Managing Information Systems Projects

Project

A planned undertaking of related activities to reach an objective that has a beginning and an end.

Project management

A controlled process of initiating, planning, executing, and closing down a project.

Project manager

A systems analyst with a diverse set of skills—management, leadership, technical, conflict management, and customer relationship—who is responsible for initiating, planning, executing, and closing down a project.

Deliverable

The end product of an SDLC phase.

System Service Request (SSR)

A standard form for requesting or proposing systems development work within an organization.

Feasibility study

A study that determines whether a requested system makes economic and operational sense for an organization.

Project Charter

A short document prepared for the customer describing project deliverables and outlining the work required to complete the project.

Project initiation plan

A plan established during the initiation phase that outlines how the project will be started.

Key stakeholders

Individuals or groups who have an interest in the outcome of a project.

Project objectives

Specific goals that the project aims to achieve.

Project scope statement

A document that defines the boundaries of the project, including what is included and excluded.

Baseline Project Plan

A plan that serves as a reference point for measuring project performance.

Risk assessment

The process of identifying and evaluating potential risks that could impact the project.

Resource Plan

A plan that outlines the resources required to complete the project.

Preliminary Schedule

An initial timeline that outlines the expected duration of project tasks.

Communication Plan

A plan that defines how project information will be communicated to stakeholders.

Project management environment

The context in which project management activities are conducted.

Management procedures

The processes and guidelines used to manage the project.

Initiation team

A group formed to kick off the project and establish its initial direction.

Closedown

The final phase of project management where the project is completed and closed.

Phases of Project Management Process

The stages of project management, including Initiation, Planning, Execution, and Closedown.

Project start and completion dates

The dates that mark the beginning and end of the project.

Project Scope

The problem or opportunity that the project addresses.

Quantifiable Results

The measurable outcomes to be achieved by the project.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A division of the project into manageable and logically ordered tasks and subtasks.

Gantt Chart

A scheduling diagram where horizontal bars represent task durations.

Network Diagram

A scheduling diagram that uses boxes and links to represent task dependencies.

Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO)

An automated software estimation model that uses historical project data and current/future project characteristics to estimate project costs.

Stakeholders

Individuals or groups who have an interest in the project's outcome.

SDLC Methodology

The type of Software Development Life Cycle methodology used in the project.

Preliminary Budget

An initial financial plan that outlines expected costs and benefits for the project.

Project Execution

The phase where plans created in prior phases are put into action.

Monitoring Progress

The process of tracking project progress against the baseline plan.

Critical Path

The sequence of stages determining the minimum time needed for an operation.

Communication Matrix

A high-level summary of the communication plan for the project.

Documentation Styles

The formats and standards used for project documentation.

Status Updates

Regular reports on the current state of the project.

Project Workbook

A document that maintains all project-related information and updates.

Percent Complete

A measure indicating how much of the project has been completed.

PERT

Program Evaluation Review Technique, a method that uses optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic time estimates to determine expected task duration.

Estimated Time Formula

ET = (o + 4r + p)/6, where o is optimistic time, r is realistic time, and p is pessimistic time.

Critical Path Scheduling

A scheduling technique where the order and duration of task activities directly affect project completion.

Slack Time

The time an activity can be delayed without delaying the overall project.

Preceding Activities

Activities that must be completed before a specified activity can begin.

Determining the Critical Path

Involves calculating the earliest and latest possible completion times for each activity to establish the critical path.

Early Time Calculation

The earliest possible completion time for each activity calculated by summing the activity times in the longest path.

Late Time Calculation

The latest possible completion time for each activity calculated by subtracting the activity times in the path following the activity from the total expected time.

Project Management Software

Tools that assist with project management tasks, such as Microsoft Project.

Task Dependencies

Relationships between tasks that dictate the order in which they must be completed.

Post-Project Reviews

Evaluations conducted after project completion to assess performance and outcomes.

Customer Contract Closure

The process of formally concluding the contractual obligations with the customer at project end.

Task Durations

The total time allocated for completing a specific task within a project.

Time Overlap

The occurrence of two or more tasks being executed simultaneously.

Parallelism in Tasks

The ability for multiple tasks to occur at the same time without dependency constraints.

Activity Times

The duration required to complete a specific task or activity within a project.

Expected Project Time

The total time anticipated for the completion of a project based on the critical path.

Microsoft Project

A software tool used for project management that helps in entering project dates, establishing tasks, and viewing project information.