C954 - Section 4: IT Projects and Processes

maintenance phase

In this phase, the organization performs changes, corrections, additions, and upgrades to ensure the system continues to meet business goals

prototyping

An experimental process where design teams implement ideas into tangible forms from paper to digital; increases the chance for successful implementation as well as the chance of detecting errors early on

preventative maintenance

Makes a system change to reduce the chance of future system failures

methodology

A set of policies, procedures, standard processes, practice tools, and techniques that people apply to TECO management challenges

waterfall methodology

A sequence of phases in which the output of each phase becomes the input for the next

discovery prototyping

Building a small-scale representation or working model of the system to ensure it meets the user and business requirement

iterative development

Consist of a series of tiny projects

agile methodology

Achieves customer satisfaction through early and continual delivery of useful software components; developed by an iterative process with design points that use the bare minimum requirement to produce working code or function

rapid application development (RAD)

Also called rapid prototyping methodology; emphasizes extensive user involvement in the rapid and evolutionary construction of a working prototype of a system to accelerate the system's development process

extreme program (XP) methodology

It breaks a project into tiny phases; developers cannot continue to the next phase until the first phase is completed

Rational Unified Process (RUP) methodology

Provides a framework for breaking down the development of software into four or five phases

scrum methodology

Uses small teams to produce small pieces of deliverable software, using sprints or 30-day intervals to achieve an appointed goal

web service

An open-standard way of supporting the interoperability of technology systems.

cascading style sheet (CSS)

A markup language for web documents containing structured information

loose coupling

The capability of services to be joined on demand

service-oriented architecture (SOA)

A business-driven enterprise architecture that supports integrating a business as linked repeatable activities task or service

service-oriented architecture (SOA) service

A business task, such as checking a potential customer's credit rating, when opening a new account

tangible benefit

Easy to quantify and typically measure to determine the success or failure of a project

intangible benefits

Benefits that are difficult to quantify or measure

kill switch

A trigger that enables a project's manager to close the project prior to completion

feasibility

The measure of the tangible and intangible benefit of an information system

program evaluation and review technique (PERT) charg

A graphical network model that depicts a project's tasks and the relationship between those tasks

dependency

A series of tasks that are interrelated, such as the logical relationship that exists between a project task and a milestone

critical path

The longest stretch of dependent activities, which are measure from start to finish

testing phase

Involves bringing all the project pieces together into a special testing environment to test for errors, bugs, and interoperability and to verify that the system meets the business requirements defined in the analysis phase

bug

Defects in the code of an information system

test condition

The detailed steps the system must perform along with the expected results of each step

implementation phase

Placing the system into production so users can begin to perform actual business operations with the system

user documentation

Documents that include how to use the system and troubleshoot issues or problems

online training

Training delivered via the Internet in order to allow employees to complete the materials at their own pace

workshop training

Held in a classroom environment and led by an instructor

help desk

A group of people who respond to internal system user questions

Gantt chart

A simple bar chart that lists project tasks vertically against the projects time frame listen horizontially

in-sourcing, in-house development

A common approach using the professional expertise within and organization to develop and maintain the organization's information technology systems

outsourcing

It is an arrangement by which one organization provides services for another organization that chooses not the perform them in-house. Benefits include cost savings and extended work resources. Drawbacks include a loss of corporate knowledge and confidentiality.

onshore outsourcing

The process of engaging another company within the same country for services

nearshore outsourcing

Contracting an outsourcing agreement with a company in a nearby country

offshore outsourcing

Using organizations from developing countries to write code and develop systems

communication plan

It defines the how, what, when, and who in the flow of project information to stakeholders. It is key for managing expectations

executive sponsor

The person or group who provides the financial resources for the project

project constraint

A specific factor that can limit options within a project

project assumption

A factor that is considered to be true, real, or certain without proof or demonstration

project deliverable

Any measurable, tangible, and verifiable outcome, result, or item that is produced to completed a project or part of a project.

project management office (PMO)

An internal department that oversees all organizational projects

project milestone

Represents key dates when certain groups of activities must be performed

project objective

Quantifiable criteria that must be met for the project to be considered a success

project requirements

Defines the specification for product output of the project document and is key for managing expectations, controlling scope, and completing other planning efforts

project scope statement

Identifies the resources, timeline, and outcomes for the project; includes statements on how the project supports the organization's business goals