Ch 5 Lecture

Question 1

What is a project?

Answer 1

Series of related jobs usually directed toward some major output in a specific time period.

Question 2

What is Project Management?

Answer 2

Planning, directing, and controlling resources (people, equipment, material) to meet the technical, cost, and time constraints of the project.

Question 3

Three different organizational structures to a project.

Answer 3

1. pure project
2. functional project
3. matrix project

Question 4

Pure Project

Answer 4

small project-focused team, assigned solely for the duration of the project, working full time. aka Skunkworks

Question 5

Advantages of Pure Project

Answer 5

• pm has full authority
• team reports to one boss
• lines of communication shortened. quick decisions
• high team pride, motivation, and commitment

Question 6

Disadvantages of Pure Project

Answer 6

• 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.

Question 7

Functional Project

Answer 7

Project is housed within a functional division.

Question 8

Advantages of Functional Project

Answer 8

• 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

Question 9

Disadvantages of Functional Project

Answer 9

• 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

Question 10

Matrix Project

Answer 10

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

Question 11

Advantages of Matrix Project

Answer 11

• 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

Question 12

Disadvantages of Matrix Project

Answer 12

• Two bosses
• doomed to fail unless PM has strong negotiating skills
• Suboptimization is a danger since PMs hoard resources

Question 13

Statement of Work (SOW)

Answer 13

Written description of objectives including work to be done, proposed schedule with start and finish times

Question 14

Task

Answer 14

further subdivision of a project. not longer than several months.

performed by one group or organization

Question 15

Subtask

Answer 15

used if further subdivision necessary

Question 16

Work Package

Answer 16

group of activities combined and assigned to a single organization

• budget
• whats to be done
• performance measures
• events

Question 17

Project Milestones

Answer 17

Specific events to be reached in a work package

Question 18

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

Answer 18

defines hierarchy of project tests, subtasks, and work packages

Question 19

What are “activities” within a project

Answer 19

pieces of work that consume time not necessarily human related i.e.

• waiting for paint to dry
• telescope design
• fabrication
• data recording

Question 20

Gnatt Chart

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Earned Value Management (EVM)

Answer 21

Technique for measuring project progress in an objective manner.

-combines measurements of scope, schedule, and cost in a project

Question 22

Features of EVM

Answer 22

• 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)