Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Running head: PROBLEM SOLUTION: HARRISON-KEYES INC.

Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Sandra DeFelice - Owens

University of Phoenix

Problem Solution: Harrison-Keyes Inc.

Harrison-Keyes is a publishing company that under the direction of Meg McGill has made the decision to change its format of delivery to digital materials as well as paper print. The obstacles that will challenge this move will need to be addressed as the company moves forward with the strategic plan to change it’s formatting of delivery.

In the midst of the implementation phase the company begins to realize that the planning stages of the project may be falling short of the actual steps necessary to complete the project. Their poor planning and inability to foresee the many obstacles that they are now facing as the plan unfolds is placing the delivery timeline and many other aspects of the project in jeopardy of failing. Technology advancements will need to be reconsidered with the improvements to all the hardware and software components to handle the extra load that this format will require as well as better communication with the contractual company handling the digitizing of the material.

The underestimated need for a more thorough planning phase has now left the company with many gaps on the implementation process and will require the staff to reevaluate the timeline that has put in place for completion of the project. Technology and communication will be the critical pieces to the project moving forward.

Describe the Situation

Issue and Opportunity Identification

Harrison-Keyes is in the midst of a major change to digital delivery of published material. In the planning process many issues were not addressed and now must be immediately considered to keep the project on the intended timeline of delivery. Meg McGill is faced with the issues from the authors currently under contractual agreements with the company with regards to royalty issues and the security of their written works. In order to keep the negative media attention to a minimum it will be necessary for her to meet with the group to explain the advantages to this form of delivery. The legal department and Mark Simmons, who has a good understanding of digital rights of the author, should also play a lead role in this meeting.

Mack Evans is the current technology person in charge of the company’s computers and although he has the basic knowledge of the systems he is now in need of outside help. Harrison-Keyes should immediately hire a consulting firm and a technology specialist to assist in the implementation and upgrade of the system to insure customer satisfaction with delivery. Mark Evans will play an important role in bringing this firm on board by assisting with the initial evaluation and overseeing the recommendations to his department.

Top management involved in the project is in need of a reorganization of the project scope and timeline to realign the project. Although the company has set timelines there are no actual measurements in place to gauge when there may be a problem or when intervention measures should be implemented. Gaining more specific measurements in terms of the timelines for completion of certain steps is needed in order for the company to get an overall view of the issues that have been caused delays. Other components of the project such as the outsourced digitalization of the material seems to be behind, poor communication guidelines are hindering the companies ability to clearly know where they are on this phase and the technology department needs a make over prior to the total roll out of the new format. It is important to keep in mind that although the technology improvements must be made to support the new format to be sure that the company does not encounter scope creep.

"Scope creep" can play havoc with a performance improvement project, where a series of small, gradual increases in a project's scope push the project beyond the available schedule or budget or reduce its quality to unacceptable levels.(Villachica, Stone & Endicott)

Stakeholder Perspectives/Ethical Dilemmas

There are many shareholders that will be affected by the digital conversion project that Harrison-Keyes has initiated. Through conversations it is clear that the current authors contracted to the company are worried about the impact that the change will have on their royalties as well as the