Your company has been appointed as Business Analysts to assist a small document storage facility (Cirrus Document Storage Pty. Ltd. (CDS)) in analysing, re-organising and strengthening their business.

Question

Neither the physical security nor the online security is your problem as an external company handles this. The only aspect of security you need to keep in mind is the cost to the company.
7.3.1 The Company Profile
The company offers secure online, in the Cloud, (and offline) document storage to small companies who need to secure their important documents off-site and in a location not associated with the client. Documents may need to be scanned before uploading online if they are not in an electronic format already..A typical client would be a lawyer, doctor, consulting agent, etc., that needs to reduce the risk of losing important original documents due to fire, theft, sabotage, etc. They would generally also require off-site physical storage of these documents (do not worry about the physical document storage scenario for this WIL project; only consider the provision of online document storage)..Currently, CDS does not have any IT systems to handle the day-to-day running of the business. All their payroll, banking, debtors, creditors, stock of office supplies and other administration is done manually by the accountant/administrator and stored in spread sheets and word processing documents, and the logging of calls and sales to the help desk is managed by the help desk.
CDS Mission: Our mission is to provide secure document storage to individuals and businesses.
CDS Vision: Our vision is to become a market leader in document storage.
The company has 10 employees. These employees are:
• The Director;
The Director's secretary;
A financial manager;
Accountant/Administrator;
Salespersons (×2);
A help desk and support team (×3);
A cloud computing specialist.
When required, the help desk and support team members double up as sales people/administrators.
Company strategy for the next five years:
To grow from a small company to at least a medium-sized company;
To be a household name and the recognised online document storage company;
To grow their return on investment (ROI) by at least 30%;
To become a complete online solution in terms of all business.
The infrastructure consists of the following:
A large server that has almost reached its capacity;
The office infrastructure consists of an internet and e-mail server, a small network to accommodate 20 workstations, only the necessary software on the workstations, for example, a help desk support application and MS Office and MS Outlook;.Wireless network connections as well as LAN;
• An open office floor plan with the boardroom and Director's office having lockable doors;
A server room;
• A large off-site warehouse at a secret location to store physical documents..The company sells online document storage packages as follows:
5 Gig storage for R99 00 a month;
• 10 Gig for R180 00 a month;
• 15 Gig for R260 00 a month;
Anything bigger needs to be discussed with a salesperson;
If a client wants to upgrade, they should contact the company's help desk to assist them with the change.
7.3.2 Limitations
Due to the size of the current server, ROl is not what it could be. Buying a bigger or second server would strain the company's cash flow of the company so it is not an immediate option..7.3.3 Your role as a Business Analyst
Help CDS implement IT solutions in a cost-effective way by determining the requirements of their organisation, and communicating these clearly to all stakeholders;
• Begin with defining, analysing and documenting their requirements..Determine the project methodology?

Answer 1

To assist Cirrus Document Storage Pty. Ltd. (CDS) in analysing, reorganising, and strengthening their business through effective IT solutions, we must first determine the appropriate project methodology. Given the nature and constraints of the project, I would recommend an Agile project management framework. Here are the reasons and rationale for this choice:

1. Flexibility and Adaptability

• Agile Methodology allows for iterative development, enabling CDS to adapt to changing business requirements and priorities. This is crucial as we gather and refine requirements related to document storage, considering client needs and technological advancements.

2. Stakeholder Involvement

• Agile emphasizes continuous collaboration with stakeholders, including the Director, financial manager, help desk/support team, and salespersons. Regular feedback loops can help ensure that the IT solutions developed align with their expectations and business goals.

3. Incremental Delivery

• Implementing IT solutions in small, manageable increments can mitigate risks and allow for early delivery of value. For instance, starting with essential functionalities (such as a document management system for online storage) can help in obtaining quick wins and demonstrating the value of IT investments.

4. Focus on User Experience

• With a focus on user stories and real-world use cases, Agile encourages the design and development of solutions that prioritize the end-user experience. This is particularly relevant when designing systems for help desk support and sales integration, ensuring that employees can perform their roles effectively.

5. Quick Adjustments

• As CDS does not currently have IT infrastructure in place, Agile allows for quick adjustments based on user feedback, helping the company to avoid investing heavily in a system that may not meet their needs.

6. Cost-Effectiveness

• By using Agile, CDS can prioritize high-impact features and defer less critical functionalities, helping to manage cash flow constraints effectively while gradually enhancing their capabilities and ROI.

Proposed Project Phases

1. Initiation Phase:

   • Define overall objectives and gather initial requirements through interviews with stakeholders.
   • Assess current workflows and identify pain points in the manual processes.

2. Planning Phase:

   • Create a backlog of features and initiatives that need to be implemented.
   • Prioritize features based on their impact on business processes and cost efficiency.

3. Execution Phase (Iteration Cycles):

   • Develop, test, and deploy features in short sprint cycles (2-4 weeks).
   • Incorporate stakeholder feedback after each sprint to improve and adjust the next iteration.

4. Monitoring and Evaluation:

   • Use performance metrics to assess the impact of implemented solutions on operational efficiency and ROI.
   • Conduct regular reviews to identify further improvements and enhancements.

5. Closure:

   • Assess the project outcomes against initial objectives.
   • Document lessons learned and create a roadmap for future enhancements.

Conclusion

Agile methodology aligns well with CDS's mission to grow and adapt in a rapidly changing environment while managing costs effectively. This iterative approach will enable the company to build valuable IT capabilities incrementally, ultimately helping them achieve their vision of becoming a market leader in document storage.