Overview

This assignment consists of two sections: a written project plan, and a Gantt chart that is created through the use of MS Project. You must submit the two sections as separate files for the completion of this assignment. Label each file name according to the section of the assignment it is written for. Additionally, you may create and/or assume all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.

Tip: Review instructor feedback from all of your assignments, particularly the Planning a Software Development Project assignment from Week 6. Be sure to implement any changes based on that feedback in this assignment.

Scenario

Due to your extensive ability and knowledge of project management, you have been promoted to senior project manager for a national cybersecurity organization. For this role, you will be responsible for managing the launch of a new cybersecurity service that will attract new customers. This project will require:

• Updating cloud-based systems that interface with customers. This effort requires programmers to update databases and web interfaces that will include new cybersecurity
• Performing billing configurations to financial information systems. This effort includes modifying the back-end programs that calculate billing and financial reports data and include new cybersecurity service rates.
• Providing training on the new service for the company's customer service staff. This effort includes developing an online training manual, conducting training for customer service staff, and updating an internal website with a Frequently Asked Questions section for the new cybersecurity service.

Your job is to assist in the development of each described deliverable.

Your team is composed of four web-based developers, one database manager, two network specialists, two technical trainers, and one technical writer. They are devoted to operational management duties 35 percent of the time. One of the web-based developers has recently joined the team and has minimal experience with configuring cloud-based systems.

The service product launch must be completed within nine months. Upper management is available to supply the necessary funding required to complete this project.

Instructions

Section 1: Written Project Plan

Write a 6 page paper in which you:

1. Select a project management framework/methodology that could be used to develop this project and ensure that project objectives are met. Provide the rationale for your selection.
2. Evaluate the possibility of using agile project management for any deliverables of the project.
3. Develop a WBS that meets the project scope. Provide details at the activity level for the efforts required to achieve each deliverable. Note: WBS must be in the indented format as shown in Figure 5.5B in Chapter 5 of the text.
4. List all possible resources that would be required for completing this project. Assign resources to each activity. Describe each resource's role and the level of experience each activity would require.
5. Utilize estimation techniques to generate estimates of costs, resources, and durations for each activity. Determine the constraints that must be observed and the basis for each estimate.
6. Determine the monitoring and control process that will be utilized for the project. Include a discussion on how you would perform earned value analysis to provide details on project status.
7. Determine the values that could be utilized to calculate planned costs, actual costs, and earned value.
8. Develop a quality management plan that will minimize defects for project deliverables. Determine the frequency and metrics that will be utilized for inspections.
9. Determine the techniques that could be used to enumerate the various risks that may exist within the project. Recommend risk management practices that will mitigate ongoing risks throughout the project.
10. Use at least six quality resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and similar websites do not qualify as quality resources.

Section 1 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• This course requires the use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The library is your home for SWS assistance, including citations and formatting. Please refer to the Library site for all support. Check with your professor for any additional instructions.

Section 2: Gantt Chart

Use Microsoft Project (or its equivalent) to create a Gantt chart in which you:

1. Record the data generated from the estimation process.
2. Describe your assumptions and declare the dependencies for the logical succession of each activity.

Section 2 of your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:

• Include charts or diagrams created in Excel, Visio, MS Project, or one of their equivalents such as Open Project, Dia, and OpenOffice. The completed diagrams/charts must be imported into a Word document.

The specific course learning outcome associated with this assignment is:

• Plan a software development project.

FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM MY PROFESSOR. MUST FOLLOW THOROUGHLY

There are nine (9) questions in Section 1. Please put the nine questions in the paper and answer each question under the pasted question. Each question should have an answer below it. This way you will not miss any answers for the rubric. 

Q1. Select a project management framework/methodology that could be used to develop this project and ensure that project objectives are met. Provide the rationale for your selection.

What methodology will you use and why? (Agile, Waterfall are the two main types to choose) 

Q2. Evaluate the possibility of using agile project management for any deliverables of the project.

If you used Agile, how would that work for the deliverables of this scenario for the cybersecurity service? 

Q3. Develop a WBS that meets the project scope. Provide details at the activity level for the efforts required to achieve each deliverable. Note: WBS must be in the indented format as shown in Figure 5.5B in Chapter 5 of the text.

Be sure to make the WBS about the scenario, adding all the highlighted items and more to the WBS. 

I will accept any of these two formats for the WBS like the other assignments.

1. Like Table 5-4 Like an outline (the book calls it a Tabular format)
2. Like Figure 5-5 MS Project format.

Q4 .List all possible resources that would be required to complete this project. Assign resources to each activity. Describe each resource's role and the level of experience each activity would require.

This is the resource sheet from Assignment 6. It is All the specifics in the assignment that I put in the highlights and anything from the scenario I did not add should be included. Then, who from the resources (people) given in the scenario will be working on that portion of the project?  What each person's role will be doing. (just use the roles do not makeup names for them) 

Q5. Utilize estimation techniques to generate estimates of costs, resources, and durations for each activity. Determine the constraints that must be observed and the basis for each estimate.

Remember the estimation techniques for the Week 6 assignment (PERT, Delphi, analogy, expert judgment, or rule of thumb). You need to estimate the cost, what resources, and how long each activity will take. Remember there is a nine-month window to complete, and we only have the resources for 35% of their week of 40 hours (approximately 13.5 hours per employee per week). FYI, this info is needed for the Gantt Chart for Section 2. 

Q6. Determine the monitoring and control process that will be utilized for the project. Include a discussion on how you would perform earned value analysis to provide details on project status.

Things like KPIs, EVM, Risk Management, Stakeholder communication, Issue tracking and QA are examples of things to use.  This is a discussion explain how you would use these in relation to this scenario for the cyber program. You do not need to use my list or all of my list. But you do need to explain why you chose the item and what that item will provide for project updates. 

Q7. Determine the values that could be utilized to calculate planned costs, actual costs, and earned value.

You did this for the last project in Week 8. Use best-guess numbers for this project. I am looking for the numbers and how you determined them, not for accuracy on this fake project. So make up what you think are reasonable numbers needed for the calculation. 

Q8. Develop a quality management plan that will minimize defects for project deliverables. Determine the frequency and metrics that will be utilized for inspections.

You did defect research in Week 8. Revisit that research and what steps can be used to minimize the defects in the deliverables (app, website, database, and engineering are all components of this project). You can concentrate on the development of the webpage and billing modifications. 

Q9. Determine the techniques that could be used to enumerate the various risks that may exist within the project. Recommend risk management practices that will mitigate ongoing risks throughout the project.

First write a short piece on Identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks. Then for this scenario make a risk register. Give the risk. Why it is a risk. Also, the best way to mitigate the risk. Remember these are risks for the project itself not risks on the security service. 

***We did some of this in Week 8.  An example in the book is Table 11-4 for the RIsk Register. 

SECTION 2. GANTT CHART

YOU NEED TO MAKE A GANTT CHART AND ALSO HAVE THESE TWO PARTS DONE AS WELL. QUESTION 2 is a Written Question. 

S2. Q1Record the data generated from the estimation process.

This is a spreadsheet. This is the data from Q5. If you made a spreadsheet with this information from Q5 in SECTION 1 then you are good here.  If you did not make a spreadsheet in Q5, then make one here for this question. 

S2 Q2. Describe your assumptions and declare the dependencies for the logical succession of each activity.

This question is about writing a paragraph on your assumptions and dependencies in this project. 

I am still looking for Strayer Writing Standards. 

Reach out with any questions. 

Dr. E