the course and in the topic of IT project management. I like to check out some trade

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Chapter 1: The Nature of Information Technology Projects

Teaching Strategies The first class usually entails a great deal of organization and administration. I usually run through the class list, and then talk about the syllabus, and expectations for the course.I have found that the first few classes are important in getting the students interested in the course and in the topic of IT project management. I like to check out some trade journals such as ComputerWorld, CIO, Information Week, etc. before classes start to find some recent statistics on the current state of the IT field. In particular, I look for statistics related to IT budget spending and demand for IT skills. Not surprisingly, project man- agement skills are one of the skills most in demand.In addition, I try to convey to my students that what we cover in this course will be im- portant to their careers. Although most of my students may start out in entry-level posi- tions, understanding projects and project management will prepare them for leadership and project management positions as part of a logical progression in their careers.

Teaching Chapter 1 in a Nutshell ➢ Discuss the software crisis so students understand that the track record for develop- ing systems has not been all that great. In fact, this has been a problem since com- puters were first used by businesses. Unfortunately, this problem continues even today. Subsequently, this has led to a call for a project management approach for improving the likelihood of success for IT projects.➢ IT projects are not just about technology. Today, we must take a socio-technical approach, as well as a project management and knowledge management approach so that we understand how people, technology, and processes must work together within the organization. The knowledge management component allows us to cre- ate a learning organization so that we can learn from our experiences, share those experiences with others, create new knowledge, and identify best practices.➢ Define what a project is and how project management is becoming more of a pro- fession. A good discussion can center on whether professional certification such as the PMP will ever be on par with a CPA.(Information Technology Project Management 5e Jack Marchewka) (Solution Manual, For Complete File, Download link at the end of this File) 1 / 4

2 ➢ Discuss the role and impact projects have on organizations. IT projects are planned organizational change; therefore, when you take on an IT project you are consciously planning on changing the organization. This can have intended and unintended consequences. In addition, IT projects tend to be very political because they can change the balances of power within the organization and change relation- ships among people within the organization. As a project manager or project team member, you must understand the organizational environment; otherwise, you can run the risk of walking into a political or cultural beehive.➢ I also like to show my students how this course fits with their other IS/IT classes such as Systems Analysis & Design, Programming, Database, etc. Courses such as Systems Analysis and Design focus more on the SDLC, where my course will fo- cus more on the project life cycle component. Both are equally important for de- veloping systems. Moreover, the first stages of their career may tend to focus on performing the activities of the SDLC and then progress to include more and more activities of the PLC.➢ Lastly, I like to provide a short overview of the nine PMBOK® areas. It is im- portant that students understand that a body of knowledge exists for project man- agement. In addition, an organization called the Project Management Institute (PMI) oversees this body of knowledge and provides certification in project man- agement called the PMP. It’s useful for students to know what these requirements are and that what they will learn in the course will provide them with a basic knowledge for preparing for the PMP certification exam. (I don’t make any pretext that this course or the text will prepare them sufficiently for passing the PMP exam – but it’s a good start!)

Review Questions

• Why are projects organizational investments?

When an organization builds or implements a new IT-based product, service, or solution, it commits time, money, and resources to the project with an expectation of receiving something of value in return. Just as an investor considers the expected return and risk of a financial opportunity, an organization must weigh the expected costs, benefits, and risks of a project in order to make an effective business decision. It is up to the project manag- er and project team to deliver that value to the organization.

• How do projects support business strategy? 2 / 4

3 Business strategy supports the vision and mission of an organization’s current or desired markets, products, and services. While an organization must have an effective business strategy to be successful, projects are the planned organizational changes or means for achieving a chosen strategy. More specifically, IT projects enable the integration of tech- nology in new products, services, or processes that can change existing relationships be- tween an organization and its customers or suppliers, as well as among the people within the organization.

• What is a project?

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or re- sult. (PMBOK© Guide)

• What is the definition of a project manager?

A project manager is the person assigned by the performing organization to lead the team that is responsible for achieving the project objectives. (PMBOK© Guide)

• What are the attributes of a project?

The attributes of a project are: time frame, purpose, ownership, resources, roles, risks and assumptions, interdependent tasks, organizational change, and operating in an environ- ment larger than the project itself.

• Why do projects have a time frame?

Because a project is a temporary endeavor, it must have a definite beginning and end. A project ends when all the promised work is completed and the organization’s expectations are met, or it can be terminated prematurely when the work or expectations cannot be met. While a project is temporary, the product, service, or system created by the project can have either a brief or lasting impact.

• Why do projects need a purpose?

Projects are undertaken to accomplish something. A project must also create something unique. This could be a new product, service, system, or an enhancement to an existing product, service, or system. A project must have a clear goal that defines the value of the project to the organization. This is important for setting expectations, defining the work to be done, setting direction for the project team, and developing a schedule and budget.A clear (and measureable) project goal can be used after the project is completed to eval- uate its overall success.

• What is a stakeholder? 3 / 4

4 People, groups, or other organizations that have a vested interest in the project’s success or failure.

• Give some examples of resources that may be required for an IT project?

Resources include time, money, people, facilities, and technology.

• What is the role of a project manager or leader?

The project manager or team leader is responsible for ensuring that all the project man- agement processes and processes associated with the creation of the product, service, or system are in place and carried out efficiently and effectively.

• What is the role of a project sponsor?

The project sponsor may be the client, customer, or high-level executive who plays the role of champion for the project by providing resources, making project-related decisions, giving direction, and publicly supporting the project when needed.

• Why does a project need subject matter experts (SMEs)?

A subject matter expert may be a user or a person who has specific knowledge, expertise, or insight in a specific functional area needed to support the project. For example, if the organization wishes to develop a system to support tax decisions, having a tax expert ei- ther as part of the project team or available to the team to share his or her expertise can be more productive than having the technical people trying to learn tax accounting.

• What types of technical experts (TEs) might an IT project need?

Technical expertise is needed when engineering or building a product, service, or system.Technical experts may include database analysts, network specialists, engineers, pro- grammers, graphic artists, and so forth.

• What is a risk? Provide an example of a project risk.

A project risk is any situation that exposes the project to failure. Some examples of pro-

ject risks are:

Internal risks:

• the risk that a key team member might leave a project • the risks of a team misestimating costs associated with the project and therefore founding the project on erroneous assumptions.

External risks:

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