LowCode
Data Driven Business Lab
Client company:Fontys
Robin Blom
Jacek Peterse
Richard van Gestel
Project description
The project consists of the following main-question:
Main research question: How can Fontys optimize and centralize their way of working regarding project control with a Proof-of-Concept?
With this main-research question, our assignment was to design a project management system as Proof-of-Concept with the software from the ‘Microsoft Power Platform’ to enable Fontys executives to gain insights in the possibilities of the ‘Microsoft Power Platform’ that can help with optimizing and centralizing the projects. It ultimately enables Fontys employees to have control over all the projects that are executed within Fontys Hogescholen.
The next groups can use the Proof-of-Concept to build a prototype as project management system with the gathered information that Brainwave provided.
Context
Brainwave is going to help Fontys with a new project management system. This project is for the ICT institute and leads as an example for how the project management system is going be implemented throughout Fontys at a later stage.
These projects are set up by professors that want to do one of the following: Enhance study quality, research, or create new learning material like minors, studies, or courses for external firms. Before a project can start, it first needs to be approved by several employees in other departments.
The amount and type of approvals depend on the project budget and the funding source. There are three ways for a project to get funded. Firstly, by having Fontys pay for the project using internal budgets. Secondly, via "Zakelijke Dienst" this department works with external firms to gather funding for projects or create a course for that firm. Lastly, subsidies from governmental or other institutions (R. Lippits, personal communication, September 13, 2021).
Results
Research Document
This document contains research on the requirements from the stakeholders (TRL level 3), the technical design choices for the ‘Power Automate’ workflow and the ‘Power BI’ dashboard, and the findings we turned into advice for the making of the prototype. The validation of these results is mainly done by product reviews by the client, content coach and stakeholders.
The added value for the research document mainly resides on the fundamental research and applied research to find the possibilities of the ‘Microsoft Power Platform’ software as a project management system. It also has added value due to the advice that we gave to improve the Proof-of-Concept and make it into a prototype to ultimately implement the prototype within Fontys Hogescholen.
Power Automate Flow
By using the research on the requirements from the stakeholders, we could set up an workflow in ‘Power Automate’ using ‘Microsoft Forms’ and ‘SharePoint lists’ (TRL level 4 and 5).
The Flow is validated by the client to make sure the Proof-of-Concept has the expected result.
The added value of this flow is being able to show Fontys the possibilities of having a structured process of the project request process. This flow will keep the process clear, efficient and effective.
Power BI Dashboard
By connecting the ‘SharePoint’ lists to Power BI, we could structure the data and make a relational data model. By creating this dashboard, we could give the client an overview for the different projects on 5 different levels (TRL level 4 and 5):
- The Center Of Expertise
- Institute Overview (see figure 1)
- Project Controller Overview
- Initiator overview
- Project Overview
The dashboards are validated by the client & content coach to make sure the Proof-of-Concept has the expected result.
The added value of this dashboard is having a clear overview of all the projects that are currently being, or have been, executed by Fontys for the direction of Fontys, project controllers or the initiators themselves.
Methodology
This chapter explains the step-by-step description of the project according to the ICT research method: ‘The DOT-framework’ (ICT research methods, n.d.).
These are the categories in which all the research methods are included in:
- Showroom
- Workshop
- Library
- Field
- Lab
The following chapters will give information of the methodology used in the sub-questions.
Sub-question 1
This sub-question starts with interviews from the Fontys staff. Rutger has provided Brainwave with a list of employees who all have a role in the subsidy projects. These analyses are used to establish the current situation and the bottlenecks. In addition, a literature study on how project management should be handled, with a document analysis of the prior research done by PerusahaanIT. A task analysis leads to a root cause analysis and is peer-reviewed by the client correspondent Rutger Lippits.
Sub-question 2
To answer this sub-question, two universities wo are also very involved with project subsidisations and requests in the Netherlands were interviewed: the HAN and the TU/e. These interviews were conducted with one representative per university that has a financial and or management role in setting up universities related projects. These can be seen as “expert interviews” on the library DOT-framework from the ‘ICT research methods’. After the expert interview were taken they were analysed to get a detailed view on what the universities approach is for project requests and management. This is done by comparing their ‘best and good practices’, where is incorporated what has proven to work for each of the universities. Lastly their requirements are compared and a conclusion can be withdrawn from it. Here are also factors taken in that are of importance for Fontys.
Sub-question 3
To answer this sub-question, we had multiple interviews with stakeholders to get an overview of the requirements. This can be seen as ‘Interview and Explore user requirements’ on the library DOT-framework. We also described the desired situation (document analysis). We than searched for a source to describe how we could draw up the requirements (literature study). After this, the requirements were prioritized to set the most important requirements and the requirements that are not as important (Requirements prioritization). The results were discussed with the team, client and stakeholders for feedback (Peer review).
Sub-question 4
For this question the following three research methods are conducted. First the Proof-of-Concept which will be used to make a prototype for the solution. This prototype will consist of a ‘Power Automate’ flow which is made from the newly designed process flow as well as a findings report for obstructions and design choices. After there was a user-test to make sure that the prototype fits the need of the users. And lastly a product review with the stakeholders has been done to make sure that all their wishes are fulfilled.
First we also wanted to do some library research for the Power Automate, but this seemed to be unnecessary as we already had enough project members that have that expertise.
About the project group
Robin Blom - Business & IT
Jacek Peterse - International Food Business
Richard van Gestel - Business & IT