Project Journal And Agile Requirements For Automated Billing System At Wealth Advisory Firm

Task 3.01

Task 3.01 Journal Continue your journal (a project log or diary) for this next Assignment. Use a table with columns for activity number, date, activity, description and status. The journal will serve as the diary of your project. 

Task 3.02 Develop a one-page table of key requirements (product backlog) from the perspectives of each of the stakeholders (user stories) using Agile format “As a …. I want to …. so that..”). 

Task 3.03 Provide an “AS IS” process using Business Process Modelling Notation (BPMN) or UML (Unified Modelling Language).

Task 3.04 Develop a “TO BE” process using BPMN or UML.

Task 3.05 Compare your As is and To be diagrams to prepare a briefing note for the Organisational change and Training Team regarding the anticipated business impact of the system. You should make recommendations on how these business impacts can be managed.

Task 3.06 From a business perspective categorise the backlog using the MOSCOW requirement prioritization method (or other similar method – in which case you must name the method and give a reference) and identify the stories that makes your minimum viable product.

Task 3.07 Develop screen designs for two MUST stories created in Task 3.06 and identify any business rules; justify your design.

Task 3.08 Write all acceptance criteria for these two stories to be done.

Task 3.09 Write a Job Description for a Business Analyst to be recruited to join your project.
 

Journal Log

The journal log provides with the processes that are considered during the study.

Activity Number	Date	Activity Name	Description	Status
1	26/03/2016	Selection of the organization and gathering of information about the problems the organization faces	The organization is selected based on the scope of the study.	Completed
2	28/03/2016	Creation of product backlog	It helps to identify the user stories from the business perspectives.	Completed
3	04/04/2016	Identification of the improvement process	Understanding the areas of improvement in their existing system	Completed
4	16/04/2016	Evaluation of the implementation process	The inputs are understandable for development.	Completed
5	07/05/2016	Identifying the benefits of the proposed changes	The benefits of the proposed solutions are identified before the implementation of the system.	Completed
6	18/05/2016 to Present	Proposing changes in the organization	The proposed solution is approved by the stakeholders.	Completed
7	Present	Development of the proposed solution	Development of the billing system using ERP.	Work-in-progress

Product Backlog from the perspectives of each of the stakeholders

ID	Items	As a	I want	So that	Priority	Effort	Status	Preferable Notes
1	Implementation of automated billing system	Wealth Advisors	To develop an automated billing system for Wealth Advisory Firm to generate tickets for each of the billing services.	It can reduce the chances of errors and consume times for the wealth advisors to manage their services effectively.	High	High	Pursuing	When the system is implemented for Wealth Advisory Firm, then the firm can run their business operations efficiently.
2	Implementation of centralized invoicing system	Wealth Advisors	To track the invoices as well as payments received from the clients.	It reduces the circulation of the invoices copies to other departments. It reduces the chances of misplacing the invoices.	High	Low	Pursuing	The business operations become more efficient and the time of the employees are consumed.
3	Implementation of online billing system	Business Analyst	To search for the customer’s data online and their invoice numbers to generate reports	The invoices should be generated successfully, and it gives in time information about the customers.	Moderate	High	Pursuing	It is incremental in the work management of the Wealth Advisory Firm.
4	Implementation of automated billing system	Business Analyst	To support the customer profile as well as login credentials	Each of the customers has unique customer ID, wealth advisor ID, and invoice number.	Moderate	Low	Pursuing	The employees should search for unique customers by their user ID etc.
5	Implementation of billing system	Business Analyst	To have a feasibility analysis in order to accept the token for the extended services	The Wealth Advisory Firm should add and modify their billing services.	High	High	Pursuing	Wealth Advisory Firm should enhance their business all over the globe.
6	Requirement of non-functionality for automated billing system of Wealth Advisory Firm	Business Analyst	To maintain and give flexibility for integration to the firm by notifying the customers about any error occurs.	Precise conditions are required for the implementation of the billing system.	High	High	Pursuing	Implementation of proper procedures to meet the non-functional requirements of the organization.
7	Requirement of non-functionality for the automated billing system of the organization	Customers	To give feedback on the new proposed automated billing system	The Wealth Advisory Firm should know about the success and failure of their new system.	Moderate	Low	Pursuing	Proper execution and planning processes are required to be done to meet customer’s requirements.

Figure 1: As-in process using the Business Process Modeling Notation

“To be” process using Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN)

Figure 2: As-in process using the Business Process Modeling Notation

Comparison of “As-is” and “To-be” Process to prepare note for organizational change and training team based on the business impact of the system

Wealth Advisory Firm looks for their ways in order to maximize their profitability. Therefore, the firm aims to implement an automated billing system for their organization to achieve a best invoicing system for their organization. By the implementation of an automated billing system, the firm minimizes their cost as well as maximizes their revenue[3]. Therefore, the Wealth Advisory Firm improves their productivity to deliver services that are more efficient to the customers. In the “As-is” process, the current billing system is enhanced and in the “to-be” process, the existing system is re-designed. Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) is used to design both the processes for the automated billing system of Wealth Advisory Firm[4]. It provides with a robust in order to capture the current business processes, enhancement of design as well as identification of enhancement among the current as well as enhanced processes.

Task 3.02

Comparison of “As-is” and “To-be” Process Diagram with its business impact on system

In the “As-is” process of the billing system, the process begins with the purchase of the order from the customers and then it proceeds towards a creation of the bill. A bill is created, and the discount is required to compute. In order to compute the discount of the ordered product, the sum of the order as well as the type of customer is added. The discount is computed before the final bill is created[5]. Therefore, the “As-is” process ends with creating a bill for the customers with an invoice. If sometimes, after taking the order from the customers, it is seen that the ordered product is not existing into the warehouse of the firm, then the company takes more time to deliver the goods. They are not sufficient to give the goods within the given time of the customers[6]. Therefore, the billing system of Wealth Advisory Firm is re-designed to meet the organizational objectives and goals. 

In the “To-be” process with the implementation of an automated billing system, it develops the billing system by generating tickets for each billing services. This new proposed system will reduce the chances of errors and it consumes the time of the wealth advisors so that they can manage their services efficiently. The benefit of this system is that this system not only minimizes the time but also tracks the invoices by the system. The objectives of the “To-be” process is to develop the billing system to create the bills, ensure that it gives centralized invoicing system, and it supports tracking of invoices as well as payments received by the customers. The process of “To-be” in the given diagram is demonstrated to show how the billing system tracks the invoices and payments. The entire system is based on online. In order to automatic generation of the bills, an ERP system is used in the firm. Using the ERP system, the workers can check for the availability of the goods in the database[7]. The scope of this process is that the efficient billing system saves the time of the wealth advisors and utilizes the time offering services to more customers.

In the “To-be” process of the developed billing system of Wealth Advisory Firm, it creates billing request for the customers after they purchase their products. After the approval of the purchased order, the billing process is created. After the confirmation of the billing request, the bill goes to change service ticket to work ticket. Then the ticket creation is completed. After the completion of the ticket, the ticket is being invoiced. The purchasing order process is executed with the ERP system such that it eliminates as well as reduces the manual entry of the information. That information is also kept up-to-date so that the staffs can track for the invoices. Tracking of the invoices helps the employees to identify if the customers pay the price or not[8]. Even security of those data is also required, therefore, deployment of the ERP system is important for maintaining the accuracy level of the data. The system helps to plan for the business operations previously so that the data should be assessed with an opportunity of successful improvement in the business process in the future.

Task 3.03

Recommendations on managing the business impact

In order to manage the impact on the business operations of Wealth Advisory Firm, ERP system has been executed[9]. The following are the recommendations that are suggested by the Business Analyst of Wealth Advisory Firm in order to manage the business impact of the system:

Execution of ERP system: With the execution of ERP system, it provides the business with some functionality such as flexibility, best business processes as well as openness. The ERP system improves the productivity, performance as well as speed. The deployment of the ERP system should lead to increasing in performance, synchronization of workflow, enhancement of speed as well as a standardized exchange of information.

Engaging the vendors: The software vendors are required to engage that helps in better identification of the system requirements by the firm. The firm also looks for proper software solutions that needed to install a current version of the software[10]. With the selection of the best vendor, it drives up the competition and drives down the operational price.

Installation of the billing system: With the installation of the billing system, the cost of the system will reduce. It also reduces the complications of the billing process by easily handling the system[11]. The installation process gives a significant reduction in the operational costs while the system time can improve the business operations.

Training to the employees: Training should be given to the employees so that they can handle the ERP system easily. Wealth Advisory Firm started to give training to the staffs so that they can learn how to use and handle ERP system at the time of execution of the system.

Categorization of backlog using the MOSCOW method and identification of stories that make minimum viable product

Requirements Category	Description of the requirements category
Must	The ERP system must be used in the business operations of Wealth Advisory Firm such that there is an increment in the productivity and performance.
Should	The firm should require executing as well as installing the ERP system so that they can increase their profitability and give sustainability to the business.
Could	The system could also support in the implementation of quality solutions for a billing system[12]. It could reduce the chances of errors in both accounting as well as revenue management.
Wont	There would not be any decrement within the operation of the ERP system and its customer base[13]. The ERP system operates as previously.

Due to the execution of the ERP system, it creates a negligible viable product. It is created by providing the customers services into just in time[14]. The automated billing system also automates the billing information of the customers that are already stored in the data warehouse of the firm. Due to the deployment of the system within the organization, it leads to increment in the performance, standardized exchange of information, workflow synchronization and speed enhancement[15]. The system gives benefits into the operational planning. The ERP system eliminates and reduces the manual entry of the information. The information of the customers is kept up-to-date so that the staffs can track for the invoices. It provides a high quality of customer service with an improvement of relationships.

Task 3.04

The new proposed ERP system should improve the security, consistency as well as the accuracy of the customer’s data.  The operational planning provides important data to be assessed with an opportunity of successful improvement in a business process in the future. The implementation of ERP system to handle the billing process of the firm helps them to access the invoice information of the customers more efficiently[16]. It makes their business process more profitable. Before the implementation of the system, the firm faces business changes such as customer dissatisfaction, time lost and misplacing of invoices that lead to error[17]. With the execution of the system, it overcomes with those processes to make an increment in the productivity as well as performance.

Development of screen design for two MUST stories

Figure 3: Screen Design of the Project Plan

The initial step of the automated billing system is to create bills for the orders that are accepted by the customers at the time of placing the order in the store. With the execution of the ERP system, the billing process becomes more efficient for the staffs. At first, the billing request is created and after the confirmation of the request, it is issued to the customers. The data of the customers are replicated[19]. The service ticket is changed into work ticket, and then it is completed. After the completion of the ticket, the ticket is released for invoicing. As each day, most of the customers are placing their orders; therefore, the ERP based billing system tracks the invoices paid by the customers. After the delivery of the order, the customers paid the price of the ordered product after the creation of the bill[20]. After paying the price, the system drops the message to the customers that they have paid their bill.

This entire plan is reviewed to identify any issues if it faces. After the review of the plan, the system is being sent for taken approval from the management department of the organization. After the approval of the project plan, the business analyst goes for the development of the billing system and makes it automatic from a manual process[21]. The automated billing process makes the business operations of Wealth Advisory Firm more profitable and advance so that the organization can meet with customer’s requirements.

Acceptance Criteria for two stories to be done

The following are the acceptance criteria for the user stories and if the Wealth Advisory Firm should follow the above steps, and then the proposal plan for their automated billing system should be accepted[22]. It helps them successfully implement the system for their business. The acceptance criteria are as follows:

1. The user should use navigation element so that they can select to update the billing information.
2. The user in the stories should have the ability to update the billing addresses a well as payment methods for recurring the payment[23].
3. A notification should be shown to the user stated that the changes would not influence the next billing process.
4. Each of the transactional processes is taken place in real time format.
5. The ERP system should be used to keep the payment and billing related information up-to-date[24].
6. With the implementation of automated billing system, no manual labors are required to handle the billing process of the firm[25].
7. The software solution used to implement the system should manage the sales accounting, invoicing and billing required for Wealth Advisory Firm.

Task 3.05

Job Description for Business Analyst

Business Analyst is an independent consultant of the organization that brings high profitability to the organization. The role of the business analyst is to evaluate as well as solve the business challenges[26]. After identifying the challenges and issues, the person reviews as well as analyze the information to enable them to suggest recommendations to make changes.

The duties and responsibilities of the Business Analyst are:

• Analyzing of work and evaluating surveys
• Documentation of the identified changes and communicate them to the stakeholders
• Using of IT resources to build IT solutions, enable the organization to meet its goals
• Advising the senior management
• Training to the staffs to use and handle the new system[27]
• Developing of training curriculum and conducting formal training sessions for the staffs
• Analyzing the feasibility and developing the new system from the existing system
• Ensuring for the system design meets the client’s requirements
• Conducting a change impact analysis in order to assess potential implications of changes and documents the business rules[28]
• Participating in user acceptance testing to test the functionality of the new system 

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