Unit I Essay
Compose an essay using at least three CSU Online Library
sources. Your essay should meet the following criteria:
Define a project. Describe at least three characteristics
that help differentiate projects from other functions carried out in the daily
operations of the organization.
Explain why project management is often used to train future
senior executives.
Discuss at least two detriments to project success.
Discuss the importance of project implementation to
strategic planning and the project manager (PM).
Your paper should be no less than two pages in length. All
sources used, including the textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and
quoted material must have accompanying citations and be cited per APA
guidelines.
Unit 2 assessment
Question 1 Corporations have downsized over the last 25 to
30 years and, as a result, have eliminated layers of management—particularly
middle management. To what degree, if any, does this change the role of the
leader?
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Question 2 What steps should project managers take in order
to ensure that the work of the project team is distributed equally among the
members of the team? What can team members do to support the project manager in
this effort?
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Question 3 Project teams often experience conflict in
various forms. Describe at least three approaches to dealing with and resolving
conflict between individual team members. Identify which, if any, should be
considered as the optimal approach.
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Question 4 The punctuated equilibrium model suggests that
teams eventually gel and begin to perform once time constraints become a
pressing concern. In your experience, does this model reflect actual team
development and performance, or does the five-stage model of team development
offer a more realistic approach?
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Question 5 Can virtual teams be as successful as onsite
teams? Why, or why not?
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Unit III Project
This assignment consists of five parts that must be saved
and submitted as one document. Click here to access the template for this
assignment.
Part 1
Please read Case Study 3.1: Keflavik Paper Company on pages
111–113 of the textbook, and respond to the questions for discussion. Please
make sure that each question is answered thoroughly using a minimum of 200
words for each case study question.
Part 2
Please read Case Study 3.2: Project Selection at Nova
Western, Inc. on pages 112–113 of the textbook, and respond to the questions
for discussion. Please make sure that each question is answered thoroughly
using a minimum of 200 words for each case study question.
Part 3
Prepare a fictional group project. You may use one of the
following for your model:
enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implementation,
website development project,
a marketing plan for a new product,
a process improvement project, or
an information system development project.
Develop a statement of work for the project using the
following format:
1. background,
2. objectives,
3. scope,
4. tasks or
requirements,
5. selection
criteria,
6. deliverables
or delivery schedule,
7. security,
8. place of
performance, and
9. period of
performance.
You may refer to the statement of work section in the
textbook on pages 150–151; you can also refer to the template in Table 5.2 on
page 152 for an example.
Part 4
Next, create a work breakdown structure (WBS) for the
project. What are the key steps, including work packages, tasks, and any
related subtasks for the project? You may refer to the Integrated Project in
Chapter 5 on page 182 of the textbook for an example.
Part 5
Please use at least four fictional group members, and create
a responsibility matrix. You may refer to the Integrated Project in Chapter 5
on page 183 of the textbook for an example.
Your paper should be no less than five pages in length, not
counting the title and reference pages. All sources used, including the
textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have
accompanying citations and must be formatted according to APA guidelines.
Unit 4 assessment
Question 1 What is the difference between direct and
indirect costs? What is the difference between fixed and variable costs?
Define, compare, and contrast each within the context of a project.
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Question 2 Calculate the direct cost of labor for the
project team using the following data. What are the costs for the individual
project team members? What is the overall direct cost of labor?
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Name Hours
Needed
Overhead Charge Personal Time Rate Hourly Rate
Total Direct Labor Cost
Johnathan 40 1.25 1.12
15/hr
Susan 100 1.75 1.12
21/hr
Debra 80 1.35 0 11/hr
Bobby 55 1.8 1.13
44/hr
Question 3 Bottom-up project budgets are said to provide
more detail and, as a result, be more accurate; therefore, why are top-down
budgets used in projects? When, if at all, would you recommend using such an
approach?
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Question 4 Calculate the direct cost of labor for a project
team member using the following data: hourly rate: $75/hour; hours needed: 180;
and overhead rate: 45%
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Question 5 Calculate the direct cost of labor for the
project team using the following data. What are the costs for the individual
project team members? What is the overall direct cost of labor?
Your response should be at least 75 words in length.
Name Hours
Needed
Overhead Charge Personal Time Rate Hourly Rate
Total Direct Labor Cost
Jonathan 60 1.35 1.12
17/hr
Susan 120 1.8 1.12
31/hr
Debra 40 1.35 0 9/hr
Bobby 65 1.8 1.13
34/hr
Unit V Essay
Compare and contrast agile project management (agile PM) and
critical chain project management (CCPM) scheduling, including advantages and
disadvantages of each methodology.
Your paper should be no less than two pages in length, not
counting the title and reference pages. Be sure to use at least three
references from the CSU Online Library. All sources used, including the
textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have
accompanying citations. All references and citations used must be in APA style.
Unit VI Project
This assignment consists of four parts that must be saved
and submitted as one document. Click here to access the template for this
assignment.
Note: This assignment may require the use of Microsoft
Project or similar software. If you do not have MS Project or similar
software, please click the following link to access a free
trial version of MS Project:
https://products.office.com/en-us/Project/project-pro-for-office-365
Part 1
Develop an in-depth schedule for the project you selected
and used to develop the statement of work and work breakdown structure (WBS) in
Unit III. Please refer to the Integrated Project in Chapter 10 on page 363
(Developing the Project Schedule) of the textbook for more information. Be sure
to include the following components: an activity precedence diagram, an
activity duration table, and a network diagram and Gantt charts.
Part 2
Please complete Case Study 10.1: Project Scheduling at
Blanque Check Construction on page 360 of the textbook, and answer the three
questions at the end. Please make sure that each question is answered
thoroughly using a minimum of 200 words for each case study question.
Part 3
Develop a network activity chart, and identify the critical
path for a project based on the information provided in the Gantt chart below.
Draw the activity network as a Gantt chart. What is the expected duration of
the project?
Activity Expected
Duration Predecessor
A 5 days —-
B 10 days A
C 8 days A
D 1 day A
E 5 days B, C
F 10 days D, E
G 14 days F
H 3 days G
I 12 days F
J 6 days H, I
Part 4
Using the information provided in the Gantt chart below,
construct the project activity network using the activity-on-node (AON)
methodology, and label each node. Identify the critical path and other paths
through the network.
Your paper should be no less than four pages in length, not
counting the title and reference pages. All sources used, including the
textbook, must be referenced; paraphrased and quoted material must have
accompanying citations and be formatted according to APA guidelines.
Unit VII Essay
Use the projects you completed in Units III and VI to
conduct a preliminary risk analysis. Use a qualitative and a quantitative
technique to evaluate project risk. The total assignment is worth 100 points.
Please submit as one document.
See the sample risk analysis on pages 253–254 in the
textbook. Your essay should include the following components:
1. Generate
a set of likely risk factors, and discuss them in terms of probability and
consequences.
2. Use a
qualitative technique to evaluate project risk.
3. Use a
quantitative technique to evaluate project risk.
4. Develop
preliminary strategies for risk mitigation.
5. Create a
resource-leveling table for your project. For more information on resource
leveling, refer to pages 407–416 in the textbook.
Your essay should be at least three pages in length, not
counting the title and reference pages. All sources used, including the
textbook, must be referenced. Paraphrased and quoted material must have
accompanying citations. Your document must be formatted and references cited
following APA guidelines.
Unit VIII Essay
Create a guide to project closure. Discuss the key steps
that project managers and teams must carry out in the course of closing the
project, and, in addition, identify and describe the categories of project
termination.
Your essay must be at least three pages in length, not
counting your title and reference pages. All sources used, including the
textbook, must be referenced. Paraphrased and quoted material must have
accompanying citations. All references and citations used must be in APA style.
