PROJECT SIZE You learned in Chapter 1 that information systems have various characteristics that affect their complexity and cost. In addition to considering those factors,
a project manager must estimate the time required to complete each project phase. To
develop accurate estimates, a project manager must identify all project tasks, from initial fact-finding to system implementation. Regardless of the systems development
methodology used, the project manager must determine how much time will be needed
to perform each task. In developing an estimate, the project manager must allow time
for meetings, project reviews, training, and any other factors that could affect the productivity of the development team.
HUMAN RESOURCES Companies must invest heavily in cutting-edge technology and
Web-based systems to remain competitive in a connected world. In many areas, skilled
IT professionals are in great demand, and firms must work hard to attract and retain
the talent they need. A project manager must assemble and guide a development team
that has the skill and experience to handle the project. If necessary, additional systems
analysts or programmers must be hired or trained, and this must be accomplished
within a specific time frame. After a project gets under way, the project manager must
deal with turnover, job vacancies, and escalating salaries in the technology sector — all
of which can affect whether the project can be completed on time and within budget.
EXPERIENCE WITH SIMILAR PROJECTS A project manager can develop time and
cost estimates based on the resources used for similar, previously developed information
systems. The experience method works best for small- or medium-sized projects where
the two systems are similar in size, basic content, and operating environment. In large
systems with more variables, the estimates are less reliable.
In addition, you might not be able to use experience from projects that were developed in a different environment. For example, when you use a new Web-based database
application, you might not have previous experience to measure in this environment. In
this situation, you could design a prototype or pilot system to gain technical and cost
estimating experience.
CONSTRAINTS You learned in Chapter 2 that constraints are defined during the preliminary investigation. A constraint is a condition, restriction, or requirement that the
system must satisfy. For example, a constraint might involve maximums for one or
more resources, such as time, dollars, or people. A project manager must define system
requirements that can be achieved realistically within the required constraints. In the