ICTPMG501

Manage ICT projects

ASSESSMENT TASK 1: WRITTEN QUESTIONS

Question 1: Answer the following:

a. Describe essential characteristics of leader. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. Irrespective of how you define
a leader, he or she can prove to be a difference maker between success and failure. A good leader has
a futuristic vision and knows how to turn his ideas into real-world success stories. In this article, we
take an in-depth look at some of the important leadership qualities that separate good leaders from a
bad one.

The Characteristics & Qualities of a Good Leader

 Honesty and integrity

 Confidence
 Inspire Others
 Commitment and Passion
 Good Communicator
 Decision Making Capabilities
 Accountability
 Delegation and Empowerment
 Creativity and Innovation
 Empathy
 Resilience
 Emotional Intelligence
 Humility
 Transparency
 Vision and Purpose

b. List and explain characteristics of technical team that you think are crucial for the success of ICT
project. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

 ICT Knowledge
Computer networks come in many shapes and sizes and encompass a variety of hardware
manufactured by different vendors following different standards. In practice, this often turns
computer networks into the equivalent of a large, complex jigsaw puzzle. When something
goes wrong, it's up to the computer networking technician to figure out where the problem is
and what must be done to fix it. Since no two networks are alike, a computer networking
 technician will have to draw on their own problem-solving skills to track down the source of
an issue
 Time management
If there's one thing that every computer networking technician must deal with, it's the fact
that they always have too much to do and not enough time to do it. Even those working for
small organizations with few networking resources to manage can become overwhelmed with
the demands on their time, just because the scope of their responsibilities can be quite large.
 Good Team Leader
Networking technology can change and develop on a moment-to-moment basis, and it is rare
to encounter a situation that has only one solution. Computer networking technicians have to
think on their feet and come up with some creative solutions on the fly. Sometimes, they may
have to find ways to repurpose existing networking equipment to remedy an issue while they
wait for new hardware. Other times they must be creative in devising tactics to diagnose an
ongoing issue.

 Communication Skills
Although a computer networking technician will spend quite a bit of their time working with
hardware and software to resolve network issues, they will also have to interact regularly
with the people who use and depend on the networks that they manage. That's why excellent
communication skills are a must for any good computer networking technician.
 Patience
Patience is also required for anyone trying to become a good computer networking
technician. The level of complexity of the work and the delicate nature of some of the
technologies involved means that rushing through tasks is always a bad idea. As mentioned
earlier, mistakes can be costly, and having the ability to remain patient, even during pressure-
packed situations like hardware failures and network outages is essential

Question 2: Answer the following:

a. Explain different consultation and communication techniques and strategies that could be
used to resolve team differences. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

1-Communicate freely:

Communication is the cousin of chemistry. In any team, communication is crucial to building a sense
of camaraderie between members. The content of the communication is rather irrelevant, as
researchers at MIT’s Human Dynamics Laboratory have shown. Rather, the manner of communication 
— how freely and frequently team members communicate — determines the effectiveness of the
team.

2-Collaboration:

Close collaboration is a trait shared by every successful team, whether it be the Apple leadership
team or Lennon-McCartney of the Beatles fame or Jordan-Pippen of the Chicago Bulls fame. The idea
is simple enough: the more you collaborate and the more you communicate, the more you create.
b. Explain different communication strategies used in the ICT project management. Write your
answer in 100-200 words.

 1. Meet regularly
Hold regular strategy meetings for the entire team. This gives everyone an opportunity to be
present while project activities and changes are being discussed and creates a level playing
field by giving all team members a chance to voice ideas concerns and share status updates.
To reduce wasted time, try to limit meetings to 50 minutes; that gives everyone a few
minutes for administrative work or downtime — or simply a chance to get to the next
meeting.

 Be inclusive
Make sure you don’t leave anyone out when you invite people to meetings or send out
reports about recent developments. If you’re not sure whether certain people need to be
involved in a meeting or kept in the loop about the latest project activities or updates, err on
the side of caution and include them. It’s always better to gain more input from more people
than limited input from just a few team members who are regarded as key players.

 Be transparent, clear and concise

Communication can be time-consuming in any form. You can avoid wasting other people’s
time (and your own) by being transparent, clear and concise. Prior to picking up the
telephone, typing an email or scheduling a meeting,

o The purpose of the communication.

o The audience. (Are they team members, executives, vendors, clients or other
stakeholders?)
o The desired outcome.
o Whether you will need to refer back to the conversation later or provide details of it
to others.
o Whether, in light of the factors above, you’re using the best medium for the type of
communication you have in mind.
 Show some respect
People are put on project teams for a reason. Whatever their roles, all members serve an
intended purpose and bring intrinsic value to the project. Regardless of title and position in
the organizational hierarchy, all participants should be expected to show respect for their
fellow team members and should be held accountable for their behavior.
 Recognize that being right may be wrong
On the surface, getting everyone to see that you’re right might seem like a big win. But such a
“victory” can have far-reaching consequences if it affects the attitude or morale of other team
members. Project teams are just that — teams — and therefore there’s little room for any
member, regardless of position, to put a lot of energy into proving that he or she is usually
right. Your need to be right can end up alienating others to the extent that they stop
communicating altogether. Such a breakdown in communication causes the team to function
 at a less-than-optimal level.
 Use online collaboration tools
Collaboration tools help streamline project management and facilitate the process of
collaborating with team members and other stakeholders.
“If you’re looking for a free and easy way to communicate and collaborate with team
members — in the same office or across the globe — consider giving cloud-based project
management tools a try,” says Patti Rowlson, founder and marketing director at PR Consulting
Inc.“Online project management tools are great for keeping everyone informed and up to
date on a variety of project types. . . from keeping a sales pipeline moving to organizing
volunteer efforts.”

https://www.cio.com/article/3080805/6-proven-project-team-communication-
strategies.html

Question 3: Answer the following:

a. Describe the process of establishing technical team. Write your answer in 100 – 200 words.

Step 1: Establish leadership.

If your employees trust your judgement, they will work effectively even when you’re not around.
Before you can start team building, you need to develop the right kind of leadership skills

Step 2: Establish relationships with each of your employees.

Try to learn more about each member of your team, their skill sets, how they are motivated and their
likes and dislikes. This knowledge is invaluable to leaders, as it allows them to match each employee’s
expertise and competencies to specific problems, which will help increase their productivity and job
satisfaction.
Step 3: Build relationships between your employees.

As your team starts to cooperate more, examine the way they work together and take steps to
improve communication, cooperation and trust amongst the team. If there are any conflicts, try to
resolve them amicably.

Step 4: Foster teamwork.

Once you have established relations with and between your employees, it’s time to help them work
together effectively. Encourage your team to share information, both amongst themselves and within
the wider organisation.

Step 5: Set ground rules for the team.

Finally, you can begin officially establishing your team through creating team values and goals, as well
as evaluating team performance alongside individual performance. Be sure to include your team in
this process, so they know what’s required and agree with it.

b. Determine stages of team development. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

1-Forming Stage

The first stage of team development is forming, which is a lot like orientation day at college or a new
job. You could even compare it to going out on a first date.

2-Storming Stage

In the storming stage, the reality and weight of completing the task at hand have now hit everyone.
The initial feelings of excitement and the need to be polite have likely worn off.

3-Norming Stage

During the norming stage, people start to notice and appreciate their team members’ strengths.
Groups start to settle into a groove. Everyone is contributing and working as a cohesive unit.

4-Performing Stage
 In the performing stage, members are confident, motivated and familiar enough with the project and
their team that they can operate without supervision

5-Adjourning Stage

Once a project ends, the team disbands. This phase is sometimes known as mourning because
members have grown close and feel a loss now that the experience is over.

Question 4: Explain estimation and different cost-analysis techniques used in ICT project
management. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

Project cost estimating scares a lot of people. They don't know how much something will cost, but
they know whatever value they give, they will be held to it by their manager

The challenge with estimating is that it always involves some uncertainty. Some of the factors that
contribute to this uncertainty include

 Experience with Similar Projects: The less experience you have with similar projects, the
greater the uncertainty. If you've managed similar projects, you will be able to better
estimate the costs of the project.

 Planning Horizon: The longer the planning horizon, the greater the uncertainty. The planning
horizon you are considering may be the whole project or just a certain phase. Either way, you
will be able to better estimate costs for the time periods that are closer to the present.

 Project Duration: The longer the project, the greater the uncertainty. This is similar to
planning horizon in the sense that if a project is of a shorter duration you are more likely to
account for most of the costs.

 People: The quantity of people and their skill will be a huge factor in estimating their costs.
Early in the project, you may not even know the specific people that will be on the project.
That will increase the uncertainty of your cost estimates.

Fortunately, there are some tools and techniques used by professional project managers that
you can use to develop more accurate cost estimates...

EXPERT JUDGEMENT
Expert judgment uses the experience and knowledge of experts to estimate the cost of the
project. This technique can take into account unique factors specific to the project. However, it
can also be biased.

ANALOGOUS ESTIMATING

Analogous estimating uses historical data from similar projects as a basis for the cost estimate.
The estimate can be adjusted for known differences between the projects. This type of estimate
is usually used in the early phases of a project and is less accurate than other methods.

PARAMETRIC ESTIMATING

Parametric estimating uses statistical modeling to develop a cost estimate. It uses historical

data of key cost drivers to calculate an estimate for different parameters such as cost and
duration. For example, square footage is used in some construction projects.

BOTTOM-UP ESTIMATING

Bottom-up estimating uses the estimates of individual work packages which are then
summarized or "rolled up" to determine an overall cost estimate for the project. This type of
estimate is generally more accurate than other methods since it is looking at costs from a more
granular perspective.

THREE-POINT ESTIMATES

Three-point estimates originated with the Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT).

This method uses three estimates to define an approximate range for an activities cost: Most
Likely (Cm), Optimistic (Co), and Pessimistic (Cp). The cost estimate is calculated using a
weighted average: Cost Estimate = (Co + 4Cm + Cp)/6

RESERVE ANALYSIS

Reserve analysis is used to determine how much contingency reserve, if any, should be
allocated to the project. This funding is used to account for cost uncertainty.

COST OF QUALITY

Cost of Quality (COQ) includes money spent during the project to avoid failures and money
spent during and after the project due to failures. During cost estimation, assumptions about the
COQ can be included in the project cost estimate.

P R O J E C T M A N A G E ME N T E S T I M A T I N G S O F T W A R E

Project management estimating software includes cost estimating software applications,

spreadsheets, simulation applications, and statistical software tools. This type of software is
especially useful for looking at cost estimation alternatives.

VENDOR BID ANALYSIS

 Vendor analysis can be used to estimate what the project should cost by comparing the bids
submitted by multiple vendors.

https://www.project-management-skills.com/project-cost-estimating.html

Question 5: Answer the following:

a. Describe different method of communication and communication styles. Write your answer
in 100-200 words

1. Verbal

Verbal communication is the use of language to transfer information through speaking or sign
language. It is one of the most common types, often used during presentations, video conferences
and phone calls, meetings and one-on-one conversations. Verbal communication is important
because it is efficient. It can be helpful to support verbal communication with both nonverbal and
written communication

2. Nonverbal

Nonverbal communication is the use of body language, gestures and facial expressions to convey
information to others. It can be used both intentionally and unintentionally. For example, you might
smile unintentionally when you hear a pleasing or enjoyable idea or piece of information. Nonverbal
communication is helpful when trying to understand others’ thoughts and feelings.

3. Written

Written communication is the act of writing, typing or printing symbols like letters and numbers to
convey information. It is helpful because it provides a record of information for reference. Writing is
commonly used to share information through books, pamphlets, blogs, letters, memos and more.
Emails and chats are a common form of written communication in the workplace.

4. Visual

Visual communication is the act of using photographs, art, drawings, sketches, charts and graphs to
convey information. Visuals are often used as an aid during presentations to provide helpful context
alongside written and/or verbal communication. Because people have different learning styles, visual
communication might be more helpful for some to consume ideas and information.

https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/types-of-communication

b. Describe different communication styles. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

1. Passive communication: PASSIVE COMMUNICATION is a style in which individuals have developed a

pattern of avoiding expressing their opinions or feelings, protecting their rights, and identifying and
meeting their needs. As a result, passive individuals do not respond overtly to hurtful or anger-
inducing situations.

2. Aggressive communication: Aggressive communication is a method of expressing needs and desires

that does not take in to account the welfare of others. A harmful communication style, aggressive
communication can end up worsening social anxiety by making others view you more harshly

3. Passive-aggressive communication: PASSIVE-AGGRESSIVE COMMUNICATION is a style in which

individuals appear passive on the surface but are really acting out anger in a subtle, indirect, or
behind-the-scenes way. People who develop a pattern of passive-aggressive communication usually
feel powerless, stuck, and resentful – in other words, they feel incapable of dealing directly with the
object of their resentments. Instead, they express their anger by subtly undermining the object (real
or imagined) of their resentments

4. Assertive communication: ASSERTIVE COMMUNICATION is a style in which individuals clearly state

their opinions and feelings, and firmly advocate for their rights and needs without violating the rights
of others. These individuals value themselves, their time, and their emotional, spiritual, and physical
needs and are strong advocates for themselves while being very respectful of the rights of others.

c. Explain different interview techniques

1. The Telephone Interview.

Telephone interviews are hugely valuable because they speed up the interview process and minimise
time-wasting, whilst culling your weaker candidates earlier on.

2. The Video Interview.

Video interviews (Skype, Google Hangouts, FaceTime) are a great alternative to telephone interviews.

The fact that you can actually see each other adds a certain level of importance and professionalism
to the ‘call’ and removes the temptation for either party to multi-task or lose focus.

3. The Panel Interview.

Panel interviews are the same as individual, face-to-face interviews, but with two or more
interviewers in the room.

The main advantage of panel interviewing is that it precludes any personal biases that might creep
into the assessment process.

Each interviewer will pick up on different characteristics, strengths and weaknesses and together
(hopefully) make a much fairer judgement.

4. The Assessment Day.

Assessment “days” can be used to assess larger groups of interviewees at the same time, for a range
of different skills.

Common amongst graduate employers, they are a great way to evaluate candidates in more detail,
for a longer period of time.

If you’re interviewing a large group and your offices are only small, it’s a good idea to seek out a local
assessment centre to host the day for you.

5. Group Interviews.

Group interviews are used a lot less regularly than the other interview techniques we’ve mentioned,
but they still have their place in modern recruitment.

You could conduct your group interview in two key ways… like an individual interview; asking exactly
the same questions that you would ask in an individual interview, openly, to the whole group,
allowing candidates the chance to compete to impress.
 Or like the assessment day, with brief introductions, leading into group tasks and activities.

6. Individual (face-to-face) Interviews.

Individual, face-to-face interviews are by far the most popular and efficient form of assessment.

Allowing you to get up close and personal with each candidate while keeping an eye on their body
language is far more effective than any other interviewing format.

Question 6: Answer the following:

b. Explain the process of cost benefit analysis. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

a. List and explain techniques to identify ICT project objective. Write your answer in 100-150
words.

1. Strategic Objectives

These are the primary focus of the individual project which set a target for your team to work
towards. These strategic objectives strive to achieve the overall goal set for the project by the
relevant stakeholders. It is generally up to the project manager and team leaders to define these
more specific objectives once the goal has been set.

2. Performance Objectives

These are project objectives geared towards measuring the processes and function of your team.
They are often ongoing goals that apply to all projects and the data gathered can be used to improve
the productivity of the whole organization. They allow your projects to always have a secondary, but
very important function, that of tracking the progress of your organization in terms of how it does its
work

3. Financial Objectives

Projects cost money but are also generally about making money as well, thus financial objectives are
those that are concerned with the monetary ins and outs of a specific project. This encompasses
dealing with the basic performance of a budget, i.e. how much was spent, but can also include the
underlying financial details of both the project and the organization as a whole.
 4. Regulatory Objectives

Depending on the industry, a project will face varying levels of regulatory requirements. These can be
set at a government level but also can include things such as a company’s desired sustainability goals.
Being aware of a project’s impact in terms of these requirements can often be overlooked but are
nevertheless an important consideration for a project manager.

5. Effectiveness Objectives

An organization will always want to try to improve its processes and the way it performs its tasks.
Inside every individual project, the PM should be aware of and track the effectiveness of the methods
that are implied. By setting specific objectives to this end, it gives the organization an opportunity to
monitor its processes and identify possibilities for productivity gains.

https://www.clarizen.com/how-to-identify-your-projects-objectives/

b. Explain the process of cost benefit analysis. Write your answer in 100-200 words.

Cost benefit analysis is a process used primarily by businesses that weighs the sum of the benefits,
such as financial gain, of an action against the negatives, or costs, of that action. The technique is
often used when trying to decide a course of action, and often incorporates dollar amounts for
intangible benefits as well as opportunity cost into its calculations.

Cost–benefit analysis (CBA), is a systematic approach to estimating the strengths and weaknesses of
alternatives used to determine options which provide the best approach to achieving benefits while
preserving savings (for example, in transactions, activities, and functional business requirements). A
CBA may be used to compare completed or potential courses of actions, or to estimate (or evaluate)
the value against the cost of a decision, project, or policy. It is commonly used in commercial
transactions, business or policy decisions (particularly public policy), and project investments.

Question 7: Answer the following:

a. Outline the importance of organisational values? Write your answer in 50-100 words.

 Organizational values determine the way we treat people, and it shapes our basic work ethics.

 A systematic approach to build organizational values enables an organization to develop an

 effective and strong work culture to bind the behaviour of people. Theoretically, we can
categorize values as terminal and instrumental.

 Terminal values process our upbringing. During this process of upbringing, we shape our
values from cues that emerge from our experience of happiness, freedom, and friendship.
However, in the process of our upbringing, we may not always experience happiness. To
sustain this, we develop instrumental values to shape our values, which guide us on the ways
to be cheerful, to be responsible, and to show self-control.

b. What is the purpose of Project Management Policy

The purpose of a project management policy is to ensure that projects have guidelines so they are
completed in a timely, efficient manner. Having an effective policy in place saves a company the
challenge of handling each project on an individual basis and guarantees cohesiveness and
consistency throughout the business's operations.

c. Explain project management process and phases.

1. Initiation

This is where all projects begin. The value of the project is determined, as well as its feasibility. Before
the project is approved or rejected, these two documents are created to sell the work to stakeholders
or sponsors

2. Planning

If the project is approved, then the next step is to assemble a project team and to start planning how
to manage the project so it can achieve its goals within budget and on time.

3. Execution

Now that you’ve done your planning, it’s time to start the project. This is where the rubber hits the
road, but that doesn’t mean you’re just cruising.

4. Monitor and Control

To ensure that the project plan is being actualized, all aspects of the project must be monitored and
adjusted as needed.

5. Close

The project isn’t over once the project goals and objectives have been met. The last phase of the
project is closing it out.
 https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-management-processes-phases

Question 8: Answer the following:

a. What is Performance Management and components of Performance Management?

Performance management (PM) is a process of ensuring that set of activities and outputs meets an
organization's goals in an effective and efficient manner. Performance management can focus on the
performance of an organization, a department, an employee, or the processes in place to manage
particular tasks.

Components of Performance Management

1. Management Involvement. It starts here. Managers are responsible for setting performance
expectations, providing feedback and coaching, and recognizing excellent work. That doesn’t
happen on the sidelines. Managers need to buy into and be an active part of the performance
management process.

2. Goal Setting. High performing individuals and teams have a big hairy audacious goal (BHAG) that
drives their performance. And company cultures that place an emphasis on goals align employee
performance with that BHAG. The connection creates engagement because employees see how
their work helps the company.

3. Learning and Development. Once goals are set, employees need to have the knowledge and skills
to do the work. Companies that want high performance need to make investments in employee
learning and development. It will allow employees to accomplish their goals – both now and in
the future.

4. Feedback and Coaching. Employees want to know how they are performing. Because they want
to do a good job. Managers should regularly tell employees about their performance – what’s
good, what could be improved, and even more importantly, how to evaluate their own work.
When employees can evaluate their own performance well, they can set their own goals and
begin to become self-learners.

5. Ongoing Conversations. This component brings the other four items (management, goals,
learning, and feedback) together. Organizations should create cultures where having ongoing
discussions about performance goals, learning, coaching, etc. are happening.
https://www.hrbartender.com/2017/employee-engagement/5-components-performance-
management/

b. Explain different project team appraisal methods?

1. Management by Objectives (MBO)

Management by objectives (MBO) is the appraisal method where managers and employees together
identify, plan, organize, and communicate objectives to focus on during a specific appraisal period.
After setting clear goals, managers and subordinates periodically discuss the progress made to control
and debate on the feasibility of achieving those set objectives.

2. 360-Degree Feedback

360-degree feedback is a multidimensional performance appraisal method that evaluates an

employee using feedback collected from the employee’s circle of influence namely managers, peers,
customers, and direct reports. This method will not only eliminate bias in performance reviews but
also offer a clear understanding of an individual’s competence.

3. Assessment Centre Method

The assessment centre method enables employees to get a clear picture of how others observe them
and the impact it has on their performance. The main advantage of this method is that it will not only
assess the existing performance of an individual but also predict future job performance.

4. Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale (BARS)

Behaviorally anchored rating scales (BARS) bring out both the qualitative and quantitative benefits in
a performance appraisal process. BARS compares employee performance with specific behavioral
examples that are anchored to numerical ratings.

5. Psychological Appraisals

Psychological appraisals come in handy to determine the hidden potential of employees. This method
focuses on analyzing an employee’s future performance rather than their past work

6. Human-Resource (Cost) Accounting Method

Human resource (cost) accounting method analyses an employee’s performance through the
monetary benefits he/she yields to the company. It is obtained by comparing the cost of retaining an
employee (cost to company) and the monetary benefits (contributions) an organization has
ascertained from that specific employee.

https://kissflow.com/hr-process/performance-management/employee-performance-appraisal-
 method/

Question 9: Explain different metrics of monitoring team and individual performance? Write your
answer in 100-200 words.

#1: Attendance

First and foremost, it’s important to look at whether a team member shows up to work or not.
Attendance is definitely worth tracking. We’ve talked about using time and attendance data for
company growth before, but team attendance can be a useful performance metric as well.
Automating time and attendance is a great way to keep an eye on things. If a team member is
consistently showing up late, leaving early, or taking an unusual number of sick days, they’re likely not
showing their full potential.

#2: Helpfulness

Helpfulness is important for fostering a culture of teamwork, allowing your team to perform better
when tackling difficult tasks together. It might be difficult to measure helpfulness, but Konowe’s
method is a great place to start.

#3: Efficiency

Team members need to be able to complete their work on time. They should have a good handle on
the limitations provided by the time and resources available and should be able to prioritize to get
things done as efficiently as possible. Look for missed deadlines or work that suffers as a result of
cramming for deadlines for clues as to how efficiently a team member is working.

#4: Initiative

It’s nice when those you work with ask what’s needed and where they can help. It’s even nicer when
they see a need and take steps to meet it on their own. An employee that takes initiative is definitely
a sign of team satisfaction and engagement.

#5: Quality

The quality of work your team members put out is perhaps the most important metric, but it is also
the most difficult to define. Team members who care about what they do and are engaged at work
 will likely perform better, and it’s a good idea to recognize resulting achievements.

https://risepeople.com/blog/5-metrics-team-member-performance/

Question 10: Answer the following:

a. Describe the concept of Project cash flow.

Project cash flow is the net cash flow associated with the project for that year. Calculation: Project
Cash Flow = Sources of Cash – Uses of Cash. Project Financial Planning provides a way to indicate the
cash flow incidence for the account or project. The cash flow incidence affects cash flow

b. Explain budgeting process and strategies involved in budgeting process

1. Aids in the planning of actual operations

The process gets managers to consider how conditions may change and what steps they need to take,
while also allowing managers to understand how to address problems when they arise.

2. Co-ordinates the activities of the organization

Budgeting encourages managers to build relationships with the other parts of the operation and
understand how the various departments and teams interact with each other and how they all
support the overall organization.

3. Communicating plans to various managers

Communicating plans to managers is an important social aspect of the process, which ensures that
everyone gets a clear understanding of how they support the organization. It encourages
communication of individual goals, plans, and initiatives, which all roll up together to support the
growth of the business. It also ensures appropriate individuals are made accountable for
implementing the budget.
 4. Motivates managers to strive to achieve the budget goals

Budgeting gets managers to focus on participation in the budget process. It provides a challenge or
target for individuals and managers by linking their compensation and performance relative to the
budget.

5. Control activities

Managers can compare actual spending with the budget to control financial activities.

6. Evaluate the performance of managers

Budgeting provides a means of informing managers of how well they are performing in meeting
targets they have set.

Question 11: Answer the following:

a. Write your answer in 100-150 words.

b. Explain minmum three (3) project management tools in ICT project management. Write your
answer in 100-150 words.

Explain minimum four (4) project management methodologies.

1. Agile

One of the more recognizable project management methodologies, Agile is best suited for projects
that are iterative and incremental. It’s a type of process where demands and solutions evolve through
the collaborative effort of self-organizing and cross-functional teams and their customers

2. Scrum

Scrum is comprised of five values: commitment, courage, focus, openness, and respect. It’s goal is to
develop, deliver, and sustain complex products through collaboration, accountability, and iterative
progress. What distinguishes Scrum from the other Agile project management methodologies is how
it operates by using certain roles, events, and artifacts.

3. Kanban

Kanban is another popular Agile framework that, similar to Scrum, focuses on early releases with
collaborative and self-managing teams.
 4. Lean

Lean methodology promotes maximizing customer value, while minimizing waste. It aims to create
more value for the customer by using fewer resources. Stemmed from the Japanese manufacturing
industry, its values suppose that ‘as waste is eliminated, quality improves while the production time
and cost are reduced.’

https://zenkit.com/en/blog/7-popular-project-management-methodologies-and-what-theyre-best-
suited-for/

Explain minimum three (3) project management tools in ICT project management

Gantt Chart

Gantt chart can help in planning and managing projects by breaking a large project into a series of
smaller tasks in an organized way. Each task has an expected time duration which is presented by a
horizontal bar whose left end indicates the beginning date of the task and whose right end indicates
the completion date of the task. Tasks may run sequentially, in parallel or overlapping. During the
process, important events can be highlighted as "Milestone" which is marked by a small diamond
shape

PERT Chart

PERT is shorted for project evaluation and review technique. It's a primary project management tool
used for planning and scheduling entire projects and tracking the implementation phase. PERT chart
can also show task division, time allocation, and starting and ending dates

Calendar

Calendar is the date or time based project management tool which is the easiest to understand. It is
more suitable for personal time management, to help better manage your daily, weekly or monthly
time schedule. The outstanding part of this tool is that it has more space for adding to do lists. It will
remind you what to do on each day and make sure things can be finished before deadline.

Question 12: Answer the following:

a. Explain GAP analysis and

 A gap analysis (performed internally or externally) is a way to research sales opportunities where the
demand is greater than the supply. Using this process can help a company identify markets that are
currently under-serviced. Through the deployment of market gap analyses, an organization can make
logical decisions based on market facts rather than opinion.

Steps to conduct GAP analysis

 Identify the area to be analyzed and identify the goals to be accomplished.

 Establish the ideal future state.

 Analyze the current state.

 Compare the current state with the ideal state.

 Describe the gap and quantify the difference

b. Describe project management modelling techniques

Project management methodology can help you organize your project into a structured, streamlined
process. It makes team collaboration more efficient and projects become better organized.

Project management plays a crucial role in accomplishing goals and following through with plans and
expectations. Often times, businesses have huge hopes for projects and for team members to
collaborate on their ideas but things don’t get carried out as planned.

Project management methodology helps managers through every stage of a project. It begins with
helping the manager plan, initiate, and implement the project. Methodologies even take the project
to closure. They are models that project managers can use to plan and achieve task goals.

Question 13: Answer the following:

a. List and explain different roles and delegations within ICT project management. Write your
answer in 100-200 words.
1. Project Manager

Project Managers are primarily responsible for the completion of the project as planned. Depending
on the type of project organization, they usually play a lead role in the overall planning, executing,
monitoring, controlling, and closing of projects

2. Project Team

The project team comprises of full-time or part-time employees who are assigned to work on
different activities and deliverables of the project. They are responsible for contributing to the overall
objectives of the project and the specific team deliverables.

3. Steering Committee

The steering committee comprises of management representatives and other high-level stakeholders
(people or groups who have a stake, or an interest in the outcome of the project) and oversees the
entire project lifecycle, providing guidance on the overall strategic direction.

4. Project Client

Clients are the people (or organization/business unit/department, etc.) for whom the project is being
undertaken. Whether it is an internal-company project or an external project, every project has a
client or a customer, who has a business need that will be satisfied by the successful completion of
the project. While the term client generically refers to one or more people from the client’s
organization, specific large projects also have a dedicated client Project Manager as a comparable
Project Manager to work on the client side. During the course of a project, the client’s role is crucial to
the overall success. They play an active role in approving project plans, requesting changes, raising
issues and risks, approving milestones, releasing payments, and accepting (or declining) the final
deliverables of the project.

5. Project Management Office (PMO)

The Project Management Office aka PMO is a group of people who help build and maintain a set of
standards and best practices for internal Project Management, and oversee their adherence across all
projects
 6. Resource Manager

Albeit smaller in number, many organizations have this role of a dedicated Resource Manager, whose
primary responsibility is to manage resource pools assignable to projects.

Question 14: Answer the following:

a. Describe different technology-based solutions used in project management.

Collaboration Tools

When it comes to newer types of project management technology, there can be no underestimating
the effect of collaboration tools and project-based chat platforms. Recent innovations in social
platforms reflect the growing need for team members who may not be working in the same space to
keep updated in real time.

Project Tracking

As businesses gravitate more and more towards cloud-based sharing and project management
technology, project managers are presented with a number of ways to increase productivity within
teams, while also establishing better accountability for team members. Recent research has shown
that using cloud-based project management technology can increase productivity and focus among
team members.

Information-Gathering Tools

When it comes to technology used in project management, there’s no underestimating the effect of
sensors and other information-gathering tools that can provide project managers with a specific type
of informed, accurate market research within a short timeframe. Creating an accurate, wide-ranging
census of data is crucial to many research-based projects.
Scheduling Software

Many teams today are working across cities, countries and time zones to accomplish a specific time-
sensitive goal. Because of this, the importance of scheduling software to successful project
management cannot be underestimated.

Workflow Automation

Developing your own workflow has its own set of challenges, which is why workflow automation
tools are so important. With workflow and reporting automation, you can free members of your team
from ongoing administrative tasks so they can focus on what’s really important. In doing so, they can
respond faster to important queries and complete the task at hand. When seeking out workflow
automation tools, be sure to adopt a flexible system that can quickly adapt to changing market
conditions.

https://www.clarizen.com/five-technologies-can-improve-project-management/

b. Analysis different frameworks used in ICT project management domain

Project management framework is a combination of processes, tasks, and tools used to transition a
project from start to finish. An overview of a generic process used by this framework is:

 Initiation: when the project starts

 Planning: when all of the key decisions are made

 Execution: when project work actually takes place

 Control: when adjustments are made to the plan

 Monitoring: when project progress is checked

 Termination: when the project comes to an end

  Tools & Templates

As previously mentioned, there’s really no need to reinvent the wheel with all the templates already
available online at your disposal. Popular ones include PRINCE2, CCPM (critical chain project
management), scrum (primarily used in development environments) and the waterfall methodology.
Many Gantt charts employ the waterfall methodology into their makeup, so it’s an easy transition to
make should you migrate from software to software.

 Project Lifecycle

The project lifecycle is essentially how you’ll set up your project management framework overall.
You’ll start mapping out your project management framework by taking a look at your project
lifecycle.

 Project Control Cycle

This is essentially the monitoring and management portion of your project. At this phase, you’ll use
software to combine communication across all channels into one area. Different project management
metrics help you record the progress of all your team members, monitor for possible risks that you’ve
already identified prior to kick-off and manage expectations of key stakeholders.

https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/project-management-framework