True-False Questions
1.
The creation of a system service request is usually done by the project
review board.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 53 Difficulty: Moderate
2.
Components constructed earlier in the project will typically require
more rework than those created later in the project.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 56 Difficulty: Easy
3.
In OOSAD systems development, it is better to tackle the easier
problems first and save the harder problems for later in the project after the
team has gained more experience.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 57 Difficulty: Moderate
4.
Systems architecture decisions should be made in early stages of the
OOSAD methodology.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 58 Difficulty: Moderate
5.
Early planning in OOSAD projects should be highly detailed and
structured.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 59 Difficulty: Moderate
6.
Planning estimates that are made during the construction phase are
likely to be more accurate than planning estimates made during the inception
phase.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 59 Difficulty: Moderate
7.
Project management and planning activities in OOSAD projects are most
intense during the inception phase of a project and taper off as the project
progresses.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 59, 79 Difficulty: Moderate
8.
The first alpha release of the major systems components typically
occurs during the construction phase of the OOSAD project.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 61, 78 Difficulty: Moderate
9.
The project charter includes details of project scheduling and resource
allocation, and is developed during the project planning phase.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 63 Difficulty: Moderate
10. Plans regarding a long-term
planning horizon are typically more focused and detailed than those covering a
shorter-term horizon.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 64 Difficulty: Moderate
11. The project plan’s WBS indicates
the proportion of time estimated for each task in the project.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 65 Difficulty: Moderate
12. In a network diagram, the
horizontal size of a node indicates the duration of time the task takes to
complete.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 65-66 Difficulty: Moderate
13. COCOMO is a method for resource
planning and estimation.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 67 Difficulty: Moderate
14. The level of formality is higher
for a project newsletter than for minutes of meetings.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 73 Difficulty: Moderate
15. A post-project review is
conducted only if the project resulted in actual successful deliverables.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 73 Difficulty: Easy
16. In critical path scheduling,
calculating the late finish time for tasks requires working backward from the
final task toward the first in the project.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 77 Difficulty: Moderate
17. The amount of time that a task
can be delayed without delaying the start of its successor tasks is called
slack time.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 77 Difficulty: Moderate
18. Total slack time is calculated
using the PERT method.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 77 Difficulty: Moderate
19. Performing a critical path
analysis requires knowledge of pessimistic and optimistic time estimates for
each task.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 79-80 Difficulty: Moderate
20. Performing a PERT analysis
requires knowledge of a task’s predecessors and successors.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 79-80 Difficulty: Moderate
21. In Microsoft Project, each task’s
start date is automatically calculated based on the project’s start date and
the task durations and dependencies.
Answer: True Page
Reference: 82 Difficulty: Moderate
22. Although Microsoft Project
includes facilities for performing CPM and PERT analyses, it does not include
functionality for determining resource utilization.
Answer: False Page
Reference: 83 Difficulty: Moderate
Multiple-Choice Questions
23. The project manager’s role
differs from other systems analysts in that the project manager is responsible
for:
a.
modeling the system.
b.
obtaining user requirements.
c.
planning and execution.
d.
programming the components.
Answer: c Page
Reference: 52 Difficulty: Easy
24. In many organizations, the
initiation of a systems project is triggered by a:
a.
Project workbook.
b.
System service request.
c.
Feasibility study.
d.
Baseline plan.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 53 Difficulty: Easy
25. The project review board is
responsible for:
a.
planning and monitoring progress on a project.
b.
evaluating and prioritizing proposed projects.
c.
performing comprehensive feasibility studies.
d.
initiating system service requests.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 53-54 Difficulty: Moderate
26. Which of the following is NOT
part of an SSR?
a.
User contact information
b.
Problem statement
c.
Identification of IS liaison
d.
Feasibility study
Answer: d Page
Reference: 53-54 Difficulty: Easy
27. In order to facilitate management
of a project as a series of iterations, the system components should be divided
up as ____________ slices.
a.
vertical
b.
horizontal
c.
diagonal
d.
cross-sectional
Answer: a Page
Reference: 56 Difficulty: Moderate
28. In the OOSAD development process,
the components developed early in the process:
a.
are typically the easiest problems to solve.
b.
require relatively little project management intervention.
c.
require the most reworking as the project proceeds.
d.
are the least time-consuming to develop.
Answer: c Page
Reference: 56 Difficulty: Moderate
29. With OOSAD development, unlike
the traditional systems life cycle:
a.
extensive detailed planning is completed early in the project.
b.
difficult problems about system architecture are tackled early.
c.
accuracy of scheduling estimates decrease over time.
d.
management and planning activities are concentrated in the initial
stages.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 57 Difficulty: Moderate
30. In a project undergoing OOSAD
development, implementation issues are focused in the ____________ stage.
a.
elaboration
b.
transition
c.
construction
d.
inception
Answer: c Page
Reference: 60 Difficulty: Moderate
31. The repository of all project
correspondences, inputs, outputs, deliverables, standards, and procedures is
commonly known as the:
a.
project execution document.
b.
project workbook.
c.
project deliverable.
d.
project review.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 63 Difficulty: Moderate
32. The high-level document prepared
for internal and external stakeholders, which formally announces a project and
its objectives, is commonly known as the:
a.
project charter.
b.
project workbook.
c.
project evaluation.
d.
project review.
Answer: a Page
Reference: 63 Difficulty: Moderate
33. Durations of tasks in a project
are graphically represented in a(n):
a.
network diagram.
b.
work breakdown structure.
c.
activity diagram.
d.
Gantt chart.
Answer: d Page
Reference: 65 Difficulty: Moderate
34. A work breakdown structure
represents the:
a.
division of a project into tasks and subtasks.
b.
assignment of personnel to individual tasks in the project.
c.
cost and benefit breakdown for the tasks in a project.
d.
ranking of high-to-low priority projects.
Answer: a Page
Reference: 65 Difficulty: Moderate
35. A network diagram is appropriate
if you want to see:
a.
division of tasks into subtasks.
b.
degree of temporal overlap between tasks.
c.
dependencies between tasks.
d.
risk level of each task.
Answer: c Page
Reference: 65 Difficulty: Moderate
36. Manageability of the project is
enhanced when:
a.
each individual is assigned multiple varied tasks.
b.
resources are randomly distributed among tasks.
c.
communications between project members are highly restricted.
d.
each task is assigned to an individual or well-defined group.
Answer: d Page
Reference: 66 Difficulty: Moderate
37. The COCOMO method involves:
a.
determining critical paths in a network of tasks.
b.
using data from previous projects for resource estimation.
c.
performing cost-benefit analysis by establishing break-even points.
d.
establishing optimistic and pessimistic predictions of task duration.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 67 Difficulty: Moderate
38. Which of the following is the
appropriate technique for determining a project's human resource requirements?
a.
PERT
b.
CPM
c.
COCOMO
d.
WBS
Answer: b Page
Reference: 67 Difficulty: Moderate
39. Which of the following activities
takes place primarily during project execution?
a.
Establishing a baseline plan
b.
Defining project scope
c.
Monitoring project progress
d.
Closing the customer contract
Answer: c Page
Reference: 70 Difficulty: Moderate
40. Which of the following is most
likely to require a formal change request to be submitted and approved?
a.
The need for a significant design modification
b.
A slipped completion date for an activity
c.
Sickness, resignation, or termination of an employee
d.
Identification of a new task that becomes evident later in the project
Answer: a Page
Reference: 71 Difficulty: Moderate
41. The sequence of tasks whose order
and duration directly affect the completion date of a project is called a:
a.
schedule sequence.
b.
critical path.
c.
task dependency.
d.
sequence chart.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 76 Difficulty: Moderate
42. The nodes on the critical path:
a.
have the most slack time of any nodes in the project.
b.
represent the most important tasks of the project.
c.
represent the longest possible time the project can take.
d.
take the longest total duration of any path in the project.
Answer: d Page
Reference: 76 Difficulty: Hard
43. For a node with slack time:
a.
earliest estimated completion time precedes latest estimated completion
time.
b.
earliest estimated completion time exceeds latest estimated completion
time.
c.
earliest and latest estimated completion times are equal to each other.
d.
earliest and latest estimated completion times have no relationship to
each other.
Answer: a Page
Reference: 77 Difficulty: Hard
44. The time that a task can be
delayed without delaying the completion of the project is called:
a.
early finish.
b.
late finish.
c.
total slack.
d.
free slack.
Answer: c Page
Reference: 78 Difficulty: Moderate
45. The scheduling technique that
uses optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic time estimates to calculate an
expected task duration is called:
a.
critical path scheduling.
b.
PERT.
c.
WBS.
d.
iterative analysis.
Answer: b Page
Reference: 79-80 Difficulty: Moderate
Essay and Problem-Solving Questions
46. Describe the formal steps that
are typically taken in an organization to trigger the initiation of a systems
development project. Who are the people involved in requesting, evaluating, and
managing the process, and what documents and processes are involved?
Answer:
The
potential need for a project is usually triggered when a business manager or system
user identifies a problem or opportunity that can be addressed by an
information system. Based on this motivation, a request is made to a project
review board, often via a formal document called a System Service Request
(SSR). This is typically one of many SSRs that are considered by the review
board, which prioritizes and ranks the requests, selecting those that seem most
suited for meeting the organizational goals and objectives. If a project is
selected, it is assigned to a steering committee and a project manager, who
conduct a feasibility assessment study
in order to determine whether the project makes sense from an economic and
operational standpoint. If so, the detailed planning and execution of the project
commences, under the leadership of the project management and the oversight of
the steering committee.
Page Reference: 52-54 Difficulty: Moderate
47. Identify and describe the
activities that a project manager typically engages in during the course of a
systems project, and the skills required for successfully accomplishing these
tasks.
Answer:
The
project manager is involved in several key activities, including leading,
management, customer relations, technical problem solving, conflict resolution,
team management, and risk/change management. As a leader and team manager,
communication skills are key for articulating the goals of the project,
influencing and guiding the team members toward these goals, and serving as a
liaison between the project team and other stakeholders. Planning and
scheduling skills are required for breaking the project into a set of tasks and
recognizing the sequences and dependencies between these tasks. Problem-solving
and analytical skills are necessary for interpreting the customers’ system
requirements, identifying and resolving conflicts, identifying and designing
systems solutions. These skills are also important for evaluating team member
performance, and for recognizing and assessing risks and opportunities during
project execution.
Page Reference: 54-55 Difficulty: Moderate
48. List and describe the project
management steps involved in project initiation.
Answer:
During
project initiation, the project manager assesses project size and scope, and
establishes procedures for subsequent steps of the project. This involves several specific activities.
For example, the project manager establishes a project initiation team
including one or more user representatives and systems development persons.
Initial contact with the customer takes place in initiation as well, in order
to begin the relationship that will last throughout the project. With the
customer and the team, a project initiation plan is established that eventually
evolves into the system service request. Management procedures are developed for
communication and reporting, job assignments and roles, change management, and
funding. All of this planning
constitutes the first entries into the project workbook, which will grow and
evolve for the duration of the project.
Page Reference: 54, 62 Difficulty: Moderate
49. What is a project workbook? What
purpose does it serve? At what point in the project is it created and
maintained? Name and describe the main sections of a project workbook.
Answer:
The
project workbook is the central repository of all documentation and
correspondence related to the systems project. It is the key source of
communication, orientation, auditing, and management for a project, and can be
stored in hard-copy or electronic format, often on the organization’s Web site
to provide easy access for team members. The workbook is initially created
during project initiation and is maintained and modified throughout the
planning and execution of the project. The workbook consists of a project
overview, the initiation plan and SSR, descriptions of the project scope and
risks, and procedures for managing the project. In addition, design and
analysis documents such as data and process descriptions are included. Team
correspondences are added to the workbook, providing a log of communications
that take place over the course of the project. The statement of work is also
included to help members recall which promises were made to customers. Finally,
the project schedule is included in order to provide a progress tracking
mechanism.
Page Reference: 63 Difficulty: Moderate
50. Describe the main activities that
take place during the project planning phase of project management. What are
the main outputs that result from the planning phase, and who is the audience
of each of these outputs?
Answer:
During
planning, the project manager starts with an analysis to determine the scope of
the problem, solution alternatives, and feasibility. Once this is done, the
project is broken into tasks and organized hierarchically in a work breakdown structure
(WBS). This process leads to establishment of a preliminary schedule, which
involves identifying dependencies, durations, and sequences of the tasks;
project management software tools are useful here for constructing Gantt charts
and identifying critical tasks and paths in the project. Resource requirements
are determined, and personnel are assigned to the different tasks of the
projects. Standards and procedures, which may have been started during the
project initiation phase, are refined and fleshed out. Risk assessment is
another important activity of project planning; these include factors such as
new technologies, customer resistance to change, competitive pressures,
regulations, and team member inexperience. Based on scheduling, resource needs,
and risk evaluation, a preliminary budget is created. The main outputs of the
planning phase are a statement of work, which is developed primarily for the
customer, and a baseline plan which is used by team members during the
execution of the project to track progress.
Page Reference: 64-69 Difficulty: Moderate
51. What is a baseline project plan,
and what is its purpose? What information is contained within it and how is
that information used and updated during the course of a project’s execution?
What factors may cause pressure to change to baseline plan, and how are these
factors dealt with? How do Gantt charts assist in using and maintaining the
baseline plan?
Answer:
The
baseline project plan is the major document produced by the project planning
process and is used for guiding the project team through project execution. It
consists of estimates of task durations and sequences as well as resource
requirements for the project. During project execution the project manager puts
the baseline plan into action, which means starting the tasks and assigning the
resources. Progress on tasks is monitored and compared against the estimates of
the baseline plan. As tasks are completed, they are marked off in the plan.
Actual progress on current tasks is compared against the baseline plan
estimates, and this sometimes results in making modifications to future task
estimates. In some organizations, changes to the plan must be formally approved
by a steering committee. But some changes are inevitable, such as slipped
completion dates, bungled tasks, identification of new activities that had not
previously been anticipated, or changes to personnel. Gantt charts help to
identify where slips are being encountered, and what effects these slips will
have on future activities, enabling the project manager to reallocate resources
or reschedule tasks in order to avoid project delays.
Page Reference: 70-71 Difficulty: Moderate
52. Compare and contrast the two
types of diagrams for representing project schedules. In particular, describe
the appearance of each of the diagrams, indicate the features of the schedules
that are emphasized by each, and identify how tasks, their relationships, and
their time frames are represented in each diagram.
Answer:
The
two types of diagrams for representing project schedules are the Gantt chart
and the Network diagram. A Gantt chart
displays as a list of tasks arranged vertically, and for each task a horizontal
bar that represents the task’s start and end point and overall duration. Although
the Gantt chart may also include thin lines connecting one horizontal bar to
another in order to represent dependency links, the main strength of a Gantt
chart is its representation of task durations and time overlaps between tasks.
By contrast, Network diagrams represent tasks as circles or rectangular boxes,
and dependencies between these tasks as lines connecting the boxes. The main
focus of the Network diagram is to visually represent task dependencies. There
is no pictorial representation of task durations in Network diagrams; instead
the start and end times are represented by text within the task boxes.
Page Reference: 65-66, 74-76 Difficulty: Moderate
53. What is a critical path? Why is
it important for a project manager to know the critical path for the project?
Describe how the critical path is calculated, and relate the concept of
critical path to the concept of slack time.
Answer:
A
critical path is the sequence of connected activities that make up the longest
overall duration of the project, and therefore represents the shortest possible
time that the project can take. This is important for project managers because
it provides the capability to estimate the project completion time, and it also
indicates where resources need to be focused in order to prevent delays in the
project. Calculating the critical path involves two main steps. First, the
earliest possible completion time for each task is calculated by summing the
elapsed times of all tasks in the path leading to the task. If more than one
path leads to the task, then the greater of the two sums is used. This first
step is done in a forward fashion, starting with the earlier tasks and moving
to the later. The next step is to calculate the latest possible completion time
for each task, which is the latest time a task can complete without extending
the overall duration of the project. Start at the end by using the earliest
completion time for the final task as the latest. Then move backward,
subtracting the estimated time from the successor task to determine the latest
completion for the predecessor task. The slack time for each task is the
difference between its latest and earliest completion times. Tasks with no
slack make up the critical path; those tasks that have slack are not on the
critical path.
Page Reference: 76-78 Difficulty: Hard
54. For the table below, draw a
network diagram for the tasks of this project. Use the critical path method to
determine the shortest expected duration for the project. Identify the tasks
that make up the critical path in this project.
Task
No.
|
Task Description
|
Estimated
Duration
|
Predecessor Tasks
|
1
|
Feasibility Analysis
|
2
|
|
2
|
Interview Users
|
5
|
1
|
3
|
Study System Documentation
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
Generate Use Case Diagrams
|
2
|
2,3
|
5
|
Generate Use Case Descriptions
|
6
|
4
|
6
|
Generate Class Diagrams
|
4
|
4
|
7
|
Evaluate Alternative Design Solutions
|
3
|
5,6
|
8
|
Select Design Solution
|
1
|
7
|
Answer:
Network
Diagram:
Calculation of early/late finish and identification of
critical path
Shortest
project duration is 19 days. Critical path is 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8.
Page Reference: 76-78 Difficulty: Hard
55. What does the acronym PERT stand
for? What is it used for? Give the PERT formula and define each of its
elements.
Answer:
PERT
stands for Program Evaluation Review Technique. It is used to calculate the
expected time duration for a task given optimistic, pessimistic, and realistic
completion times. The formula is the following:
ET = (o + 4r
+ p)/6
where
o represents the optimistic time duration, r represents the realistic
duration, and p represents the pessimistic duration.
Page Reference: 79-80 Difficulty: Moderate
56. Consider the following scenario.
For a particular project task, you envision that in a worst-case scenario the
task will take 12 days. In a best-case scenario, the task will take only 4
days. But, the most likely scenario is that the task will take 10 days. Based
on the PERT method, what is the expected task duration?
Answer:
The
formula is the following:
ET = (o + 4r
+ p)/6 = (4 + 4*10 + 12) / 6
=
(4 + 40 + 12)/6
= 56/6 =
9 1/3 days.
Page Reference: 79-80 Difficulty: Moderate
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