Question

Building a big computer-based system presents many problems/challenges to software developers. We can gain some insights into these problems/challenges by looking at the example of the pyramid.

Imagine if you were the architect or the project manager for the Egyptian pyramid 5000 years ago and had to come up with the architectural design, size, shape and implementation for it. The pyramid would be constructed by using solid stone slabs of no less than 5 tons each by weight.

The challenges include (per page 5 of SA.PPT):

•Scale
•Process
•Cost
•Schedule
•Skills and development teams
•Materials and technologies
•Stakeholders
•Risks

suppose you were the project manager for it. Decide if the following factor could likely hamper your success in building this Weather Station system. Be it that your answer is Yes or No, please provide justifications for your answer.

factors:

1- Skills and development teams

2- Process

3- Cost

Answer 1

Project management has been around for as long as humans have existed–from the invention of the wheel, to the construction of the Giza Pyramids, to the development of the device you’re reading this on. All these “projects” required planning, had specific people to oversee them, a sponsor, and people working on them

Project management is the process of steering a project from the start through its lifecycle. The main objective of project management is to complete a project within the established goals of time, budget, and quality. Projects have life cycles since they aren’t intended to last forever.

Each project is different and poses a distinct set of challenges. Irrespective of the type of project you’re working on, you probably face tight deadlines and high expectations.

A project management life cycle starts when the project is initiated and ends when the project is either completed or terminated in one way or another

Importance of project management

According to a survey by the Project Management Institute (PMI), only 58% of organizations realize the actual importance of project management and how it allows them to effectively tackle the issues they face.

Apart from stimulating productivity, improving project transparency, and providing a clear vision to the team, project management can bring the following advantages to the table:

· Effective communication

· Efficient resource management

· Improved customer satisfaction

· Flexibility and higher risk tolerance

· Improved team morale

· Better quality of the output

· Retrospective learning

Phases of project management

Project management phases are different tasks, behaviors, and skill sets that are essential to creating successful projects.

Listed below are the five major phases of the project management process:

1. Initiation

This phase marks the beginning of a project by determining high-level expectations like why a project is required, if it is feasible or not, and what is needed to complete the project.

Outputs of this phase include required stakeholder approvals to proceed to the next phase, documentation pertaining to project needs (business case), and rough estimates of time and resources required to complete the project (project charter), and an initial list of stakeholders.

2. Planning:

In the planning phase, project managers detail the project scope, time frame, and risks. Completeness and continuity are the major components of a successful project plan.

Outputs of this phase include a detailed project plan, a communication plan (if there is no project plan), budget baseline, project scheduling, individual project goals, scope document, and updated stakeholder registry.

3. Execution:

In the execution phase, the project team members are coordinated and guided through proper project communication to get the work done as explained in the approved project management plan.

Additionally, this phase also covers the proper allocation and management of other project resources like materials and budgets. Project deliverables are the output of the execution phase.

4. Monitoring and Control:

The time, cost, and performance of the project are compared at every stage and necessary adjustments are made to the project activities, resources, and plan to keep things on the right track.

Outputs from this phase include project progress reports and other communications that ensure adherence to project plans and prevent larger milestones and deadline disruptions.

5. Closure or Completion:

The process of finalizing the project, reviewing the project deliverables, and transitioning them to the business leaders is called the project closeout phase in a project management life cycle.

This stage offers time for both celebration and reflection. Outputs from this project management phase include approved project results and learnings that can be applied to similar projects in the future

Incase I am the project manager for building “Weather Station system” following factor would add to the challenges while executing the works

1- Skills and development teams

Identifying the right person to do the work is very important step while building the project team. Selection of right person helps the project manager to execute work effortlessly. In few cases where the project is being executed for the first time, it becomes very tricky to identify and allocate right man to do the job. In such case, apart from the similar project experience one should look out for the person’s characteristic traits or drawbacks

2- Process

This is nothing but the methodology for doing the work. This is very important factor, right method leads to lesser time and lesser cost while executing the work whereas any error in process will directly result in re-work. Thus it is a very important factor to consider

3- Cost

This also very important factor while executing any project. To ensure better cost control, budget estimates are prepared and a threadbare costing is done for each item of works. This will be monitored very closely to ensure proper costing and achievement of profit

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