IS 3400 Exam 4 Jake Stewart
Project Implementation - correct answer-Three tactical implementation plans:
1) Direct cutover--old system shut down, new turned on--appropriate when quick delivery is
critical; old system so poor it must be replaced ASAP; system not mission critical; places
more stress and pressure on the project team
2) Parallel--old and new systems run concurrently--provides a safety net in case of
problems-- takes longer and requires more resources than direct cutover--places more
pressure on the users
3) Phased--system introduced in modules or in different parts of the organization
incrementally--experience with early implementation can make later implementations go
more smoothly--takes longer and may cost more than direct cutover
ERP Implementation - correct answer-Determines if you go live?--Data conversions
Determines how your first week goes?--Interfaces
Determines how your first month goes?--Training
Closure: Integration - correct answer-Completed, and products and services created are
implemented into operations; this is the most common approach
Closure: Addition - correct answer-Creates a new product or service that results in a new
unit in the organization; such as a department, division, or company
Closure: Extinction - correct answer-Ends because it was successful and achieved its goals,
or it was unsuccessful and superseded; termination by murder is when there is a sudden
end to the project
Closure: Starvation - correct answer-A project ends by decreasing its budget or suddenly
ending funding; also known as withdrawal of life support
Project Integration Management - correct answer--Closing process=close a project or phase
-Outputs= project documents updates; final product, service, or result transition; final report;
organizational process assets updates
More about Closure: - correct answer--Sponsor acceptance
-"Closure is key"
Retrospectives - correct answer-An old idea; taking the time to review a past experience and
learn from it; determine what went well, what can be improved, and designing a plan to
implement what has been learned
Why conduct retrospectives? - correct answer-To improve future projects; to increase
competence of participants through knowledge sharing; fundamental goal of a retrospective
is change
, George Santayana Quote: - correct answer-"Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it."
The Retrospective Process: - correct answer-One size does not fit all; retrospectives work
best when engineered specifically for a project considering factors like logistics, length of
project, # of people involved, political environment, team dynamics, and timing
4 Steps of Retrospective Process: - correct answer-1) Plan--background information,
facilitator, logistics
2)Prepare--collect project information, create agenda
3)Hold the meeting--review project information, create action items
4)Follow up--distribute the report, take action
John 8:32 - correct answer-You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free
Best Practices - correct answer-Webster's Dictionary (2017): "a procedure that has been
shown by research and experience to produce optimal results and that is established or
proposed as a standard suitable for widespread adoption."
OPM3 Best Practices - correct answer-1) Capabilities are incremental steps leading up to
one or more best practices
2) Outcomes are the tangible and intangible results of applying capabilities
3) Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a criterion used to determine the degree to which an
outcome is achieved
Rosabeth Moss Kantor Quote: - correct answer-"The best practice secret: stretching to learn
from the best of the best in any sector can make a big vision more likely to succeed"
Andy Crowe, "Alpha Project Managers: What the Top 2% Know That Everyone Else Does
Not" - correct answer--Conducted survey of 860 project managers at Velociteach
-Results not scientific, however its aggregate results can help define best practices for PM's
Alpha Project Managers - correct answer--18 of the PM's in Crowe's study were deemed to
be Alphas
-An alpha PM enjoys their work more
-believes they have more authority
-believe they have more personal impact on project success
-think it's important for a PM to be hands on, be a domain expert
-Alpha PM's spend almost twice as much time planning--spend more time in every process
group (planning, initiating, monitoring & controlling, closing) except for execution phase
Alpha PM's additional traits - correct answer--More responsive, effective communicators with
their stakeholders
-send fewer emails, spend less time in meetings
-prioritize work and focus on what is important
Alpha PM's as communicators - correct answer--talk to stakeholders very early on in the
project, tailor communication to meet their needs
Project Implementation - correct answer-Three tactical implementation plans:
1) Direct cutover--old system shut down, new turned on--appropriate when quick delivery is
critical; old system so poor it must be replaced ASAP; system not mission critical; places
more stress and pressure on the project team
2) Parallel--old and new systems run concurrently--provides a safety net in case of
problems-- takes longer and requires more resources than direct cutover--places more
pressure on the users
3) Phased--system introduced in modules or in different parts of the organization
incrementally--experience with early implementation can make later implementations go
more smoothly--takes longer and may cost more than direct cutover
ERP Implementation - correct answer-Determines if you go live?--Data conversions
Determines how your first week goes?--Interfaces
Determines how your first month goes?--Training
Closure: Integration - correct answer-Completed, and products and services created are
implemented into operations; this is the most common approach
Closure: Addition - correct answer-Creates a new product or service that results in a new
unit in the organization; such as a department, division, or company
Closure: Extinction - correct answer-Ends because it was successful and achieved its goals,
or it was unsuccessful and superseded; termination by murder is when there is a sudden
end to the project
Closure: Starvation - correct answer-A project ends by decreasing its budget or suddenly
ending funding; also known as withdrawal of life support
Project Integration Management - correct answer--Closing process=close a project or phase
-Outputs= project documents updates; final product, service, or result transition; final report;
organizational process assets updates
More about Closure: - correct answer--Sponsor acceptance
-"Closure is key"
Retrospectives - correct answer-An old idea; taking the time to review a past experience and
learn from it; determine what went well, what can be improved, and designing a plan to
implement what has been learned
Why conduct retrospectives? - correct answer-To improve future projects; to increase
competence of participants through knowledge sharing; fundamental goal of a retrospective
is change
, George Santayana Quote: - correct answer-"Those who cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it."
The Retrospective Process: - correct answer-One size does not fit all; retrospectives work
best when engineered specifically for a project considering factors like logistics, length of
project, # of people involved, political environment, team dynamics, and timing
4 Steps of Retrospective Process: - correct answer-1) Plan--background information,
facilitator, logistics
2)Prepare--collect project information, create agenda
3)Hold the meeting--review project information, create action items
4)Follow up--distribute the report, take action
John 8:32 - correct answer-You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free
Best Practices - correct answer-Webster's Dictionary (2017): "a procedure that has been
shown by research and experience to produce optimal results and that is established or
proposed as a standard suitable for widespread adoption."
OPM3 Best Practices - correct answer-1) Capabilities are incremental steps leading up to
one or more best practices
2) Outcomes are the tangible and intangible results of applying capabilities
3) Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a criterion used to determine the degree to which an
outcome is achieved
Rosabeth Moss Kantor Quote: - correct answer-"The best practice secret: stretching to learn
from the best of the best in any sector can make a big vision more likely to succeed"
Andy Crowe, "Alpha Project Managers: What the Top 2% Know That Everyone Else Does
Not" - correct answer--Conducted survey of 860 project managers at Velociteach
-Results not scientific, however its aggregate results can help define best practices for PM's
Alpha Project Managers - correct answer--18 of the PM's in Crowe's study were deemed to
be Alphas
-An alpha PM enjoys their work more
-believes they have more authority
-believe they have more personal impact on project success
-think it's important for a PM to be hands on, be a domain expert
-Alpha PM's spend almost twice as much time planning--spend more time in every process
group (planning, initiating, monitoring & controlling, closing) except for execution phase
Alpha PM's additional traits - correct answer--More responsive, effective communicators with
their stakeholders
-send fewer emails, spend less time in meetings
-prioritize work and focus on what is important
Alpha PM's as communicators - correct answer--talk to stakeholders very early on in the
project, tailor communication to meet their needs
