Question

Question 4 a) Why do you think bottom-up approach is useful in gathering inputs for a new project? CR b) How would you go about sequencing activities of your project? AP 3 c) How significant is it to inculcate quality management into projects? CR (Total marks: 25)

Answer 1

May this help you...

Answer a)

The bottom-up approach to answering “What are the tasks?” relies on project team members identifying the tasks then organizing them into specific groups or work packages. If you applied a bottom-up approach to spot tasks for the software upgrade mentioned above, the whole project team would brainstorm all the tasks required to properly upgrade the system. There’s also a greater chance that a team member will identify an operating system conflict or at least include a step to test that feature than in top-down planning. Ideas get flowing and tasks are often written down on sticky note pads or index cards. All these tasks can then be logically grouped into categories that structure each work package.
The bottom-up approach leads to a more detailed schedule, but it’s also a time-consuming approach compared with the top-down task planning approach. The schedule you create is predicated on direct input from experts who are going to be implementing the project; it’s also a useful technique to create teamwork.
If your organization doesn’t have previous experience with the sort of project you’re trying to plan, this approach helps identify unknown tasks.
The bottom-up approach to “How long?” is my preferred project estimation method—but it takes tons longer than top-down planning. In the bottom-up approach, the project team has defined the tasks and may make accurate estimates at an in depth level. Then, the sum of those estimates and task dependencies within each work package determine the entire cost and timeline for the project schedule.
This technique is beneficial for developing detailed project budgets, schedules, and monthly forecasts. And, it helps define the specific resource skills needed during key phases of the project in order to get a more accurate schedule. The tradeoff of employing a bottom-up approach is that it requires longer .

Answer b)

Sequencing in project management refers to a dual process. Initially, activity sequencing involves a selected process of the identification of dependencies among a series of schedule activities. The next step includes the documentation of the said series of dependencies among those schedule activities. It specially involves the chronicling the dependencies among these schedule activities and putting them into a logical order. Activity sequencing also involves a careful examination of the relationships between schedule activities and their precedence relationships, which is additionally provides a tangible benefit to the event of an accurate schedule. Some of the techniques that are effective, includes precedence diagramming method, arrow diagramming method, schedule network templates, dependency determination, and therefore the application of leads and lags. Various outputs include project network schedule diagrams, activity list updates, activity attributes updates, and requested changes.
Precedence Diagramming Method
The best thanks to create an efficient Network Diagram is to follow the Precedence Diagramming Method (PDM). PDM may be a method used for constructing a network diagram that uses boxes (also referred to as nodes) to represent activities and arrows to attach boxes with one another , thus creating a logical relationship between these activities. It is a simple task for a project manager, provided he or she has good project management knowledge.
In this way, you'll sequence activities, plan the duration required per activity, and derive the longest possible path for the project, that is, the Critical Path Method (CPM) of the project.
After calculating the CPM, you'll compute total float in your project and therefore the float within a specific activity. In this way, you'll plan ahead and utilize your resources accordingly.
In the PDM, there are four sorts of dependencies. They are as follows:
Finish to start: An activity must finish before the successor can start.
Finish to finish: An activity must finish before the successor can finish.
Start to start: An activity must start before the successor can start.
Start to finish: An activity must start before the successor can finish. This is a very rare in practice.
Through PDM, you'll calculate the simplest place to use schedule compression.

Answer c)

Project quality management encompasses the processes and activities that are wont to find out and achieve the standard of the deliverables of a project. However, quality can be an elusive word.
Quality : While we could continue forever about the “true” meaning of quality and use the Socratic method to dialogue on its many possible meanings, for project management the solution is more defined.
Quality is just what the customer or stakeholder needs from the project deliverables. By keeping the definition tied to the customer or stakeholder, quality management can have a narrower focus, which suggests it’s more likely to realize its goals.
Quality management because the term suggests is all about managing quality in services. When it involves project management, ensuring desired quality is that the goal. The project delivery should ensure quality management. Here, quality doesn’t always mean perfection and top quality services, but maintaining consistency in quality across projects. The quality to be maintained during a project is set by the stakeholders, owners and clients of the project. Quality standards also are defined supported organizational values and standards. A quality management process is introduced during a project towards quality planning, quality assurance and internal control .
Quality Planning: Here, the quality plan is created. Every plan should have a desired objective or goal and quality plan is not any exception. The goal of quality management should be clearly communicated to all the stakeholders in a project. After the goal is defined, the measures to make sure the extent of ordinary should be figured out . How will the customers be satisfied? What is the extent of quality that the stakeholders are expecting? How to find if the quality measures will lead to project success? When all the answers to those questions are in situ , tasks should be delegated to respective team members and quality plan is initiated.
Quality Assurance: this is often a process that moves along side project throughout the lifecycle. Quality assurance is all about evaluating if a project is moving towards delivering quality services. If all the standard characteristics are in situ the standard plan can proceeding in an efficient manner. When quality goals are not achieved or are not in the process of getting achieved, necessary steps and corrective actions should be identified. Ensuring corrective actions too falls within the phase of quality assurance.
Quality Control: Here, operational techniques are utilized in order to make sure quality standards. Any time a drag arises concerning quality or if the standard plan isn't executed within the desired manner, corrective actions should be effective. Quality control involves monitoring project results and delivery to see if they're meeting desired results or not. If not then alternative actions should be implemented.