Wednesday, 12 October 2011

Project Life Cycle 3

Task 3:  

Different types of methodology that can support the project manager include:

Brainstorming:

The Brainstorming method was created in the 50’s by a Alex Faickney Osbornn where the members of a company would gather together and list their ideas in order to overcome potential/current problems that the company may be facing. This method has proven to be very effective by that it has been used from big business to small children in primary schools to gather their ideas together.[i] An easy and time effective way to add to think of ideas.
Benefits: Brainstorming usually takes place when a question is written in the middle of the page and circled so it’s distinguishes it’s self from the answers that the team or individual is trying to come up with. This is good way so number of employees working in the business environment can put their ideas down. Because in a team there are lots of people working on different things the team manager can always stay on top of each member’s contribution and problem.  By that each member of the team can contribute further without over shadowing or blocking each member’s idea.
 [ii]
Draw backs? Because the ideas are just put on the paper the company still may experience problem when to apply the solution. Brainstorms don’t give answers when for the manager act in order to eliminate problem but just puts each member’s contribution on paper so the manager can decide what to do. 

Gantt charts:

Gantt charts where first created in the 1900’s by Henry Gantt in order to have a scheme or a target in order so Colonel can keep track of their progress in the First World War. The chart did become fully acknowledge by the general public until they where firstly introduced in the 1990’s in order so managers can keep up a scheme which helps them keep track of time. [iii]
Benefits: Gantt charts are a brilliant way to keep track of time and now since most things are computerised the process in doing so is even better Microsoft Office/excel offer such discretion in order so team leader always know what and when should be completed. These strict time lines are a great so everyone in a team knows exactly when their time for a certain assignment has got to do, so this way if anything comes in because of a technical fail the chart can adjust itself in order to  still meet the dead line. This type of facility can be found on electronic computer and on not highly qualified professionals can use Microsoft Office Excel in order to create such a simple chart.
Disadvantages: Sometimes when working in a big team as 30 members would contribute it can be difficult for all the members to be tracked using this method, this method would work better as a individual writes he’s tasks.

PERT charts:

Pert charts are used to illustrate the company’s plans and their intentions of what their steps are going to be in order to solve a problem or a task set.  PERT charts where first developed by the American Navy during the 1950’s. PERT chars (Project Evaluation and Review Technique)[iv]
Benefits: Pert charts show the entire range step to be taken all-in-all to get every thing ready by the final dead line especially in the business environment where a high level of professional contest is being used.
Drawbacks: Although can sometime be complicated to be tracked down on what step each member is on and when they will be complicating each task they can be very difficult to produce on paper so a computer would have to be used so new tasks can be added. [v]

Critical Path Analysis:

The very first critical path analysis diagrams where drawn during the 50’s Morgan R. Walker of DuPont and James E. Kelley the most important thing to know about this diagrams is that they always have  begging and an end to when they finish, they also include a time period of how long each task will take. In the business environment this is very important for the team manager so they can keep track of time and whether they have completed the task or not which is the most important perspective of the chart.[vi]
Benefits: this type of chart is great to use since it clearly states how long each task should take but because the chart works with estimations the time of when a task is started and ended can give flexibility to the project manager, in case of a technical failure approaches the team members. Expansion of the task can also be adjusted to the task all in order to up bring the teams end result of the task set. For example, to add an extra picture on the makings of a new webpage.
Drawbacks: Although this chart gives out a great number of detail to the project manager it’s takes a long time to produce meaning not all project leaders will be prospered to take their time to draw something in their time when they can be getting with something worth the while such as the task set.


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Project Tools Task 2

Task 2:

1)
Methodology is usually known as the term to solve a problem in this case when designing the website the project manager can run into different problems such as delay issues, website problems or staff issues, the project manager can decide how to overcome the problem by using methodology[i].  The reason why a company would need a mythology system is so it can keep on top of their programming. This way when a problem occurs, the problem can be figured out easy and efficiently.
Benefits: By using a methodology method to keep track of a project the project can be done in stages, this is will help the project manager so they are always on top of their task. Other types of methodology  can actually support and give a predictive time period when the program will be completed. The company avoid spending extra time to think of a solution how they can tackle the project, mythology give the out lines in doing so. Because each member can be attached to a task when they finish it they can be assigned to a new one in a different project giving flexibility for their usage in the environment and capability in producing what is needed.
Limitations: Using some methods may limit the design in the basics that you can’t go back to a previews task.  This would mean to redo the first task over again. Resolving in lots of confusion with in team members.  Most small projects can be over complicated by using such methods in doing a project.
2)
Prince 2 was firstly introduced in 1996 after few earlier less successful effort in 1989, Prince 2 became more and more popular therefore it became the standard generic method for project managing.  The Prince 2 is based around 7 steps they are:
·         Starting up a project
·         Initiating a project
·         Directing a project
·         Controlling a stage
·         Managing stage boundaries
·         Managing product delivery
·         Closing a project[ii]
Please refer to the water fall description below.
3)
The water fall method is another type methodology which is based on the same principle where each task is done separately and wrote so it’s done in different stages.
The water fall method is much more task orientated by that that each task should be finished before they can move on to different task where as  Prince 2 the project manager can go back to task where they can finish bits of or add extras which customers may be requirement.
Price and the waterfall mythology share the same principle of a cycle this way the system this means a new system would not be produced every new assignment or task, by that the project time will be shorten for the next one and money wouldn’t get spend on developing them.
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Introduction

 Task 1:

Introduction:
In this course work I will be talking about the different types of methodology that can be used in order to improve the business and the company. I will be also talking about which are the most effective methods and why they are the better other in the industry and the business environment.   Methodology  is typically known as set coordinated activities to solve a problem of activity.
In Task 2, I will be also showing the benefits and the limitations of two methodology, Prince 2 and Waterfall method by that also comparing them with each other.
In Task 3, I will be describing the benefit of the methodology  methods tools and their benefit to a project team:
        I.            Brain storming
      II.            Gantt Charts
    III.            PERT Charts
    IV.            Critical Path Analyst
In Task 4: I will be describing how Microsoft Project can be used as a project managing software, and talking about how Smartsheet a purely online based software can also be used as a project managing.
In Task 5: I will be drawing a waterfall diagram and by that also labelling it and describing what each stage does on it.
In Task 6: I will be referencing all my work to a number of links where I found some information out about 
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Task 6


Task 6


Reference:

[1] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodology 05/10/11
[1] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PRINCE2 05/10/11
[1] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brainstorming 05/10/11
[1]  Google Images (search) http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=brainstorming+diagram&um=1&hl=en&sa=X&biw=1214&bih=600&tbm=isch&tbnid=QT56yaKfWGPACM:&imgrefurl=http://www.sageperformance.com/drjeffallen/literature.htm&docid=zQqefReaFktTpM&w=629&h=400&ei=QCuLTq_sJKmM0AXrid3tBQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=707&vpy=150&dur=3133&hovh=179&hovw=282&tx=157&ty=113&page=1&tbnh=109&tbnw=171&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0  05/10/11
[1] Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gantt_chart 05/10/11

[1]Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Program_Evaluation_and_Review_Technique  05/10/11
[1] Google Images (search) http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=pert+chart&um=1&hl=en&lr=&safe=active&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=APGfYlRcSkiAhM:&imgrefurl=http://molinaedgar.blogspot.com/2011/02/pertgantt-chart.html&docid=Uez_ZHfh2nMCGM&w=853&h=533&ei=PRaMTtaqA6Lb0QWUnojVBQ&zoom=1&biw=1280&bih=881&iact=rc&dur=233&page=1&tbnh=152&tbnw=243&start=0&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0&tx=175&ty=86  05/10/11

[1] Wikipedia  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_path_method 05/10/11
[1] Picture http://syque.com/quality_tools/toolbook/Activity/how.htm  05/10/11
[1]Microsoft  http://www.microsoft.com/project/en/us/tips-tricks.aspx 05/10/11
[1]Smart sheets table of properties https://www.smartsheet.com/project-management-template?s=8&c=3&m=411&a=013&k=project%20planning%20software%20free&gclid=CN-Jqra90qsCFQUNfAodYz2zWw 05/10/11
[1] David’s presentation from RUTC Moodle on Unit 4: IT Project Assignment 1 – Project Life Cycle 3/10/2011
[1]Buzzel http://www.buzzle.com/articles/waterfall-model-advantages-and-disadvantages.html 05/10/11
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Task 4

Task 4:

Microsoft Project 2010

Microsoft Project can/is used as a project managing software within a company just like many other project managing software’s to comes with the following types of management tools:
Budget:  This program can deal with budget configuration therefore when money are being spend the software will deduct or add on money where necessary so the team leader always knows how much they have spend on a the project by that also show how much they have left.
Gantt charts: Microsoft project also deals with the Gantt chart which is a brilliant way of showing when the project will start and finish but as well the tasks which are expected to be performed. This charts can include a range of different colour therefore important tasks can be highlighted in red as the less significant ones done in yellow to symbolise the importance of each task.
Milestones: can be added so this way the team manager knows that they may need to do something important such send out a draft copy of the webpage they may be building through email or simply tell members of the company they need to do something important at that time.
Hide: some of the columns can remain hidden so the person working at the chart only looks what it concerns them such as project final dead line to total cost of project.
Share: when a project is created it can be send to other members within the company or to customer just so they know when a task is finish of began. This is a great tool because it does not just give the plan to the team leader but to the other member who may concern and because it’s a Microsoft based product it can be opened in pretty much any standard MS office application (i.e. word, excel)  [i]

Smart sheets

Smart sheet is another program which is purely based online project management facility which in comparison to Microsoft Project is a free open source (not part of a package).
Gantt view: This software is can offer a Gantt view which I a brilliant way of having the task ahead laid on the screen from when they will start to when they will finish this type of contribution can help a project leader therefore they will stay on top of the employees and make sure they have completed tasks set.
Mobile phone access: gives this software its unique contribution to help a project manager into checking how their employees are doing on tasks. Because this software can be made to give out alerts when someone is doing a change i.e. finishing a task early they can be given the next one in line. So this way finishes the project earlier so if any mistakes are made they would have the time to correct them.
Email: this software has the availability to update its where about on task through email, this can help a project manager in many ways from actually keep track what they are doing everywhere at all time to giving the project manager the flexibility to do that just about anywhere so if they are not doing their job the project leader can handle the job to someone who can. [ii]
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