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Tutorial 1

This document provides an overview of the first tutorial for an IT project management techniques course. It introduces project management concepts and discusses key topics including defining a project, the triple constraint of projects, and the history and framework of project management. It also presents a case study about a South American adventure tour company called Adventures Unlimited that is facing challenges with project budget overruns, customer satisfaction issues, and a lack of visibility into project costs and performance. The case study outlines problems the company owners want to address by learning more about applying project management techniques to their business.

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Col Vens
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50 views2 pages

Tutorial 1

This document provides an overview of the first tutorial for an IT project management techniques course. It introduces project management concepts and discusses key topics including defining a project, the triple constraint of projects, and the history and framework of project management. It also presents a case study about a South American adventure tour company called Adventures Unlimited that is facing challenges with project budget overruns, customer satisfaction issues, and a lack of visibility into project costs and performance. The case study outlines problems the company owners want to address by learning more about applying project management techniques to their business.

Uploaded by

Col Vens
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Tutorial Week 1

ITECH 2250 IT Project Management Techniques

Topic
Project Management Introduction

Topic Objectives
By the end of this topic you should be able to:

 Explain what a project is, list various attributes of projects and describe the triple constraint of projects.
 Describe what project management is and discuss key elements of the project management framework.
 Outline key events in project management history.
 Explain why stakeholder and top management commitment are critical for success.
 List the skills and attributes of a good project manager.

Short Answer Questions

1. What makes a project different from tasks people undertake in everyday operational activities? Use an
example to illustrate your discussion.

2. Briefly describe some key events in the history of project management. What was it about the
Manhattan project that symbolised modern project management?

3. Discuss the importance of top management commitment and the development of standards for
successful project management. Provide examples to illustrate the importance of these items based on
your experience on any type of project.

Case Study

South American Adventures Unlimited

SA Adventures Unlimited was formed four years ago by Michael and Jill Rodriguez. Michael was a trained
geologist, while Jill had a masters degree in Spanish. They were both avid outdoor enthusiasts and fell in
love while trekking across the Andes in Chile. Upon graduation they seized upon the idea of starting their
own specialized tour business that would focus on organising and leading “high-end” adventure trips in
South America. Their first trip was a three-week excursion across Ecuador and Peru. The trip was a
resounding success, and they became convinced that they could make a livelihood doing something they
both enjoyed.

After the first year, Adventures Unlimited began to slowly expand the size and scope of the business. The
Rodriguezes’ strategy was a simple one. They recruited experienced, reliable people who shared their
passion for South America and the outdoors. They helped these people organise specific trips and
advertised the excursion over the Internet and in travel magazines.

CRICOS Provider No. 00103D 513856965.doc Page 1 of 2


Tutorial Week 1
ITECH 2250 IT Project Management Techniques

Adventures Unlimited has grown from offering 4 trips a year to having 16 different excursions scheduled,
including trips to Central America. They now had an administrative support staff of 3 people and a relatively
stable group of 5 trip planners/guides whom they hired on a trip-by-trip contract basis. The company enjoyed
a high level of repeat business and often used their customers’ suggestions to organise future trips.

Although the Rodriguezes were pleased with the success of their venture, they were beginning to encounter
problems that worried them about the future. A couple of the tours went over budget because of
unanticipated costs, which eroded that year’s profit. In one case, they had to refund 30 percent of the tour
fee because a group was stranded five days in Blanco Puente after missing a train connection. They were
also having a hard time maintaining the high level of customer satisfaction to which they were accustomed.
Customers were beginning to complain about the quality of the accommodations and the price of the tours.
One group, unfortunately, was struck by a bad case of food poisoning. Finally, the Rodriguezes were having
a hard time tracking costs across projects and typically did not know how well they did until after their taxes
were prepared. This made it difficult to plan future excursions.

The Rodriguezes shared these concerns around the family dinner table. Among the members in attendance
was Michael’s younger brother, Mario, a student at a nearby university. After dinner, Mario approached
Michael and Jill and suggested that they look into what business people called “project management.” He
had been briefly exposed to project management in his Business Operations class and felt that it might apply
to their tour business.

4. To what extent does project management apply to Adventures Unlimited?

5. What kind of training in project management should the Rodriguezes, the administrative staff, and tour
guides receive to improve the operation of Adventures Unlimited? Try to identify major topics or skill
sets that should be addressed.

6. Read the following: Is the Triple Constraint the WRONG way to Define Success? Contrast and compare
the traditional approach using the triple constraint to measure project success with the ideas presented
by Garrett (2008). How should the Rodriguezes define project success?

7. How might the Rodriguezes might better balance each of the triple constraints to improve the success of
their business?

CRICOS Provider No. 00103D 513856965.doc Page 2 of 2

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