ITEC 640 Information Technology Project Management Final Examination correct answer key

GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT & TECHNOLOGY

ITEC 640 Information Technology Project Management Final Examination correct answer key

Spring 2015

A.   True/False/Fill-in-the-blanks (3 point each). 

1.      How is a successful project defined in the CHAOS study? ________________ 

1. __T/F __  Upon completion of technical planning for any project, the next most important stage is forecasting of the associated budgets

1. How does WBS map to DDT and DSC? 

__________________________________________________________________

1. Why should a project manager and project team identify the cruxes of a project?

________________________________________________________

1. _T/F___ Just like the management theories, the logic theories are integral to effective project management and team building

6.      _T/F__ The core principles of Project Management are different for each discipline   

7.      _______ is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.

8.      _T/F__ Data collection and reporting can assist the PM in production of experienced value judgments for future projects.

9.      __ T/F_   According to Lewin’s Force Field Analysis, driving forces are those forces that act as barriers and drive people away from desired end states. 

10.  __T/F___  The Delphi technique is a quick and economical way to estimate the duration and costs of project activities and human resources

11.  __________  is a decomposition of a project scope in form of a smaller and manageable element

B.  Multiple Choices (5 points each).  Just highlight correct response (s)

a.       Seeds of major software disasters are usually sown in the first few months:  Which of the following is / are true in that context

1.  Hasty Scheduling

2.  Irrational Commitments

3.  Unprofessional Estimating Techniques

4.  All of the Above 

b.      In Function Point Analysis, one would: 

1.  Focus on Functionality and Complexity

2.  Independent of the technology

3.  1) and 2)

4.  None of the Above

c.       A Gantt Chart:

1.  Does not the show the explicit relationship among tasks

2.  Can be used for reporting projects’ progress

3.  Can be used for Planning 

4.  All of the Above

d.      The  three types of cost-reimbursable contracts do not include

1.      Cost-Plus-Fee (CPF

2.      Cost-Plus-Percentage (CPP)

3.      Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee (CPFF) 

4.      Cost-Plus-Incentive-Fee (CPIF) 

5.      Cost-Plus-Profit Incentive (CPPI)

e.       A business case is created as a result from all but one of these. Which one does not create a business case?

1.      A. Ecological Impacts

2.      B. Legal Requirement

3.      C. Management Request

4.      D. Organizational Need

f.       What are the 5 project management process groups?

1.      Initiating, Planning, Executing, Directing & Monitoring, Exiting

2.      Initiating, Planning, Controlling, Monitoring & Changing, Closing

3.      Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, Closing

4.      Initiating, Planning, Controlling, Integrating & Monitoring, Exiting

C.   Short and Concise Questions.  (9.25 points each for getting idea nailed down – remember, we do not need pages and pages, just communicate the concept).   

1.  The discipline of Project Management for IT, as we studied in this class, is based on fundamental principles.   Can you name 4 principles that you learned and briefly describe any 1 of these principles?

2.  Research suggests that projects that use a formal estimating tool have a better chance of delivering a system that is on time and within budget.  Can you prove that with at least one reference from published literature?

3. There are many types of formal management plans (scope, schedule, communication, etc.,) that should be created in order to complete a project on time and within budget. Consider the group project that you worked on for this class and choose one type of management plan that you wish had been formally in place for your project. Discuss how a formal management plan (for whichever category you choose) could have improved the project experience for stakeholders and how not having such a plan in place may have made some aspects of the project more challenging. Conclude your essay with a final paragraph that extends the concept from your specific project to a general project.

4.  Describe how the SPI and CPI can be used to forecast the final cost of a project.

Notes: (Two bonus points for following ALL instructions)

1.      Review the University's Grading and Writing Standards. They are in the syllabus portion of the web site.

2.  Answer all questions and submit your completed exam as an "Assignments" in LEO by the due date.  Under no circumstances you should email the exam to me or anyone else for submission as an Exam for this class. You may use any of the course materials and books, library, Internet sources and other documents. You must, however, do your own work, and there must not be any collaboration with any human using any method during, or even after the examination period (except the instructor).  This is an absolute requirement and must not be violated under ANY circumstances.

2.      Some of the questions will require you to do some moderate to extensive research beyond the lecture material and readings of course material.  When you have researched to provide a response, appropriately reference it within your answer. Please, not to do too much of ‘cut and paste’ from the Internet.  If you must take something from a source, clearly identify it and highlight what you took and from where (it is okay to get things from internet, but a terrible thing not to identify it)

3.      Please name your exam with your last name and “fe”.  For example, my exam would be named “shoukatfe.doc”.

4.      Not every question, even with equal points, requires equal amount of effort or write up.  Write enough to completely answer the question, and nothing more.  Your write up for any question is not likely to be more than a single page or so.

5.      Credit will be given for the quality of Your Thoughts and not for the length of the answers or anything else!  Matter of fact, no question requires several pages to  answer.  I do not want to put a page limit on you - just use good judgment!

6.      If you have a question, please don’t just send me an e-mail and put yourself ‘on hold’ waiting for my response.   Just make a reasonable assumption, move on and get it done on time.  There is a penalty for being late (20%)  –  for any and all  reasons. 

7.      Please do not use color to answer, and try to keep the format of the exam intact. Treat this exam as if it was on paper, and you can't change anything - just add enough space to provide your answers.   Except for adding space to provide your answers, don't remove the questions or make any other changes.  Don't try to re-number, change font, reformat /rephrase the questions or anything like that in an attempt to make them look pretty.   

8.    Please don't break up the exam or your answers into several files.  ALL of your answers should be within ONE file, which is the copy that you are reading.