Gregory Byron Bogenschutz

Sierra Corporation Projects using Modified MSF

• Evaluation of ERP Alternatives to SAGE

• Link Item Key Master info with Product Management Database

• Project to Optimize Efficiency for Small Batch Production

• Move customer information into drop-downs in Product Management database

Projects Considered

• Acquire and Customize Strategic Sales System

• Additional Statistical Analysis on Metrics for Quality Objectives

• Assessment of Market Growth by Geography

• UPC Bar Coding Project

• Make Safety Datasheets Available on line.

• Acquire and Customize Strategic Sales System

• UPC Bar Coding Project

• Make Safety Datasheets Available on line

Projects Selected for Initiation Phase

• Currently Sierra has limited use of sales tools.

• Anticipated benefits –

– Short term benefits – There will be gradual improvement in sales efficiency.

– Long term benefits – There will be some major breakthrough sales that will result from the completion of complex sales.

• Budget

– Resource Cost of doing a thorough a needs analysis for Sierra Paints and TK Products sales.

– Resource Costs for doing the customization of the sales systems to match the Sierra Paints and TK Products sales approach.

– Resource Cost for training the sale representatives.

• Additional Information – There are proven approaches to complex sales that are commercially available.

Acquire and Customize Strategic Sales System

• Come up with a scheme to start adding UPC codes. – TK first because most of our products are resold and a lot of our customers are moving to

the codes. Sierra Paint products could be easily added. For some Sierra Paint labels the location of the UPC Bar Code has already been reserved.

• Anticipated benefits –– Short term benefits – Customers may become aware of TK Products’ ability to use bar

codes. Additional business may result. – Long term benefits – Use of UPC bar coding may provide new market opportunities. Also

UPC Bar Coding may pave the way for future automation of tracking product inventory.

• Budget – Cost of assigning more UPC Codes.– Resource Cost of Development of Labels

• Rough Estimate of Timing – 2-3 Months

UPC Bar Coding Project

• Two functional objectives have been identified for project completion:– Produce product SDS’s and save as PDF’s. Save PDF’s in folders on shared

server.

– Move PDF’s from shared directory to SharePoint Site. Move PDF’s from shared directory to SharePoint Site.

– Short term benefits –• Quicker access to SDS’s

• No wear and tear of SDS’s

• Transfer of SDS information to Customers will be facilitated.

Make Safety Data Sheets Available on line

• MSF uses two models and three disciplines.

• The MSF team model organizes people to do the work of the project and ensures that all project goals are met by linking each team role with a major project responsibility.

• The MSF process model organizes the process needed to create and deliver a solution by ordering it in time, dividing it into distinct phases marked by milestones.

• The MSF project management discipline ensures that project management activities are streamlined, and that they help rather than hinder the success of the team.

• The MSF risk management discipline is used to minimize surprises, .firefighting, . and other expensive activities by proactively managing risk.

• The MSF readiness management discipline is used to proactively identify the skills required by the team for each project, and to use projects as learning opportunities.

Modified Microsoft Solution Framework

MSF Models and Disciplines

Where MSF Fits in the IT Life Cycle

• MSF is closely related to the Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF), which is Microsoft’s approach to achieving mission-critical production system reliability, availability and manageability. MOF is based on an internationally accepted set of best practices in IT service management set forth in the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). MSF and MOF have been designed to work well together, as well as independently. MSF is focused on building solutions (.Build IT right.), whereas MOF is focused on running the IT infrastructure, which encompasses the solutions that MSF builds (.Run IT right.). The next slide shows that there are areas of overlap where close coordination is required.

Where MSF Fits in the IT Life Cycle

• MSF is closely related to the Microsoft Operations Framework (MOF), which is Microsoft’s approach to achieving mission-critical production system reliability, availability and manageability.

• MOF is based on an internationally accepted set of best practices in IT service management set forth in the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL). MSF and MOF have been designed to work well together, as well as independently.

• MSF is focused on building solutions (“Build IT right”), whereas MOF is focused on running the IT infrastructure, which encompasses the solutions that MSF builds (“Run IT right”).

• The previous slide shows that there are areas of overlap where close coordination is required.

Where MSF Fits in the IT Life Cycle

MSF Team Model

• The MSF team model is a model for IT project teams. It has six role clusters (commonly referred to as just “roles” that correspond to major project goals and have responsibility for them.

• The circular structure of the model, with equally sized ovals for the roles, shows that it is a nonhierarchical model and that each role is considered equally important in its contribution to the project.

• Although different roles may be more or less active at different stages of a project, none can be omitted.

• The placement of communication in the center of the circle connotes that it is integral to the structure. Effective communication is supported by the model and is essential to its functioning.

MSF Team Model