Project Management For Business Engineering And Technology Principles And Practice 3rd Edition John M Nicholas, Herman Steyn - Solutions

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What contractor qualifications might the customer look for in a proposal? What else about the contractor might the customer look for?
What factors determine whether or not an idea should be investigated?
Discuss some techniques that could be used to help evaluate which alternatives are best.
Elaborate on the kinds of alternatives and range of solutions to solving the problem.
What are the resources and constraints?
Define the criteria or measures of performance to be used to determine whether the objectives of the program are being met.Specify several criteria for each sub-objective. As much as possible, the criteria should be quantitative, although some qualitative measures should also be included. How will
Define the overall objective of the water waste management program. Because the program is wide-ranging in scope, you should break this down into several sub-objectives.
What is the problem? Carefully formulate it.
Who are the decision makers?
What is the system? What are its key elements and subsystems?What are the boundaries and how are they determined? What is the environment?
Were the stakeholder requirements clearly defined at the start of the project? Were system requirements clearly defined? What are the requirements? In your opinion, were stakeholders identified and involved early in the project. Were their needs identified and addressed?Did the project deliver a
As described in this chapter, besides the main end-item or operating system (i.e., the output objective of the project), systems engineering also addresses the support system—that system which supports installation, operation, maintenance, evaluation, and enhancement of the operating system.
If the study project involves engineering or integration of many components, was the systems engineering process used? Is there a section, department, or task in the project called systems engineering? If so, elaborate. Are there functions or phases of the project that seem to resemble the systems
Now, conceptualize the output or end-item of the project as a system.Again, focus on the elements, relationships, attributes, subsystems, environment, and so on. All projects, whether directed at making a physical product (e.g. computer, space station, skyscraper, research report) or a service
Describe the role of the project manager with respect to these subsystems, both internal and external. What is the nature of his or her responsibilities in these subsystems? How aware is the project manager of the project “environment” and what does he or she do that reflects this awareness?
Conceptualize the project organization (the project team and the parent organization of the team) you are studying as a system. What are the elements, attributes, environment, and so on? What are its internal subsystems—functional breakdown and management-hierarchy subsystems? What is the
In the industry, service sector, and government examples in this chapter, what common characteristics of the environment, the project goals, and the project tasks make project management appropriate (or necessary)?Also, what seem to be the common characteristics of the roles and responsibilities of
Briefly compare and contrast the following forms of project management: pure project, matrix, program, new venture, product, and portfolio. Give at least one illustration of an organization where each one is used.
Describe five functions of management. Are any of these not performed by managers? How do you think each of these functions comes into play in the course of a project?
Making a film and carrying out a space mission are both expensive projects conducted by teams and subject to budgetary and schedule constraints. The technical expertise for landing a spacecraft on a planet is similar to that required to create the illusion of a spacecraft landing in a motion
What strategies, if any, did the contractor and project manager employ to identify and reduce risks in the project?
What adjustments did the project manager make to estimated resources, time, and cost to account for differences in countries supplying labor and materials to the project?
How did the project manager identify special issues related to the international nature of the project and account for them in planning the project?
Discuss the following, as appropriate: the role of a local project manager, the role of the steering committee, and the role of the PMO.
What difficulties did the project encounter stemming from the international nature of the project? Could these difficulties have been avoided through better preparation and planning?
How did the project manager and staff learn about the culture, country, and traditions of the host country? In your opinion, were they knowledgeable and well-prepared to work with stakeholders in the host and other countries?
Discuss aspects of the country, culture, language, and social behavior of the host country that posed challenges to the project manager.
Describe what the contractor and or project manager did for this project that differed from typical preparations for a domestic project.
What are the strategies named in this chapter for dealing with risks in international project?
What special issues should the communication plan for an international project address?
List some of the many factors that must be accounted for in estimating project resources, time, and cost, and in establishing budgets and schedules for an international project.
Comment on the size of work packages in an international project. How are work packages tracked and controlled?
Describe the purpose and content of the summary matrix in Table 18-4 .
Name some of the issues the WBS in an international project might have to address.
Describe the WBS for identifying the unique issues of an international project.How is the technical WBS similar to or different from a technical WBS for a single-country, domestic project.
Discuss the process of developing the scope and SOW for the subprojects in a multi-site, multinational global project.
What are the unique issues for an international project in defining the scope and SOW?
How can the project manager learn about the host country and about potential risks related to culture and environment in the project?
What are ways to build good relations with local stakeholders? With local vendors and officials? Why are these relations so important?
What are ways to build teamwork and encourage cooperation between members of the project team in the home and host countries?
What is the role of the PMO in an international project?
What is the role of the project steering committee (or governance committee or review board) and who is on the committee? What is the difference between the global and local steering committees?
What are the responsibilities and qualifications of the local representative?
In an international project, who should be trained in the cultures, traditions, and regulations of the home or host country, the project managers and staff who will be going overseas to the host country to work on the project, or the local managers and subcontractors who will be working in the host
Can it be assumed that a technology or process that proved successful in a project in one country or culture will automatically be successful in an identical project in another country or culture?
In global projects that include subprojects at multiple sites, who is responsible for day-to-day oversight of each subproject at each site?
A project involves team members in the New York and Rome. Discuss how you would accommodate the 6-hour time difference between the countries to encourage maximal communication and coordination between the teams.
Name some forms of export/import restrictions. In what ways can export/import restrictions impact an international project?
What is an “ offset? ” Compare indirect and direct offsets.
Describe some ways that the contractor can protect against rising costs or falling prices as a result of fluctuating exchange rates.
Describe the role of informal gathering and social events in building trust in international projects.
What are the potential benefits of hiring local contractors in international projects? What are the potential drawbacks and difficulties?
How can the project manager know in advance of impending political or labor/union problems in the host country?
What difficulties are associated with contracts in international projects? What steps should be taken to avoid legal problems, and to deal with them should they arise?
What are “ Incoterms? ”
For an overseas project, whose laws prevail, the host country or the home country?
Why might worker layoffs following the project cause legal problems for the contractor or employer?
Consider two countries you are familiar with (say, your native country and one other). Compare and contrast them in terms of the following: language, formality, gift giving, attitudes about age and about time, social behavior, food and drink, holidays and time off, and customary labor time.
In the above list, which unknowns are implicit and which are explicit? Why are implicit unknowns potentially more problematic for the project manager?
What are the four main categories of “ unknowns ” in an international project?
The analogy was made between an international project and a play. In international projects, who are the actors, what are the scripts, what are the sets, and what are the props?
If the organization has a PMO, discuss the PMO ’ s role in portfolio management and the gating process.
If the organization has both portfolio management and gating processes, discuss the relationship between the two and the manner in which they are integrated.
If the organization has a gating process, describe the gates, the requirements and assessment criteria at each, and who participates. In your opinion, is the process effective? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
How are projects compared and rank-ordered for selection? Are techniques described in this chapter used? Who makes approval and funding decisions?
Describe the organization ’ s project analysis and selection process. What kind of analysis and selection models and methods are used?
Does the organization have a PRB (governance board, project steering committee, etc.)? Describe the board, its role, membership, meetings, etc.
If the organization doing or paying for the study project has a portfolio management process, describe the key steps in the process and the managers and others who participate in the process. In your opinion, is the process effective? What are its strengths and weaknesses?
Describe the differences between the gating process and the portfolio management process. What are the difficulties in integrating the two processes? How might the difficulties be overcome so that portfolio projects can also be gated projects?
Once a project has been approved and admitted to the project portfolio, how is it monitored thereafter? Under what circumstances might it be canceled?
Suppose Project D is added to the projects in Table 17-4 and has been rated for effectiveness as follows:• Compute the total weighted effectiveness using the weights in Table 17-4 .How does Project D compare to the others in Figure 17-8 ? Project D Factors E Speed 80 Range 90 Efficiency 95
Explain how cost–benefit grids are used to ultimately determine the rank-ordering of projects.
The top management has decided to reallocate funds among the five categories of projects listed in Table 17-3 as follows: $13 M, $8 M, $7.5 M, $10 M, $7.8 M, respectively. What are the cutoff projects in each of the five categories?
Draw a bubble chart for Risk versus Reward similar to Figure 17-5 for the projects in Table 17-2 . Assume ECV 3 is considered “ low ” and ECV 6 is “ high. ” For risk, 1 is “ low ” and 4 is “ high. ” Use the Public Image ratings(not rankings) from problem 23 to “ size ” the
Repeat the example in Table 17-2 , but include a fourth criterion (in addition to Fit, Reward, and Risk): Public Image of Project (4 = high, 0 = none). Assume the projects are rated on Public Image (numbers in parentheses are ranking on list)as shown on the following table:• Include this ranking
You are to choose whether to recommend Project A or B. Both have the same development cost of $4 M. Project A ’ s likelihood of success is 95 percent, while B ’ s chances are estimated to be 50 percent. Project A is expected to generate$11 M but will incur $5 M in maintenance costs for your
A project is being assessed for its ECV. The project has three phases—concept, development, and launch—that are expected to cost $5 M, $15 M, and $4 M, respectively. The likelihoods of success for the three phases are 0.5, 0.8, and 0.7, respectively. If the estimated NPV of future earnings is
What is the ECV of a project involving the launch of a new product with an estimated development cost of $15 M, launch cost of $0.8 M, and an NPV for the future stream of earnings of $45 M if the probabilities for success are 70 percent in development and 50 percent in the market?
Compare the ECV and B/C methods for evaluating projects.
For the above four projects, assign scores of high 3, medium 2, and low 1.Assume the criteria are weighted Potential Return on Investment 0.3, Lack of Technological Risk 0.3, Environmental “ Friendliness ” 0.3, and Service to Community 0.1. Now which projects come out best and
Four Projects, W, X, Y, and Z, are each being screened according to four criteria:Potential Return on Investment, Lack of Technological Risk, Environmental Friendliness, and Service to Community:• Project W: Return, high; Risk, medium; Environment, medium; Service, low.• Project X: Return,
How would spare capacity influence project selection decisions? What should you do with spare capacity?
Explain portfolio selection. What kinds of projects does it consider—current, proposed, or both?
What is the purpose of prescreening in the project selection process? How does it differ from project screening ?
Do “ mandatory projects ” (see previous question) necessarily have high priority?
“ Some projects you simply have to do. You have no choice. ” Give examples of different types of cases where you have no choice.
What is the responsibility of the PRB? Who typically are members of the PRB?
Compare the following, and for each state the focus and how it relates to projects:• Strategic management• Portfolio management• Gating methodology
Is it poor practice to do the easiest projects first ( “ pick the low-hanging fruit ” )?When would it be acceptable and when not?
What is a project portfolio? How do project portfolios differ from programs?
What are three or four main features of project portfolio management?
Does the organization have a PMO? If so, what are its functions? How was the role of the PMO visible in this project? In your opinion, did the PMO help or hinder the project manager? Explain.
Among the many knowledge management methods described in this chapter, which were practiced in this project? Which of the methods does the project organization practice or offer to project managers? How is knowledge shared in the organization?
Were any systematic procedures used to capture knowledge within this project?Were any measures taken to retain this knowledge for application and transfer to other projects?
What is your opinion about the project management maturity of this organization?Would you say the organization is somewhat mature or immature?Explain.
If no formal methodology was used, did the project manager use her own, informal methodology? Was it effective? Should it become the formalized methodology?
Did the project follow an established, formal methodology? If so, describe the methodology. In your opinion, did it help or hinder the project? What is the opinion of the project manager and project staff as to the effectiveness of the methodology? Where did the methodology originate and how was it
Describe the evolution of a typical PMO—how it gets started and grows.Describe the role of the organization ’ s project managers in initiating and managing the PMO.
What is the role of the PMO with respect to each of the following:(a) project management methodology(b) project management policy, procedures, and standards(c) project resource management(d) project software and communications technology(e) mentoring, consulting, and knowledge management (f)
What is the overall purpose of the PMO?

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