Week 12 Questions: Chapter 11

1. Explain the triple constraint and its importance in project management?

A projects vision needs to be clear, concise and comprehensible, but also has to be the same to all stakeholders. There are three primary variables within any project – time, cost and scope. These three variables are interdependent. All projects are limited in some way by these three constraints.

2. Describe the two primary diagrams most frequently used in project planning?

The two primary diagrams most frequently used in project planning are PERT and GANTT charts.

A PERT chart (Program Evaluation and Review Technique) chart is a graphical network model that depicts a projects tasks and relationships between those tasks. A dependency is a logical relationship that exists between the project tasks, or between a project task and a milestone. PERT charts define dependency between project tasks before those tasks are scheduled.

Example of a PERT Chart:

  Image taken from: http://grantsoffice2.adm.slu.se/documents/pertchart.gif 

A Gantt chart is a simple bar chart that depicts project tasks against a calender. In a Gantt chart, tasks are listed vertically and the projects time frame is listed horizontally. A Gantt chart works well for representing the project schedule.

Example of a Gantt Chart:

 Image taken from: http://www4.agr.gc.ca/resources/prod/img/prog/ecoabc-iieb/img/annexb_chart_e.gif

3. Identify the three primary areas a project manager must focus on managing to ensure success?

A project manager must focus on managing three primary areas to ensure success:

-       People

-       Communications

-       Change

4. Outline 2 reasons why projects fail and two reasons why projects succeed?

Projects fail either because they’re delivered late, come in over budget or don’t deliver the scope initially agreed on.

A successful project is typically on time, within budget, meets the business’s requirements and fulfils the customer’s needs.