Critical Analysis of IT Project Management Techniques and Strategies

This report presents a critical analysis of an IT Project Management Plan (PMP) case study, focusing on the 'Sovereign Hill App Development Project 20xx.' The analysis examines key components such as project scope, objectives, stakeholder roles, and risk management. The report highlights the importance of a well-defined organizational structure and a clear management approach within the PMP to ensure project feasibility and stakeholder understanding. The analysis also explores the technical aspects, work breakdown, scheduling, and budgeting, emphasizing the significance of these factors in project success. The report discusses the project's approach to management, including risk assessment, technical process management, and staff management, and also examines the project's execution and control, emphasizing the role of the project manager in planning, control, and implementation. The report underscores the need for effective communication, resource allocation, and adaptation to ensure project goals are met within constraints. It stresses the importance of considering scope, time, and cost, and tailoring management approaches to the specific project's needs. The document concludes by highlighting the significance of a well-structured PMP in guiding the project towards successful completion.

Running Head: IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES
IT Project Management Techniques
Name of the Student
Name of the University

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Executive Summary
Project Management Plan or in short, PMP, is a document that lists different aspects of the
project that are decided during the planning phase. It includes project scope, objectives,
stakeholder roles, estimated time, budget, risk management plan and others. Any project
management plan is incomplete without any of these points and aspects. In the given PMP case
study, the authors have provided an organization chart where the roles of each stakeholder and
their positions in the project hierarchy have been defined clearly. However, there are no
sufficient details about the nature or size of the organization and hence, this project management
plan may confuse the reader (sponsors, external stakeholders). As the nature of the organization
is not defined, it is not possible to define whether the project will be financially feasible for the
organization or not. In this report, a critical analysis has been conducted on the provided PMP
case study and the analysis results have been documented.

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................3
2.0 Analysis of PMP........................................................................................................................3
2.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................3
2.2 Organization..........................................................................................................................4
2.3 Management and Technical Approach..................................................................................4
2.4 Work to Perform....................................................................................................................7
2.5 Schedule...............................................................................................................................10
2.6 Budget..................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................12

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1.0 Introduction
Project Management Plan or in short, PMP, is a document that lists different aspects of
the project that are decided during the planning phase. It includes project scope, objectives,
stakeholder roles, estimated time, budget, risk management plan and others. Any project
management plan is incomplete without any of these points and aspects (Kerzner, 2013).
However, simply including these aspects without proper clarification or presentation may lead to
misunderstanding of the stakeholders and they will not be able to execute the project in the right
direction.
In this report, a critical analysis has been conducted on the provided PMP case study and
the analysis results have been documented.
2.0 Analysis of PMP
2.1 Introduction
As per the provided PMP case study, the project "Sovereign Hill App Development
Project 20xx" aims to produce a mobile application for both iPhone and Android devices. This
application can enhance the experience of visitors by allowing them to plan visits in advance,
provide information about exhibits, provide directions as well as provide walking tours. In this
PMP, the authors have discussed different aspects of the project that need to be managed and
maintained in order to ensure the success of the project. All these factors mentioned in the PMP
by the authors have been critically analyzed.

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2.2 Organization
In the given PMP case study, the authors have provided an organization chart where the
roles of each stakeholder and their positions in the project hierarchy have been defined clearly.
However, there are no sufficient details about the nature or size of the organization and hence,
this project management plan may confuse the reader (sponsors, external stakeholders). As the
nature of the organization is not defined, it is not possible to define whether the project will be
financially feasible for the organization or not. Moreover, the organizational chart also does not
define the financial, time or other constraints that may be obstruct the duties of the stakeholders
and negatively affecting the project in the process.
2.3 Management and Technical Approach
Management and technical approach are two most important aspects of a PMP that must
be addressed in the right way in order to convince the stakeholders or the readers that the project
is feasible and ready to be executed within the limitations of the organization. Despite its
advantages, project management is not a silver bullet that guarantees success on all projects.
Some projects, such as those involving new technologies, have a higher degree of uncertainty, so
it is more difficult to meet their scope, time, and cost goals. Project management is a very broad,
often complex discipline (Marchewka, 2014). What works on one project may not work on
another, so it is essential for project managers to continue to develop their knowledge and skills
in managing projects. It is also important to learn from the mistakes and successes of others. The
PMP builds up the structure fundamental for the execution of the plan, acquirement and
development of the project referenced in the PMP. The purpose of the PMP is to plot the project
degree, spending plan, and parts and obligations of the interfacing organizations. The chosen
PMP case study provides execution estimation criteria including real points of reference. A

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project plan is incorporated portraying errands/exercises, developments, and lengths. The PMP
additionally diagrams the specialized execution necessities for the management and control of
the project from start of the investigation through definite item conveyance (Turner, 2016). This
PMP likewise recognizes the duties of all the project members. Giving a quality report on plan
and inside spending plan is the essential target of all project members. The working system
depicted in this plan supplements existing controls with the end goal of building up more
itemized and particular connections among organizations taking an interest in this project. It is
expected that this PMP be a living archive subject to change as conditions warrant or as project
encounter directs. A project has an unequivocal start and a clear end. For a home development
project, proprietors for the most part have a date as a top priority when they would get expelled
of the chance to move into their new home. A project is created utilizing dynamic elaboration or
in an iterative form. Each project ought to have a very much characterized objective. For
instance, many individuals enlist firms to outline and construct another house, yet each house,
similar to every individual, is exceptional (Leach, 2014). Projects are frequently characterized
comprehensively when they start, and over the long haul, the particular points of interest of the
project move toward becoming clearer. For instance, there are numerous choices that must be
made in planning and building another house. It works best to draft preparatory plans for
proprietors to affirm before more efficient plans are produced. The project support as a rule gives
the bearing and subsidizing to the project. A project includes vulnerability. Since each project is
one of a kind, it is now and again hard to characterize the project's goals obviously, appraise
precisely to what extent it will take to finish, or decide the amount it will cost. Outside elements
likewise cause vulnerability, for example, a provider leaving business or a project colleague
requiring unplanned time off. Vulnerability is one of the fundamental reasons project

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management is so testing, since vulnerability summons chance. A project requires assets,
frequently from different regions. Assets incorporate individuals, equipment, programming, or
different resources. A wide range of sorts of individuals, ranges of abilities, and assets are
expected to construct a home. A project ought to have an essential client or support. Most
projects host many intrigued gatherings or partners, yet somebody must play the essential part of
sponsorship. Each project is compelled in various ways. Some project managers concentrate on
degree, time, and cost imperatives. These restrictions are some of the time alluded to in project
management as the triple limitation. To make an effective project, project managers must
consider degree, time, and cost and adjust these three frequently contending goals. On the off
chance that there are define obtainment goals or requirements, that learning may be vital to the
project (Glendon, Clarke & McKenna, 2016). Regardless, supports must give some kind of target
goals for a project's degree, time, and cost and characterize other key limitations for a project.
The project manager ought to be speaking with the support all through the project to ensure the
project lives up to his or her desires. Experienced project managers realize that the project
manager should choose which imperatives are most vital on every specific project. On the off
chance that time is most imperative, the project manager should frequently change the
underlying extension and additionally cost goals to meet the timetable. The project manager may
need to acknowledge more hazard and lower quality desires. On the off chance that degree goals
are most essential, the project manager may need to alter time and additionally cost goals,
diminish hazard, and increment quality desires (Burke, 2013). In the event that communications
is most essential, the project manager should concentrate on that. In the chosen PMP, different
management aspects including risk management, technical process management and staff
management have been discussed. This has made this project plan a very useful one as from this

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plan, the reader can easily identify what the organization has planned in order to control the
management processes and ensure success of the project.
2.4 Work to Perform
The adequacy of project management is basic in guaranteeing the accomplishment of any
significant endeavor. Ranges of duty regarding the project manager incorporate planning, control
and usage. A project ought to be started with a possibility contemplate, where a reasonable
meaning of the goals and extreme advantages should be built up. The phases of execution must
be clarified at the project planning stage. Disaggregating the phases at its initial point aids the
effective advancement of the project by giving various developments that should be expert for
culmination. Notwithstanding planning, the control of the developing project is additionally
essential to progress. Control requires sufficient observing and input components by which
senior and project managers can think about advance against starting projections at each phase of
the project (Schwalbe, 2015). Senior managers' help for projects is vital to guarantee specialist
and heading all through the project's advance and, likewise to guarantee that the goals of the
organization are adequately accomplished inside this procedure. The specific type of help given
can impact the level of resistance the project experiences. Learning, abilities, goals and identities
are on the whole factors that should be considered inside project management plan (PMP). The
project manager and his/her group ought to by and large have the important and essential
relational and specialized aptitudes to encourage control over the different exercises inside the
project. Checking and criticism additionally empowers the project manager to suspect issues and
in this way take pre-emptive restorative measures for the advantage of the project general.
The meaning of a project expressed that it was a movement which had a characterized
starting and completion point. Most projects will be close-finished as far as there being a

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necessity for consummation by a specific point in time. This point might be the after-effect of an
outer factor, for example, new enactment, or might be gotten from organizational necessities.
Work assets specifically might be a restricting component on the fulfilment of the project. In the
short run it is likely that work will be settled in supply. While the general asset accessible may in
principle be adequate to finish the project, there might be troubles emerging off the beaten path
in which the project has been scheduled (Walker, 2015). That is, there might be various exercises
scheduled to occur in the meantime and this may not be conceivable given the measure of assets
accessible. This stage is basically worried about connecting a timescale and succession to the
exercises to be directed inside the project. Materials and individuals required at each phase of the
project are resolved and the time each is to take will be set. It might likewise be incompletely
dictated by different requirements. There is probably going to be some connection between the
time taken for a project and its cost. An exchange off between the two obliging variables may
then be important. There is probably going to be a financial plan for the project and this will
unmistakably be a noteworthy limitation. Cost requirements might be set in various courses, for
instance as a general budget limitation or as an itemized spending plan separated over various
consumption headings. Projects ordinarily include the presentation of another arrangement or
something to that affect and, in all cases, new techniques and methods for getting things done.
This effect upon crafted by others: the "clients" (Turner, 2016). Client meeting is an essential
factor in the achievement of projects and, undoubtedly, the level of client association can impact
the degree of help for the project or its usage plan. A fundamental nature of the project manager
is that of being a decent communicator, not simply inside the project group itself, but rather with
whatever is left of the organization and outside bodies also (the clients might be inner or outer).

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There ought to be input on movement times accomplished and their impact in general
project. On the off chance that system investigation is utilized, at that point it is fundamental that
the system is revised and refreshed to consider the genuine execution accomplished. The project
spending plan; budgetary control methods can be utilized as in regard of some other type of
spending plan. Step by step instructions must be provided to get the best out of the group when
they are as one. On the off chance that the project manager are holding gatherings then they
ought to be deliberate and viable. They ought to not just be business as usual. There might be an
imperative component in restricting the group together and in building up a group way to deal
with planning and checking of execution (Boersma, Schofield & Swinnen, 2013). Quality and
execution measures; these should be observed against the first project detail subject to changes
concurred with partners over the span of project advancement. It is impossible that the project
group will get to know each other in closeness and under the immediate supervision of the
project manager. It is substantially more likely that they will work separated more often than not,
just getting together at times and just meeting with the project manager every once in a while.
Guaranteeing individuals work when the group is separated. The project manager has to set
individuals practical due dates and guarantee that they see the significance of their commitment
and that their commitment is completely esteemed. Communications are critical as far as
spreading data and keeping everybody educated (Lam, 2014). There are sees that colleagues
ought to be given data on a need to know premise however this approach can cause issues.
Proceeding with responsibility by the group and adherence to the qualities and convictions being
sought after by the group must be guaranteed. Change, specifically, should be conveyed to
colleagues rapidly and viably.

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2.5 Schedule
In this chosen PMP, the project schedule has been provided in a Gantt Chart. As
information technology continues to develop, it is significantly more imperative for individuals
to create and utilize devices, particularly to manage project schedule. Project management
devices and procedures help project managers and their groups in completing work in every one
of the ten learning territories. For instance, some prominent time-management instruments and
procedures incorporate Gantt charts, project arrange diagrams, and basic way examination. A
well known and simple technique to utilize strategy for scheduling is the utilization of Gantt
charts. Gantt charts reflect time appraises and can be effortlessly caught on. Flat bars are drawn
against a period scale for each project action, the length of which speaks to the time taken to
finish. Letters or images can likewise be added to one side of each bar to demonstrate which
different exercises should be finished before that one can start (Kerzner, 2013). It is very simple
to frame the view that project management and system procedures, for example, CPM and PERT
are one and a similar thing. Since systems are significant instruments for graphically indicating
connections between project exercises, pinpointing basic exercises and for evaluating the
likelihood of project consummation by a specific date, a few managers trust that they constitute
the main critical management device in the planning, booking and controlling periods of a
project. No project is overseen successfully without a decent Gantt/CPM/PERT approach yet
similarly there are other management devices and practices required for viable management of
projects.
2.6 Budget
In the chosen PMP, the authors have prepared a budget plan in an excel file. After
analysis, it can be said that they have used the most convenient technique to prepare the project

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budget estimation and hence, all the necessary expenses have been listed under different
categories in the same file. Moreover, this file will also be helpful to calculate the overall cost
benefit and possible gaining after the project is completed.

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References
Boersma, M., Schofield, J., & Swinnen, T. (2013). Building Sustainability: A Review of
Company Performance in the Commercial Real Estate and Property Sector.
Boud, D., Cohen, R., & Sampson, J. (Eds.). (2014). Peer learning in higher education: Learning
from and with each other. Routledge.
Burke, R. (2013). Project management: planning and control techniques. New Jersey, USA.
Dimovski, B., & O’Neill, L. (2015). Sustainability, A-REITs and the global financial
crisis. Pacific Rim Property Research Journal, 21(1), 51-59.
Glendon, A. I., Clarke, S., & McKenna, E. (2016). Human safety and risk management. Crc
Press.
Grefen, P., Pernici, B., & Sánchez, G. (Eds.). (2012). Database support for workflow
management: the WIDE project (Vol. 491). Springer Science & Business Media.
Kerzner, H. R. (2013). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and
controlling. John Wiley & Sons.
Lam, J. (2014). Enterprise risk management: from incentives to controls. John Wiley & Sons.
Leach, L. P. (2014). Critical chain project management. Artech House.
Marchewka, J. T. (2014). Information technology project management. John Wiley & Sons.
McNeil, A. J., Frey, R., & Embrechts, P. (2015). Quantitative risk management: Concepts,
techniques and tools. Princeton university press.

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Psaros, J., & Seamer, M. (2015). Ranking Corporate Governance of Australia's Top Companies:
A Decade On. Australian Accounting Review, 25(4), 405-412.
Schwalbe, K. (2015). Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Turner, R. (2016). Gower handbook of project management. Routledge.
Verzuh, E. (2015). The fast forward MBA in project management. John Wiley & Sons.
Walker, A. (2015). Project management in construction. John Wiley & Sons.