Chapter #3: Managing System Projects

1. Create a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation to explain project management

concepts and benefits.

Project management PowerPoint presentation:

2. Create a Microsoft word handout with a list of all key project management
terms, including a definition and an example for each term.
The key project management terms are listed below:
 Constraint: It is an internal and external restriction which effects the
performance of the project.
 Critical path: Critical path is a series of tasks which if delayed affects
the final date of the overall project.
 Reporting: Team members report their progress and status to the
manager and then who in turn reports to management.
 Deliverable: Any measurable or outcome that must be produced to
complete milestone of project.
 Duration: Overall time taken to finish a task.
 Milestone: A scheduled event highlights the related deliverables of a
project.
 Project management: Project management is the application of
knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to meet the project
requirements.
 Project manager: Generally the project manager is a senior system
analyst for small projects and an IT department manager for large
projects. Project manager performs these four functions: includes
planning, scheduling, monitoring and controlling, and these functions
should be used throughout the SDLC.
 Project Planning: Identifies project tasks and estimates
completion time and cost. It uses Gantt charts and PERT/CPM
charts.
  Project Scheduling: Creates timetables, generally in the form of
charts.
 Project monitoring: Guides, supervises and coordinates the
project teams workload.
 Project reporting: Reports regular status and progress of project
to management and team itself.
 Project network diagram: Shows the dependencies and
interdependencies among the project tasks.
 Project triangle: The three legs of project triangle are cost, scope and
time. Any change in one leg affects the other legs. Project manager
balances these three factors.

 Risk management: It is the process of identifying, analyzing and

monitoring risks to minimize the impact on project.
 Task patterns: It establish sequence of work in a project and it has
dependent tasks, multiple successor task and multiple predecessor
task.
 Gantt chart: A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart which shows
planned and actual progress of a project. The position of the horizontal
bar shows starting and ending time of each task and length of bar
indicates duration.
Example:

 PERT/CPM chart: Program evaluation review technique is a bottom up

technique, as it analyzes large and complex project as a series of
individual tasks.
 Example:

 Work breakdown structure: A work breakdown structure breaks down a

project into series of small tasks.
Example: The first step is to list all tasks.

Task Description Durati Predecess

No on or Tasks
1 Preliminary 10d -
investigation
2 Write report 5d 1
3 Interviews 3d 2
4 Training 15d 3
5 Evaluation 10d 3, 4
6 Final report 5d 4, 5

3. In your presentation, provide an example of an imaginary project with at least

six tasks. Assign task durations and dependencies that include all types of
task patterns. Create a Gantt chart that displays the project.
Gantt chart:
4. Use the Task 3 example to create a PERT/CPM chart.
PERT/CPM chart: