Operations Plan of Smart Agent - Case Study Example

Operations Plan of ‘The Smart Agent’ Introduction This is an important aspect in any modern business set up as it helps businesses with their daily functions. An operations plan is focused on the administrative and productions functions, hence it assists ventures to raise their level of efficiency, enhance quality and limit costs. The operations plan for the smart agent will be modeled within the same principles mentioned above, here below is an operations plan for the smart agent app and includes situational analyses that will help to set solid targets through the examination of present operations processes, capacity and productivity. Further the operations plan will help in the analysis of human resources, time and space needs, plus their costs to accentuate the plan. The main part of the objectives plan is a sequence of targets that have been developed to ascertain the operational goals which include development, information flows, app management, quality control, research, and a budget for the operating costs. Overview of the Smart Agent The idea on the smart agent has been conceived as a way to develop a mobile phone app that will assist people in locating an buildings in the areas of Boston. Further, it assists people in locating colleges, or just a general movement within the city and its environs. The app has been conceived to provide a contract which has a legal effect, and one can find an apartment and communicate and pen a signature with the landlords directly. The app has the benefit of reduced agency costs it allows prospective tenants and landlords to meet, as well as save their time and money. The most impressive thing about the app is that prospective tenants can easily contract their landlords anywhere in the world without the need to be physically present to complete their deal. The app further comes equipped with several languages and hence it can serve a diverse set of clients all over the globe. The app has an inbuilt forum that promotes instant and simultaneous conversations between the prospective parties, enabling easier locations of apartments. The app is important as it helps people to easily locate nearby utility services such as supermarkets amongst others. Despite these glowing tributes about the app, it faces certain challenges that it must mount for it to be successfully be marketed and built on solid financial performance. First, there is a need for a huge data base for the vast amount of property that exists in Boston. Second, the management must have a safety system that will protect their customer’s privacy, and ensure that each step in the usage and every document developed in the app have a binding legal effect. Process Mapping The app shall be built to function in the three leading mobile operating system’ iOS, android and windows. The process mapping of the operations of the app is an important way to synthesize the entire process, and it uses the flow diagram in the process. This tool is important in facilitation and identification of bottlenecks, inefficiencies and information sharing difficulties within the enterprise, and the avoidance of eventual loss in profits. Additionally, the diagram assists in the determination of operating and other costs as well as skill and labor requirements for each stage. In this paper, the flow diagram will be a useful tool for three major functions: assessing process, development and capacity. The program begins with the mapping of each phase of the operations and development process. Operations Stages for the Smart Agent Operations Stage Responsible Party 1. App Development Customer Under the guidance of a seasoned developer, approved by the majority of the group members and executed by the assigned development manager within the group. 2. App goal definition One group member The idea for the smart app is very ingenious, and the purpose and mission of the mobile app is to be set by one member of the group, and ratified by the entire group members. 3. Sketching of the app on the paper One group member Through the development of sketches, the member responsible shall lay the base for the interface development in the future. In this stage, the member shall help the rest to gain a conceptual idea of the smart agent’s major features and workout the layout and structure of the application. This initial step in the operations phase shall assists the group members to develop a deep understanding of the app’s mission, and they will be used when referring to the next stage in the app development phase. 4. Wireframe and storyboarding Entire group In this stage, the group develops a mockup and prototype of the app, and views its functionality online. 5. Back end of the smart agent application Entire group member The apps wireframes and storyboarding are the foundational basis for the apps back end structure and the entire group will sketch the servers, API and data diagrams. This will be important in reference for the group, and as the group gels in the project, the apps will become more and more self self-explanatory for them to work out. 6. Test the Prototype Entire group The group shall be tasked with reviewing the smart agents app, and they will test a run. The group shall draw honest feedback and identify faults and dead end links. In the studio that is used in the smart agent app, the embers shall take turns trying out the prototype, and monitoring of the use shall be monitored to take note of their actions and adapting different systems to the app. A success of the app will enable marketing of it to the entire market of potential users 7. Database security encryption Seek outside help. This functionality will be contracted to outsiders so that the security of the customers will be ensured. 8. Marketing of the app Group member This tasked is assigned to one member of the group and must submit a report to the group on their experience. The operations process flow diagram The role of outside help, customers and group members in the apps development is crucial, so as to identify the cost effectiveness of its development and overcoming the customer’s lack of access to the apps, the smart agent ensures a centralized source of information. In turn, the smart agent will charge a small fee for its services, and this will be important for the apps viability and regulate quality and maintain the development costs low in this narrow margin business. the app provides customers with a year all round access to time and costs saving means of locating the right deal for them. Productivity In operations plan, productivity refers to the time and number of people it takes to deliver a service. Good productivity is defined by the degree in which the service is developed and enhanced to serve people in less time, and consequently increasing profitability. Identification of bottlenecks that frustrate or slow down the processes is an important beginning point to increase the profitability of the smart agent, and removing the unimportant phases and elimination of duplicating contributions that aids in streamlining the development of the operations process of the smart agent apps. The acid test is if the group can raise the productivity of the apps without unnecessarily reducing quality of the application. To improve productivity in operations, these factors become important in the development of the smart agent app; labor organization, specialization, technology, scheduling and financial incentives. The organization of labor within the group’s project has a indirect of direct bearing on the overall productivity of the app. The layout and plan of actions facilitates and activities at hand determine the manner in which labor is organized. The operations will involve a combination of both team approach and line approach. The line approach is the one of choice for the group, and in this approach every group member is held responsible for each particular task and in completion, the activities passes on the work to the next available individual in the line. This is an excellent method for the app development, as each activity can be isolated. On the other hand, the team approach refers to a situation whereby the group members join hands to complete tasks related to the app development and marketing, this approach depends on the temperament, skills and training of the members of the group. Specialization Each group member will be allocated a particular duty in development, research and marketing of the apps. In business theory, workers productivity is predicted to increase if there is a development of a specific technical competence in the operation of the product. Further, specialized workers produce at a higher rate and with more accuracy than the ones who are unspecialized. It requires training and a careful plan that will make sure that the group members is competent enough that one can cover for another group member whenever they are not available for a tasks. Technology, smart agent development is a pure use of technology to make money, and it improves the operations process. Scheduling A beforehand plan and operations scheduling are important for enhancing productivity. This tool is important as it helps in avoiding bottlenecks from occurring and maintains operations running well during cyclical swings. In fat several operations planning writers have argued that lack of advance scheduling is one of the key reasons for the existence of weak profits and sales. Bottlenecks in Smart Agent Development Contribution of every member of the group Professional assistance costs Lack of agreement on the eye catching app icon Inconsistent reports Constraints on the Smart Agent Apps Bottlenecks Influence Lack of agreement on the smart agent application icon This will ensure a delay in the roll out plan for the application Contribution of every member of the group The application needs to be a reflection of the contribution of the entire group, and if other members do not contribute, then the success of the app can be subjected to further legal problems Accessing professional assistance Professional help in mobile application can come at huge costs to the group. Inconsistent reports During wireframe and storyboarding, reports from the trials can help in reinforcing the apps weak links, however, inconsistent reports and jeopardize the development. Counter measures to handle the Constraints Find a way in which the members can unanimously agree on the app’s icon, or alternatively a mechanism in which the group members vote for their favorite icon, logo and brand. Through job specialization, the contribution of every member is guaranteed, and further legal documents shall be drafted to regulate the interest of very member in the group. To find the most cost effective professional assistance in the apps development, the group shall review the results of a research assigned to a member to find the best, yet least cost offer. Reports on prototypes shall be ranked on the basis of their importance to the group, and the most consistent ones shall be chosen statistically for review and implementation. Operations Objectives Operations goals are expressed in the production costs, service enhancements, capacity and changes to the process which include tightening quality control or streamline stages. The operations are in part developed using marketing and sales goals developed in the marketing plan. These are developed by the product and price strategy and seasonality of the smart agent application. Operations Objectives for Smart Agent Standardize the application Improvement of quality control of the product Make important changes from prototype reports and respond in a timely manner to the customers changing needs and desires Limit transformation charges to make up profit for further app improvement Enhance customers capacity to create and sustain transformation process Attain a user level of 10,00 people in the first year. Read More