Week 6_Petrie's Electronics Cases Closeout_ESSAY

Chapter 3

1. What qualities might Jim possess that would make him a successful project manager? ANSWER: The qualities that Jim might posses that would make him a successful PM are: a) Great communication skills b) Very good at conflict resolution c) Technical expertise d) Assertiveness

2. How do you think Jim should respond to Ella’s implied pressure about the importance of the project to her? ANSWER: I think that the smart thing for Jim to do in this situation is to acknowledge the pressure and use it as a source of motivation to oversee a successful, efficient completion of the project. It is important for Jim to maintain her confidence because she is the sponsor of the project.

3. What strategies might Jim employ to deal with a very busy team member, such as Juanita Lopez? ANSWER: I think that the best approach that Jim can employ to deal with Juanita is to get a good gauge on what her level of commitment is to the team and to the project. Depending upon her value to the team, try to work within her schedule. His only option is to acquired her expertise and make sure that she is able to contribute.

Chapter 4

1. Look over the scope statement (Figure 4-1). If you were an employee at Petrie’s Electronics, would you want to work on this project? Why or why not? ANSWER: I would definitely want to work on this project. It appears that a great, knowledgeable team has been assembled and it would be great to be a part of it. The project also seems challenging, fun yet has a great deal of areas that I could learn and grow.

2 If you were part of the management team at Petrie’s Electronics, would you approve the project outlined in the scope statement in Figure 4-1? What changes, if any, need to be made to the document? ANSWER: As a senior member of the management team, I would definitely approve the project outlined in the scope statement in Figure 4.1. It clearly states the purpose of the project and you can see how it will benefit the company.

3. Identify a preliminary set of tangible and intangible costs you think would occur for this project and the system it describes. What intangible benefits do you anticipate for the system? ANSWER: The costs would include labor supplies and training. The labor would be to make the software. It would not be easy making a new program from nothing. Also the training the employees have to go though would increase the cost. They would need to be compensated for the time they invested into the training.