Project Management - Term Paper Example

In the case of the first question, two good sample projects would be the automation of a marketing firm and creating an antivirus product for personal and business use. When it comes to software life cycle, the waterfall model fits the automation system for a marketing firm as it expands its services online.2 Through its entirely programmed sales page, sales presentation and email response to its target market, it only requires the plan and specifications, program design, application, validation, installation and maintenance.

On the other hand, antivirus program needs agile development model as the testing, feedbacks and upgrades must be frequent as the viruses easily change and new ones are created by the hour. When it comes to the role of the project manager, he needs to put more efforts on the antivirus program which needs more effort than the automated marketing system which may not need any upgrade. 2. The second question deals with conflict. Conflict pertains to any clash between ideas and may become personal as well.

Although people at work must remain as objective as possible, sometimes conflict goes out of bounds and the people involved attack one another personally. It may develop early on or late in the project. An early conflict may take in the form of an idea to make the use of resources more efficient. To solve that, people must consider the advantages and disadvantages and come into agreement by integrating some ideas from both parties.3 When it comes to late conflict, it may include solutions to improve the software.

Again, people may combine their ideas for the betterment. 3. The third would deal with Pareto Principle. The principle indicates that 80% of the results come from 20% of the causes. The very meaning laid down by Pareto can be dubbed as 80-20 Rule. In the context of a project manager, he can deal with it as a disturbance handler. He must be able to figure out the 20% of the causes that can bring the 80% of the results so he can direct his staffs to focus on the 20%. For examples, if they get errors on their software, they must identify the 80% of the bugs and get to know the 20% of the codes that may bring about the majority of the bugs.

4 He may develop plans to make the whole search for the bug origin in a systematic way. 4. The fourth question deals with four qualities needed for the criteria in choosing a good model. Money required, time needed, manpower required and ease of use or practicality. Money is needed as anything can be purchased by money especially the needed resources. Time required is necessary also since it dictates the span in terms of days, weeks or months to accomplish the project. Manpower needed is also important as it brings about the necessary staffs to work on the project and ease of use talks about the program being user-friendly.5 5. Question five deals with payback and earned value.

The former pertains to the time needed to receive the money invested while the latter pertains to the ability of the project manager to check the project performance and evaluate the current accomplishments and compared them with the objectives or desired results.6 6. The last question depends upon the model made by Noland regarding the process maturity. It pertains to the degree of performance at its maximum possibility. The five stages include