Pm asmnt 7

Please complete the following work from the chapters listed below in your textbook. Show detailed work in your submittal and create this in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Project (Time New Roman or Arial, font 11 or 12) document(s) as required; draw any diagrams and/or cut-and-paste screen captures into ONE Microsoft Word document. by the due date listed in the Course Schedule (read the Course Syllabus regarding Late Submittals; penalties apply).

Use your textbook, lecture notes, Powerpoints and chat discussions from the appropriate Unit/Chapter to complete this assignment:

Chapter 12

Discussion Questions (DQ):

1. What is the philosophy underlying resource loading?  What does it do for our project?  Why is it a critical element in effectively managing the project plan?

2. Discuss the nature of “time/cost tradeoffs” on projects.What does this concept imply for our project management practices?

MS Project Exercises:

MS Project EXERCISES

Problem 12.1

Refer to the activity network table below.  Enter this information using MSProject in order to produce a Gantt chart.  Assume that each resource has been assigned to the project activity on a full-time basis.

Activity                  Duration                   Predecessors                        Resource Assigned

A. User survey            4                                  None                           Gail Wilkins

B. Coding                   12                                A                                 Tom Hodges

C. Debug                     5                                  B                                 Wilson Pitts

D. Design interface     6                                  A, C                            Sue Ryan

E. Develop training     5                                  D                                 Reed Taylor

Chapter 13

Discussion Questions (DQ):

1. Why is the generic four-stage control cycle useful for understanding how to monitor and control projects?

2. It has been said that Earned Value Management (EVM) came about because the Federal Government often used “Cost plus” contractors with project organizations.  Cost plus contracting allows the contractor to recover full project development costs plus accumulate profit from these contracts.  Why would requiring contractor firms to employ earned value management help the government hold the line against project cost overruns?

3.The ten critical success factors have been applied in a variety of settings and project types.  Consider a project with which you were involved.  Did any sub-set of these factors emerge as clearly the most important for project success?  Why?

Case Study: 13.2 (only question 1 needed) 

Case Study 13.2 – The Superconducting Supercollider

A famous example of a project that started with great fanfare and was quietly shut down was the Superconducting Supercollider.  A particle physics structure as it was conceived, the project received funding after an intense (and some would argue, divisive) competition among various communities seeking to house the complex.  A combination of incremental funding coupled with very poor project oversight led to allegations of slipshod work, inflated costs, and unnecessary expenses.  All these problems contributed to a rapid decline in the attitude of the Federal Government toward keeping the project alive and it was finally killed through withdrawal of funding.  This case also makes an excellent discussion point for that argument that good project management also requires good stakeholder management; that is, keeping all the powerful project stakeholders happy and supportive of the project.

Question:

1. Suppose you were a consultant called into the project by the Federal Government in 1990, when it was still seemingly viable.  Given the start to the project, what steps would you have taken to reintroduce some positive “spin” on the Superconducting Supercollider?

Chapter 14

Discussion Question (DQ):

1. Comment on the different methods for project termination.  How have you seen an example of one of these methods, through either your school or work experience?

2. Comment on the following statement: “In deciding on whether or not to kill a project, it is critical to continually monitor the environment for signs it may no longer be viable.”