Delivery•Testing•Multiple suppliers•Is this enough time?
External Access Risk•Security•Wired always better•Privacy Act information•Wireless less secure•Physical vs. internet based database•Database corruption
User Account Risk•List must be accurate•Names, roles, and permissions• Log on problems•Access problems•Earlier enough in project
Risk Assessment•Mapping out risks can be beneficial for a project.•Helps prepare a team for what might occur.•Scenario analysis is the most commonly used technique for analyzing risks.
Risk Assessment MatrixRisk Event Likelihood Impact Detection Difficulty When
Team Size Very High High Very Low Continuous
Budget High Very High Low Continuous
Availability of hardware and software
Moderate High Moderate Installation
Secure external/wirelessaccess High High High Installation
User priorities & authorizations -can’t log on Low Moderate High Start-up
Project Team RiskRisk Management Matrix
Risk Event Response Contingency Plan Trigger Who is Responsible
Team size Add personnel Sub-contract if possible and within budget
Workload compared to timeline
Peak ProjectManager working with City of Meridian
Budget Increase budget or downsize project
Negotiate with the City of Meridian
At the earliest point it becomes obvious the budget is too small
City of MeridianAnd Peak project manager
Availability of hardware and software
Send bids out to several suppliers
See if extras can be placed on standby and returned if unused
From the onset of the LAN project if there are shortages
Peak project manager
Secure external/wirelessaccess
Set up tests to ensure this system is working and secure
Have alternate ways for remote employees to access the server
At the earliest point this system can be tested and doesn’t work.
Peak Project manager
User priorities & authorizations -can’t log on
Have a standby system while transitioning to the new LAN or work weekends and off peak hours
Have a secondary server system on standby and don’t take the entire LAN down until the new system is running
At the earliest point the LAN can be tested, run tests periodically throughout the installation to help catch glitches.
Peak Project manager
Team SizeRisk Event Response Contingency Plan Trigger Who is Responsible
Team size Add personnel Sub-contract if possible and within budget
Workload compared to timeline
Peak ProjectManager working with City of Meridian
• Add personnel if needed• Sub-contract if within budget• Use the workload compared to the timeline as the trigger • Responsibility lies with both, Peak and the City of Meridian
Team Budget
• Increase the budget if possible or downsize the scope• Negotiate the budget with the city of Meridian• When it becomes obvious the budget is too small - trigger • Responsibility lies with both, Peak and the City of Meridian
Budget Increase budget or downsize project
Negotiate with the City of Meridian
At the earliest point it becomes obvious the budget is too small
City of MeridianAnd Peak project manager
Risk Event Response Contingency Plan Trigger Who is Responsible
Availability of SW & HW
• Send our multiple bids to suppliers of needed SW & HW• Research whether extras can be ordered and held/returned • If there are shortages this is an immediate trigger• The Peak project manager is solely responsible for this
Risk Event Response Contingency Plan Trigger Who is Responsible
Availability of hardware and software
Send bids out to several suppliers
See if extras can be placed on standby and returned if unused
From the onset of the LAN project if there are shortages
Peak project manager
Secure external/internal access
• Frequently test to ensure the system is working and secure• Establish alternate ways for remote employees to access• Earliest point system is tested and fails - trigger • Responsibility lies with Peak project manager
Risk Event Response Contingency Plan Trigger Who is Responsible
Secure external/wirelessaccess
Set up tests to ensure this system is working and secure
Have alternate ways for remote employees to access the server
At the earliest point this system can be tested and doesn’t work.
Peak Project manager
Priorities: Authorizations/user log on
• Stand-by system while transitioning to new LAN• Work weekends and during non-peak hours to test
• Establish secondary server for temporary back-up• Test LAN early and often; if it fails - trigger • Responsibility lies with Peak project manager
Risk Event Response Contingency Plan Trigger Who is Responsible
User priorities & authorizations -can’t log on
Have a standby system while transitioning to the new LAN or work weekends and off peak hours
Have a secondary server system on standby and don’t take the entire LAN down until the new system is running
At the earliest point the LAN can be tested, run tests periodically throughout the installation to help catch glitches.
Peak Project manager
Performing Monte Carlo Simulation• A Monte Carlo simulation helps
predict risk by using data to predict trends
• Performing a risk analysis will assist both PEAK and the City of Meridian in determining if the LAN project can be completed on time and within budget
• Having statistical data will allow the project manager to make sound decisions
Benefits of Monte Carlo Simulation• Allows for testing of theories before
launching the LAN project• Provides statistical validity to the City by
measuring probability that the project will meet its stated goals
• Reveals trends that can be modified to decrease risk
• Assists the project manager in communicating ways that the project can be restructured for enhanced quality, efficiency and cost
Steps to Perform • Define the problem to be solved• Can project be completed on
time and within budget?• Define the drivers/variables of the
problem• What might some of the delays
and hidden costs be?
Steps Cont.• Define the uncertainty for the
variables• Assign best, most likely and
worst case estimates to the identified variables
• Analyze the model using simulation• Create a model that will
compute the assigned formulas to create estimates
•End