Project Management

Introducing Monitor

Monitor is the latest effort by CU*Answers to bring more communication to its credit unions.

Monitor is our project management utility; a web-based interface into our project tracking system. See what projects we're working on for your credit union, or see what we're working on for others credit unions.

Visit monitor now: http://monitor.cuanswers.com/

activeCollab is another Project Management tool chosen by CU*Answers as a method of systematically keeping projects on track. This web-based application will help CU*Answers, our clients, and even third-party partners communicate about projects, who is working on them, and where they are in the process.

In the data processing business, Project Management is a responsibility that is discussed on a daily basis and in some cases is the sole responsibility of a member of our staff. In your credit union, the jargon may not be the same as ours, but still requires many of the same talents, tools, and understanding of the methods to manage and monitor the tasks associated with the rollout of a new service. This may be as simple for you as developing a savings or loan product. The more difficult projects normally include adding a new business partner which requires you to coordinate efforts between multiple entities. It becomes a function of managing and monitoring the resources of multiple people and external partners. In many cases, the control of those resources is not up to you and you must be aware of where business partner resources are currently allocated.

At CU*Answers, this is an ongoing responsibility of CU*Answers supervisors. And as in any new project, CU*Answers ability to control the resources of your business partners is very limited. Take, for example, the buyout of NYCE by FDR. In the course of a few months our clients were told they must all convert to a new platform. This particular vendor did not give you a choice, and therefore, placed your CUSO in a position where resources needed to be reallocated away from other areas. It’s a dilemma but a situation we manage on a daily basis.

These sections are designed to assist clients in the development and management of new service offerings. They include the approximate timelines CU*Answers staff believes are associated with the coordination and completion of these projects. We have also included links to various documents and pricing guidelines to help our clients manage their projects effectively.

Each section of the Project Management site includes the following information: current projects, timelines, CU*Answers contact information, and pricing.

How Can I Manage My Projects?

There are many things to consider when beginning any type of project. The sections within this site are designed to help you make the best decisions in the most efficient ways. Considerations that apply to all sections include:

Current vendor contracts
Is this an existing vendor with CU*Answers?
Is there documentation available on CU*Answers.com?
Are there special considerations with my vendor?
What kind of charges will I incur from the vendor?
Are there other credit unions currently using this vendor/service?

Life Cycle of a Project

For the most part, any type of project at CU*Answers follows the same life cycle. The steps of the life cycle include:

Client contacts CU*Answers about the project
CU*Answers reviews project and submits price quote to client
Client reviews quote and returns Project Authorization to CU*Answers
Project sheet is created and assigned to a CU*Answers resource
Client and/or vendor is contacted with any questions, if needed
Project is tested
Project is implemented and client is contacted

Track Your Projects with Monitor

During the Summer of 2004, CU*Answers unveiled a utility for project managers: Monitor.

Monitor is a web interface to CU*Answers' project management database. It provides a detailed view about every current project in our system. Now, any employee of your credit union can retrieve information about your credit union's projects.

Each project listing provides the following data:

Project Number
Project Type
Creation Date
Project Creator
Affected Menu
Affected Menu Option
Project Details
Current Status
Resolution Date

In the true spirit of credit union cooperation, not only can you view your own projects, but you have access to every other CU*Answers credit union's project listing as well. Why? Call it an exchange of ideas. By seeing what other credit unions are doing, we hope Monitor will inspire you with new ways to improve your own credit union. Together, we'll grow stronger.

Phases of Monitor

Monitor is a continuously growing application, with new functionality planned well into the future. We have identified the current release plans as five phases.

Phase One: The current phase. At this stage, Monitor is still in its original form, using the rewritten databases to present project statuses.
Phase Two: Email notification. Monitor will email a project's invlolved parties every time a status code changes. When your project is approved, denied, moved to a programmer or submitted to Quality Control, you'll know at the speed of email.
Phase Three: Database overhaul. Monitor will undergo a fundamental backend change when the database structure is upgraded and rewritten. In addition to a new database structure, the reporting functionality will be overhauled as well.
Phase Four: Development of interfaces. New features and a new monitor design will complement the back end restructuring of phase three.
Phase Five: Enhancements and future additions. Focus will shift from the database capabilities to intercommunication capabilities as Monitor is transformed into a direct communications tool. Not just a web site, but a communications channel.

Visit Monitor now: http://monitor.cuanswers.com/