M4D1: Managing Failure in the Critical Path
This activity will provide you with an opportunity to engage in discussion on a project management topic that was covered in this module. The class interaction will foster a learning environment in which you will learn from each other’s experiences and opinions. In addition to that, you will practice using the project management jargon and expressing your opinions in a professional manner.
The ability to manage a project requires the project manager to utilize a collection of tools and techniques selected for the specific insight, guidance, and usefulness to each project. A project manager’s toolbox may contain numerous tools, some that are used on every project, and others that are used only under special circumstances.
The options available in this discussion have ethical considerations that are important to consider as a project manager. This discussion requires you to identify how specific project management tools are applied and from the data derived, make important decisions about a project.
Respond to the following:
In Module 3, you created a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for your project.
How is WBS different from a project network?
How are the two tools related?
If creating a project network is quicker and it clearly displays all the elements of a project, then why do you need to create a WBS?
Briefly describe a business scenario for an ongoing project (this can be your project, a project you worked on, or a project you read about).
Identify how slack was used by the project manager.
Was this an appropriate use of the technique, or did the project manager err in this particular application?
What can you learn from the scenario presented in applying slack to a business project?
Consider that there is a failure along the project’s critical path from the scenario you described.
Briefly explain what options the project manager had to make to bring the project back into the allowable schedule.
Did the project manager take the appropriate actions?
How much time was lost because of the failure and how much time was made up with the correct decisions?
From the above example, what should be the lessons learned about managing a project?
Finally, consider the ethical considerations of building slack into a project.
Is this an acceptable business practice? Provide support for your choice.
Should a project manager explicitly disclose the use of slack when building or sharing a project schedule?
Consult the Discussion Posting Guide for information about writing your discussion posts. It is recommended that you write your post in a document first. Check your work and correct any spelling or grammatical errors. When you are ready to make your initial post, click on the “Reply”. Then copy/paste the text into the message field, and click “Post Reply.”
To respond to a peer, click “Reply” beneath her or his post and continue as with an initial post.
Evaluation
This discussion will be graded using the discussion board rubric. Please review this rubric, located on the Rubrics page within the Start Here module of the course, prior to beginning your work to ensure your participation meets the criteria in place for this discussion. All discussions combined are worth 15% of your final course grade.
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