APPROVED___________________________________________________________________________

EXAMINATION PAPER: ACADEMIC SESSION 2006/2007

School Computing and Mathematical Sciences

Department Information Systems and Multimedia

Level Three

TITLE OF PAPER IT Project and Quality Management

COURSE CODE COMP1305

Date and Time Saturday 2nd December 2006

LONDON – 13.30 BAHRAIN – 15.00

HONG KONG – 18.00 UAE – 16.00

TRINIDAD – 09.30 SINGAPORE – 18.00

MALTA – 15.00 ZAMBIA – 14.30

MALAYSIA – 18.00 GREECE – 15.00

This paper contains SIX questions.

ALL questions carry the same number of marks.
Marks will be awarded for the best FOUR answers.

______________________________________________________________________________________
IT and Project Management
COMP 1305
Page 1 of 5
APPROVED___________________________________________________________________________

1. Project schedules are a key aspect of project management.

(a) Draw an appropriate diagram and calculate the critical path and critical
time duration for a project consisting of these activities.

Activity Predecessor(s) Duration (in days)

A - 5
B - 4
C A 3
D A 4
E A 6
F B, C 4
G D 5
H D, E 6
I F 6
J G, H 4

[10 marks]

(b) As project manager you have been told to reduce the overall project
duration of the above project by 4 days. You first decide to reduce
each of the tasks on the critical path by one day each, but find that is
not enough. Explain why this is the case, and suggest what else you
would need to do to achieve the target.
[10 marks]

(c) What additional information would be needed to use the Program

Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) for the above project?
[5 marks]

______________________________________________________________________________________
IT and Project Management
COMP 1305
Page 2 of 5
APPROVED___________________________________________________________________________

2. Six Sigma is described as "a comprehensive and flexible system for achieving,
sustaining and maximizing business success" and one of its key features is its
training requirements.

(a) How does Six Sigma training differ from other training methods?
[10 marks]

(b) What is the significance of the "six 9s of quality", i.e. 99.9999%

service availability? How can this level of service availability be
achieved? How much more demanding is it compared to 99.9%
service availability?
[8 marks]

(c) Six Sigma has been described as "We can do it all" and "The Genius of
the AND". To what key aspect of Six Sigma does this refer?
[7 marks]

3. Project risk management is necessary to identify and counteract threats to the

successful implementation of a project.

(a) Describe a method for quantifying the negative risks associated with a
project.
[7 marks]

(b) Company physical networks are usually well-protected by firewalls, with

automatic updates of anti-virus software and installation of operating
system patches and clear security policies enforced by security staff.
Company wireless network, however, can be a significant risk to the
organisation. Evaluate the specific negative risks involved if a company
moves from a physical to a wireless network and critically evaluate how
the risk can be managed.
[10 marks]

(c) There are a variety of response strategies to negative risk. Describe these
in detail and critically evaluate how they would be applied in the example
above (the migration to a wireless network).
[8 marks]

______________________________________________________________________________________
IT and Project Management
COMP 1305
Page 3 of 5
APPROVED___________________________________________________________________________

4. Team development is essential for the success of projects.

(a) Project managers often recommend that people take specific training
courses to improve individual and team development. Why is it
usually considered important that training is provided in a just-in-time
fashion?
[8 marks]

(b) Project Managers must be able to influence behaviour by exercising

power. Critically evaluate different methods for exercising power,
illustrating each case with an example.
[10 marks]

(c) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Wilson Learning Styles
Profile are two methods for determining personality preferences in
teams. Critically compare these two methods in detail as a basis for
team selection.
[7 marks]

5. Project communication management team is essential for the success of a project.

(a) Give detailed guidelines for writing effective reports.

[5 marks]

(b) What different techniques can be used by the project manager to manage
conflict in project teams?
[10 marks]

(c) Critically contrast an intranet (or a secure part of a web site) to email as a
communication tool for a project team during the different phases of a
project where the team members rarely meet face-to-face. Clearly identify
what features you would expect the intranet to contain that email cannot
provide.
[10 marks]

______________________________________________________________________________________
IT and Project Management
COMP 1305
Page 4 of 5
APPROVED___________________________________________________________________________

6. There are a variety of techniques that can be used to manage costs in IT projects.

(a) Define each of the following terms and give the context in which it would be
used to estimate or manage costs in a project:

• Sunk costs,
• Parametric modelling,
• Analogous estimates,
• Contingency reserve.
[8 marks]

(b) Clearly differentiate between tangible and intangible costs and benefits.
Give examples of each in the context of the major project of the
computerisation of the management of a large hospital.
[7 marks]

(c) Life Cycle Costing considers the Total Cost of Ownership. Identify the
different cost categories for the above project. Explain how the impact of
software defects on the Life Cycle Cost depends on when the defect is
detected.
[10 marks]

______________________________________________________________________________________
IT and Project Management
COMP 1305
Page 5 of 5