14. Project Management

Project management helps organizations plan, coordinate, control, and learn from systems work. This chapter introduces planning, quality, and sourcing as practical foundations for delivering useful systems.

Video

Introduction to Project Management by 365 Careers

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

1. Develop a business-case rationale that compares feasible alternatives and portfolio constraints.

2. Connect scope, schedule, cost estimates, benefits, stakeholders, and risks.

3. Distinguish quality assurance, quality control, and evidence-based acceptance.

4. Evaluate sourcing options, service commitments, vendor dependence, and transition costs.

Concept Map

Project Management

Planning

• Scope
• Schedule
• Budget

Quality

• QA
• QC
• Requirements

Sourcing

• Vendors
• Contracts
• Outsourcing

Glossary

#	Term	Explanation
1	Project	A temporary effort to create a unique product, service, system, or result.
2	Project management	Planning, coordinating, and controlling project work to meet goals and constraints.
3	Business case	A justification for a project based on expected costs, benefits, risks, and strategic fit.
4	Portfolio	A set of projects or programs managed together to support organizational strategy.
5	Scope	The work and deliverables included in a project.
6	Schedule	The planned timing and sequence of project activities.
7	Budget	The planned financial resources for a project.
8	Cost-benefit analysis	Comparing expected costs with expected benefits to support a decision.
9	Return on investment	A measure comparing project benefits or returns to costs.
10	Net present value	The value today of future benefits and costs after discounting.
11	Risk management	Identifying, assessing, prioritizing, and responding to project risks.
12	Stakeholder management	Identifying stakeholders and managing their expectations, needs, and influence.
13	Change management	Preparing people and processes to adopt a new system or way of working.
14	Quality assurance	Process-oriented work that prevents defects and improves how quality is built in.
15	Quality control	Inspection or testing work that detects defects in outputs.
16	Vendor management	Selecting, coordinating, monitoring, and evaluating external suppliers.
17	Outsourcing	Contracting work or services to an external provider.
18	Service level agreement	A contract or agreement defining expected service performance and responsibilities.
19	Project failure	A project outcome that misses important goals for value, scope, quality, adoption, budget, or schedule.
20	Implementation success	A project result where the system is delivered, adopted, and creates intended value.

Lecture Slides

Chapter 14 Slides

These lecture drafts follow the authored sections and aligned assignments.