Week One: Project Management – December 10-16, 2013 | |||
Details | Due | Points | |
Objectives | 1.1 Define project and the project life cycle. 1.2 Explain the components of a project charter. 1.3 Demonstrate understanding of project objective and scope management. | ||
Reading | Read Ch. 1, “The Nature of Information Technology Projects,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 12/14/13 | |
Reading | Read Ch. 3, “The Project Infrastructure,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 12/14/13 | |
Reading | Read Ch. 5, “Defining and Managing Project and Product Scope,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 12/14/13 | |
Reading | Read the Week One Read Me First. | 12/12/13 | |
Reading | Reviewarticles found in the search criteria in the Electronic Reserve Readings. | 12/14/13 | |
Participation | Participate in class discussion. | 4/7 days | 4 |
Nongraded Activity and Preparation Software | Ensure you have access to the required software: · Microsoft® Project 2010 · Microsoft® Visio® 2010 · Microsoft® Excel® 2010 · Microsoft® Word 2010 These are all provided via the UOP virtual desktop, called Toolwire. Note. The Virtual Desktops can be accessed on the student website.The software is provided via the Toolwire desktop. Access Toolwire via a link on the materials page. Once there, go to the start menu and you should see the available applications as follows:
| 12/16/13 | |
Nongraded Activities and preparation: Tutorials – needed in order to complete assignments for this course. *************** This is extremely important. Please read and complete. ******************* | Important, Please read and complete. **************************************************************************** Do at least 1 of the following: 1. Read the Microsoft Project 2010 Course manuals. These are attached in the Course Materials folder. 2. Complete the Microsoft Project 2010 course using the manuals and datafiles in the Course Materials forum. The data files and manuals are also available on www.wylie.com but I have downloaded them for you. 3. Skillsoft tutorials. The link to this is on theLibrary page. a. Register and login to Skillsoft. If you are having problems registering, it may be that you do not have Java installed, or for some reason Java is not enabled or running, or you need a new version of Java installed. It may also be due to the browser version or type. So if it doesn’t work for you with Internet Explorer, try Firefox or Chrome, for example. b. Choose your language (I chose English – US.) c. Open Desktop curricula> Microsoft Office 2010>Microsoft Project 2010- Beginning Project. d. Take the courses “Introduction to Project 2010”, “Initializing a project with Project 2010″, ” Building a Schedule with Project 2010″, “Creating Resources with Project 2010”, and “Managing Resource Assignments with Project 2010.” 4. You can also supplement your learnings by checking Youtube.com for MS Project 2010 videos. **************************************************************************** | 12/16/13 | |
Discussion question Project Characteristics | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · What are some of the characteristics that differentiate projects from other functions carried out in the daily operations of an organization? List some examples of work considered to be a project and work not considered to be a project. | 12/16/13 | Part of participation score. |
Discussion question Project Objective | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · What questions does the project objective answer and how is it different from the project scope? Provide an example of a real-world project, such as planning a dinner party or a vacation. | 12/16/13 | Part of participation score. |
Discussion question Project Charter Audience | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · Who is the intended audience that a project charter best serves? In what way is it used? | 12/16/13 | Part of participation score. |
Weekly summary | Submit a weekly summary to the Week 1 summary thread. | 12/16/13 | 1 |
Learning Team Instructions Team Project (Preparation) | Complete a 12- to 16-page paper. Include the following components in the paper: Choose a project involving an IT requirement with multiple tasks and human resources. This project must come from a business situation—for example, hardware procurement and installation, network acquisition, implementation, or expansion—in which each Learning Team member contributes background details. Project Charter (Due in Week Two) This is a consolidated source of information which lays the foundation for successful completion of any project by identifying your project vision and communicating the overall approach for a project to all key stakeholder audiences. At a minimum the charter will contain the following: · Background of the organization and any information or statement of needs that helps explain how the project came to be · Goals and objectives of the project in language that is both concise and explanatory · Project scope delineated so that all parties involved are aware of what the project includes as well as what it does not · Budgetary limitations · Explanation of sponsors, stakeholders, and as well as how the project team is structured so that there will be no confusion concerning roles and responsibilities · Project approach your team intends to take to fulfill meeting deliverables of the project Write 3 to 4 pages on your findings. Project Schedule (Due in Week Three) This is the core of any project plan used to communicate what tasks are needed and the order of sequence to be done to meet deadlines and deliverables. At a minimum the section will contain the following: · Business requirements document (BRD) that provides additional details regarding the expectations (such as user, system, and functional) that must be met for achieving project goals · Work breakdown structure (WBS) showing discrete work tasks and grouped hierarchically that helps to organize and define the total work scope of the project Write 3 to 4 pages on your findings. Project Costing (Due in Week Four) The allocation and cost of resources need to be carefully monitored if a project is to be delivered on-time and on-budget. At a minimum this section will contain the following: · Allocation of resources to project tasks (both labor and material) · Cost estimates for project resources · Gantt diagram showing duration estimates for all tasks and their sequencing (including precedence relations) and highlighting any critical path(s) arising from task dependencies ultimately determining the minimal duration of a project In addition summarize any relevant facts about the project duration, number or type of resources, critical task sequencing, or how duration estimates were arrived at, and any financial implications (for example, budget or cost reports of the project as well) · Develop a baseline for your project plan so that all future variances are captured. Write 3 to 4 pages on your findings. Project Evaluation and Control (Due in Week Five) A project must be executed effectively and with minimal waste to establish confidence. A plan for performance measurement requires identifying which critical element should be measured, how they are measured, and when they are measured to communicate if the project is on track. At a minimum the section will contain the following: · Measurable objectives identified as milestones on the Gantt chart · Risk mitigation strategy for analyzing and reporting unplanned changes as well what procedures you will plan to implement for handling change control issues · Description of project reporting regarding the on-going evaluation and status of project efforts to stakeholder and participants on the project team · Method for determining whether the project has met its objectives and how the project is terminated Write 3 to 4 pages on your findings. | ||
Learning Team Instructions Team Project Presentation (Preparation) | Prepare a 10- to 12-slideMicrosoft® PowerPoint® presentation of the entire Learning Team Project, as completed in Weeks Two, Three, Four, and Five. Include detailed speaker notes. | ||
Individual Project Proposal | Consider the following scenario: You have been hired by a large company with branch offices around the country to assist with rollout of a new companywide compliance system. While initially the focus was on implementation of the technology, it was found that success will require at least 10 hours of training for all managers across the country on both the use of the new platform as well as a host of new compliance policies being introduced. Of the options discussed, it was generally agreed than the training should be hands-on and conducted in person at a central location. This will obviously require getting organizational buy in as not all managers are going to be willing to commit to taking time out from their normal responsibilities just for some training. In addition, such large scale centralized training has not been done before by this company; therefore, the CEO wants feedback from participants to evaluate the effectiveness of any training sessions. As a result, your manager has given you the responsibility to develop an outline for a proposed project that would meet this upcoming need. Submit a 2- to 3-page memo that does the following: · Names the project · Briefly describes the project · Identifies potential stakeholders directly or indirectly involved · Specifies the overall objective and any outcomes for this project · Details how success will be evaluated · Highlights what is needed to ascertain the measurable organizational value (MOV) of this project. You will need to make some assumptions (it is even encouraged) but the assumptions must be documented. See below for the grading template for this assignment. Also please use the recommended document template, posted in the Course Materials forum, to write the assignment. | 12/16/13 | 10 |
Week Two: Project Time Management – December 17-23, 2013 | |||
Details | Due | Points | |
Objectives | 2 2.1 Explain the relationship between the project charter and project plans. 2.2 Explain the relationship between project plans and time management. 2.3 Compare and contrast work breakdown structure, Gantt charts, program evaluation review technique, and critical path method. | ||
Reading | Read Ch. 6, “The Work Breakdown Structure and Project Estimation,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 12/21/13 | |
Reading | Read Ch. 2, “Introduction,” and “The Project Life Cycle and IT Development,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 12/21/13 | |
Reading | Read the Week Two Read Me First. | 12/19/13 | |
Reading | Reviewarticles found in the search criteria in the Electronic Reserve Readings. | 12/21/13 | |
Participation | Participate in class discussion. | 4/7 days | 4 |
Discussion question Accurate Estimates | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · Why are accurate estimates critical to effective project management? What steps can project managers take to improve the accuracy of estimating projects? | 12/23/13 | Part of participation score |
Discussion question Project Scope and WBS | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · What argument can you provideas towhy a project’s scope must be tied to the WBS? What are the implications are if scope is not adhered to closely? | 12/23/13 | Part of participation score |
Weekly summary | Submit a weekly summary to the Week 2 summary thread. | 12/23/13 | 1 |
Individual Project Task-List Part 1 | You have been tasked with the project of organizing a company offsite 2-day training session in which people are brought in from different parts of the country. This entails everything from preparation, accommodations, and facilities. Submit a 2- to 3-page executive memo summarizing the project’s objective, any scoping boundaries used to define the project, and relevant facts about the tasks or resources. Also please use the recommended document template, posted in the Course Materials forum, to write the assignment. · Identify all related tasks and resources needed to complete this project. · Highlight or specify any measurable deliverables relating to your project. See the feedback template in the course materials folder and below for more details. Submita task list with assigned resources that supports what you have outlined in your memo. The task list must be created using Ms Project and submitted as a .MPP file. Refer to the Feedback Template for the Week 2 Individual Assignment in the Course Materials folder and below. | 12/23/13 | 10 |
Learning Team Project Charter | Choose a project involving an IT requirement with multiple tasks and human resources. This project must come from a business situation—for example, hardware procurement and installation, network acquisition, implementation, or expansion—in which each Learning Team member contributes background details. This is a consolidated source of information which lays the foundation for successful completion of any project by identifying your project vision and communicating the overall approach for a project to all key stakeholder audiences. At a minimum the charter will contain the following: · Background of the organization and any information or statement of needs that helps explain how the project came to be · Goals and objectives of the project in language that is both concise and explanatory · Project scope delineated so that all parties involved are aware of what the project includes as well as what it does not · Budgetary limitations · Explanation of sponsors, stakeholders, and as well as how the project team is structured so that there will be no confusion concerning roles and responsibilities · Project approach your team intends to take to fulfill meeting deliverables of the project Write 3 to 4 pages on your findings. See the grading template below and in the course materials forum for more details. | 12/23/13 | 3 |
Week Three: Project Cost and Quality Management January 7-13, 2014 | |||
Details | Due | Points | |
Objectives | 3 3.1 Apply project budgeting and cost management controls. 3.2 Explain project quality management. 3.3 Explain resource planning and allocations. | ||
Reading | Read Ch. 7, “The Project Schedule and Budget,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 1/11/14 | |
Reading | Read Ch. 9, “Project Communication, Tracking, and Reporting,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 1/11/14 | |
Reading | Read the Week Three Read Me First. | 1/09/14 | |
Reading | Reviewarticles found in the search criteria in the Electronic Reserve Readings. | 1/11/14 | |
Participation | Participate in class discussion. | 4/7 days | 4 |
Discussion question Cost and Time | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · While cost and time are critical components of projects, how would you define the quality of a project? Provide some examples of project reporting metrics a project manager could use to measure and communicate the status of quality during a project. | 01/11/14 | Part of participation score |
Discussion question Dependency Types | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · Provide real-world examples of activities where each dependency type is used: finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, and start-to-finish. | 01/11/14 | Part of participation score |
Discussion question Metrics | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · Which metric does a project manager have most control over: cost variance, schedule variance, cost performance index, and schedule performance index? Explain how so. Which one does a project manager have least control over? | 01/11/14 | Part of participation score |
Weekly summary | Submit a weekly summary to the Week 3 summary thread. | 01/13/14 | 1 |
Individual Project Budget | Submit a Microsoft® Project Gantt chart, created using MS Project, and saved as a .MPP file, showing the WBS of tasks (with dependencies) and task sequences, and which · Adds rates to your resources (both labor and material) – Refer to websites like the United States Department of Labor for estimates or use your experience/imagination. · Adds estimates for all lowest level task durations. · Sequences the tasks using the predecessors column. · Has a Cost column in which the costs automatically appear. · Contains a WBS column. Refer to the Grading Template for the Week 3 Individual Project plan, in the course materials folder and below, as well as the hint for the week 3 individual assignment. | 01/13/14 | 10 |
Learning Team Project Schedule | This is the core of any project plan used to communicate what tasks are needed and the order of sequence to be done to meet deadlines and deliverables. At a minimum the section will contain the following: · Business requirements document (BRD) that provides additional details regarding the expectations (such as user, system, and functional) that must be met for achieving goals of the project · Work breakdown structure (WBS) showing discrete work tasks and grouped hierarchically that helps to organize and define the total work scope of the project Write 3 to 4 pages on your findings. Refer to the Feedback Template for the Week 3 Team Assignment, below and in the course materials folder for more detail. | 01/13/14 | 3 |
Week Four: Project Human Resources and Procurement Management January 14-20 , 2014 | |||
Details | Due | Points | |
Objectives | 4 4.1 Explain project human resources management. 4.2 Explain procurement management. 4.3 Identify methods for making adjustments to project schedules. | ||
Reading | Read Ch. 4, “The Human Side of Project Management,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 1/18/14 | |
Reading | Read Ch. 12, “Project Procurement Management and Outsourcing,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 1/18/14 | |
Reading | Read Ch. 13, “Leadership and Ethics,” of Information Technology Project Management: Providing Measureable Organizational Value. | 1/18/14 | |
Reading | Read the Week Four Read Me First. | 1/16/14 | |
Reading | Reviewarticles found in the search criteria in the Electronic Reserve Readings. | 1/18/14 | |
Participation | Participate in class discussion. | 4/7 days | 4 |
Discussion question High Performing Teams | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · Since the success of a project rests largely on the performance of the team, what are some techniques a project manager can employ to foster a group of individuals in becoming a cohesive and high-performing team? | 01/20/14 | Part of participation score |
Discussion question Outsourcing | Write a 50- to 150-word short-answer response to the following: · Under what circumstances is it ethically or not in the best interest of project morals to consider outsourcing parts of a project? Provide examples illustrating both and discuss why. | 01/20/14 | Part of participation score |
Weekly summary | Submit a weekly summary to the Week 4 summary thread. | 01/20/14 | 1 |
Individual Project Controls | The company offsite 2-day training session project is about ready to enter the execution phase. However, management has a history of being surprised with projects that finished over-budget, did not adhere to the timeline, evinced waste of resources, or did not meet expectations. Address your strategy for the following in a 2- to 3-page memo to gain their confidence in your project management abilities: · Analyze and report unplanned changes · Evaluate project quality · Procedures you plan to implement for handling change control issues · How you plan to communicate whether the project is meeting any stated performance and quality objectives. Submit the paper as a Microsoft Word document to the assignments link. Refer to the Grading Template for the Week 4 Individual Assignment, below and in the course materials folder. | 01/20/14 | 10 |
Learning Team Project Costing | The allocation and cost of resources need to be carefully monitored if a project is to be delivered on-time and on-budget. At a minimum this section will contain the following: · Allocation of resources to project tasks (both labor and material) · Cost estimates for project resources · Gantt diagram showing duration estimates for all tasks and their sequencing (including precedence relations) and highlighting any critical path(s) arising from task dependencies ultimately determining the minimal duration of a project In addition summarize any relevant facts about the project duration, number or type of resources, critical task sequencing, or how duration estimates were arrived at, and any financial implications (for example, budget or cost reports of the project as well) · Develop a baseline for your project plan so that all future variances are captured. Write 3 to 4 pages on your findings. Refer to the Grading Template for the Week 4 Team Assignment, in the course materials folder and below. Submit the paper to the Assignments link. | 07/08/13 | 3 |
Week Five: Project Risk Management January 21-27, 2014 | |
Details | |
Objectives | 5 5.1 Explain project risk management. 5.2 Assist in the development of a project plan. 5.3 Identify means of project evaluation. |
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