Ch 5 Lecture Flashcards
What is a project?
Series of related jobs usually directed toward some major output in a specific time period.
What is Project Management?
Planning, directing, and controlling resources (people, equipment, material) to meet the technical, cost, and time constraints of the project.
Three different organizational structures to a project.
- pure project
- functional project
- matrix project
Pure Project
small project-focused team, assigned solely for the duration of the project, working full time. aka Skunkworks
Advantages of Pure Project
- pm has full authority
- team reports to one boss
- lines of communication shortened. quick decisions
- high team pride, motivation, and commitment
Disadvantages of Pure Project
- duplication of process. no sharing
- organizational goals and policies are ignored
- organization falls behind in knowledge of new tech
- team members worry about life after the project. delays in project termination often delayed.
Functional Project
Project is housed within a functional division.
Advantages of Functional Project
- team member can work on several projects
- tech expertise maintained within functional area
- functional area is a home after the project is completed
- critical mass of specialized functional-area experts creates synergistic solutions
Disadvantages of Functional Project
- kAspects of the project not directly related get shortchanged
- motivation of team members is often weak
- needs of client are secondary and responded to slowly
Matrix Project
Classic organizational form.
Blends pure and functional.
PM decides what tasks and when to be performed
functional managers control which people and tech to be used
Advantages of Matrix Project
- Comms btw functional divisions enhanced
- PM is held responsible for successful completion
- team members have a functional home after completion
- policies of parent org kept in tack
Disadvantages of Matrix Project
- Two bosses
- doomed to fail unless PM has strong negotiating skills
- Suboptimization is a danger since PMs hoard resources
Statement of Work (SOW)
Written description of objectives including work to be done, proposed schedule with start and finish times
Task
further subdivision of a project. not longer than several months.
performed by one group or organization
Subtask
used if further subdivision necessary
Work Package
group of activities combined and assigned to a single organization
- budget
- whats to be done
- performance measures
- events
Project Milestones
Specific events to be reached in a work package
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
defines hierarchy of project tests, subtasks, and work packages
What are “activities” within a project
pieces of work that consume time not necessarily human related i.e.
- waiting for paint to dry
- telescope design
- fabrication
- data recording
Gnatt Chart
sometimes Bar Chart
- named for Henry Gnatt used during WW1 for shipbuilding
- shows both the amount of time involved and sequence activities can be performed
Earned Value Management (EVM)
Technique for measuring project progress in an objective manner.
-combines measurements of scope, schedule, and cost in a project
Features of EVM
- A project plan that identifies activities to be accomplished
- A valuation of each work activity, Planned Value(PV), Budgeted Cost of Work Scheduled (BCWS)
- Predefined “earning or costing rules” or metrics: Earned Value(EV), or Budgeted Cost of Work Performed(BCWP)
