Laboratory Exercise Project Management (Part 1)

Objectives:

Identify tangible and intangible values. Create a system request.

Problems:

1. Locate a news article in an IT trade magazine (e.g., Computerworld, PCWorld, Maximum PC,
etc.) about an organization that is implementing a new computer system. Describe the tangible
and intangible values that the organization is likely to realize from the new system.

Article: “Microsoft urges enterprise to test Windows 10 21H1 as May launch looms”

Microsoft is now telling commercial customers that Windows 10 21H1 is ready for "commercial
pre-release validation," a phrase it first used in August 2020 prior to the launch of that year's
minor fall upgrade.

"Windows 10, version 21H1, is now available for commercial customers to begin feature
exploration and validation prior to being released for general availability," Aria Carley, senior
program manager, wrote in a March 18 post to a company blog.

Microsoft has not yet divulged a launch date for Windows 10 21H1, the year's first feature
upgrade, as noted by the H1 — for first half — designation. However, a month ago, the
Redmond, Wash. developer implied that, unlike in years past, the spring refresh would be a
minor upgrade, one with few if any new features and little new functionality.

Carley's post confirmed that. 

"Version 21H1 will be delivered to devices currently running Windows 10, version 2004 or
version 20H2 using an enablement package," she said. "This is the same technology we used to
update devices from Windows 10, version 2004 to version 20H2."

The enablement package Carley mentioned was the tip-off, as that small code fragment is what
transformed Windows 10 2004 into 20H2 last year. That was possible because 20H2 was
virtually the same as 2004 as released and exactly the same as 2004 by the time 20H2 was to
debut.

(Confused? Microsoft built Windows 10 21H1 by taking October's 20H2, collected everything
that changed from that point on — those changes had been issued in the monthly updates since
October — and added a handful of new features. Voilà: Windows 10 21H1. Microsoft delivers
these minor upgrades through the usual Windows Update/WIndows Update for Business/WSUS
channels as the monthly cumulative update. The enablement package is essentially a command
given to Windows to "switch on" the new version, since the code for it is already onboard.)

Because Windows 10 21H1 is the second minor upgrade in a row, the enablement package
mechanism works on all PCs running Windows 10 20H2 or 2004. Those enterprise systems
running earlier versions of Windows 10 will have to download the entire OS to reach 21H1.
 (That, too, will be available, either as a manual download in .iso disk image format or through
WSUS.)

This is also the second update running that Microsoft has explicitly told commercial customers
to start putting the version through the testing wringer. Last year, Microsoft made the same
"commercial pre-release validation" announcement for Windows 10 20H2 exactly two months
before it unveiled the so-called upgrade to the public. It appears that Microsoft has decided to
add this announcement to the servicing process when it is preparing to issue a minor upgrade.

If Microsoft hews to the timetable of 2020 — announcement made two months prior to release
— it will launch Windows 10 21H2 in the third week of May, perhaps May 20 or May 21.

Ironically, Microsoft's declaration of open testing of Windows 10 21H1 may fail to move
corporate IT personnel; the spring update, no matter whether major or minor, comes with only
18 months of support, a year shy of the 30 months awarded by each fall's refresh to the
Windows 10 Enterprise and Education SKUs (stock-keeping units). Spring updates are, simply
put, second class, and organizations are unlikely to bother deploying 21H1 unless forced to by
circumstances, such as owning systems set to exhaust support in the next seven or eight
months.

With a May launch of Windows 10 21H1 almost certain, the version should receive support until
Dec. 13, 2022.

Reference: https://www.computerworld.com/article/3612670/microsoft-urges-enterprise-to-
test-windows-10-21h1-as-may-launch-looms.html

2. Car dealers have realized how profitable it can be to sell automobiles using the Web. Pretend
that you work for a local car dealership that is part of a large chain. Create a system request you
might use to develop a Web-based sales system. Remember to list special issues that are
relevant to the project.

System Request: JMO Auto Supply Web-Based Sales System

Project Sponsor
Business Need:
Business Requirements:
Business Value
Special Issues or Constraints: