IT BUDGET PROJECT ANALYSIS

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IT BUDGET PROJECT ANALYSIS

STUDENTS NAME

INSTITUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BACKGROUND

Any project put together boils down to money. With more capital, a massive project can be completed in a week or month. However, this is not often the case (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, 2011). As the case with the NEO project, every other project faces the trade-off between time, scope and resources. At a post-mortem, these three elements combined further help explain why a particular project dwindled and further give insights on what should have been done. It is entirely impossible to derive a budget without harmonising its scope, time and resources available, why? According to Young (2013), project managers have to breakdown project into activities which calls for prior understanding the scope. Next, costs/resources are associated with activities and, more importantly, activities have a duration, it becomes possible to compute the amount of resources likely to be consumed during the course of a project. Putting all this concept together yields a project budget timeline. In evaluating dynamics that led to the failure of the NEO project, majorly with respect to costs. This paper details what went amiss and recommends solutions to the same.

Peter Drucker, one of the greatest individuals when it comes to the art of planning mentioned, spend 80 per cent of the time planning and only 20 per cent executing. Similarly, allocating enough resources in planning the NEO project would have been a worthwhile course. With approximately $3800 being allocated for planning and only a $720 baseline, it proves not close to effective planning was achieved. What is more, an analysis of work done and what has already been done proves that, for instance in the executing phase Coding, interface development and development review meeting activities are being executed concurrently exerting pressure on resources.  

Judging from the derived Gantt, the technique employed in preparing the budget is bottom up. Major deliverable modules are clearly defined, however, moving down the hierarchy a lot has been left out. Clearly depicting the fact that very little understanding or concentration was focused on activities at the bottom level (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, 2011).  More so, the execution task is huge detailing every other component that could otherwise stand on their own. This grouping together of modules blurs the object oriented approach that successful projects assumes and could prove catastrophic when assigning resources to tasks (Kuehn, 2011). In his book, Kuehn (2011) argues, a huge module gives a false impression of concurrently multiple tasks at one go only ending up with deficient results due to poor supervision, low team cohesion, constant reworks, time wastage in the case of work dependencies and so much more.

Since no activity ran out of budget, the project manager can be said to have done good in estimating costs. However, this is not likely to have helped much. The total cost variance is positive and proving an $8000 under budget. Reading between lines, the kick off meeting was a $120 over budget. It had not been allocated any resources and ultimately consumed $120. With the assumption that the project is neglected and or most of the activities were actually executed. Most baseline costs are equal to the planned costs showing the project was operating at a tipping point. In most cases, and as depicted by well planned projects, the planned costs are usually slightly higher than actual costs (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, 2011). As in the figure in the budget could cater for all activities and a small residual amount still remains. This budget further suggests as resources enlisted in the budget got depleted the project team resorted to means such as delivering inferior product so as to stay within the budget space (Young, 2013).

The project at large violates use of contingency measures in case a budget runs overboard. A contingency budget needs to be clearly plan and allocated almost a quarter of resources allocated to the main activity or module. Moreover, a risk analysis should be included to evaluate whether the activity might need more time. More time calls for more resources that in turn escalate project budget (Kuehn, 2011). During the planning phase the project manager allocated $8000 out of which only $2200 was consumed. These figures show, either more than thrice the activity amount was set aside for a contingency budget, or there were serious problems summing up budget totals.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 To make a success out of this budget, a better budgeting technique and tool is vital. Activity based budgeting has proved a better technique because it breaks down all functionalities into independent activities that are tackled exclusively (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, 2011). At the planning face, for example, it could have been further broken into activities such as: project feasibility study, project plan creation, resource strategy documentation, financial plan writing, agreeing on a test and quality plan, documenting a risk plan, and creating an acceptance criteria. With all this activities separated more light is shade in to the project. Moreover, it gets easier to tackle risks, vulnerabilities and threats that are likely to face a project using this paradigm (Young, 2013). The author further concurs, it is impossible to forecast at 100% effectiveness, therefore, implementing a flexible plan that gives resource allowance is really important.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Dinsmore, P., & Cabanis-Brewin, J. (2011). The AMA handbook of project management. New York: American Management Association.

Kuehn, U. (2011). Integrated cost and schedule control in project management. Vienna, VA: Management Concepts.

Young, T. (2013). Successful project management. Philadelphia, Pa.: Kogan Page Ltd.

 

 

Creative Writing

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This research paper will be focusing on the often highly mediated and ambiguous space that exists between fictional and documentary photography. You will need to select a photographer who intentionally treads the line between the two, or whose work is mediated to the extent that it becomes difficult to determine whether it occupies fictional or documentary space. Do these images serve a propagandistic function, or are they in some way meant to sway the spectator’s point of view?

This research paper will feature selected works by an artist discussed in lecture or section, and must be a known photographer whose work has been contextualized within the larger framework of contemporary art and culture. In other words, the artist that you select needs to be the subject of scholarly research. Your paper must be 8-10 pages of text, and this does not include the cover page, images or bibliography. Use relevant examples and citations from the course reader, John Berger’s Ways of Seeing and the research materials available at the Art Library to clarify your assertions.

The purpose of this paper is to apply the course material to the experience of looking at works of art, and to use the readings and lectures to dig a little more deeply into the context surrounding the works than you normally might. Be sure you use at least 8 different sources and make at least 8-10 citations (including scholarly journal articles, monographs, etc.). DO NOT USE Wikipedia because it is often rife with misinformation!

If you have another artist in mind who has not been discussed in lecture or section then talk with your TA to determine whether your selection is a relevant choice for the aims of this paper.

Issues to consider when addressing this paper (when applicable): 


Discuss the relationship between form and content in these works; do the formal choices serve to heighten or mask the intent of the work? How do their visual strategies relate to the message or content of the work? In what way does the medium chosen by the artist operate to strengthen the intent of the work? 
To what degree do the works force you to reevaluate `visual literacy’ in terms of larger issues of time, space, gender politics, larger political issues etc.

If the artist makes intertextual references to other works of art, then be sure to frame your discussion to reflect this, and include a discussion of the specific works referenced.

On writing the paper:
1. The selection of a good thesis and supporting examples is an important part of producing a good paper. Be selective. The paper is about how to look closely at works of art and how your evaluation of objects and images is expanded by the specific context in which they are presented.
2. Write primarily with nouns and verbs. Avoid unnecessary (especially vague and imprecise) adjectives and adverbs.
3. Revise and rewrite. Proofread your work. Do not rely solely on “spell check.”


4. Use the dictionary to refer to words you do not fully understand.
5. Do not overstate, or excessively use qualifiers (such as very, rather, little, etc.). 


6. Use orthodox diction and accurate spelling. (“Its” is possessive; “It’s” is a contraction for “it is,” “Its’ ” doesn’t exist. “Their” is possessive, “They’re” is a contraction of “they are,” There is declarative).
7. Be clear. Make references clearly. (Do not use the word “this” as the subject of a sentence).
8. Do not let your opinions get in the way of your writing.
9. Get to the point quickly. Concentrate on quality of writing not quantity of words.

THREE works art gallery on paper

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Need art assingment of only three masterpieces inthe 19th, 20th century from realism to Post WWll?

Final Exam Prompt  The Imaginary Exhibition In 3-5 double-spaced pages (1” margins, Times New Roman font), please address the following in formal writing:

 Imagine you are organizing a community exhibition of art from the 19th and 20th centuries. Your goal is to sum up and clearly explain the period styles and context of art during those time periods.

You can select only ONE artwork from each style, with a total of THREE masterpieces for the entire exhibition (note you may include a model of a building, should you want to include architecture).

 You can’t cover everything! Which three best sum up the transformations from Realism to post-WWII art? Explain your choice to your reader, being sure to inform him or her about the basic facts of the historical period, the artwork, and how it exemplifies the characteristics of the period style.

 No introduction or conclusion paragraph is necessary.

Just start with your first choice. Good luck!

 This is a classic art history final exam question, time-tested by tradition.

 No late work will be accepted. Final Exam Rubric Feedback will be limited to letter grades and this explanatory rubric.

 A – All three works are explained in clear academic prose. The explanations accurately characterize the chosen works, period styles, and historical contexts. There are little to no spelling or grammar errors, and the voice remains formal.

B– Writing is clear, with some mechanical errors. The explanations are free of major inaccuracies, but one part of the response may be incomplete or inaccurate. There may be some spelling or grammar errors, and the voice remains formal.

 C – Writing is clear, with some mechanical errors. The explanations are generically accurate, but limited to Wikipedia-style encyclopedia generalities. There are errors across the explanations. Significant spelling or grammar errors may be present, and the voice may lapse into informal, blog-like conversational prose.

 D – Writing may or may not be clear, with some mechanical errors. The explanations are mostly inaccurate, with some redeeming qualities showing a genuine struggle with course content. Significant spelling or grammar errors may be present, and the voice may lapse into informal, “blog-like” conversational prose. F – Essay is illogical, uninformed, or incomplete. It may also be the case that the writing is impossible to understand.