Project Management Plan - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 19 Words: 5609 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Statistics Essay Did you like this example? LITERATURE REVIEW Having seen in the previous chapter about the Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Project Management Plan" essay for you Create order Project management is a carefully planned and organized effort to accomplish a specific (and usually) one-time effort, for example, implementing a new computer system. Project management includes developing a project plan, which includes defining project goals and objectives, specifying tasks or how goals will be achieved, what resources are need, and associating budgets and timelines for completion. It also includes implementing the project plan, along with careful controls to stay on the critical path, that is, to ensure the plan is being managed according to plan. Project management usually follows major phases (with various titles for these phases), including feasibility study, project planning, implementation, evaluation and support/maintenance. Comninos and Frigenti (2002 p.72) defines Project management as The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements. Further Haynes (1995 pp. 623) defines project management as Project management concentrates on the project . A project is an undertaking that has a beginning and an end and is carried out to meet established goals within cost , schedule and quality objectives . Project management brings together and optimizes the resources necessary to complete the project successfully . These resources include the skills , talents and co-operative effort of a team of people , facilities , tools and equipment ; information systems and techniques and money Duncan (1995 pp. 742) has a similar view Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements Harrison ((1988 pp.62) states these definition as The application of modern management techniques and systems to the execution of a project from start to finish, to achieve predetermined objectives of scope, quality, time and cost, to the equal satisfaction of those involved Cleland and Gareis (1993 pp.58) states that Project management is the ability to define, schedule and assign project activities; record project issues; monitor progress and report changes in activity accomplishment and issue resolution; and maintain and control changes to designs, plans and issue lists Similarly Morris (1997 pp. 221) defines as Planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a project and the motivation of all those involved in it to achieve the project objectives on time and to the specified cost, quality and performance Ciborra (2002 pp. 525) defines Information System (IS) as the system of persons, data records and activities that process the data and information in a given organization, including manual processes or automated processes. Usually the term is used erroneously as a synonym for computer-based information systems, which is only the Information technologies component of an Information System. The computer-based information systems are the field of study for Information technologies (IT) Project management is concerned with managing the entity called People. There is no single universal definition of a software project , although some definitions do have similar structure. Projects consume a variety of resources , Projects have a specific start and end point (or life cycle), Projects have a owner (i.e. consumer ), Projects have a specific budget , Project have a clear method , Projects have finite objectives. A unique undertaking with a concise life cycle , start and end dates , a finite budget , resource allocation and defined outcome or objective (Gary 2001 p.25) 2.1 Preview of software industry in India The software industry is one of the fastest growing industries and highest earners of foreign exchange in the Indian economy. With help from the Indian Government including tax benefits and the development of infrastructure links, the software sector has grown over 56% annually since 1995. Software exports currently reach about 95 countries and account for 10.5% of Indias total exports.There is, therefore, significant interaction on the global level between IT companies and other countries and companies, which might account for the lead Infosys has taken amongst its peers in the field of CSR (Narayana Murthy CEO Infosys , 2006 15/02/07) The India Software Industry has brought about a tremendous success for the emerging economy. The software industry is the main component of the Information technology in India. Indias pool of young aged manpower is the key behind this success story. Presently there are more than 500 software firms in the country which shows the monumental advancement that the India Software Industry has experienced (IIT,2002 p.4) 2.2 Infosys and its relation to software project management Founded in 1981 in Bangalore by Narayana Murthy and six colleagues, Infosys is positioned to integrate the needs of vendors and service providers, using existing solutions or relying on new product development. The company does the necessary integration, software development, feature enhancements testing, release and third level support. It provides solutions to the financial sector the biggest chunk of its business- as well as to 460 other clients across a broad spectrum of other industries. (www.infosys.com 14/02/08) In terms of project management, software project work is split into two components: onsite and offshore, according to where it can be best done, at the lowest cost, and with the lowest level of acceptable risk, thereby de-coupling capability development and delivery. Although Infosys was not spared by the dotcom crash in 2001, thanks in part to the loyalty built up among employees the business bounced back, and by 2006 its market capitalization was US$18 billion. For Murthy, leading by example is what counts. This translates into three core values: respect for the individual, data-based decision making, and embracing constant change by forcing people to share their innovations. Infosys has established a systematic pattern of succession planning whereby board members remain in the vanguard but are underpinned by a three-tier leadership structure for high-potential managers. Younger employees are viewed as the eyes and the ears of the company, bringing to the forefront contemporary issues that might otherwise be overlooked (Manfred , Vries, Agrawal and Florent-Treacy 2006 p.121) Since incorporation, Infosys annual revenue has rapidly increased and it reached 1 trillion in 2006. Unlike many other Indian IT companies Infosys has concentrated on building software applications and this has contributed to its global success Infosys Technologies employs nearly 17,000 people worldwide, almost 10,000 of whom are software professionals. 116 new clients in the financial year (FY) 2002 added to the already prestigious list that includes Airbus, Cisco, Nordstrom and Boeing. Retail banking services account for around 4% of total revenue. The company vision is to be the best globally, commercially and ethically. As such, Infosys has developed a C-Life principle of core values that it aims to honour in all aspects of its business conduct . C LIFE represents Customer delight , Lead by example , Integrity and transparency , Fairness and Excellence (www.infy.com 15/06/07) 2.3 Project Management Processes (Infosys based approach) Turner J and Rodney (2005 p..43) states that A project management process is the management process of planning and controlling the performance or execution of a project Although all projects are different and have unique features m there are elements which are common to most . A process model needs a set of features which Are adaptable to a wide range of applications Provide a complete and adequate definition of any project to which they are applied Are easy to assimilate , with the key tasks and points of interest highlighted Are suitable to act as a memorandum and checklist to ensure that everything is covered Do not impose any unnecessary constraints on the use of tools , techniques and methods during the projects A process model can be helpful to a project manager in planning the project but obviously cannot be followed blindly and must be tailored to meet the requirements of the project . Not all the elements of the process model will be appropriate , but the model can be used as a checklist to ensure that nothing important is missed from the project . The process model is also used to help define what is required of the project manager at each stage in the project and to define the inputs and outputs of each stage . (Van Vliet , 2004 p.52) Infosys executes hundreds of projects each year. Full responsibility for executing a project rests with the project manager, who must make sure that the project team delivers high-quality software to the customer on time and within cost. To help the project manager fulfill this responsibility, support from the organization is necessary. (Mahajan and Ives , 2006 p.231) This section provides a brief background Infosys support for managing software projects. For a project team to successfully execute a project, it must perform hundreds of tasks, many of them interdependent. Effectively managing this process is extremely important for success. (Harvey 2003 p.52)At Infosys, the set of activities executed by a project manager is specified in the project management process. It is fairly standard, having three main stages: Software project planning Software project execution Software project closure 2.3.1 Software Project Planning The key to a successful software project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first thing one should do when undertaking any kind of project. Often project planning is ignored in favor of getting on with the work. However, many people fail to realize the value of a project plan in saving time, money and many problems. A project is successful when the needs of the stakeholders have been met. A stakeholder is anybody directly or indirectly impacted by the project. (Lackman 1987 p.57) As a first step it is important to identify the stakeholders of software project. It is not always easy to identify the stakeholders of a project, particularly those impacted indirectly. (Lewis J 1995) Examples of stakeholders are: The project sponsor The customer who receives the deliverables The users of the project outputs The project manager and project team Once understanding who the stakeholders are, the next step is to establish their needs. The best way to do this is by conducting stakeholder interviews. Considerable time can be utilized during the interviews to draw out the true needs that create real benefits. Often stakeholders will talk about needs that arent relevant and dont deliver benefits. These can be recorded and set as a low priority. ( Berlick 1992 p.72) The next step once after all the interviews done and have a comprehensive list of needs it is now to prioritize them. From the prioritized list its important to create a set of goals that can be easily measured. A technique for doing this is to review them against the SMART (specific, measurable, agreed upon, realistic and time-based ) principle. This way it will be easy to know when a goal has been achieved. Once having established a clear set of goals they should be recorded in the project plan. It can be useful to also include the needs and expectations of the end users- stakeholders. (Thomsett 1989 p.51) At Infosys , in the project planning stage, as revealed by Marsh (1998 p.17) , the project manager reviews contractual commitments and creates a plan to meet them. Creating a project plan involves defining a life-cycle process to be followed, estimating the effort and schedule, preparing a detailed schedule of tasks, and so on. It also includes planning for quality and configuration management as well as risk management. In this phase, the major activities of the project manager are as follows: According to McManus (1997 p.69) , the project manager performs startup and administrative tasks and creates the project plan and schedule. He is also responsible for defining the objectives of the project . The suitable standard process for the project execution is identified . Also the standard process to meet project requirements are tailer . Also a process for managing changes in requirements is designed . The estimation of effort involved is undertaken . Also the plan for human resources and team organization is determined . The project milestones are defined and schedules created accordingly. Also the quality of objectives and a quality plan to achieve them are determined . A defect prevention plan in designed. The risks are identified and plans are made to mitigate them. A measurement plan for the project is defined .A training plan for the project is designed . The project-tracking procedures are analyzed for effective execution . Also a review of the project plan and schedul e are performed . Authorization from senior management is obtained . The configuration management plan and defined and reviewed . Also orientation of the project team to the project management plan is executed In addition to the project manager, this phase involves the customer, an SEPG representative, and the business manager for the project. The entry criterion is that the contract or project authorization is available. The exit criterion is that the project plan has been documented and group reviewed (Morgon 1986 p.19) 2.3.2 Software Project Execution According to ,Harvey ( 2003 p.167) ,the purpose of Project Execution and Control is to develop the product or service that the project was commissioned to deliver. Typically, this is the longest phase of the project management lifecycle, where most resources are applied. Project Execution and Control utilizes all the plans, schedules, procedures and templates that were prepared and anticipated during prior phases. Unanticipated events and situations will inevitably be encountered, and the Project Manager and Project Team will be taxed to capacity to deal with them while minimizing impact on the projects CSSQ. Project Execution and Control Kick-off is where the project manager conducts a meeting to formally begin the project execution and control phase, orient new project team members, and review the documentation and current status of the project. The purpose of Project Execution and Control Kickoff is to formally acknowledge the beginning of project execution and control and facilitate the transition from project planning. Similar to project planning kick-off, project execution and control kickoff ensures that the project is still on track and focused on the original business need. Many new team members will be introduced to the project at this point, and must be thoroughly oriented and prepared to begin work. Most importantly, current project status is reviewed and all prior deliverables are re-examined, giving all new team members a common reference point. (Rodney 1999 p.123) Manage CSSQ is where the project manager must manage changes to the project scope and project schedule, implement quality assurance and quality control processes according to the quality standards, and control and manage costs as established in the project budget. (SEI 1996 p.4)The purpose of Manage CSSQ is to manage changes to project scope , control the project schedule and manage schedule changes , implement quality assurance and quality control , processes according to the quality standards revised during project planning control and manage costs established in the project Monitor and Control Risks, where the project manager and project team utilize the risk management plan prepared in previous phases, and develop and apply new response and resolution strategies to unexpected eventualities.Risks are potential future events that can adversely affect a projects Cost, Schedule, Scope or Quality (CSSQ). In prior phases, the project manager defined these events as accurately as possible, determined when they would impact the project, and developed a risk management plan. As the impact dates draw closer, it is important to continue re-evaluating probability, impact, and timing of risks, as well as to identify additional risk factors and events. When the risk event actually occurs, the risk (which is by definition a future, potential event) becomes an issue (which is by definition a current, definite condition) and issue monitoring and control takes over. The purpose of monitor and control risks is to deploy the risk management plans prepared in prior phases to anticipate project challenges, and to develop and apply new response and resolution strategies to unexpected eventualities. (Humphrey 1989 p.92) Manage Project Execution, where the Project Manager must manage every aspect of the Project Plan to ensure that all the work of the project is being performed correctly and on time.Project Execution is typically the part of the lifecycle of a project when the majority of the actual work to produce the product is performed and the majority of the project budget is expended. The purpose of manage project execution is to manage every aspect of the project plan as work is being done to make certain the project is a success. This process is performed concurrently with the manage CSSQ and monitor and control risks processes. The tasks in this process are performed concurrently and repeatedly as various aspects of the product of the project are constructed, tested, and accepted. (Dion 1994 p.172) Gain Project Acceptance, where the Project Manager, customer decision-makers and project sponsor acknowledge that all deliverables produced during project execution and control have been completed, tested, accepted and approved, and that the product or service of the project has been successfully transitioned to the performing organization.The purpose of Gain Project Acceptance is to formally acknowledge that all deliverables produced during project execution and control have been completed, tested, accepted, and approved by the projects Customers and the Project Sponsor, and that the product or service the project developed was successfully transitioned from the Project Team to the Performing Organization. Formal acceptance and approval also signify that the project is essentially over, and is ready for Project Closeout. (Duran 1988 p.49) At Infosys , the second phase, as in the words of Finney ( 1999 p.193) , project execution, involves executing the project plan, tracking the status of the project, and making corrections whenever project performance strays from the path laid down in the project plan. In other words, it involves tracking and controlling the implementation of the project process. This phase is the longest in the project management process, incorporating periodic tasks such as monitoring project status and quality and taking any needed corrective steps. In this phase, as said by ( Harvey 2003 p.62) , the project manager executes the project as per the project plan. , tracks the project status., reviews the project status with senior management. , monitor compliance with the defined project process. , analyze defects and perform defect prevention activities, monitor performance at the program level and conduct milestone reviews and replan if necessary. Other members of the team also participate in this stage. The entry criterion is that the project plan is complete and approved, and the exit criterion is that all work products delivered are accepted by the customer 2.3.3 Software Project Closure The Project closure report is produced at the end of the Project, and provides the Project Board with a review of the overall Project and an assessment of how successfully the Project has met its objectives. This report will be presented at the final Project Board meeting, and must be signed off by the Project Board as part of the process of formally closing the Project. (Watts 1987 p.122) As said by Sanders and Curran (1994 p.623) , a carefully structured project closure phase should ensure that the project is brought to a controlled end. The project manager should prepare the end project report, which details the main findings and outcome of the project and represents a formal review of the projects degree of success. The project manager should organize the project closure meeting and draw up a list of who should attend. This meeting is concerned with reviewing the project and ensuring the completeness of all of the major project deliverables. It is the final formal control point apart from the post implementation review; and should be attended by the project owner and the overall project manager. The basic question facing the attendees is: Did the project deliver its intended end-product within the time and budgetary limits set? According to Thomsett (1989 p.62) , The last stage of the project management process, project closure, involves a systematic wind-up of the project after customer acceptance. The main goal here is to learn from the experience so that the process can be improved. Post-project data analysis constitutes the main activity; metrics are analyzed, process assets (materials, such as templates and guidelines, used to aid in managing the process itself) are collected for future use, and lessons are recorded. Because learning from the project is the main goal, this is a group activity that involves the project manager, the SEPG, and other members of the team. The entry criterion is that the customer has accepted the work products. The exit criterion is that a post project meeting has been conducted. The main outputs of this phase are the project closure report and the collected process assets. 2.4 Capability Maturity Model CMM is a development methodology thats designed to help projects make use of reusable processes . There are some pain involved in making the switch , but the benefits to development staff and the organization make it worthwhile The CMM describes a continuum of characteristics based on how well your company or organization follows common and repeatable processes to get your work done. CMMs have been developed for software acquisition, people, and software (Paulk 1993 p.342) Although the SEI continues to enhance and expand the scope and breadth of various CMM models, the primary focus for most companies continues to be software development. Perhaps the biggest reason for looking at software development is that the process uses a fair amount of creativity, which can lead to unpredictable results. However, much (but not all) of the software development process can be standardized using a common set of processes. Common processes can be set up for the project management side Moving up the CMM levels allows an organization to standardize its software development processes in areas that can be successfully repeated from project to project Organizations that use the CMM for software development describe their level of standardization against CMM benchmarks using a scale of 1 to 5. The low end of the scale describes companies that arent using repeatable processes; much of their work is chaotic and ad hoc. The high end describes companies that use defined and re peatable processes, collect metrics to help them continuously improve their processes, and look for creative ways to do things better on an ongoing basis.(Watts 1987 p.79) Many companies are seeing that they can drive business value by implementing good, reusable processes throughout their organizations. The CMM provides a framework that companies can use to measure themselves on a standard 1 to 5 scale. Most companies today are at level 1 and would love to get as high as level 2. Most managers and organizations realise that they should have common and repeatable processes. However, pain will definitely be involved (Gilb 1998 p.122) Infosys has been assessed at level 5 (the highest level) of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM). By extracting project management processes from the set of processes at Infosys, this book also illustrates how projects are managed in a high-maturity organization. Through this illustration, I hope to bring the benefits of the CMM to project managers who have not studied it because of lack of time, because they regard it as being for process folks or because they have found it difficult to relate the CMM to project management practices. (www.infosys.com 02.07.07) 2.5 KPAs and its importance in Project Management Each KPA specifies goals that the processes of the organization must meet to satisfy that KPA. In addition, each KPA specifies a group of activities, called key practices, that collectively satisfy the goals of that KPA. In many senses, the goals for each KPA capture its essence. They specify the objectives that the CMM has set for the processes relating to the KPA. To illustrate the KPAs associated with project management, we briefly discuss here the goals of these KPAs. These goals are taken from the CMM,with some minor changes in the wording of some goals. ( Cooper and Woolgar , 1994 p.589) 2.5.1 Goals of KPAs at Level 2 2.5.1.1 Requirement Management RM Requirements management is all about balance, communication, and adjustment along the way. To prevent one class of requirements from over-riding another, constant communication among members of the development team is critical. For example, in software development for internal applications, the business has such strong needs that it may ignore user requirements, or believe that in creating use cases, the user requirements are being taken care of. (Bevan 1992 p.165) 2.5.1.2 Software Project Planning SPP The purpose of Software Project Planning is to establish reasonable plans for performing the software engineering and for managing the software project. Software Project Planning involves developing estimates for the work to be performed, establishing the necessary commitments, and defining the plan to perform the work (Barker 1992 p.522) 2.5.1.3 Software Project Tracking and Oversight SPTO The purpose of Software Project Tracking and Oversight is to provide adequate visibility into actual progress so that management can take effective actions when the software projects performance deviates significantly from the software plans. Software Project Tracking and Oversight involves tracking and reviewing the software accomplishments and results against documented estimates, commitments, and plans, and adjusting these plans based on the actual accomplishments and results (Budlong and Peterson 1996 p.523) 2.5.1.4 Software Subcontract Management SSM The purpose of Software Subcontract Management is to select qualified software subcontractors and manage them effectively. Software Subcontract Management involves selecting a software subcontractor, establishing commitments with the subcontractor, and tracking and reviewing the subcontractors performance and results. These practices cover the management of a software (only) subcontract, as well as the management of the software component of a subcontract that includes software, hardware, and possibly other system components (ISO 9000-3 p.5) 2.5.1.5 Software Quality Assurance SQA Software Quality Assurance (SQA) is defined as a planned and systematic approach to the evaluation of the quality of and adherence to software product standards, processes, and procedures. SQA includes the process of assuring that standards and procedures are established and are followed throughout the software acquisition life cycle. Compliance with agreed-upon standards and procedures is evaluated through process monitoring, product evaluation, and audits. Software development and control processes should include quality assurance approval points, where an SQA evaluation of the product may be done in relation to the applicable standards. (Kontonya and Sommerville , 1998 p.212) 2.5.1.6 Software Configuration Management SCM In software engineering, software configuration management (SCM) is the task of tracking and controlling changes in the software. Configuration management practices include revision control and the establishment of baselines (Keller et al 1990 p.521 ) 2.5.2 Goals of KPAs at Level 3 2.5.2.1 Integrated Software Management ISM The purpose of Integrated Software Management is to integrate the software engineering and management activities into a coherent, defined software process that is tailored from the organizations standard software process and related process assets, which are described in Organization Process Definition. Integrated Software Management involves developing the projects defined software process and managing the software project using this defined software process. The projects defined software process is tailored from the organizations standard software process to address the specific characteristics of the project (Saiedian Hossein and Kuzara 1995 p.321) 2.5.2.2 Intergroup Coordination IC Intergroup Coordination involves the software engineering groups participation with other project engineering groups to address system-level requirements, objectives, and issues. Representatives of the projects engineering groups participate in establishing the system-level requirements, objectives, and plans by working with the customer and end users, as appropriate. These requirements, objectives, and plans become the basis for all engineering activities (TickIT Guide p.21) 2.5.2.3 Peer Reviews PR In software development, peer review refers to a type of software review in which a work product (normally some form of document) is examined by its author and one or more colleagues, in order to evaluate its technical content and quality When performed as part of each Software development process activity, peer reviews identify problems and fix them early in the lifecycle. That is to say, a peer review that identifies a requirements problem during the Requirements analysis activity is cheaper and easier to fix than during the Software architecture or Software testing activities ( Gentleman 1996 p.92) 2.5.3 Goals for KPAs at Level 4 2.5.3.1 Quantitative Process Management QPM Quantitative Process Management involves establishing goals for the performance of the projects defined software process, which is described in the Integrated Software Management key process area, taking measurements of the process performance, analyzing these measurements, and making adjustments to maintain process performance within acceptable limits. When the process performance is stabilized within acceptable limits, the projects defined software process, the associated measurements, and the acceptable limits for the measurements are established as a baseline and used to control process performance quantitatively (Daly-jones and Thomas 1997 p.142) 2.5.3.2 Software Quality Management SQM Its here were the projects software quality management activities are planned . Measurable goals for software product quality and their priorities are defined . Actual progress toward achieving the quality goals for the software products is quantified and managed (Broadman and Johnson 1996 p.72) 2.6 Software Engineering Process Group One important form of technology receptor group is the software engineering process group (SEPG), which focuses on software process improvement. Working with managers and engineers from software development organizations, the process group tracks, screens, installs, and evaluates new methods and technology that can improve the software engineering capability of an organization. (Crosby , Philip 1978 p.129) The software engineering process group is a central force for process improvement. The group maintains the overall view of current efforts and facilitates these efforts on a continuing basis. Its members foster collaboration among everyone in the organization who is involved with software process improvement. (Juran 1988 p.59) According to Evans and Marciniak (1987 p.26) SEPG obtains and maintains the support of all levels of management. , Facilitates software process assessments , Works with line managers whose projects are affected by changes in software engineering practice, providing a broad perspective of the improvement effort and helping them set expectations, Maintains collaborative working relationships with software engineers, especially to obtain, plan for, and install new practices and technologies , Arranges for any training or continuing education related to process improvements. , Tracks, monitors, and reports on the status of particular improvement efforts , Facilitates the creation and maintenance of process definitions, in collaboration with managers and engineering staff , Maintains a process database. The process group is not part of product development but is staffed by practitioners. As a result, it has expertise in software engineering. It may also have, and at any rate should develop, expertise in process definition, organizational change, and technology related to improving or measuring quality. The process groups that were interviewed in preparation for this process were predominantly staffed by engineers, highly motivated and generally very experienced people, many of whom had already worked for years as individual champions to improve the software engineering process in their organizations. Staffing the process group with engineers who have customarily worked on building systems reassures the organization at large that the work of the process group will be practical and relevant. (Michael 1986 p.62) 2.7 Infosys Senior Management Involvement Infosys prides itself in providing value to its customers through delivery excellence. Everything at Infosys, including its organizational structure, is driven by the aim of serving customers efficiently and effectively and quickly tapping new business opportunities.( M.Nelakani 1998 p.12) According to Hartono (2002 p.52) , for delivery of customer services, Infosys has many business units. Within a business unit, a team, headed by a project manager, executes a project. The project manager is responsible for all aspects of project execution, from determining the requirements to final installation of the software. The project manager reports to a business manager, who in turn generally reports to the business unit head. To handle situations that cannot be resolved by the project manager, senior management involvement in projects is essential. At Infosys, the business manager regularly interacts with the project manager and monitors the project through status reports and milestone reports . In addition to regular monitoring, the business manager also helps to resolve issues and problems that cannot be handled by the project team and are escalated to his level . The business manager also interacts with customers to ensure that they are satisfied and that any issues are promptly raised and addressed. (Sethi 2002 p.79) Also Lederer(2002 p.182) explains that in addition, other senior people also review projects periodically by regularly taking part in internal audits . Through two systemscalled PRISM (project review by senior management) and IPM (integrated project management)milestone reports and project plans are available for senior management to review. All senior managers are expected to review some projects periodically through this system and to give feedback to the project leaders. Overall, senior management maintains involvement in the project primarily by monitoring to ensure that the project objectives are met and that the customer is fully satisfied. 2.8 Infosys training program for project managers Because project managers have the main responsibility for satisfying the customer, they need to master not only executing the technical aspects of a project but also interacting with customers, eliciting requirements, managing the team, and so on. Clearly no one is likely to possess all the skills needed, so its crucial to train people to develop the necessary skills. Infosys has implemented a variety of programs to help people transition from being engineers to being project leaders. (Demarco , Tom and Tom Lister 1999 p.92 ) All fresh entrants undergo a three- to four-month induction training program. In addition to training in engineering and technology, this program contains one- or two-day programs in business etiquette, written communication, public speaking, body language, and so on.Later, when engineers are ready to become module leaders (those who manage the development of a system module, especially in larger projects) or project managers, they attend a series of technical and soft-skills training programs. Included in the former is a five-day project management course that focuses on all aspects of project management: planning, monitoring, controlling, and so on. A two-week course on requirements specification and management teaches how to elicit requirements, how to document them, how to verify them, and so on. The five-day residential soft-skills training program includes modules on appraisals and team management, customer focus and customer management, leadership, social and business etiquett e for different countries, and so on. (Stuart K Wier 2002) Other regularly offered programs focus on various aspects of management; project leaders take these courses when their schedules permit. Also, team-building workshops are conducted by professionals. ( Westland , 2006 p.67)

Analysis Of Shirley Jackson s Flower Garden - 1511 Words

Known for her psychological thrillers, Shirley Jackson has always been able to get into the mind of the reader and force them to think of the deeper meaning behind her stories. However, it is always brought to question if her best selling works were a result of her poor mental health. Growing up, Jackson had always felt like an outsider; dealing with a cruel mother and other children her age only fueled her isolation later in life. As a way to record her feelings and thoughts, Jackson began writing stories and including herself in ways through the characters. While Shirley Jackson’s earlier stories are often about people being oppressed and persecuted by closed-minded communities, in her later work she focussed increasingly on the â€Å"demon†¦show more content†¦She used her writing as a way to accuse real neighborhoods of this persecution and prejudice that was happening within their communities. Those outside factors led to the downfall of her characters opposed t o other works where her character’s downfall was themselves. Another work that accounts for this change is â€Å"The Lottery†, one of her most famous pieces. â€Å"The Lottery† is an early and extremely famous controversial work of Shirley Jackson’s. This book once again deals with problems within a community. Every year, the townspeople pull little slips of paper in a box and each family living in the town draws out a slip. The family that draws the slip marked with a black dot joins the orchestrator of the lottery on stage. Then each member of the family draws again and the one who picks the one with the black dot this time is stoned to death. All of the villagers contribute to the stoning, even the children and family members of whom is being killed. The townspeople judge and persecute members of their society willingly without another thought about it. Shirley Jackson used this short story to help the readers understand the oppression and persecution of others at the time. While Shirley Jackson’s mental health w as never quite normal, she was able to focus more on current events going on in the outside world much more than later in her life. Contrary to her earlier works, â€Å"The Daemon Lover†, one of Jackson’s later worksShow MoreRelatedMarketing Mistakes and Successes175322 Words   |  702 Pagesfollowing classification of cases by subject matter to be helpful. I thank those of you who made this and other suggestions. Classification of Cases by Major Marketing Topics Topics Most Relevant Cases Marketing Research and Consumer Analysis Coca-Cola, Disney, McDonald’s, Google, Starbucks Product Starbucks, Nike, Coke/Pepsi, McDonald’s, Maytag, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Newell Rubbermaid, DaimlerChrysler, Kmart/Sears, Harley-Davidson, Boeing/Airbus, Merck, Boston Beer, Firestone/FordRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 PagesRichard Gould, Kenneth King, Marjorie Lee, Elizabeth Perry, Heidi Wackerli, Perry Weddle, Tiffany Whetstone, and the following reviewers: David Adams, California State Polytechnic University; Stanley Baronett, Jr., University of Nevada-Las Vegas; Shirley J. Bell, University of Arkansas at Monticello; Phyllis Berger, Diablo Valley College; Kevin Galvin, East Los Angeles College; Jacquelyn Ann Kegley, California State University-Bakersfield; Darryl Mehring, University of Colorado at Denver; Dean

The Railway free essay sample

Clerk’, a man expresses his feelings about his life and work. | |Write about both poems and their effect on you. Show how they are similar and how they are different. | |You may write about each poem separately and then compare them, or make comparisons where appropriate in your answer as a whole. |You may wish to include some or all of these points: | |†¢ the content of the poems – what they are about; | |†¢ the ideas the poets may have wanted us to think about; | |†¢ the mood or atmosphere of the poems; | |†¢ how they are written – words and phrases you find interesting, the way they are organised, and so on; | |†¢ your responses to the poems. 20] | | | | |The railway modeller |The Railway Clerk | | | | |He’s spent all week creating the best part |It isn’t my fault. | |of a village; sculpting the paper strata |I do what I’m told | |of its hills, painting them green, growing |But still I am blamed. |small metal trees with a teased-out fluff |This year, my leave application | |of foliage. Then he built half-timbered |Was twice refused. | |card houses, secured them where they belonged |Every day there is so much work | |and stood back to be sure it was right. |And I don’t get overtime. | | |My wife is always asking for more money. | |Now he must add the people: so minute, |Money, money, where to get money? | |they take more work than anything. He uses |My job is such, no one is giving bribe, | |a make-up brush tapered to a hair |While other clerks are in fortunate position, | |for touching their white plastic into life |and no promotion even because I am not graduate. | |with flesh-tones, bright splashes, uniform | | |blue and grey†¦. It takes hours to make |I wish I was bird. |an individual, if it’s done with love, | | | |I am never neglecting my responsibility, | |but he doesn’t mind the time spent |I am discharging it properly, | |in his shed, a sufficient universe, |I am doing my duty, | |and nothing brings a branch line alive |But who is appreciating/ | |like people. Working down on the track, | Nobody, I am telling you. |picks raised, or waiting on a paper bench | | |for a train they can’t board, they turn |My desk is too small, | |the scene to a frozen photograph. |the fan is not repaired for two months, | | |three months. | |It’s a shame he can’t, with all his love, |I am living far off in Borivali, | |move the frame on†¦. The background radio |My children are neglecting studies, | |intrudes news headlines into his thought: |How long this can go on? |today in Parliament the talking fellows | | |were voting on whether to punish men |Nissam Ezekial | |with death. His brush carefully strokes in | | |blond hair; perfects another passenger. | | | | | |Sheenagh Pugh | | SECTION B | | | |Spend about 1 hour on this section. Think carefully about the poems before you write your answer. | |In the first of the following poems, ‘Looking into the Filed’, the narrator describes a moment in the life of a farmer. In the second, ‘Hatching’, the narrator| |describes a moment of birth. | |Write about both poems and their effect on you. Show how they are similar and how they are different. | |You may write about each poem separately and then compare them, or make comparisons where appropriate in your answer as a whole. |You may wish to include some or all of these points: | |†¢ the content of the poems – what they are about; | |†¢ the ideas the poets may have wanted us to think about; | |†¢ the mood or atmosphere of the poems; | |†¢ how they are written – words and phrases you find interesting, the way they are organised, and so on; | |†¢ your responses to the poems. 20] | | | | | | | | | | |Looking into the Field |Hatching | | | | |From the five corn ers of the field |His night has come to an end and now he must break | |they lift their heads and move towards him. |The little sky which shielded him. He taps | |This is the man who brings food. |Once and nothing happens. He tries again | |His collie presses against the window |And makes a mark like lightning. He must thunder, | |of the Land Rover and leaves a nose-round watermark. |Storm and shake and break a universe | |He walks to the four stiff legs of a dead sheep |Too small and safe. His daring beak does this. | |and bends to grasp fistfuls of tight wool. | | |Lifting from his knees he pulls and rolls |And now he is out in a world of smells and spaces. | |the ewe upright, setting the legs kicking again. |He shivers. Any air is wind to him. | |Tubful of life, she bleats and waddles to new grass. |He huddles under wings but does not know | |The field has been put to rights and as he walks back |He is already shaping feathers for | |his flock return to their grass and the first autumn leaves. |A lunge into the sky. His solo flight | |Four disappointed crows flap into the sky she’d |Will bring the sun upon his back. He’ll bear it, | |stared up through like a cloudy blue tunnel. Carry it, learn the real winds, by instinct | | |Return for food and, larger than his mother, | |Tony Curtis |Avid for air, harry her with his hunger. | | | | | |Elizabeth Jennings | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |SECTION B | |Spend about 1 hour on this section. Think carefully about the poems before you write your answer. | |In the first of the following poems, ‘The Moth’s Plea’, the moth expresses its feelings about its life and identity. In the second, ‘Weaselsà ¢â‚¬â„¢, the | |narrator describes and expresses his feelings about weasels. | |Write about both poems and their effect on you. Show how they are similar and how they are different. | | You may write about each poem separately and then compare them, or make comparisons where appropriate in your answer as a whole. |You may wish to include some or all of these points: | |†¢ the content of the poems – what they are about; | |†¢ the ideas the poets may have wanted us to think about; | |†¢ the mood or atmosphere of the poems; | |†¢ how they are written – words and phrases you find interesting, the way they are organised, and so on; | |†¢ your responses to the poems. 20] | | |Weasels | |The Moth’s Plea | | | |They are only scrap for a furrier | |I am a disappointment |Or trimming for a lady’s wrap. | |And much worse. |But before they end on a heap | |You hear a flutter, you expect a brilliance of wings, |They are awful in the fields and streams. | |Colours dancing, a bright |Red-brown and nine inches long. |Flutter, but then you see |They eat mice and moles and frogs; | |A brown, bedraggled creature |Rooks, crows and ow ls are nothing to them. | | With a shamefaced, unclean look |Weasels will get through a bush or hedge | |Darting upon your curtains and clothes, |For thrush and blackbird eggs | |Fighting against the light. |And swim a mile when they sniff dead fish. | |I hate myself. It’s no wonder you hate me. | | |My granddad saw one | |I meddle among your things, |Wipe out a granary of rats | |I make a meal out of almost any cloth, |And then look around to see | |I hide in cupboards and scare |If he had missed any | |Any who catch me unaware. |Before he enjoyed his huge supper. | |I am your enemy – the moth. Once, in America, a hawk was found | | |With a weasel’s skull locked to its throat. | |You try to keep me away |Even when chased by a fox | |But I’m wily and when I do |They may stop to kill a chicken. | |Manage to hide, you chase me, beat me, put |Weasels like rabbits, too | |Horrible-smelling balls to poison me. |And go deep into the dark burrows. |Have you ever thought what it’s like to be |In Carmarthen they have hunted in packs | |A parasite, |Scampering behind the poor scared hares | |Someone who gives you a fright, |Lolloping in the moonlight. | |Who envies the rainbow colours of the bright |They will also attack a man | |Butterflies who hover round flowers all day? |If trapped – single and alone | |Oh please believe that I do understand how it feels |They jump for the neck. | |To be awake in and be afraid of the night. | | |Weasels will live anywhere smelly | |Elizabeth Jennings |Inside a maggoty sheep carcase | | |Or a rotted tree-stump, | | |A crumbled wall crevice or a fish hole | | |In the riverbank. Their innocent babies | | |Nest tight at the back of the holes. | | | | | |John Tripp |

What Is Affirmative Action Essay Example For Students

What Is Affirmative Action Essay I. We didnt land on Plymouth Rock, my brothers and sisters PlymouthRock landed on us! Malcolm Xs observation is brought out by the facts ofAmerican History. Snatched from their native land, transported thousands ofmiles in a nightmare of disease and death and sold into slavery, blackswere reduced to the legal status of farm animals. Even after emancipation,blacks were segregated from whites in some states by law, and by socialpractice almost everywhere. American apartheid continued for another century. In1954 the Supreme Court declared state-compelled segregation in schoolsunconstitutional, and it followed up that decision with others that struck downmany forms of official segregation. Still, discrimination survived, and in mostsouthern states blacks were either discouraged or prohibited from exercisingtheir right to vote. Not until the 1960s was compulsory segregation finallyand effectively challenged. Between 1964 and 1968 Congress passed the mostsweeping civil rights legislation s ince the end of the Civil War. It banneddiscrimination in employment, public accommodations (hotels, motels,restaurants, etc.), and housing; it also guaranteed voting rights for blacks inareas suspected of disenfranchising blacks. Today, several agencies in thefederal government exercise sweeping powers to enforce these civil rightsmeasures. But is that enough? Equality of condition between blacks and whitesseems as elusive as ever. The black unemployment rate is double that of whites,and the percentage of black families living in poverty is nearly four times thatof whites. Only a small percentage of blacks ever make it into medical school orlaw schools. Advocates of affirmative action have focused upon these differencesto support their argument that it is no longer enough just to stopdiscrimination. Liberal Democrats feel that the damage done by three centuriesof racism now has to be remedied, they argue, and effective remediation requiresa policy of affirmative action. At the hear t of affirmative action is theuse of numerical goals. Opponents call them racial quotas. Whateverthe name, what they imply is the setting aside of a certain number of jobs orpositions for blacks or other historically oppressed groups. ConservativeRepublicans charge that affirmative action really amounts to reversediscrimination, that it penalizes innocent people simply because they are white,that it often results in unqualified appointments, and that it ends up harminginstead of helping blacks. The issue of preferences to address historicalpatterns of racial, ethnic, and gender discrimination has received a great dealof attention nationally. Whether in government contracts, private sector hiring,college admissions, or state hiring practices, opponents in the issue haveengaged in often-heated debates. In Michigan, legislation to limit or eliminateaffirmative action has been introduced this session. A good example of thislegislation was proposed on March 18,1998 and it is called SJR N (S-2). Thisresolution proposed an amendment to the Michigan Constitution to prohibitdiscrimination based on sex or ethnicity and to prohibit the state and itspolitical subdivisions from using religion, sex, color, ethnicity, or nationalorigin as a basis for discriminating against or giving preferential treatment toany individual or group in employment, public education, or public contracting. We will write a custom essay on What Is Affirmative Action specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now The present system violates the fundamental principle of equal protection of thelaw against discrimination on the basis of immutable characteristics of race,sex, color, ethnicity, and national origin. SJR N (S-2) was intended to end thispractice and return Michigan to the goal of a colorblind society. II. SJR N(S-2) is on the Conservative side of things, in that, the legislation is tryingto stop reverse racism. There really is no moderate way to look ataffirmative action; you can either be for it or against it. Sen. Bill BullardJr. was the chair and sponsor of this bill, but when he met with the othermembers of this committee it was stated in the minutes of the meeting thatthe issue will not be voted on today, nor does he (Bill Bullard) intendto press for a vote in the Legislature this year. There will be futureopportunities for all who wish to contribute to this dialogue to have theirviews heard. The committee then had a long list of testimony from those whoopposed SJR N (S-2). It w as then stated that this constitutional amendment ifapproved by a two-thirds vote of the Senate and House of Representatives, wouldbe submitted to the voters at the next general election. The bill was neverbrought before senate, it was basically killed in committee. III. Bill Bullardthe Republican State Senator from District 15 stated his views on affirmativeaction from this statement. Indicate the principles you support (if any)concerning affirmative action. State government agencies should take race andsex into account in the following sectors: a) College and university admissions Yes X No Undecided b) Public employment Yes X No Undecided c) State contracting Yes X No Undecided Senator Bullardopposed all the affirmative action questions because he is a Republican, and ifone has a viewpoint against affirmative action it is considered a conservativeone. How does presidential candidate George W. Bush feel about affirmativeaction? He Opposes quotas and racial preferenc es, supports affirmativeaccess to open the doors of opportunity through programs such as theTexas 10 percent plan, where those who graduate in the top 10 percent of theirclass are automatically admitted to any state college or university, andadvocates needs-based contracting and breaking down government contracts tosmaller sizes to encourage entrepreneurship in all communities. .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f , .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .postImageUrl , .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f , .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f:hover , .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f:visited , .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f:active { border:0!important; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f:active , .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf6115189eebdb2f204cf015b1b5dcd0f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Man, Spirit or a Devil - vampires EssaySocial Issues