Friday, December 7, 2012

Feasibility Analysis for Parents And Children Together


This is a feasibility analysis for Parents and Children Together. The project seeks to modernize current inventory tracking methods as well as provide useful reporting functions to users.  The product will replace the current spreadsheet approach to tracking inventory with a more efficient database tracking solution. Parents and Children Together has decided to develop an access database to track inventory and monitor statistics. They have decided against a web based program and decided on a stand-alone database system with a simple GUI. The results they require can be achieved through Microsoft Access. 

The idea's technical feasibility (Can we build it?)
- Familiarity with Functional area - developer has familiarity with inventory tracking processes
- Familiarity with Technology - developer has been and developing access databases for many years
- Project size - small project
Compatibility - organization currently utilizes a few access databases and is familiar with the technology.
The economic feasibility (Will it provide business value?)
- Development costs - 3 hours to develop.  2hrs+ training of staff.
- Annual operating costs - 0
- Annual benefits - reduction in staff time spent on tracking inventory and more efficient tracking methods alowing staff to focus on other critical processes.
- Intangible costs and benefits - contributes to the organizations mission to provide to those in need
The organizational feasibility (If we build it, will it be used?)
- Project champions - Karen Cardenas, Head of Administration
- Senior management - Senior managements supports the effort as it would reduce time spent on task and allow them to reallocate man-hours to other tasks.
- Users - Parents and Children Together administrative staff
- Other stakeholders - customers of organization wanting to borrow items.
- Is the project strategically aligned with the business? Yes, this project addresses one of the major functions of the organization. Developing this solution will make this process more efficient. 

1 comment:

  1. Great to see your analysis. I'm interested to know more about the process of deciding on MS Access. I previously used Google spreadsheets very successfully to track inventory in a couple of organizations. Perhaps the precise fit will become clearer once you work up your user stories. However I guess one of key things is familiarity on your part with MS Access.

    My general concern with MS Access is that it seems to require a developer to keep maintaining it, whereas with Google Spreadsheets the users can manage to maintain the thing themselves in many cases ...

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