Please see attached Discussion word document for questions.  

References:    Pinto, J. (2019). Project Management: Achieving Competitive Advantage(5th ed). Boston: . Pearson. 

write 500 words

provide a graduate-level response to each of the following questions:

1. What are the practical implications internally (in terms of team motivation) and externally (for the customer) of making overly optimistic project delivery promises?

2.Consider a project to build a bridge over a river gorge.  What are some of the resource constraints that would make this project challenging?

3.It has been argued that a project schedule that has not been resource-leveled is useless.  Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  Why or why not?

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write in new doc

 Activity 6

Case Study 11.1: It’s an Agile World

This case illustrates a common problem in software and IT development, where programmers and IT staff are anxious to lock in specifications as early as possible so they can “get to work” without having to worry about invasive or disruptive input from the end users.  Unfortunately, what typically happens is that the finished product is not what the users needed or thought they needed and a long list of fixes and modifications are needed to make it work correctly.  This case is based on a true story in a hospital IT department that routinely struggled with these sorts of user conflicts until they sifted to an Agile methodology.

Questions

1. Why does the classic waterfall project planning model fail in this situation?  What is it about the IT department’s processes that leads to their finished systems being rejected constantly?
2. How would an Agile methodology correct some of these problems?  What new development cycle would you propose?
3. Why are “user stories” and system “features” critical components of an effective IT software development process?
4. Using the terms “Scrum,” “Sprint,” and “User stories,” create an alternative development cycle for a hypothetical software development process at Northwest Regional Hospital.

Case Study 12.2: “First Come, First Served”: Resource Challenges for Sunrise Restoration

This case is intended to highlight the challenges in resource assignment, particularly in the common cases where project managers within the same firm are competing with each other for the use of scarce and valuable human resources to accomplish their tasks.  Without clear guidance from top management and a valid priority system, the ability to acquire resources is often the result of chaotic bargaining and negotiation among equals. This case is based on a real situation and the outcomes were very much in line with the way they are described in the case.  The business owner did not want to simply invest in more resources for fear that they would be underutilized.  He much preferred the system of negotiating among his project managers, even if that led to inefficient utilization of the resources that were available.  Students can be asked to take the side of the owner or Tyler to debate the options that Sunrise can use to manage its resources.

Questions

1. Describe some of the resource constraints that Sunrise and its project managers are facing.
2. Is Sunrise’s current model of prioritizing resource assignments viable?  Why or why not?
3. How could technology alleviate some of Sunrise’s resource management issues?
4. Would Tyler’s suggestion to hire additional technicians and purchase more equipment solve the resource problems at Sunrise?  Why or why not?

Please provide a detailed response to the below to include specific details and examples.

• What is the Vigenère Cipher?
• How does it work?
• Although the Vigenère cipher was an improvement upon previous historical encryption techniques, it is still vulnerable.  How would an attacker break a Vigenère-style cipher? 

Try your hand!

1.  Encrypt the below message using the Vigenère cipher.

• NOW IS THE TIME FOR ALL GOOD MEN TO COME TO THE AID OF THEIR COUNTRY.

2.  Decrypt the below message using the Vigenère cipher.  The passphrase is ‘crypto.’

• Vyc Kbugecgx Qkgftk kcj btosnfntw pa dyiasorrxvwce Zatwuv bt Owivltks ke rwx 16hj tccmitp

3.  Create a Vigenère cipher of your own and see who can crack it!  Toward the end of the week, provide the solution to your cipher.

Individual Assignment (suggested level of effort: 3.5 hours)

There are 2 parts to this assignment.  You can submit two files to the drop box.  MS Project (should you have your own license to the software) is not acceptable for completing any part of this assignment.

Part 1 Exercise Questions (40 points)

Complete exercise questions 1 (5 pts), 3 (5 pts), 5 (10 pts), 6 (5 pts) and 9 (15 pts) found at the end of Chapter 8.

Part 2 Scheduling Problem (50 points)

Complete the following:

Your child is a member of the school theater group and have been asked to prepare the schedule, etc. for a skit to be performed during the 4th of July celebration in the local village square.  As a volunteer, you offer to serve as the project controller because of your expertise in schedule management.

1. Construct an AON diagram similar to the format used in the Youtube videos found in the commentary using an MS Excel spreadsheet.  Ensure that you include a Start activity and a Finish activity.  Include a legend (example is the one completed in Question 1, Part 1.
2. Calculate the estimated time for each activity using PERT techniques for the 3 estimates provided.  Include a sample calculation.
3. Prepare a table that identifies all paths and their lengths.  Which path is the critical path?
4. During the execution phase of the skit project, one of the activities on the critical path is delayed by one day.  Is this serious?
5. Using the activity estimates for optimistic, pessimistic and most likely time to complete activities on the critical path, qualitatively discuss the estimate uncertainty of the critical path. 

You will be assessed on content and mechanics.

Content (90 points): Each element of this assignment has a correct answer.  Your content will be assessed on whether or not you produced a correct diagram, estimate, result, etc. or the degree to how you demonstrate knowledge of scheduling practices in case your diagram, estimate or result are incorrect.

Mechanics (10 points):  The results must include sample calculations (where applicable) and be presented in a professional manner. This is not an academic paper, therefore you do not need to follow APA guidelines. 

Your Instructor will use Turn-it-in to ensure your paper is authentic work.  To avoid plagiarism, see the course home page for more information and use the Purdue Online Writing Lab to learn how to paraphrase, summarize and cite the references you use in all academic writing assignments.