And the critical path task systems analysis and design

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Systems Analysis and Design, Tenth Edition

2.

An event, or milestone, is a reference point that marks a major occurrence and is used to monitor progress and manage the project. Every activity has two events — one represents the beginning of the task, and the other marks the end of the task. An example of the relationship between activities and events is shown in Figure 38 on page 98, which contains a plan for creating and analyzing a questionnaire.

Project managers define all tasks and events, and estimate the time and cost of each task. Then they determine the order of the tasks, develop a work schedule, and assign tasks

requires the use of company resources such as people, time, or money. Tasks are basic

	the one shown in Figure 310, with columns for task number, description, duration, and predecessor tasks. (Page 99)
4.	What are the three main task patterns? Provide an example of each.

•	the other.

5.	the earlier runner finishes. (Pages 102 105) Explain the differences between a Gantt chart and a PERT/CPM chart. A Gantt chart is a horizontal bar chart that represents a schedule. In a Gantt chart, time is

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7.	ratio of B=1, P=4, and W=1. The expected activity duration then is calculated as: (B + 4P + W) / 6 (Pages 99 – 100) What is a common problem in calculating start and finish times? Provide an example.
	To calculate the finish day or date, you add the duration to the start day or date. When you

of the overall project. In other words, tasks on the critical path have no slack time. Slack

A project manager must report regularly to his or her immediate supervisor, upper management, and users. Although a progress report might be given verbally to an immediate supervisor, reports to management and users usually are written. Gantt charts

	often are included in progress reports to show project status graphically. (Pages 108 109)
10.


•	Develop a risk management plan. A risk management plan includes a review of the

that might affect the project. The plan should define project roles and responsibilities, risk

the obvious question would be “What might happen if we have a problem with a horseshoe

2.
	Students might suggest a costbenefit analysis, similar to the financial analysis they do in a

interesting issue might be to ask students to agree or disagree with the notion that an

3.	benefits, but it prevents losses that might occur in its absence. Suppose you want to manage a relatively small project, but you have no access to project management software of any kind. Could you use a spreadsheet program or a database program instead? How?

of a Start cell, add the Duration cell, and display the results in the Finish cell. For multiple

for Task ID, Start, Duration, and Finish. You also could include fields for predecessor

representation of the results.

learning of something without the conscious use of reasoning.” In a relatively simple

intuition? Is it project management intuition or, more likely, intuition about how people

2. Perform Internet research to learn more about project risk management, and write a summary of the results. Be sure to search for a book titled Waltzing with Bears: Managing Risk on Software Projects, by Tom Demarco and Timothy Lister.

interesting to an IT student. According to the publisher, “by ignoring the threat of negative

demo for the class, or assigning it to student teams. Depending on the timing, the

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Apply Your Knowledgeri al] e

1 Forest Point Construction
At Forest Point Construction, your boss says that he can estimate the total project time based on his personal experience. You are trying to convince him that he should use project management techniques to handle a complex project. To prove your point, you decide to use a simple example of a commercial steel building construction project, with eight steps. You create a hypothetical work breakdown structure, as follows:
Prepare the site (3 days), and then set the building footers (3 days).
  Finish the foundation (5 days), and then assemble the building (3 days).

 When the landscaping and driveway are done, do the painting (2 days).

 Finally, when the painting is done and the final inspection has occurred, arrange the sale (2

However, the method in the textbook does not take into account the concepts of workdays

3. Create a Gantt chart that shows the WBS.

Notice that the Microsoft Project Gantt shows non-working days as gaps in the task bars.

The full chart is shown below, but to see the detail you would have to click each task box.

2 Crescent View High School Class
The computer science instructor at Crescent View High School asked you to visit his class and give a presentation about project management. You have just a few days to prepare, and you need to develop a presentation that describes project management tools and techniques. You can be creative, and you might want to include examples of actual projects that you know about. In any case, try to describe how projects are planned, scheduled, monitored, and reported upon. Your presentation should consist of five to seven slides with notes about what you are going to talk about that include the following:

manage tasks. You might suggest that students show how something complex, like

the presentation clear, interesting, and accurate.

2. Provide the class with a glossary of the most important project management terms and definitions.

terms like tasks, events, milestones, and so on.

durations, identifying concurrent and dependent tasks, and predecessor tasks. As a

the Countrywide Construction case on page 131, or other cases in the Apply Your

Some specific tasks in buying a home might be to investigate the area and the

determine a price range, line up possible mortgage financing, review home listings, visit

present a logic structure that involves concurrent and dependent tasks, some with

introduce students to basic concepts, is the preparation of a BLT (bacon, lettuce, and

3	Systems Analysis and Design, Tenth Edition	Page 12 of 27
3	Brightstar Industries	Page 12 of 27

 When the agenda is ready, you can start two more concurrent tasks: prepare the information

packets (3 days) and create visual aids (6 days).

2. Analyze the fact situation carefully to determine which tasks are concurrent and which ones depend on other tasks.

4. What is the critical path for this project? How do you know?

not, as you can see in the Gantt chart. In this case, the Gantt chart is actually easier to

need to send an e-mail message to all department managers announcing the training sessions (1 day) and you can develop the training material (5 days).

 As soon as the training material is complete, you can work on two tasks at once: arrange to

the user training sessions (4 days).

Tasks
1. Prepare a list showing all tasks and their durations.

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3. Create a PERT chart that shows the project. Use a format similar to Figure 3-27 on page 110. If project management software is available, use it to develop the chart.

a non-critical task to one which could potentially delay the project.

Background
Eden Bay is a medium-sized municipality. The town has grown rapidly, and so has the demand for town services. Eden Bay currently owns 90 vehicles, which the town’s equipment department maintains. The fleet includes police cars, sanitation trucks, fire trucks, and other vehicles assigned to town employees. The maintenance budget has risen sharply in recent years, and people are asking whether the town should continue to perform its own maintenance or outsource it to private firms.

In the first part of the case, you planned a preliminary investigation for a new information system that would cut costs and improve maintenance efficiency. Based on your investigation, Dawn wants to move forward, and she asked you to help her present a budget request at the next Town Council meeting. She suggested the following to-do list:
 First, double-check the cost and benefit data we will need for the proposal (3 days).

 When the presentation is ready, conduct a rehearsal for the Council meeting. (2 days).

 Finally, when the rehearsal is done and the handout material is ready, help Dawn deliver the presentation. (1 day).

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2. Analyze the fact situation carefully to identify any tasks that are dependent on other tasks.

Continuing Case: Personal Trainer, Inc.s

 After these meetings, you can conduct a series of interviews (5 days).

 When the interviews are complete, two tasks can begin at the same time: you can review

(1 day)

You are excited about the opportunity to practice your skills, and you start to work on the following list.

2. Identify all dependent tasks, and indicate what predecessor tasks are required.

is on the critical path. Why is this? Because Task 6 (highlighted in blue) has a two-day

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Background
In the previous chapter, you conducted a preliminary investigation into New Century’s request for a business support system and a medical practice support system. In your presentation to the partners, you explained that although they will communicate and share data, the two systems should be treated as separate IT projects. After discussing your recommendations, Dr. Jones and the partners decided to move forward with the business support system project and want you to describe the next steps.

monitoring, and reporting. The presentation should explain that:


	charts, which are explained in the following sections. Project monitoring and controlling requires guiding, supervising, and coordinating the

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Again, using the skills they learned in this chapter, students should be able to create this