Selecting a PC Vendor for the IT Group at OHSU

The Information Technology Group {ITG} at OHSU is mandated to efficiently implement and support the information technology infrastructure at OHSU. Part of this infrastructure includes selection of hardware vendors for the desktop environment. ITG has tested and identified three vendors whose products are compatible with the core applications and operating systems used at OHSU. When it comes to selection of any of these three vendors, the decision is left to the buyer to decide which of the three vendors to buy from. Buyers tend to go by their intuition in making these decisions. Supporting multiple hardware platforms increases the operational cost for ITG. This paper proposes the use of a hierarchical decision-modeling tool to select one pc vendor out ofthe current three vendors in use at OHSU. As a pilot project, the author selected four respondents from key functional groups within the Information technology group. The intention is to demonstrate the applicability of the tool with a view to gain management acceptance of the model so that the model can be used for the pc vendor selection process and other similar decision problems

Win2K Migration Project at OHSU

The Win2K Migration Project was a one-year, large scale, software upgrade project undertaken at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU) beginning in late 2001. The goal was to instantiate Windows 2000 as the standard operating system for all desk top computers campus wide. Since OHSU is largely a functional based organization, project management at the time of Win2K was still in the infantile stages. In fact, the project itself was beset with a host of problems that ultimately led to the final termination without meeting the established time, cost and performance parameters. This document serves to provide a thorough analysis of the project life cycle and solid critique of the methods used to execute the various project phases. Since OHSU is preparing to undertake a similar large scale operating system upgrade in the near future, the ultimate goal is to identify specific problem areas and to provide helpful recommendations for future project leaders to utilize and benefit from

Report 2: Team Self-Diagnosis

Executive Summary This team self-diagnosis examines the team’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall performance via an examination of team development and dynamics. The team formed primarily on the basis of existing relationships. These relationships helped to quickly build trust and enabled the team to progress rapidly through the forming and storming phases. Team members established their roles and responsibilities at the first meeting along with a common vision and a common working approach. The use of a shared leadership model worked for this team because members kept their commitments right from the start. Knowing that one’s teammates would honor their commitments quickly established mutual accountability. Trust was developed so rapidly that the team was not compelled to establish explicit ground rules. Though several national cultures were represented on the team, culture proved to be an insignificant factor in team development or function. Team interactions were primarily task oriented rather than social. Team members easily came to consensus and demonstrated they would yield their personal viewpoints for the betterment of the team. Weaknesses identified by the team were occasionally rushing too quickly to consensus; on some topics, more time might have been needed to thoroughly understand another’s viewpoints. Also, the team might have benefited from formal ground rules, occasional checks to ensure there was explicit agreement on decisions, and evaluating individual personalities earlier in the life of the team. Overall, the team functioned very well. The team felt it had the potential to be a highperformance team had members been able to spend more time together to focus more on social interaction

Virtual Teams: Report 1

Executive Summary Business globalization, rapid technology advancements and the current economic situation have many companies reviewing and expanding their electronic communication channels. One of the ways companies capitalize on the new business environment is through virtual teams – people working towards a common purpose, who can be located across the world or working at any time of the day. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on virtual teams and accentuate areas that require in-depth attention of the virtual team and its management. The specific subjects explored here are considered some of the basic elements of virtual teams. These subjects - leadership, communication, and technology - show that the basic elements of teamwork stay intact, however specific measures can be taken to reinforce operational team excellence and relieve many of the uncertainties perceived to surround virtual teams. Trust is paramount; establishing trust via electronic communication and through transparent, consistent and pro-active leadership assists in creating a strong team bond. Training and coaching to further develop the team members’ knowledge of technology, communication protocols and team progress measurements will facilitate success for virtual teams