1. Many people have a hard time taking a systems view when it comes to managing projects. Why do you think this is the case? What can be done to help people take a systems view? Support your answer with evidence from the textbook and/or the ancillary resources provided.

2. Consider the qualities of individuals with strong technical backgrounds versus those with strong business backgrounds. Describe when you need a person with a strong technical background to lead a project? Explain. And then describe when you need someone with a strong business background? Explain. What other types of people might make good project managers in different situations?

3. When answering the discussion questions, encompass the various aspects and consequences when adjustments are needed in project time management. Discuss methods for shortening a project schedule. Explain some of the advantages and disadvantages of shortening project schedules?

4. Suppose you were asked to prepare a cost estimate for a project to purchase laptops for all faculty and staff at your college or university. How would you start? How long would it take you to prepare a good estimate? What type of estimate would you prepare, and what approach would you use to develop a cost estimate?

5. After reading about project quality management, do you think that people accept poor quality in information technology projects and products in exchange for faster innovation? Justify your opinion. What other reasons might there be for such poor quality?

6. What do you think is more important for a good IT professional: strong technical skills or strong people skills? Support your answer with evidence.

7. The concept of a communications management plan makes logical sense, yet many projects do not create or follow this type of plan. Why do you think this is the case?

8. Provide realistic examples of each of the risk response strategies for both negative and positive risks.

9. The government plans to increase outsourcing expenditures dramatically in the next several years. What should organizations do to earn some of this work? How does providing goods and services for the government differ from providing goods and services for other organizations?