Discussion 1
What is a project, and what are its main attributes? How is a project different from what most people do in their day-to-day jobs? What is the triple constraint as applies to IT projects? What other factors affect a project?
Discussion 2
Discuss the importance of top management commitment and the development of standards for successful project management. Provide examples to illustrate the importance of these items based on your experience on any type of project. Discuss the unique challenges that an IT project presents.
Discussion 3
What are some of the typical challenges project teams face during each of the five process groups? You can frame your discussion based on a project described in one of the feature boxes in Chapter 3 of the text (for example, the What Went Right? or What Went Wrong? feature). You can also frame your discussion on one of PMIs Project of the Year Award winners, or on a well-known project failure like the Denver International Airport baggage handling system of this chapter.Discussion 4
Discuss the process of defining project scope in more detail as a project progresses, going from information in a project charter to a project scope statement, WBS, and WBS dictionary. Why do you think schedule issues often cause the most conflicts on IT projects? Explain what happens during the process to determine the project budget.Discussion 5
Discuss the importance of understanding tone of voice and body language in comprehending the meaning of what people say. Give examples of how the same words said in different ways have totally different meanings. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting or virtual teams related to IT projects.Discussion 6
Discuss the common sources of risk on IT projects and suggestions for managing them. Which suggestions do you find most useful? Which do you feel would not work in your organization? Why?Discussion 7
Discuss some of the examples of poor quality in IT projects presented in the What Went Wrong? section. Could most of these problems have been avoided? Why do you think there are so many examples of poor quality in IT projects?