Phases of Traditional Project Life Cycle

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Questions and Answers

What type of life cycle model is characterized by well-defined, linear stages of systems development and support?

Prototyping model

Waterfall model (correct)

Incremental build model

Spiral model

Which life cycle model involves iterative development and is often used for object-oriented technology projects?

Extreme Programming (XP)

Rapid Application Development (RAD) model

Prototyping model

Scrum (correct)

What is the purpose of the prototyping model in the systems development life cycle?

To develop operational software

To clarify user requirements (correct)

To predict project scope and schedule

To program in pairs

Which life cycle model is used to produce systems quickly without sacrificing quality?

Rapid Application Development (RAD) model Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the Extreme Programming (XP) life cycle model?

Developers program in pairs Signup and view all the answers

What is a key feature of the Scrum life cycle model?

Repetitions are referred to as sprints Signup and view all the answers

Which life cycle model is used for developing information systems with a clear scope, schedule, and cost?

Predictive life cycle Signup and view all the answers

What is a key difference between the predictive and adaptive life cycle models?

The predictive model is linear, while the adaptive model is iterative Signup and view all the answers

What is one way to encourage commitment to IT projects?

Assigning non-IT people to IT projects Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of having a Chief Information Officer (CIO) at a high level in an organization?

It helps IT projects by providing high-level support Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of standards and guidelines in project management?

To help project managers be more effective Signup and view all the answers

What is a project life cycle?

A collection of project phases that defines what work will be performed in each phase Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of the early phases of a project life cycle?

Resource needs are usually lowest Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of the final phase of a project life cycle?

Ensuring that project requirements were met Signup and view all the answers

What is one way that senior management can encourage project management?

By encouraging the use of standard forms and software for project management Signup and view all the answers

What is a deliverable in project management?

A product or service produced or provided as part of a project Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of management reviews in a project?

To evaluate the project's progress and likely success Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of IT projects?

They are very diverse in terms of size, complexity, and products produced Signup and view all the answers

What approach should project managers take when working on projects?

A systems approach Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of a project passing through each phase?

It enables the project to move on to the next phase Signup and view all the answers

What is the implication of an organization's structure and culture on project managers?

It has a strong implication for project managers Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of IT project team members?

They have diverse backgrounds and skill sets Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of organizational commitment to IT projects?

It is essential for project success Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of considering the organizational context in IT projects?

To ensure the project is compatible with organizational goals Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Phases of the Traditional Project Life Cycle

Products have life cycles, and a systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a framework for describing the phases involved in developing information systems.
Systems development projects can follow two types of life cycles: predictive and adaptive.

Predictive Life Cycle Models

Waterfall model: has well-defined, linear stages of systems development and support.
Spiral model: shows that software is developed using an iterative or spiral approach rather than a linear approach.
Incremental build model: provides for progressive development of operational software.
Prototyping model: used for developing prototypes to clarify user requirements.
Rapid Application Development (RAD) model: used to produce systems quickly without sacrificing quality.

Adaptive Life Cycle Models

Extreme programming (XP): developers program in pairs and must write the tests for their own code.
Scrum: iterative development in which repetitions are referred to as sprints, which normally last thirty days.
Having a Chief Information Officer (CIO) at a high level in the organization helps IT projects.
Assigning non-IT people to IT projects also encourages more commitment.

Need for Organizational Standards

Standards and guidelines help project managers be more effective.
Senior management can encourage the use of standard forms and software for project management.
The development and use of guidelines for writing project plans or providing status information.
The creation of a project management office or center of excellence.

Project Phases and the Project Life Cycle

A project life cycle is a collection of project phases that defines what work will be performed, deliverables, who is involved, and how management will control and approve work.
A deliverable is a product or service produced or provided as part of a project.

The Importance of Project Phases and Management Reviews

A project should successfully pass through each of the project phases in order to continue on to the next.
Management reviews, also called phase exits or kill points, should occur after each phase to evaluate the project’s progress.

The Context of IT Projects

IT projects can be very diverse in terms of size, complexity, products produced, application area, and resource requirements.
IT project team members often have diverse backgrounds and skill sets.
IT projects use diverse technologies that change rapidly, and people must be highly specialized.

Chapter Summary

Project managers need to take a systems approach when working on projects.
Organizations have four different frames: structural, human resources, political, and symbolic.
The structure and culture of an organization have strong implications for project managers.
Projects should successfully pass through each phase of the project life cycle.
Project managers need to consider several factors due to the unique context of information technology projects.

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Description

This quiz covers the phases involved in the traditional project life cycle, including product life cycles and systems development life cycles. It is based on the Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition.