WEEKLY QUESTIONS FOR CHAPTER ELEVEN- Project Management

Q1. Explain the triple constraint and its importance in project management. 

The Triple Constraint is a paradigm applicable to any type of project. It is used to illustrate how changes in competing demands are inter-connected, and how each has an effect on the others (Smith 2009). The Triple Constraint is useful in talking about a project's end result (Smith 2009). This is shown by using a three-point triangle:

• Time
• Cost
• Scope

  Although the limits of an overall result may be flexible; a change in one of these elements will produce a change in another (Smith 2009).

Regarding the Cost principle: the cheaper your cost, the less quality you will get (Smith 2009). For example, when labor is rushed to make up for a lower project budget.

Scope is a critical factor in a project that always effects other variables. The less a contractor has to do, the quicker it can be done, and the lower the cost will be (Smith 2009). Project Inflation happens when a client wants to increase the scope of a project without changing the cost or time (Smith 2009). 


Reference: Cindi Smith, Considering Project Management- do you manage it or does it manage you? Accessed at: http://blogs.attask.com/blog/attask-ink/0/0/the-project-management-triple-constraint-do-you-manage-it-or-does-it-manage-you Viewed on 19 October 2010.

Read more go to: http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/9793.aspx#ixzz13EF6Bfi8

Q2. Describe the two primary diagrams most frequently used in project planning 

 a. PERT Chart- (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) Chart is a graphical network model that depicts a project's tasks and relationships between those tasks. A dependency is a logical relationship that exists between project tasks or between a task and a milestone. These charts allow the dependency to be defined before those tasks are scheduled. The project manager can adjust the contents of the boxes to display various project attributes such as start and finish times. The arrows indicate that one task is dependent on another task being completed. The critical path (in red usually) is a path from start to finish that passes through all tasks that are critical to completing the project in the shortest time possible.

B. A Gantt Chart is a simple bar chart that depicts project tasks agaisnt a calendar. The tasks are listed vertically and the time frame of the project is listed horizontally. A Gantt chart represents a project's schedule and shows a progression of tasks against the planned duration.

Q3. Identify the three primary areas a project manager must focus on managing to ensure success 

A. People- The book argues that this is the most critical and hardest of all of the tasks. It is in people's human nature to have conflict and the project manager will need to resolve this whilst balancing the needs of the project with personal and professional needs of the team. Communication, negotiation, marketing and salesmanship are important to remain a good relationship with the client.

B. Communications- The project manager should plan what and how he/she will communicate as a formal part of the project management plan. A project manager distributes timely, accurate and meaningful information regarding project objectives that involve time, cost, scope and quality. They also communicate small wins, things in need of improvement, requests for more resources and informs of the project schedule.

C. Change-  Successful organisations have learned to anticipate and react appropriately to change. In dynamic organisations/projects, change is inevitable and an organisation must effectively manage this change. There are many challenges and complexity is an ever-changing society; effective change management is a critical core competency. This involves a set of techniques that aid in evolution, composition and policy management of the design and implementation of a system.

To learn more, see this video for advice on project management: http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Shine-as-a-Project-Manager-11827

Q4.Outline 2 reasons why projects fail and two reasons why projects succeed.

Reasons for success:

a.Strong project management- the project manager steps up and is able to create a good schedule, motivate their employees, keep to schedules and adapt to change.

b. Good communication- amongst employees and with the client.

 Reasons for Failure

a. Lack of project management- if there are no plans, no schedule, no reactions to changes, no communication amongst clients and employees then the  project is likely to fail.

b. Unrealistic expectations- if the plan is unrealistic in terms of its budget, time constraints or scope then the project is likely to fail.