Agency Policy and Projects Unit

Question: Discuss about the Agency Policy and Projects Unit ? Answer: Introduction The Government of Tasmania is planning to develop its capability by felicitating good practices and developing appropriate methodologies for supporting the government information management and system activities. For this purpose its agency that is Inter Agency Policy and Projects Unit (IAPPU) has already set up the phase 1 and working on implementing the phase 2. Phase 2 has been developed in the form of a business case. A business case is a document (mostly) which argues to convince the decision maker to approve actions need to be taken on a particular project (A guide to the project management body of knowledge, 2013). It includes the tools that project manager will be in need to guide the management, design, and evaluation of the project. The business case in question is Sharing Better Practice Project Business Phase 2 developed by Department Of Premier and Cabinet. Its importance will be critically analysed in this essay and in the conclusion the whole essay will be summarized a long with the recommendations (Beresford, 2010). Critical Evaluation of the Business Case for the Project A literature review presented here will help in knowing the importance of the business case Sharing Better Practices for the project of developing capability by progressing and implementing of sharing better ideas between agencies to find better ways to run an association (Trad, Kalpic, 2015). The business case considered here is prepared to assess the outcome of the steps need to be taken for the completion of the project of creating a department that will collect good idea and this business case will to saves time, money, and risk of loss. Famous author John Moore agrees on it and state in his article state tells about the importance of the business case. He says that business case analyses all the phases of the project long before of implementation which gives an idea of the success of the project along with other important details required for the project on implementation or may be required during the implementation (Moore, 2009). The question raises that in increasing the capa bility of a government agency why a business case is required? To answer this question, the article written by Simon becomes handy because he says that a business case helps in looking at bottom line which expresses the vision, values, and mission of the project. With so many different agencies involvement, that there are so many people to convince a verbal communication is time-consuming at times. Thus, a business case helps in clearing all the aspects of the project and help in convincing everyone (Simon, 2013). The companies emphasize on preparing the business case because it helps the management to understand and foresee the outcome of the project taken. Author Alan Gleeson says that yes a business case helps the management in five ways, first it helps in mapping the future, secondly, it supports the growth and secure funding, thirdly, it develops and communicates the course of action, fourthly, it helps in managing the cash flow, and lastly, it plans a strategic exit also (Glee son, 2017). A business case is developed to make the decision maker understand the importance of the project and how this project can prove to be beneficial for them. A project has many aspects, and factors that are in need to be discussed before taking any decision on it (Gallagher, 2011). A well-detailed business includes everything from money, labour, time duration, and drawbacks. Many a times even solutions to problems that may occur in future are also mentioned in it. Stakeholders are the decision makers, and it is a very difficult task to assure them about the profitability or the success of the project. For this purpose, a business case helps the management drastically as it is a sample plan of the exact project that the company or agency will be developing. It will be helping the stakeholders in understanding what will be happening when and what sources will be required for it. In short it clarifies whatever a stakeholder wants to know about the project development (Gotoh, 2009). A company understands the importance of developing a business case before starting any project. An idea, expansion and development for a company are important for achieving its goal of success (Turner, 2014). In the development of the capability of the Tasmania Government, many different agencies will be required to share information and ideas with a department dedicated to it in IAPPU. The major drawback of this project is the involvement of many agencies and convincing them to share their information with the Better Practice Services. (Ulbrich, 2010) Doing it verbally is totally impossible. Sharing Better Practice business case will help in convincing all the agencies by showing them the benefits of sharing ideas. They will be able to relate to the project in a better way. The agencies will have an idea all the time as to which part of the project will be in development at that moment, which will help them in measuring the completion of the project will be on time or not (Marsh, 20 11). The project has already set up its phase 1. Thus, for implementation which is phase 2 of the project a business case Sharing Better Practices Project Phase 2 is developed. The question arises here is that when the agencies were ready to participate in the development of the department by sharing their ideas and then what is the need of preparing this implementation part that phase 2 business case. The phase 2 implementation business case is a development of phase 1 and in detail explains the process (Michalos, 2013). The agency could have done without it also. This business case does not add anything new to the project more than just the details on the points presented in the phase 1 business case. Spending public money on the development of such business cases feels useless if it is not able to make some significant addition to the project (Miller, 2013). A business case can never give a surety of hundred percent that the project will be a success. There is no certainty that the business case developed can justify with the project that will be in the development sometime in the future (Niles, 2011). Sharing Better Practice business case given here gives out a few limitations that the agency may face, but is that all? There can be some other issues that the business case is not able to identify. It is important that the business case should have left a leeway for such unexpected limitations that may come and hinder the development of the project in future. Other than this, the project in consideration is so huge and need to be developed on such a large scale with some agencies in consideration that is it really difficult to develop a business case that can justify the project (Palepu, Healy, Peek, 2016). By going through the business case of Sharing Better Practices Phase 2 one thing that comes to mind again and again is the simplicit y of the business case. A more through research is required before the implementation of the project. This phase includes agencies at the national and international level, which is not being discussed as it should in the business case. A business case should discuss all the matters and the international agencies, and their coordination with the national agencies is not mentioned in the business case. It is important that the business case should fulfill all the important development activities required for the project that somewhere lacks in this business case (Richmond, 2010). A government project is developed for the benefit of the country and the world. The Tasmania Government agency IAPPU has come up with a great idea of developing an agency for sharing ideas and information for better development in all the sectors of the organisation (Sivaev, 2013). Though the business case Sharing Better Ideas was developed to provide necessary information that the members associated with the development should be aware of and convince them to give their decision in the favour of the development of the projects phase 2, but from the details given in the business case it is difficult to lure the agencies to share their information. This is also true that this shared information will help people on the global level, but every agency wants to keep their success idea a secret. For convincing the agencies to share their ideas and information a more convincing and detailed business case is needed that helps the agencies in understanding its importance and benefits (Solodil ova, 2015). Few recommendations for the improvement of the business case Sharing Better Practice are like more details of the benefits of the agencies associated with the project need to be added in the business case. How this project will be benefitting nationally and internationally should be added. Uncertain hindrances that may occur in future are not been added, it is important to consider them in the business case. The success of phase 1 can be added in the business case to make it stronger. Feedback and suggestion from the agencies can be taken to improve the business case. A new department is being formed and no new recruitments are going to happen. This will increase the workload of the existing employees. This may act as a disadvantage, a solution for this problem should be considered. These recommendations will help in making the business case better and more convincing for which a business case is developed. Conclusion A business case is a very useful management tool that not only helps in convincing the decision makers, but also clearly defines all the factors associated with the project that needs to be developed. Tasmania Government wants to increase its capability by developing an agency that will collect the ideas and information that are good and make them available nationally and internationally. Here also a business case Sharing Better Practice Phase 2 is developed to convince the agencies in the implementation of the project that is phase 2. The business case provides adequate information about the project and its need. It also clearly expresses what is expected from the agencies. Though, at some points the business case is not able to deliver as expected. It does not expand on the benefits that agencies are going to earn from this project, and other than common limitation no leeway is mentioned in the business case for uncertainty. Hence, it is concluded that a more detailed business case need to be developed as a business case is an important factor of a project and if well developed then gives the surety of the projects success. References A guide to the project management body of knowledge. (2013). 5th ed. Newtown: Project Management Institute. Beresford, Q. (2010). Corporations, Government and Development: The Case of Institutional Corruption in Tasmania.Australian Journal of Political Science, 45(2), pp.209-225. Gallagher, J. (2011). The Business Case Study: A Suitable Candidate For Blended Learning?.Journal of Business Case Studies (JBCS), 2(4), p.5. Gotoh, R. (2009). Critical factors increasing user satisfaction with e-government services.Electronic Government, an International Journal, 6(3), p.252. Indelicato, G. (2014). 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