Q11.

You are a software project manager for a software firm, with a

project budgeted at $250,000 (comma is used as a thousands separator). As of today,

the project should be 48% complete, but after reviewing the status of

the scheduled tasks involved in the project, it is clear that only 26% of the work

has been completed. The firm has spent $115,000 thus far. What is the current

status of the project?

Q11.2

You are a software project manager for a software firm, with a project budgeted

at $350,000 (comma is used as a thousands separator). As

of today, the project should be 38% complete. After reviewing the status of

the scheduled tasks involved in the project, it is clear that 46% of the work

has been completed. The firm has spent $130,000 thus far. What is the current

status of the project?

Q11.3

You are a software project manager for a software firm, with a project budgeted

at $250,000 (comma is used as a thousands separator). As of today, the project should be 40%
complete, but after reviewing

the status of the scheduled tasks involved in the project, it is clear that only 36% of

the work has been completed. The firm has spent $185,000 thus far. What is the current

status of the project?

Common questions:
 a. (6 pts) Establish the PV, AC, and EV for the project.
b. (4 pts) Calculate the SPI and CPI for the project.
c. (2 pts) Calculate the PCIB.
d. (3 pts) Write a short description of what the numbers mean for the project.

Answers:

a)

Q11.1 PV = 250000*.48 =120,000

EV =250000*.26 =65,000

AC= 115000

Q11.2

PV = 350000*.38 =133,000

EV =350000*.46 =161,000

AC= 130000

Q11.3

PV = 250000*.40 =100000

EV =250000*.36 =90000

AC= 185000

b) SPI = EV/PV

CPI= EV/AC

Q11.1 SPI=0.54 CPI= 0.56

Q11.2 SPI=1.21 CPI= 1.23

Q11.3 SPI=0.9 CPI= 0.48

c)PCIB=EV/BAC

Q11.1 0.26
Q11.2 0.46

Q11.3 0.36

d) q11.1 over budget, behind schedule, completion rate 26% of the total budget planned

Q11.2 under budget, and ahead in schedule so the progress is good; completion rate 46%, which means
half the original budget is earned

Q11.3 over budget, behind schedule but not so bad again, completion rate 36% of original budget planned.

Project Task Table (Scenario)

Q12.1

Task Resource Predecessor Duration (days)

A Zeynep Start 3
B Düzgün Start 6
C Volkan A,B 12
D Özge B 5
E Özge D 4
F Özge C 6
G Zeynep E,F 8
H Düzgün E 7
I Özge H 3

Q12.2

Task Resource Predecessor Duration (days)

T1 Ayşe Start 3
T2 Dizdar Start 6
T3 Onat T1,T2 12
T4 Merve T2 5
T5 Merve T4 4
T6 Merve T3 6
T7 Ayşe T5,T6 8
T8 Dizdar T5 7
T9 Merve T8 3

Q12.3
 Task Resource Predecessor Duration (days)
J Sedef Start 3
K İlker Start 6
L Kerem J,K 12
M Fatmanur K 5
N Fatmanur M 4
O Fatmanur L 6
P Sedef N,O 8
R İlker N 7
S Fatmanur R 3

Given the project task dependency table above, work out the project network with Critical Path Method
(just on a draft paper which you are not expected to submit) and answer the following questions:

a. (5 pts)What is the critical path?

b. (10 pts ) Which task(s) have the highest total slack? What is the value of that slack?
c. (5 pts) Do you foresee a resource scheduling problem? Explain…

Note: Assume “Start” and “End” nodes are “burst” and “merge” nodes respectively with a
duration of 1 day (for project kickoff and closure meetings respectively). All dependency
relationships are finish-to-start.
Assume St is for start, End is for end nodes
a)12.1 St-B-C-F-G-End (critical path)
12.2 St-T2-T3-T6-T7-End
12.3 St-J-L-O-P-End
b) 12.1 D,E,H,I have the same highest total slack value which is 7.
12.2 T4,T5,T8,T9 have the same highest total slack value which is 7.
12.3 M,N,R,S have the same highest total slack value which is 7.

c) 12.1 Özge is doing E, F and I potentially in parallel. This can lead to a resource contention
problem. Tasks can be late; F is on the critical path.
12.2 Merve is doing T5, T6 and T9 potentially in parallel. This can lead to a resource contention
problem. Tasks can be late; T6 is on the critical path.
12.3 Fatmanur is doing N, O and S potentially in parallel. This can lead to a resource contention
problem. Tasks can be late; O is on the critical path.

Q13

Below is a number of risk factors determined in a study on failures in software project management.

I. (5pts) Choose two factors that you think are most important from the list for possible software
project failure. Explain briefly why you think those two could be the most common and important
causes of failure.
 II. (5pts) Based on course contents, suggest one possible way each for improving those two factors
you chose for an IT company that are found to carry those risks.
III. (5pts) Choose two factors (not necessarily the same as in item 1) that you think are significantly
correlated (that is they do cooccur often together as a risk factor or problem). Explain shortly why
you think they are correlated.
Question Type 13.1:

a. No formal training for new managers

b. No annual benchmark studies
c. No training in software cost estimating
d. No training in software risk analysis
e. No training in schedule planning
f. Lack of accurate productivity measurements
g. Lack of accurate quality metrics
h. Incomplete milestone and progress tracking
i. Project managers continue to use inaccurate manual estimates
j. No use of accurate parametric estimation
k. No procedures for risk management

Answer: Adopted from Namcook Benchmark Study

CHALLENGES OF SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

March 21, 2017 Version 2.0

Capers Jones, VP and CTO

Question Type 13.2:

a. Development Methodology is inappropriate for the project

b. Aggressive schedule affects team motivation
c. Scope changes during the project
d. Project has inadequate staff to meet the schedule
e. Staff added late to meet an aggressive schedule
f. Delivery decision taken without adequate requirements
information
g. Customers/Users not involved in making schedule estimates
h. Delivery date impact the development process
i. Project under-estimated
j. Risks are not re-assessed, controlled, or managed through the
project
 k. Staff are not rewarded for working long hours
l. Change control not monitored, nor dealt with effectively
m. Customer/Users have unrealistic expectations
n. Stakeholders do not have reviews at the end of each phase

Adopted from Cerpa and Verner (2009). Why did your project fail? In Communications of the
ACM

Question Type 13.3:

a. Poor estimation and/or scheduling

b. Weak personnel and/or team issues
c. Insufficient project sponsorship
d. Poor requirements determination
e. Ineffective stakeholder management
f. Insufficient risk management
g. Insufficient planning
h. Not reserving budget for quality assurance
i. Contractor failure
j. Scope creep
k. Inattention to politics
l. Lack of user involvement
m. Unrealistic expectations
n. Undermined motivation

Adopted from Nelson (2007). IT Project Management. MIS Quarterly Executive Vol. 6 No. 2

Answer: I do suggest you find and read the relevant articles referenced above for broadening your
perspective on possible answers here and studying for the make up (hint!). But I do put a sample answer
below; other well justified correct answers are possible and will be evaluated on case-by-case basis.

Sample answer (for 13.2):

13.I I choose “project underestimated” and “scope changes during the project” (assuming that they are
not well managed) as two possibly most important factors among the list for possible failure. We have
seen that people tend to underestimate because they are too optimistic or they want to look good as well
as they often do not invest time and effort in doing FP estimates to be able to assess objectively the effort.
Also scope changes during project is one major reason why project plans can not be executed on time and
under budget especially in the form of scope creep or gold plating.
13.II Investing in formal education on function point based estimation methods as well as benchmarking
either company wise or in one of software estimation software if the project is complex can mitigate risk
in software underestimation. Having a formal change management process will help reduce the risk of
unwarranted scope creep.

13.III “scope changes during the project” and “Change control not monitored, nor dealt with
effectively” are correlated because if change control were monitored properly and effectively, dangerous
scope changes would not occur or jeopardize the project.