Managing a Systems Development Project at Consumer and Industrial Products

Objective

The objective of this case study is to help the student understand the systems development life cycle (SDLC) development process and the roles of the various participants in this process.

Overview

This case depicts a large systems development project in rather substantial detail. The PAS system being developed is a part of the reengineering of the department’s work processes. The perspectives and responsibilities of the sponsoring manager and the project manager (called the project director) are emphasized. (See questions 1 and 3 in the next section.)

This case illustrates the steps in the first half of the life cycle development process, using the Stradis methodology to go into some detail concerning what must be done. It particularly emphasizes the important relationships between user management and IS management in a development project.

This case also illustrates the importance of a partnership relationship between users and IS. An undercurrent in the situation depicted is the history of bad relationships between the disbursements people and the IS people that had to be overcome for the project to be successful.

This case also illustrates the consequences of poor lower-level IS department management who had little understanding of system development, would not staff the project adequately, and were responsible for the history of bad relationships with user management.

Questions for Discussion

1. Discuss Ted Anderson’s role in the PAS project.

2. Discuss Peter Shaw’s role in the PAS project.

3. Discuss Linda Watkins’ role in the PAS project.

4. Describe the role