PC TRAINING & BUSINESS COLLEGE

HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING

FACULTY OF MEDIA, INFORMATION &
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
DIPLOMA IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(2 YEAR)
IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Memo
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT 1 - FIRST SEMESTER 21!
DURATION" 2 HOURS MAR#S" 1 DATE" $
APRIL 21!
E%AMINERS " ART&EL MUNYONG&A (2'2 SMITH STREET,
DURBAN)
MODERATORS" THANDE#A MSILA (CAPE TO&N SSOD)
This PAPER consists of ( questions and 2 pages including this page.
SUGGESTED TIME RE)UIRED TO ANS&ER THIS )UESTION PAPER
)UESTI
ON
SUBJECT MAR#S TIME IN
MINUTES
1 )UESTION 1 1 1
2 )UESTION 2 22 2(
! )UESTION ! !2 !
$ )UESTION $ !! !
( )UESTION ( !( !(
TOTAL 1 12
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)UESTION 1
-1 MAR#S.
1.1 Provide a clear and concise defnition for the following terms:
1/1/1P0o1e23 S2o4e
(2)
1/1/2Re3506 o6 768e93me63
(2)
A performance measure used to evaluate the efciency of
an investment or to compare the efciency of a number of dierent
investments. To calculate !"#$ the beneft %return& of an investment is
divided by the cost of the investment' the result is e(pressed as a
percentage or a ratio.
1/1/!B0e*:-e8e6 *6*;<979
(2)
This is a time line that shows the cumulative cost of the pro)ect
against the cumulative revenue or savings from the pro)ect.
1/1/$P0o250eme63 M*6*+eme63
(2)
As a pro)ect manager$ you will always have pro)ects for which you
must procure hardware$ software$ or services from outside sources.
This process is procurement$ and the professional pro)ect manager
must have a basic understanding of the procedure so that he or she
can ma*e sure that the organi+ation is getting the right materials at
the best cost. To manage procurement$ you need to go through a few
processes$ which are discussed in the ne(t few sections.
1/1/(P0o1e23
(2)
A pro)ect is a sequence of unique$ comple($ and connected activities
having one goal or purpose and that must be completed by a specifc
time$ within budget$ and according to specifcation.
)UESTION 2
-22 MAR#S.
,.1 -ou are the pro)ect manager for a computer based system to help
administer boo* loans at libraries. .hilst going through verify scope
with *ey sta*eholders you notice that there has been a scope creeps
within the pro)ect.
2/1/1Co6927o59;< =e>6e * 92o4e 20ee4 *6= ?7+?;7+?3 *6<
3?0ee 307++e09 3o 92o4e 20ee4
(()
S2o4e 20ee4 is the term that has come to mean any change in the
pro)ect that was not in the original plan. This phenomenon can occur
when the scope of a pro)ect is not properly defned$ documented$ or
controlled. #t is generally considered a negative occurrence that is to be
avoided.
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2/1/2B07e@< eA4;*76 3?e 3?0ee 3<4e9 o, 92o4e 20ee4 2ommo6
76 9o,3B*0e 40o1e239
(C)
2/1/2Ho4e 20ee4
(2)
Ho4e 20ee4 is the result of a pro)ect team member/s getting behind
schedule$ reporting that he or she is on schedule$ but hoping to get
bac* on schedule by the ne(t report date.
2/1/2EDo03 20ee4
(2)
EDo03 20ee4 is the result of the team member/s wor*ing but not
ma*ing progress proportionate to the wor* e(pended.
2/1/!Fe*350e 20ee4
(2)
Fe*350e 20ee4 results when the team members arbitrarily add
features and functions to the deliverable that they thin* the customer
would want to have. The problem is that the customer didn/t specify
the feature$ probably for good reason
2/2 EA4;*76 >8e 40o1e239 2o6930*769 3?*3 o4e0*3e o6 e8e0<
9o,3B*0e 40o1e23 (()
S2o4e
0cope is a statement that defnes the boundaries of the pro)ect. #t
tells not only what will be done but also what will not be done. 0cope
may also be referred to as a document of understanding$ a scoping
statement$ a pro)ect initiation document$ and a pro)ect request form.
)5*;73<
Two types of quality are part of every pro)ect:
The frst is 40o=523 E5*;73<. This refers to the quality of
the deliverable from the pro)ect.
The second type of quality is 40o2e99 E5*;73<, which is
the quality of the pro)ect management process itself. The focus
is on how well the pro)ect management process wor*s and
how can it be improved.
Co93
The money required for doing the pro)ect is another variable that
defnes the pro)ect. #t is best thought of as the budget that has been
established for the pro)ect.
T7me
The customer specifes a timeframe or deadline date within which the
pro)ect must be completed. To a certain e(tent$ cost and time are
inversely related to one another. The time a pro)ect ta*es to be
completed can be reduced$ but cost increases as a result.
Re9o502e9
are assets$ such as people$ equipment$ physical facilities$ or
inventory that have limited availabilities$ can be scheduled$ or can be
leased from an outside party. 0ome are f(ed' others are variable only
in the long term.
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2/! L793 *6= eA4;*76 3?e 3?0ee m*76 Fe6e>39 3o =e8e;o476+ *
40o1e23 4;*6/ (C)
P;*6676+ 0e=52e9 562e03*763<: 1enerally$ the pro)ect wor* does
not occur e(actly as planned$ but planning the wor* allows the
pro)ect manager to consider the li*ely outcomes and to put the
necessary corrective measures in place.
P;*6676+ 7620e*9e9 56=e093*6=76+: The act of planning gives a
better understanding of the goals and ob)ectives of the pro)ect.
P;*6676+ 7m40o8e9 eG27e62<" "nce we have defned the pro)ect
plan and the necessary resources to carry out the plan$ we can
schedule the wor* to ta*e advantage of resource availability. .e also
can schedule wor* in parallel' that is$ we can do tas*s concurrently$
rather than in series. 2y doing tas*s concurrently$ we can shorten the
total duration of the pro)ect. .e can ma(imi+e our use of resources
and complete the pro)ect wor* in less time than by ta*ing other
approaches.
)UESTION ! -!!
MAR#S.
!/1 De>6e R79: M*6*+eme63 *6= eA4;*76 ,o50 40o2e99e9 o, 079:
m*6*+eme63 (1)
#s the identifcation$ assessment$ and prioriti+ation of ris*s.
(2)
!/1/1EA4;*76 3?e ,o50 40o2e99e9 o, 079: m*6*+eme63
I=e637,<76+ 079:
(2)
#n this part of the process the entire team is brought together
to discuss and identify the ris*s that are specifc to the current
pro)ect.
A99e9976+ R79:
(2)
T?e0e *0e 3Bo m*1o0 ,*23o09 76 *99e9976+ 079:/
1. The frst one is the probability that the ris* event will occur. .hen
the team puts together the ris* identifcation list$ nothing should be
ruled out at frst. 3et the team brainstorm ris* without being
)udgmental. The team will put up some ris*s with small probabilities.
Those ris*s are so small that you can ignore them. 4or instance$ the ris*
that a meteor will destroy the building in which you wor* is miniscule.
,. The second part of ris* assessment is the impact the ris* will have
on the pro)ect. #f a ris* has a probability of 56 percent that it will occur$
you need to assess what the impact will be$ because a 56756 chance
of something happening is fairly high. #f$ however$ the ris* event has a
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low impact rating$ you won/t need to manage it. This information
should also be discussed at the frst ris* meeting.
P;*6676+ R79: 0e94o69e9 (2)
The ne(t step in ris* management is to plan$ as much as possible$ the
responses that will be used in the event that the identifed ris*s
occur. 4or instance$ you may want to include a clause in your
hardware contract with the vendor that if the servers don/t get to you
by a certain date$ they will pay a penalty. This penalty gives the
vendor an incentive to perform and mitigate the ris*s involved in late
delivery of *ey equipment. 4or all the ris*s listed in the ris*
identifcation that you choose to act upon$ you should have some
type of action in mind. #t/s not enough simply to list the ris*s' you
need to plan to do something about the ris* events if they occur.
R79: Mo673o076+ *6= Co630o;
(2)
#n this process you need to monitor and control the pro)ect ris*s. The
process of writing down the ris*s and assessing them ma*es
everyone on the pro)ect team aware of their e(istence and is a good
place to start. -ou need to put together a risk log. This document lists
all ris*s that you want to manage$ identifes who is supposed to
manage the ris*$ and specifes what should be done to manage the
ris* event. A ris* log is a simple template that can be done in 80
.ord. Table ,.1 gives an e(ample$ and the following bulleted list
e(plains each column.
!/2 L793 *6= eA4;*76 3?e 2o63e639 o, * 079: ;o+H 0e+793e0
(I)
ID N5mFe0
R79: De9207437o6
R79: OB6e0
A237o6 3o Be T*:e6
O532ome
The ID Number always remains the same$ even if the ris* event has
occurred and been managed. #f you ta*e the ris* o of the list and fle
it elsewhere$ don/t assign the old number to a new ris*. 3eave the
number the same or there will be a great deal of confusion.
The Risk Description is a short statement of the ris* event.
The Risk Owner is the person who has to manage the listed ris*.
The Action to Be Taken lists what the owner is going to do to deal
with the ris* event.
The Outcome tells you what happened.
!/! &73? 3?e *7= o, * =7*+0*m F07e@< eA4;*76 3?e >8e 4?*9e9 o,
3?e T0*=737o6*; P0o1e23 M*6*+eme63 L7,e C<2;e
(1()
!/!/1S2o4e o, 3?e 40o1e23
(!)
0tate the problem9opportunity.
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:stablish the pro)ect goal.
;efne the pro)ect ob)ectives.
#dentify the success criteria.
3ist assumptions$ ris*s$ and obstacles
!/!/2De8e;o4 3?e 40o1e23 4;*6
(!)
#dentify pro)ect activities.
:stimate activity duration.
;etermine resource requirements.
<onstruct9analyse the pro)ect networ*.
Prepare the pro)ect proposal.
!/!/!L*562? 3?e 4;*6
(!)
!ecruit and organi+e the pro)ect team.
:stablish team operating rules
3evel pro)ect resources.
0chedule wor* pac*ages.
;ocument wor* pac*ages.
!/!/$Mo673o0H 2o630o; 40o1e23 40o+0e99
(!)
:stablish progress reporting system.
#nstall change control tools9process.
;efne problem7escalation process.
8onitor pro)ect progress versus plan.
!evise pro)ect plans.
!/!/(C;o9e o53 3?e 40o1e23
(!)
"btain client acceptance.
#nstall pro)ect deliverables.
<omplete pro)ect documentation.
<omplete post7implementation audit.
#ssue fnal pro)ect report.
P*+e C o, '

)UESTION $ -!(
MAR#S.
=.1 ;escribe the ,o50 parts of developing <onditions of 0atisfaction
%<"0& %>&
ReE5e93" A request is made.
C;*07>2*37o6" The provider e(plains what he or she heard as the
request. This conversation continues until the requestor is satisfed
that the provider clearly understands the request. 2oth parties have
now established a clear understanding of the request.
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Re94o69e" The provider states what he or she is capable of doing to
satisfy the request.
A+0eeme63" The requestor restates what he or she understands that
the provider will provide. The conversation continues until the
provider is satisfed that the requestor clearly understands what is
being provided.
$/2 L793 *6< >8e m*1o0 93e49 768o;8e= =5076+ ,e*97F7;73< *6*;<979
(()
$/! L793 *6= eA4;*76 3?e 0o;e9 o, *6< ,o50 4*037274*639 76 3?e
A440o8*; 40o2e99 (I)
P*037274*639 76 3?e A440o8*; P0o2e99
0everal managers and professionals participate in the approval
process:
Co0e 40o1e23 3e*m" These will be the managers$ professionals$ and
perhaps the customer who will remain on the pro)ect team from the
beginning to the very end of the pro)ect. They may participate in
developing the P"0 and reach consensus on what it contains.
P0o1e23 3e*m" 0ome potential members of the pro)ect team are
usually *nown beforehand. Their sub)ect matter e(pertise and ideas
should be considered as the
P"0 is developed. At least$ you should have them review the P"0
before
submission.
P0o1e23 m*6*+e0" #deally$ the pro)ect manager will have been
identifed at the start and can participate in drafting the P"0.
2ecause he or she will manage the pro)ect$ he or she should have a
ma)or role to play in its defnition and its approval.
Re9o502e m*6*+e09" Those who will be as*ed to provide the s*ills
needed at the times when they will be needed are certainly important
in the initial defnition of the pro)ect and later its detailed planning.
There is little point in proposing a pro)ect if the resources are not or
cannot be made available to the pro)ect.
F56237o6HP0o2e99 m*6*+e09" Pro)ect deliverables don/t e(ist in a
vacuum. 0everal units will provide input to or receive output from the
pro)ect products or services. Their advice should be sought. 1ive
them an early chance to buy into your pro)ect.
C593ome0" "ur pro)ect management methodology includes a
signifcant role for the customer. .e have discussed the <"0 as a
prerequisite to$ or a concurrent e(ercise in developing$ the P"0. 8any
professionals are not s*illed in interpersonal communications.
;eveloping the <"0 is a difcult tas*.
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Se67o0 m*6*+eme63" 0enior management support is a critical
factor in successful pro)ects and successful implementation of the
deliverables. Their approval says$ ?1o and do detailed planning' we
are authori+ing the needed resources.@
$/$ B07e@< 763e040e3 3?e me*676+ o, 3?e =7*+0*m Fe;oB
($)
The pain curve (F7+50e Fe;oB) tells us that proper planning is
painful but pays o in less pain later in the pro)ect. To not plan is to
e(pose yourself to signifcant pain as the pro)ect commences.
=.5 :(plain the >8e component parts of the Pro)ect "verview 0tatement
%16&
TOTAL MAR#S" 1
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