Designing An Information System For John Banks IT Infrastructure Company

Suitable hardware components for the Information System

Advancement in Information Technology (IT) widely gives extraordinary opportunities and operational capabilities to the business organizations. For this specific project the company that has been nominated is John Banks Information Technology Infrastructure Company. This company is operating on the competitive business world form last 20 years.

They have planned to design an Information System and for designing this project a professional group of 60 professional staffs are being allocated.  Suitable hardware and software require operating the company’s Information System based operation are illustrated in this report. In addition to this, specialized PMIS software that is suitable for this company is also illustrated in this report. In order to successfully operate such system it is mandatory to arrange professional on job training program for the staffs and estimate the overall cost that may require for the Information System. The detail cost estimation plan including training plan for the staffs are elaborated in this project

In order to design the Information system the suitable hardware components and their operational capabilities are elaborated in the below section:

Computers: This includes peripheral components of the devices to be  sued include desktop, laptop, tower, monitor and  keyboards etc that can be easily operated by the Information System developers (Schwalbe 2015). These peripheral devices can be connected through each other by either wireless or wired technologies.  Through the interior components of the system, these peripherals can communicate.

Printers: In order to operate Information System installation of 3D printer is beneficial as it holds networking abilities and this can also meet the computing and administrative level digitized requirements (Braglia and Frosolini 2014).  For successful configuration of network system printing gives proper instruction including time and cost savings. LRP is referred to as one of the most suitable printing protocol to be used in the company.

Plotters: In order to print the vector graphic the plotters are very much useful from the IS implementation process. For different computer aided design, project banners, blueprints and technical drawing the plotters should be used. Basically for promotional and advertising purposes the plotters are to be used. The plotters can be used in large sheets for maintain high quality resolution. It can increase the reproducibility, efficiency and accuracy of the company.

Modems: Through analog system information can be transmitted from sender to the receiver side. The analog carried signals can be converted to digital signal through the modulators of modems. It can correct the operational and functional errors including data compression, flow control.   

Suitable software components for the Information System

Networking equipments: Network management is referred to as an important component for evaluating the Information System. In order to support the agency operation and functionalities this is mandatory to use certain network equipments (Harrison and Lock 2017.). For planning and designing the information System the network equipment those are mandatory include Ethernet hub, bride, repeater, router etc.  In order to design the network channel for the company the topology to be used by the developer team is the star topology. Apart from this, other important necessary equipment for the system is network switch.

For designing the Information System the suitable software components and their operational capabilities are elaborated in the below section:

Operating system: For ERP software implementation real time operating software is a suitable one. This is defined as data processing systems which help to estimate each task within allotted deadline.

GUI software: with the help of a user friendly graphical interface the company will be able to grab more number of consumers. Even it reduces the application complexity of the users. With a single click multiple functionalities can b served by this software. In order to design the GUI the most suitable software that may be used is Gravit design.

Networking software: MnageEngine OpManager is required to be used for designing the network system of the company.  

Word processing: Google doc sheets will be helpful for operating the application.

Spreadsheet: Google spread sheets will be helpful for operating the application.

Database: Data server will help to store all necessary corporate and financial data with high security so that no external users can utilize those data without permission (Dwivedi, et al. 2015).

Presentation and communication software: Mighty Call, one of the most suitable VoIP solutions that will help the company to communicate securely with all its associates.

The concept of software resource is comprises of different set of data processing instructions. However, the general concept of software requirement holds not just set of processes but also include the operating instructions (Peltier 2016).  It is defined that if proper software support is obtained then, the hardware operation can be either directly or indirectly controlled easily.

Though, in addition to this, the information processing instruction is required by the human resources that are known as procedure.  There are many Project management Information System (PMIS) software are available but for John Banks Information Technology Infrastructure Company, the most suitable operation supporting software is  SAP ERP software.  

Cost-Benefit – INPUT VALUES
estimated hardware cost for the Information System	$     3,200,000.00
Estimated software cost for the Information System	$     3,500,000.00
estimated total team salary	$     2,500,000.00
Estimated staff training cost	$     1,600,000.00
Net Information System development Cost	$   10,800,000.00
Infrastructure development cost	$     2,000,000.00
Software licence cost	$     3,500,000.00
Operation cost of the Information system	$     3,600,000.00
Net cost for the system operation	$     9,100,000.00
Approx salary savings	$     1,000,000.00
Reduced operational cost of the project	$   16,000,000.00
Total Benefit	$   17,000,000.00
Offered discount rate	5.00%

Specialized PMIS software suitable for John Banks IT Infrastructure Company

The installation cost some other cost is not included in this budget plan but the net estimated cost of the project is $250 Million. The total spectrum of the business operations and activities can be operated securely with SAP ERP software. The processes and activities can all be bind together with this software (Galliers and Leidner 2014). The advantages of using this software are as follows:

• It can improve the quality if data and their accessibility approach
• The business reporting planning and reporting process can also be improved with the help of the ERP system
• Collaboration, visibility, supply chain management process and customer satisfaction process can be improved
• Can facilitate regulatory compliance, data unification and data standardization t make the business process simpler

In order to design the SAP ERP based Information System group of 60 staffs are allocated. The corporate training program developed for this company is as follows:

WBS	Task Name	Duration	Start	Finish	Predecessors
0	Training program schedule	150 days	Fri 9/21/18	Thu 4/18/19
1	Project planning	36 days	Fri 9/21/18	Fri 11/9/18
1.1	Project objectives	9 days	Fri 9/21/18	Wed 10/3/18
1.2	Project scope statement designing	7 days	Thu 10/4/18	Fri 10/12/18	2
1.3	Project schedule and budget planning	10 days	Mon 10/15/18	Fri 10/26/18	3
1.4	Kick off plan for the project	10 days	Mon 10/29/18	Fri 11/9/18	4
2	Defining project training requirements	39 days	Mon 11/12/18	Thu 1/3/19
2.1	Technology roadmap of the company is reviewed	6 days	Mon 11/12/18	Mon 11/19/18	5
2.2	Reviewing the existing skill sets	6 days	Tue 11/20/18	Tue 11/27/18	7
2.3	Gap analysis	15 days	Wed 11/28/18	Tue 12/18/18	8
2.4	Determining technical needs	6 days	Wed 11/28/18	Wed 12/5/18	8
2.5	Gathering technical materials requirements	12 days	Wed 12/19/18	Thu 1/3/19	9,10
3	Selection of training vendors	53 days	Fri 1/4/19	Tue 3/19/19
3.1	Staff training RFQ	10 days	Fri 1/4/19	Thu 1/17/19	11
3.2	Potential vendor identification	9 days	Fri 1/18/19	Wed 1/30/19	13
3.3	RFQ project team selection	9 days	Thu 1/31/19	Tue 2/12/19	14
3.4	Team selection criteria	9 days	Wed 2/13/19	Mon 2/25/19	15
3.5	Evaluation of the RFQ process	16 days	Tue 2/26/19	Tue 3/19/19
3.5.1	Presentation of vendor training	16 days	Tue 2/26/19	Tue 3/19/19
3.5.1.1	Vendor selection for training	8 days	Tue 2/26/19	Thu 3/7/19	16
3.5.1.2	Contract with vendor for training	6 days	Fri 3/8/19	Fri 3/15/19	19
3.5.1.3	Feedback forms	8 days	Fri 3/8/19	Tue 3/19/19	19
4	Specification for the staff notifications	8 days	Mon 3/18/19	Wed 3/27/19
4.1	Training phase	4 days	Mon 3/18/19	Thu 3/21/19	20
4.2	Training program for the trainers	3 days	Wed 3/20/19	Fri 3/22/19	21
4.3	Training for general staffs	3 days	Mon 3/25/19	Wed 3/27/19	23,24
5	Project closure phase	16 days	Thu 3/28/19	Thu 4/18/19
5.1	Feedback evaluation	5 days	Thu 3/28/19	Wed 4/3/19	25
5.2	Lessons learned	6 days	Thu 4/4/19	Thu 4/11/19	27
5.3	Supplemental training material distribution	5 days	Fri 4/12/19	Thu 4/18/19	28

Conclusion

In order to exchange data from one source to other it is mandatory to use the technologies properly in the field of applications. In addition to this the company has also undertaken around $250 Million for developing their IT related business infrastructure. The overall estimated cost distribution is another important part that has to be considered by the project executives and other project heads. The aim of the company is to gain effective commercial revenue and competitive advantages as well and in order to make this possible proper distribution of the cost is mandatory. The distribution of $250 Million is elaborated in this report including the specialized training program mandatory for the allocated staffs are illustrated here. The company is focused to develop IT operational platform for the willing client group. The operational and functional features of the hardware and software system associated to Information System are illustrated in this report.   

References

Braglia, M. and Frosolini, M., 2014. An integrated approach to implement project management information systems within the extended enterprise. International Journal of Project Management, 32(1), pp.18-29

de Carvalho, M.M., Patah, L.A. and de Souza Bido, D., 2015. Project management and its effects on project success: Cross-country and cross-industry comparisons. International Journal of Project Management, 33(7), pp.1509-1522.

Dwivedi, Y.K., Wastell, D., Laumer, S., Henriksen, H.Z., Myers, M.D., Bunker, D., Elbanna, A., Ravishankar, M.N. and Srivastava, S.C., 2015. Research on information systems failures and successes: Status update and future directions. Information Systems Frontiers, 17(1), pp.143-157.

Fenton, N. and Bieman, J., 2014. Software metrics: a rigorous and practical approach. CRC press.

Galliers, R.D. and Leidner, D.E., 2014. Strategic information management: challenges and strategies in managing information systems. Routledge.

Harrison, F. and Lock, D., 2017. Advanced project management: a structured approach. Routledge.

Laudon, K.C. and Laudon, J.P., 2016. Management information system. Pearson Education India.

Marchewka, J.T., 2014. Information technology project management. John Wiley & Sons.

Peltier, T.R., 2016. Information Security Policies, Procedures, and Standards: guidelines for effective information security management. Auerbach Publications.

Schwalbe, K., 2015. Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.

Spundak, M., 2014. Mixed agile/traditional project management methodology–reality or illusion?. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 119, pp.939-948.

Verzuh, E., 2015. The fast forward MBA in project management. John Wiley & Sons.