Highlights
Case 1 – No Good Estimate, No Job!
“We develop perfect quality software” was an informal motto of Software Guru Group (SGG), a unit of a privately held company. Its clients, divisions of the same company, agreed to the very motto. SGG was doing a great job of developing software applications that had almost no bugs. Happy with the quality, the clients did not care much about the actual costs of the projects. For a project to be approved and paid for by the client, SGG would simply submit an order-of-magnitude estimate (a rough estimate) ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 resource hours and that was it. Then, a project would be easily approved and selected. Nevertheless, no one would know the exact cost of any project since the estimate was done based on an educational guess.
Then, the company went public and the trend of profit orientation and demonstrated cost efficiency took over. Unable to respond to the trends, all division managers were forced out and new, profit- oriented division executives were brought in. The change impacted the company in many ways. The game of cost estimating also changed. Now SP Group was requested to have better and more accurate cost estimates of its projects, and to provide proofs of such estimates.
WHAT ABOUT THE SGG? The new client project managers flatly refused to even look at the order-of-magnitude estimates. Having profit-and-loss responsibility, these project managers wanted to manage their cost and required detailed estimates to approve a project. Lacking the expertise to develop such estimates, a large group of SGG project managers were also forced out. Apparently, the time to learn how to develop a detailed estimate has arrived!
Questions
1. What are the available estimation techniques? Define, compare and contrast at least four different methods including bottom-up estimate - 300 words.
2. When should the bottom-up estimate be used? What project documents are required for an effective bottom-up estimation ? Discuss - 300 words.
3. What factors impact the quality of a bottom-up estimate? Discuss at least four factors – 300 words.
Case 2 – Risk Policies in Project Russia
This case study reviews some of the major risk management tactics used in a typical war project — Napoleon’s war with Russia in 1812. The war outcome had a stunning end and caused turbulent ramifications for the European map. A lot of ink was poured to explain the destruction of Napoleon’ s forces, known as the Grand Army, and experts only agreed on the fact that the Russian winter had a major impact on the war outcome. In the study, we take a risk view of the war conflict.
MISERY AND DEATH WAITED THE GRAND ARMY For Napoleon, many dilemmas stayed unresolved even after entering Russia. He looked amazed by the glory awaiting conquerors of Russia but at the same time he was painfully aware that he might make the same error Charles XII, Swedish military genius, committed one century earlier — attacking the Russians in the winter. Listen to what Count de Segur, who was with him in Russia, has to say about that.
“The last days of July and the first ones of August in 1812 were stiflingly hot in Vitebsk. In the old city palace Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor of the French, prowled restlessly from room to room in his undergarments. His mind, brilliant author of 12 years of triumphs and 20 famous victories, was torn between prudent counsel to encamp now against the coming winter and bold counsel to march straight on to Moscow. So, he paced . . . in this state of perplexity he spoke a few disconnected words . . . ‘Well, what are we going to do?’ ‘Shall we stay here?’ ‘Shall we advance?’ ‘How can we stop on the road to glory?’
Questions
4. Identify four major risk events, perform risk analysis for each, and develop risk response plans. Discuss the risks and responses – 300 words.
5. In your opinion, how did Napoleon control each of the major risk events on your list? Discuss using relevant risk management theory – 300 words.
6. Do you think the way in which Napoleon controlled risks related influenced the war outcome? Discuss using risk management theory – 300 words.
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