Process for management of complex projects

• US 8,407,072 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2006
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cala, John Joseph, Carroll, Timothy Eugene, Eagle, David John, Hofmeister, Ronald Joseph, Schaefer, Laurie Jane
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterrett, Jonathan G
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELICH, STEPHANIE ZAGARELLA
• Application Number:
  US11/397,362
• Publication Number:
  US 20070233545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,548 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.11, 705/7.15, 705/7.36, 705/1.1, 705/80, 705/311
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063118 Staff planning in a project environment

Abstract

A method for managing a complex project is provided. A plurality of phases is established for the complex project, wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has a definite duration and wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has distinct goals. The complex project is divided into a plurality of sub-projects, wherein the plurality of sub-projects is manageable by a central core team and wherein each sub-project is the responsibility of at least one team. The designation of which team is responsible for the sub-project is dependent upon the particular phase in which the sub-project is being performed.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing a complex merger and acquisition project, the computer implemented method comprising:

a memory having a plurality of software instructions stored therein, the plurality of software instructions adapted to cause a processor of a computer to perform the steps of;

establishing a plurality of phases of the complex merger and acquisition project, wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has a definite duration and wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has distinct goals;

establishing a sending company and a receiving company for the complex merger and acquisition project;

dividing the complex merger and acquisition project into a plurality of sub-projects, wherein the plurality of sub-projects is manageable by a central core team and wherein each sub-project is the responsibility of at least one team; and

designating each at least one team responsible for each sub-project according to the phase of the plurality of phases during which the sub-project is being performed; and

configuring three distinct views for each phase of the plurality of phases of the complex merger and acquisition project, wherein the three distinct views comprise a send and operate view, a carve out view, and a receive and operate view; and

determining the sending company'"'"'s send and operate status by collecting operational data for operating the remaining portions of its business after the end of the complex merger and acquisition project; and

configuring the send and operate view with a status summarizing the sending company'"'"'s send and operate status; and

configuring the carve out view by combining carve out status collected from a first project team associated with the sending company and a second project team associated with the receiving company, wherein the carve out status collected includes a list of assets, liabilities and employees to be transferred in the complex merger and acquisition project, and a status of disputes between the sending company and the receiving company participating in the complex merger and acquisition project; and

determining the receiving company'"'"'s receive and operate status by collecting operational data for operating the portions of the business being received from the sending company after the end of the complex merger and acquisition project; and

configuring the receive and operate view with a status summarizing the receiving company'"'"'s receive and operate status.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of phases comprises six phases.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the six phases comprise phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, phase 4, phase 5, and phase 6, and wherein business teams are designated as being responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 1 and wherein business teams and functional teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 2 and wherein functional teams and country teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 3 and wherein country teams and process teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 4 and wherein process teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 5 and wherein the central core team is designated as responsible for the sub-projects being performed during phase 6.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input regarding the status of each of the plurality of sub-projects.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein the input regarding the status of each of the plurality of sub-projects is generated by a team comprising executive counterparts from the sending company and the receiving company participating in the complex merger and acquisition project.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 4, wherein an executive is designated as being responsible for the status of each sub-project of the plurality of sub-projects.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying critical projects within the plurality of sub-projects; and

receiving input regarding the status of each critical project within the plurality of sub-projects.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein an executive is designated as being responsible for the status of each critical project within the plurality of sub-projects.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein functional teams determine which business functions are affected by each critical project within the plurality of sub-projects.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving input regarding the status of each of the business functions in relation to each critical project within the plurality of sub-projects.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 10, wherein an executive is designated as being responsible for the status of each of the business functions in relation to each critical project within the plurality of sub-projects.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 9, wherein country teams identify concerns common to all geographic regions and concerns unique to each geographic region, for each business function affected by each critical project within the plurality of sub-projects.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein process teams establish mitigation plans and handle each business function affected by each critical project within the plurality of sub-projects at a local level.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving input regarding problems and issues identified for each of the sub-projects of the plurality of sub-projects.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein the input regarding problems and issues identified for each of the sub-projects of the plurality of sub-projects comprises input from the central core team, functional teams, country teams, and process teams regarding problems and issues identified for each of the sub-projects of the plurality of sub-projects.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 14, wherein a business team exclusively handles all negotiations between the sending company and the receiving company participating in the complex merger and acquisition project.

17. A computer program product in a computer readable storage medium for managing a complex merger and acquisition project, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code stored in the computer readable storage medium, wherein the computer usable program code is adapted to cause a processor in a computer to perform steps comprising;

establishing a plurality of phases of the complex merger and acquisition project, wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has a definite duration and wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has distinct goals;

establishing a sending company and a receiving company for the complex merger and acquisition project;

dividing the complex merger and acquisition project into a plurality of sub-projects, wherein the plurality of sub-projects are manageable by a core team and wherein each sub-project is the responsibility of at least one team; and

designating each at least one team responsible for each sub-project according to the phase of the plurality of phases during which the sub-project is being performed; and

configuring three distinct views for each phase of the plurality of phases of the complex merger and acquisition project, wherein the three distinct views comprise a send and operate view, a carve out view, and a receive and operate view; and

determining the sending company'"'"'s send and operate status by collecting operational data for operating the remaining portions of its business after the end of the complex merger and acquisition project; and

configuring the send and operate view with a status summarizing the sending company'"'"'s send and operate status; and

configuring the carve out view by combining carve out status collected from a first project team associated with the sending company and a second project team associated with the receiving company, wherein the carve out status collected includes a list of assets, liabilities and employees to be transferred in the complex merger and acquisition project, and a status of disputes between the sending company and the receiving company participating in the complex merger and acquisition project; and

determining the receiving company'"'"'s receive and operate status by collecting operational data for operating the portions of the business being received from the sending company after the end of the complex merger and acquisition project; and

configuring the receive and operate view with a status summarizing the receiving company'"'"'s receive and operate status.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the plurality of phases comprises six phases.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the six phases comprise phase 1, phase 2, phase 3, phase 4, phase 5, and phase 6, and wherein business teams are designated as being responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 1 and wherein business teams and functional teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 2 and wherein functional teams and country teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 3 and wherein country teams and process teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 4 and wherein process teams are designated as responsible for sub-projects being performed in phase 5 and wherein the core team is designated as responsible for the sub-projects being performed during phase 6.

20. A data processing system for managing a complex merger and acquisition project, the data processing system comprising:

a storage device, wherein the storage device stores computer usable program code; and

a processor, wherein the processor executes the computer usable program code to establish a plurality of phases of the complex merger and acquisition project, wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has a definite duration and wherein each phase of the plurality of phases has distinct goals;

establish a sending company and a receiving company for the complex merger and acquisition project;

divide the complex merger and acquisition project into a plurality of sub-projects, wherein the plurality of sub-projects project is manageable by a core team and wherein each sub-project is the responsibility of at least one team; and

designate each at least one team responsible for each sub-project according to the phase of the plurality of phases during which the sub-project is being performed; and

configure three distinct views for each phase of the plurality of phases of the complex merger and acquisition project, wherein the three distinct views comprise a send and operate view, a carve out view, and a receive and operate view; and

determine the sending company'"'"'s send and operate status by collecting operational data for operating the remaining portions of its business after the end of the complex merger and acquisition project; and

configure the send and operate view with a status summarizing the sending company'"'"'s send and operate status; and

configure the carve out view by combining carve out status collected from a first project team associated with the sending company and a second project team associated with the receiving company, wherein the carve out status collected includes a list of assets, liabilities and employees to be transferred in the complex merger and acquisition project, and a status of disputes between the sending company and the receiving company participating in the complex merger and acquisition project; and

determine the receiving company'"'"'s receive and operate status by collecting operational data for operating the portions of the business being received from the sending company after the end of the complex merger and acquisition project; and

configure the receive and operate view with a status summarizing the receiving company'"'"'s receive and operate status.