Reflections on the IT Project Management Class.

The best thing I like from this course are exposure in managing the project especially in Information Technology, lecture always show the example that relate with this course and reality inside or outside university, so we are not just get the theoretical part, but in the same time we got the practical too. The most important thing is this course encourages us to manage properly and become a good project manager and teams because Islam emphasized us to be trustful or Amanah in dealing with people and all the things we do.

The uncomfortable thing I dislike from this course is class time. It is because this course start at 5.30 p.m until 7 p.m. Thus, it is the uncomfortable time for students because they suppose to get rest or involve in sport to get the healthy mind and body. Besides, this course have so many task compared to other IT course, so it also effect our time management as students. In this course we have two assignments, 2 class tests, 3 part of e-portfolio, and too many presentations. But in my own opinion, even this course have many task to be completed, it help us to practice what we have learnt in class. Furthermore, the templates or sample given by lecturer is not too perfect and suitable to give clear information for students because it is too different from what we have learned in class. For the templates of group project, hopefully lecturer can provide at least one sample of the best group project not to be imitated, but just to get information and adapt to our project. As a result, students fulfill the requirements that needed by the lecturer.

My proposed suggestions to improve the course delivery and content are allocate time for teaching and introduce the software that relate to the project management. It is because based on previous group project my group and I need to study first how to use the software Microsoft Project because we never use this software before. Lecturer also need to allocate time how to develop technical writing, teamwork, and demonstrates good oral presentation skills. In this situation also, students have difficulty to know which document should be prepared in their report, what form of task that fulfill lecturer needs. Therefore, for the previous group project we just include what is suitable.

If I had more time, I wish I had done differently for the course in terms of group project because we know we can perform more than what we gave in previous, but because of some misunderstanding about what requirements is needed in group project, so we just focus on what are important based on templates. Besides, for the e-portfolio, I hope I can give Professional appearance (free of spelling/grammatical errors, organized, uncluttered, easily navigated, all links must work), but this my first time using blog, so I just try my best in developing my own blog. Even I faced diificultiy in develop this blog, but I admit this task give more benefits to myself in line with technology and Shariah. Insya’ Allah after this course I can use for my own purpose with good intention.

Other Class Works. (Assignment 1&2)

Chapter 12: Project Procurement Management

Procurement means acquiring goods and/or services from an outside source. Outsourcing is important because it reduce both fixed and recurrent costs, allow the client organization to focus on its core business, access skills and technologies, provide flexibility, and increase accountability. There are six main processes of project procurement management such as planning purchases and acquisitions, planning contracting, requesting seller responses, selecting sellers, administering the contract, and closing the contract.

Planning purchases and acquisitions involves determining what to procure, when, and how. There are several tools and techniques to help project managers and their teams in planning purchases and acquisitions, including make-or-buy analysis, expert judgment, and contract types. Outputs of this process include a procurement management plan, contract statement of work, make-or-buy decisions, and requested changes to the project that might result from this process.

Planning contracting involves describing requirements for the products or services desired from the procurement and identifying potential sources or sellers. A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document used to solicit proposals from prospective suppliers. A Requested for Quote (RFQ) is a document used to solicit quotes or bids from prospective suppliers. Outputs include procurement documents, such as a Request for Proposal (RFP), evaluation criteria, and updates to the contract statement of work.

Requesting seller responses involves obtaining information, quotes, bids, offers, or proposal from sellers, as appropriate. The main outputs of this process include a qualified sellers list, a procurement document package, and proposals.

Selecting sellers involves choosing from among potential suppliers through a process of evaluating potential sellers and negotiating the contract. Outputs include selected sellers, contracts, a contract management plan, resource availability, information, updates to the procurement management plan, and requested changes.

Administering the contract involves managing the relationship with the selected seller. Outputs include contract documentation, requested changes, recommended corrective actions, and updates to organizational process assets and the project management plan.

Closing the contract involves completion and settlement of each contract, including resolution of any open items. Outputs of this process include closed contracts and updates to organizational process assets.

Chapter 11: Project Risk Management

Project risk management is the art and science of identifying, analyzing, and responding to risk throughout the life of a project and in the best interests of meeting project objectives. There are six major processes involved in risk management such as risk management planning, risk identification, qualitative risk analysis, quantitative risk analysis, risk response planning, risk monitoring and control.

Risk management planning involves deciding how to approach and plan the risk management activities for the project. The main output of this process is a risk management plan. Risk can be categorized in terms of market risk, financial risk, technology risk, people risk, and structure/process risk. Risk breakdown structure is useful tools that can help project managers consider potential risk in different categories.

Risk identification involves determining which risks are likely to affect a project and documenting the characteristics of each. The main output of this process is the start of a risk register. Five common information-gathering techniques include brainstorming, the Delphi Technique, interviewing, root cause analysis, and SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats).

Qualitative risk analysis involves prioritizing risks based on their probability and impact of occurrence. Qualitative risk analysis can be performed by using Probability/Impact Matrixes to calculate risk factors and Top Ten Risk Item Tracking technique. The main output of this process is updates to the register.

Quantitative risk analysis involves numerically estimating the effects of risks on project objectives. Quantitative risk analysis can be performed by Decision Trees and Expected Monetary Value, Simulation (Monte Carlo analysis), and Sensitivity analysis. The main output of this process is also updates to the register.

Risk response planning involves taking steps to enhance opportunities and reduce threats to meeting project objectives. There are four response strategies for negative risks are risk avoidance, risk acceptance, risk transference, and risk mitigation. Meanwhile, four response strategies for positive risks are risk exploitation, risk sharing, risk enhancement, and risk acceptance. Using outputs from the preceding risk management processes, project teams can develop risk response strategies that often result in updates to the risk register and project management plan as well as risk-related contractual agreements.

Risk monitoring and control involves monitoring identified and residual risks, identifying new risks, carrying out risk response plans, and evaluating the effectiveness of risk strategies throughout the life of the project. Project teams sometimes use workarounds when they do not have contingency plan in place. The main outputs of this process include recommended corrective and preventive actions, requested changes, and updates to the risk register, project management plan, and organizational process assets.

Chapter 10: Project Communications Management

Project communications management ensures timely and appropriate generation, collection, dissemination, storage, and disposition of project information. There are four main processes in project communications management such as communications planning, information distribution, performance reporting, and managing stakeholders.

Communications planning involves determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders: who needs what information, when will the information be given to them. The output of this process is a communications management plan.

Information distribution involves making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner. The main outputs of this process are updates to organizational process assets and requested changes. Important considerations for information distribution include the use of technology, formal and informal communications, select the appropriate communications medium, understand group and individual communication needs, set the stage for communicating bad news, and determine the numbers of communications channels.

Performance reporting involves collecting and disseminating performance information, including status reports, progress measurement, and forecasting. The outputs of this process are performance reports, forecasts, requested changes, recommended corrective actions, and updates to organizational process assets.

Managing stakeholders involves managing communications to satisfy the needs and expectations of project stakeholders and to resolve issues. The outputs of this process are resolved issues, approved change requests and corrective actions, and updates to organizational process assets and the project management plan.

There are several suggestions for improving project communications such as using communication skills to manage conflict, developing better communication skills, running effective meetings, using E-Mail, Instant Messaging, and collaborative tools effectively, and using templates for project communications.

Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution and similar products provides the tools to enhance communications such as portfolio management, resource management, and project collaboration.

Chapter 9: Project Human Resource Management

Project human resource management includes the processes required to make the most effective use of the people involved with a project. It includes all project stakeholders: sponsors, customers, project team members, support staff, suppliers supporting the project, and so on. There are four processes for human resource management such as human resource planning, acquiring the project team, developing the project team, and managing the project team.

Human resource planning involves identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. Key outputs of this process include roles and responsibilities, an organizational chart for the project, and a staffing management plan.

Acquiring the project team involves getting the needed personnel assigned to and working on the project. The project team can be acquired by resource assignment, resource loading, and resource leveling. Key outputs of this process are project staff assignments, resource availability information, and updates to the staffing management plan.

Developing the project team involves building individual and group skills to enhance project performance. Project team can be developed by training, team building activities, and reward and recognition systems. The main output of this process is assessing team performance.

Managing the project team involves tracking team member performance, motivating team members, providing timely feedback, resolving issues and conflicts, coordinating changes to help enhance project performance. Outputs of this process include requested changes, recommended corrective and preventive actions, updates to organizational process assets, and updates to the project management plan.

Managing people can be handled by motivation theories like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory, McClelland’s Acquired-Needs Theory, and McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y. Besides, it also can be solved by Thamhain and Wilemon’s Influence and Power and Covey and Improving Effectiveness.

There are several tools and techniques available to assist in managing project teams such as observation and conversation, project performance appraisals, conflict management and issue logs

Spreadsheets and project management software such as Microsoft Project 2007 can help project managers to produce responsibility assignment matrixes, create resource histograms, identifying over allocated resources, level resources, and provide various views and reports related to project human resources management.

Chapter 8: Project Quality Management

Project quality management ensures that the project will satisfy the needs for which it was undertaken. There are three processes for project quality management such as quality planning, quality assurance and quality control.

Quality planning includes identifying which quality standards are relevant to the project and how to satisfy those standards. The main outputs of this process are a quality management plan, quality metrics, quality checklists, a process improvement plan, a quality baseline, and updates to the project management plan.

Quality assurance involves periodically evaluating overall project performance to ensure that the project will satisfy the relevant quality standards. The main outputs of this process are requested changes, recommended corrective actions, and updates to organization process assets and the project management plan.

Quality control involves monitoring specific project results to ensure that they comply with the relevant quality standards while identifying ways to improve overall quality. The main outputs of this process include quality control measurement, validated and recommended defect repair, recommended corrective and preventive actions, requested changes, validated deliverables, and updates to the quality baseline, organization process assets, and the project management plan.

There are several tools for quality control like cause-and-effect diagrams (fishbone or Ishikawa diagrams) to trace complaints about quality problems back to the responsible production operations. Control Chart – a graphic display of data that illustrate the results of a process over time. Run chart displays the history and pattern of variation of a process over time. Scatter diagram helps to show if there is a relationship between two variables. Histogram - a bar graph of a distribution of variables. Pareto Chart - a histogram that can help you identify and prioritize problem areas. Flowcharts are graphic displays of the logic and flow of process that help to analyze how problems occur and how processes can be improved.

The technique for quality control like statistical sampling that involves choosing part of a population of interest for inspection. Six Sigma is a comprehensive and flexible system for achieving, sustaining and maximizing. Testing needs to be done during almost every phase of the systems development life cycle, not just before the organization ships or hands over a product to the customer.

There is modern quality management that requires customer satisfaction, prefers prevention to inspection, and recognizes management responsibility for quality. The major contributions made by Deming, Juran, Crosby, Ishikawa, Taguchi, Feigenbaum, the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, and ISO standards.

There are the ways to improve information technology project quality such as through leadership, the cost of quality, organizational influences, workplace factors, and quality, expectations and cultural differences in quality, and maturity models.