DSCI Exam One
Chapter One - correct answer Project Management Concepts
Project - correct answer an endeavor to accomplish a specific objective through a
unique set of interrelated activities and the effective utilization of resources.
The following attributes help define a project: - correct answer •A project has a
CLEAR OBJECTIVE that establishes what is to be accomplished. It is the tangible end product that the
project team must produce and deliver. The project objective is usually defined in terms of end product
or deliverable, schedule, and budget. Furthermore, it is expected that the work scope will be
accomplished in a quality manner and to the customer's satisfaction.
•A project is carried out through a SERIES OF INTERDEPENDENT ACTIVITIES in a certain sequence in
order to achieve the project objective.
•A project utilizes VARIOUS RESOURCES to carry out the activities.
•A project has a SPECIFIC TIME FRAME, or finite life span -- a start time and a date by which the
objective must be accomplished.
•A project may be a UNIQUE OR ONE TIME ENDOEVOR such as developing a new product, building a
house, or planning a wedding.
•A project has a SPONSOR OR CUSTOMER that provides the funds necessary to accomplish the project.
In a business setting, the customer can be internal or external to your organization.
•Finally, a project involves a DEGREE OF UNCERTAINTY and is based on certain assumptions and
estimates for the project budget, schedule, and work scope.
Factors Constraining Project Success - correct answer -resources
-risk
-customer satisfaction
-scope
-quality
-stakeholders
-schedule
,-budget
•Various resources are needed to perform the project tasks and accomplish the project objective.
Resources include people, materials, equipment, facilities, and so on.
•Risks adversely affect accomplishing the project objective.
•Customer satisfaction goes beyond just completing the project scope within budget and on schedule or
asking if the customer is satisfied at the end of the project. It means not only meeting the customer's
expectations but also developing and maintaining an excellent working relationship throughout the
project.
•Project scope is all the work that must be done in order to produce the project deliverables (the
tangible product or items to be provided), satisfy the customer that the deliverables meet the
requirements or acceptance criteria, and accomplish the project objective.
•Quality expectations must be defined from the onset of the project. The project work scope must be
accomplished in a quality manner and meet specifications.
•The schedule for a project is the timetable that specifies when each task or activity should start and
finish. The project objective usually states the time by which the project scope must be completed in
terms of a specific date agreed upon by the sponsor and the organization performing the project.
•The budget of a project is the amount the sponsor or customer has agreed to pay for acceptable
project deliverables. The project budget is based on estimated costs associated with the quantities of
various resources that will be used to perform the project.
Balancing Project Constraints - correct answer During the project, it is sometimes
challenging to balance these factors, which often constrain one another and can jeopardize
accomplishing the project objective. To help assure the achievement of the project objective, it is
important to develop a plan before starting the project work rather than starting without a plan. Lack of
a plan decreases the chances of successfully accomplishing the full project scope within budget and on
schedule.
Project Manager Actions - correct answer •Prevent, anticipate, and/or overcome --
problems and limitations in order to complete the project scope on schedule, within budget, and to the
customer's satisfaction.
•Have good planning and communication -- they are essential to preventing problems from occurring
and to minimize their impact.
•Be responsible -- to make sure the customer is satisfied. This goes beyond merely completing the
project within budget and on schedule. It requires ongoing communication with the customer.
,The Project Life Cycle - correct answer has four general phases: initiating, planning,
performing, and closing
•The time span of each phase and the associated level of effort will vary depending on the specific
project.
•Project life cycles can vary in length from a few weeks to several years, depending on the content,
complexity, and magnitude of the project in question.
Initiating Phase - correct answer •In the initiating phase, projects are identified and
selected and then authorized using a document referred to as a project charter.
•The first phase of the project life cycle:
•Involves the identification of a need, problem, or opportunity and can result in the sponsor authorizing
a project to address the identified need or solve the problem.
•May take several months to identify the need, gather data, and define the project objective.
•It is very important to define the right need. Needs are often defined as part of an organization's
strategic planning process.
•Organizations must have a project selection process to determine what projects to pursue.
•The project charter includes:
•Rationale, or justification, for the project
•Project objective and expected benefits
•General requirements and conditions such as the amount of funds authorized, required completion
date, major deliverables, and required reviews and approvals; and key assumptions
•If it decides to use external resources, an organization develops a request for proposals, or RFP, asking
contractors to submit proposals describing how to address the need, associated costs, and schedule.
Planning Phase - correct answer •The planning phase is the second phase of the
project life cycle. It includes defining the project scope, identifying resources, developing a schedule and
budget, and identifying risks, all of which make up the baseline plan for doing the project work.
•Shows how the project scope will be accomplished within budget and on schedule
•Plan the work and work the plan
•The detailed plan results in a baseline plan
=What needs to be done -- scope, deliverable
=How it will get done -- activities, sequence
, =Who will do it -- resources, responsibilities
=How long it will take -- durations, schedule
=How much it will cost -- budget
=What the risks are
•Benchmark the baseline plan to allow for comparison with actual progress.
•Include the people that will actually do the work in the planning process.
•They have knowledge of detailed activities to be done.
Participation also builds commitment.
Performing Phase - correct answer •In the performing phase, the project plan is
executed and work tasks are carried out to produce all the project deliverables and to accomplish the
project objective.
•The project progress is monitored and controlled to assure the work remains on schedule and within
budget, the scope is fully completed according to specifications, and all deliverables meet acceptance
criteria.
•Any changes need to be documented, approved, and may be incorporated into an updated baseline
plan.
•This is the third phase of the project life cycle.
•The project manager leads the project team to complete the project.
•The pace of the project increases as more and various resources are involved in the project.
•It is necessary to monitor and control the project's progress by comparing accomplishments to the
baseline plan.
•Corrective actions are taken if a project is off track.
•Changes are managed and controlled through documentation, approval, and communication with
agreement between the sponsor and the contractor.
•Some change is trivial
•The end of the phase, customer satisfaction, is achieved when the work and deliverables are accepted
by the customer and the project objective is accomplished.
•Several alternative actions may be evaluated to determine the best approach to bring the project back
within the scope, schedule, and budget constraints of the project.
•Determine if any sacrifices to scope, budget, schedule, or quality are necessary to accomplish the
project.
