Project Management Assignment: Project Life Cycle and Gantt Chart

This assignment solution delves into key project management concepts, addressing both theoretical and practical aspects. It begins by exploring the relationship between the IPO (Input-Process-Output) and ITO (Input-Transformation-Output) models, providing examples to illustrate their application in project success. The solution then dissects the four phases of a typical project life cycle: initiation, planning, execution, and closure, detailing the activities and considerations within each phase. Further, it explains the importance of the utilization matrix in coordinating project benefits and deliverables. The assignment also examines the behavior of effort, cost of changes, and uncertainty across the project life cycle. The solution then discusses the Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) as the selected project management approach. The practical section analyzes a provided Gantt chart, identifying the critical path, pinpointing problems, and suggesting solutions. It also includes the addition of new tasks to prevent non-conformance costs and outlines risk mitigation and contingency plans. This comprehensive assignment provides valuable insights into project management methodologies and practical application.

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Q1 Discuss the relationship between the IPO and ITO models with project success
dimensions. Give original examples.
IPO analyses achievements and processing systems, whereby raw materials are converted to
outputs. ITO is a basic conceptual structure used for allocating and establishing performance
parameters. Conversion of raw materials to output requires proper resource allocation.
An example of IPO model is, a program might be written to convert Fahrenheit temperatures into
Celsius temperatures. An ITO on the other hand example, is a hospital transforms ill patients (the
input) into healthy patients (the output). Transformation processes include: changes in the
physical characteristics of materials or customers.
Q2 Discuss the 4 phases of a typical project life cycle.
Project initiation stage: - Reason for establishing the project and why it should be executed is
identified (Abou-Sena, 2018). A quick study is done to check and ascertain if the objectives
listed are addressed and a recommendation is drafted.
Project planning stage: -The resources needed in the project are identified and the task to be
executed is noted. Project duration is also established (Pinto & Slevin, 2007).
Project execution stage: -The project manager monitors the developments and makes necessary
changes as people undertake the roles assigned to them. Project deliverables are gauged to know
its quality, before the project enters its final stage (Turner, 2009).
Project closure stage: - Project is deployed to the customer. Contract documents concluded, as
studies conducted to success or failure of project.
Q3 Why the utilization matrix is important. Give an original example.
It assists the project manager to coordinate the project benefits (outcomes) and the final product
(output) needed to attain this. It is the bottom line of determining the project gains. It also helps
to specify the person (s) who will identify the deliverables are good for consumption.
Example: Summary of chilled water – spreadsheet listing all pieces of process equipment and
utility information in rows and columns respectively.
Q4 In three paragraphs, discuss the level of effort, cost of change and degree of uncertainty
per phase across project life cycle.
In initiation and stages, effort required is usually low. A lot of effort is required in
implementation stage since it forms the core phase of project. Closure stage requires little effort
since deployment is done after assessing success of the project.

Changes happen all across the project life. Any time the project grows, the cost of changes rises.
During the planning and initiation phases, the costs associated with changes is low as compared
with the execution phase (Pellerin & Perrier, 2019). Also, the cost of changes in closure phase
are low.
Each phase of a project life cycle is affected by different uncertainties. In the exploration stage of
the project life cycle, uncertainties are removed by identifying the important frameworks such as
duration and money to be spend.
Q5 Explain the project management approach that you selected to develop the project
plan.
The Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) is composed of principles, disciplines, concepts,
rules and models for executing information technology from Microsoft. It executes a better way
that eases coming up with technological solutions which brings less audience, lowering risks and
improving the quality level. MSF helps groups directly address the main problems with
technological processes, which improves the quality of decisions and the impact on the business.
Basic principles that guide MSF include open interaction, empowerment of members,
implementation of results, and establishment of clear boundaries, flexibility, and learning from
experience.
SECTION B.
Q 1 Identify the tasks that belong to the critical path.
Critical path is a sequence that shows the minimum time needed to complete an operation.
From the given Gantt Chart, the tasks that belong to the critical path include Initiation Stage,
Planning stage, Developing, Stabilizing and Deploying stage. Through these stages, the
predecessors can only start after these tasks have been completed.
Q2 Identify five problems in this Gantt chart and propose solutions to correct each one.
Extraordinarily complex, this can be corrected by better co-ordination so as to increase simplicity
The size of the bar does not indicate the amount of work and resources required. greater clarity
during when drawing.
They need to be constantly updated ensure that every parameter is included in the Gantt chart.
Difficulty to see on one sheet of paper. It should be broken down to simpler deliverables.
Incomplete visibility of task tedious to manage. Define all variables and parameters before
drafting the Gantt chart.

Q3 Add and adjust five new tasks aimed at avoiding cost of non-conformance
Thorough project planning: Here, uncertainties and risk associated with the project, costs and
performance objectives are exhaustively looked into.
Use of project planning tool: This eases the manager’s work, cutting on extra costs incurred in
planning process.
Update sponsors or stakeholders: regular progress report should be shared to sponsors
Keep track on performance: project manager monitors all day to day activities of the project and
ensures that they are fully executed.
Resource allocation: Ensure that resources are well allocated and budgeted
Q4 Identify five risks in Gantt chart and define mitigation and contingency plan for each
Complexity of the Gantt chart-The Gantt chart is too complex and this can be mitigated by detailed data
breakdown.
Tiresome to manage and update: This can be mitigated by defining project scope and goals before
starting it.
Does not specify the amount of work to be done; this can be lessened by listing all tasks to be done
across the project.
The Gantt chart only prospers where minor projects are involved: With larger projects Gantt chart won't
work. This can be reduced by identifying tasks that can be done at the same time.
The work breakdown structure should be built prior the drawing of the Gantt Chart Complexity of the
Gantt chart
Resources set aside for a task are not included; this can be lessened by scheduling resources and
calculating the costs to be incurred beforehand.