Explain the technology refresh project

Question

Assignment:

As a project management professional, it is important for you to be able to review numbers and report on what they are saying. It is also important for you to be able to use software that helps you keep timelines and projects running on time and smoothly. This assignment will continue to help prepare you for your responsibilities. As the project manager, you have been asked to create an initial project schedule for a project known as the "Technology Refresh Project." The prior project manager assembled the project information and put it onto a spreadsheet. Based on this information, you are to create an initial project schedule using Microsoft Project. Open "Topic 2 Project Durations TEMPLATE" (a Microsoft Excel file). You will notice a series of project tasks; optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic durations for each lowest-level task; and predecessor information. Do not alter this information. In the "PERT Expected Duration (days)" column, calculate the PERT Expected Duration for each lowest-level task using the formula discussed in the Topic 2 Lecture. Round the duration entries to the nearest integer. Open "Topic 2 Initial Project Schedule TEMPLATE" (a Microsoft Project file). Enter the tasks shown in "Topic 2 Project Durations TEMPLATE" (a Microsoft Excel file) into "Topic 2, Initial Project Schedule TEMPLATE" (a Microsoft Project file). Based on the task hierarchy in "Topic 2 Project Durations TEMPLATE" (a Microsoft Excel file), demote the appropriate tasks using the green indent and outdent arrows in the TASK Ribbon, SCHEDULE group. Notice how the WBS field is automatically updated as tasks are indented and outdented. Be sure that your Microsoft Project task hierarchy exactly matches the task hierarchy in "Topic 2 Project Durations TEMPLATE" (a Microsoft Excel file). Based on your computed PERT Expected Durations from above, enter these durations in the "Duration" field in the Microsoft Project file. Note the following: Be sure that you do not directly enter durations into Microsoft Project summary tasks (i.e., the bold tasks). Note that the Microsoft Project summary task durations and dates are automatically updated as durations are entered into the lowest-level tasks. Be sure that lowest-level task durations are entered as whole numbers.

Based on the predecessor information in "Topic 2, Project Durations TEMPLATE" Microsoft Excel file, the "Predecessor" column in "Topic 2 Initial Project Schedule TEMPLATE" (a Microsoft Project file). Note the following: The "Successor" column updates automatically, as predecessors are entered. Thus there is no need to enter any information in the Successor column. Be sure that the summary tasks (i.e., the bold tasks) do not contain predecessors or successors. Predecessors and successors are only entered at the lowest-level task level.

ID Task Optimistic Duration (days) Most Likely Duration (days) Pessimistic Duration (days) PERT Expected Duration (days) Predecessor(s) (ID) 1 TECHNOLOGY REFRESH PROJECT 2 Initiating 3 Meet with key stakeholders 1 2 3 4 Finalize statement of work 3 5 9 3 5 Secure project team leads 3 5 13 3 6 Finalize stakeholder register 2 4 7 5 7 Develop project charter 10 16 24 3 8 Finalize project charter 1 2 4 4,7 9 Planning 10 Scope Planning 11 Requirements 12 Develop/finalize functional requirements 5 16 24 4 13 Develop/finalize hardware requirements 5 12 20 12 14 Develop/finalize software requirements 5 10 14 12 15 Develop/finalize requirements traceability matrix 4 9 17 12,13,14 16 Finalize project deliverables 2 2 3 15,8 17 Develop scope statement 4 6 16 16 18 Finalize/Update WBS 2 3 8 17 19 Schedule (Time) and Cost Planning 20 Finalize hardware/software costs 6 12 18 13,14 21 Update activities and duration estimates 2 10 18 18,20 22 Human Resource Planning 23 Finalize resource requirements 4 8 19 21 24 Finalize project costs 4 6 12 21,23 25 Identify training requirements 2 4 5 23 26 Complete training activities 6 12 14 25 27 Quality Planning 28 Determine impacted quality processes 2 3 4 15 29 Finalize quality management plan 2 6 8 28,23 30 Risk Planning 31 Update project risks 7 10 18 23 32 Draft risk register 2 3 4 31 33 Finalize risk management plan 2 3 4 32 34 Finalize Project Plan 35 Finalize communications management plan 2 3 4 23 36 Finalize procurement management plan 2 10 12 16 37 Finalize stakeholder management plan 2 2 2 6,23 38 Finalize project schedule/cost baseline 2 10 18 24 39 Finalize project plan 2 5 16 29,36,35,37,38 40 Obtain approval for project plan 2 4 10 33,39 41 Executing 42 Hardware 43 Procure hardware from suppliers 8 10 22 36 44 Software 45 Obtain software OS licenses 6 12 20 36 46 Obtain software application licenses 6 12 20 36 47 Pilot Testing 48 Setup test area 2 3 4 40 49 Load software onto pilot machines 3 2 3 45,46,48,43 50 Validate functionality 3 5 9 49 51 Deployment 52 Configure production hardware 10 18 28 26,50,67,63 53 Deploy production hardware 12 16 18 52 54 Load software to deployed hardware 10 16 30 53 55 Testing 56 Validate startup on deployed hardware 4 6 10 54 57 Perform OS testing 4 8 10 56 58 Perform application testing 4 13 18 57 59 Obtain formal sign-off from users 6 14 22 58 60 Monitoring and Controlling 61 Formal Customer Review 1 62 Hold formal customer review after project plan approval 1 2 2 40 63 Update project plan 4 8 10 62 64 Formal Customer Review 2 65 Obtain updates regarding key deliverables from project team 6 12 18 50 66 Hold formal customer review after pilot testing 1 2 2 50,65 67 Update project plan 4 8 10 66 68 Closing 69 External 70 Finalize procurement with suppliers 5 12 23 59 71 Customer Approval 72 Hold final customer review 1 2 2 59 73 Prepare/submit final customer report 4 6 8 59 74 Audit against contractual deliverables 3 6 8 72,73 75 Obtain final customer approval 2 3 4 74 76 Internal 77    Hold lessons learned meeting 1 1 1 75,70 78 Update final internal report 4 6 8 77 79 Hold project team celebration event 1 1 1 78