ABC University is a public university; especially known for its Faculty of Commerce and Management in the country. The faculty offers various UG and PG programmes along with research programmes viz., M. Phil and Ph.D. Re
CS Professional · Information Technology and Systems Audit · PYQS · December 2016
ABC University is a public university; especially known for its Faculty of Commerce and Management in the country. The faculty offers various UG and PG programmes along with research programmes viz., M. Phil and Ph.D. Recently, the Academic Council of the university approved the proposal of the faculty to start some UG and PG programmes in distance learning mode too. It is observed that the students of distance education are normally dependent on self-study along with a little support from the department(s) concerned. In view of this aforementioned fact, the Dean concerned of the faculty decided to launch a web based knowledge portal to facilitate the students of different courses and he proposed to upload the study materials, e-lectures, suggested answers of last examinations, mock test papers relevant for the coming examinations, etc. of the approved courses on this knowledge portal. It is expected that the portal will be very useful for the students as it aims to provide the access of various academic resources on anytime anywhere basis. For the implementation of this project, a technical consultant was appointed by the university. Accordingly, an initial feasibility study was done to know whether system should be developed in-house or bought as a ready made package and a detailed report was submitted. As a next step, as per the recommendations of the consultant, an expression of interest was published by the university in various national and regional newspapers inviting various organisations to showcase their capabilities and suggest a good solution as per the requirements of the concerned faculty of the university. Based on the above, answer the following - What may be the possible factors, which have been considered by the technical consultant for taking a decision as to whether system should be developed in-house or bought as a readymade package?
Answer & Explanation:
The possible factors which have been considered by the technical consultant for taking a decision as to whether system should be developed in house or brought as a readymade package are as follows: Comparing the implementation cost: Implementing any system involves high cost, thus, comparing the cost involved in in-house implementation of the system vis-à-vis outsourcing the same to the third party is significant. Critical Success Factor of the Learning System versus available Vendors: Some vendors began by developing small learning platforms; others entered the field via a robust e-learning package, or a data warehouse solution. Thus, understanding business needs and product's relative strengths is essential for better decision. Functional Specifications & Customizations: The new learning Software must suit the needs of the Users. Further, the vendor should be ready to customize the same to fit the needs of the users as far as possible. Support Capabilities: It is must to evaluate the Software package's customer-support capabilities. Since the portal will be accessible to all users 24*7 across all geographies, the consultant must find out whether the packaged software vendor offers 24/7 customer support, international support, and a Web-based help desk along with post implementation support. Flexibility: A flexible system will grow with the company, accommodating new specifications as they emerge. Flexibility is also crucial in the implementation phase, to ensure that the program can align with existing user needs and achieve integration. Time to Implement: Implementation can be a daunting prospect when company-wide integration is at stake. Check the rollout time proposed by the vendor. An efficient rollout minimizes the costs and disruption associated with conversion. A speedy, vendor-supported implementation process also promotes user buy-in and a faster return on investment.
Topics: System Development