CH-3 Managing the Information Systems Project – Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design : Book Guide

Chapter 3 Managing the Information Systems Project Chapter Overview The purpose of this chapter is to introduce students to the process of managing an information systems project. Specifically, this chapter focuses on the systems analyst’s role in managing information systems projects through the four phases in the life of all projects: initiation, planning, execution, and close down. You (and your students) should think of this chapter as a valuable reference throughout the systems development course and use the material in this chapter to assist in guiding and evaluating ongoing project activities. You may want to emphasize that the skills and knowledge gained from this chapter are a critical foundation to the effective management of, not only information systems projects, but also, all types of projects and activities. Chapter 3 introduces students to Pine Valley Furniture and Broadway Entertainment Company, Inc., the textbook’s two running cases. These two fictional companies are used in the chapters to illustrate key systems analysis and design concepts. When either of these companies is referenced in the textbook, an icon appears next to the material, making it easier for the reader to locate the references to the particular company. Pine Valley Furniture is a fictitious manufacturing company that manufactures high-quality wood furniture. Pine Valley Furniture provides a concrete example of a systems development project, reinforcing the analysis and design concepts presented throughout the textbook. Broadway Entertainment Company, Inc. is a fictitious international company involved in the video, music, and game rental and sales business. The Broadway Entertainment Company, Inc. case demonstrates the concepts presented in the chapters and provides students the opportunity to apply their newly acquired knowledge to a realistic case. Instructional Objectives Specific student learning objectives are included at the beginning of the chapter. From an instructor’s point of view, the objectives of this chapter are to: 1. Explain the process of managing an information systems project. 2. Describe the skills required to be an effective project manager. 3. List and describe the skills and activities of a project manager during project initiation, project planning, project execution, and project close down. 4. Explain what is meant by critical path scheduling and describe the process of creating Gantt charts and Network diagrams. 5. Explain how commercial project management software packages can be used to assist in representing and managing project schedules. Classroom Ideas 1. This chapter introduces many concepts and terms that are central to the management of information systems projects. It is important that your students become familiar with the key terms listed at the end of the chapter. To reinforce students’ understanding of these key terms, you can use the matching questions as an in-class assignment, quiz, or out-of-class assignment. 2. You may choose not to lecture from this chapter. Your students can read the chapter much as they might read a supplemental background reading (this is especially true if your students have already been exposed to project management concepts in another course). When reading the chapter this way, you may want to ask each student to apply the concepts of this chapter to a non-information systems activity, such as going on a date, vacation, etc. For this activity, ask students to describe initiation, planning, execution, and close-down activities. Ask them to create a work breakdown structure that includes precedence relationships and time durations for each activity. Additionally, ask them to construct Gantt charts and Network diagrams for these activities. You can have students do this as either an outside class activity or have them do this during your class time. In class, you can call on students to describe their project and phases. Alternatively, you could make this a written assignment to be graded or reviewed. 3. If you lecture from this chapter, you might want to use the tables and figures in the chapter to point out to the students the major project management activities. 4. An alternative to lecturing on the main part of this chapter is to lecture from the Review Questions, Problems and Exercises, and Discussion Questions at the end of the chapter. Selected questions can be posed to students to help focus a discussion on project management concepts and techniques. 5. You should make sure that the students have the ability to construct Gantt charts and Network diagrams. Working through the problems presented in the text or in Problems and Exercises 3-7, 3-8, 3-12, and 3-13 in class will be helpful to many students. 6. Another effective, in-class exercise for teaching this chapter is to ask students who have been on systems development teams to compare their experiences to the concepts presented in Chapter 3. This discussion can be a good way to elaborate on alternative ways for managing systems development projects, especially if systems were constructed using different methodologies. Use this discussion to explore if these student projects followed the discrete phases outlined in the chapter. Ask them to describe the activities of the project manager. What was the same? What was different? 7. If you have access to project management software, it is often engaging for students to see a demonstration of how a systems development project can be represented. Such a demonstration will not only teach students project management techniques, but it also gives them greater confidence to try project management software for themselves. 8. If you have access to a practicing systems development project manager, a useful activity is to invite them to your class to discuss how they manage projects. Make sure that you ask this person about how to manage all four phases of a project (even if this is not the terminology he uses). Also, what tools are used? How do project members communicate? 9. If you can obtain a copy of the project management guidelines for a local systems development firm or consulting organization, show students how extensive project management guidelines typically are. If you have students working in systems development organizations, you might ask several of them to bring their firm’s guidelines to class. If possible, reproduce the table of contents of these manuals for all students and have them compare the various guidelines to see what each organization emphasizes. Lecture Notes This chapter introduces students to the project manager’s role in the systems development process. The project manager is responsible for initiating, planning, executing, and closing down the project. Figure 3–1 illustrates these project management activities. Students are also introduced to techniques for reporting project plans, as well as project management software. Pine Valley Furniture Company Background Pine Valley Furniture manufactures a variety of high-quality wood furniture items. Since its beginnings in the early 1980s, the company’s information systems have changed from manual-based information systems to application-oriented systems to a recently implemented database approach. Figure 3–2 illustrates the application-oriented approach that Pine Valley Furniture used. Pine Valley Furniture’s new centralized database was developed in-house. Managing the Information Systems Project A project is a planned undertaking of related activities to reach an objective that has a beginning and an end. A project manager assures that a systems development project meets customer expectations and is delivered within budget and time constraints. Additionally, he/she is responsible for initiating, planning, executing, and closing down a project. To successfully perform these tasks, a project manager must have a diverse skills set, including management, leadership, technical, conflict management, and customer relations skills. Systems development projects are often undertaken for two primary reasons: to take advantage of business opportunities and to solve business problems. The Pine Valley Furniture’s Purchasing Fulfillment System is presented as an example of how a project is undertaken to solve a problem. Juanita Lopez works in the order department, and Chris Martin is a systems analyst. After contacting Chris about problems with the ordering process, Chris and Juanita produced a Systems Service Request. Figure 3–3 shows this deliverable. Once Pine Valley Furniture’s Systems Priority Board approved the Systems Service Request, a feasibility study was conducted. Figure 3–4 outlines the steps followed during the project initiation stage of the Purchasing Fulfillment System project. Once a project has been identified, the size, scope, resource requirements, and probability for successful completion are determined. To manage a project and bring it to a successful conclusion, the project manager juggles many activities; Figure 3–5 illustrates this juggling process. Table 3–1 lists the common activities and skills required of a project manager. As mentioned previously, the project manager is responsible for project management, which consists of four phases: (1) initiating the project; (2) planning the project; (3) executing the project; and (4) closing down the project. Project initiation is the first phase of the project management process in which activities are performed to assess the size, scope, and complexity of the project and to establish procedures to support later project activities. Figure 3–6 lists the following project initiation activities: (1) establishing the project initiation team; (2) establishing a relationship with the customer; (3) establishing the project initiation plan; (4) establishing management procedures; (5) establishing the project management environment and project workbook; and (6) developing the project charter. Establishing the project team organizes an initial core of project team members to carry out the project initiation activities. The second activity, establishing a relationship with the customer, encourages a strong working relationship between the analyst and the users. Often management will assign a specific IS individual to work as a liaison between the IS group and the business unit, thus fostering working relationships between the IS group and various business units. Establishing the project initiation plan identifies those activities required to organize the initiation team while it works to define the project’s scope. Activities include defining an individual’s role, establishing communication plans, identifying required deliverables and project steps, and establishing deadlines. When establishing management procedures, the project manager is concerned with how the team will communicate, establishing reporting procedures, job assignments and roles, project change procedures, and how to handle project funding and billing. Establishing the project management environment and project workbook involves collecting and organizing the tools that will be used while managing the project and starting a project workbook. The project workbook can exist in manual and/or electronic form. The project workbook is often made available via the Web. Figure 3–7 illustrates Pine Valley Furniture’s project workbook. A project charter is a short, high-level document prepared for both internal and external stakeholders to formally announce the establishment of the project and to briefly describe the objectives, key assumptions, and stakeholders. Figure 3–8 shows an example project charter for a proposed systems development project. Project planning is the second phase of the project management process, which focuses on defining clear activities and the work needed to complete each activity within a single project. As Figure 3–9 suggests, plans in the short term can be more detailed and specific, while longer-term plans will often not be as detailed. As illustrated in Figure 3–10, the project planning phase involves ten activities: (1) describing project scope, alternatives, and feasibility; (2) dividing the project into manageable tasks; (3) estimating resources and creating a resource plan; (4) developing a preliminary schedule; (5) developing a communication plan; (6) determining project standards and procedures; (7) identifying and assessing risk; (8) creating a preliminary budget; (9) developing a project scope statement; and (10) setting a Baseline Project Plan. During the first activity, the initiation team seeks to understand the content and complexity of the project. It is important that the team members define the scope, identify possible alternative solutions, and assess feasibility. When dividing the project into manageable tasks, the entire project is broken into smaller, more manageable tasks. These tasks are then ordered. A work breakdown structure is a product of this activity. Figure 3–11 uses a Gantt chart to illustrate how activities can be broken down into summary tasks and specific tasks. During the estimating resources and creating a resource plan activity, resource requirements for each project activity are estimated. Figure 3–12 shows an example of the COCOMO method of estimating project size and cost. This information is used to create a project resource plan. It is important to keep in mind that the individuals assigned to specific tasks influence the resource requirements. When making task assignments, the project manager can use specialized, generalized, or middle-ground approaches. Figure 3–13 shows the tradeoff between quality and time depending upon who is given a particular programming assignment. When developing a preliminary schedule, the time and resource availability information is used to assign time estimates to each activity appearing in the work breakdown structure. Gantt charts and Network diagrams can represent a project’s schedule. Figure 3–14 shows a Network diagram. The activity of developing a communication plan outlines the communication procedures among management, project team members, and customers. Figure 3–15 show a project communication matrix that provides a high level summary of the communication plan. Determining project standards and procedures specifies how various deliverables are produced and tested by the project team. It is important for the project manager to identify and assess sources of project risk. The identification of a project’s risk and its scope are related and often concurrently discussed. A preliminary budget will also be created; the preliminary budget outlines expected revenues and expenses. Figure 3–16 shows a sample cost-benefit analysis for a systems development project. A Project Scope Statement is developed near the end of the project planning phase; the purpose of this document is to ensure that everyone has a clear understanding of the intended project size, duration, and outcomes. The final project planning activity involves setting a Baseline Project Plan; the Baseline Project Plan estimates the project’s task and resource requirements and guides project execution. Project execution is the third phase of the project management process and is when the plans created in prior phases are put into action. Figure 3–17 lists the five project execution activities: (1) executing the Baseline Project Plan; (2) monitoring project progress against the Baseline Project Plan; (3) managing changes to the Baseline Project Plan; (4) maintaining the project workbook; and (5) communicating the project status. Executing the Baseline Project Plan involves initiating the execution of project activities, acquiring and assigning resources, orienting and training new team members, keeping the project on schedule, and assuring the quality of project deliverables. Figure 3–18 shows how complete and incomplete activities can be represented on a Gantt chart. While monitoring the project progress against the Baseline Project Plan, the project manager may need to adjust resources, activities, and budgets. Gantt and Network diagrams are beneficial tools for this activity. Managing changes to the Baseline Project Plan involves managing formal change requests and changes occurring outside the project manager’s control. When events occur that impact the project, the project manager must devise a way to get back on track or revise the Baseline Project Plan. During project execution, it is important that the project workbook is maintained and that the project’s status is communicated to all interested parties. Table 3–2 identifies several project team communication methods. Project closedown brings the project to an end. A project can have a natural or unnatural termination. When a project terminates, several activities are performed including: (1) closing down the project; (2) conducting post-project reviews; and (3) closing the customer contract. Figure 3–19 summarizes the project closedown activities. When closing down the project, the project manager may assess each team member, provide career advice to team members, handle negative personnel issues, notify all interested parties that the project is completed, finalize documentation and financial records, and celebrate the accomplishments of the team. When conducting post-project reviews, the objective is to determine the strengths and weaknesses of project deliverables, the processes used to create them, and the project management process. Closing the customer contract ensures that all contractual terms have been met. A project manager has a variety of graphical and textual documents available for documenting the project plans. Network diagrams and Gantt charts are two such tools. Figure 3–20A illustrates a Gantt chart and a Network diagram. While Gantt charts show when a task should begin or end, Network diagrams show the sequencing of activities. Project management software enables the project manager to easily alter the project plan. Network diagrams are a critical path scheduling technique used for controlling resources. Network diagrams are more often used than Gantt charts for information systems projects because Network diagrams can represent how completion times vary for various tasks. Figure 3–20B illustrates a Network diagram. PERT is a technique that uses optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic time to calculate the expected time for a particular task. A critical path is the shortest time in which a project can be completed. Slack time is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed without delaying the project. Pine Valley Furniture’s Sales Promotion Tracking System (SPTS) is an example of how to represent a project plan. Jim Woo, the project’s manager, followed four steps to represent the project plan. The steps are: (1) identify each activity to be completed in the project; (2) determine time estimates and calculate the expected completion time for each activity; (3) determine the sequence of the activities and precedence relationships among all activities by constructing a Gantt chart and network diagram; and (4) determine the critical path. Figures 3–21 through 3–28 reinforce these steps. Using Project Management Software A wide variety of project management tools are available. These tools allow the project manager to define and order tasks, assign resources to tasks, and modify tasks and resources. Project management tools run on a variety of platforms and range in price. Figures 3–29 through 3–32 can be used to discuss project management software. Key Terms Checkpoint Solutions Answers for the Key Terms Checkpoint section are provided below. The number following each key term indicates its location in the key term list. Review Questions Solutions 3-1. Discuss the reasons why organizations undertake information system projects. Answer: Information system projects are undertaken for two primary reasons: to take advantage of business opportunities and to solve business problems. Providing an innovative service to customers through the creation of a new system is an example of an opportunity. Modifying the way in which an existing system processes data so that more accurate or timely information is provided to users is an example of solving a business problem. 3-2. List and describe the common skills and activities of a project manager. Which skill do you think is most important? Why? Answer: Table 3–1 highlights the common skills and activities of a project manager. Although a case could be made for virtually all project management skills listed in the table, one skill—being an effective oral and written communicator—is likely the most fundamental skill for a project manager to master. Without effective communication skills, the ability to successfully complete activities is curtailed. 3-3. Describe the activities performed by the project manager during project initiation. Answer: Project initiation has six major activities: (1) establishing the project initiation team; (2) establishing a relationship with the customer; (3) establishing a project initiation plan; (4) establishing management procedures; (5) establishing the project management environment and project workbook; and (6) developing the project charter. When establishing the project initiation team, the project manager organizes an initial core of project team members to assist in accomplishing the project initiation activities. Establishing a relationship with the customer builds a cooperative and trusting partnership with the customer. The project initiation plan defines the necessary activities required to organize the initiation team while they are working to define the scope of the project. Management procedures establish team communication and reporting procedures, job assignments and roles, project change procedures, and determine how project funding and billing will be handled. Establishing the project management environment and project workbook creates the repository for all project correspondence, inputs, outputs, deliverables, procedures, and standards of the project team. The project charter is a short, high-level document prepared for both internal and external stakeholders; this document ensures that the analyst and customer have a common understanding of the project. 3-4. Describe the activities performed by the project manager during project planning. Answer: The activities performed by the project manager during project planning include: (1) describing project scope, alternatives, and feasibility; (2) dividing the project into manageable tasks; (3) estimating resources and creating a resource plan; (4) developing a preliminary schedule; (5) developing a communication plan; (6) determining project standards and procedures; (7) identifying and assessing risk; (8) creating a preliminary budget; (9) developing a Project Scope Statement; and (10) setting a Baseline Project Plan. Describing project scope, alternatives, and feasibility develops an understanding of the content and complexity of the project by gaining answers to an agreement on the following types of questions: • What problem or opportunity does the project address? • What are the quantifiable results to be achieved? • What needs to be done? • How will success be measured? • How will we know when we are finished? After defining the scope of the project, the next objective is to identify and document general solutions for the current business problem or opportunity and to assess each solution for feasibility so that a choice can be made as to which to consider during subsequent SDLC phases. Dividing the project into manageable tasks identifies specific tasks and then logically orders them to ensure a smooth evolution between tasks. Estimating resources and creating a resource plan approximates resource requirements for each project activity and uses this information to create a project resource plan. A preliminary schedule is developed using information regarding tasks and resource availability to assign time estimates to each activity in the work breakdown structure. This assignment will allow for the creation of target starting and ending dates for the project. The communication plan outlines the communication procedures between management, project team members, and the customer. Project standards and procedures specify how various deliverables are produced and tested. The activity of identifying and assessing risk examines sources of project risk and estimates the consequences of those risks. Risks might arise from the use of new technology, resistance to change, availability of critical resources, competitive and regulatory actions, and team member inexperience with technology or the business area. Creating a preliminary budget is the process of outlining the planned expenses and revenues associated with the project. The focus of developing a Project Scope Statement is to create a document that outlines all work that will be done and makes clear what the project will deliver. The purpose of setting a Baseline Project Plan is to develop an initial plan that reflects the best estimate of the project’s tasks and resource requirements and is used to guide the next project phase, execution. 3-5. Describe the activities performed by the project manager during project execution. Answer: Project execution activities include: (1) executing the Baseline Project Plan; (2) monitoring project progress against the Baseline Project Plan; (3) managing changes to the Baseline Project Plan; (4) maintaining the project workbook; and (5) communicating the project status. The execution of the Baseline Project Plan puts the Baseline Project Plan (e.g., the execution of project activities, acquire and assign resources, orient and train new team members, keep the project on schedule, and assure the quality of project deliverables) into action. The purpose of monitoring project progress against the Baseline Project Plan is to compare the actual progress of the project to the Baseline Project Plan. If the project gets ahead of (or behind) schedule, adjustments to resources, activities, and budgets can be made. When managing changes to the Baseline Project Plan, alterations to the Baseline Project Plan are made as events (e.g., a slipped completion date of an activity) occur. The project workbook is maintained through routine updating of project-related information documented within the workbook. The project status is communicated to inform all interested parties—systems developers, managers, and customers—about how the project is progressing. 3-6. List various project team communication methods, and describe an example of the type of information that might be shared among team members using each method. Answer: Table 3–2 summarizes project team communication methods. The table rates each method in terms of formality and use—for informing, for resolving issues, or for keeping permanent records. The following table lists these communication methods and provides an example of the type of information that might be shared among team members using each method. Team Communication Methods and Corresponding Examples 3-7. Describe the activities performed by the project manager during project closedown. Answer: The activities performed by the project manager during project closedown are: (1) closing down the project, (2) conducting post project reviews, and (3) closing the customer contract. The focus of closing down the project is to conclude the project. The objective of conducting post-project reviews is to assess the strengths and weaknesses of project deliverables, the processes used to create them, and the project management process. The purpose of closing the customer contract is to ensure that all contractual terms of the project have been met. 3-8. What characteristics must a project have in order for critical path scheduling to be applicable? Answer: Critical path scheduling is a scheduling technique where the order and duration of the sequence of project activities directly affect the completion date of a project. Applicable project characteristics include: (1) well-defined activities that have a clear beginning and end point; (2) activities that can be worked on independently of other activities; (3) activities that are ordered (or can be ordered); and (4) activities that when completed serve the purpose of the project. 3-9. Describe the steps involved in making a Gantt chart. The steps involved in making a Gantt chart are: (1) identify each activity to be completed in the project; (2) determine time estimates and calculate the expected completion time for each activity; (3) determine the sequence of the activities and precedence relationships among all activities; and (4) construct the Gantt chart. 3-10. Describe the steps involved in making a Network diagram. Answer: The steps involved in making a Network diagram are: (1) identify each activity to be completed in the project; (2) determine time estimates and calculate the expected completion time for each activity; (3) determine the sequence of the activities and precedence relationships among all activities; and (4) construct the Network diagram. NOTE: The steps involved in making Gantt charts and Network diagrams are identical. However, they differ in the way the information is presented. A Gantt chart is presented with bars that represent the tasks, whereas a Network diagram is presented with a rectangle to represent the tasks, with task information included in the rectangle. See the answers below in numbers 3-20 and 3-21 in the Problems and Exercises Solutions. 3-11. In which phase of the systems development life cycle does project planning typically occur? In which phase does project management occur? Answer: Project planning typically occurs during the planning and analysis phases of the SDLC. Project management occurs during all phases of the SDLC; yet, different project management activities occur during different SDLC phases. 3-12. What are some reasons why one activity may have to precede another activity before the second activity can begin? In other words, what causes precedence relationships between project activities? Answer: Task sequence will depend on which tasks produce deliverables needed in other tasks, when critical resources are available, constraints placed on the project by the client, and the process outlined in the SDLC. Problems and Exercises Solutions 3-13. Which of the four phases of the project management process do you feel is most challenging? Why? Answer: Each of the four phases of project management has its unique challenges, therefore, students’ choices of which are most challenging should vary. Project initiation, the first phase, involves team building, building relationships with customers, defining the problem and project, and other challenging tasks. Some students may (appropriately) argue that this first phase is most important. If the first phase is conducted poorly, the project is likely to be doomed to failure. Project planning, the second phase, is also important because it can make or break the success of the project work that follows. In addition, resource planning, scheduling, crafting a budget, and other planning tasks are difficult. Good planning is also a challenge because there is nearly always pressure to truncate or do away with planning altogether. Many students are likely to choose project execution, the third phase. This involves actually building the system, which is the primary responsibility and often is the longest phase of project management. Closing down the project, the fourth phase, is not likely to be chosen by students as much as are other project phases. However, this phase is equally challenging. The breakup of the team is a difficult, often overlooked aspect of project management. In addition, there may be assignment changes for team members and there are likely to be performance appraisals of team member performance. These are difficult and important personnel tasks that must be completed. 3-14. What are some sources of risk in a systems analysis and design project, and how does a project manager cope with risk during the stages of project management? Answer: Sources of risk include difficulties in constructing the system (due to unfamiliarity with the business area or new technologies), necessary systems personnel leaving before the system is completed, competitor’s response to the successful implementation of the system, failures of vendors to supply promised technology, uncooperative users, and so on. It is important that a manager identify the potential sources of risks, describe the possible negative outcomes, determine the probabilities of occurrence, and prepare contingency plans for those significant outcomes with a high probability of occurrence. 3-15. Search the web for recent reviews of project management software. Which packages seem to be most popular? What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of each packaged software? What advice would you give to someone intending to buy project management software for his or her PC? Why? Answer: There are several good project management software packages available for the personal computer. Microsoft Project for Windows and Primavera are two that are widely used. Information about project management software can be obtained from a variety of sources, including the World Wide Web, trade magazines, the library, marketing packets, and testing services. The World Wide Web is an excellent source of information. As part of your class activities or as a homework assignment, students can search the Web for relevant information about project management software. If time permits, ask students to investigate public domain and shareware products. How do these products compare with Microsoft Project? The advice to give to prospective buyers of project management software is much like that of buyers of general software. For example, it is probably a good idea to advise someone to first determine what they need and why they need it, and then see what packages best meet their needs at an acceptable price. Obtaining the opinions of those who have used similar software is also advisable. Chapter 7 provides additional information on evaluating vendors and software. 3-16. Suppose that you have been contracted by a jewelry store to manage a project to create a new inventory tracking system. Describe your initial approach to the project. What should your first activity be? What information would you need? To whom might you need to speak? Answer: Following the project initiation stage of the project management process, it would be important to establish the initiation team, establish contact with the customer, and work together to establish the initiation plan. Then management procedures should be established, and the tools used to manage the project (environment and project workbook) should be selected and initialized. Finally, a project charter should be created to outline the key deliverable(s) of the project and a high-level plan of how those deliverables will be produced. 3-17. Can a project have two critical paths? Why or Why not? Give a brief example to illustrate your point. Answer: Yes. A critical path is, by definition, the shortest time in which a project can be completed. If a project has two sub-paths that take the same amount of time, then both are on a critical path. The example is illustrated below. Both sub-paths (through C & E, and through D & F) have identical total duration, and thus both satisfy the critical path criterion. 3-18. Calculate the expected time for the following tasks. (Note: The tasks and optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic times are provided in the textbook.) Answer: A suggested answer is provided below. Task Expected Time A 7 B 9 C 3 D 5 E 6 F 5 G 4 H 4 I 5 J 6.83 3-19. A project has been defined to contain the following list of activities along with their required times for completion. a. Draw a Network diagram for the activities. Answer: b. Calculate the earliest expected completion time. Answer: 24 weeks. c. Show the critical path Answer: d. What would happen if activity 6 were revised to take 6 weeks instead of 2 weeks? Answer: The critical path would change to include activity 6 instead of activity 7, and the overall duration of the project would increase by 2 weeks. 3-20. Construct a Gantt chart for the project defined in Problem and Exercise 3-19. Answer: The following Gantt chart was created with Microsoft Project. The students may use project management software, a graphics package, or draw by hand to produce their chart. The Gantt chart for problem 3-20 is taken from Microsoft Project. 3-21. Look again at the activities outlined in Problem and Exercise 3-19. Assume that your team is in its first week of the project and has discovered that each of the activity duration estimates is wrong. Activity 2 will take only two weeks to complete. Activities 4 and 7 will each take three times longer than anticipated. All other activities will take twice as long to complete as previously estimated. In addition, a new activity, number 11, has been added. It will take 1 week to complete and its immediate predecessors are activities 10 and 9. Adjust the Network diagram and recalculate the earliest expected completion times. Answer: The following Network diagram was created using Microsoft Visio The new time estimates have pushed the earliest expected completion time to 63 weeks. The activities boxes with a red bold border are on the critical path. These include collect requirements, analyze processes, design processes, design reports, test and document, install, and feedback. The following table provides the early finish, late finish, slack, and critical path information for each activity. 3-22. Construct a Gantt chart and a Network diagram for a project you are or will be involved in. Choose a project of sufficient depth either at work, home, or school. Identify the activities to be completed, determine the sequence of the activities, and construct a diagram reflecting the starting, ending, duration, and precedence (Network diagram only) relationships among all activities. For your Network diagram, use the procedure in this chapter to determine time estimates for each activity and calculate the expected time for each activity. Now determine the critical path and the early and late starting and finishing times for each activity. Which activities have slack time? Answer: Be sure that students choose projects of sufficient complexity to make it worthwhile to create their Gantt charts and Network diagrams. Encourage students to use project management software to create their charts and diagrams. Have students compare their charts and diagrams and, if possible, compare the charts and diagrams created using different software projects. Have students discuss the comparative strengths and weaknesses of these packages. Alternatively, compare charts and diagrams drawn using software with those drawn by hand. Have the students discuss the comparative advantages and disadvantages. Emphasize the typical power of any computer tool, which is the efficiency of making changes to the data as compared to manual methods. 3-23. For the project you described in Problem and Exercise 3-22, assume that the worst has happened. A key team member has dropped out of the project and has been assigned to another project in another part of the country. The remaining team members are having personality clashes. Key deliverables for the project are now due much earlier than expected. In addition, you have just determined that a key phase in the early life of the project will now take much longer than you had originally expected. To make matters worse, your boss absolutely will not accept that this project cannot be completed by this new deadline. What will you do to account for these project changes and problems? Begin by reconstructing your Gantt chart and Network diagram and determining a strategy for dealing with the specific changes and problems described above. If new resources are needed to meet the new deadline, outline the rationale that you will use to convince your boss that these additional resources are critical to the success of the project. Answer: Some of the difficulties are easier to deal with than others. For example, to change the project plan to account for the delays, the students will simply adjust their Gantt charts and Network diagrams accordingly. Other difficulties, however, will be much more problematic. For example, dealing with the boss is potentially much more difficult. Frequent communication, accurate and full assessments of the situation, requests for reasonable means to deal with problems, and a history of being a good project manager are necessary to gain compliance from the boss. There are basically four problems. The reassigned team member and the changes in due dates are beyond the control of the project manager. However, the personality clashes among team members and the mistaken estimate for the key phase are within the control of the project manager, or at least these two problems, if unsolved, may reflect poorly on the project manager. One prudent alternative would be to go to the boss and explain to him/her the situation. The project manager should also explain to the boss what he/she is doing to solve the two problems that are within his/her control. If the boss absolutely cannot accept the project past the original deadline, then additional resources will be needed to complete the project on time. If additional resources will solve the problem, and they are available, the project manager will have to provide a fairly strong, convincing rationale for why these new resources should be allocated to this project. The project manager might show, for example, that the project cannot be completed on time unless the boss doubles the programmers available for this project or takes some much needed experts off other projects and assigns them to this project. 3-24. Assume you have a project with seven activities labeled A–G (following). Derive the earliest completion time (or early finish–EF), latest completion time (or late finish–LF), and slack for each of the following tasks (begin at time = 0). Which tasks are on the critical path? Draw a Gantt chart for these tasks. (Note: The tasks, preceding events, and the expected durations are provided in the textbook.) Answer: A suggested answer is provided below. 3-25. Draw a Network diagram for the tasks shown in Problem and Exercise 3-24. Highlight the critical path. Answer: A suggested Network diagram, generated by Microsoft Project, for the tasks in Problem3-26s provided below. The activities in the boxes with a red border are on the critical path. 3-26. Assume you have a project with ten activities labeled A–J. Derive the earliest completion time (or early finish–EF), latest completion time (or late finish–LF), and slack for each of the following tasks (begin at time = 0). Which tasks are on the critical path? Highlight the critical path on your Network diagram. (Note: The tasks, preceding events, and the expected durations are provided in the textbook.) Answer: The activities in the boxes with a red border are on the critical path. 3-27. Draw a Gantt chart for the tasks shown in Problem and Exercise 3-26. Answer: A suggested Gantt chart, generated by Microsoft Project, is provided below. The starting date was set at March 2, 2011. 3-28. Assume you have a project with 10 activities labeled A-J. Derive the earliest completion time (or early finish—EF), latest completion time (or late finish—LF), and slack for each of the following tasks (begin at time = 0). Which tasks are on the critical path? Draw both Gantt chart and Network diagram for these tasks, and make sure you highlight the critical path on your Network diagram. Answer: 3-29. Make a list of the tasks that you performed when designing your schedule of classes for this term. Develop a table showing each task, its duration, preceding event(s), and expected duration. Develop a Network diagram for these tasks. Highlight the critical path on your Network diagram. Answer: Student answers will vary. However, students will likely mention reviewing degree requirements, visiting with advisors, comparing schedules with friends (making sure they are in the same class), reviewing work schedules, and course schedules. Encourage students to use a project management software package to create their Network diagram. Ask them to discuss the advantages of using project management software over constructing the charts by hand. 1. Tasks: • Identify Course Requirements • Research Course Offerings • Check Prerequisites • Consult Academic Advisor • Determine Time Slots • Register for Classes • Review and Adjust Schedule 2. Table: 3. Critical Path: All tasks are on the critical path. 4. Network Diagram: I can create a visual network diagram if needed. 3-30. Fully decompose a project you’ve done in another course (e.g., a semester project or term paper). Discuss the level of detail where you stopped decomposing and explain why. Answer: Student answers will vary. Students should identify that the level of detail at which they stopped still fit with the characteristics of a task (see page 59 in the text). For a term paper project in another course, the decomposition included the following steps: 1. Topic Selection: Identify and finalize the research topic. 2. Research: Gather sources, including articles, books, and data. 3. Outline Creation: Structure the paper with an introduction, body, and conclusion. 4. Draft Writing: Write the initial draft based on the outline. 5. Editing and Revision: Refine the draft, correct errors, and improve clarity. 6. Final Review: Proofread for any last-minute changes. 7. Submission: Submit the completed paper. Level of Detail: • Stopped at Sub-Tasks: Each main task was decomposed into specific actions (e.g., "Research" included finding sources, taking notes). • Reason: Stopping at this level provided sufficient clarity for time management and task execution without overwhelming complexity. Further decomposition (e.g., breaking down note-taking into micro-steps) would have added unnecessary detail. 3-31. Create a Work Breakdown Structure based on the decomposition you carried out for the previous question. Answer: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 1. Topic Selection • 1.1 Identify potential topics • 1.2 Finalize the topic 2. Research • 2.1 Gather sources (articles, books, data) • 2.2 Take notes and organize information 3. Outline Creation • 3.1 Structure the introduction • 3.2 Structure the body sections • 3.3 Structure the conclusion 4. Draft Writing • 4.1 Write the introduction • 4.2 Write the body sections • 4.3 Write the conclusion 5. Editing and Revision • 5.1 Revise content for clarity and coherence • 5.2 Correct grammar and spelling errors 6. Final Review • 6.1 Proofread the entire paper • 6.2 Make final adjustments 7. Submission • 7.1 Format according to guidelines • 7.2 Submit the completed paper This WBS outlines the major tasks and sub-tasks necessary to complete the term paper project, ensuring a structured approach to the work. 3-32. Working in a small group, pick a project (it could be anything, such as planning a party, writing a group term paper, developing a database application, etc.) and then write the various tasks that need to be done to accomplish the project on Post-Its (one task per Post-It). Then, use the Post-Its to create a work breakdown structure for the project. Was it complete? Add missing tasks if necessary. Were some tasks at a lower level in the WBS than others? What was the most difficult part of doing this exercise? Answer: Project: Planning a Party Tasks on Post-Its: 1. Choose a date and time 2. Select a venue 3. Create a guest list 4. Send invitations 5. Plan the menu 6. Arrange for decorations 7. Organize entertainment 8. Set up on the day of the party 9. Clean up after the party Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): 1. Date and Venue 1.1 Choose a date and time 1.2 Select a venue 2. Guest Management 2.1 Create a guest list 2.2 Send invitations 3. Party Setup 3.1 Plan the menu 3.2 Arrange for decorations 3.3 Organize entertainment 4. Day of Event 4.1 Set up on the day of the party 4.2 Clean up after the party Reflections: Completeness: The WBS was mostly complete, but some tasks were added, like "clean up." Task Levels: Some tasks were at a lower level (e.g., "Plan the menu") compared to broader tasks (e.g., "Party Setup"). Most Difficult Part: Ensuring all tasks were captured and deciding on the appropriate level of detail for each task. Discussion Questions Solutions 3-33. You interview for a job and the employer asks you if the project management process for systems development should be a structured, formal process. What will your answer be? Answer: Following a formal project management process greatly increases the likelihood that a successful project will result. Scheduling resources, especially the human aspect, is a crucial component of project management. It is imperative that resources be scheduled and available when needed. Utilizing a formal project management process enables the project manager to identify which tasks need to be carried out, identify what resources are necessary, identify when these resources are necessary, monitor the project’s progress, and manage the project more carefully. 3-34. Do you agree that breaking projects down into small, manageable tasks is an important part of managing a project? What are the pros and cons of doing this? Answer: Breaking a project into activities and related tasks makes the project easier to manage, enables team members to concurrently work on independent tasks, and ensures that all tasks are completed. Because a project is broken into smaller tasks, it is important that the tasks be coordinated and completed in a timely fashion. 3-35. Microsoft Project is powerful but expensive. Assume you are in charge of researching and purchasing a project management application. Would you select Microsoft Project? Why or why not? If you were to select Microsoft Project, how would you justify its cost to your manager? Answer: Answers will vary. Most should include concepts such as Microsoft Project’s ubiquity, its integration with other commonly-used Microsoft applications, etc. The cost of the software is justifiable because effectively managing projects is a crucial factor in project success, and having the ability to systematically manage and update the project’s plan and status is an important part of managing projects. I would consider selecting Microsoft Project if our project management needs require advanced features like detailed scheduling, resource allocation, and comprehensive reporting, which Microsoft Project excels at. The justification for its cost would include its ability to handle complex projects, improve team productivity, and integrate seamlessly with other Microsoft tools, leading to better project outcomes. However, if the team's needs are more basic or budget is a major concern, I might explore more affordable alternatives that still meet our essential project management requirements. 3-36. When completing a project some tasks are independent of others whereas others are interdependent on others. What does this mean in regard to slack? How are slack and the critical path related? Answer: Slack time is the amount of time that an activity can be delayed without delaying the project. If an activity is delayed, the start times for its succeeding nodes are pushed back. If the succeeding nodes have slack time, then this slack time builds flexibility into when an activity can be started and still be completed on time. However, if the succeeding node(s) do not have slack time, then you run the risk of delaying the entire project. Activities located on the critical path do not have slack time. Therefore, delaying an activity on the critical path will delay the project, unless the project manager can devise a way to get back on track. Case Problems Solutions 3-37. Pine Valley Furniture Case Exercises Solutions a. While eating lunch one day, Juanita asked Chris about the benefits of becoming a project management professional. Briefly make a case for becoming a project management professional. Answer: PMP certification is widely recognized and highly valued by employers and colleagues. It signifies the recipient’s knowledge and work in the area of project management. b. What are the project management professional eligibility criteria for Chris? What documentation must he provide? Answer: As published on the Project Management Institute’s Web site, Chris must hold a university degree, have a minimum of 4,500 hours of project management experience within designated areas, have three years of project management experience obtained within the past six years, and have 35 contact hours of project management education. Chris must provide documentation regarding his educational background, experience, and contact hours for his project management education. As a side note, a second qualification process is available for individuals not holding a degree. Information about this process is also available at the Project Management Institute’s Web site. c. Assume Chris has obtained his certification. What are PDUs, and how many must Chris acquire over a 3-year period? Answer: The answer for this question can be found at the Project Management Institute’s Web site. Once certification is obtained, the Professional Development Program requires professionals to obtain a minimum of 60 PDUs over the course of three years. A PDU, or Professional Development Unit, is a measuring unit by which various educational and professional services are measured. d. Several activity categories are listed as qualifying for PDUs on the Project Management Institute’s Web site. Identify these categories. In which categories would you place Chris’s experience? Answer: According to information published on the Project Management Institute’s Web site, five categories are identified. These categories include a formal academic education, self-directed learning and professional activities, PMI registered education provider, other providers, and volunteer service to professional or community organizations. Chris has taken several graduate-level courses. For the sake of argument, we can assume that at least one of these courses dealt with project management. Chris has also attended several seminars; attendance at these seminars would possibly qualify him in Category 3. Chris’s involvement with a charitable organization possibly fits in Category 5, thus earning him additional PDU points. 3-38. Hoosier Burger Case Exercises Solutions a. In an effort to learn more about project management, you decide to research this topic over the weekend. Locate an article(s) that discusses project management. Summarize your findings. Answer: Many project management articles are available on the Web. If you have the class time, have your students discuss their articles in class. Students can also visit the Project Management Institute’s Web site to learn more about project management. The Web site is currently located at http://www.pmi.org/info/default.asp. b. At your meeting on Monday, Mr. Rodriquez asks you to prepare a Gantt chart for the Hoosier Burger project. Using the following information, prepare a Gantt chart. Answer: c. Using the information provided in part b, prepare a Network diagram. Answer: A suggested Network diagram is provided below. All activities are on the critical path. d. After reviewing the Gantt chart and Network diagram, Mr. Rodriquez feels that alternative generation should take only one-half week and that implementation may take 3 weeks. Modify your charts to reflect these changes. Answer: The revised Gantt chart and Network diagram are provided below. 3-39. Lilly Langley’s Baking Goods Company Case Exercises Solutions a. Lorraine Banderez, the project manager, has asked you to investigate how other companies have used project management software, particularly Microsoft Project. Investigate two companies and provide a brief summary of how each has used project management software. Answer: Numerous case studies are available at http://www.microsoft.com/resources/casestudies/. b. Part of your responsibility is to assist in the preparation of the planning documents. Using the following information, prepare a Gantt chart. Answer: c. Using the information from part b, prepare a Network diagram. Identify the critical path. Answer: A suggested Network diagram is provided below. Microsoft Visio was used to prepare this answer. d. After reviewing your planning documents, Lorraine decides to modify several of the activity times. Revise both your Gantt chart and Network diagram to reflect these modifications. Answer: Petrie’s Electronics Case Question Solutions 3-40. What qualities might Jim possess that would make him a successful project manager? Answer: To be an effective project manager, Jim will need to have time management, leadership, and conflict management skills. He will also need to have sufficient technical knowledge, and a good ability to interface with customers. 3-41. How do you think Jim should respond to Ella’s implied pressure about the importance of the project to her? Answer: Answers will vary. Most should include attention to points such as proactive management of the project, consistent communication, honesty and transparency about the progress of the project and/or obstacle encountered, etc. Jim should acknowledge Ella's concerns and express understanding of the project's importance to her. He should respond professionally by reassuring her that the project is being prioritized and discuss realistic timelines and expectations. Open communication about any constraints or challenges can help manage her expectations while demonstrating his commitment to the project's success. 3-42. What strategies might Jim employ to deal with a very busy team member such as Juanita Lopez? Answer: Answers will vary. Most should include attention to points such as getting a sure commitment from Juanita, clearly communicating your expectations to her, etc. Jim could employ strategies like prioritizing tasks for Juanita, delegating non-essential work to others, and scheduling regular check-ins to ensure she's not overwhelmed. He might also offer flexible deadlines where possible, and provide clear communication on the most critical aspects of the project to keep her focused on high-impact tasks. Additionally, ensuring that Juanita has the necessary support and resources could help manage her workload effectively. 3-43. What should Jim do next to complete the project initiation? Answer: Following the project initiation stage of the project management process in the chapter, it would be important to finish establishing the initiation team, establish full contact with the customer (operations), and work together to establish the initiation plan. Then management procedures should be established, and the tools used to manage the project (environment and project workbook) should be selected and initialized. Finally, a project charter should be created to outline the key deliverable(s) of the project and a high-level plan of how those deliverables will be produced. 3-44. List five team communication methods that Jim might use throughout this project. What are some pros and cons of each? Answer: Answers will vary. Answers should be drawn from Table 3-2 in the chapter. Solution Manual for Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design Joseph S. Valacich, Joey F. George, Jeffrey A. Hoffer 9780133546231