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CIT 3114 Project Management

Lecturer: Dr Norriza Hussin



Name: Nicholas Yang Cheh Choong
Segi ID: SCM-026502


Date of Submission: 27
th
March 2014

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Table of Contents

No. Section Question Page No.
1 Section A
1) Come up with the name for the project. 3
2) Explain the attributes of a project (in general) 3
3) Identify the stakeholders, their roles, and their titles. 3
4) Provide the brief description of the project. 4
5) Specify the projects scope in terms of the high-level features or
functionality that should be included in the website.
4-5
6) Specify what should not be included in the projects scope. 6
Reference 7
2 Section B
Discuss the five benefits of using a project management approach to
developing information systems.
8-9
Reference 10
3 Section C
Discuss the process of defining project scope in more detail as a
project progresses, going from information in a project charter to a
project scope statement, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and
WBS dictionary. Include a mini case study on WBS in your answer.
11-13
Reference 14



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Section A

1) KD Swim Club Project

2) The purpose of this project is to promote KD Swim Club to teenager from age from 6 to 18 to
provide more information to attract them to join the club. The website will also provide information
such as result show their swim club performance.

This project requires to involve various stakeholders to assist in provide an accurate information
regarding the swim club that will benefit. The website content and appearance need to be very
attractive to attract the teenagers. The accessibility of the website must also be ease for the user to
access.

This project will failed if the information regarding the swim club is irrelevant and poor design of
the website such as text block alignment is out, use too much of graphic, different types of
navigation and etc.

3)
Stakeholders Titles Roles
Head Coach Head Coach Person that initiate this project, person-
in-charge of the club and trainer.
3 Assistant Coach 3 Assistant Coach Assisting the head coach.
Parents Association Parents Association Support by helping to run the meet and
work the concession stand.
Project Manager Project Manager Person that managing this project.
Project Manager Assistant A Graphic Designer Graphic artist that designing the
website.
Project Manager Assistant B Programmer Programmer that familiar with HTML,
Java, Active Server Pages (ASP) and
several web development tools that
assist in developing the website.
User Early teens (6-18
years)
Testing the website.



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4)The Project Manager was hired by the Head Coach of KD Swim Club for website development to
provide information mainly targeting boys and girls between ages of 6 to 18 years who are
interested to join the club. The website will need to be providing information such as meeting
minutes, practices, result and swim meet schedule for the season. The website will include pictures
of the 3 assistant coaches and different swimmers at swim meets and practice. The head coach
wanted website to provide required necessary information.

This website requires providing relevant information for user benefit. Website required providing
attractive content such as pictures of all the activities occur in the swim club including winning
trophy of swim club and attractive appearance of website. Website will be more focus on user
friendly user interface in order to prevent misleading information or wrong interpretation to all
website users.

Interactive web login such as web login and flash suggested being included in web content as extra
functionality. Animated flash containing relevant pictures of previous swimming club activities and
events to make website more attractive. Other required functionality of updating user individual
profile would be considered to be included in web site.

5) Login functionality is recommended to apply in website to provide user for viewing own
required information and administrator of website could keep track all user login records. Login
functionality required registration functionality in order user could provide their personal
information before username and password are created. All usernames and password will be
provided by web administrator.

The above illustration shows the login functionality and registration functionality.

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Website to include animated flash to show those attracting pictures by repeating a few of the
selected pictures to attract user. Flash will include functionality to play movie and sound. This
functionality could make website be less stagnant in order to attract early teenage user.


The above and below illustration is to show the picture of Water Polo and Learn To Swim is
repeatedly changing continuously with each other. This is a functionality of script or animated flash.


Other functionality such as email notification of upcoming events and schedules will be send to
users email based on user provided email address in their profile as gentle reminder.


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6) Content that are not included in project scope are providing parents volunteering work schedule
of swim meet and basic swimming tutorial because head coach believes this functionality are not
required at the moment.

Both functionalities are unimportant in project scope needed to have basic information functionality
to attract unisex teenager between 6 to 18 years old for the swim club. Project scope of website only
required to provide practical basic information of swim club to early teenager users.

This project requires every one of the stakeholders to work together pool information to makes this
project works but if the stakeholders does not work together and be clear to their roles, this project
is doomed to be fail. Regular meeting need to be conduct for more communication to build
teamwork between project member and stakeholders to receive or give update about the project.

Being not specific with the project scope and allowing frequent change of project scope makes the
project doomed to fail. The project scope must be ultra-clear to every stakeholders and it need to be
properly managed by the project manager. Project manager need to be firm with the project scope to
prevent from changing frequently except after full evaluation is done that changes is a must for the
project to be successful.

Project manager need metric measurement to define completion of this project. Measurement is
needed to update the stakeholder of success implemented and completion of project. Stakeholders
needed to be update frequently of the completion of project so that they could pool in resources to
assist the project to be successful.


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Reference for Section A

Spritz Web Solutions. (2012). Key Elements of an Effective Website. Available:
http://www.spritzweb.com/resources/good-website-characteristics.html#usability. Last accessed
26th March 2014.

Kay Singh. (2013). Web Design: 11 Characteristics of a User-Friendly Website. Available:
http://socialmediatoday.com/ksingh/1537926/web-design-11-characteristics-user-friendly-website.
Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Australian Business Consulting & Solutions. ('2014). Desirable website attributes and the not so
desirable!. Available: http://www.australianbusiness.com.au/marketing/resources/website-
attributes. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Mandy Porta. (2009). Eight Characteristics of a Good Website. Available:
http://www.successdesigns.net/articles/entry/characteristics-of-a-good-website. Last accessed 26th
March 2014.

Santa Clara Swim Club. (2011). Santa Clara Swim Club. Available:
http://www.santaclaraswimclub.org/. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Facebook. (2014). -. Available: https://www.facebook.com/. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Jennifer Lonoff Schiff . (2012). 12 Common Project Management Mistakes--and How to Avoid
Them. Available:
http://www.cio.com/article/717321/12_Common_Project_Management_Mistakes_and_How_to_Av
oid_Them?page=3&taxonomyId=3013. Last accessed 26th March 2014.


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Section B

The (5) five benefits of using a project management approach to developing information systems as
below:-

a) Better control of financial, physical and human resources
- Better control of financial, physical and human resources will benefit in a project
management approach in developing information systems due to project manager have
better utilization on financial, physical and human resources. Most of company will allocate
a limited budget and fewer resources to develop information systems. Project manager need
to have better control in financial to allocate budget in innovative project that will help the
company to move forward and prevent to spend money on projects that will fail.
- Human resources also need to be optimized because human resources are also a cost in a
project that they need to be paid with salary for their job. Human resources need to be
manage using project management approach to make sure that the individual is assigned to
their task and perform their task efficiently and effectively because if without proper
management these individual performance and result of the project will be unable to be
measure. It will also have 2 or more individual perform the same task and these will cause
the company to waste resources on inefficient task.

b) Shorter development times
- Using a project management approach method could shorten the development time for
developing information system. Time management is important for developing, monitoring
and managing the projects schedule. By using time management such as estimating,
assigning resources and sequencing to develop the information system could shorten the
time because the time is fully utilize to complete the project to meet the project objective
and the deadline or might complete earlier than the deadline.
- Without time management in project management approach, a project will not complete in
time because it was unplanned. These projects could also be considered as wasting resources
because time is also an important resource. By wasting time, the project is also wasting
money with the existing staff with no performance.



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c) Lower costs
- Project management approach in developing information systems will help to save cost or
achieve lower costs to complete the projects. This is because by using project management
approach the cost of completing the project is planned and is not wasting resource in time,
human resource and financially. Wasting resources by not spending aimlessly and
inefficiently in a project will lower the cost a lot that help in developing the information
systems especially during the recession times.
- Project management approach could reduce risk, cut costs and improved success rate in
achieving the best results with lower costs. When the project is complete earlier than
deadline, the cost of the projects will also be lower because the human resource could be
assigned to the next projects.

d) Higher quality and increased reliability
- Higher quality and increased reliability will be achieved in project management approach in
developing information systems. In project management timeline, human resources and
other related work efficiency will be properly managed. So the project will be done in
sequence according the planned schedule and will be monitor by the project manager
because without these, the staff will not have guideline to complete the task accordingly and
might even have duplicate or conflict task.
- This lack discipline will cause the staff to deliver lower quality and unreliable result that
causes the downfall of the project. Disadvantages faced by project manager such as lack of
guidance, experience, monitoring and improper management will affect the work quality,
efficiency and credit reliability in project management.

e) Improved productivity
- Project management approach could improve the productivity of the project. To develop
information system, the productivity of the overall of the project will be monitor by the
project manager according the project planned schedule. The approach of the project
management utilizes the human resource, financial and time efficiently and effectively will
improve the productivity.
- The productivity of the staff will be guarantee if they are very discipline and following
according the guideline set by the project manager. The usage of time and money that
already optimize will also help to improved productivity.


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Reference for Section B

Project Management Institute. (2010). The Value of Project Management. Available:
http://www.pmi.org/business-solutions/~/media/PDF/Business-
Solutions/Value%20of%20Project%20Management_FINAL.ashx. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Peter Guo. (2012). 4 Big Benefits of Using a Project Management Methodology. Available:
http://www.mnp.ca/en/media-centre/blog/2012/11/22/4-big-benefits-of-using-a-project-
management-methodology. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Gary Picariello. (2013). The Top Ten Benefits of Project Management. Available:
http://www.brighthubpm.com/project-planning/2350-the-top-ten-benefits-of-project-management/.
Last accessed 26th March 2014.

TechTarget. (2012). Project Charter. Available: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/project-
charter-PC. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Project Management Institute. (2014). Business Solutions. Available: http://www.pmi.org/Business-
Solutions.aspx. Last accessed 26th March 2014.


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Section C

Project scope is the part of project planning that involves determining and documenting a list of
specific project goals, deliverables, tasks, costs and deadlines. The first step of project scope is to
establishing project timeline, setting of project goals and allocating project resources. These steps
will help you to define the scope of the project. Once this is defined, tasks could be allocate and
give the team the direction they need to deliver the project on time and on budget.

Project scope is work to be completed. A specific section of project charter that clarifies what will
be produced or delivered by the project team including what are not supposed to be in project scope.
It is important to distinct project scope for 2 reasons.

First, it provides the foundation for developing the project planned schedule and cost estimates.
Changes to the project scope will impact the project schedule and budget. If resources are fixed,
expanding the amount work to complete will take more time and money. Therefore, creation of
additional work for the project team will extend the project's schedule and invariably increase the
cost of the project. Formal procedures must be in place to control and manage the project scope.

Secondly, it is important for project manager to manage the expectations of the project sponsor and
the project team. By making the project scope explicit as to what is and what are not supposed to be
delivered. So the likelihood of confusion and misunderstanding is reduced. Although you may be
clear on this issue, others may still have different expectations. The project scope should define key
deliverables and high-level descriptions of the information system functionality. The details of the
system features and functionality will be determined later in the systems development life cycle
when the project team conducts an information requirements analysis.



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Going from information in a project charter to a project scope have a quite a number of difference.
Project charter defines as acknowledges the existence of a project whereby project scope statement
defines as where the major objectives and what the project deliverables is. Below are the tables of
element between project charter and project scope statement:-

Project Charter Project Scope Statement
A) Project purpose or justification (fits
business needs, strategic plan)
B) Project objectives, product
characteristics
A) Project scope description and project
deliverables
C) Project success criteria B) Product user acceptance criteria
D) High-level requirements
C) Project boundaries, constraints and
assumptions
E) Summary schedule and budget

F) Project manager assigned to project

G) Project approval requirements and
approval authority

Above tables show elements of project charter is used for approval of project and project scope
statement is used in planning of project. Project charter is an official document that is created and
approved by key stakeholders after project idea has been identified. It is developed by the corporate
executive or sponsor to define the responsibilities and boundaries of the project manager and the
project. Project charter provide tactical plan for executing IT project by defining its infrastructure,
summarizing the project plan details, defining roles and responsibilities, showing project
commitments, and explaining project control mechanisms.

Project scope statement is a document that formalizes references the scope of everything that the
project must produce that used for future decision making. This document created after the approval
of project charter by the project manager with the project team to define the scope of the project and
act as a response to project charter.


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Work breakdown structure (WBS) is a deliverable oriented decomposition of a project into smaller
components that also provides detailed cost estimating and control along with providing guidance
for schedule development and control. WBS dictionary elaborate each WBS component and
elements attributes for understanding the scope or statement of the work, defines deliverables,
contains a list of associated activities, and provides a list of recognized milestones to gage progress
of project. Below picture shows the examples of WBS and WBS Dictionary:-


The above illustration is Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).

The above illustration is Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Dictionary


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Reference for Section C

Tom Mochal. (2007). Define project scope to include deliverables, boundaries, and requirements.
Available: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/it-consultant/define-project-scope-to-include-
deliverables-boundaries-and-requirements/#.. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Wikipedia. (2014). Work breakdown structure. Available:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_breakdown_structure. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Project Management Knowledge. (2010). Work Breakdown Structure Dictionary. Available:
http://project-management-knowledge.com/definitions/w/work-breakdown-structure-dictionary/.
Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Johan Cloete. (2012). Creating a Work Breakdown Structure Dictionary. Available:
http://projectctrl.blogspot.com/2012/05/creating-work-breakdown-structure_18.html. Last accessed
26th March 2014.

Project Management Lexicon. (2014). WBS Dictionary. Available:
http://www.projectmanagementlexicon.com/wbs-dictionary/. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

CIO Staff. (2011). How to define the scope of a project. Available:
http://www.cio.com.au/article/401353/how_define_scope_project/. Last accessed 26th March 2014.

Jessriley14. (2014). MP 5: Project Scope Management. Available:
http://quizlet.com/21805146/pmp-5-project-scope-management-flash-cards/. Last accessed 26th
March 2014.

Lisa Drake. (2011). Project Charter vs. Scope Statement. Available:
http://lisamdrake.com/2011/05/02/scope-statement-vs-project-charter/. Last accessed 26th March
2014.

Jerome Rowley. (2012). Passing the #PMP ExamProject Charter vs. Project Scope Statement.
Available: http://4squareviews.com/2012/09/02/passing-the-pmp-exam-project-charter-vs-project-
scope-statement/. Last accessed 26th March 2014.