Title: Virtual Office Plan for Project Management
By:
Arlene McClain
A Project Management Capstone
Submitted to the Worldwide Campus
In Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree of
Masters of Science Degree in Project Management
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Los Angeles Metro Campus
December 2009
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ABSTRACT
Researcher: Arlene K. McClain
Title: Virtual Office Plan for Project Management
Institution: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Degree: Masters of Science in Project Management
The purpose of this paper is to report on the project Virtual Office is term for Telecommuting,
E-commuting, e-work, working at home, or working from home. Virtual Office is a work
arrangement in which employees enjoy the flexibility in working location. In other words, the
daily commute to a work place is replaced by telecommunication internet links. Auto Club
started Virtual Office pilot program to test employees work from Telecommuting eliminates
the driving distance restriction. Telework is a broader term for any form of work-related travel
that substitutes telecommunicating. A motto for telecommuting is that "work is something you
do, not something you travel to". A successful telecommuting program requires a management
style based on work related results. If a company believes in micro-management then this
program will not work based on management needing scrutiny of individual employees. Such
tools as virtual private networks, video conferencing, and voice facilitate long distance
telework over IP. It can be efficient and useful for companies as it allows staff and workers to
communicate over a large distance, saving significant amounts of travel time and cost.
Broadband Internet connections are now the common trend. In addition, workers have enough
bandwidth at home to use these tools to link their home to their corporate office.
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Support Resources
The business environment at the Auto Club Corporation is changing. The Auto Club
Corporation needs provide a tool for all employees to be able to act more quickly, more
effectively in a collaborative environment. The Virtual Office methodology is a workplace
design that will help Auto Club become more competitive. The purpose of this Virtual Office
Plan is to establish and sustain a common process for Virtual Office application, determination,
and approval for all employees of the Information Technology Systems (MES) organization as
authorized by the Auto Club PROCEDURE 901, Virtual Office Program”. Resources:
Company-Wide Virtual Office Program and Virtual Office Local Core Team.
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CHAPTER I
INITIATIING
Introduction
Telecommuting is an alternative work arrangement for employees to conduct all or
some of their work away from the primary workplace. The work location might be a residence,
a telecenter, an office closer to the employee's residence, or another acceptable
location. .Managers and supervisors are key players in the telecommuting process. They set the
parameters of the arrangement and define the proper work core hours for their organizations.
Studies show that clear guidance and direction increase the chances of success for
telecommuting programs.
Background of the Project
The business environment at the Auto Club Corporation is changing. The Auto Club
Corporation will provide a tool for all employees to be able to act more quickly, more
effectively in a collaborative environment. The Virtual Office methodology is a workplace
design that will help Auto Club become more competitive. The purpose of this Virtual Office
Plan is to establish and sustain a common process for Virtual Office application, determination,
and approval for all employees of the Information Technology Systems (MES) organization as
authorized by the Auto Club PROCEDURE 901, “Virtual Office Program”.
Guidelines & Selection Criteria
General Guidelines for All: The Virtual Office is a cooperative arrangement
between the manager and the participant, not entitlement. Individuals who are able to provide a
good business case will generally be allowed to participate. Virtual Office participation is
situational and may change depending on business or employee needs. Written arrangements
between the manager and the participant must be renewed at least annually in accordance with
Company PROCEDURE 901. A manager’s decision to deny employee participation or an
employee’s choice to participate or not in virtual office program will not be inferred as
punitive action. Company policies and procedures, as amended, may supersede this Plan. This
Plan will be updated as process improvements or future enhancements are put in place.
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Develop Project Charter
A project charter or project definition is a statement of the scope, objectives, and
participants in a project. It provides a preliminary delineation of roles and responsibilities,
outlines the project objectives, identifies the main stakeholders, and defines the authority of the
project manager. It serves as a reference of authority for the future of the project. The Virtual
Office Program has been approved for use in all Auto Club organizations, including
subsidiaries company-wide.
Develop Preliminary Scope Statement
The Expected Benefits for telecommuting will be immediate response to all activities of
the Virtual Office, including telecommuting (or work-at-home), mobile computing, and
satellite offices, must make business sense for the Auto Club Company. The Company-wide
Virtual Office Program will collect the following metrics at a company level: Commute Trip
Reduction (CTR) credit and Overall Program Participation. In deploying a Virtual Office in the
Information Technology Systems organization, the following benefits/outcomes are expected:
Increase or maintain employee satisfaction and morale, Increase or maintain productivity,
Increase or maintain customer satisfaction, Retain valued employees, and Reduce facilities
costs. The expected Virtual Office benefits will be tracked by core team metrics via statistics
and surveys of participants, their managers, coworkers and customers, where appropriate.
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CHAPTER II
PLANNING
The project management plan is a document that describes the virtual office plan used by a
project team. The objective of a project management plan is to define the approach of the
virtual office plan. This program is voluntary and will be deployed as an organizational
business strategy and a tool for flexibility; it is not an entitlement. Individuals wanting to
participate should follow the process below outlined in the Telecommuter section of the Virtual
Office website. The business environment at the Auto Club Corporation is changing. The Auto
Club Corporation needs provide a tool for all employees to be able to act more quickly, more
effectively in a collaborative environment. The Virtual Office methodology is a workplace
design that will help Auto Club become more competitive. The purpose of this Virtual Office
Plan is to establish and sustain a common process for Virtual Office application, determination,
and approval for all employees of the Information Technology Systems. The following are
instructions for Managers. Managers should use the attributes below to evaluate the applicant’s
ability to participate. Additionally, managers are encouraged to review the Management section
of the Virtual Office website for a complete program description and additional selection
guidance. Individuals wanting to participate should follow the process outlined in the
Telecommuter Checklist. Managers will instruct the Telecommuting Introduction forms.
Managers will instruct the employees the “Telecommuter Self-Assessment”. Individuals will
follow the 7-Step process for becoming a Telecommuter.
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Scope Planning
The project scope management plan is a planning tool describing how the team will
define the project scope, develop the detailed project scope statement, define and develop the
work breakdown structure, verify the project scope, and control the project scope. The project
charter is to create a virtual office work environment for Auto Club. The outline of this project
for Virtual Office or Telecommuting, e-commuting, e-work, working at home, or working
from home. Virtual Office is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy the flexibility in
working location. The daily commute to a work place is replaced by telecommunication
internet links. Auto Club started Virtual Office pilot program to test employees work from
home web commuters utilize mobile telecommunications technology. Telecommuting
eliminates the driving distance to work resulting in quick response time for business related
problems. This outlines project plan the project objectives, identifies the main stakeholders,
and defines the authority of the project manager.
The development of the project scope management plan and the detailing of the project
scope begin with the analysis of information contained in the project charter (PMBOK, 2004),
the preliminary project scope statement (PMBOK, 2004), the latest approved version of the
project management plan (PMBOK, 2004), historical information contained in the
organizational process assets (PMBOK, 2004), and any relevant enterprise environmental
factors.
Scope Definition
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The business environment at the Auto Club Corporation is changing. The Auto Club
Corporation needs provide a tool for all employees to be able to act more quickly, more
effectively in a collaborative environment. The Virtual Office methodology is a workplace
design that will help Auto Club become more competitive. The purpose of this Virtual Office
Plan is to establish and sustain a common process for Virtual Office application, determination,
and approval for all employees of the Information Technology Systems. The following are
instructions for Managers. Managers should use the attributes below to evaluate the applicant’s
ability to participate. Additionally, managers are encouraged to review the Management section
of the Virtual Office website for a complete program description and additional selection
guidance. Individuals wanting to participate should follow the process outlined in the
Telecommuter Checklist. Managers will instruct the Telecommuting Introduction forms.
Managers will instruct the employees the “Telecommuter Self-Assessment”. Individuals will
follow the 7-Step process for becoming a Telecommuter.
Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
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Work Breakdown structure (WBS) is a technique for defining and organizing the total
scope of a project, using a hierarchical tree structure. The first two levels of the WBS define a
set of planned outcomes that collectively and exclusively represent project scope. A well-
designed WBS describes planned outcomes instead of planned actions. Outcomes are the
desired ends of the project. Virtual Office methodology is a workplace design that will help
Auto Club become more competitive. The purpose of this Virtual Office Plan is to establish
and sustain a common process for Virtual Office application, determination, and approval for
all employees of the Information Technology Systems.
Schedule Development
The scheduled development process needs to list all resources necessary for supporting
the Virtual Office project. The best support path for participants and managers alike is to
follow existing processes wherever possible first. If those resources do not resolve the specific
telecommuting issue, it would be best to contact the local core team listed below. It is
important that participants in the program be fitted with the tools necessary to perform their
tasks and assignments offsite. This may include computing hardware, software, communication
tools such as phones and/or pagers, data connectivity and other tools and services. Organization
Policy on Equipment & Services for Telecommuters is listed in the procedures below. The
Information Technology Systems organization may supply program participants with computer
equipment, software, telecommunications services, or other provisions.
Cost Estimating
Use the following document, Hardware Standards List, when determining virtual office
requirements for the employee. Employees may use personally owned equipment to
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Telecommute in accordance with Computing guidelines. Managers are authorized to provide
all participants with organizationally owned computing equipment (e.g. laptop, desktop or
other assets). The recommended software to support the Virtual Office is that software
necessary to accomplish the participants’ assignments. Participants using Auto Club computing
assets will be provided with the appropriate software. Employees may obtain standard software
for home use in accordance with company licensing agreements. Employees may purchase
software for home use in accordance with company licensing and procurement agreements.
Refer to the Home Use Software Program. Project Managers must authorized and provide
participants with individual software licenses for special software need on a case-by-case basis.
Cost Budgeting
The Telecommunications Services could be standard Dial-up Remote access when
Telecommuting in accordance with Computing, Network and Security policies. On a case-by-
case basis with the managers approval employees are authorized to provide the following
telecommunications services requests to participants who telecommute at least 20 hours per
week with approval: 1) Company-paid cell phone or calling card for voice and team
collaboration. 2) The Auto Club will pay DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection. 3)
Reimbursement for commercially available Cable/DSL/Internet Service Provider services in
accordance with company policy. 4) The Auto Club will paid mobile/wireless/cellular phone
data. 5) Director-level approval required. 6) Approval for company DSL service must also be
in accordance with service guidelines.
Quality Planning
Managers have the following responsibilities: Review the Management section of
the Company-wide Virtual Office Program website. Must follow the guidance set forth in this
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Implementation Plan understand the guidelines, goals and objectives integral to this
organization’s implementation of the Virtual Office Program. Should review and must comply
with the manager responsibilities and provisions in Virtual Office Policy. Management must
approve their direct report’s Telecommuting Application Package. Confirm customer support
for the Virtual Office Program. Keep the original signed forms in a file folder for future
reference. Approve exceptions to the Plan with their manager and notify the organization’s
local core team. Provide information needed for Virtual Office Program metric reporting and
tracking with assistance from the participant. Take Virtual Office Training for managers if
available. Review participant’s backup plans to cover on-site contingencies while participant is
out of the office. Follow the organization’s core staffing days/hours (when all employees must
be present), if required.
Human Resource Planning
All employees must have the approval from their manager to participate; this plan does
not automatically grant approval to Telecommute. Program participants must follow and
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complete the Telecommuter preparation steps defined in the Telecommuter section of the Auto
Club Company-wide Virtual Office Program website. This process includes obtaining
management approval, completing and submitting required forms, training, setup, and
registration. The employee must comply with the participant responsibilities and provisions in
Virtual Office Policy. The participant must comply with applicable Computing, Network, and
Security policies. Employees must register as a Telecommuter on the Virtual Office website.
Participants must review organizational Plan to understand the guidelines, goals, and objectives
that are integral to their organization’s implementation of the Virtual Office Program. The
participant’s manager is an integral part of the success of the telecommuter individually and the
implementation of this program.
Communications Planning
The following training class has been identified for employees to complete per the
Telecommuter checklist located on the Virtual Online Training course. This course is required
for employees wishing to telecommute. It is recommended for managers as well who are or
have staff working remotely. Telecommuter Training in offered through the Auto Club
University Education and it is available to take this course anytime, either on or off hours.
Risk Management Planning
Information and telecommunications technologies make telecommuting an option for
many organizations and workers. Organizations promote telecommuting to allow their
employees to work from home, while on travel, at a client site, or in a telecommuting center.
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While offering potential benefits, telecommuting introduces new risks to the organization. This
bulletin highlights security issues related to telecommuting and proposes solutions that may
help organizations manage the telecommuting environment more effectively. Telecommuting
is the use of telecommunications to create an "office" away from the established (physical)
office. The telecommuting office can be in an employee's home, a hotel room or conference
center, an employee's travel site, or a telecommuting center. The telecommuter's office may or
may not have the full computer functionality of the established office. For example, an
employee on travel may read email. On the other side of the spectrum, an employee's home
may be equipped with Integrated Services Digital Network access to provide the employee full
computer capability at high speeds.
Risk Identification
One risk is that intruders will be able to access corporate systems any corrupt the
environment so Auto Club has encryption software and highly technical security features.
Hackers, electronic eavesdroppers at conference sites, or shoulder surfers watching employees
enter IDs and passwords, present very real threats. In addition to intruders whose goal may be
mischief, hacking is attractive to people trying to steal or misuse corporate information.
Electronic access to records may be difficult to trace and thus more appealing than trying to
bribe employees or gain physical access. Another risk of telecommuting is that corporate
information can be read, and potentially modified, while it is in transit. Telecommuting also
presents organizations with more commonplace risks. These include the risk of losing
corporate information and resources when they are outside the protective shell of the
organization. Auto Club Information Technology system needs to have the proper firewall for
wireless connections. There has been a problem in the past with hackers being able to get into
several other Corporations through the wireless connection. The Federal Bureau of
Investigations has issued warnings regarding wireless connections. There may be yet another
way bad people could get into a company’s computer system, one that the company may have
noticed.
Risk Response Monitor and Control Planning
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Telecommuting employees who directly access internal systems should be authenticated
using encryption software and should be routed to specific computer systems. The combination
of authentication using encryption software and routing increases security significantly and
reduces costs associated with authentication by limiting it to employees with the greatest
access.
Plan Purchases and Acquisitions and Plan Contracting
In addition to risks to internal corporate systems and data in transit, telecommuting from
home raises other concerns related to whether employees are using their own computers or
using computers supplied to them by the organization. The company will purchase a desktop or
laptop computer for the employee that telecommutes at least 20 hours per week. The Company
will pay for cell phone or calling card for voice and team collaboration. The company will pay
for DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) connection. The companies will reimbursement for
commercially available Cable/DSL/Internet Service Provider services in accordance with
company policy. The company will pay for a mobile/wireless/cellular phone data. The approval
for this virtual office team will need to be Director-level approval for company DSL service in
accordance with service guidelines.
CHAPTER III
EXECUTING
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Direct and Manage Project Execution
The objectives of this step will determine where we stand against the project plan. This
step will analyze and evaluate reasons for variance and validate the project plan. Progress
reporting is the process of objectively evaluating and reporting the status of a project. What
process has been started, completed, and accepted will be determined at these meetings. What
problems exist that have or may influence the ability to perform the project plan? What can be
done to resolve them?
Perform Quality Assurance
The project manager will be responsible for some levels of performance review reporting.
The project manager must maintain some records of the individual’s performance. This can be
done by keeping regular notes. It is important to be objective about absences, late deliverables
tardiness at meetings, people problems, poor performance, as well as accomplishments.
Acquire Project Team and Development Project Team
The Core Team of members will be listed after they have been approved. Team and
Focal information is also available in the Team Information section of the Virtual Office
website. Everyone on the team must have a clear understanding of his or her roles and
responsibilities. Get the right people involved so they are an important member of a winning
team and the project will give them many opportunities for succeeding.
Name Role
EMP
# Phone
Bob Brown Primary Focal 5356 385-
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9877
Jackie Crane Primary Focal 5908 385-
7822
Mike Jackson Primary Focal 5305 385-
6883
Steve Carlson Primary Focal 5933 385-
9085
Ellen Marx Core Team
Member
5921 385-
1243
Avery McCann Core Team
Member
5945 385-
4749
Adam
Connelly
Core Team
Member
5310 385-
8022
John Ames Core Team
Member
5342 385-
6569
Paula Johnson Core Team
Member
5367 385-
9943
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Information Distribution
This step is the collection of all the information necessary to determine status. This will
include the project plan, memos written or received, project status, estimates to complete,
Changes to the scope either approved or pending, acceptances received, acceptances rejected,
and acceptances pending. This step will explain progress reporting and how often the progress
needs to be reported. Progress status reporting is designed to help all team members become
accomplished in self-management as well as to communicate ongoing project status to
management. The overall purpose of weekly project reporting is to accomplish the following:
1) Identify problems for management resolution 2) Discuss scheduling 3) Identify changes to
the project 4) Communicate accomplishments to the project 5) Document project activity for
future review purposes. Performance information is designed in a way that shows how these
information items contribute to the achievement of the output of this project for the Auto Club
virtual office project.
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CHAPTER IV
MONITORING AND CONTROLLING
Monitor and Control Project Work
The project Control process must be maintained on a weekly basis in conjunction with
progress reporting. The contents of project monitor and control are the contract, the project
management plan, the project deliverables log, project status forms, and task progress
reporting. The projects updates that will be changed weekly are: the posted project plan, the
posted deliverables log, the posted project status form, the posted status summary forms,
management status report, team status report, time sheets, and expenses.
Integrated Change Control
The objective of establishing a change procedure is to monitor changes that have a major
impact on delivery dates and costs. There are two general types of major changes and they are
design changes and non-compliance changes. Change criteria must be determined for each
project to understand the impact of change. Design changes are opportunities to improve the
system. With this type of project there needs to be a lost time log and a system-tracking log to
manage changes. A change request form must be completed, documented, and approved by the
project development team including the majority of the team members.
Scope and Schedule Control
All of the scheduled changes will be implemented by gathering the necessary
authorization to proceed. Appropriate project management personnel must formally approve
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this process. Without formal approval, the project manager proceeds “at risk”. Without formal
approval, critical decisions are considered “defaulted”. Formal approval prevents repetitive
submissions for changes. Formal approval results in formal rejection.
Cost Control
The managers will use the Cost Control Matrix Spreadsheet to compute cost per
employee.
Part of the Cost Matrix is to compare the cost per employee “group as is” and “group to be”.
The summary will be complete and filled after each status meeting. The decision to provide
tools/services described above or otherwise, will generally be made by the participant’s
manager and should be based upon business case, organizational budget, and participant has
assigned tasks and requirements as a Telecommuter.
Perform Quality Control
Quality control and quality engineering are involved in developing systems to ensure
products or services are designed and produced to meet or exceed customer requirements.
These systems are often developed in conjunction with other business and engineering
disciplines using a cross-functional approach.
Manage Project Team
A project manager must manage the project team by developing leadership, human
relations, decision-making, and problem solving skills from inception through successful
conclusion. Project team members have a considerable impact on the success of the project so
the project manager must build cohesive, high performance teams and resolve conflicts.
Effectively delegate project tasks and monitoring your team progress will determine the level
of success of a project.
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Performance Reporting
These performance management principles are endorsed by Auto Club and are intended as
an on performance reporting and its uses for both external and internal purposes. External
reporting focuses on performance for a year through company accomplishments annual reports.
Internal reporting is more frequent for management purposes, including monitoring
performance of outputs within year. The Auto Club measures are aligned with employees'
performance agreements, the performance measures provide feedback to staff on their
contribution to the management of outputs and administered items. Its purpose is to assist
stakeholders and management to draw well-informed conclusions about performance in
published and internal documentation, and to contribute to sound decision-making.
Manage Stakeholders
Production Information Technology Systems will sponsor and direct the implementation
of the Information Technology Systems Virtual Office Program. The most important part of
stakeholder management is to secure management support for project teams. Communication
with team members and stakeholders is important for a successful project result, so formulate
and manage cross-functional teams.
Risk Monitoring and Control
The Individual project team members identify the risks at follow up status meetings. Risk
reported immediately has a good result of tem project team doing something about it. The Auto
Club’s approach to risk management is instilled within its risk management plan. The risk
management plan depicts the basic functions of managing risks: identify, analyze, plan, track,
control, and communicate.
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CHAPTER V
CLOSING
Close Project
If the employee is transitioning to virtual office, then it is the manager’s responsibility
to implement a virtual office transition and exit plan for their employees. Employees who are
currently telecommuting and specific equipment requirements should prioritize the manager
transition plan. Use the Exit Plan Checklist as part of your transition to virtual office. Closing a
project is not as easy as it seems. There is the need to ensure that the project closure criterion
has been fully satisfied and that there are no outstanding items remaining. Then there is a need
to identify a release plan for the project deliverables and documentation for the virtual office.
Finally, the need you to initiate a communication plan to inform all project stakeholders that
the project has now been closed.
Conclusion & Recommendations
The conclusion and recommendations include the documents for project closure processes
needed to close out a project. The 'Project Closure Report' will help you handover the
deliverables and documentation. The 'Post Implementation Review' will help you to determine
the level of project success and identify lessons learned for future projects.
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References:
PMI (2004). Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (3rd ed.). Newtown Square, PA: Project Management Institute, Inc.
Render, B., Stair, R., & Hanna, M. (2006). Quantitative Analysis for Management (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Rothman, J. (1997), Quality Driven Project Management, Retrieved November 7, 2007: http://www.jrothman.com/Papers/ASM97.html
Auto Club PROCEDURE 901 “Virtual Office Program”, dated January 13, 2006.
Auto Club Virtual Office Program web page http://virtualoffice.Auto Club.com
Website: (http://virtualoffice.Auto Club.com/Reporting/ViewTeamDetails.asp)
Website: http:/aaa.socal.com.Auto Club.com/mes/
Website: http://telecommunications.Auto Club.com/
Telecommuters Home Page: http://virtualoffice.Auto Club.com/index.asp
Website: http://vo2.Auto Club.com/Reporting/ViewTeamDetails.asp
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