PROJECT CHARTER

Project Contact and Approval Information

Project Name/Number
Implementation of a Technical Support Help Desk
Sponsoring Organization

Testing & Technical Support

Project Sponsor

Name: Darin George, CEO

Phone: (715) 232-4988
Office Address: 123 Company Way, Menomonie WI 54751
Email: georged@tts.com
Name: Nathan Wolter
Phone: (715) 232-1122 ext 1922
Office Address: 715 Broadway St S, Menomonie, WI 54751
Email: Woltern@uwstout.edu

Project Leader

Team Members
Co-Project Managers
Justin Seeger
Project Manager
(715) 232-1122 ext 1946
Heidi Foster
Project Manager
(715) 232-1122 ext 1929
Core Team Members
Mark Antone
Human Resources Rep
(715) 232-4991
Brad Richards
Finance Rep
(715) 232-4992
Evan Woods
Legal Advisor
(715) 232-4993
5 CSRs
Customer Service Reps (CSRs) (715) 232-4970
4 TTSRs

Testing & Tech Support Reps

(TTSRs)
1 Phone Support
Telephone Support Member
Extended Team Members
Joshua Larson
Customer Service Supervisor
Jared Harcourt
Technical Support Supervisor
External Team Members
Matthew Strand
Norstan Rep

Date Chartered:
10/12/2015

(715) 232-4973

antonem@tts.com
richardsb@tts.com
woodse@tts.com
Individual emails TBD
csteam@tts.com
Individual emails TBD
ttsteam@tts.com
TBD

(715) 232-4989
(715) 232-4990

larsonj@tts.com
harcourtj@tts.com

(919) 474-1247

mstrand@norstan.com

Phone
(715) 232-4988
(715) 232-4994
(715) 232-4997

Email
georged@tts.com
helmera@tts.com
levasseurt@tts.com

(715) 232-4971

Principal Stakeholders
Title/Role
Darin George
CEO, Project Sponsor
Anne Helmer
Director of Operations
Tom Levasseur
CFO
Project Start Date:
7/18/2016

Revision: 1.0

Date: 10/12/2015

Sponsor Approval Signature:

Date:

Updates & Approval Log

Revision
Date

Seegerj0738@uwstout.edu
Fosterh3203@uwstout.edu

Target Completion Date:

12/1/2016

Sponsor Approval Signature

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1.0
1.1

BUSINESS ANALYSIS
Business Problem/Opportunity
1. The company doesnt have technical support for their software products.
2. The company doesnt have a help desk setup via phone, messaging, or internet for
technical support for their educational software.
3. Fixing and servicing the problem involves the Customer Service Supervisor (Joshua
Larsa), Technical Support Supervisor (Jared Harcourt), Human Resources Rep (Mark
Antone), the 5 existing customer service reps, the existing testing and technical support
reps.
4. Technology has advanced so much that often customers will try and trouble shoot
problems through online tutorials before contacting technical support, customers now
demand answers faster.
5. By fixing the problem we uphold the companys reputation and keep the customers
satisfied, this is why a help desk and online support is needed.

1.2

Project Scope/Objective
The goal of this initiative is to create and provide an easily accessible technical support system to
the companys customers.
In Scope:
Technical support department expansion
Planning for entire installation and deployment of new system along with technical support
operation
New additional staff
Training for all support staff
Testing and trial of new system with safe customers
Development of ongoing maintenance and support system
Out of Scope:
Product distribution will not change
Company will still hold 2 families of educational software

1.3

Benefits & Potential Value(s)

Satisfied customers
Increased sales
Better way of reaching customer base
A way to receive feedback on product and know of any faults
More jobs created

1.4.1

Impacts of Doing Nothing Internal to the Business

Lose customers
Overwhelmed employees, dealing with technical issues in incorrect departments
Decrease in sales
Decrease in employment

1.4.2

Impacts of Doing Nothing External to the Business

Dissatisfied customers
Lose customers
Reputation and quality of educational software will decrease

2.0

PHASES & MAJOR DELIVERABLES

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2.1

2.2

3.0
3.1

Deliverables
A helpdesk
Larger area for technical support and equipment
Expanding the company workforce
Technical performance and training will increase
The overall quality of educational software will increase
Performance will increase in customer service department
Activities (list in sequence order if known)
Primary activities include:
Expanding technical support department
Purchasing and installation of new help desk system
Hiring of additional staff, including training of all technical and customer support staff
Specialized training for 2 individuals in telephone and technical support staff
Testing of new system
Create a maintenance support system for Helpdesk.
PROJECT VITAL SIGNS
Overview of Schedule

Requested Start: July 18, 2016

Required Delivery: December 01, 2016
Timing Concerns:
o
o
o

Hiring and onboarding of new staff prior to completion date.

Construction completion prior to completion date.
Receiving required commitment of team members

3.2

Assumptions / Dependencies
Continuous commitment by all project team members
Management resources will be available throughout the project
Successful transition of Testing Department Supervisor into the Testing & Technical
Support role
Adequate training of the telephone support employee and a Testing & Technical Support
staff member

3.3

Risks, Likelihood, Consequences, and Contingency Plans

a. Construction of New Area Not Completed by Required Delivery Date:
Likelihood - Low
Consequence Low, no financial impact
Contingency Plan Team members existing work stations will be available. For the new
employees, temporary work stations are available for each of them in the office.
b. Full Staffing Not Met:
Likelihood: Medium, limited hiring window
Consequence: Medium, temporary added cost
Contingency Plan: The existing Testing & Technical Support staff has been temporarily
approved to work overtime, and will receive an additional incentive to work longer hours.
c.

New department workload underestimated

Likelihood: Low
Consequence: High, long-term added cost
Contingency Plan: Additional staff will be added as required to accommodate workload

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d. New department workload overestimated

Likelihood: Low
Consequence: Low
Contingency Plan: New employees will be hired contractually with potential for permanent
status
3.4

Major Quality Assurance Reviews and Roles

Monthly project review meetings will be conducted for schedule, quality, and cost with the Sponsor
and Stakeholders. Additional meetings as required.
Scheduled Dates
Tuesday, 8/16/2016, 9-10am
Thursday, 9/15/2016, 9-10am
Tuesday, 10/18/2016, 9-10am
Tuesday, 11/15/2016, 9-10am

3.5

Attendees
Darin George, CEO, Project Sponsor
Anne Helmer, Director of Operations
Tom Levasseur, CFO

Estimated Labor Costs (size-small, medium, large, range of Hours)

This is a medium-sized project, with 7566 total quoted hours. Estimated range of 6431-8323 hours
(-15%/+10%). Estimated time commitments explained in Section 4.1
This project is 19 weeks long, is based on a 40-hr work week and excludes two holidays (Labor
Day, Thanksgiving).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Calculations:
736 Available Business Hours per Individual, 8hr days
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Project Managers (3 at 20%): 60% - (736 hours x 3 individuals x .6 = 1324.8 hours)

Telephone Support Maintenance employee: 75% (736 x .75 = 552)
Testing & Technical Support staff (8 at 50%): 400% (736 x 8 x .5 = 2944)
Customer Support Reps (5 at 10%): 50% (736 x 5 x .5 = 1840)
Human resources: 5% (736 x 1 x .05 = 36.8)
Financial Rep: 33% (736 x 1 x .33 = 242.88)
Legal Advisor: 10% (736 x 1 x .10 = 73.6)

Extended Team:
8. Customer Service Supervisor: 25% (736 x 1 x .25 = 184)
9. Technical Support Supervisor: 50% (736 x 1 x .50 = 368)
3.6

Estimated Non-Labor Costs

$275,000 Total Quoted Non-Labor Costs
o $200,000 - Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system - Includes hardware,
software and installation
o $75,000 - Facility Renovation
Estimated range of $247,500-$343,750 (-10%/+25%)

3.7

Interdependencies with Other Projects

Customer Support Supervisor is interacting with the CRM implementation project that is
continuing through to early 2017, shared resource.
One of the core goals for the 3-year company vision is to improve customer satisfaction by
10%.
This project will provide the resources to more quickly provide enhanced online technical
documentation to customers.

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3.8

Functional Areas Impacted by Request

Functional areas affected by this project include:
Human Resources
Finance
Legal
Customer Service
Testing & Technical Support
Senior Management

4.0
4.1

Project Staffing
Project Staff and Time Commitments
Core Team:
10. Project Managers (3 at 20%): 60%
11. Telephone Support Maintenance employee: 75%
12. Testing & Technical Support staff (8 at 50%): 400%
13. Customer Support Reps (5 at 10%): 50%
14. Human resources: 5%
15. Financial Rep: 33%
16. Legal Advisor: 10%
Extended Team:
17. Customer Service Supervisor: 25%
18. Technical Support Supervisor: 50%

4.2

Special Resources Needed

Norstan Rep Matthew Strand

4.3

Project Organization (Roles & Responsibilities)

The Helpdesk implementation project team is comprised of two sections; Core and Extended
The Core team consists of the follow positions:
1. Project Managers:
Reports directly to Project Sponsor
Develops new policies and procedures
Aids in the development of employee training
Tracks all progress of the Helpdesk implementation project and provides the
results during the monthly steering committee conference
Executes all aspects of the project auditing
Defines all necessary parameters of the project
2. Testing & Technical Support staff receives training regarding the helpdesk support
policies and procedures
3. Testing & Technical Support Configuration Specialist - receives specialized training
pertaining to the configuration and customization of the triaging for the phone system
4. Telephone Support Maintenance employee receives specialized training pertaining to
the ongoing maintenance of the phone system
5. Human resources Aids in the hiring of new staff directly related to the project
6. Financial Rep - Consults with Project Managers with items related to the projects budget
7. Legal Advisor - Consults with Project Managers on legal matter pertaining to the project
8. Customer Service Rep Receives training and gives triaging suggestions if necessary
The Extended team consists of the follow positions:
9. Customer Service Supervisor - consults with Projects Managers as necessary in regards
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to new policies and procedures

10. Technical Support Supervisor aids in the training of Helpdesk employees and consults
with Projects Managers as necessary in regards to new policies and procedures
5.0
5.1

Project Management Approach

Approach
Project Managers:
Assembling of the team
Delegates tasks to appropriate team members
Attend monthly steering committee conferences and some workshops
Assure that the quality, cost, and customer satisfaction level is met to expectations
Make sure project is completed by Project end date
Mid-Management:
Attend all team work shops
Initial and ongoing training of all project members
Attend monthly steering committee conferences
Delegates tasks to the appropriate team members
Assist project managers with analysis and auditing of the project throughout its entirety
Senior Management:
Approve any change management processes if necessary
Provide additional resources if necessary
Attend monthly steering committee conferences
Delegate newly approved tasks to project managers if necessary
Stakeholders/Steering Committee:
Approve and/or reject newly suggested processes if necessary
Attend monthly steering committee conferences
Delegates tasks of new or current tasks to project managers if necessary

5.2

Status or Progress Reporting Plan

The projects managers will report the current results of the Helpdesk implementation project on a
monthly basis during the steering committee conference. The results given during the conference
will be based off of the data compiled from Microsoft Project.

5.3

Change Management Approach

The bullet points below cover the projects change management procedures.

Any changes to new or current processes need to be brought to the attention of one of the
project managers via. That project manager will then forward the change proposal email to
the remaining managers. Once all managers have been made aware of the suggested
process proposal, it will be discussed with the remaining team at the next midmanagement meeting.
Any suggested changes to the scope of the project need to be emailed to the lead of the
senior management team for approval.
Any delays or project setbacks must be reported during the next steering committee
conference. An explanation will be given by the project managers and at that point, the
senior management team/stakeholders will approve any resolutions if the delay is not yet
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resolved.
The form for change management will be house internally on the company intranet for
employee access. Upon emailing the appropriate person, the change management form
must also be attached.

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