Week 8 Lesson Summary:

The following will provide the essence of each PowerPoint which you can use for your learning. review. The Supplementary Handouts will be provided from the Class Web Page. There is a Quiz provided on Project Communication and Documentation - our two main topics this week - .which you can try on your own and I will post the answers through another link from the main page.

PowerPoint. Page 2. The PowerPoints provide a detailed outline of our new learning from week 8-13. The final Exam is in Week 14, Mid April. I will not repeat a lot of material in the final exam. Note: the WBS, GANTT and Network diagram or the decision matrix.

PowerPoint. Page 1.

Sample Project of the Week. The Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah. (The Tabernacle is the white building on the left side of the picture, in which the Mormon Tabernacle choir sings). The purpose of me choosing the Temple as a project is because it demonstrates the benefit of spending sufficient time at the Definition stage on deciding what the customer wants and what you can deliver. This beautiful building was obviously the result of careful and thorough input from Stakeholders with regard to the concept, beauty and functionality. Think about some of the specification which would be included in the Statement of Work? What were some of the decision making criteria? Cost would be one item. Therefore the importance of good estimating and being able to stay on budget would have been heavily weighted decision criteria.

PowerPoint. Page 3. Verzuh p. 154 , 155, 159, 164. Gido Ch. 8 and 9

To develop an Estimate you need to know which resources and materials you would need. Note materials are what are "consumed" on the project. Resources are what enables you to complete project.

Some times you have to wait for the Team Members to provide detailed estimates because they have the expertise. When this delay occurs management will provide an early "Top Down" estimate. They may use one of two methods. Ball Park estimate based on an educated (their industry experience) good guess. Or, two, a "Rough Order of Magnitude" based on a previous project and comparing how similar the current project is to the one being considered.for your Group projects include reference whether you started your project with a Ball Park or Rough order of Magnitude. Each student will make up a detailed Estimate for their part of the Project. The Project manager will add all these together to get a Total project estimate. the easiest way of doing this is transferring your task list from MS Project into an XL spreadsheet. Becoming a professional estimator is a career opportunity. You would need to like working with XL worksheets or spreadsheets (Lotus).

Once you have an estimate you need to budget the the money. I.e. get it and allocate it based on when you need it. This required developing a Cash Flow Schedule. On your Cash Flow Schedule you would also show other income that can be used on the project. The difference between the estimated money you need to keep the project going and the budgeted amount actually available can affect the success of the project and the "happiness" of the team members. When they need the money to complete their work packages it may not be available. To make sure resources are available when needed and not sitting around being under utilized we use the practice of "Resource Leveling."

Team members estimates are "Bottom Up." Verzuh, p. 159 and 164, 168. Parametric means multiplying two different sets of data together. One shoe cost x. A pair will cost 2x. this method can be used for $, distances, time or any variation of two different. factors.

The remaining slides are covered well in the class text. I will reference the pages rather than rewrite the book.

PowerPoint. Page 4. Verzuh p. 154 , 155. Gido Ch. 8

Add your benefit cost to your labour estimate. Verzuh p. 170

Controlling estimates. Don't let the Team members pad the estimates. When estimates go back and forth between management and the Team the process is called "Iteration." The national Gun Control Registry is a current example of a poorly estimated project.

PowerPoint. Pages 5-6. Verzuh 15, 16, and 30. p. 219-234. Gido Ch. 10

PowerPoint. Page 6. Verzuh p. 219-234.. Gido Ch. 12

PowerPoint. Page 7. You will be given a Communication 'Case' in the final exam and be asked to draw a Communication Matrix. I have provided a sample in your Supplementary handouts.

You will also be asked what do you have to do to prepare for a meeting and to control it. Review the checklist provided and make up your own list of key points. Practice these key points when you meet with your groups to reinforce the learning. When together review some Exam questions and answers to rehearse for the Exams. Team work leverages skills. Take advantage of your collective knowledge. Make each meeting you have a project meeting and a study review.

PowerPoint. Page 8. How is your group currently communicating and what are you doing to correct any challenges? the Supplementary handout/Questionnaire helps identify issues. Act on these issues.

PowerPoint. Page 8. Team Progress to Date. The second slide list (identifies) all the items that should now be completed on your group projects. You want to apply what you learn in class to your group project. If you are not up to date catch up this week or you risk losing marks by rushing your projects at the end. Class time of one hour will be given each week to help stay current.

PowerPoint. Page 9. To help identify at which point your project is you can develop a Status Report. Design your Report based on the Orange Project sample I provided and the list on the PowerPoint, and what you can obtain from texts or samples on web sites. Get each Team Members to complete the information you need to assess whether you are on budget, on time and meeting your quality requirements - all using the same form. Project manager will submit all the individual Status Reports and a Group Status Report to me at the beginning of Class Week 9 for two marks. I don't want Students finishing this off in Wk. 9 class-the documents have to be handed in at the beginning of class to get the marks.

Next week -as per Course Oultine. Read the text before coming to Class.