Internal Examiner: Dr. Murad Maoash

PhiladelphiaUniversity

Lecturer: Dr. Samer O.Hanna

Internal Examiner: Dr. Murad Maoash

Software Project Management(0721331)

FirstExam’s Key

Date: Sunday18/11/2012 FirstSemester of 2012/2013 Time: 50 min.

Question 1: (6 marks, 2 mark each)

Discuss in detailsthe differences among the following:

Software project vs. other types of projects.

Invisibility
Complexity
Conformity
Flexibility

Objective-based vs. product-based projects.

Product-based: A project might be to create a product the details of which have been specified by the client.

Objective-based : On the other hand, the project may be required to meet certain objectives. There could be several ways of achieving those objectives.

Plans vs. methods vs. methodologies.

Method: type of activity in general

Plan: takes the method and identify start and end dates, who will carry out, and what tools and materials will be used for each activity in a method.

Methodology: a group of related methods.

II. Familiar problems solving: the aim of the questions in this part is to evaluate that the student has some basic knowledge of the key aspects of the lecture material and can attempt to solve familiar problems in software project management.

Question 2: (9 Marks)

Consider the following case study:

As a project manager, you are tasked with developing a new student registration system for PhiladelphiaUniversity. The University would like a new client-server system to replace its much older system developed around mainframe technology. The new system will allow students to register for courses and view report cards from personal computers attached to the campus LAN. Professors will be able to access the system to sign up to teach courses as well as record grades.

Step Wise is a framework that specifies the steps in project planning. According to this framework, what will be the needed 10 steps to build the above project?

0.Select project

The project has already been selected.

1. Identify project objectives

1.1 Identify objectives and measures of effectiveness

Objectives:

Allow students to register for courses and view report cards from personal computers attached to the campus LAN.

Professors are able to access the system to sign up to teach courses as well as record grades.

1.2 Establish a project authority

Dr. Samer Hanna is in charge of this project

1.3 Identify all stakeholders in the project and their interests

Students, Doctors, Registration department employees and dean, Ahmad, Ali, .. (Developers), etc.

1.4 Modify objectives in the light of stakeholder analysis

Students prefer if the system can print a report of the registered courses immediately after finishing registration.

1.5 Establish methods of communication with all parties

Emails will be the method of communication and there will be a meeting each 2 weeks between the authority and representatives of the stakeholders.

2. Identify project infrastructure

2.1 Establish link between project and any strategic plan

Philadelphia wants this project as a step towards transforming all the needed services by students and employees to become online.

2.2 Identify installation standards and procedures

2.3. Identify project team organization

3. Analyse project characteristics

3.1 Distinguish the project as either objective or product-based.

Since Philadelphia did not exactly specified the products them this project is an Objective-based project.

3.2 Analyse other project characteristics (including quality based ones)

Security quality attribute is very important since the students, of course, are not allow to see for example other student’s marks, etc.

Usability is important in order to encourage students and doctors to use the new system.

3.3Identify high level project risks

The new registration system may cause a problem that the students are not familiar with it and will find it difficult to register the proper courses without the help of the academic guide like in the manual way.

3.4Take into account user requirements concerning implementation

Philadelphia wants us to use PHP only to build the system.

3.5Select general life cycle approach

Since we are uncertain about the precise nature of requirement then the evolutionary (incremental) approach will be used.

3.6Review overall resource estimates

4. Identify products and activities

Products:

1-PBS

Registration Screens related product

.... etc.

2-PFD

PFD for the registration screens

….

3-PD

Product identity: LSD

Description : the design of the screen that will be used by the users of the system (students and doctors) to login.

Derivation: Registration screen

Composition: this screen consists of student no and student password…

Format:

Relevant standard: use HTML to build it

Quality criteria: Security

4.4. Produce ideal activity network

Step 4.5 Add check-points if needed

5. Estimate effort for activity.

5.1 Carry out bottom-up estimates

Specify the needed effort for each activity

6. Identify activity risks

The graphic designer may take 3 days to design the login screen

7. Allocate resources

Mohammad Ali is in charge of the login screen design, he will start next Sunday 18/11/2012

Etc.

8. Review/publicize It is no good having a plan if no one knows about it

9. Execute Plan

10. Lower level planning

Question 3: (5 Marks)

An IT project is to replace the locally held paper-based records with a centrally organized database. Staff in a large number of offices that are geographically dispersed need training and then need to use the new IT system to set up the back-log of manual records on the new database. The system cannot be properly operational until the last record has been transferred. The new system will only be successful if new transactions can be processed within certain time cycles.

1-As a project manager, identify the data that you would collect to ensure that during execution of the project things were going to plan. (2 marks)

2-Draw and discuss a model that represents this project's control cycle. (3marks)

Data – the raw details

e.g. ‘6,000 documents processed at location X’

Information – the data is processed to produce something that is meaningful and useful

e.g. ‘productivity is 100 documents a day’

Comparison with objectives/goals

e.g. we will not meet target of processing all documents by 31st March

Modelling – working out the probable outcomes of various decisions

e.g. if we employ two more staff at location X how quickly can we get the documents processed?

Implementation – carrying out the remedial actions that have been decided upon