Assignment Questions & Problems -
Questions -
1. What are the five major project fundamentals?
2. List three ways to find out about problems or opportunities that might call for a systems solution.
3. List the five criteria for systems project selection.
4. List five of the many benefits of cloud computing for organizations.
5. List three of the many drawbacks of cloud computing for organizations.
6. What are the three drawbacks of using the payback method?
7. How does a project manager assess the risk of things going wrong and take that into consideration of the time needed to complete the project?
8. What costs need to be estimated to prepare a budget?
9. What does crash time mean when expediting a project?
10. What are four ways in which ecommerce project management differs from traditional project management?
11. What is a fishbone diagram used for?
Problems -
1. Interglobal Paper Company has asked for your help in comparing its present computer system with a new one its board of directors would like to see implemented. Proposed system and present system costs are as follows:
|
Item
|
Proposed System Costs
|
Present System Costs
|
|
Year 1
|
|
Equipment lease
|
$20,000
|
$11,500
|
|
Salaries
|
30,000
|
50,000
|
|
Overhead
|
4,000
|
3,000
|
|
Development
|
30,000
|
-
|
|
Year 2
|
|
Equipment lease
|
$20,000
|
$10,500
|
|
Salaries
|
33,000
|
55,000
|
|
Overhead
|
4,400
|
3,300
|
|
Development
|
12,000
|
-
|
|
Year 3
|
|
Equipment lease
|
$20,000
|
$10,500
|
|
Salaries
|
36,000
|
60,000
|
|
Overhead
|
4,900
|
3,600
|
|
Development
|
-
|
-
|
|
Year 4
|
|
Equipment lease
|
$20,000
|
$10,500
|
|
Salaries
|
39,000
|
66,000
|
|
Overhead
|
5,500
|
4,000
|
|
Development
|
-
|
-
|
a. Using break-even analysis, determine the year in which Interglobal Paper will break even.
b. Graph the costs and show the break-even point.
2. The following are systems benefits for Interglobal Paper Company (from Problem 10):
|
Year
|
Benefits
|
|
1
|
$55,000
|
|
2
|
75,000
|
|
3
|
80,000
|
|
4
|
85,000
|
a. Use the costs of Interglobal Paper's proposed system from Problem 1 to determine the payback period (use the payback method).
b. Graph the benefits versus the costs and indicate the payback period.
3. Brian F. O'Byrne ("F," he says, stands for "frozen") owns a frozen-foods company and wants to develop an information system for tracking shipments to warehouses.
|
Description
|
Task
|
Must Follow
|
Time (Weeks)
|
|
Draw data flow
|
A
|
None
|
5
|
|
Draw decision tree
|
B
|
A
|
4
|
|
Revise tree
|
C
|
B
|
10
|
|
Write up project
|
D
|
C, I
|
4
|
|
Organize data dictionary
|
E
|
A
|
7
|
|
Do output prototype
|
F
|
None
|
2
|
|
Revise output design
|
G
|
F
|
9
|
|
Write use cases
|
H
|
None
|
10
|
|
Design database
|
I
|
H, E, and G
|
8
|
Figure 3.EX1 - Data to help in the organization of a design project for creating an information system that tracks shipments of frozen foods to warehouses.
a. Using the data from the table in Figure 3.EX1, draw a Gantt chart to help Brian organize his design project.
b. When is it appropriate to use a Gantt chart? What are the disadvantages of using a Gantt chart? Explain in a paragraph.
4. In addition to using a Gantt chart, you've drawn a PERT diagram for Brian so that you can communicate the necessity of keeping an eye on the critical path. Consult Figure 3.EX2, which was derived from the data from Figure 3.EX1. List all paths and calculate and identify the critical path.
5. Using the PERT diagram in Figure 3.EX2 to determine answers:
a. What activities can you expedite to complete the project a week ahead of schedule?
b. Suppose Activity E is the least costly activity to expedite. What happens if you try to expedite the project by more than one week? Explain.
6. "I think it's only fair to write up all the alternatives you've considered," says Lou Cite, a personnel supervisor for DayGlow Paints. "After all, you've been working on this systems thing for a while now, and I think my boss and everyone else would be interested to see what you've found out." You are talking with Lou as you prepare to put together the final systems proposal that your team will be presenting to upper management.
a. In a paragraph, explain to Lou why your proposal will not (and should not) contain all the alternatives that your team has considered.
b. In a paragraph, discuss the sorts of alternatives that should appear in the final systems proposal.