Chapter 2: PM & IT Context

Project Life Cycle

A collection of project phases, such as concept, development, implementation, and close-out

Systems Development Life Cycle (SLDC)

A framework for describing the phases involved in developing and maintaining information systems

Virtual Team

A group of individuals who work across time and space using communication technologies

Executive Steering Committee

A group of senior executives from various parts of the organization who regularly review important corporate projects and issues

Systemic Approach

A holistic and analytical approach to solving complex problems that include using a systems philosophy, systems analysis, and systems management.

Systems Analysis

A problem-solving approach that requires defining the scope of the system to be studied and then dividing it into its component parts for identifying and evaluating its problems, opportunities, constraints, and needs

Deliverable

A product or service, such as a technical report, a training session, a piece of hardware, or a segment of software code, produced or provided as part of a project.

Champion

A senior manager who acts as a key proponent for a project.

Organizational Culture

A set of shared assumptions, values, and behaviors that characterize the functioning of an organization

Predictive Life Cycle

A software development approach used when the scope of the project can be clearly articulated and the schedule and cost can be accurately predicted.

Political Frame

Addresses organizational and personal politics.

IT governance

Addresses the authority and control for key IT activities in organizations, including IT infrastructure, IT use, and project management

Systems Management

Addressing the business, technological, and organizational issues associated with creating, maintaining, and making changes to a system.

Matrix Organizational Structure

An organizational structure in which employees are assigned to both functional and project managers

Functional Organizational Structure

An organizational structure that groups people by functional areas such as information technology, manufacturing, engineering, and human resources.

Project Organizational Structure

An organizational structure that groups people by major projects, such as specific aircraft programs.

Systems Philosophy

An overall model for thinking about things as systems.

Which of the following statements is false? a. An analysis project life cycle is a collection of project phases. b. A product life cycle is the same as a project life cycle. c. The waterfall approach is an example of a predictive life cycle model. d. Agile is an example of an adaptive life cycle model.

B

Politics

Competition between groups or individuals for power and leadership

Structural Frame

Deals with how the organization is structured (usually depicted in an organizational chart) and focuses on different groups' roles and responsibilities to meet the goals and policies set by top management.

Symbolic Frame

Focuses on the symbols, meanings, and culture of an organization

Which of the following is not part of the three-sphere model for systems management? a. Business b. Information c. Technology d. Organization

Information

Kill Point / Phase Exit

Management review that should occur after each project phase to determine if projects should be continued, redirected, or terminated; also called a phase exit.

What term describes an organization's acquisition of goods and services from an outside source in another country? a. Globalization b. Offshoring c. Exporting d. Global sourcing

Offshoring

Offshoring

Outsourcing from another country.

Agile

Quick and coordinated in movement; a method based on iterative and incremental development, in which requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration.

Which of the following terms describes a framework of the phases involved in developing information systems? a. Systems development life cycle (SDLC) b. Rapid application development c. Predictive life cycle d. Extreme programming

SDLC

____________ is the leading agile development method. a. Extreme programming b. Sprint c. Kanban d. Scrum

Scrum

Systems

Sets of interacting components working within an environment to fulfill some purpose

Which of the four frames of organizations addresses how meetings are run, employee dress codes, and expected work hours? a. Structural b. Human resources c. Political d. Symbolic

Symbolic

Systems Thinking

Taking a holistic view of an organization to effectively handle complex situations

Project Feasibility

The first two phases in a project (concept and development) that focus on planning

Scrum

The leading agile development methodology for completing projects with a complex innovative scope of work

Outsourcing

When an organization acquires goods and/or sources from an outside source.

Project work is most successful in an organizational culture where all of the following characteristics are important except ____________. a. member identity b. group emphasis c. risk tolerance d. control

control

A ____________ is a product or service, such as a technical report, a training session, or hardware, produced or provided as part of a project. a. deliverable b. product c. work package d. tangible goal

deliverable

The nature of IT projects is different from the nature of projects in many other industries because they are very ____________. a. expensive b. technical c. diverse d. challenging

diverse

Personnel in a ____________ organizational structure often report to two or more bosses. a. functional b. project c. matrix d. hybrid

matrix