C

ADDITIONAL CASES

AND SOFTWARE

INTRODUCTION

This appendix provides two cases in addition to the running case in Chapters 4 through 13

of this text. The first case includes tasks ordered by each of the 10 knowledge areas discussed

in Chapters 4 through 13. The second case includes tasks based on the five project

management process groups. This appendix also includes information about using several

project management simulation software tools and MindView Business mind-mapping

software. Additional running cases and suggestions for other student projects are available

on the instructor Web site.

The purpose of these cases is to help you practice and develop the project management

skills you learned from this text. Several of the tasks involve using templates provided on the

companion Web site (www.cengagebrain.com)andtheauthor’s personal Website(www.

kathyschwalbe.com). Instructors can download the suggested solutions for these cases from the

password-protected section on Cengage Technology’s Web site. Contact a sales representative

at www.cengage.com/coursetechnology using the “Find Your Rep” menu.

ADDITIONAL CASE 1: GREEN COMPUTING

RESEARCH PROJECT

Part 1: Project Integration Management

You work for We Are Big, Inc., an international firm with more than 100,000 employees in

several countries. A strategic goal is to help improve the environment while increasing

revenues and reducing costs. The Environmental Technologies Program just started, and the

VP of Operations, Natalie, is the program sponsor. Ito is the program manager, and there is

a steering committee made up of 10 senior executives, including Natalie, who oversees the

program. Several projects operate within this program, including the Green Computing

Research Project. The CIO and project sponsor, Ben, has given this project high priority and

plans to hold special interviews to hand-pick the project manager and team. Ben is also a

member of the program steering committee. Before coming to We Are Big, Ben sponsored a

project at a large computer firm to improve data center efficiency. This project, however, is

much broader. The main purpose of the Green Computing Research Project is to research

possible applications of green computing, including the following:

• Data center and overall energy efficiency

• Disposal of electronic waste and recycling

Appendix C

• Telecommuting

• Virtualization of server resources

• Thin client solutions

• Use of open source software

• Development of new software to address green computing for internal use and

potential sale to other organizations

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The budget for the project is $500,000, and the goal is to provide an extensive report,

including detailed financial analysis and recommendations for which green computing

technologies to implement. Official project request forms for the recommended solutions

will also be created as part of the project.

Ben decided to have five people working full-time on this six-month project and to call

on people in other areas as needed. He wanted to be personally involved in selecting the

project manager and to have that person help him select the rest of the project team. Ben

wanted to find people already working inside the company, but he was also open to

reviewing applications for potential new employees to work specifically on his project as

long as they could start quickly. Because many good people were located in different parts

of the world, Ben thought it made sense to select the best people he could find and allow

them to work virtually on the project. Ben also wanted the project manager to do more

than just manage the project. The project manager would also do some of the research,

writing, and editing required to produce the desired results. Ben was also open to paying

expert consultants for their advice and to purchasing books and related articles as needed.

Tasks

1. Research green computing and green projects performed by large organizations

such as IBM, Dell, HP, and Google. See www.greenercomputing.com

and similar sites provided on the companion Web site, or find sites yourself.

Include your definition of green computing to incorporate all of the topics

listed in the background scenario. Describe each area of green computing,

including a detailed example of how at least one organization has implemen-

ted each area, and investigate the return on investment. Summarize your

results in a short paper, and cite at least three references.

2. Prepare a weighted decision matrix using the template named

wtd_decision_matrix.xls from the companion Web site. Ben will use this

matrix to evaluate applicants for project manager for this important project.

Develop at least five criteria, assign weights to each criterion, assign scores,

and then calculate the weighted scores for four fictitious applicants. Print the

spreadsheet and bar chart with the results. Write a one-page paper that

describes the weighted decision matrix and summarizes the results.

3. Prepare the financial section of a business case for the Green Computing

Research Project. Assume that this project will take six months to complete (in

Year 0) and will cost $500,000. The costs to implement some of the technologies

will be $2 million for year one and $600,000 for years two and three. Estimated

benefits are $500,000 in the first year after implementation and $2.5

million in the following two years. Use the business case spreadsheet template

(business_case_financials.xls) from the companion Web site to help calculate

the NPV, ROI, and the year in which payback occurs. Assume a 7 percent discount

rate, but make sure the rate is an input that is easy to change.

Additional Cases and Software

4. Prepare a project charter for the Green Computing Research Project. Again,

assume that the project will take six months to complete and that the budget

is $500,000. Use the project charter template (charter.doc) and examples of

the project charters in Chapters 3 and 4 as guidelines. Assume that part of

the approach is to select the project team as quickly as possible.

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5. Because people will request changes to the project, make sure that you have

a good integrated change control process in place. You also want to address

change requests as quickly as possible. Review the template for a change

request form (change_request.doc) provided on the companion Web site.

Write a short paper that describes how you plan to manage changes on this

project in a timely manner. Explain who will be involved in making change

control decisions, what paperwork or electronic systems will be used to

collect and respond to changes, and other related issues.

Part 2: Project Scope Management

Congratulations! You have been selected as the project manager for the Green Computing

Research Project. The company’s CIO, Ben, is the project sponsor, and Ito is the program

manager for the larger Environmental Technologies Program. Now you need to put

together your project team and get to work on this high-visibility project. You will work

with Ben to hand-pick your team. Ben had already worked with the HR department to

advertise team openings internally and outside the company. Ben also used his personal

contacts to let people know about this important project. In addition, you are encouraged

to use outside consultants and other resources as appropriate. Initial estimates suggest

that about $300,000 of the funds budgeted for this project will go to internal staffing, and

the rest will go to outside sources. The main products you will create are a series of

research reports—one for each green computing technology listed earlier and a final

report that includes all data. You will also produce formal project proposals for at least

four recommendations to implement some of these technologies. Ben suggested that the

team should develop at least 20 different project ideas and then recommend the top four

based on extensive analysis. Ben thought that some type of decision support model would

make sense to help collect and analyze the project ideas. You are expected to tap into

resources that are available from the Environmental Technologies Program, so you need to

include some of those resources in your project budget. Ben mentioned that some research

had already been done on increasing the use of telecommuting. Ben also showed you examples

of what he considered good research reports. You notice that his examples are very

professional, with plenty of charts and references; most are 20 to 30 pages and are singlespaced.

Ben has also shown you examples of good formal project proposals for We Are Big,

Inc. These proposals are quite detailed as well; they often reference other research and

include a detailed business case.

Tasks

1. Document requirements for your project so far, including a requirements traceability

matrix. Use the reqs_matrix.xls template provided on the companion

Web site. Also include a list of questions you would like to ask the sponsor

about the scope.

2. Develop a scope statement for the project using the template provided

(scope_statement.doc). Be as specific as possible in describing product

Appendix C

characteristics and deliverables. Make assumptions as needed, assuming you

received answers to your questions in Task 1.

3. Develop a work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project. Break down the

work to level 3 or level 4, as appropriate. Use the wbs.doc template on the

companion Web site and samples in the text as guides. Print the WBS in list

form as a Word file. Be sure to base your WBS on the project scope statement,

stakeholder requirements, and other relevant information. Remember

to include the work involved in selecting the rest of your project team and

outside resources as well as coordinating with the Environmental Technologies

Program. Use the project management process groups as level 2 WBS

items or include project management as a level 2 WBS item to make sure you

include work related to managing the project.

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4. Use the WBS you developed in Task 3 to create a Gantt chart for the project

in Microsoft Project 2010. Use the outline numbering feature to display the

outline numbers. Click Tools on the menu bar, click Options, and then click

Show outline number. Do not enter any durations or dependencies. Print the

resulting Gantt chart on one page, and make sure to display the entire Task

Name column.

Part 3: Project Time Management

As project manager, you are actively leading the Green Computing Research Project team

in developing a schedule. You and Ben found three internal people and one new hire to fill

the positions on the project team as follows:

• Matt is a senior technical specialist in the corporate IT department. He works

in the building next to yours and Ben’s. He is an expert in collaboration

technologies, and he volunteers in his community to help organize ways for

residents to dispose of computers, printers, and cell phones.

• Teresa is a senior systems analyst in the IT department in a city 500 miles

away from your office. She just finished an analysis of virtualization of

server resources for her office, which has responsibility for the company’s

data center.

• James is a senior consultant in the strategic research department in a city

1,000 miles away from your office. He has a great reputation as being a font

of knowledge and excellent presenter. Although he is over 60, he has a lot

of energy.

• Le is a new hire and former colleague of Ben’s. She was working in Malaysia,

but she was planning to move to your location and begin work about four

weeks after the project started. Le wrote her doctoral thesis on green

computing.

While waiting for everyone to start working on your project, you talked to several

people who were working on other projects in the Environmental Technologies Program

and you did some research on green computing. You can use a fair amount of the work

already done on telecommuting, and you have the name of a consulting firm to help with

that part of your project, if needed. Ito and Ben both suggested that you get up to speed

Additional Cases and Software

on available collaboration tools because much of your project work will be done virtually.

They knew that Matt would be a tremendous asset for your team in that area. You have

contacted other IT staff to get detailed information on your company’s needs and plans

in other areas of green computing. You also found out about a big program meeting in

England next month that you and one or two of your team members should attend.

Recall that the Green Computing Research Project is expected to be completed in six

months, and you and your four team members are assigned full-time to the project.

Your project sponsor, Ben, has made it clear that delivering a good product is the most

important goal, and he thinks you should have no problem meeting your schedule goal.