Information Technology: IT Applications

The following questions have been taken from the Cambridge Checkpoints 2007
– VCE IT Applications – Potts. (Also check out the online quizzes at
www.cambridge.edu.au/checkpoints)

CHAPTER 4
Project Management
Question 1 [VCAA 2001] = 1 Mark
Explain the term Project Management.

Question 3
Once the project definition is completed, the project design takes place.
Two of the steps in the project design are establishing naming conventions
for files, tables, records and reports, and setting standards for testing.

a. Identify a problem that the naming convention will overcome and

provide and example to illustrate the problem and solution.

b. The project team will establish a series of bench tests to ensure

that the solution is functioning correctly. Briefly outline the process
of bench testing.

Question 7
In what way would a project team use milestones?

Question 9
A group of students have decided to prepare a guidebook on nightclubs in
Melbourne. A number of tasks associated with the project have been
identified and are listed in the table below. The anticipated duration of
the task is also indicated.

Duration
Task Description
(days)

A Research topic 6

B Take digital pictures 3

C Draft writing of handbook 6

D Enter text into word processor 2

E Proofread 1

F Page layout in a desktop publisher 3

 package

G Text added to text boxes 2

H Add graphics 2

I Cover design and creation 5

J Print pages 2

K Bind pages 1

The tasks have been split between the students; however, a number of
the tasks have been determined to have dependencies.

1. Research must take place before the writing phase can begin.

2. A student can take the digital photos while colleagues carry out the
research.

3. Draft writing must take place before it can be entered into the word
processor.

4. The completed text id proofread.

5. Page layout in the desktop publishing package can occur at the

same time as the text entry and proofreading.

6. Adding text to the pages occurs before the graphics are added.

7. A few students will work on the cover while the others are placing
the text and graphics into the desktop publishing package.

8. Pages cannot be bound until they are printed.

a. Draw the Gantt chart for the project outlined above on the grid
provided.

Gantt chart of Nightclub guidebook project

Task
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
 I
J
K
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Time in days

b. From your Gantt chart, determine the length of the critical path.

c. Identify which tasks lie on the critical path.

Question 13
A project consisting of eight tasks has a PERT diagram constructed as indicated
below. Duration is measured in days.

10 30

A,2 B,3 C,3

20 D,6 40 E,4 60 G,3 70

F,4 H,2

50 80

a. Identify the critical path. What is its length?

b. What is the slack time for Task B?

c. The dotted arrow between 50 and 70 represents a ‘dummy’ activity.

Explain the purpose of a dummy activity.

d. What is the duration of the path 10-20-50-70-80?

Question 16 [VCAA 2002] = 4 Marks

The diagrams below identify the tasks to be completed when installing a
computer pod are White Hills Secondary College.

Task Task Name Duratio Predecessors

Numbe n
r (Days)

notify staff of room

1 1
closure
 2 remove furniture 1

3 install power points 2 2

4 install network cable 1 2

5 install benches 3 2

6 copy computer image 1

7 install five computers 1 3, 4, 5, 6

8 test computers 1 7

install power points – (2

days)

Remov install network cables – (1 Install 5 test

e day) compute compute
furnitur rs (1 rs (1
e (1 install benches – (3 days) day) day)

copy computer image – (1

day)

a. Define the term predecessor.

b. Identify one task that can be done at the same time as Task 3.

c. Using the information above, calculate the number of days in the critical
path.

d. Explain whether the project will be completed on time if ‘install power

points’ is delayed by two days.

Question 18
Complete these sentences.

The critical path is the particular sequence of events that represents the …………
…………………… time required to complete the project. If any task on the critical
path is ………………………………, then the project completion is also ………………
……………… .