Atlantic Technological University Software Project Management Past Paper PDF 2023/2024

ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY JANUARY EXAMINATIONS 2023/2024 MODULE: COMP07166-52891 - Software Project Management PROGRAMME(S): SG_KGADV_B07 Bachelor of Science in Computing in Games Development SG_KSMAR_H08 Bachelor of Scienc...

ATLANTIC TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY JANUARY EXAMINATIONS 2023/2024 MODULE: COMP07166-52891 - Software Project Management PROGRAMME(S): SG_KGADV_B07 Bachelor of Science in Computing in Games Development SG_KSMAR_H08 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computing in Smart Technologies SG_KSODV_B07 Bachelor of Science in Computing in Software Development SG_KCMPU_H08 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computing SG_KCMPU_B07 Bachelor of Science in Computing SG_KAPPL_H08 Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Computing in Application Design and User Experience SG_KSODV_H08 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computing in Software Development YEAR OF STUDY: 3 EXAMINER(S): Vivion Kinsella (Internal) Carmel O'Hare (External) TIME ALLOWED: 2 Hours INSTRUCTIONS: Answer any three questions. Each question carries 33 marks Your final total mark will be scaled to 100 PLEASE DO NOT TURN OVER THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO. The use of programmable or text storing calculators is expressly forbidden. There are no additional requirements for this paper. COMP07166-52891 – Software Project Management January Examinations 2023/2024 Page 1 of 6 QUESTION 1 [TOTAL MARKS: 33] a) Discuss the concept of the Project Management Triangle and why understanding the relative importance of its three components is crucial in controlling a software project. Provide a specific example to illustrate your explanation. [6 marks] b) When assessing project success, it's essential to consider indicators beyond scope, time, and cost. Outline four other metrics/indicators that should be considered? [4 Marks] c) Define Agile Project Management and highlight six of its key principles. [8 Marks] d) Discuss with reference to Stacy’s Complexity matrix where agile project management could potentially work best? [7 Marks] e) Lean software development highlights the importance of limiting waste. Discuss, with examples, four categories of waste that may arise in a software project. [8 Marks] [End of Question 1] COMP07166-52891 – Software Project Management January Examinations 2023/2024 Page 2 of 6  QUESTION 2 [TOTAL MARKS: 33] a) In the context of value driven delivery i. Consider a 3-year software project with projected net cash flows of €60,000; €70,000 and €80,000 over the next 3 years. The implementation cost of the project is €175,000. Assuming a discount rate of 2 percent per year for the next 3 years, determine the present value and net present value for the project. [6 marks] ii. Within a new startup venture, two software projects are under consideration. Project A entails an implementation cost of €400,000 and is anticipated to yield annual net cash flows of €200,000. On the other hand, Project B requires an investment of €800,000 and is projected to generate net cash flows of €300,000. Given the startup's heightened concern for cash flow, which project would be more favourable in terms of payback period? [3 marks] iii. Explain, making reference to Littles’s law how the limiting of work in progress (WIP) can reduce lead time allowing value to be delivered earlier to a customer. [6 marks] b) A well-managed backlog should exhibit the characteristics specified by the DEEP acronym, define what each letter in acronym stands for and elaborate on the significance of each aspect in managing a product backlog. [8 marks] c) In the context of backlog prioritisation i. Explain the backlog prioritization technique MoSCoW. [4 marks] ii. Explain the backlog prioritization technique Weighted Shortest Job First (WSJF). Calculate the WSJF score for each of the items in the backlog below and indicate how they should be ordered based on their score. [6 marks] PBI Value Risk Time Size Criticality Item1 13 3 13 5 Item2 3 5 3 3 Item3 8 8 4 20 Item4 5 1 2 5 COMP07166-52891 – Software Project Management January Examinations 2023/2024 Page 3 of 6 QUESTION 3 [TOTAL MARKS: 33] a) Consider the plan-driven project with the following work breakdown structure, generate an activity-on-node network diagram. Ensure that your diagram displays all tasks, including their earliest start, duration, earliest finish, latest start, latest finish, and float time. Task Duration Can only start after T1 20 - T2 15 - T3 18 T1, T2 T4 20 T1, T2 T5 15 T2 T6 25 T3, T5 T7 12 T6 T8 18 T7, T3 T9 14 T6, T8 [12 Marks] c) In the context of agile planning i. Define Velocity and give two reasons why velocity an important metric in Agile development. [4 marks] ii. What are three key factors that can influence a team's Velocity? [3 marks] iii. Consider the table below which shows a projects progress and changes during three iterations. What are the values for A, B, C and D. Iteration1 Iteration 2 Iteration3 Story points at start of iteration 200 A C Completed during iteration 75 89 72 Changed estimates 10 -10 0 Story points from new stories 12 6 D Story points at end of iteration 147 B 0 [4 marks] iv. Draw a release burn-down bar chart for the completed project from part (iii) [6 marks] v. Describe two circumstances that would cause an iteration burn-down chart to reflect an upward trend? [4 marks] COMP07166-52891 – Software Project Management January Examinations 2023/2024 Page 4 of 6 QUESTION 4 [TOTAL MARKS: 33] a) In the context of stakeholder management consider: You're heading a team working on the development of a cutting-edge educational platform. Initially, the project identified six key stakeholders. However, after a thorough analysis, it was decided to focus primarily on three core stakeholders. The first is your project sponsor. They hold significant authority when it comes to project decisions, but their personal interest in the project is moderate. Nevertheless, their supportive stance aligns perfectly with the project's objectives. The second is the product owner. With substantial influence and a high level of enthusiasm for the project, they are a driving force behind its success. While they already express support for the project, there is a desire to see them take on a more leadership-oriented role. The third stakeholder group involves the end-users. Though their individual power to shape the project's course is limited, their interest is notably high. Currently, they are not fully aware of the project's existence. However, the goal is to foster a supportive environment where their input and feedback are valued and integrated into the platform's development. i. Identify and position all stakeholders on a power-interest grid, indicating the required level of communication for each. [8 Marks] ii. Place each stakeholder on an engagement assessment matrix. Indicating their current and desired positions. [6 Marks] iii. Explain four interpersonal skills crucial for effectively managing stakeholders in the project. [4 Marks] iv. Calculate the effect of the reduced number of stakeholders on the quantity of communication channels within the project. [5 Marks] b) There are two options being considered for the development stack to be used for the project: Stack A and Stack B. Each stack has its own advantages and potential risks associated with it. The value of a successful completion of the project is €50,000. Option A: Use Stack A, at a cost €10,000, due to a moderate risk of compatibility issues there is an expected success rate of 80%. Option B: Use Stack B, at a cost of €12,000, but due to a low risk of limited documentation, there is an expected success rate of 75% …continued next page… COMP07166-52891 – Software Project Management January Examinations 2023/2024 Page 5 of 6  Using the provided information: i. Create a decision tree to help you decide which stack to choose for the project. Clearly label the nodes with the associated costs, success rates, and risks. [6 Marks] ii. Calculate the Expected Monetary Value (EMV) for each decision and interpret the values calculated. [4 Marks] COMP07166-52891 – Software Project Management January Examinations 2023/2024 Page 6 of 6