Chapter 0

Question 1

What is a project? Name 5 characteristics which classify an activity as a project?

Answer 1

1. A project has a defined goal (a purpose with well-defined end items, deliverables, results, etc.)
2. A project is unique (one-time activity; never to be exactly repeated again)
3. It is a temporary organisation that seeks to accomplish the goal within a certain time frame
4. Utilise people and other resources from different organisations and functions
5. Carries unfamiliarity and risk (because each project is unique)

Question 2

Examples of projects

Answer 2

Construction (pyramids)
Technology development (space station)
Weddings 
Remodelling a home
Company audits

Question 3

Uncertainty

Answer 3

Is measured by the difficulty in predicting the final outcome in terms of dimensions of time, costs, and technical performance
When the uncertainty drops to nearly zero, the work is no longer considered a project

Question 4

NTCP model or Diamond model

Answer 4

Illustrates the diversity in projects
Classifies projects and their end results or products into four dimensions, each with three or four possible levels
Dimensions:
1) Novelty
2) Technology
3) Complexity
4) Pace

Question 5

Describe the dimension ‘Novelty’, and its three possible levels

Answer 5

Novelty represents how new the project end-item/product is to customers
Levels:
1) Derivative –> the project end-item/product is an extension or improvement of an existing product or system
2) Platform –> the end-item/product is a new generation of an existing product line in a well-established market (e.g., new car model)
3) Breakthrough –> the end-item/product is new to the world

Question 6

Describe the dimension ‘Technology’, and its three possible levels

Answer 6

Technology represents the project’s technological uncertainty and whether is it new or mature (how much new technology is required to manufacture and enable the use of the product?)
Levels:
1) Low-tech –> involves only well-established technologies
2) Medium-tech –> mainly existing technologies; some limited use of new technology/features
3) High-tech –> technologies that are most new to the firm but already existing are available at project initiation
4) Super-high-tech –> new technologies that do not exist at project initiation

Question 7

Describe the dimension ‘Complexity’, and its three possible levels

Answer 7

Complexity represents the complexity of the product and project organisation
Levels:
1) Assembly –> involves combining a collection of elements, components, and modules into a single unit/entity that performs a single function
2) System –> involves a complex collection of interactive elements and subsystems that jointly perform multiple functions to meet specific operational needs
3) Array –> involves a large variety of dispersed systems that function together to achieve a common purpose

Question 8

Describe the dimension ‘Pace’, and its three possible levels

Answer 8

Pace represents the time available for the project (the urgency of criticality of meeting project’s completion targets)
Levels:
1) Regular –> no urgency; time is not critical to immediate success
2) Fast/Competitive –> complete project in adequate time to address market opportunities
3) Time-Critical –> complete project by a specific deadline; missing the deadline means project failure
4) Blitz –> a crisis project; the criterion for success is solving a problem as fast as possible

Question 9

Project goal

Answer 9

The goal of every project can be conceptualized in terms of hitting a target that floats in three- dimensional space—the dimensions of cost, time, and performance

Question 10

What could make it difficult to hit the project goal target?

Answer 10

Technological complexity
Changing markets
An uncontrollable environment