UNISA

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

Name: Takunda Marvin

Surname: Katuruza

Subject: Project Management

Assignment: 02

Unique #: 576353

Due date: 4 June 2015

Question 2.1

The project life cycle is comprised of three steps:

 Phase A- Conception phase

 Phase B- Definition phase
 Phase C- Execution phase

Phase A is comprised of the initiation stage, feasibility stage and proposal

preparation. Project definition, system definition, user and system requirements
make up Phase B of the project life cycle. The components that make up Phase C
include design stage, production/build stage (fabrication and testing) and
implementation stage (training, acceptance tests and installation) and termination.

Project initiation establishes that a need or problem exists and that it is worthy of
investigation. Project initiation requires proving that the need is significant and can
be fulfilled at a practical cost. Project feasibility is a detailed investigation of the need
or problem, a formulation of possible alternative solutions and the selection of one.
Feasibility is the process of studying a need, problem and solutions in sufficient
detail to determine if the idea is economically viable and worth developing.

Investigation focuses on the elements of the problem, the environment, the needs
and symptoms, problem definition and objectives, preliminary solutions and
estimated costs, benefits, strengths and weaknesses of each and affected
individuals and organizations. The Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document the
customer sends to potential contractors telling them the customer has a problem or
need and wants to hire someone. Every project is an effort to fulfil needs, a clear,
well stated and correct needs statement is necessary to avoid a project that is
meandering and irrelevant. User requirements should be clear, specific and
unambiguous.

The conception phase includes formulating the problem, defining the needs and user
requirements, evaluating alternative solutions and preparing a proposal to conduct
the project. The seeds of project success or failure are planted in Phase A.

In Phase B the solution receives scrutiny. The solution is analyzed and defined
sufficient in detail such that designers and builders will be able to produce a system
that meets the customers’ needs. The two main purposes here are determining the
system requirements and preparing the project plan. Project definition aims at
specifying what must happen concurrently and cyclically. During Phase B project
definition is further defined to involve identifying the work tasks and necessary
resources, creating schedules, budgets and cost control systems and identifying the
project team and its leaders, supervisors, subcontractors and support staff. The
project team begins to involve from the skeletal group that worked on the proposal
and the project manager selects team leaders.

The work to be done in the project plan must meet the system specifications, but the
system specifications must conform to the constraints, work methods, technological
capabilities and acceptable risks as specified in the project plan.

A major thrust of Phase B is translating user requirements into system requirements.

System requirements are orientated toward the solution. System requirements
provide an overview of the system or solutions approach, the principal functions,
system architecture and resulting end item and a common understanding among the
project team as to what must be done in the project. System requirements derive
from the contractor’s perspective; they state what the system must do to satisfy the
user requirements. There are priorities for each requirements: its priority (the relative
importance of the requirement) and margin (the amount by which the requirement
can vary).

Work specified in the project plan is put to action in Phase C. The execution phase is
referred to as the “acquisition” phase. The execution phase often includes the stages
of design, production and implementation referring to the progression through which
a system moves from being an idea to a finished, physical end item. Near the end of
the execution phase, the system is implemented; it is installed in and becomes part
of the user’s environment. The purpose of project evaluation is to assess
performance, reveal areas where the project deviates from goals and uncover extant
or potential problems so they can be corrected. Evaluation for the purpose of guiding
the project is called formative evaluation. Evaluation for the purposes of appraising
the project after it is completed and assessing the end results is called summary
evaluation.
Question 2.2

The systems development cycle can be divided into four: Conception phase,
Definition phase, Execution phase and Operation phase. The four phase model and
detailed stages of the systems development cycle maybe further elucidated to
include the sub elements within the phases.

The conception phase includes the initiation stage, feasibility stage and the proposal
preparation. System definition, system development, user and system requirements
make up the second phase, the definition phase. The operation phase includes
system maintenance and evaluation which can be further subdivided into two
segments: system implementation and system termination.

The procurement management process, request for proposal and feasibility are
foundations for the conception phase within the systems development cycle. The
procurement management process focuses particularly on soliciting people who are
able to undertake the work, evaluating proposals and reaching an agreement of
which proposal to accept. The request for proposal (RFP) is a document that is a
formal request for help and is sent to potential contractors by the customer informing
them that there is a problem or need and someone is to be hired. Customer
described his problems, objectives and requirements in the RFP. The main purpose
of the RFP is to the user’s proposal and source suggestions for solutions. Feasibility
is the process of studying a need, problem and solutions in sufficient detail to
determine if the idea is economically viable and worth developing.

In the conception phase there is much work for the Board and Executive structures.
Considering the reality of business limitations it is imperative that resources be used
to achieve their optimal usage within any business uses. The nature of project
uncertainty demands management depth of system knowledge and evaluation
protocols before embarking on a project. The executive structure should therefore
undertake schedules and system networks to be followed as the project process.
Also critical paths should be established and resources channelled towards the
project. Overlaps should be catered for as well as feedback structures established
that will be used to keep track of system progress. In the conception phase most of
the effort is devoted to investigating the problem (what is it), is it significant, can it be
resolved and can it be done so economically within acceptable time lines.
System definition begins with defining user needs and requirements. The system
definition phase continues defining work and concludes with a set of system
specifications. The defining phase two main purposes which are determining the
system requirements and preparing the project plan. Systems are defined by their
requirements. Requirements are the starting point for all systems development
projects and the foundation for project planning. Requirements should be carefully
defined and agreed upon for the purpose of fully conceptualizing and end item and a
viable project plan.

With the Board having signed for the system to take shape, earlier defined user
requirements should be reviewed and any gaps and ambiguities eliminated. System
requirements are focused toward the solution; they specify the contractors approach
and objectives for satisfying the needs and wants spelled out in the user
requirements. System requirements provide an overview of the system or solution
approach (the principle functions, system architecture and resulting end item).

System specifications are derived from system requirements, they define the end
item and its sub systems, components and processes in sufficient depth that the
project team will be able to design, build and/or procure (OTS) those subsystems
and components. System specifications are the basis for specific action of lower
level subsystems. System specifications are the criteria that will guide actual project
work, they are written by and for project specialists and they address all areas of the
project.

Functional requirements specify the functions that the new system must be able to
perform to satisfy the user requirements. Performance requirements specify in
technical terms the target requirements that the function must specify, as well as the
tests, procedures and measures to be used to prove that the targets have been
meet. System functions are sorted and assigned to logical groups during
requirements analysis. System requirements provide a general direction for the
project. The requirements breakdown structure (RBS) provides a common reference
for everyone working on the project and enables teams to coordinate efforts and
avoid omissions or duplication.

The execution phase typically includes the stages of design, production/build and
implementation. In the design stage, system specifications are converted into
documents such as plans, sketches or drawings. The outputs of this stage are forms
of pictorial representation (blueprints, flow charts or schematic diagrams) or models
showing the system components, dimensions, relationships and overall
configuration. The system is broken into tiers of subsystems, components and parts.
Various design possibilities for elements at each tier are reviewed for compatibility
with each other and with elements at higher level tiers and for ability to meet
specifications and system cost, schedule and performance requirements. The design
process is composed of two interrelated activities: functional design (shows the
system components and their relationships) and physical design (what the actual
system and its components will look like).

The main activities in the production/build stage within Phase C of the systems
development cycle are system fabrication, testing and planning. System fabrication
begins when sufficient design has been completed. Components prepared by the
contractor and its suppliers are assembled into the final end item. The principal
management tasks during this stage are releasing work orders, monitoring,
inspecting and documenting progress, comparing planned versus actual results and
taking corrective action. Work quality is constantly assessed during the system
fabrication. System tests are performed to ensure that the system meets
requirements. Tests fall into three categories: contractor tests to prove that system
design meets system requirements, tests conducted by the producer or builder and
tests conducted by the consumer to make sure the system meets user requirements
and other contractual agreements.

System testing should test components first, subsystems next and the whole system
last. Each part is tested to ensure it functions individually; parts are integrated into
components and tested to ensure each component works; components are
integrated into subsystems and tested to ensure each subsystem performs: finally
subsystems are integrated into the full system and tested to ensure that the system
meets performance requirements. Tests are performed against earlier developed
system objectives, system specification and user requirements. During
production/build, a detailed plan is prepared for the stage, implementation.
Implementation is the process of turning the system over to the user. The two prime
activities in implementation are installing the system in the user’s environment and
training the user to operate the system.
The contractor can remain involved with the customer and the system in the
operation phase in two ways: by agreeing to maintain/repair the system or by
initiating a new project to enhance or replace the system. The contractor may
perform evaluation of the system either as part of the original contract agreement or
by an additional agreement.

Question 2.3

Projectized organizations are organization characterised with having a functional

project department and project management office. It is an organization that
organizes its activities in programs that are implemented through projects and that
intends to empower the project team to act with autonomous discretion in project
management.

In the weak matrix organization managers are actually coordinators or expeditors

who are not quite fully fledged project managers and must fit the role into other,
usually non-project work. They oversee projects but have little authority, no budget
responsibility and no ability to command resources on their own.

Within the balanced matrix organization managers are fully fledged project
managers, but their level of authority and control over budgets and resources is less
than in a strong matrix organization.

Project managers have authority and control over project funds and other resources
and devote most or all of their time to managing each project in a strong matrix
organization.

Question 2.4

The formal organization is comprised of a fixed set of rules of intra-organization

procedures and structures. Work is delegated to the individual employee of the
organization and the employee performs her/his job with specific intention of
satisfying the task goals which are in compliance with the goals of the organization.
The authority, responsibility and accountability of individuals in the organization are
well defined. Individuals have a defined position within the organization structure and
responsibilities of the individual are clearly stated. In the formal organization division
of work amongst individuals according to their capabilities enhances specialization
and cohesiveness.

The informal organization is the interlocking social structure that governs how people
work together. It is the collective of norms, personal and professional connections
through which work gets done and relationships are built among people who share a
common organization affiliation. It consists of a dynamic set of personal
relationships, social networks, communities of common interest and emotional
sources of motivation. Informal organization accelerates and enhances responses to
unanticipated events, fosters innovation, enables people to solve problems that
require collaboration across boundaries.

Project environments are characterised with high uncertainty and evolving

processes. Informal organizations cater for unforeseen changes allowing individuals
room to adapt to the change and still enhance processes within the project
processes to still achieve the required specified end item. Formal organizations are
restricted by the constant set of rules that individuals persistently have to follow so
as to attain their objectives.

Question 2.5

All projects contain an element of uncertain. Unforeseen obstacles can cause

missed deadlines, cost overruns and poor project performance.

Project life cycle is comprised of three phases: Conception phase (Phase A),
Definition phase (Phase B) and Execution phase (Phase C). The conception phase
includes formulating the problem, defining needs and user requirements, evaluating
alternatives and preparing a proposal to conduct the project. In the definition phase
the solution receives scrutiny and the solution is analyzed and defined in sufficient
detail such that designs and builders will be able to produce a system that meets the
needs of the customer’s needs. Within the execution phase fabrication and testing,
training, acceptance tests and installation and termination characterise the phase.

Every project is an attempt to solve a problem. Projects are done for the purpose of
developing systems, either to create new ones or improve existing ones. Conflict
may arise between the customer (end user) and the contractor in projects.
Contract statement of work (CSOW) defines the expected performance of the project
in terms of scope of work, requirements, end results, schedules, and costs and so
on. The CSOW clearly specifies the conditions under which the deliverables or end
results will be accepted by the customer. Failure to clearly state these conditions can
lead to later disputes and delays in completing the project.

The statement of work (SOW) includes the system and project objectives, technical
solution, high level requirements and major areas of work required to deliver the
solution. An improperly stated SOW can lead to conflict in projects. A project lacking
objectives is a blind endeavour destined to fail in cost, performance and time
requirements. Projects are unique processes tailored to produce a unique end item.
Project team members require motivation to perform within their various tasks in the
project and a specific direction is pivotal to this end.

Project conflict centres on matters such as schedules, priorities, staff and labour
requirements, technical factors, administrative procedures, cost estimates and
personality conflicts. Conflicts fall into three fundamentally different categories:

 Groups working on the project may have different goals and expectations
 There is considerable uncertainty about who has the authority to make
decisions
 There are interpersonal conflicts between people who are parties at interest in
the project

Some conflicts reflect the fact that the day to day work on projects is usually carried
out by many different units of the organization, units that often differ in their
objectives and technical judgements. The end result is that these units have different
expectations about the project, its costs and rewards, its relative importance and its
timing. Conflicts about schedules, intra and inter project priorities, cost estimates,
and staff fall into this category. At the base, they arise because the project
management and functional manager have very different goals.

Other conflicts reflect the fact that both technical and administrative procedures are
important aspects of project management. Uncertainty about who has the authority
to make decisions on resource allocation, on administrative procedures, on
communication, on technical choices and on all other matters affecting the project
conflict producers conflict between the project management and other parties.

The different objectives between the project manager, senior management and
functional managers are a source of major and constant conflict.

Question 2.6

Projects are characterised by much uncertainty and they are diverse and very
unique. Budgeting, scheduling and controlling are central to project success as
integrating and coordinating responsibilities of a project management. Every project
can be measured in time, cost and performance. Time referred to as the temporal
progress of activities and extent to which schedules and deadlines are met. Cost is
elucidated as the rate of resource expenditure as compared to budgeted resources.
Performance is refers to outputs of the project as compared to objectives,
specifications and requirements, meeting performance requirements is a measure of
the quality of the project output.

Budgeting helps keep costs within the budget frame avoiding cost over runs.
Scheduling is essential in keeping various activities working systematically towards
attaining the specific end item the project is meant to attain. Controlling of the
various aspects of the project and various activities occurring either separately or
con-concurrently is fundamental in projects.

Project managers have various responsibilities which include:

 Planning project activities, tasks and end results, which includes creating the
work breakdown structure, schedule and budget and coordinating tasks and
allocating resources
 Selecting and organizing the project team
 Interfacing with and influencing stakeholders
 Negotiating with and integrating functional managers, contractors, users and
top management
 Maintaining contact with the customer
 Monitoring project status to stakeholders
 Communicating project status to stakeholders
 Identifying technical and functional problems
 Solving problems directly or knowing where to find help
 RESULTS
Total = 79 / 100 (79%)