Methods and Tools for Pre-project Examination of Enterprise’s Activity
Liliya Kondratyeva has recently passed her MPhil viva at the Wessex Institute of Technology with a thesis entitled “Methods and Tools for Pre-project Examination of Enterprise’s Activity”. The external examiner was Prof Sylvie Jackson from Cranfield University and the internal examiner was Prof Viktor Popov.
Liliya received her first degree in information systems from the Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics (KNURE), Ukraine, after which she started her MPhil programme at the Wessex Institute of Technology.
In her thesis Liliya investigated the problem of pre-project examination for the information system design process for the purpose of developing a management information system. Different design methodologies emphasized the importance of this stage of design, they set its deliverables, but virtually none of them explained how to conduct the pre-project examination. This process was greatly influenced by the type of information system under development, the experience of the analyst, the chosen design methodology, availability of domain knowledge experts, etc. Due to these factors, the pre-project examination remained a weakly formalized process.
The analyst working on the design of the information system, is usually specialized in information technologies. Before the start of the pre-project examination, the basics of domain knowledge must be obtained, which is necessary for conducting the examination. Depending on the peculiarities of the system to be designed, the analyst must then tailor the process of the pre-project examination, choosing the methods and tools. Thus, Liliya investigated the basics of organisation theory and different approaches towards management, paying special attention to the process approach and strategic management. Liliya also investigated the basics of information system design methodologies and the main approaches towards the design process. Liliya conducted the pre-project examination for the development of information system of strategic management for Kharkiv National University of Radioelectronics, based on the Balanced Scorecard methodology. In the course of the pre-project examination, the methods and tools for the pre-project examination were chosen and implemented for defining key elements of strategic management, such as strategy, mission, vision, goals and key performance indicators. Liliya defined two strategies for two crucial business processes of the university – education and scientific work, the interconnection between these strategies and customers for both of them. Liliya reconsidered the Balanced Scorecard perspectives, adding the fifth perspective to the strategy, dedicated to education. Modelling of the university was performed by Liliya, using the Balanced Scorecard methodology - models included Cause-and-effect diagram and Key performance indicators allocation diagrams. Liliya developed the elements of technical project, such as functional structure of the management information system, database structure, and algorithm for the Balanced Scorecard automated system design.
As a result of her research, both examiners recommended that Liliya be awarded the degree of Master of Philosophy.
Grateful acknowledgement is given to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for their support.
Wessex Institute