Question 1

________ is a knowledge area that concerns contracts with outside vendors for services, materials, and outsourcing of functions.

Accepted Answer

Procurement management is the knowledge area that deals with the procurement (purchasing) of services, materials, and outsourcing of functions from outside vendors. It includes conducting procurements, selecting vendors, and managing contracts to ensure that goods and services are delivered according to the terms of the contract.

Question 2

The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^®) Guide identifies those practices that are known to be effective for different situations and briefly describes their use.

Accepted Answer

The PMBOK® Guide is a recognized standard for project management and provides guidance on effective practices for various situations.

Question 3

What is the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^®) Guide for project management?

Accepted Answer

Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^®) Guide, compiled by the Project Management Institute (PMI), contains what many believe are the best project management processes, practices, and techniques. The document does not describe the details of each practice or technique but instead identifies those practices that are known to be effective for different situations and briefly describes their use. Versions of this document are denoted by the year in which they are published. As of 2015, the current version is "A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^®) Guide, Fifth Edition." PMBOK^® Guide is organized according to a grid, which shows five process groups and nine knowledge areas. The process groups refer to different stages in the life of a project. The nine knowledge areas refer to factors to be managed throughout the life of the project.

Question 4

Which of the following is a technique that stipulates phases and processes for constructing information systems (IS) but does NOT address the management of large-scale projects?

Accepted Answer

The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a process used for developing information systems through a series of phases. It focuses on the technical and procedural aspects of system development rather than the management of large-scale projects.

Question 5

In the context of a systems development project, which of the following statements is TRUE of the relationships between requirements, cost, and time?

Accepted Answer

Reducing the number of requirements in a project reduces the overall cost of the project because having fewer requirements means less work for developers, testers, and collaborators, and fewer resources are used. However, reducing the requirements in a project can potentially increase the time required to finish the project if the remaining requirements are complex or more difficult to implement. Increasing the time for the completion of a project may or may not increase the cost of the project, depending on whether additional resources are needed during the extended project timeline. Similarly, increasing the cost of the project does not always reduce the time required to finish the project.

Question 6

Systems development projects require the balancing of three critical drivers: requirements, cost, and ________.

Accepted Answer

Time is a critical driver in systems development projects as it impacts the project schedule, resource allocation, and ultimately the project's success. Setting realistic timelines and managing them effectively are key factors in ensuring project success. While scope, performance, value, and requirements are also important drivers, they are all influenced by the project timeline.

Question 7

In the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^®) Guide, the different stages in the life of a project are referred to as ________.

Accepted Answer

The PMBOK Guide defines five process groups that a project goes through in its life cycle: initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. These process groups represent the phases of a project and help project managers in planning, executing, and completing projects effectively. Configuration controls, knowledge areas, and resource zones are not directly related to these project life cycle stages.

Question 8

________ is a knowledge area that concerns the methods, media, and schedules for exchanging information with the project's sponsors within a team and with others who have an interest in the progress of the project.

Accepted Answer

Communications management is the knowledge area that deals with the processes of planning, executing, monitoring, and controlling project communication. It involves identifying the stakeholders, determining what information they need, and ensuring to deliver the right information to the right person at the right time. It also involves selecting the appropriate channels of communication and establishing a feedback mechanism to ensure that stakeholders receive and understand the information.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is TRUE of large-scale systems development projects?

Accepted Answer

Large-scale systems development projects often involve the integration of services from several companies, as this allows for greater expertise and resources to be brought to the project. Simple computer programs may not be sufficient for the complexity of the project, and a larger team may be necessary to handle the workload. Development may also take place across multiple sites to take advantage of diverse talent and resources.

Question 10

The development of large-scale systems can involve the integration of products and services from different companies.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Large-scale systems often require the use of specialized products and services from different companies in order to function properly. Integration of these components is essential for the overall success of the system.

Question 11

What are the characteristics of information systems (IS) in large-scale systems development projects?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the characteristics of information systems...

Question 12

Increasing the cost of a project can reduce the time required to complete the project up to a certain point, beyond which, the time required would increase due to ________.

Accepted Answer

The increase in cost initially helps with the allocation of more resources, utilization of more efficient technology and increased productivity resulting in a reduction in project completion time. However, beyond a certain point, the increase in cost can lead to inefficiencies, diminishing returns, sub-optimal performance, and bottlenecks creating more obstacles and increasing the completion time. These negative effects are known as diseconomies of scale.

Question 13

Larger projects with longer development intervals will find it easier to meet baseline requirements.

Accepted Answer

Larger projects with longer development intervals often face more challenges in meeting baseline requirements due to increased complexity, scope changes, and the difficulty of predicting future needs and technologies.

Question 14

Large-scale systems development requires extended development intervals as long as five or six years.

Accepted Answer

Large-scale systems development involves complex processes that may take several years to complete. Development intervals of five or six years are not uncommon for such projects.

Question 15

________ is the knowledge area that refers to the management of an entire project and the construction of the final product.

Accepted Answer

Project integration is the knowledge area that refers to the management of an entire project and the construction of the final product. It involves coordinating all the project management processes and ensuring they're executed cohesively to achieve the project objectives. Project integration includes the development of the project charter, project plan, project execution, project monitoring and control, and project closure.

Question 16

Knowledge areas of the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK^®) Guide refer to the factors in a project that need to be managed throughout the life of the project.

Accepted Answer

The knowledge areas in the PMBOK Guide are the specific areas of project management that require focus and attention throughout the project to ensure its success. There are 10 knowledge areas, including scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk, procurement, stakeholder management, and integration management.

Question 17

Which of the following is a characteristic of large-scale systems development projects?

Accepted Answer

Large-scale systems development projects typically involve a large number of team members, ranging from 50-100 or even more. Short development intervals and avoidance of system localization are not characteristics of large-scale systems development projects, whereas having a single development site may or may not be a characteristic depending on the specific project.

Question 18

Pete, a civil engineer, is appointed to build a state-of-the-art office building. He begins planning the design and construction of the building with his team. He estimates that the building would take six months to build and assigns work and material accordingly to the workers. In this scenario, Pete is specifying the ________.

Accepted Answer

Pete is specifying the baseline, which is the expected timeline for the completion of the project. The other options, such as data model, line of code, and scatter plot, are not relevant to building construction planning.

Question 19

What are the trade-offs in a systems development project's requirements, cost, and time?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What are the trade-offs in a systems...

Question 20

The time involved in a project can always be reduced by increasing cost.

Accepted Answer

While increasing cost can sometimes reduce the time involved in a project by adding more resources or employing faster methods, there are limits to this approach due to factors like the law of diminishing returns, resource availability, and project complexity.

Quiz 29: Systems Development Project Management