It is common to progressively elaborate the network diagram

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Defining Scope, Quality, Responsibility, and Activity Sequence

4

(Premium)

Teaching Strategies

The two vignettes reinforce consideration of the situation through research and communication with the stakeholders.

The first vignette addresses the changing conditions for project planning of worldwide construction projects due to weather variability and increased extreme weather situations.

The second examines a change in process for commerce. The desire was to increase credit card use; work with the stakeholders revealed a hesitation and distrust of credit cards due to potential fraud with an option for continued practices of e-commerce using debit cards.

Sometimes planning seems to be a waste of time for a short project. However, even very small projects need some degree of planning.

Tell the students a story of a failed project. Have students identify how having a clear project objective, a project scope document, a project plan, a work breakdown structure, a responsibility assignment matrix, and a network diagram could have changed the outcome.

Have students create a work breakdown structure and network diagram for a project they will have to complete during the class semester. Have the students explain the relationship between tasks that must be completed sequentially and those that can be completed simultaneously.

The network diagram for the consumer market study is included in the chapter materials. Have the students compare the textbook diagram with the one created in Microsoft Project. Have the students report on the similarities and the differences.

Optional Supplemental Activities

Recall that Chapter 1 offered an optional activity for student groups to contribute several hours to a not-for-profit organization. Have each group that participated in this activity give a 10 minute presentation and submit a 2-3 page write-up that discusses how that organization’s projects are planned, performed, controlled, and terminated. In addition, require each group to give at least 3 suggestions on ideas that could improve the projects at that organization.

Have students seek a project management mentor and report on their experiences related to developing the project scope and identifying the work breakdown structure.

Have students present an article from the International Journal of Project Management to the class. Have them post their critical review of the article to the class website, blog, wiki, or other class space to allow others to review and comment.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Chapter Concepts

Clearly defining the project objective

Preparing a project scope document

Understanding the importance of planning for quality

Creating a work breakdown structure

Assigning responsibility for work items

Defining specific activities

Creating a network diagram

Utilizing a project management methodology called the systems development life cycle for information systems development projects

Chapter Concepts

This chapter discusses the project scope document, quality, how to define what activities need to be done, who will be responsible for them, and in what sequence they will be performed. It describes techniques and tools used to plan the work itemsand activities that need to be performed in order to accomplish the project objective successfully. The project scope defines what work needs to be done and what deliverables need to be produced. Then, specific activities are defined and arranged in a sequence of dependent relationships to determine how the work will be performed.

This chapter will help student to become familiar with:

Clearly defining the project objective

Preparing a project scope document

Understanding the importance of planning for quality

Creating a work breakdown structure

Assigning responsibility for work items

Defining specific activities

Creating a network diagram

Utilizing a project management methodology called the systems development life cycle for information systems development projects

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Learning Outcomes

Establish a clear project objective

Prepare a project scope document

Discuss the importance and elements of a project quality plan

Develop a work breakdown structure

Prepare a responsibility assignment matrix

Describe how to define specific activities

Create a network diagram

Learning Outcomes

After studying this chapter, students should be able to:

Establish a clear project objective

Prepare a project scope document

Discuss the importance and elements of a project quality plan

Develop a work breakdown structure

Prepare a responsibility assignment matrix

Describe how to define specific activities

Create a network diagram

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Project Integration Management

Project Scope Management

Project Quality Management

Project Resource Management

Project Schedule Management

Project Management Knowledge Areas from PMBOK® Guide

Project Management Knowledge Areas from PMBOK® Guide

Concepts in this chapter support the following Project Management Knowledge Areas of the PMI Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide):

• Project Integration Management

• Project Scope Management

• Project Quality Management

• Project Resource Management

• Project Schedule Management

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Project Scopes for Weather Variability Risk Mitigation

Background

Disasters due to storms, floods, and droughts

Changes in weather patterns and the variability in the water cycle

Project managers worldwide are considering weather variability

Projects and Planning

Mitigate the risks of weather variability

Incorporate a wider range of conditions

Install water harvesting tanks on rooftops and parking lots

Planned major flood protection and revitalization projects

Vignette A: Project Scopes for Weather Variability Risk Mitigation

Disasters have occurred in the forms of storms, floods, and droughts as a result of changes in weather patterns and the variability in the water cycle. What were extreme events that occurred every 100 years are now projected to occur twice as often. Project managers worldwide are considering weather variability when determining the scope of projects. Projects are being planned and implemented to mitigate the risks of weather variability.

Past weather problems

In 1954, Hurricane Hazel caused over US$1 billion in damage in Canada.

In 2012, 27 million gallons of water from the storm surges as a result of Hurricane Sandy flooded the subway lines in New York, New York, USA.

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction estimated that between 2006 and 2016 damage due to weather related disasters was valued to be US$1 trillion, including over 900 weather-related events in 2014 that caused US$100 billion of damage globally.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimated a cost of US$1 billion caused by drought conditions in 2015 in western United States.

Bhutan has experienced flooding.

Pakistan has experienced long periods of storms that cause flooding and long periods of drought. Floods and droughts have caused much financial hardship in Pakistan due to the dependence on agricultural products that have been devastated.

Projects and planning

Project managers need to incorporate a wider range of conditions within their project plans, “For instance, where a project to construct a highway might typically design its structures to withstand a 100-year statistical flood, project managers might need to prepare for even greater variability.

The Pakistani government has developed educational programs to teach people how to install water harvesting tanks on rooftops and parking lots to collect rainwater and runoff.

The World Bank has spent over US$30.3 billion from 2010 through 2015 on 330 transportation projects in developing countries.

A major flood protection and revitalization project is planned for the lower Don River in southern Ontario, Canada.

The expansion of the Yolo Bypass in the Sacramento River Basin, California, USA, is a flood control system that integrates levees, weirs, and a natural bypass.

Many projects are expected to be planned to help mitigate these expected weather-related risks. Each will need to have a defined scope, quality management plan, responsibility matrix, and activity sequence.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Adoption of Online Shopping and Payment Portals

Project Background

Researched use of credit cards in e-commerce in other countries

Cost of an electronic payment platform was high

Trust of security of these systems was low

Most transactions were by cash-on-delivery or through use of a debit card

Solution

Created platform to support learning

Sought funding support

Presented the plan and its potential benefits to stakeholders

Started accepting debit card payments

Planned seminars with stakeholders

Vignette B: Adoption of Online Shopping and Payment Portals

As part of the e-Commerce Master Plan, the e-Commerce Act in Qatar was developed to enhance the e-commerce value chain and facilitate the adoption and implementation of e-commerce processes. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (ictQATAR) in Doha, Qatar, established a project team to work with stakeholders to develop the project plan for a framework and a platform to support e-commerce.

Project Background

The use of a credit card was a key payment form for e-commerce in other countries.

The acquisition cost of an electronic payment platform was high. Trust of security of these systems was low in places without established systems for online purchases.

Qatar was rated to be the wealthiest nation by gross domestic product per capita. Most transactions in Qatar were by cash-on-delivery or through use of a debit card.

Solution

Create platform to support learning by merchants and subject matter experts through knowledge resources with on-demand support.

Sought funding support within the implemented platform.

Presented the plan and its potential benefits to stakeholders.

Started accepting debit card payments for Qatar e-commerce consumers.

Planned seminars to conduct with the Qatar Central Bank on the benefits of secured debit card payment gateways and the reduction of payment fraud to help gather additional support for the project and inform the development of additional e-commerce sites.

The project team was hopeful that additional key stakeholders would adopt e-commerce practices for business after attending a presentation of the benefits. One factor the team did note was that even though the adopters have accepted widely used debit cards as a means of payment, they had not accepted the use of credit cards as a payment option.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Establish Project Objective

Planning process is based on the project objective

Establishes what is to be accomplished

Often stated in the project charter or RFP

Is the tangible end product

Project objective includes

Expected benefits

Primary project end product or deliverable

Date required to be completed

Budget

Changes agreed upon by customer and contractor

Establish Project Objective

The planning process is based on the project objective.

The project objective establishes what is to be accomplished.

Often the project objective is stated in the project charter or RFP.

It is the tangible end product that the project team or contractor must produce and deliver in order for the sponsor or customer to achieve the expected benefits from implementing the project.

The project objective should include the following elements:

Expected benefits that will result from implementation of the project and define success

Primary project end product or deliverable

Date by which the project is required to be completed

Budget within which the project must be completed

Situations can arise where the project objective needs to be modified as the project proceeds because of extenuating circumstances or new information. The project manager and the customer must agree on all changes to the project objective. Any such changes might affect the remaining work scope, deliverables, completion date, and final cost.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

List examples of project objectives.

Student Discussion

Ask students to list some examples of project objectives– these can be from projects they worked on, or hypothetical.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Possible responses to Student Discussion

To increase emergency room capacity by 20 percent and reduce average patient waiting time by 50 percent through a reconfiguration and process improvement project to be completed in 12 months and within a $400,000 budget.

To reduce outstanding accounts payable by $20 million by implementing a new billing, collection, and receiving system by May 31 with a budget not to exceed $220,000.

To raise $40,000 for hunger relief by organizing a community festival for the last weekend in September with a budget of $3,000.

To double annual sales revenue by creating an online shopping and fulfillment capability by April 30 with a budget not to exceed $40,000.

To expand market share by 3 percent by introducing a new portable food preparation appliance within 10 months with a budget of $2 million.

To increase August sales revenue by 10 percent above that of last August by producing and distributing a back-to-school catalog by July 15 with a budget not to exceed $40,000.

To meet new environmental regulatory requirements by installing a new filtration system within 15 months and a budget of $3.2 million.

List examples of project objectives

Some examples of project objectives are:

To increase emergency room capacity by 20 percent and reduce average patient waiting time by 50 percent through a reconfiguration and process improvement project to be completed in 12 months and within a $400,000 budget.

To reduce outstanding accounts payable by $20 million by implementing a new billing, collection, and receiving system by May 31 with a budget not to

exceed $220,000.

To raise $40,000 for hunger relief by organizing a community festival for the last weekend in September with a budget of $3,000.

To double annual sales revenue by creating an online shopping and fulfillment capability by April 30 with a budget not to exceed $40,000.

To expand market share by 3 percent by introducing a new portable food preparation appliance within 10 months with a budget of $2 million.

To increase August sales revenue by 10 percent above that of last August by producing and distributing a back-to-school catalog by July 15 with a budget not to exceed $40,000.

To meet new environmental regulatory requirements by installing a new filtration system within 15 months and a budget of $3.2 million.

To obtain information about consumer preferences by conducting a consumer market study to be completed in 26 weeks with a budget of $40,000.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Define Project Scope

Project Scope

Defines what needs done

Includes

Items contained in project charter, RFP, proposal

More detail

Establishes common understanding of scope with stakeholders

Project Scope Document

Usually contains

Customer requirements

Statement of Work

Deliverables

Acceptance Criteria

Work Breakdown Structure

Establishes baseline

Change control system to avoid scope creep

Define Project Scope

The project scope defines what needs to be done.

A project scope document includes many of the items contained in the project charter, RFP, or contractor’s proposal, but in much greater detail. The document is valuable for establishing a common understanding among project stakeholders regarding the scope of the project.

The project scope document usually contains the following sections:

Customer requirements define the functional or performance specifications for the project’s end product and other project deliverables.

It should also include or reference applicable technical specifications, standards, and codes that must be used and met regarding quality and performance of the project work and deliverables.

Statement of Work (SOW) defines the major tasks that will need to be performed to accomplish the work that needs to be done and produce all the project deliverables.

Deliverables are the products or outputs that the project team or contractor will produce and provide to the customer during and at the completion of the performance of the project.

Acceptance criteria for all project deliverables must be described in greater detail than what is stated in the project charter or request for proposal

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical decomposition of the project work scope into work packages that produce the project deliverables.

The agreed-upon project scope document establishes the baseline for any changes that may be made to the scope during the performance of the project.

A change control system needs to be established to define how changes will be documented, approved, and communicated. The project team or contractor must avoid scope creep, which is informally making changes to the project scope without appropriate approval.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Why should scope creep be avoided?

Student Discussion

Have students think about scope creep. First, make sure they understand what it is. Once they have accurately defined it, ask them why it should be avoided.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Possible responses to Student Discussion

Informal changes to the project

No approvals for changes

Additional work that is not documented

May cause errors

May cause rework

Could make the project overtime and over budget

Why should scope creep be avoided?

Why should scope creep be avoided?

Possible responses:

Informal changes to the project can lead the entire project astray

No approvals for changes

Can result in additional work that is not documented

May cause errors

May cause some of the sections of the project to be reworked

Could make the project go overtime and over budget

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Plan for Quality

Complete work according to specifications and standards

Plan for assuring quality as project progresses

Include

References for specifications and standards

Written procedures for quality tools and techniques

Key aspects

Monitor as the project progresses

Do work right the first time rather than rework

Plan for Quality

Planning for quality is a necessary, yet often forgotten or dismissed, function on a project. It is essential to have a plan for assuring the quality of project deliverables and results, rather than waiting until the end of the project to check if the sponsor/customer requirements and expectations on project deliverables have been met.

It is important to plan for quality in performing the project. This helps assure that the work is done according to specifications and applicable standards and that deliverables meet acceptance criteria.

A project quality plan includes or references:

Project specifications and standards

Industry or government standards (for design, testing, safety, construction, etc.)

Codes that must be used and met during the performance of the project work

Written procedures for using various quality tools and techniques

The key to quality control is to:

Monitor the quality of the work early and regularly throughout the performance of the project

Compare results with quality standards

Make any necessary corrective actions immediately, rather than waiting until all the work is completed before checking or inspecting for quality

To ensure that a project is done right the first time, a project should focus on doing the work in accordance with quality standards, and therefore preventing quality problems.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

It is often said that some people think they never have enough time to do the work right the first time, but then must take the time later to redo it correctly—haste makes waste!

Student Discussion

What can be done to change this thinking

It is often said that some people think they never have enough time to do the work right the first time, but then must take the time later to redo it correctly— haste makes waste!

What can be done to change this thinking?

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Possible responses to Student Discussion

Clearly list quality standards

Have monitors in place to see if the work is meeting quality standards

Submit sample work to be sure work meets standards

If it means a higher quality product, determine the effects and costs of a later delivery

It is often said that some people think they never have enough time to do the work right the first time, but then must take the time later to redo it correctly—haste makes waste!

What can be done to change this thinking?

Have students talk about why people think this way and how they think this line of thinking can be changed.

Students may come up with the following ideas:

Clearly list quality standards

Have monitors in place to see if the work is meeting quality standards

Submit sample work to be sure the work meets standards

If it means a higher quality product, determine the effects and costs of a later delivery time

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Create Work Breakdown Structure

Deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition

Organize project work and deliverables

Create logical groupings

Subdivide into more manageable components

Deliverable is output of work package

Resource requirements and durations can be assigned

Accountability can be assigned

Project manager can monitor and control

Graphic chart or indentured list

Create Work Breakdown Structure

Once the project scope document has been agreed on and prepared, the next step in the planning phase is to create a detailed work breakdown structure (WBS)

This is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the project work scope into work packages, or activity groupings, that produce the project deliverables.

Creating a WBS is a structured approach for organizing all the project work and deliverables into logical groupings. This helps to subdivide the deliverables into more manageable components called work items, to help ensure that all tasks required to complete the project are identified and included in the baseline project plan.

The WBS should be deconstructed to a level that identifies individual work packages for each specific deliverable listed in the project scope document.

Dividing a project into work packages and work items helps a contractor increase the level of confidence that:

All the activities that need to be performed to produce the deliverable can be defined

The types and quantities of resources can be determined

The associated activity durations and costs can be reasonably estimated.

Work items should be broken down to the level at which a single organization (marketing communications, materials engineering, human resources, a subcontractor, etc.) or individual can be assigned responsibility and accountability for accomplishing the work package.

The WBS can be created using a graphic chart format or as a list.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

WBS with Breakdown to Different Levels

WBS with Breakdown to Different Levels

This figure depicts the work breakdown structure in a graphic chart format for a community festival project.

Note that not all of the branches in a WBS have to be broken down to the same level.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

WBS

Graphic Chart

Indentured List

WBS

The top figure depicts the WBS for the consumer market study project example. This project is also the example used in the Microsoft Project appendices.

Have students examine the relationship between this figure and the entries in the Microsoft Project task list.

The bottom figure depicts an indentured list for the work breakdown structure.

For each of the work packages, the deliverable is listed.

This format is helpful for large projects where a diagram would become too large and unwieldy.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Assign Responsibility

Responsibility assignment matrix

Designate responsible individuals

P = Primary responsibility

S = Support responsibility

Associates responsibility

For each work item

For each individual

Only one primary per work item

Assign Responsibility

A responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) defines who will be responsible for the work. It is a tool used to designate the individuals responsible for accomplishing the different work items in the work breakdown structure (WBS).

This figure depicts the RAM for the WBS in Figure 4.1, the community festival project.

The RAM often uses a P to designate primary responsibility and an S to indicate support responsibility for a specific work item.

The RAM shows all the individuals associated with each work item in the WBS, as well as all the work items associated with each individual.

Only one individual should be designated as the lead, or primary, person responsible for each work item.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Define Activities

Responsible resources define activities

Breakdown work packages to work items

Level needed to perform deliverable

May not be able to define all

Comprehensive activity list

Not always require expenditure of effort

Could be wait time

Define Activities

Using the WBS, the individual or team responsible for each work package must next define all the specific activities that need to be performed to produce the end item, or deliverable.

Breaking down each work package into its component activities reveals the level at which each activity must be performed to produce the deliverable.

Some activities may not be easily definable.

When all the specific activities have been defined for all of the work packages, they should be consolidated into a comprehensive activity list.

Because of the allocation of resources, there may be wait time between the end of one activity and the start of another one.

This figure shows the work breakdown structure for a consumer market study project. It depicts the specific activities that need to be performed for each work package.

Have the students compare this list to the entries for the tasks in the Microsoft Project appendix.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Sequence Activities

Network diagram

Defines the sequence of activities and relationships

Tool for arranging order

Common techniques

PERT

CPM

PDM

Sequence Activities

A network diagram defines the sequence of how the activities will get done. It is a tool for arranging the specific activities in the best sequence and defining their dependent relationships.

The three most common techniques of network diagramming are program evaluation and review technique (PERT), the critical path method (CPM), and the precedence diagramming method (PDM).

In the past, there were distinguishable methodological differences between PERT and CPM. Today, however, when most people refer to a CPM diagram or PERT chart, they mean a generic network diagram.

The top figure shows a complete network diagram for a consumer market study project, with the person responsible for each activity included on the diagram.

The bottom figure shows a network diagram for a web-based reporting system project.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Network Principles

Activities

Represented by a box

Consume time

Described by verb

Relationships

Linked in serial sequence

Complete concurrently

Network Principles

Each activity is represented by a box in the network diagram and the description of the activity is written within the box, as shown in this figure.

Activities consume time, and their description usually begins with a verb (such as get, wash, and dry in this example).

Activities have a dependent relationship—that is, they are linked in a logical sequence in a network diagram to show which activities must be finished before others can start.

Certain activities have to be done in serial sequence.

Some activities may be done concurrently.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Loops

Illogical relationship among activities

Perpetually repeats itself

Not acceptable

Loops

An illogical relationship among activities is known as a loop.

In preparing a network diagram, drawing activities in a loop is not acceptable because it portrays a path of activities that perpetually repeats itself.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Laddering

Ladder activities

Allow for shortest possible time for completion

Best use of the three workers and experts

Set of repeating activities

Serial sequence

One work

Two wait

Can be performed at same time

Would need triple resources

Laddering

Some projects have a set of activities that are repeated several times.

The top figure shows a series of activities that must be done in serial sequence, which means that, for an activity with three people, at any one time only one person is working while two other people are waiting.

The middle figure shows a set of activities that can be performed concurrently. However, it is often not practical to perform the activities in this way because the organization would need triple the experts– one for each room.

The bottom figure shows a technique known as laddering. This approach allows the project to be completed in the shortest possible time, while making the best use of available resources.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Create Network Diagram

Tips and Techniques

Logical sequence of activities

Show dependent relationships

Elaborate as project progresses

Use subnetworks for similar activity sequences and relationships

Development of Diagram

Questions to answer

Finish before next start?

Done concurrently?

Cannot be started next?

Guidelines for detail level

Define each work package

Draw summary level network then add detail

Detail to responsibility or deliverable change

Duration less than project progress review

Create Network Diagram

A network diagram is a drawing of the activities for a project, displayed in boxes in their logical sequence and connected by arrows to indicate dependent relationships. The network diagram shows how the project should be performed from start to completion.

Three questions need to be answered regarding each activity. The network is based upon the answers:

Which activities must be finished immediately before this activity can be started?

Which activities can be done concurrently with this activity?

Which activities cannot be started until immediately after this activity is finished?

Guidelines for the level of detail in the network diagram are:

Based on the work breakdown structure for a project; specific activities should be defined for each work package.

It may be preferable to draw a summary-level network first that depicts a small number of higher level activities and then expand to a more detailed network.

The level of detail may be determined by certain obvious interface or transfer points such as a change in responsibility or if there is a tangible output or product or deliverable as a result of an activity.

Activities should not be longer in estimated duration than the project progress review.

It is not unusual to progressively elaborate the network diagram as the project progresses and more information becomes clear.

Sub-networks can be used to represent similar projects for different customers. Certain portions of projects may include the same types of activities in the same sequence and with the same dependent relationships.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Planning

for Information Systems Development

Definition

Computer-based system

Accepts data as input

Processes the data

Produces useful information

Examples

Computerized order entry

E-commerce

Automatic teller machines

Billing, payroll, and inventory

Process

Plan, execute, and control

Systems Development Life Cycle

Problem definition

System analysis

System design

System development

System testing

System implementation

Planning for Information Systems Development

The Microsoft Project example will continue through chapters 4 – 8. It highlights the concepts for each chapter in the example. The Microsoft Project file for the example is available with the instructor materials.

An information system (IS) is a computer-based system that accepts data as input, processes the data, and produces useful information for users.

Information systems include computerized order entry systems, e-commerce systems, automatic teller machines, and billing, payroll, and inventory systems.

The development of an IS is a challenging process that requires extensive planning and control to ensure that the system meets user requirements and is finished on time and within budget.

A project management planning tool, or methodology, called the systems development life cycle (SDLC) is often used to help plan, execute, and control IS development projects.

It consists of the following steps:

Problem definition -- Data are gathered and analyzed and problems and opportunities are clearly defined.

System analysis -- The development team defines the scope of the system to be developed, interviews potential users, studies the existing system (which might be manual), and defines user requirements.

System design -- Several alternative conceptual designs are produced and evaluated. The best is selected for further design and development.

System development -- The actual system is brought into existence.

System testing – This step involves looking for logical errors, database errors, errors of omission, security errors, and other problems that might prevent the system from being successful.

System implementation -- The existing system is replaced with the new, improved, system and users are trained.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

An IS Example: Internet Applications Development for ABC Office Designs

ABC Office Designs

Large number of sales representatives

Sell office furniture to major corporations

State assignments in four regions

Management monitor state and regional sales

Build Web-based IS system to track prices, inventory, and competition

Project

Project manager identified

WBS follows SDLC

Responsibility assignment matrix completed

List of tasks compiled and predecessors identified

Network diagram created

An IS Example: Internet Applications Development for ABC Office Designs

A corporation called ABC Office Designs has a large number of sales representatives who sell office furniture to major corporations. Each sales representative is assigned to a specific state, and each state belongs to one of four regions in the country.

To enable management to monitor the number and amount of sales for each representative, for each state, and for each region, ABC has decided to build a Web-based information system that will track prices, inventory, and the competition.

The IS department within the corporation has assigned Beth Smith to be the project manager of the Web-based reporting system development project.

The following four slides depict figures related to this project.

First, we will see the major tasks that were identified for the project.

Then we will look at the responsibility assignment matrix for the project with the primary and secondary responsibilities for each task assigned.

We will then look at a list of all tasks to be done, with the immediate predecessor for each task listed to the right of the task.

Finally, we will examine the network diagram created by Beth and the project team that represents the interdependencies listed in the immediate predecessor list.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

IS Example: WBS follows SDLC

IS Example: WBS follows SDLC

This figure depicts the major tasks that were identified for the project. The WBS follows the SDLC.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

IS Example:

Responsibility

Assignment

Matrix

IS Example: Responsibility Assignment Matrix

Here we see the responsibility assignment matrix for the project, with the primary and secondary responsibilities for each task assigned.

Make sure that students note that all the tasks in the WBS appear in the responsibility assignment matrix.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

IS Example:

Task List and

Predecessors

IS Example: Task List and Predecessors

This figure depicts a list of all tasks to be completed, with the immediate predecessor for each task listed to the right of the task.

Have the students examine the interdependencies of the tasks.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

IS Example: Network Diagram

IS Example: Network Diagram

Here is the network diagram created by Beth and the project team.

This figure represents the interdependencies listed in the immediate predecessor list.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Project Management Information Systems

Wide variety of systems available

Plan and control projects in interactive mode

Plan and test different options

Create reports, diagrams, and charts

Interface with other software applications

Appendix A has additional information

Project Management Information Systems

A wide variety of affordable project management information systems are available for purchase.

These systems allow the project manager and the project team to plan and control projects in a completely interactive mode.

Planning and testing different options for task durations, dependencies, constraints, resources, schedules, and costs can be completed in a project management information system.

Information systems help project managers to create reports, change management, network diagrams, and Gantt charts.

Project management information systems also interface with other software applications.

Appendix A contains information related to project management information systems.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Critical Success Factors

Plan the work and then work the plan. It is important to develop a plan before starting to perform the project. Taking the time to develop a well-thought-out plan is critical to the successful accomplishment of any project.

Participation builds commitment. By participating in the planning of the work, individuals will become committed to accomplishing it according to the plan.

The project must have a clear objective of what is to be accomplished. The objective should be defined in terms of end product or deliverable, schedule, and budget, and it must be agreed upon by the customer and the project team that will perform the project.

The project scope document is valuable for establishing a common understanding and agreement among project stakeholders regarding the scope of the project.

Having a quality plan at the outset of the project is extremely beneficial because it will help prevent incurring additional costs and schedule extensions due to rework caused by work and deliverables that fail to meet quality requirements and customer expectations.

The key to quality control is to monitor the quality of the work early and regularly throughout the performance of the project, rather than waiting until all the work is completed before checking or inspecting for quality.

The network diagram is also is a communication tool for the project team because it shows who is responsible for each activity and how each person’s work fits into the overall project.

Critical Success Factors

Plan the work and then work the plan. It is important to develop a plan before starting to perform the project. Taking the time to develop a well-thought-out plan is critical to the successful accomplishment of any project.

Participation builds commitment. By participating in the planning of the work, individuals will become committed to accomplishing it according to the plan.

The project must have a clear objective of what is to be accomplished. The objective should be defined in terms of end product or deliverable, schedule, and budget, and it must be agreed upon by the customer and the project team that will perform the project.

The project scope document is valuable for establishing a common understanding and agreement among project stakeholders regarding the scope of the project.

Having a quality plan at the outset of the project is extremely beneficial because it will help prevent incurring additional costs and schedule extensions due to rework caused by work and deliverables that fail to meet quality requirements and customer expectations.

The key to quality control is to monitor the quality of the work early and regularly throughout the performance of the project, rather than waiting until all the work is completed before checking or inspecting for quality.

The network diagram is also is a communication tool for the project team because it shows who is responsible for each activity and how each person’s work fits into the overall project.

*

© 2018 Cengage®. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part, except for use as permitted in a license distributed with a certain product or service or otherwise on a password-protected website or school-approved learning management system for classroom use.

Summary

The planning process is based on the project objective, which establishes what is to be accomplished.

The project scope defines what needs to be done.

The project scope document usually contains the customer requirements, statement of work, deliverables, acceptance criteria, and a work breakdown structure.

The quality plan must include or reference the specifications, industry or government standards, and codes that must be used and met during the performance of the project work.

The work breakdown structure establishes the framework for how the work will get done to produce the project deliverables.

A responsibility assignment matrix defines who will be responsible for the work.

Activities define more specifically how the work will get done.

A network diagram defines the sequence of how and when the activities will be performed.

Project planning is a critical activity in developing an information system (IS).

A project management planning tool or methodology, called the systems development life cycle (SDLC), is often used to help plan, execute, and control IS development projects.

Numerous project management information systems are available to help project managers plan, track, and control projects in a completely interactive way.

Summary

The planning process is based on the project objective, which establishes what is to be accomplished.

The project scope defines what needs to be done.

The project scope document usually contains the customer requirements, statement of work, deliverables, acceptance criteria, and a work breakdown structure.

The quality plan must include or reference the specifications, industry or government standards, and codes that must be used and met during the performance of the project work.

The work breakdown structure establishes the framework for how the work will get done to produce the project deliverables.

A responsibility assignment matrix defines who will be responsible for the work.

Activities define more specifically how the work will get done.

A network diagram defines the sequence of how and when the activities will be performed.

Project planning is a critical activity in developing an information system (IS).

A project management planning tool or methodology, called the systems development life cycle (SDLC), is often used to help plan, execute, and control IS development projects.

Numerous project management information systems are available to help project managers plan, track, and control projects in a completely interactive way.