The PRS (Performance Right Industry) is a non-profit organization in the United Kingdom that collects the royalties for the holder of the copyrights of music songs when they are performed at a concert or played at the radio. With the guardianship of the musical performance rights from over 750,000 copyright holders and a £155 million collected from 26,000 UK members each year the PRS has a complex role. It is controlled by the General Council, which is responsible for the administration and formulation of the policy. The management team consists of a CEO and his team of executive directors who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the business. For the complex administration processes several distinct applications are running on multiple mainframe computers.
The PROMS (Performance Rights On-Line Membership System) project was conceived in 1987 with its aim to get rid of the mainframe computers and replace them through several mini computers. The data and mainframe applications should be combined into one coherent database to reduce the redundant sets of identical information stored on different computer systems. The new system should allow 300 people to use the computers concurrently. Therefore a special OLTP application was needed to provide adequate response times for all users. Concerning this application, which required a high performance hard- and software environment, there was a heavy debate in the industry about the feasibility to use such a demanding software on minicomputers. For this reason the project required a careful design and planning. (The Performing Rights Society - Case Facts, no year)
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- HISTORY OF THE PROJECT.
- MAJOR DECISIONS TAKEN DURING THE PROJECT.....
- PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
- ATTEMPTED SOLUTIONS
- REPORTED EVALUATION
- ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT....
- Project Integration Management.
- Project Scope Management..
- Project Time Management.
- Project Cost Management..
- Project Quality Management..
- Project Human Resource Management.
- Project Communication Management...
- Project Risk Management..
- Project Procurement Management...
- MY APPROACH
- REFERENCES
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This assignment provides a critique of a real-life IT project, the PROMS (Performance Rights On-Line Membership System) project, undertaken by the PRS (Performance Right Industry) organization in the United Kingdom. The assignment analyzes the project's history, key decisions, encountered problems, attempted solutions, and reported evaluation.
- Project Management Challenges
- IT System Implementation
- Failure Analysis
- Decision-Making Processes
- Organizational Impact of IT Projects
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- History of the Project: This chapter provides background information on the PRS, its role in collecting music royalties, and the genesis of the PROMS project. The aim of the project was to replace mainframe computers with mini-computers, consolidate data, and create a system capable of handling 300 concurrent users. The complexity of the project, particularly the requirement for high-performance software, led to significant planning and design efforts.
- Major Decisions Taken During the Project: The chapter outlines key decisions made during the project, including the initial feasibility study and requirement analysis conducted by external consultants. The decision to pay contractors based on work completed rather than deliverables is discussed, along with the project's initial implementation date in March 1992. The chapter details how the General Council demanded monthly progress reports as problems arose, leading to revisions and eventual suspension of the project. The decision to invest further £6 million and the final suspension of the project are also covered.
- Problems Encountered: This chapter delves into the specific difficulties experienced during the project. Issues include software and hardware problems, data inconsistencies, and inadequate response times due to inefficient database design. The project's initial implementation date was abandoned, and further problems arose with hardware, software, and data files. The chapter highlights the inadequacy of the project plan, which required rewriting and led to increased costs and a delayed finish date.
- Attempted Solutions: This chapter examines the actions taken to address the project's challenges. While software difficulties were reported, no immediate corrective measures were implemented until the project deadline was abandoned. Monthly progress reports were demanded, followed by the development of a new project plan with interim and detailed plans submitted in May/July 1992. External consultants assessed the plan and found it inadequate, but the project was not suspended. A final plan was written, but further funds and time were required to complete the project, leading to its termination by the General Council.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The key themes and concepts explored in this assignment include IT project management, software development, system implementation, project failure analysis, organizational decision-making, and the impact of IT projects on organizational performance. The analysis highlights the complexities of large-scale IT projects and the importance of comprehensive planning, effective risk management, and proactive communication in achieving successful implementation.
- Quote paper
- Thomas Kramer (Author), 2000, Critique of a real life IT Project, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1897
