IT 301 Unit 1 Seminar Option 2

This week’s seminar was an introduction into Project Management 1. We began with “Tips to be Successful” in this course which included keeping open communication, using the provided templates, read ALL the fine print on instructions, making a checklist of requirements, proofread for errors, and keeping to APA formatting. It was also mentioned that all discussion posts require at least one cited reference to support our posting, failure to do so will result in a D level grade for that week’s discussion board. Another critical tip was, any written assignment that receives a grade below a C can be resubmitted for a higher grade, not including discussion boards or the Final project in unit 10. These are due three days after the original grade is posted.

Discussions require at least 2 classmate responses each week, and responses must be substantial in nature. Initial posts should be 100 words in length and must be posted by Saturday of each week using APA format and in-text citations. Seminars will occur every Thursday at 8PM EST and live seminars must include interaction. If a seminar is missed, the alternate assignment can be completed instead by watching the recording and providing an in-depth review of the main points discussed as well as any subtopics and interesting points.

Getting into the “meat” of the Seminar, we started by discussing the Project Knowledge Areas. These areas each have their own processes and which processes are used depends on the project itself. For example, if a project doesn’t have any procurement requirements, you may not use the Project Procurement Management Knowledge Area.

The Project Life-Cycle includes 4 phases. These are 1. begin the project, 2. Plan and organize the project, 3. perform the work, 4. close the project. These phases each require a deliverable, or output, before a phase can be completed and the next one started.

There are 5 Process Groups, which should not be confused with the Life-Cycle. These are initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and controlling, and closure. Unlike the life-cycle, these do not require one to be finished before the next one can be started. The process groups are dependent on each other but can be done in any order and even together.

A systems approach to a project means the project manager needs to be able to see the bigger picture and not think about the project in a bubble. This includes systems philosophy, systems analysis, and systems management. This allows you to think about organization, technology, and business and how they interact and overlap, also called the three-sphere model. Understanding things like how cost and affordability effect the business and how the long-term cost of ownership will come into play in the long term, and what training requirements will need to be implemented for the individuals in the organization or will outside employees need to be brought in for specific functions. Using the systems approach allows the PM to define all of the stakeholder’s needs prior to the charter being signed and thus avoiding scope creep.

Scope, cost, and time are known as the trinity of project management. By remaining inside of these three things, you can ensure your projects are successful.

Finally, we discussed the unit 1 assignment and tips for success. Using the rubric to help in creating the slide show will greatly assist in ensuring a high grade. A reference slide is required and the speaker notes should be used for the script for all presented information. Information should be properly cited as well.