Project Management for Engineering,
Business and Technology
6th Edition by John M. Nicholas
Complete Chapter Solutions Manual
are included (Ch 1 to 20)
** Immediate Download
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** All Chapters included
** End of Chapter QAns.
, CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
Case I.1 The Denver Airport
1. The term “High-tech” implies that the project uses technologies that are mostly new to the
firm but that already exist elsewhere at project initiation. The newness to the firm implies
uncertainty and difficulty in predicting the final outcome in terms of the dimensions of
time, cost, and technical performance.
When a project uses high technology, management should recognize the risks involved.
This implies that they should be cautious when making commitments and that they should
actively manage the risks involved (discussed in later chapters), inter alia by providing
contingency buffers in schedules and budgets.
As the technologies exist elsewhere, involving an organization that is already mastering the
technology could be considered. Alternatively, the ideal for high-technology systems is that
the technology should first be developed and proven and then, once the organization is
confident that they are mastering the technology, a project to develop the system or product
can be executed. (The project managers and project teams that develop new technologies
normally differ significantly from those that manage run-of-the-mill construction projects).
2. In hindsight one can only speculate about the pressure the person who made the
commitment was under. Maybe there was pressure to secure the contract for BAE at all
cost. (The concept of ‘buy-in’ – a practice where one quotes low and hopes to renegotiate
later – is discussed in Chapter 8). Or, maybe, the person who quoted was just optimistic
and did not realize the risks involved.
3. An NTCP analysis of the project and its sub-projects (done at an early stage) could have
pointed out the risks and made provision in ways mentioned in the answer to Question 1
above, specifically:
a. Involving an organization that was already mastering the technology;
b. The sub-project to develop the baggage-handling system could have started around
1989, allowing 4 years instead of 2.5 years. This might have allowed time to first
develop the technology within BAE and then construct the system.
4. The figure of 144 types of projects is obtained by multiplying the number of levels in each
of the four dimensions:
Novelty: 3
Technology: 4
Complexity: 3
Pace: 4
3x4x3x4 = 144
, CHAPTER ONE: WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT?
Review Questions
1. Motion picture project
a. Novelty: Derivative.
b. Technology: most likely Low-tech; possibly Medium-tech if involves advanced or new
special effects or digital photography.
c. Complexity: Assembly; possibly System is film is produced simultaneously at different
locations, to be integrated later.
d. Pace: Regular, unless film is to be released to coincide roughly with academy awards, in
which case Fast/competitive or Time-critical.
Landing a planetary spacecraft project.
a. Novelty: depends: if spacecraft/mission is similar to an earlier version, then Derivative or
Platform; if it is a spacecraft designed for a first-time visit to planet, then Breakthrough.
b. Technology: Medium-tech, although portions of project will likely be High-tech or
Super- high-tech.
c. Complexity: involves a variety systems that must function together—an Array.
d. Pace: Time-critical since mission and spacecraft launch must coincide with the relative
locations of Earth and the destination planet.
2. The functions are planning, organizing, leadership, control, and change.
Planning is determining what needs to be done and how to do it. It involves setting goals
and finding ways to achieve them within the constraints of available resources and
environmental forces.
Organizing is deciding how the work will be accomplished. It involves (1) hiring,
training, and assembling people into an organization with appropriate authority and
responsibility relationships; (2) creating policies, procedures, reporting patterns, and
communication channels; and (3) acquiring and allocating facilities, materials, and other
resources.
Leadership is directing and motivating people toward objectives. It is the ability to
influence the work performance and behavior of individuals and groups.
Control is tracking costs, schedules, and other performance measures, comparing them to
goals and standards, and taking necessary corrective action. Information systems are used to
collect data and report progress.
Change involves altering work activities to meet goals, or altering the goals themselves to
adapt to changing forces in the environment.
Different managers' jobs carry different responsibilities depending upon the functional
area and managerial level. Some managers devote most of their time to planning and organizing,
others to controlling, others to directing and motivating.
At one time or another, project managers perform all of these functions. At the
beginning, all projects must be planned and organized; goals must be set, work defined,
schedules and budgets prepared, people hired, resources acquired, and everything organized to
begin the work. Then, as the project begins, people must be motivated and directed to work
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, toward project goals. Throughout the project, work, costs, and schedules must be monitored.
When problems or slippage occur develop the manager must take corrective action. Changes are
always needed to schedules, budgets, work tasks, the work force, or to the goals of the project
itself.
3. Characteristics of a typical project include:
(1) It has a single, definable purpose or end-item, specified in terms of cost, schedule, and
performance requirements. The purpose and requirements differ for every project.
(2) It utilizes skills from different professions and, sometimes, organizations; it involves
technology and interdependencies that introduce new and unique problems.
(3) It is unique and requires that things be done differently than before. It is a one-of-a-kind
activity.
(4) It is unfamiliar. It may encompass new technology and involve elements of uncertainty
and risk.
(5) It is a temporary activity, to be accomplished within a specified time period. Once the
goal is achieved, the project organization is altered or disbanded.
(6) It follows a process of several distinct phases during which tasks, people, organizations,
and resources change from phase to phase.
4. Characteristics of project management:
(1) One person--the project manager--heads the project organization. Unlike functional
managers, who work within the chain of command and whose jobs tend to be more
permanent, the project manager operates independently of the normal chain of
command: when the project ends, so does the project manager's job.
(2) The project manager unifies all efforts to achieve project objectives. Other managers
tend to focus on “pieces” of the effort (their functional specialty) and less on the “big-
picture.”
(3) Several functional areas often perform the work. Work in non-projects is usually
performed within one functional area.
(4) The project manager and project team are responsible for integrating the efforts of the
functional areas working on the project. “Integration” is thus a key element of project
work. Work done within a functional area seldom requires integration since, as one
unit, it is already integrated.
(5) Functional managers are responsible for individual work tasks within the project; the
project manager is responsible for integrating and overseeing the start and completion
of all tasks combined.
(6) The project utilizes resources to produce an end-item at a certain time and cost, while
functional must units try to maintain a constant pool of resources. This causes conflict
between the project and functional managers over how much of the resources should
be allotted to the project.
(7) A project often has two chains of command--one vertical, one horizontal--wherein
people have to report to both a project manager and a functional manager. In non-
project activities there is typically only one chain of command--vertical--and one
person to report to.
(8) Members of the project team and supporting functional units share decision-making,
accountability, outcomes, and rewards. In non-project work, responsibility and
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