Information System Project Management Assignment

Running Head: INFORMATION SYSTEM PROJECT MANAGEMENT 1
Information System Project Management
Student’s Name
Institution

INFORMATION SYSTEM PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2
Information System Project Management
Self-reflection is the ability in which human beings are able to exercise introspection and
learn from their experiences. Self-reflection is when an individual is able to remember the
experiences in which they had in a particular scenario or at a particular time so that they may
know what was successful and learn from their failures to avoid falling into them again. Personal
learning is when an individual is able to learn from an experience they have undergone
personally (Cleland & Gareis, 2006). Self-reflection is associated with personal learning in that
when a person reflects on an experience they have undergone they will be able to learn their
strength and weaknesses which will enable them to improve on them. When an individual
reflects on their experiences they get a chance to evaluate themselves with a purpose of making
themselves better.
The most interesting aspect of this course was understanding how technology has the
potential to impact various fields. Technology has been used to automate very many tasks which
were initially carried out by people. Technology has made it possible for redundant work to be
performed by machines at a lower cost compared to what was initially utilized (Dinsmore et al.,
2005). The power and potential in which technology has is very remarkable and it can help in
doing a lot of amazing things in the world. As I engaged in the content this semester I always
believed that I would be able to learn something that would benefit me in my life. I have always
envisioned myself as a change agent and problem solver which led me to grow my passion in
technology (Cattani, Ferriani, Frederiksen & Florian, 2011). I used to think that the technology
field wound be easy to grasp since I am a smart guy but I soon came to learn that nothing good
comes easy in this world. The amount of content which I had to cover in the semester would
keep me up for nights on end. I was able to pick up several skills which enabled me to be

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successful. I had to use my time wisely. As student we always think that we have a lot of time in
the world. However this is not the case the time we have to learn is very limited so we have to
utilize our time wisely (Harrison & Lock, 2004). I had to cut down the time I spent on
extracurricular activities and channel that time towards reading. I was also able to become a
problem solver. I have been equipped with the necessary knowledge to become a problem solver
which has made my personal thinking improve and I take initiative in solving the problems.
The section of the semester I enjoyed most was being part of a problem solving process
by undertaking a real life problem. This was because I was able to utilize the skills and strategies
I had been taught into real world situations. During the semester I was taught on various problem
solving skills such as the use of design thinking. I was also able to learn on the various software
development life cycle methodologies which can be used to manage a project so that the end
result is of good quality and is delivered on time and on budget (Lock, 2007). I was able to
identify a problem in which students faced while they submitted their assignments. I came up
with a solution which would be able to timestamp assignments and would give both the lecturer
and the student a confirmation that the assignment was sent from the student and delivered to the
lecturer. This would avoid the confusion that usually cost students to get penalized and attain low
grades. I encountered a few surprises during the time in which I was developing the solution to
the problem I had identified. The initial vision or end result of the solution was very different
from the actual solution I was able to build. I thought that I would come up with a full platform
from scratch to solve the problem I had identified. I however came up with a solution that
leveraged on technologies which already existed. All I had to do was integrate them and add
some functionality to make them work. Another surprise was that I was able to identify other
problems as I undertook the project I was working on. I had started using my critical thinking

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skills to gain knowledge on problems around me. Information systems are in use around the
globe. The course contributed to my understanding of information systems because it gave me a
background on how various systems work and the conditions in which information systems can
be configured to be best placed and effective in their area of application (Nokes, 2007).
I have learnt various aspects about businesses and how they leverage on technology
among other resources to ensure that they are able to effectively serve their clients. I have also
learnt the applicability of technology in various fields and how management plays a key role in
each and every industry to ensure the set mission, vision and goals are achieved (Phillips, 2003).
I have also learnt my personal abilities while undertaking this course. I know that I can be very
resourceful in the quest to achieve a specific goal. I have also learnt that I am a good researcher
and I utilize a creative perspective in solving problems to ensure that the solutions I come up
with is very efficient and valuable in its field of use. My fellow students have helped me
immensely during the semester. The group team members I was paired with specifically are the
ones who enabled me to become fast on my feet and think critically as I faced any obstacle.
Their support and continued questioning of my concept solution was what led to the success of
the project (Stevens, 2002). I would like to urge my team members who are technically
immersed in development of various solutions to be more open minded. They should ensure that
they are able to create a system that works but the system should have qualities that make it
easier for users to utilize. This will ensure that the system actually solves the problem it was built
for and it can be used by users with ease.

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References
Cattani G., Ferriani S., Frederiksen L. & Florian T. (2011). Project-Based Organizing and
Strategy Management, Advances in Strategic Management. Emerald.
Cleland D. I. & Gareis R. (2006). Global Project Management Handbook. “Chapter 1: “The
evolution of project management”. McGraw-Hill Professional.
Dinsmore P. C. et al. (2005). The right projects done right! John Wiley and Sons. p.35.
Harrison F. L. & Lock D. (2004). Advanced project management: a structured approach. Gower
Publishing Ltd. p.34
Lock D. (2007). Project Management. Gower Publishing Ltd.
Nokes S. (2007). The Definitive Guide to Project Management. Prentice Hall.
Phillips J. (2003). PMP Project Management Professional Study Guide. McGraw-Hill
Professional. p.354.
Stevens M. (2002). Project Management Pathways. Association for Project Management. APM
Publishing Limited.

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