Done for Xavier at WGU who didn't Pay

Following the recent rapid growth of Soleil Panel Distribution from 15 to 150+ employees, the onboarding process has become an operational challenge and requires a lot of manual work. Leveraging an information system solution such as SolDistHR can facilitate operational efficiency of the company. It can enhance work speed and accuracy consistently (Cummings & Haag, 2012). SolDistHR would centralize employee information and automate routine onboarding tasks while creating a streamlined workflow for new hires. It will centralize the process in one system, eliminating the involvement of different departments handling the tasks separately. It will improve coordination and visibility by streamlining forms tracking, approvals, and orientation progress. It will reduce errors and share the existing overload on administrators. Shifting routine tasks into the system will free the staff for higher-value work by automating reminders, notifications, and checklists. Moreover, it will also improve departmental communication and coordination between HR, managers, and IT with standardized onboarding steps and indication of required tasks and application status. Consequently, SolDistHR, as a well-designed information system, will improve efficiencies and save time while standardizing the process for continued growth. Moreover, it will facilitate the company in scaling up while being cost-effective.

A1. Business Process Management in SolDistHR Development

Business Process Management refers to the discipline of analyzing and improving organizational flow, modeling, and automating businesses. BPM can provide the IT department with a structured way to understand the current process. It helps them review how new hires are currently onboarded across different departments. Secondly, BPM facilitates them in finding inefficiencies such as delays, repeated work, missing documents, and communication gaps (Hammer, 2015). These insights will serve to be foundational for the development of SolDistHR and redesign the process to improve the onboarding workflow. Moreover, it allows them to align the system to the process, such as configuring SolDistHR to support routine tasks. Lastly, BPM established a continuous improvement framework, which allows IT professionals to monitor and use system data and refine both the process and the platform accordingly.

A2. Applying the Five Steps of Change Management

The five-step change management model can be applied for the development of SolDistHR for enabling Soleil Panel Distribution to transition from manual onboarding to an efficient information system.

Step 1: Request for Change (RFC)

The Request for Change serves as the rationale and should be communicated clearly. The company should acknowledge that its present orientation process is insufficient and not scalable to cater to the volume of new hires. Thus, creating SolDistHR, an information system, is a crucial need to save time, reduce errors, and compete effectively. This stage involves outlining the impact, risks, and timeline for executive approval (Cummings & Haag, 2012).

Step 2: Change Evaluation and Planning

SPD should make a change plan and prepare themselves accordingly. All stakeholders, such as leadership, the IT department, and HR, need to articulate clear goals and communicate how SolDistHR can affect their operations and subsequent resource requirements. This step mitigates systemic resistance and builds support for the initiative.

Step 3: Change Implementation

SPD should implement the plan, where the IT department develops and deploys SolDistHR. Subsequently, data transfer and task integration into the platform should be done to facilitate efficient use of the system. Pilot testing should be conducted before full implementation. Moreover, developing the skillsets to use the information system is also integral; thus, training workshops and ongoing support for employees and managers must be provided (Cummings & Haag, 2012).

Step 4: Monitoring and Review

The IT department and the management have to monitor the change based on predefined KPIs. The evaluation of SolDistHR for the onboarding process, completion time, error rates, and other metrics must be done in order to enhance system performance.

Step 5: Sustainment and Continuous Improvement

Lastly, and most importantly, the company needs to sustain the change and launch improvements based on the feedback and usage metrics. These improvements indicate continuous changes and make SolDistHR more adaptive and custom to the needs of the company and users.

A3. Key Contributors and Their Responsibilities

The key contributors to the development of SolDistHR at SPD are the project manager, the software development team, the HR manager, and the end-use representatives. They share a set of key responsibilities as follows:

Project Manager

Responsible for overseeing the SolDistHR project across the planning and implementation phases
Manages the workflow, team coordination, communication, and resource allocations
Ensures project alignment with the business goals.

Software Development Team

Designs and builds the SolDistHR application
Translates HR requirements into technical work features
Work with the HR manager and end users to understand and meet operational needs
Identifying and resolving bugs and processing errors

HR Manager

Acts as the primary stakeholder and defines the requirements
Provides an end-user perspective across all stages of the project
Collaborate with IT and end-user representatives during design, testing, and training
Lead change management efforts within HR, i.e., preparing the staff for adoption and communicating benefits

End-User Representatives

Provide continuous feedback and validate prototype, design, and functions.
Act as a user voice to ensure the system corresponds to routine processes.
Helping colleagues to adopt and use the system after launch

B1. System Development Method Selection and Justification (Agile)

Selection, Justification, and Strengths

The Agile system development method appears to be most suited for rapid growth and changing requirements. The agile system development approach allows the application to be developed in phases and stages, and to be refined (Cummings & Haag, 2012). It allows the IT team to gather feedback from HR managers and end-users and refine the application by making improvements according to new requirements across the project timeline. This adaptability of the agile method serves as a crucial strength for the development of SolDistHR. In addition, it provides the project with flexibility following incremental delivery and early user involvement (Sinha et al., 2020). It facilitates collaboration between the development team, HR, and the end-user representative, which limits the risks of going wrong (Cao et al., 2009). It also ensures early detection of issues and prevents costly rework. Lastly, SPD has a seasoned software team, which is essential for a collaborative approach.

Weaknesses

Despite its various benefits, the Agile Method also has some shortcomings; firstly, it requires active and continuous involvement of stakeholders other than the software team. If the HR managers and end users aren’t able to regularly dedicate efforts and time, the development process can halt or slow down. Moreover, the agile method may incur additional costs and a less predictable timeline following the incremental development, testing, and refining approach (Sinha et al., 2020). Lastly, the Agile method may foster less emphasis on documentation as compared to the waterfall method. However, despite these challenges, the Agile method is most appropriate for the development of SolDistHR for SPD in the given context.

B2. Milestones in Agile Development

Clear deliverables that serve as significant progress are represented as milestones in the Agile method. The development of SolDistHR for SPD requires the following milestones;

Milestone 1: Initial Product Backlog

The HR team collaborates with the IT team to craft a structured list of prioritized features and data entry modules for new hirings. The deliverable is presented as an initial product backlog that is set to be reviewed and approved by the key stakeholders for completion.

Milestone 2: First Working Increment

Following the completion of the first milestone, the IT team starts development and delivers the first incremental but working piece of SolDistHR software. It may include the working interface with manual data entry options to generate welcome emails. Following testing and demonstration by the HR team, the increment will be accepted by the stakeholders for milestone completion.

Milestone 3: Incremental Feature Additions

The next iteration will include the addition of other functional features, such as email generation for system access. The same process of delivery, testing, and acceptance repeats for each sub increment to be marked as completed.

Milestone 4: Pilot Release

After several incremental iterations, the system will embrace sufficient functional capacity and be pilot test-ready. The IT team, along with the HR team, releases a pilot release to a set of people from specific departments. This deliverable will include integration procedures and user guides, along with the feedback collection. The successful pilot deployment will mark the completion of the milestone.

Milestone 5: Full Deployment

The pilot test feedback will be used to refine the system to make it ready for organization-wide deployment. The operational information system SolDistHR, along with its training material and support plan, will be the deliverables for this iteration. This milestone will be marked complete with the retirement of the previous system and full integration of SolDistHR.

Milestone 6: Project Closure Report

The final iteration of the project will include a report on learning and development of the program, which will include KPIs, performance metrics, and a recommendation plan for future scale. The milestone will be completed upon the acceptance of the report by the leadership.

C. Potential Security Threats after Implementation

Following the organization-wide implementation of SolDistHR, it is prone to several internal and external threats. These threats can harm organizational stature as well as its operation by compromising the confidentiality and integrity of data or the system (Cummings & Haag, 2012).

Internal Threats

HR staff or other employees with access may view and modify the personal data of employees, including their addresses, salaries, medical records, etc. It will create privacy and confidentiality crises for the department as well as the whole organization following any misuse. Data serves to be the primary element of the information system; any accidental data deletion or modification also serves as an internal threat. Besides, weak password practices can also be risky, specifically if an angry employee steals or modifies data. Lastly, if role-based access is not properly implemented, data leakage risks will likely increase. (Jouini et al., 2014)

External Threats

Cyber attackers and hackers often target information systems to gain access to valuable information. Phishing may attack HR or IT staff with deceptive emails to steal or infiltrate SolDistHR. This access can induce ransomware or malware software to infect the system. Besides, hacking threats to exploit vulnerabilities of applications, steal data, or interrupt access to SolDistHR also exist. Lastly, if SolDistHR is integrated with other organizational or third-party services, their weaknesses can also be used to compromise the system. (Cummings & Haag, 2012; Jouini et al., 2014)Thus, Soleil Panel Distribution needs to consider these internal and external threats to ensure the security, confidentiality, and availability of SolDistHR.

D. Protecting Against Digital and Physical Threats

Digital

Although information systems inherit their own digital and physical vulnerabilities and threats, they can be mitigated by implementing a strong security strategy (Cummings & Haag, 2012). Soleil Panel Distribution can protect SolDistHR from digital threats by adopting strong technical security controls and protocols. Firstly, role-based access control can provide data access and modification rights as per their jobs. Moreover, a strong password policy should be implemented along with the use of multi-factor authentication. Additionally, data encryption and data backups can be developed, as they will keep the data unreadable without the proper keys. Logging access and data modification across SolDistHR will also be useful in detecting unusual activity and triggering a rapid response with security tools. Network and device security issues should also be dealt with by deploying firewalls, antivirus software, and intrusion detection systems. Regular security checks and scans can also be conducted to fill the security gaps. Lastly, security awareness training for HR staff as well as IT departments to identify phishing attempts, social engineering tactics, and safe data handling practices will mitigate the digital threats.

Physical

SPD is also responsible for protecting SolDistHR from physical threats. The first level of protection is to safeguard the server rooms with restricted access and CCTV monitoring. Workstations with access to SolDistHR should be secured with device encryption and screen lock upon inactivity. Moreover, emanating offside or cloud-encrypted data backups of SolDistHR to protect from physical harm or disaster. A clean desk policy should be adopted to destroy all the prints with sensitive data by the end of the day. Old devices and hardware tools with confidential SolDistHR data must be handled carefully and destroyed regularly. The combination of these strategies will collectively safeguard the data and SolDistHR from security threats.

E. Troubleshooting and Restoration Approach

Troubleshooting Approach

The user reports the failure symptoms to the helpdesk. The first step is to identify the source and nature of the failure, whether the system is down, slow, or malfunctioning. Monitoring tools ring the alarms and alert the system with all logged details.

Following the diagnosis, the root cause is isolated as the IT team examines the system logs, network, and other functional and performance metrics. The issue is replicated to test the impact if required. The isolation limits the spread of the problem. Normally, issues are based on recent updates failures, bugs, server failures, etc.

Restoration Approach

Repairing and recovery are prioritized and scheduled as per the nature and impact. Critical incidents can cause major outages and are dealt with on priority. Appropriate relevant experts are engaged based on the nature of the problem. After troubleshooting the issue, SPD should activate the disaster recovery plan, and the company should restore SolDistHR based on backup recovery and contingency plans. Data recovery should be initiated by the IT team in case of any data loss or corruption. The system should be tested to check its functionality upon restoration. The restoration of full operation can only be followed by the resolution of the failure and verification by the IT team. Moreover, SPD should keep track of such failures and properly document the incident. It allows them to review the root cause, introduce recovery updates, and streamline recovery protocols to sustain the efficiency and functionality of SolDistHR. The troubleshooting and restoration plan can collectively reduce the downtime and protect important HR data without any disruption to the operations while SolDistHR experiences an issue.

F. Importance and Function of Problem Management

Importance of Problem Management

Problem Management can facilitate SPD to identify recurring issues in SolDistHR and devise a prevention plan. It will enhance the long-term reliability of SolDistHR. Without problem management, the IT team will be burdened with a reactive firefighting mode without addressing the root cause. It will increase the maintenance cost while posing a risk to the data (Bolton & Scott, 2016). In addition, it may also create frustration in the user. However, problem management can reduce downtime and improve user confidence. Besides, the system remains a competitive advantage for SPD and a trusted tool for scaling operations.

Functions

Problem management consists of three separate phases, including problem identification, problem control, and Error Control. Firstly, a proactive approach is adopted to diagnose potential issues before they damage the system or cause failure. For SolDistHR, reviewing and analyzing repeated error logs, desk tickets, and user feedback from HR can enable them to identify problems. The process can include root cause analysis or implementing a long-term corrective action (Bolton & Scott, 2016). Moreover, live observations from IT professionals can also help them identify the areas of improvement. Resultantly, they can map which services and features of the system are at risk and potentially increasing downtime. Following the identification of previous risk or a new incident, impact-based prioritization is devised and documented, such as which SolDistHR features are creating issues. The IT team analyzes the cause and effect cycle of the failure and develops temporary fixes that ensure HR operations can be continued without or with the least disruption.

Lastly, the expert team fixes all known bugs and errors and restores the system to its full efficiency. The error control enables IT experts to organize and document this knowledge so staff can respond to the incident quickly. While the team can implement permanent, cost-effective solutions to eliminate root causes, the need for workaround is eliminated, and the volume of error declines, signaling the enhanced stability of the system (Bolton & Scott, 2016). SPD can adopt a comprehensive problem management approach to enhance the resilience of SolDistHR.

G. Incident Management Steps

Incident Management refers to the process of restoring service operations as quickly as possible, while minimizing the disruption to the business (Bolton & Scott, 2016). For the SolDistHR system, the primary goal remains restoring the HR system without halting their operations.

Firstly, the accurate identification and logging of the accidents will be done based on their description of the system, affected user, scale, time, duration, and other historical data. Secondly, the incident is classified within predefined categories to streamline the appropriate response team. It also enables the identification of the issues. Following the determination of impact, an urgency level is tagged with the problem based on how critical the impact is. Predefined priority framework or guidelines will ensure adequate and appropriate resource allocation and limit any systemic escalation to the SolDistHR.

Fourthly, an initial diagnosis will be conducted, followed by a match with the previous issues in the error database to find a relevant workaround or solution. If found, the solution will immediately be applied to restore the system. However, if no solution is found in the database, further investigation by the relevant teams will be conducted to first implement a turnaround or temporary fix that normalizes SolDistHR functioning. The issue is marked resolved once the system is resolved. Lastly, data from the incidents is passed into the problem management system, where extensive analysis of the issue helps resolve it permanently and prevent recurrence. Besides, proper documentation of the solution in the database is also maintained to ensure future matches in categorization.

References

Bolton, J., & Scott, B. (2016). Problem Management. TSO.

https://www.internationalbestpractice.com/gempdf/Problem_Management_Contents.pdf

Cao, L., Mohan, K., Xu, P., & Ramesh, B. (2009). A framework for adapting agile development methodologies. European Journal of Information Systems, 18(4), 332–343. https://doi.org/10.1057/ejis.2009.26

Cummings, M., & Haag, S. (2012). Management Information Systems for the Information Age. McGraw-Hill Education. https://archive.org/details/isbn_2900073376782

Hammer, M. (2015). What is Business Process Management? In J. vom Brocke & M. Rosemann (Eds.), Handbook on Business Process Management 1: Introduction, Methods, and Information Systems (pp. 3–16). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-45100-3_1

Jouini, M., Rabai, L. B. A., & Aissa, A. B. (2014). Classification of Security Threats in Information Systems. Procedia Computer Science, The 5th International Conference on Ambient Systems, Networks and Technologies (ANT-2014), the 4th International Conference on Sustainable Energy Information Technology (SEIT-2014), 32, 489–496. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2014.05.452

Sinha, R., Shameem, M., & Kumar, C. (2020). SWOT: Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for Scaling Agile Methods in Global Software Development. Proceedings of the 13th Innovations in Software Engineering Conference (Formerly Known as India Software Engineering Conference), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1145/3385032.3385037

Search This Blog

People who didn't Pay and Ranawat

A. Leveraging an IS Solution for Operational Efficiency