Reference no: EM133681932

Business Analytics Project Management

Part 1 - Your Task

Imagine you have been asked to set up a project to assess the upgrading of part of a Banking app. This will include an initial analytical investigation to the usage of the current app and the subsequent managing of the app development after the analytical investigation.

Assessment Description

PART 1 - Written Report (1800 Words)

You will write a report describing the project set up, the project methodology and your personal recommendations about the methodologies used for the 2 phases of the project.

Business case study: How to improve a Banking App

With the increasing reliance of banking apps to pay for purchases and transfer money, banks are making their apps easier and more engaging for their customers to use. Some banks have even used the features of their apps as a point of difference to attract new customers.

You have been asked to initiate a project to analyse the current banking application. This includes assessing where improvements may be made and then manage a project to upgrade some pages of the application.

Choose a real banking app and imagine you are working for that bank; choose a banking application you are familiar with. Imagine you are a senior analyst within that bank and run a project team to analyse and improve application design and function.

Phase 1: Analytical Project
Your first task is to analyse the current application. You will need to set up and manage a project to systematically analyse, monitor and feedback your results to provide recommendations to the executive about where to upgrade the bank app and why. As resource within your team is very limited, the initial analytical project will be completed by you alone. With only one resource on the project, you will adopt a Waterfall methodology to organise the project and timing.

Phase 2: Application development project
Following the successful completion and recommendations from the analysis phase of the project, you and your team, which includes app developers and analysts, will set out a project using an Agile type of methodology of your choosing to undertake the development of the pages of the app and their analysis.

The assessment is to describe and outline the different methodologies used for the two phases of the project (analytical project and application development) and apply them to the specific bank and project you have chosen. This includes the benefits and potential issues the methodologies may have.

You will need to identify specific business problems to be solved for both projects, the stakeholders who may be interested in the outcome, their motivations for success and potential KPIs to determine the success of the analysis and development. To help with the assessment, use your chosen banking app and describe where specific changes could be made, how you would prove the decision to make these changes through analytics and how you would set up a project to update, test and monitor these changes.

Note that you need to demonstrate the ability to describe the project methodologies used and apply the theory specifically to your project. You are not expected to be an app develop but are project manager making the decisions to the best way to deliver a successful project.

Assessment Instructions
Part 1 - Case Study Written Paper (1800 Words)
With the overall methodology in mind, answer the following questions and produce a written report covering both Phase1 and Phase 2 of the project.

Section 1 - Project Set-Up (500 Words)
Introduce the project and define 3-4 key business problems to be solved in relation to the 2 phases of the project highlighting the key stakeholders who could be most interested in these specific business problems and why.

Set relevant KPl's for the project. These should be related to the business questions, and may be concerned with timelines, data collection, analytics methods or success metrics.

Describe the specific data required for the projects and how it will be used.

Section 2 - Project Methodology, Recommendations and reflections (1300 words)

Describe the features of the waterfall project methodology and how it would be specifically applied to Phase 1.

Describe the features of one of the newer Agile/Hybrid project methodologies (Scrum, Kanban,etc.) and how it could be specifically applied to Phase 2.
Describe the positive and negative aspects of the methodologies for the specific phases of the project with specific ideas on what could be enhanced or monitored to ensure project success.
Describe possible issues you may encounter collecting data and using analytics in this specific project.

What are the benefits of your chosen project methodology compared to other methodologies

What are the potential issues your proposed project methodology may encounter for this specific project

What is your personal recommendation and reflections on how to set up and run the phases of the project and why

Structure, Context and Referencing
Find at least five supporting references for your report. List the references in Harvard format. Structure your work as an executive report with clear headings, clear language and well thought through ideas presented and explained clearly.

Part 2 - Introduction to Projects Quiz

This assessment is to be done individually.
A timed online assessment will be completed within MyKBS
You will be applying concepts related to the first four weeks of your subject to a business case study.