Lecture 4: project and service management

Question 1

What is a project

Answer 1

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.”

Question 2

How can IS projects be managed and controlled to achieve project success?

Answer 2

d

Question 3

What is a project

Answer 3

“A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.”

Question 4

High failure rate . why?

Answer 4

1/4 projects fail
Can be costly

poor estimation, ineffektive stakeholder management

Question 5

Define control and the different control modes

Answer 5

“control” is defined as attempts to ensure that individuals working on organizational projects act according to an agreed- upon strategy in order to achieve desired objectives [Jaworski 1988, Merchant 1988]
• Formal control: Used to evaluate performance in a structured manner
• Informal control: Based upon social or people strategies

Question 6

explain the behaviour, outcome - self and clan

Answer 6

Formal Control
Behavior Control
Personal surveillance of employees (observing closely the behavior and work)
Outcome Control
Measuring of employees’ output (the end result rather than the process that led to it)
Informal Control
Self Control
Relying on individuals to monitor and control themselves (“laissez-faire”)
Clan Control
Creating shared norms and values in the project team/group

Question 7

give examples of mechanisms for control

Answer 7

Examples for behavior control
• Formal project plan
• Structured and regular meetings
• Progress reports and walk-throughs
• Technical documentations
• Assignment of roles and responsibilities
Examples for outcome control
• Checking results against requirements documents
• Defining and implementing standards
• Evaluating performance achievements according to defined roles and responsibilities

Examples for informal - clan control (group level):
• Creating shared norms and values
• Socialization activities and team meetings

Examples of self-control: (individual level)
set own goals

Question 8

Constructing a portfolio of control modes

Answer 8

A process that includes selecting appropriate mechanisms of formal control and sublimated with informal control modes.

Task characteristics, role expectations, knowledge & skills

Selection of appropriate pre-
1 existing mechanisms of formal control
Definition of new 2 mechanisms of formal control
Addition of 3 mechanisms of
informal control

Question 9

A dynamic perspective

Answer 9

control as collective sense making, control as technical winnowing, control as collaborative coordinating

Question 10

Explain the 3 phases

Answer 10

d

Question 11

explain the 3 different contexts

Answer 11

Project context
• Task characteristics: tasks can vary from novel (e.g., effort estimation to build a system using leading-edge technology) to more structured (e.g., building a test script)
• Task interdependency, e.g., between requirements determination and development
• Performance problems in the project
Stakeholder context
• Mix of knowledge and skills (key people) in the project team
• Lack of common goals
Global context
• Priority differences of global project stakeholders and cultural differences: Use of informal mechanisms (e.g., face-to-face contact) help to learn about different cultures and improve stakeholder relations

Question 12

IT projects

Answer 12

IT Projects
➢ ➢
Regularly complex and innovative Regularly 6-12 months
Low degrees of freedom during the project period (small budget and tight schedule)
Regularly high risk (e.g. concerning budget and time criteria) because it is too complex and difficult to assess
➢ Involving customers (users) into the development process
➢ Risk management, emergency plan