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Needs Assessment Paper

Heather R. Johnson
University of Phoenix
Leveraging Technology in the Public Sector MPA/543
Instructor Dr. Frank Kardasz
May 4, 2021

Needs Assessment Paper

This paper presents a needs assessment of the City of Kelsey, which has initiated plans to update its information technology applications. Specifically, the paper reveals the stakeholders of the project, their needs/demands, the design considerations, security/ethical concerns, available software, and the benefits/risks associated with the project. If successful, the project will facilitate the creation of effective communication systems in the City of Kelsey.

Who are the Stakeholders in the Project?

There are three main groups of stakeholders in the project. The first group is comprised of the local citizens and the Department of Parks and Recreation. The second group is comprised of the local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce. The final group is comprised of the City of Kelsey and its vendors.

What are the Expected Needs and Demands of the Stakeholders?

First, regarding the group comprised of the local citizens and the Department of Parks and Recreation, these stakeholders need a means of communication that will enable the citizens to stay current with diverse activities facilitated by the Department, staying current will enable the citizens to have the opportunity to participate in activities such as classes, sports leagues, and special events. Second, regarding the group comprised of the local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce, these stakeholders need a means of communication that will facilitate sharing of information and ideas regularly instead of the standard monthly meetings. Finally, regarding the group comprised of the City of Kelsey and its vendors, these stakeholders will require an effective and convenient platform for conducting business, which will eradicate the challenges they face when conducting business with each other. The new platform will eradicate the need for a lot of paperwork and documentation while streamlining operations such as ordering of supplies/services, and requesting/reviewing of bids.

What Special Design Considerations Should be Included with the Project?

There are four main special design considerations that the project should have. First, the updated information technology applications must be efficient. The project should facilitate the provision of tools that will guarantee improved service and enhanced experience of the stakeholders. Second, the updated information technology applications must be secure. The project should have the capability of guaranteeing the stakeholders that the private and personal data shared through the information technology applications will be secure and kept confidential. Third, the updated information technology applications must be cost-effective. The project should be within the City’s budget and be comprehensively covered at a relatively affordable price. More so, its maintenance should be affordable as well. The cost-effectiveness should be met without compromising the ability of the City to keep up with current trends in information technology. Finally, the updated information technology applications must be able to enhance the city’s image. The project should ensure that it boosts the image of the City in the context of Kelsey’s ability to keep up with modern technology and its ability to offer high-quality services.

What Security and Ethical Concerns Should be addressed in Developing the Project?

There are several security and ethical concerns that are vital for the successful development of the project. First, the implementers of the project must ensure that it adheres to the applicable safety standards (Hanks, 2017). These standards cover a variety of factors. For instance, safe work environments should be provided for the workers that will design and maintain the information technology applications. Second, the privacy and confidentiality of the people using the applications should be facilitated. This is with regards to their private information such as place of residence (Hanks, 2017). Finally, when awarding the project, there should be no cases of corruption or nepotism in awarding the tender. The awarding of the project to a contractor should be done fairly and in adherence to the by-laws used by the City of Kelsey.

What if any, “Off-The-Shelf” or Commercially Available Software is Available for Helping to Complete the Project?

There are a number of available software that can be considered for the project. First, regarding the means of communication that will enable the citizens to stay current with diverse activities facilitated by the Department of Parks and Recreation, the City can take advantage of applications such as Zoom. This is a video conferencing software platform that utilizes off-the-shelf hardware and facilitates communication between people in different physical locations. This platform can also be used for the communication needs of the local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce. Thus, the City will only need to purchase the relevant hardware needed to support this platform. Second, with regard to the platform for conducting business between the City and its vendors, the City can consider using the Precoro platform for total purchasing control. This platform will facilitate the purchasing of orders, tracking of approvals, assigning of payments, and approval of workflows, among others (Whatman, 2020). It will eradicate the need for hardcopy documentation and filing making work relatively easier for the vendors and the City.

What are some of the Benefits and Risks Related to the Project?

Regarding benefits, the project will facilitate cheaper means of conducting business between the City and the other stakeholders. For instance, the use of the Precoro platform will make it cheaper to deal with vendors since all transactions will be conducted online. Also, the use of the Zoom platform will ensure that meetings are done remotely, which will be cheaper rather than have people meet at one physical location. Another benefit of the project is that it will create convenience for all stakeholders involved. For instance, people will be more updated on any upcoming events in the city.

Conclusion

This paper has presented a needs assessment of the City of Kelsey, which has initiated plans to update its information technology applications. The paper has revealed the stakeholders of the project, their needs/demands, the design considerations, security/ethical concerns, available software, and the benefits/risks associated with the project. If successful, the project will facilitate the creation of effective communication systems in the City of Kelsey. The project will facilitate cheaper means of conducting business between the City and the other stakeholders and also create convenience for all stakeholders involved.

References
Hanks, G. (2017, September). Ethical issues in project management. Biz Fluent. https://bizfluent.com/info-7877302-ethical-issues-project-management.html
Whatman, P. (2020, April). 9 procurement tools for modern businesses. Spend Journal. https://blog.spendesk.com/en/procurement-tools