Write a short paper based on the chapter’s opening case.

Write a short paper based on the chapter’s opening case. Answer the following questions: a. What do you think the real problem was in this case? b. Does the case present a realistic scenario? Why or why not? c. Was Nick Carson a good project manager? Why or why not? d. What should top management have done to help Nick? e. What could Nick have done to be a better project manager?

a) In my view, the problem was the lack of plan including poor requirement definition, scope control, test, poorly defined estimation process, and scope. And the main problem, in this case was lack of communication was the lack of communication between Nick and top-level management because it takes more than a talented and motivated person or team to make a successful project; lack of leadership can be the main reason of a project failure.As a project manager, Nick had to ensure that the communication was going through the team and top level management.

b)Yes, the case presents the realistic scenario. It is common to come across unfinished projects due to scope creep, lack of users or management involvement, long and realistic timescales and poor requirements. The main reason why a project failed in IT field are

1)Poor communication.

2)Lack of user involvement

3)Technical incompetence

4)Scope issues.

5)Incomplete requirements and specifications

c) In my opinion, Nick Carson was not a good project manager, the fact that he finished the project delivering the product on time does not mean that he performed his duties the way he should have. Good project management is a process of continuous learning, study, and improvement, it is a process of making mistakes and learning from those mistakes and in order to have success, managers have to dedicate themselves to this never-ending process.A manager is viewed by different ways inside an organization, for example, to an employer, a good project manager is the one who delivers projects on time and on the budget giving the right feedback, but to the team, he is the one who maintains a good working environment.

d) The project managers need experience or support from top management who has already have good knowledge in making the project successful. Further, the top level management has the exact picture of the requirement of the company. So the top level management has to help Nick in knowing how to communicate well, be organized, precise and clear scope, and how to deal with teamwork.

e) The Nick can become a better project manager if he knows how to take care of scheduling, production, and communication. He should also know that collaboration, negotiation, and problem-solving are keys to a successful outcome.

Ans a: I think there is more than one problem in this case. The first problem is the project manager, Nick Carson. He doesn’t follow the steps in Project management integration. The second problem is the connection between project management and top management. There is no communication between CEO and Nick. The third problem is the CEO. Top managers didn’t handle the problems between Nick and Jim. CEO didn’t manage the company well either manage the project manager. The fourth problem is Jim. He tries to explain his problems with Nick by email to CEO instead of talking with Nick.

Ans b: I think the case presented realistically. Middle manager, Jim might not have technical knowledge about software development like Nick but he knows how to make CEO’s happy. People like Jimmy always think about themselves. He maybe doesn’t like CEO but he knows that keeping a good relationship with CEO would promote him better position. Jim maybe didn’t send the email accidentally. He maybe knows that Nick would be upset and go to CEO to complain Jim. I can see a similar situation like in this case in real life.

Ans c: I think Nick Carson wasn’t a good project manager. He would be a good project manager in the future if he learned from his mistakes or study more about project integration management. His mistakes as a project manager are: He didn’t follow the steps in Project Integration Management. He just focused on the project and he forgot the most important part of the project which is marketing. CEO didn’t know anything about the project because Nick didn’t report anything to him. I think CEO is also didn’t do a good job as much as project manager. CEO could call the project manager and tell him to report the project. Even though Nick Carson doesn’t have good project management skills, he has a good personality and excellent technical knowledge.

Ans d: Senior manager should call Nick and talk about the project because the project is very important for the company. The CEO should responsible for the project as much as Nick. Nick works as project manager for the first time. CEO should think that Nick might have a mistake about managing this project. They should control Nick. CEO also talks to Nick and Jim about the e-mail and make them talk to each other. CEO should solve the problem without firing Nick. Nick is a very valuable person for the company and should stay and work on project development.

Ans e: Nick could be a better project manager if he communicates with CEO and other departments in the company. He could memorize the project integration Management and think about the project within the organization. He is supposed to manage the project as a whole with the project knowledge areas.

I hope you got all the answers to above-given question,

Thank you.