Group 4 Section B

Daily Activity Reporting Tool (DART)

INTRODUCTION The Daily Activity Reporting Tool (DART) is a system deployed by Infosys to track the progress of a project. This tool is web based and is used for planning the schedule of a project by assigning a predetermined number of hours to each employee based on the kind of work assigned to each. This allows the project managers to keep track of the progress of the project and take note of any deviation from the timeline. The system automatically generates reports on the percentage of work completed and the shortfall if any. The strategy of the company in deploying this tool will be analyzed as part of this study and the effectiveness will be gauged through the user responses. DATA COLLECTION The data related to the implementation and the deployment of the tool has been collected through secondary research by interviewing direct users of the system. The perceived benefits or the difficulties in using the system have been captured through this method. The user adaptability and the usage pattern is also a focus of this research. WORK IN PROGRESS Collection of primary data is being attempted in order to get a clearer picture of the system architecture and deployment pattern. The effectiveness of the tool needs to be measured through a survey if permitted by the company. An interview with the developers can also bring out the exact rationale behind designing this tool and what it intends to achieve. Future improvements to the tool will be suggested after the analysis is complete. OBSTACLES FACED The major obstacle is the collection of primary data. As the tool is a proprietary one and not discussed in any public forum it is proving to be quite difficult to obtain official data. The screenshots of the tool may not be available unless the company permits it explicitly. It is imperative to avoid usage of proprietary information and use only that which is permissible. The developer team is yet to be contacted. FINAL DELIVERABLES A report in the case based format highlighting the strategy of Infosys behind the deployment of the DART tool and its ramifications. The efficiency of the tool and suggestions for improvements with regards to the open issues will also be discussed in the final report.

MIS Term Paper