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PSC450 all weeks Discussions and Assignments Entire Course

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<strong>PSC450</strong> <strong>all</strong> <strong>weeks</strong> <strong>Discussions</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Assignments</strong> <strong>Entire</strong> <strong>Course</strong><br />

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<strong>PSC450</strong> <strong>all</strong> <strong>weeks</strong> <strong>Discussions</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Assignments</strong> <strong>Entire</strong> <strong>Course</strong><br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 1 <strong>Discussions</strong><br />

dq 1<br />

In your own words, define organizational strategy. Explain the relationship between a business’s organizational<br />

strategy <strong>and</strong> its projects. Based on your budding underst<strong>and</strong>ing of project management, predict which elements of<br />

project management are most influenced by the business’s organizational strategy? Provide specific examples.<br />

dq 2<br />

Review two of the project management software tools available via links in the course syllabus. Provide an overview<br />

of each software <strong>and</strong> decide if you will use either of the software for projects throughout the course <strong>and</strong> why. If you<br />

decide to use the software, what ch<strong>all</strong>enges, if any, do you foresee with using it? If you have used any of the software<br />

before, please share your experience <strong>and</strong> any tips you may have.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 2 <strong>Discussions</strong><br />

dq 1<br />

Discuss the process your CLC team went through to assess your team’s project proposals, prioritize them, <strong>and</strong> select<br />

the first project to be undertaken by your retail store. What ch<strong>all</strong>enges did you have, if any? What worked well? Were<br />

you surprised by anything as it relates to the communication among your team in completing the assignment? What<br />

are your team plans for completing the work breakdown structure? Which software will you be using <strong>and</strong> why?<br />

dq 2<br />

How would you go about analyzing an organizational structure in terms of creating a work breakdown structure?<br />

What are the major organizational characteristics that you would evaluate? Provide an example to support your<br />

response. You may use your CLC assignment <strong>and</strong> background information as your support.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 3 <strong>Discussions</strong><br />

dq 1<br />

What are the differences between bottom-up <strong>and</strong> top-down estimating approaches? Determine advantages <strong>and</strong><br />

disadvantages for using each approach. Under what conditions would you prefer one over the other? Provide a<br />

specific example to support your response.<br />

dq 2<br />

Why bother creating a WBS? Why not go straight to a project network <strong>and</strong> forget the WBS?<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 4 Discussion


dq 1<br />

Explain, in your own words, the relationship between a project network <strong>and</strong> a project plan. Can a project plan be<br />

created without a project network? Why or why not? Provide a specific example <strong>and</strong> evidence from the readings to<br />

support your response.<br />

dq 2<br />

Share a source you will use in writing your resource scheduling methods analysis paper. Provide an APA citation for<br />

the source. Provide a brief summary of the source, an evaluation of the merits or reliability of the source, <strong>and</strong> your<br />

personal reaction to the contents of the source such as whether or not you learned anything new regarding project<br />

management.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 5 Discussion<br />

dq 1<br />

The Manchester United Soccer Tournament project team (refer to the Manchester United Soccer club case study in<br />

chapter 4 of the text) has identified the following potential risks to their project:<br />

1. 1. Referees failing to show up at designated games<br />

<br />

Fighting between teams<br />

<br />

Pivotal error committed by a referee that determines the outcome of a game<br />

<br />

Abusive behavior along the sidelines by parents<br />

<br />

Inadequate parking<br />

<br />

Not enough teams sign up for different age brackets<br />

<br />

Serious injury<br />

How would you recommend that they respond (i.e., avoid, accept) to these risks <strong>and</strong> why? Support your response<br />

with evidence from the readings or other materials. Please be sure to use APA format for citing your source. As a<br />

follow-up to the discussion, critique the response of at least one fellow classmate by acknowledging both strengths<br />

<strong>and</strong> opportunities for improvement (things the classmate may not have considered) in his or her response.<br />

dq 2<br />

Consider the following statement: “The essence of project management is risk management.” What does it mean in<br />

terms of completing a project successfully? Support your response with evidence from the readings or other<br />

materials. Be sure to use APA format for citing your source.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 6 Discussion<br />

dq 1<br />

Reflect upon the projects completed in your CLC team. Analyze the development of the team in terms of the fivephase<br />

model or the punctuated equilibrium model. Choose the model that does the best job of explaining how your<br />

team evolved. Provide specific examples from your experience working in your team as to why the model is the best<br />

fit for explaining the development of your team.<br />

dq 2<br />

As a project manager, describe your approach to managing conflict within a team. How would you approach resolving<br />

a personality conflict within a team?<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 7 Discussion<br />

dq 1<br />

Why is it important for project managers to resist changes to the project baseline? Under what conditions would a<br />

project manager make changes to a baseline? When would a project manager not <strong>all</strong>ow changes to a baseline?<br />

dq 2


Describe your approach to tracking a project. What kinds of issues would you focus on if you were a project<br />

manager? Why?<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 8 Discussion<br />

dq 1<br />

What ch<strong>all</strong>enges may arise if a U.S. project manager moves to a foreign country to manage a project for 5 years?<br />

Discuss specific strategies that the U.S. project manager could use to be successful in a situation such as this. Be<br />

specific <strong>and</strong> support your response with evidence from the readings or other materials. Please be sure to use APA<br />

format for citing your source(s).<br />

dq 2<br />

Reflect upon your experiences throughout the course. What was the most surprising thing you learned about project<br />

management <strong>and</strong> why? What was the most ch<strong>all</strong>enging concept studied? What are you most likely to use as a<br />

current or future project manager?<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 1 Benchmark Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

You currently work for a retail store that carries basic household goods, some groceries, <strong>and</strong> health <strong>and</strong> beauty<br />

products. The store is located in the sm<strong>all</strong> community (approximately 5,000 total residents) in which you live <strong>and</strong> is<br />

looking to exp<strong>and</strong> its operations in some way.<br />

For this assignment, you are required to develop a major project proposal to be undertaken by your employer. You<br />

may decide to exp<strong>and</strong> your product offerings or open an additional store in an adjacent community, for example.<br />

You may use figure 2.4A <strong>and</strong> B in chapter 2 of your textbook as a general outline of what your proposal should entail.<br />

Your project proposal must include the following components:<br />

1. 1. Project title<br />

2. 2. Project manager (yourself)<br />

3. 3. Problem definition or project rationale: Describe the problem or opportunity for improvement.<br />

4. 4. Goal definition: Describe the project goals.<br />

5. 5. Objective definition: Quantify the savings or benefits you expect from completing this project. How much<br />

will it cost (hours, materials, methods, equipment, etc.)? Estimate how long the project will take to complete.<br />

6. 6. Resources: Identify the resources necessary to complete the project.<br />

7. 7. Risk analysis: Identify the major risks associated with undertaking this project. How likely is it that these<br />

risks will occur? How will the project be impacted if these risks occur?<br />

Refer to “The Retail Store” for additional information about your organization.<br />

Prepare this assignment according to the guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success<br />

Center. An abstract is not required.<br />

This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore,<br />

students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria<br />

<strong>and</strong> expectations for successful completion of the assignment.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 2 CLC Project Selection Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

This is a CLC assignment.<br />

Your instructor will assign you to a Collaborative Learning Community (CLC) team. Submit your project proposal<br />

completed for Module 1 to your CLC team for review.<br />

Work with your CLC team to evaluate the project proposals submitted by your team members. Refer to “The Retail<br />

Store” information sheet <strong>and</strong> figure 2.6 in chapter 2 of your textbook (an explanation of how to use this figure<br />

precedes it) for the additional information needed to complete a priority analysis.<br />

Use the completed priority analysis, your organization background information, <strong>and</strong> your knowledge thus far gained in<br />

project management to collectively prioritize the projects <strong>and</strong> decide which project is to be undertaken first.<br />

Your CLC team should submit the following:<br />

1. 1. A completed priority analysis


2. 2. Determination of which project is to be undertaken first, along with a summary of why the project was<br />

chosen, including an explanation of the relationship between the project <strong>and</strong> the organization’s mission, vision, <strong>and</strong><br />

objectives<br />

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 3 Sharp Printing, AG Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

Read through the Sharp Printing, AG case found in chapter 5 of the textbook. This case refers to Lauren, an<br />

experienced employee who is assigned as the project manager to the project at h<strong>and</strong>. According to the WBS, the<br />

estimate on this project was increasingly over budget. In preparation for a meeting with stakeholders, Lauren<br />

brainstormed suggestions to resolve some of the estimates origin<strong>all</strong>y compiled.<br />

Decide what you would do if you were the project manager on this project. Identify which suggestions offered were<br />

supportive to the end result of the project.<br />

Answer the corresponding questions provided at the end of the case (500-750 words). Use references from the<br />

reading materials to support your response.<br />

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 3 Project Network Plan Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

Project Networking provides the necessary tools to monitor project progress. Considerable time <strong>and</strong> effort is<br />

expended developing successful project networks.<br />

Refer to exercise 9 in chapter 6 of the textbook. Read the assignment thoroughly <strong>and</strong> analyze the data provided in<br />

the diagram.<br />

Compute the project network sequence <strong>and</strong> proper timing to complete the project using an excel spreadsheet,<br />

PowerPoint, or another appropriate form of delivery method. Address <strong>all</strong> required information in the description<br />

presented in exercise 9. In addition, respond to the following questions (300-500 words):<br />

1. 1. Provide the Early Start, Early Finish, Late Start, <strong>and</strong> Late Finish times for each activity. Compute the Total<br />

Slack for each activity. Determine which activities are on the critical path. How long will it take to complete the<br />

project?<br />

2. 2. An activity that is on the critical path for this project has increased by 7. Will the project end date be<br />

delayed? If so, by how much?<br />

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 4 CLC: Defining the Project Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

This is a CLC assignment.<br />

For this assignment, work with your CLC team to develop a project scope statement <strong>and</strong> work breakdown structure<br />

(WBS) for the project chosen in Module 2.<br />

You may use Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, or Microsoft Visio to complete this assignment.<br />

You may option<strong>all</strong>y use project management scheduling software to create the WBS. Note that use of project<br />

management scheduling software is optional <strong>and</strong> not required.<br />

Refer to chapter 4 of your textbook for examples of project scope statements <strong>and</strong> layouts of a WBS. A good WBS<br />

example is shown in Figure 4.4.<br />

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 5 Resource Scheduling Methods Analysis Paper Assignment


Details:<br />

For this assignment, write a paper of 750-1,000 words in which you analyze the concept of resource scheduling <strong>and</strong><br />

evaluating various methods used to schedule resources in project management.<br />

Your analysis should include the following:<br />

1. 1. An analysis of the benefits <strong>and</strong> ch<strong>all</strong>enges associated with resource scheduling<br />

2. 2. A discussion of at least two methods used to schedule resources <strong>and</strong> examples of when each method<br />

would be most appropriate, given the scope of the project<br />

Choose which method would be most appropriate for the project your CLC team selected <strong>and</strong> explain why you felt it<br />

was most appropriate.<br />

You must include at least two additional sources, one of which must be a journal article, outside of your textbook, to<br />

support your analysis.<br />

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student<br />

Success Center. An abstract is not required.<br />

This assignment uses a grading rubric. Instructors will be using the rubric to grade the assignment; therefore,<br />

students should review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the assignment criteria<br />

<strong>and</strong> expectations for successful completion of the assignment.<br />

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Refer to the directions in the Student Success Center. Only<br />

Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 6 Franklin Equipment, Ltd. Case Study Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

Read the “Franklin Equipment, Ltd.” case study in chapter 11 of the textbook.<br />

Answer the corresponding questions in 750-1,000 words.<br />

Use references from the reading materials to support your responses.<br />

Prepare this assignment according to the APA guidelines found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student<br />

Success Center. An abstract is not required.<br />

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Refer to the directions in the Student Success Center. Only<br />

Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 7 Tree Trimming Project Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

Read through the Tree Trimming Projectcase in chapter 13 of the textbook. This case refers to the earned value (EV)<br />

of the owner, Will Fence’s Tree Trimming business. Will briefly describes his techniques for EV. Based on the<br />

description provided in the case, is Will using EV?<br />

Answer the corresponding question provided at the end of the case (300-500 words). Use references from the<br />

reading materials to support your response.<br />

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 7 Project Planning Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

When looking at the life of a project plan, it is useful to graph <strong>and</strong> outline the cost variance (CV), <strong>and</strong> schedule<br />

variance (SV). Determining progress, or lack of progress, provides essential information to assess a given project.<br />

Complete exercise 2 in chapter 13 of the textbook. Given the data provided, in an excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint, or<br />

other appropriate method of delivery, determine the following:<br />

1. 1. Schedule Variance (SV)<br />

2. 2. Cost Variance (CV)<br />

3. 3. Schedule Performance Index (SPI)<br />

4. 4. Cost Performance Index (CPI)


In 250-300 words, answer the questions provided with the exercise. Reflect on the assessment of this project<br />

assessment. Should the project continue to improve?<br />

APA format is not required, but solid academic writing is expected.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.<br />

<strong>PSC450</strong> Week 8 Training PowerPoint Presentation Assignment<br />

Details:<br />

You have been asked by your supervisor to develop a PowerPoint presentation for an upcoming training on the<br />

following topics: ethics, international factors, <strong>and</strong> cross-cultural considerations in project management.<br />

Using 15-20 slides, create a PowerPoint presentation in which you discuss the following as it relates to successful<br />

project management:<br />

1. 1. A summary of each topic as it relates to project management<br />

2. 2. Ch<strong>all</strong>enges (common pitf<strong>all</strong>s) <strong>and</strong> opportunities for growth <strong>and</strong>/or improvement<br />

3. 3. Solutions for dealing with ch<strong>all</strong>enges common in project management<br />

4. 4. Include one scenario applicable to each concept in which your coworkers will have to determine an<br />

appropriate response to h<strong>and</strong>ling the issue presented in the scenario <strong>and</strong> faced by a project management team<br />

While APA format is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected <strong>and</strong> in-text<br />

citations <strong>and</strong> references should be presented using APA documentation guidelines, which can be found in the APA<br />

Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.<br />

You are not required to submit this assignment to Turnitin, unless otherwise directed by your instructor. If so directed,<br />

refer to the Student Success Center for directions. Only Word documents can be submitted to Turnitin.

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