1. Some of the potential strategies in managing intranet are listed by Nelson and Todd (1999). These strategies are based on the activities of various companies in order to manage and control their intranet and rang from standard setting, resource allocation to applications development and involve activities that will help the organization control activities using the intranet. However, there will be certain problems that may arise from these activities depending on the control approaches implemented in an organization. A high control approach may result to low empowered employees or end user, over dependency to IT professionals that even the smallest problem with the use of the web can not be able to solve making IT staff inefficient because they are overly controlled by higher functional level. On the other hand, low control approach may result to over-empowered end user resulting to development of applications not related to their work and unauthorized access to data.
2. The advantage of application development of end-user are being able to independently develop web-related applications without the help of IT professionals which can reduce cost in the part of the company; and for the end-user to solve problems related to such applications. On the other hand, its disadvantage includes unclear distinctions between the applications that can be developed by end users and by IT professionals resulting to disintegrated IT system.
3. An Information Center is composed of information systems personnel and IT professionals. It serves as the IT organization or IT backbone of a company, functioning as the developer of web-related applications and providing technical support to the end users. Within the IC, staffing is necessary for the IC to function properly; it is important that personnel in the IC are highly qualified and well-familiar with the different aspects of the web and the intranet. Each staff is given tasks wherein he can be most efficient.
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5. Both Program and Project Management are two essential components of infrastructure development system of a company, with program management responsible for the business aspects of the system and project management responsible for the planning and execution of the system output (Martinelli & Waddel). That is, program management is focused on both the technical and business results, requires to be strategically focused, assures the work to be feasible from a business standpoint, and requires management and business skills (Martinelli & Waddel). On the other hand, project management is focused on a single project alone, is tactically focused and most concerned with technical success like an IT project manager is focused on web development, the software needed and the equipments necessary to run an intranet. Another more general example is an automobile company: while project management is needed to be able to create a new car model, involves projects in its design, manufacturing process, and creation of marketing campaign ensuring that it has the technical features and capabilities of a good and tough car, program management will be focused on how to coordinate these activities and is utilized for the deliverables of the projects. Usually, there are many project managements in a company such as engineering project management, IT project management, production project management and others, but there will be one program management to coordinate these projects.
6. Although project managers, such as an IT project manager, are technical in nature, they should still have the business skills needed to accomplish a successful project. These skills include interpersonal skills that are used in dealing with suppliers and in understanding external and internal customer needs; and the skills needed on time management and cost budgeting ensuring that the project does not only technically effective but also cost effective. All these skills are essential to superior project management; a project is considered successful when it is not only aligned with the goal of the program (e.g. to create an easy to use IS) but also with the business objectives (e.g. to satisfy customers).
7. A project is not an effort of a single individual but a team effort. Therefore, staffing is a critical production factor. A project manager must be able to put a staff in a position where he is best capable of doing. There are some staffing issues that should be considered by a project manager. These include: the number of human resources needed such as programmers, database administrators, network specialists and IT analysts required to complete the project; the dedication of these human resources; the skill level of these people; issues on whether time constraints will require additional human resources; and if consultants will be needed to help staff a project (CCSI, 2001). These issues must be considered before starting a project to ensure that the project will be successful initially and in the long run.
References:
Nelson, R. R., and Todd, P. (1999), Strategies for Managing EUC on the Web
Journal of End User Computing, January/March
Martinelli, R. & Waddell, J., Program Management: Linking Business Strategy to
Product and IT Development, Accessed Online Date: June 7, 2006
<http://www.pmforum.org/library/papers/2003/prgmgmt.pdf#search=’difference%20between%20program%20management%20and%20project%20management’>
Comprehensive Consulting Solutions, Inc. (2001), What is a Project and when is
a Project Manager needed? CCSI White Paper
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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