ABET Assessment
Using Project Management Methods in the Creation of an Effective IT Project Plan
The Problem:
Assume that you are working for a large accounting firm. You are in the Human Resources Division and you have just been given the
responsibility to manage an IT project to install a new system to process everything related to your company’s payroll, payroll tax records,
and vacation and health benefits. The system maintains records on insurance, state and federal taxes, social security, and the like –
everything that you would find on a typical pay stub. You pay employees both hourly wages and annual salaries. The system is called PAYMASTER.
As part of your work you have decided to develop an outline of your planning process using the structure of a knowledge areas/process groups
matrix as a basis for your outline’s first two levels. Then you want to prepare a 2000 word summary of the plan. The following information is
designed to take you through that work. In your response you will be providing either sample or full answers, depending on the nature of the
planning element that you are describing. In many cases you will need to invent a number of the specifics as you develop your plan – just use a
little imagination because there are literally thousands of elements that would go into an actual plan or system.
Where specificity is required you will need to invent it. For example, in your written plan it is inappropriate to say something like “update
the scope statement.” However, “Modify the scope statement to reflect new tax codes for PAYMASTER” is acceptable and correct (sorry, you may
not use this example as part of your response.)
Prepare a single document as your response. The first part of your document is your outline and the second part is your written plan.
First, Your Complete Outline:
Begin this section with the title: “PAYMASTER Project Plan Outline,” and outline your plan from beginning to end. Your outline must have four
levels. Remember, you are preparing an outline of how you would go about planning the implementation of the PAYMASTER payroll and associated
records system using the knowledge areas/process groups matrix as a basis for your outline’s first two levels.
1. Level-one like this – level-one activities should have sufficient weight to carry your plan. There must be a separate level-one activity for
each major element of your plan – that is, each should be a MAJOR element in your plan.
1.1. Level-two like this – these are sub-topics for your major elements. Notice that proper outline structure requires at least two level-two
items for each level-one item. More might be needed, depending on topic at hand.
1.1.1. Level-three like this – sub-topics for your level-two items. At this level you are providing specific details for your level-two items.
Notice also, just as for level-two: “… that proper structure requires at least two level-three items for each level-two item. More might be
needed, depending on topic at hand.”
1.1.1.1. Level-four like this – sub-topics for your level-three items. At this level you are providing specific example of the details in
level-three. Notice also, just as for level-three: “… that proper structure requires at least two level-four items for each level-three item.
More might be needed, depending on the topic at hand.”
1.1.1.2. Another level-four
1.1.2. Another level-three
1.1.2.1. Level-four
1.1.2.2. Level-four
1.2. Another level-two, level-three, level-four
1.3. Etc. if needed
2. Level-one again, etc.etc. etc. etc.
Of importance – outlines do not contain paragraphs. The idea of an outline is to organize your thoughts, and it must be complete at the top two
levels. The MORE time that you spend building an outline the BETTER your thought process, organization and content, and the EASIER it is to do
the next part of the exam.
Second, Your Written Plan:
Now begin the main body of your work. Write 2000 words describing your plan. 2000 words is about eight pages, double spaced, 12 point font,
normal margins. For your written plan the standard is, as always, full sentences – nouns and verbs, and professional composition. Bullets,
lists, IM texting replies, bad spelling, punctuation, capitalization, or grammar is simply not responsive to the task at hand.
