Mobile App Part 3 (Risk)

CIS 348

Assignment 6: Mobile App Part 3 (Risk)

Assignment 6: Mobile App Part 3 (Risk)

Introduction

In this paper I will document at least ten (10) total risks (two [2] risks for each phase of IT projects) of the mobile application development project. I will assess the likelihood of occurrence for each risk. I will assess the impact of each risk on the success of the project and identify an owner for each of the risks. Finally I will recommend a strategy to manage each risk.

The first two risks I will discuss will have to do with the design phase of the project. The first risk being whether or not a thorough and complete risk analysis has been completed. If a proper risk analysis wasn’t completed, then there could potentially be critical failures that were not identified or accepted that could prove to be detrimental to the project. The second risk would be if the critical path has been properly identified by the PM. If the PM fails to identify the critical path, the project will have inaccurate timelines which will affect the end date and result in unforeseen costs, negatively impacting the budget.

The next two risks I will discuss will be in regards to the development phase 1. One of the risks to be mindful of during early development is the potential for increasing uncontrolled requirements or scope creep. Typically this happens when the scope hasn’t been properly defined and often result in a cost overrun. The second risk to be mindful of would be poor productivity from teams. Often when project timelines are longer, teams fail to work with a sense of purpose resulting in time lost that can’t be regained.

The next two risks I will discuss are in regards to the development phase 2. The first gold plating. This is a risk because it results in a waste of hours that could have been focused in other areas. The second would be the rate at which employees are turning over. If key staff are leaving the project, they could potentially be taking valuable information with them. This could lead to further delays and a significant loss of information.

The next two risks I will discuss are in regards to the testing phase of the project. The first is whether or not there is sufficient time for a thorough test to be completed. Often times, timeline are short leaving testing schedules rather tight which can result in critical steps being missed or overlooked. The second risk to be aware of is the testing tools and methods. Typically testing only identifies at most, half of potential issues and if you begin testing without the proper tools, that number will greatly be reduced and could result in release dates being pushed or a very flawed product release.

The final two risks I will discuss will be in regards to the release phase. The first is natural disasters. A natural disaster could delay the product release potentially indefinitely depending on the damage caused, data lost and how well an organization responds to it. The second risk is the premature release of the application if it hasn’t been properly tested and reviewed. A product that is prematurely release could have many bugs, missing functionalities, and doesn’t perform as anticipated which could result in a damage to reputation, loss of time, money and customer base.

In conclusion, it is important to have a well thought out plan and design for projects as this is what will set the foundation for the project. A proper risk assessment will also need to be completed prior to starting any development. The PM will need to identify the critical path so he can provide the timeline to teams and ensure it is adhered to in order to meet the project deadline and budget constraints. The PM also needs to ensure he is keeping detailed records of all efforts in case an employee departs. The PM also needs to ensure testing is thorough and complete and that teams have the tools in order to do so. Finally, natural disaster can occur without warning and not preventable however, releasing a product prematurely is avoidable and should not be allowed.