Graded Homework

DeVry MGMT404 Week 1 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2016 November

dq 1

Read Case Study 3.1

The Keflavik Paper Company is a case with a problem in determining a project management process for new product development.

Answer the following questions:

• What does this case demonstrate about the effect of poor project screening methods on a firm’s ability to manage projects effectively?
• How would project portfolio management help to improve the situation at Keflavik?
• If you think about it, all business problems are case studies. To effectively evaluate the situation, you must approach the problem in a methodological manner. A proven technique to do this is to do the following:

1. list the facts;

2. identify the issues;

3. based on the facts of the case and your knowledge, analyze the issues of the case;

4. prepare recommended solutions and their possible outcomes;

5. implement the optimal solution (not always the one with the best outcome, because the cost or other things could be impractical); and

6. monitor the implementation and outcomes.

So when you read and prepare to respond to this case, please follow the above guidelines. I don’t necessarily expect you to perform Steps 4–6, but I do expect your response to be based on the facts and your knowledge. Remember—your first impressions may not be correct!

dq 2

Read Case Study 2.4

The Widgets ‘R Us case study is a case with a problem of how the company is set up and how the company will handle operations with its projected growth.

Answer the following questions:

• You have been called in as a consultant to analyze the operations at WRU. Based on the readings, what would you advise Widgets ‘R Us to do in order to sustain the competitive advantage in the widget market?
• What structural design changes might be undertaken to improve the operations at the company?

DeVry MGMT404 Week 2 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2016 November

dq 1

As we have seen this week, project scope creation is very different in traditional project management versus Agile project management. What advantages and disadvantages can you see with the process of scope creation in the traditional project management world? What advantages and disadvantages can you see with the process of scope creation in the Agile project management world? Share your experiences with projects that were created using either Agile or traditional project management techniques.

dq 2

Read Case Study 5.3: Project Management at Dotcom.com. Dotcom.com is a software engineering and systems development consulting firm that needs some organizational improvements in the area of project management processes that will cut cost and potentially increase the profit margin for the company.

Answer the following questions:

• Discuss how you would begin redesigning dotcom.com’s project management processes to minimize the problems it is experiencing with poor scope management.
• Why do you think configuration management and project change control are difficult to perform in the middle of a complex software development project, such as those implemented at dotcom.com?
• Share any experiences you have with project change requests.

DeVry MGMT404 Week 3 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2016 November

dq 1

To develop a schedule for a project, we will use the concept of a project network, which shows work activities taken from the work breakdown structure and is organized according to the logical flow in time and relationships governing when the work will be performed. By combining this network of work activities with estimates of the time duration for performing each of the activities, we can create a schedule for the project work. What types of information can we learn about the project by reviewing the project schedule and all the information used to generate it?

dq 2

As we have seen, traditional and Agile schedule developments are quite different. Agile project management was originally developed to do software development. Could a traditional process be successfully used to develop a new software program? Why or why not? Could an Agile methodology be used to build a strip mall in your home town? Why or why not?

DeVry MGMT404 Week 4 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2016 November

dq 1

Assume you have just been assigned to a project risk team composed of five members. Your task, as project manager, is to develop a process for handling risks to the project.Because this is the first time your organization has formally set up a risk team for a project, it is hoped that your team will develop a process that can be used on all future projects. Your first team meeting is next Monday morning. Each team member has been asked to prepare for the meeting by developing, in as much detail as possible, an outline that describes how you believe the team should proceed in handling project risks. Each team member will hand out his or her proposed outline at the beginning of the meeting. Your outline should include, but not be limited to, the following information:

• What methods should be used for identifying risks?
• Who should be involved in identifying risks?
• What should be considered when identifying risks?

dq 2

As the work of your risk management team (from the first discussion question) continues, the discussion of your team’s risk management plan outline moves on and considers the following questions:

• How should the risks be prioritized?
• Who should do the prioritization of the project risks?
• How should project risks be monitored and controlled?
• Who should develop risk responses and contingency plans?
• Who should own these responses and plans?

DeVry MGMT404 Week 5 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2016 November

dq 1

Read Case Study 12.1: The Problems of Multitasking. Answer the following questions:

1. How does multitasking confuse the resource availability of project team personnel?

2. In modern organizations, it is impossible to eliminate multitasking for the average employee. Why?

3. How would resource loading or resource leveling help address multitasking situations?

dq 2

In your own words, describe crashing, fast tracking, and scope reduction as means of schedule compression. When would each be appropriate? Which methods would you consider better first-choice methods by most project sponsors? Would any of these methods apply to Agile projects? How does Agile address schedule compression?

DeVry MGMT404 Week 6 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2016 November

dq 1

Discuss the importance of communication and information exchange to project success. What are the crucial features and elements of effective communication and information exchange in successful projects? How are key stakeholders involved in this process? Are communication requirements different on an Agile project versus a traditional project?

dq 2

Read Case Study 4.2: Finding the Emotional Intelligence.

1. What are the differences between leaders and managers?

2. Can anyone be a leader? Which would you prefer to work for: a leader or a manager? Why?

3. Select one of the characteristics of an effective project manager and tell why it is important.

4. Is leadership of a project different in an Agile environment than in a traditional project environment?

5. Take the Future Time Perspective scale on page 129. Share your results and comments with the class.

6.

DeVry MGMT404 Week 7 Discussion 1 & 2 Latest 2016 November

dq 1

We have now moved from the planning stage to the execution stage of project management. Following good project management practices, we have set a baseline. How is a project baseline used to guide the execution of the project’s work, to evaluate progress and performance, and to control the project? Also, as you continue to think about monitoring and controlling the project, specifically consider the question: How can the project baseline and the earned value approach for variance analysis be used to monitor and report project progress?

dq 2

In the first discussion, we looked at traditional project control. Is project control different in an Agile project? What is the role of a project manager in controlling an Agile project? What is the role of the project client, sponsor, or customer at controlling project changes?

Week 1

Due Week 1: Project Proposal/Approval

Each professor will decide if the course will have project teams or be assigned to each individual student to complete the course project. Your professor will notify you of the decision and if the course is going to have project teams, you will be notified of your team assignment.

If the professor assigns individual projects, your Week 1 assignment will be to:

Provide an outline of your proposed project to your instructor for approval. The project you select will be the same project you will plan for the 8 week course.

If the professor assigns teams for the course project, your team will work together to complete the entire Statement of Participation template located in the doc sharing area. All sections for the entire 8 weeks must be completed.

Deliverables for Week 1:

If you are assigned individual projects:

• A one-page document outlining your proposed project. This document should contain particulars, such as what will be created, why this project is important, how long it would likely take, and how much it would likely cost.

If you are assigned team projects:

• Teams need to complete the entire Statement of Participation with the team and team leader assignments for Weeks 2–8. Lastly, teams need to update the status of participation for Week 1.

Week 2

Due Week 2: Project Charter

Provide a project charter of your selected project in accordance with the charter template found in Doc Sharing.

Please put this in proper business writing format. Consider me to be your boss. If working in a group, include the updated Statement of Participation for Week 2, describing how each person contributed to this project deliverable. Please place the updated Statement of Participation in your teams’ Doc Sharing area for review. A charter should be a minimum of 3–5 pages long.

Deliverables for Week 2:

• Completed Project Charter (in MS Word)
• Statement of Participation and status update

NOTE:Remove this note and all instructions in the template for a business professional document.

Week 3

Due Week 3: Scope Statement

Prepare a scope statement using the template in Doc Sharing. Remember to be tangible, measurable, and specific. Be sure to include all sections required in the Week 2 Lecture. A scope should be a minimum of 3 pages long.

Deliverables for Week 3:

• Project Scope Statement (in MS Word)
• Statement of Participation and status update

Project Scope Statement

NOTE:Remove this note and all instructions in the template for a business professional document.

Week 4

Due Week 4: Work Breakdown Structure

According to the PMBOK® Guide, “the WBS is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be executed by the project team, to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables.” In other words, it lists the project’s deliverables and work packages. For this week, you will create a work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project you selected during Week 1.

Remember that the WBS starts with your major deliverables (that you stated in your scope management plan) at the highest level. The lower levels have the work package required to complete those deliverables. Review the textbook (and the PMBOK® Guide, if you have it) for some suggestions on how to create a WBS. From your work breakdown structure, develop a project task list with dependencies and add durations, using MS Project.

Develop the Work Breakdown Structure

• Your WBS should have a minimum of 100–150 line items in MS Project and be three levels deep.
• Make sure to use verb-object task names (for example, “Develop software”).
• Enter tasks in MS Project.
• Create the predecessor relationships.
• DO NOT LINK SUMMARY TASKS OR ASSIGN RESOURCES!

Deliverables for Week 4:

• Statement of Participation and status update
• The MS Project file (.mpp) saved from the Tracking Gantt chart screen

Week 5

Due Week 5: Risk Management Plan

Remember, risk is an uncertain event or condition that can have a positive or negative impact on the project. This week, you will be identifying and analyzing your project risks and developing a risk management plan to monitor and track your project. You will evaluate each task in your project schedule to identify any risk factors associated with the execution of the deliverable. You will then add your list of risk to the risk register template in Doc Sharing. The number of risks will depend on the project deliverables in your schedule; however, 20–25 positive and 20–25 negative risks would be considered the minimum. Review the instructions on the first sheet of the template and complete your risk register in its entirety.

Deliverables for Week 5:

• Use the Risk ter Template spreadsheet found in Doc Sharing (there is a separate tab for each portion of the risk management plan).
• Statement of Participation and status update

The most successful teams schedule at least (2) meetings a week throughout the course. Scheduling standing meetings allows everyone to schedule this time in advance and coordinate other activities around the scheduled meeting times. Meetings can change, based on the project leader for the week, however, it is highly recommended that you set a meeting based on the majority team availability. In addition to setting meetings, the most successful teams also set a deadline for drafts to be turned into the project leader each week. Putting this structure in place early in the course will help the team to achieve a high level of organization and success.

Brief synopsis of your proposed project in 200 words or less. Describe the overall project with enough information to gain approval for your team to use this project as the course project. If you are working on a project in the instructions, you do not need to gain approval. Approval is only needed if you select a project outside of the list in the course project instructions.

a.Team Leadership: Designate the project leader for each major deliverable. Project leader can be rotated so that each team member experiences the leadership responsibilities or you can establish one primary project leader with a back-up to assist.The project leader has specific responsibilities each week as follows:

a. Schedule the weekly meetings in i-Connect, facilitate and record the meetings.

b. Set the deadlines for submissions each week.

c. Compile the team submissions into one document and submit to the dropbox. “ONLY ONE” submission is required and this is submitted by the project leader.

d. Update the statement of participation status each week and submit to dropbox for the team review.

e. Place the final submission and updated statement of participation in the team’s doc sharing area each week.

f. Contact the professor with any team questions, issues, or conflicts.