Assignment: Requirements Management Plan (RMP)
Overview
For this assignment, please create a Requirements Management Plan (RMP), and read Project Scenario carefully.
The RMP is a key document in managing the scope of your project. The RMP describes how you will elicit, analyze, document and manage the project’s requirements process.
Program and Course Outcomes
This assignment is directly linked to the following key learning outcomes for the course:
• Know the general requirements collection process steps and become familiar with best practice requirements collection techniques
• Practice techniques for eliciting stakeholder’s input to develop effective and feasible requirements success criteria
• Distinguish between different types of requirements (functional, Non-functional, technical, project, regulatory, etc.)
• Analyze techniques used to differentiate the needs vs. wants of stakeholders for a project: MoSCoW technique
• Understand the purpose of an effective Requirements Management Plan (RMP): Create an RMP
Essential Components & Instructions
Requirements Management Plan (RMP) Overview
The Requirements Management Plan is a key document in managing the scope of your project. The RMP components describe how you will elicit, analyze, document and manage the requirements of the project. Specifically, the RMP will outline the up-front gathering of high-level project and product requirements, as well as the more detailed product requirements that you will collect during the project lifecycle.
Most importantly, adhering to an effective requirements management process helps the project team focus on the requirements that have been developed and maintains the integrity of the requirements throughout the lifecycle of the project.
Requirements Management Plan (RMP) Instructions
The following template outlines common RMP sections:
- Executive Summary: In 1-page, write this Executive Summary on the key components of your RMP.
- Project overview: In 2-3 paragraphs, briefly describe the purpose of the project for the readers that have not seen your Project Charter nor understands the project’s key business objectives.
- The requirements gathering process: In this section, describe the process that you will use to elicit, analyze and document the project requirements. Identify and describe at least 4 requirements collection tool(s) & techniques you intend to use to collect project requirements from key stakeholders. Moreover, please comment on collection method’s efficiently to collect necessary project requirements. (Note: project efficiency should focus on timeliness to collect requirements vs. cost to collect requirements)
- Key Roles and responsibilities: In this section, please list the roles & responsibilities of at least 5 key project stakeholders who will be involved with gathering, creating and managing the project requirements throughout the project ‘s lifecycle.
(For example: Roles could include the project manager, project sponsor, business analyst, customer(s) or project team SMEs, or other key stakeholders. Responsibilities could include requirements elicitation, change management, requirements creation, testing and approving requirements. etc.) - Assess Requirements: From your project case overview and individual research, write at least 6 requirements. Please ensure requirements follow the SMART guideline for effective project requirements. Moreover, each requirement must be categorized based upon the project’s defined strategic objectives & goals.
Please categorized each requirement into Must Have, should have and Could have/Would like to have (pls refer to the MoSCoW Method). You can use a table for this section. - Requirements Collection Timetable: Using at least 3 requirements collection methods, briefly identify a requirements collection schedule for your project. Please justify your timeline based upon key resources availability, their assumed skills and the collection method used.
- Requirements traceability: Please describe how the team will track and manage requirements from requirements elicitation to identifying project deliverable, WBS / project schedule development and scope change management. [Hint: Review 100% rule].
- RMP Approval: Identify who will review and approve the RMP. Please comment on how you will communicate the RMP to project team and key stakeholders.
Assignment Format
Below are some key guidelines you will want to ensure you follow in creating this assignment.
Think of this short list as a quality control checklist:
• Requirements Management Plan template must be complete, pls submit in MS Word (.doc, .docx) or .pdf formats
• You should format the document professionally
Project Scenario
Proposed: Enterprise Project Management (PM) Tool Selection and Implementation Project
You are part of a high-powered consulting group (EAA Inc.) who provides our clients with professional services on how to assess, recommend, develop and implement project management processes and systems. We have been in business for 10+ years – and we are considered the “Best and Brightest!”
I have just returned from a Board of Directors meeting with a large non-profit client (TestSmart Group [TSG]) who provides educational testing services under contract for Massachusetts State, Department of Education (DoE). I have been working with this client over the past few years to improve their organizational project management maturity.
For the first 3 years, our PM improvement focus and objectives with TSG has been on establishing formalized project management processes, simple tools & templates and significantly enhancing TSG’s PM capabilities for the following PM disciplines:
- Project Charter / Project Concept Documentation
- Requirements Elicitation Process & Project Scope Statement
- Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Project Schedule Development Processes
- Elaborative PM Estimating – Resource Effort and Task Duration
- Critical Path Scheduling and Management
- Project Communication Planning
- Integrated Project Scope Change Control Management Process
- Project Risk Management
- Project Issue Management
- Project Quality Management Planning
- Lessons Learned – for continuous project management maturity & process improvement
- Program Management
- Project Portfolio Life-Cycle Management (to include: Project intake, selection, prioritization and project sequencing)
Background: The work we have done with TestSmart Group (TSG) to date has included building the Project Management methodology frameworks and processes, conducting training for project managers and their project teams on effective project management, and coaching teams in the development of their project plans.
Moreover, we have most recently implemented processes and templates for program and project portfolio management to add strategic-level project governance to TSG. We have noticed that implementing enterprise wide project management tools and capabilities has a significant impact on TSG’s culture and how they provide services to their clients. Bottom-line is that implementing PM has been significantly changed the TSG organization.
Critically, we have realized that leading the organization change has been a big part of this long-term initiative. Moreover, we have also established an Enterprise PMO to be TSG’s ‘Center of PM Excellence!” Overall, we are excited about the improvement results and are actively preparing for next steps in our PM maturity journey with TSG – our most valued client.
Currently, TSG uses Microsoft SharePoint as a PM work product management repository and project team collaboration tool. Consequently, there is a project SharePoint site created for each project and teams have been using a number of different tools to manage projects including MS Project, Excel Gantt Charts, and Jira (www.atlassian.com/Jira).
While these tools are mostly working well, the organization has realized that they may be able to increase productivity and improve the quality of project planning and execution by using more current and productive PM collaborative tools. As a result, TSG has asked us to engage in a project to accomplish the following objectives [high-level project scope elements gathered by the initial business case done in 2016]:
- Define a process for assessing and selecting the “Best Value” automation tool that will meet all TSG’s PM requirements for needed PM processes, tools & templates and project planning and collaboration.
- Identify, procure, and then successfully implement a project management software tool(s) solution for TSG.
- Project work also must include the design & development of PM training for the selected PM automation tool.
- Providing PM automation tool familiarization training for TSG’s managers, all project sponsors, portfolio managers, program managers, project managers and project team members.
- Project must also identify and train advanced users (i.e. train-the-trainer) to serve as operational support for teams using the selected tool(s).
These were some high-level requirements and solution objectives gathered a few years ago. Obviously, TSG management expects us to fully gather additional requirements for this initiative. Therefore, requirements still need to be collected, prioritized and validated. TSG expects that the solution must support project managers at the project level, program managers in managing their enterprise programs and to provide the functionality for TSG’s senior managers to make informed decisions at the enterprise project portfolio level for project approval, prioritization and sequencing. Moreover, the selected solution must provide effective, accurate and timely project progress information and metric dashboards for TSG managers and TSG’s Board of Directors.
Currently, Microsoft Project (application) is used for scheduling single projects; however, it is not clear that the Microsoft Project Portfolio suite is the optimal solution for managing the integration of projects throughout the entire organization.
High-level proposed roadmap of action(s):
I had a high-level 1-hour meeting with TSH senior managers. At this meeting we identified some high- level actions that may help us move the project forward.
– TSG PM
stakeholder requirements need to be better defined, validated and categorized,
– Potential vendor solutions/tools need to be analyzed,
– Then an enterprise-wide PM automation solution selected and planning for
implementation to be determined.
Notes I made to myself at this meeting:
- – The requirements / scope information here is really not fully adequate for an effective implementation project plan.
- – Therefore,
my consulting team must conduct [real-world] outside research to identify
current solution functionality & more detailed requirements to assess,
select and implement an effective enterprise wide PM solution.
[A good practice is to actually go to vendors’ website to see tool functionality and services). - – Moreover, client’s current PM processes need to be considered and integrated into the chosen solution.
- – Don’t’ forget the extensive training that needs to be identified, designed and delivered – management is not talking about this!
- – Job aides & process guides, on how to use the chosen PM solution, must be developed for all TSG’s critical project management roles. I can’t think of them all??
- – Get with the team -so much to think about and begin Scoping!!
Action: At this meeting, I quickly volunteered our team to assess and create project requirements planning and scope development plan for this critical project(s). Taking points with consulting team:
- We have 3 weeks to begin work with stakeholders to define a more detailed level of clear and testable requirements.
- Once we better understand the project requirements, we have an additional 3 weeks to develop a viable Project Scope Statement (PSS) and detailed Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to present to the Project Sponsor for review and approval (in Week 6).
- This is a very tight timeline so, to pull this project scope together, we need to quickly get to work!
I have provided preliminary information in the (very rough order of magnitude [ROM] – high level) draft scope, below.
I expect over the next few weeks the team must add additional insights to adequately complete this document for approval.
I am sure here are many things I have overlooked – team – please feel free to add additional sections to best define the scope of the project.
I (Professor) will play the role of Project Sponsor for this initiative.
Some High-Level Project Objectives/ Success Criteria (from old Project Charter):
- Define requirements to identify, procure and implement a project management software tool(s) for use within TSG.
- We have 6 weeks for the project scoping work – planning is to commence on 1st Qtr. – 2020 and project plan integration must be completed by summer 2020 for a Board decision.
- Since the work is budgeted for calendar years 2020 and 2021, the entire project needs to be complete by 12/31/2021.
- The organization’s leadership is committed to using this solution – beginning of 2022.
Some Project Charter elements already identified:
Assigned Project Manager: Each team select a PM
Sponsor (Charter): <Professor>, representing the non-profit client (TSG) will act as sponsor and approve all plans, budgets, requests for contingency and proposed project scope changes.
“Top Down” Project Scope Description: The work of this initial project is to define the scope for PM solution selection, procurement and plan to successfully implement an enterprise project management software tool(s) for use within TSG:
Initial Scope & Known Constraints – more to be determined by team:
| Work Includes (In Scope) | Work Does Not Include (Out of Scope) |
| At least 4 potential vendors must be evaluated. (Note: real world PM tool research is highly recommended) | Ongoing maintenance of the selected tool set. |
| Establish advanced users training / ongoing mentoring of TSG’s PMO on how to use the selected tool to improve TSG’s project management practices. | No infrastructure requirements need to be planned for – this is already being done by TSG’s IT Department. |
| Create and conduct training sessions for all TSG’s critical stakeholders. | Upgrades to hardware or connectivity. Also, security considerations have already been identified by TSG’s IT Dept. |
| Assess impact of new PM tool to TSG’s organization. Then, create a proposed effective organizational change management strategy initiative (follow on work). | Updates to existing project management templates, processes and methodology documentation. |
Some known Acceptance Criteria – more to be developed by team:
- Project, program, portfolio managers and team members are able to use selected tool in the execution of their project work. Success Metric: 100% of PMs, PgM and PPM team have tool access, and are fully trained on tools. Sponsor Approval / Sign-off required.
- Current TSG project management processes and templates are integrated with selected tool. Success Metric: 100% of all current PM tools, process guide, templates are successfully deployed into new PM tool. Sponsor Approval / sign-off required.
- New PM tool(s) are available for enterprise wide use by 1/01/2022. Success Metric(s): PM tool functionality approved by all stakeholders, tools integration and systems testing completed. Sponsor Approval / sign-off required.
- Organizational Change Management plan proposed. Success Metric: Proposed TSG Change Mgt Plan reviewed and approved by project sponsor for presentation to Board.
Project Exclusions – see out of scope above.
Project Constraints
- PM solution selection Budget – $650,000 (USD) has been approved for project.
- Project Sponsor holds an additional $100,000 in management reserves – Sponsor controls this contingency budget. TSG has an additional $500,000 in reserves. Only TSG’s Board of Directors can approve and allocate these funds.
- Quality – All customer requirements identified as ‘deliverables’ and adequately planned for enterprise wide implementation and deployment. Project sponsor reviews and approvals are signed off before the project is declared complete. Project teams may leverage PMI’s PMBOK processes as reference standards.
Known Project Assumptions
- No authorized project work beyond project scope & planning
- Core project team (you) will be hired as consultants for execution of the project
- Client’s (TSG’s) human resources are also available to be SME’s and to be assigned to the project.
- The core project team (you – consultants) may only devote 75 percent of their schedule to this project (Standard: 40 hours/week). Overtime is available and must be approved by project sponsor.
Minimal Major Milestones (of course I would expect to see more)
- Project Start Milestone • Milestones for each Project Phase (Project Initiation, Project Planning, Project Execution and Project Shutdown)
- Tool Selection Completed Milestone
- Project Planning Complete and Approved
- Entire Project Completed
- Other Milestones – To be determined by Project Team
Follow on Project Scenario Details
Periodically, I may provide additional information to teams – like recommended project scope change. This additional information may not be the same for all teams. The goal here is to have each team react to ‘real world’ project issues and assess impact to the project.
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