Evaluation Plan
Purpose
For any large scale project to be successful, there needs to be a way to judge performance
on aspects of the project and determine when milestones have been reached. If no such
process is in place, it would be easy for a project to linger endlessly in the initial development
phase.
Evaluation Criteria
The ThrillTracker Inc. project life-cycle will be evaluated based on individual performance, as
well as overall project performance based on the four phases of the overall project cycle.
Each phase can be broken down into four subcategories that affect the completion of that
phase. In particular, these elements can be judged by individuals higher up in the hierarchy
chain, or via a review board:




Time
Cost
Scope
Quality
The criteria for evaluating each project phase can be further broken down by evaluation that
the team itself undergoes periodically as needed on a weekly or per phase basis:

Personnel Factor: each member of the team will be evaluated based on technical,
communication, management (if applicable), and overall contributions to the group.
Personnel can be evaluated at intervals throughout the project life cycle through peer
review which other members of the team will evaluate each other based on the skills
outlined above, which ultimately makes its way to our CEO, Janet Brunelle. Group
contributions are organized in our online repository, as well as through our personal
websites, and project website.

Administrative Factor: scheduling and task breakdown analysis, meeting agendas
and minutes. Typically these tasks may be carried out by the Project Manager. Like
other team members, the Project Manager is also evaluated in the peer review at
intervals throughout the project life cycle to evaluate their performance.

Financial Factor: the scheduled budget for the current phase will be evaluated for cost
efficiency, and funding allocation. Finances should undergo constant scrutiny to
ensure that the project is spending its funds and NOT overshooting its budget. It is
also important to be sure that funds are being spent wisely and that as close to
possible that all money allocated is used.

Marketing Factor: the current target market and an updated list of competitors will be
validated. Dedicated research on our target customer is a must and should be
Blue Team
Evaluation Plan
Spring 2007
something that is investigated and followed up on daily. Competition should also be
closely monitored and our Competition Matrix should be updated to reflect any new
findings.

Technical Factor: the components of the software, hardware and overall system will
be evaluated for completion, testing, and integration. As outlined in our resource plan,
hardware and software should be proven products and in no way, shape, or form be
products that are in beta format or that have security flaws. As much as possible
software and hardware selection will be provided by industry proven companies.
Limitations
While ThrillTracker Inc. stands by its product and we do provide parks with real-time attraction
data as well as park patrons the option of using a web-based/kiosk itinerary, in addition to
custom park solutions, there are some things that the ThrillTracker product will NOT provide.
These are outlined below:





Show real-time where every patron is anywhere in the park
Ensure maximum efficiency of all attractions
Eliminate lines at attractions
Eliminate congestion throughout the park
Allow patrons to schedule an unlimited number of attractions
Blue Team
Evaluation Plan
Spring 2007
Target Customer
ThrillTracker Inc.'s will have two main markets. Additionally, some of the benefits that the
ThrillTracker yields can be marketed and sold to our customer's patrons.
Primary Customer:
Secondary Customer:
Customer's Patrons:
Major Amusement and Theme Parks
Secondary and Minor Amusement and Theme Parks
People visiting these parks and buying extra ThrillTracker
options
Phase Breakdown
Phase 0
Phase 0 saw the birth of the ThrillTracker Project . Initially the phase began with research of
problems facing society and individual project ideas. Strong ideas were selected and groups
were formed to further develop the concept and investigate competition. Development and
defining of product features to helped the team identify our project goals and objectives and
helped us decide what might pose a risk to our project. Our findings were presented in the
form of Feasibility and Milestone presentations. A Work Breakdown Structure was created for
each phase of the project to further outline objectives that need to be completed for the
overall project cycle.
Phase 0 Deliverables
Feasibility Presentation
Milestone Presentation
Proposal Presentation
SBIR Proposal
Product Website

Time
Minor objectives as discussed within the team and generally assigned and given timelines by
the Project Manager on a bi-weekly basis with major objectives being passed down by the
CEO, Janet Brunelle. The Project Manager ensures that all of the team members are
completing their respective tasks within the given deadlines in accordance with the overall
goals as outlined in the Work Breakdown Structure. The timeline for this phase lasts roughly
83 days at which times all deliverables should be “delivered”.
 Cost
For this first phase, there is no funding. A majority of this phase is concerned with research,
developing an idea, determining if there is a customer, and planning. From there a grant is
prepared for a proof of concept phase.
Blue Team
Evaluation Plan
Spring 2007

Scope
Evaluating the scope of deliverables will be determined by comparing grading criteria for each
item against the deliverable. If each grading item has been addressed, then the deliverable is
considered a success.

Quality
The Quality of deliverables is determined by the professor as well as the guest panels brought
in to view our presentations. Once the team feels that we have provided the best possible
deliverables unanimously, and we receive a passing mark of 90 or better, then the deliverable
is deemed a success. Overall quality and quantity is also evaluated in the aforementioned
peer review.
Overall, Phase 0 success can be determined by the acceptance of the SBIR Proposal and
Final Presentation.
Phase 1
Phase 1 will begin the prototype and proof of concept phase. This will begin in the Fall with
the beginning of the CS411w course where the team will develop a functioning prototype.
The team will continue with its bi-weekly class meetings, in addition to its bi-weekly group
meetings. Time will be devoted during those meetings to ensure that each team member is
working toward overall project objectives through doing their outlined tasks.
In particular a great deal of development on the ThrillTracker software will take place and
includes the following:






Web interface for ThrillTracker itinerary planning with CSS for easy theme changes
Kiosk user interface for itinerary and other features
Database to keep track of rides and attraction times
Database to keep track of patrons and itineraries
Interface for collecting attraction and patron data
RFID reader interface for collecting attraction data
Software developed will undergo analysis, design, implementation, validation, and quality
testing. Surveys and beta testing will also be done to ensure that our interfaces are user
friendly.
Documentation for our prototype will include the constant update of the plan documents in
addition to testing documentation (test plan), requirements documentation, and user
documentation.
Phase 1 Deliverables
ThrillTracker Prototype
Blue Team
Evaluation Plan
Spring 2007
SBIR Phase 2 Proposal

Time
Members of the team should complete tasks as outlined by the Project Manager within the
assigned timeline. These goals are what makes up project objectives, which have a clear
defined due date as outlined by the CEO. If deliverables are “delivered” within 105 days of
phase begin date, then this criteria is considered a success.

Cost
Funding for this phase is outlined in the Funding Plan. Overall this phase has a total budget
of $100,000.00. This budget should NOT be exceeded, but should be used to develop the
project as much as possible. If our ending budget is within a close percentage range of our
estimated budget, then we have successfully met this criteria.

Scope
The scope of this project will be measured by comparing our deliverables against the grading
criteria as outlined in the SBIR Phase 2 requirements. The ThrillTracker prototype will be
measured against the list of requirements for the project as outlined by the CEO. Should both
of these be met, then the scope is considered a success.

Quality
The quality of presentations will be decided by Janet Brunelle and her review board. Should
the board decide to grant the team funding, then the quality will be deemed successful. The
prototype will be considered successful when we have a fully working ThrillTracker setup.
Quality of coding will be determined by our Quality Assurance staff, as outlined in our Staffing
Plan.
Overall, this phase is considered a success when acceptance for Phase 2 has been met and
is being funded.
Phase 2
Phase 2 is concerned with improving and fixing any issues that we might have had with our
lab prototype from phase 1. This is where the team shifts into refinement, development, and
testing of the ThrillTracker. Bi-weekly meetings will continue with meetings in between as
needed to be sure that the team stays motivated and on task. Quality Assurance will be
working closely with the Software Engineers and GUI Designers to ensure that the
ThrillTracker product not only is a quality product, but is user friendly as well. Outsiders will
be brought in to again determine if the GUI's are intuitive and easy to use. Peer evaluations
will continue.
Phase 2 Deliverable
Blue Team
Evaluation Plan
Spring 2007
Working Prototype

Time
Members of the team should complete tasks as outlined by the Project Manager within the
assigned timeline. If a working prototype is refined, developed, and tested and has had its
first successful application within 231 days, then this criteria is considered a success.

Cost
Funding for this phase is outlined in the Funding Plan. Overall this phase has a total budget
of $750,000.00. This budget should NOT be exceeded, but should be used to develop the
project as much as possible. If our ending budget is within a close percentage range of our
estimated budget, then we have successfully met this criteria.

Scope
The working prototype will be measured against our requirements document and project
goals and objectives. The prototype will need to meet all of this criteria and operate as
expected and envisioned, will need to hold up against constant testing and pass every test as
outlined in the test plan. Finally, a working model will be deployed in our case study theme
park during the parks off season and throughly tested and made public to attract interest.
If all of this criteria has been met, then the scope for this phase is successful.

Quality
Through the scrutiny of the Quality Assurance staff and through open beta testing of GUI
interfaces and a closed test in our case study theme park, if all of this testing is successful
with a near none failure rate, then quality criteria will have been met.
Phase 3
Phase 3 is the production and out years phase of the project. By the time that we are into this
phase, production of our product should be completed and we will hopefully already have our
first customers to assure that our company can continue to operate on its outlined budget.
A great deal of time will be spent on marketing and being sure that parks and attractions are
aware of our product and the benefits that our product will provide them with. As always, it is
necessary that we stay within what has been outlined in the Work Breakdown Structure.
Phase 3 Deliverables
Product Production/Rollout

Time
Members of the team should complete tasks as outlined by the Project Manager within the
assigned timeline. If a production quality ThrillTracker has been produced and is ready for
Blue Team
Evaluation Plan
Spring 2007
roll-out within 352 days, then this criteria has been met with success.

Cost
If the overall cost of this phase is within a small percentage under our estimated budget, AND
the company has at least one guaranteed customer, with a growing customer base at this
point, then cost is considered a success.

Scope
If all work in the development plan has been completed and the product is ready for
production and rollout, then scope is considered a success.

Quality
If every piece of code has been examined and hardware has been tested as according to the
test plan with an extremely low rate of failure, and the ThrillTracker is meeting every objective
that it had initially set out to complete and is marketed to do, then quality has been met with
success.
The overall success of this phase can be linked to customer acceptance and completing our
product. It would be a plus to at least have one or two interested potential customers by this
point to ensure that the company is able to still turn over a profit due to funding being
removed after this point.
ROUGH DRAFT
Blue Team
Evaluation Plan
Spring 2007