Module 01

Question 1

Why is Software Project Management Important?

Answer 1

Projects have a track record of not being successful and having end times that run over the original estimated date.

Question 2

Product(ion) Oriented Processes

Answer 2

Systems Development Lifecycles (SDLC)

Question 3

What is Project Management?

Answer 3

Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements

Process quality management

Question 4

Software Project Management

Answer 4

Combines management knowledge with software engineering processes to produce software product deliverable work
Examine Project Management Processes
Examine Software Product Development Processes

Question 5

What is a Project?

Answer 5

A complex, nonroutine, one-time effort limited by time, budget, resources, and performance specifications designed to meet customer needs.

Question 6

Major Characteristics of a Project

Answer 6

Has an established objective.
Has a defined life span with a beginning and an end.
Requires across-the-organizational participation.
Involves doing something never been done before.
Has specific time, cost, and performance requirements.

Question 7

Routine Work vs Projects

Answer 7

Taking class notes
Daily entering sales receipts into the accounting ledger
Responding to a supply-chain request
Practicing scales on the piano
Routine manufacture of an Apple iPod
Attaching tags on a manufactured product

Writing a term paper
Setting up a sales kiosk for a professional accounting meeting
Developing a supply-chain information system
Writing a new piano piece
Designing an iPod that is approximately 2 X 4 inches, interfaces with PC, and stores 10,000 songs
Wire-tag projects for GE and Wal-Mart

Question 8

Organizational Mission, Vision, Core Values, Objectives

Answer 8

Organizations create strategic plans to achieve objectives
Implementing a strategic plan is challenging
Need to ensure organizational activities are aligned with strategic plan

Question 9

Portfolio Management

Answer 9

Collection of programs that are grouped together to facility effective management and alignment with strategic plan (e.g. Microsoft Business Solutions)

Question 10

Program Management

Answer 10

Collection of projects that are grouped together to facility effective management and alignment with strategic plan (e.g. Microsoft Office 2007)

Question 11

Project Management

Answer 11

Focus on achieving project objectives (e.g. Microsoft Word 2007)

Question 12

What is a process?

Answer 12

A process is a set of related tasks performed to manage a certain aspect of a project, such as cost. Each process belongs to a knowledge area.

Question 13

The elements of a process?

Answer 13

Input (raw data of the process)
Tools and Techniques (Operations on the raw data)
Output (The outcome of the operations on the raw data)

Question 14

What are the project process groups

Answer 14

Initiating
Planning
Executing
Monitoring/Controlling
Closing

Question 15

Project Management Knowledge Areas

Answer 15

Project Integration Management
Project Scope Management
Project Time Management
Project Cost Management
Project Quality Management
Project Human Resource Management
Project Communications Management
Project Risk Management
Project Procurement Management
Communication Management

Question 16

The Triple Constraint

Answer 16

Scope, Cost, Schedule (difficult to achieve all 3, easy to achieve 2)

Question 17

The Role of the Project Manager

Answer 17

Person responsible for achieving project objectives
Different from a functional manager
Must be able to effectively use and apply project management principles
Lead, motivate and influence others
Organizational Structure Effects the Project Manager
Functional
Matrix
Project Manager

Question 18

How is the project managers authority affected by organization structure on projects?

Answer 18

Functional - none to low authority
Matrix- low to high authority
Projectized - High to full authority