Project Management Assignment 3
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Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Acknowledgements 1
Acknowledgements
This project (Documentation) presents the maximum effort of me and I should thank and
express the gratitude among the following:
Lecturer : G. Sekar
IT Resource : Technical Staff
And special thanks should be given to
All My Friends and My Colleagues
AND
All the Staff Members of
London Business School
Thank You!
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Table of Content 2
Table of Content
Chapter 01: Question 1 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………4
Chapter 02: Question 2 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10
Chapter 03: Question 3 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….12
Chapter 04: Question 4 ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….16
Chapter 05: Question 5…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..17
Chapter 06: Reference …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..20
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Introduction 3
Introduction
Assignment Objectives
Understand and explain the various types of software that is used widely used in
the project management and the advantages of those softwares
Explaining and understanding the importance of managing suppliers and sub-
contractors in project management
Understanding and explaining various types of problem solving tools and techniques
Understanding and explaining the importance of follow up in the project management
context
Understanding and explaining the importance of documentation in project completion
and hand over
This is the third assignment of the Diploma in Project management. In this project the main
flow is formed of questions and answers basis. 5 main questions are asked in this project and
sub-questions are included within 5 main questions.
The main titles explained here are Project Management Softwares, Suppliers, Sub-contractors,
and handling them, Problem solving Tools, Techniques, follow up and understanding
importance of them, importance of documentation and also project completion.
Keywords – Microsoft project, Project Manager, Management Skills, Organizations,
Organization Structure, Motivation, Follow up.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 1: Question 1 4
Chapter 1: Question 1
This is the first question of the project.
1.0 Explain the various types of software tools available for the project management and their
advantages
There are many tools which are used in project management. the major tools in project
management are as follows.
Business Plan
Milestones Check-list
Gantt
Pert
MS Project
Business Case Justification
Project Charter
Project Framework or Overview
Risk Analysis
Score Cards
Team Building
Project Communication Plan
Project Management Templates
Project Management Software Packages
Above tools are very essential in project management. There are many software tools which
are available today. Most of them help the project manager to handle the above mentioned
activities efficiently.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 1: Question 1 5
Many of these project management apps have built-in code repositories and subversion
browsers (or are built around them). A few have built-in bug and issue tracking. Others include
more than just basic project management. All of them can help you keep track of activities and
team members. There are both free and paid options. Some have very slick interfaces, and
some are modeled more after desktop applications. All are relatively easy to use and easy to set
up.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse is a bug- and issue-tracking app that tracks timelines and milestones, integrates with
your email client and more. You can update tickets through your inbox, manage your beta
testing (by making tickets and milestones public), integrate it with subversion and manage and
prioritize your tickets.
Project creation is simple; only a project title and description is required. Once a project is
created, tickets, messages and milestones can be entered. Ticket creation can be done by email
(the email address to send tickets to is displayed on the “Tickets” page). You can show tickets
based on a variety of criteria, including date, state (open or closed) and who is responsible for
them. Message creation is easier than email, and you can attach files up to 50 MB in size. When
you create a milestone you simply enter the title, the date it’s due and the goals or focus for
that particular milestone. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.
Permissions are easy to set, and you can invite users by email. One of the best features of
Lighthouse is its Beacon and API integration. With the API, you can customize tickets, projects,
changesets, milestones, messages and more. Integrate it with other services (such as Google
Calendar), or make desktop applications that use Lighthouse. The APIs make Lighthouse
infinitely more useful, because you can really customize it to fit your current workflow.
When combined with a subversion app, Lighthouse provides a pretty complete project
management app for developers. Subversion integration is pretty straightforward, and the help
file provided gives complete step-by-step instructions for setup.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 1: Question 1 6
Springloops
Springloops is another subversion browser that integrates project management. It counts a
unique AJAX code browser and Basecamp integration as among its features.
CreativePro Office
CreativePro Office offers complete office management tools. CreativePro Office is completely
free, setting it apart from the other apps here.
CreativePro Office has the usual tabbed navigation, including tabs for clients, projects, time
sheets, finances and team members. The dashboard presents a calendar with upcoming events,
a list of your projects, outstanding invoices, notes and search functionality. Project creation is a
bit more in-depth than with most other apps listed here, though only a client name and project
name is required (you can also fill in a project URL, description or comments, category, date
range, status, contacts and tags). Client tracking is integrated, making this handy for those who
work with lots of different clients, and it could even serve as a simple CRM program, depending
on your needs.
Integrated invoices and financial information is handy, and the finances page gives you options
for viewing and creating invoices, expenses and reports.
CreativePro Office is very robust for a completely free application and is definitely worth
checking out before shelling out for an expensive paid solution
Jumpchart
Jumpchart is a website planning application that allows you to plan the navigation of your
website by creating, dragging and dropping pages into the plan. You can also add text and
formatting to pages and then export your CSS files and site map when you’re finished.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 1: Question 1 7
No Kahuna
No Kahuna is a simple project management and issue-tracking platform. It’s very
straightforward and easy to use, with an excellent user interface. Features include task and
activity tracking and collaboration tools
Basecamp
Basecamp is often considered to be the best project management and collaboration platform
out there. Its features are impressive: to-do lists, file sharing, message boards, milestones, time
tracking, project overviews and commenting.
Trac Project
Trac Project is a project management app that is based on wiki functionality. It also includes a
subversion browser, a timeline, ticket tracking, a road map (showing milestones and the
number of current open and closed tickets) and builds status tracking.
One of Trac’s best features is the range of plug-ins available for it. There are plug-ins for Web
administration, authentication, code documentation, file management, ticketing, testing, user
management and version control.
JIRA
JIRA is issue- and bug-tracking software that includes a lot of great features. It has advanced
reporting features, workflow mapping as well as issue and project organizing; it is also
customizable.
JIRA also offers a number of plug-ins to extend its functionality, including Bamboo integration,
charting, time tracking, project management, a calendar and more. By using plug-ins, you can
customize JIRA to meet your exact project management and issue-tracking needs
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 1: Question 1 8
activeCollab
activeCollab is a project management and collaboration tool that lets you set up a collaboration
area right on your website. You can have unlimited projects, organized into groups for easy
management.
Collaboration features include file sharing, discussions (set up like an online forum),
assignments, collaborative writing and reminders. Project management features include
printing and exporting, time tracking, calendar and schedule functionality, ticket management
and milestones. Plug-ins (modules) mean that activeCollab can be extended to suit your specific
needs.
DimDim
DimDim is a Web-conferencing platform that provides collaboration tools for meeting online.
It’s scalable, reliable and flexible, with both hosted and on-site versions available.
DimDim allows you to share your desktop with those you’re meeting with, as well as share and
present documents (both PowerPoint and PDFs). You can also share Whiteboards, and it has
built-in voice-over-IP and teleconferencing capabilities. There are public and private chat
capabilities as well as annotation and markup tools
Vyew
Vyew is a browser-based Web presentation service that allows for custom branding and
PowerPoint-like authoring. With Vyew, you can give a live presentation or just post a document
for your colleagues to review at their convenience.
Features include real-time desktop sharing, whiteboarding and drawing tools, embedded
comments, built-in voice over IP, free teleconferencing, built-in webcam video support, text
chat, dedicated rooms and direct URLs and more. It’s a complete solution for Web
conferencing.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 1: Question 1 9
Less Accounting
Less Accounting is a simple online accounting and invoicing program that is incredibly easy to
use. Less Accounting has a variety of features, including proposal creation and tracking, mileage
tracking, sales-lead management and expense tracking. You can import your existing
Wesabe.com account, and you can even invite your CPA to look at your books. Less Accounting
also sends a weekly email with an update on the status of your accounts.
LiveTimer
LiveTimer is an easy-to-use time-tracking program that works on both your computer and
iPhone. It can be used for billing purposes or simply to improve your productivity and
accountability.
Features include a daily ledger, bulk time entry (by day or week), customizable classifications,
multiple currencies, custom billing rates, intelligent report filters and a developer API. The
iPhone integration makes it easy to track your time even if you’re not at your desk, making it
more useful than many other Web-based time-tracking applications.
The main target of all the softwares above is to ease the job of the project management. The
project manager can easily use the softwares or by using the templates available in those
softwares, can do the management in project more effectively. And also by using the softwares
the project manager can save lot of time.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 2: Question 2 10
Chapter 2: Question 2
This is the second question of the project
2.0 Explain the importance of managing Suppliers and Sub-contractors in Project
Management
Supplier management is best described as an ongoing process that minimises the risks
associated with purchasing goods, materials and services.
It ensures that products and services are more likely to meet agreed requirements from the
point of first delivery and will continue to do so during their operational life. In the unlikely
event that the product or service does not perform to its agreed requirements then corrective
action can be implemented promptly.
Supplier management consists of three key elements:
Supplier selection.
Performance measurement.
Supplier relationships.
Supplier selection embodies supplier categorization by strategic and financial importance with
each category demanding different appraisal requirements and selection criteria with
stringency in proportion to the impact on the business.
Within most organizations there are a small number of suppliers who enjoy very large amounts
of business. The categorization process enables a concentrated focus on accredited and major
suppliers and provides the means to closely control the largest proportion of the organisations
total expenditure on goods and services.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 2: Question 2 11
Supplier categorization also determines the method of monitoring supplier performance during
the life of a contract. Monitoring the supplier’s performance will give advance warning of
problems that may be developing, which lowers the risks and costs associated with having to
react to post failure problems.
Managing the critical or strategic supplier’s ongoing relationship with the organization is vitally
important. Supplier management provides the mechanism for a single interface between the
business and its largest suppliers for regular formal reviews. It provides a platform for strategic
discussions, building longer-term open and visible relationships on both sides.
Supply management delivers other significant benefits, namely a reduction in the number of
suppliers used for each product or service. It ensures that suppliers for which there is no
immediate demand, those who fail to meet the evaluation criteria and those who fail to
perform satisfactorily are excluded.
The organization benefits from an optimum supply base, which will continually meet the
product and service requirements of the organization in terms of cost, risk reduction and
quality levels.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 3: Question 3 12
Chapter 3: Question 3
This is the third question of the project
3.0 Explain the various types of problem solving tools and techniques
The essence of continual improvement is the ability to solve problems effectively. When an
actual—or potential—problem crops up, its root cause is first identified, and action is taken to
eliminate it. If an organization progressively seeks out and eliminates problems in this way,
continual improvement results. It’s that simple.
Theorizing about problem solving as a cornerstone of continual improvement may be easy, but
making it happen in a systematic and effective manner is much more difficult.
Problem-solving skills rarely come naturally; they must be refined and practiced daily. But these
skills can be developed by most organizations.
There are six consistent fundamentals that are almost always present when problems are
solved in lasting and effective ways. If these six fundamentals are incorporated into your
problem-solving strategy, continual improvement will inevitably result. Let’s look closer at each
of them.
Use a structured problem-solving method
Although most people consider problem-solving methods a given, many organizations still use
ad hoc methods for addressing problems. In other words, they latch on to the most obvious
explanation for a problem and pray that they’ve addressed its root cause. An effective problem-
solving method is simply a step-by-step road map for developing solutions. The numerous
reasons for using a formal method are very convincing. Here are just a few:
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 3: Question 3 13
Prevents problem solvers from jumping to conclusions. It’s always tempting to propose
solutions before a problem is properly defined and its root cause identified. A structured
problem-solving method prevents the process from short-circuiting and ensures the
critical, preliminary step of truly understanding the problem and its variables.
Ensures root cause analysis. An inability—or unwillingness—to identify the root cause is
probably the single biggest obstacle to problem solving. However, when one of the
explicit steps of a structured problem-solving method is identifying the root cause, it’s
much harder to ignore.
Demystifies the problem-solving process. When each step of the problem-solving
method is understood and agreed upon by all participants, the process gives everyone
an opportunity to contribute and drives a team-oriented style of problem solving.
Prescribes which analytical tools to use and when. The sheer number of analytical tools
available to problem solvers is mind-boggling, and it’s not always clear when the use of
a certain one is appropriate. A structured problem-solving method offers guidance on
when and how to use the proper tools.
Along with the numerous analytical tools available, there are many structured problem-solving
methods. Some are copyrighted, some are public domain, some are very intricate and others
are quite simple. Typically, they range in complexity from four to eight steps, but all the
methods share the same basic themes. Therefore, it’s less important which problem-solving
method you choose than actually picking one and using it. You can even make up your own
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 3: Question 3 14
method. But for those who aren’t feeling particularly creative, it is welcome to adopt the
strategy outlined below.
1. Decide on which problem to pursue. For some reason, this step is left out of many problem-
solving methods. Maybe it’s assumed that participants will automatically know which problems
are worth tackling. This is hardly ever the case. In most organizations there are countless
opportunities for improvement but finite resources available to apply to them. Most
organizations must prioritize the issues and dedicate resources accordingly. (Appropriate tools
for this step include brainstorming, Pareto charts, run charts, pie charts, flowcharts and voting.)
2. Define the problem. In the clearest and most succinct terms possible, what exactly is the
problem? Provide the details of who, what, where and when. "The customer states that the
parts won’t run right," is an almost-worthless problem definition. Get specific. Keep in mind
that carefully defining the problem will provide the raw material for successfully identifying its
root cause. (Appropriate tools include brainstorming, Pareto charts, check sheets and
histograms.)
3. Determine the root cause. Identifying a root cause proceeds directly from defining the
problem itself. The typical obstacle at this step is mistaking a symptom for the root cause. Often
the so-called "root cause" is nothing more than a restatement of the problem definition. Before
team members are asked to participate in problem solving, they should receive training in how
to distinguish symptoms from root causes. (Appropriate tools include interviewing,
brainstorming, cause-and-effect diagrams, and voting.)
4. Generate possible solutions and choose the most likely one. This step works very well in a
team setting, where it’s possible to generate a large number of alternative solutions. The trick is
to cast a wide net, then narrow the possibilities to those solutions that satisfy the following
criteria: They have a strong chance of being successfully implemented, they will be accepted by
all relevant stakeholders and they truly address the root cause identified in the previous step.
Then agree upon a solution, either by group consensus or through executive decree.
(Appropriate tools include brainstorming, Pareto charts and voting.)
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 3: Question 3 15
5. Plan and execute the solution. Even the best solution is doomed to fail if its implementation
isn’t carefully planned and executed. This process typically consists of two distinct phases:
selling the solution to key stakeholders in order to get buy-in and methodical project planning
to ensure the solution is executed correctly. It’s also helpful to notify the organization’s
customers who will be affected by the solution. This reinforces the idea that the organization is
dedicated to customer satisfaction and problem resolution. (Appropriate tools include project
planning, effective presentation skills, selling skills and pilot runs.)
6. Verify effectiveness. After you’ve implemented your solution, someone must verify that it’s
effective. The more objective this determination is, the better. It isn’t absolutely necessary that
people outside the problem-solving team verify effectiveness, but it might be helpful in order to
avoid bias. Whether they’re internal or external, customers are particularly good at shedding
light in this regard. If a customer doesn’t perceive an improvement, then there is no
improvement. Perception is everything. (Appropriate tools include auditing, interviewing,
documentation, control charts and process capability.)
7. Communicate and congratulate. This step is routinely forgotten in many organizations. Most
problem-solving methods I’ve seen don’t address this issue, even though communication drives
an effort’s success at every stage. People crave information about how problems are being
addressed and solved. This information creates a feeling of security and confidence and builds a
culture of continual improvement. Recognition is also critical. People who successfully
contribute to problem-solving efforts should be recognized for their work. Congratulations
should be dignified, public and carried out by top management. (Appropriate tools include
empathy, integrity, and effective speaking and writing skills.)
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 4: Question 4 16
Chapter 4: Question 4
This is the 4th question of the project
4.0 Explain the importance of “Follow Up” in project management context
Traditionally this stage would be considered part of the project completion, but increasingly an
emphasised additional stage of project follow-up is appropriate.
This is particularly so in very political environments, and/or where projects benefits have
relatively low visibility and meaning to stakeholders (staff, customers, investors, etc), especially
if the project also has very high costs, as ICT projects tend to do.
ICT (information and communications technology) projects often are like this - low visibility of
benefits but very high costs, and also very high stress and risk levels too.
Project management almost always involves change management too, within which it's very
important to consider the effects of the project on people who have to adapt to the change.
There is often a training or education need. There will almost certainly be an explanation need,
in which for example methods like team briefing have prove very useful.
Whatever, when you are focused on project management it is easy to forget or ignore that
many people are affected in some way by the results of the project. Change is difficult, even
when it is good and for right reasons. Remembering this during and at the end of your project
will help you achieve a project that is well received, as well as successful purely in project
management terms.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 5: Question 5 17
Chapter 5: Question 5
This is the 5th question of the project
5.0 Explain the importance of documentation completion and hand over
It's important not to cut corners when it comes to project documentation, since documentation
is critical to your project's success. You need to know how much documentation a given project
needs to get it right the first time.
Both project and development managers love to deliver, be it cutting-edge software
applications, network solutions, or construction projects. Their focus and passion is to design,
build, test, and deploy solutions in the best possible manner. Sometimes, however, the
importance of having project documentation in place for every project doesn’t always resonate
with managers.
You can apply this example to any project. Each project is unique, and, therefore, requires
unique documentation. The trick is to remember to add the appropriate documents once
you’ve defined the methodology you’re going to use, and then decide which documents would
really help drive the project through to a successful conclusion. For example, the concept phase
would require a business case, feasibility study, and so on
Both project and development managers need to realize that projects must be classified into
groups in order to gauge how many documents each project needs. Here are some of the
different types of projects you’ll typically encounter:
Small projects—These projects range anywhere from one to four months in duration. The
emphasis is on speed and completing the project as quickly as possible. Examples of such
projects are small migration projects, creating a Web site, or simply upgrading existing systems.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 5: Question 5 18
Medium-size projects—These projects take up to 12 months to complete, and they’re the norm
for most companies. They are not that quick to resolve, and they usually involve external
vendors and integration. The level of risk and change control increases with medium-size
projects. Such a project might be developing a network center in a new location, or a business
intelligence project.
Super-size projects—These are the largest projects. They may take a few years to complete.
Examples of such projects are the development and deployment of a new billing system, a
construction project, or other lengthy efforts.
By this you can get rough idea about the content of each type of project
Creating the right documentation the first time
Sometimes project or development managers don’t want to recreate the proverbial wheel by
creating brand-new documents for their projects. As an alternative, they can use a wide variety
of tried-and-tested project templates. This gives the manager more time to concentrate on the
actual project, rather than spending it on developing new documents from scratch. Whatever
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 5: Question 5 19
you prefer to call them—templates, artifacts, or boilerplate templates—they form the
backbone of essential project documentation.
Whether you’re managing projects throughout the entire lifecycle or simply developing
technical specifications, you’ll surely have to deal with details from various sources throughout
the project—such as the client, users, and vendors—and at some point you’ll have to write
something down.
Specifically, project documentation focuses on guiding the project team and readers to:
Define the aim and background of the project.
Identify key deliverables and dates.
Document the technical parameters and technologies to be used.
Address the manner in which items will be built or deployed.
Assess items such as quality, scope, resources, risk, training, and cost.
Document any back-out or contingencies that could occur.
Communicate progress and update stakeholders.
Proper documentation is critical to your project’s success. Whether it’s in the form of source
code, plain hardcopy documents, or transmitted in electronic form, you need to plan for and
develop project documentation prior to starting the project. Managers should anticipate the
time required for developing such documents and update them whenever a change occurs.
Diploma in Project Management
Project Management Assignment 2 | Chapter 6: References 20
Chapter 6: References
Project Documentation [online]. (2002) [Accessed 7th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://businessmanagement.suite101.com/article.cfm/documentation_in_projects>.
Project Documentation [online]. (2002) [Accessed 7th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://www.builderau.com.au/strategy/projectmanagement/soa/Project-
documentation/0,339028292,320270566,00.htm>
Project Documentation [online]. (1999) [Accessed 7th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/project-documentation.html>.
Project Details [online]. (2001) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://www.businessballs.com/project.htm>.
Project Charter [online]. (2001) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10878_11-1027882.html>.
Follow up [online]. (2005) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://elearndesign.org/betatest/followup/>.
Project management tools and techniques [online]. (2005) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/11/13/15-useful-project-management-tools/>.
Project management tools and techniques [online]. (2007) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://www.visitask.com/Project-management-Tools.asp>
Project management tools and techniques [online]. (2007) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://www.aseansec.org/14421.htm>.
Project management tools and techniques [online]. (2007) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://httpd.apache.org/docs-project/>.
Project management tools and techniques [online]. (2007) [Accessed 8th May 2010]. Available from:
<http://infodoc.plover.net/>
Note: Harvard referencing is used in this Documentation