Old exams
Project Management – People
& Technology
,Table of Contents
Exam 2017 – questions & answers .......................................................................................................... 3
Exam 2019 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 10
Exam 2020 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 17
Exam 2021 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 27
Exam 2022 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 36
,Exam 2017 – questions & answers
Question 1. Project Success [ 10 pt; 5 each]
a. How is project success usually defined for a software development project? (3 lines )
The book uses the term Measurable Organizational Value (Marchewka, 2015).
b. What is meant by this term? Why does the book prefer to use this notion?
a. Usually, project success is defined by a combination of three aspects:
- Requirements: does the software meet all requirements, or features demanded?
- Budget: were the costs of the software developed within the allocated budget?
- Time: was the software delivered before or on the agreed time?
These aspects together are called the devils triangle, iron triangle or triple constraint. They
are interconnected: when the scope increases, budget and time have to increase too.
Conversely, if you want to limit time or fix the budget, you need to be prepared to adjust
the scope. This is what happens in Agile methods: the project is time-boxed in sprints; the
team with the product owner decide on the priorities of requirements.
on time
success
on budget requirements
[ Lecture 1, slide 4,5; book p 122]
b. The book defines MOV (measurable organizational value) as the long-term strategic
goals of a project, for the entire organization. For example, to replace on old system is
not a good MOV, because it doesn’t state organizational advantages. Rather the MOV
should express what can be achieved with the new system in terms of market share,
new products, cost cutting etc. The term highlights that information technology projects
should be seen as an organizational change. The goals of such a transformation should
be measurable, provide value, be agreed upon, and be verifiable (formulated
(“S.M.A.R.T.”). Otherwise, progress and success of the project cannot be assessed and
the organization cannot learn and improve.
[ book Ch 1, Ch 3 e.g. p 64, 65; Assignment 3 ]
, Question 2. Requirements Engineering [ 10 pt: 5 each ]
a. What is the difference between functional requirements and non-functional
requirements? Given an example of each.
b. In the context of requirements engineering, what is meant be traceability?
a. Functional requirements refer to functionality: expected behavior of the system.
Typically, functionality can be attributed to a specific piece of software (module, routine,
function call). For example, when a user presses a button ‘reservation’, the system will
start the reservation module, asking for time, date, etc. Conversely, non-functional
requirements are general properties, which cannot be attributed to a single piece of
software, but result from the system as a whole. Examples are security, scalability, and
usability. [ Lecture 2, slide 9, assignment 2 ]
b. Traceability means that all requirements can be traced to their source: which
stakeholder, which rule or regulation, which standard? This is useful in particular
to prioritize and when requirements must be changed.
[ Lecture 2; Assignment 2; Jarke et al (2011), p 1002]
Question 3. Scrum and accommodating change [20 pt: 15; 5 ]
Scrum is an Agile methodology for software development. The Scrum approach should be
rooted in behavior. Therefore, it is characterized by rituals, roles and artefacts.
a. List the rituals, roles, and artefacts of Scrum, and give a brief description of each.
Draw a simple diagram that represents the flow of Scrum. Annotate the diagram
with the rituals and the artefacts, to show where they are located (18 lines).
One of the features of Scrum is that it can handle changes in requirements, during a project.
b. Explain how the rituals, roles and artefacts of Scrum can accommodate a change in
requirements. (6 lines)
Project Management – People
& Technology
,Table of Contents
Exam 2017 – questions & answers .......................................................................................................... 3
Exam 2019 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 10
Exam 2020 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 17
Exam 2021 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 27
Exam 2022 – questions & answers ........................................................................................................ 36
,Exam 2017 – questions & answers
Question 1. Project Success [ 10 pt; 5 each]
a. How is project success usually defined for a software development project? (3 lines )
The book uses the term Measurable Organizational Value (Marchewka, 2015).
b. What is meant by this term? Why does the book prefer to use this notion?
a. Usually, project success is defined by a combination of three aspects:
- Requirements: does the software meet all requirements, or features demanded?
- Budget: were the costs of the software developed within the allocated budget?
- Time: was the software delivered before or on the agreed time?
These aspects together are called the devils triangle, iron triangle or triple constraint. They
are interconnected: when the scope increases, budget and time have to increase too.
Conversely, if you want to limit time or fix the budget, you need to be prepared to adjust
the scope. This is what happens in Agile methods: the project is time-boxed in sprints; the
team with the product owner decide on the priorities of requirements.
on time
success
on budget requirements
[ Lecture 1, slide 4,5; book p 122]
b. The book defines MOV (measurable organizational value) as the long-term strategic
goals of a project, for the entire organization. For example, to replace on old system is
not a good MOV, because it doesn’t state organizational advantages. Rather the MOV
should express what can be achieved with the new system in terms of market share,
new products, cost cutting etc. The term highlights that information technology projects
should be seen as an organizational change. The goals of such a transformation should
be measurable, provide value, be agreed upon, and be verifiable (formulated
(“S.M.A.R.T.”). Otherwise, progress and success of the project cannot be assessed and
the organization cannot learn and improve.
[ book Ch 1, Ch 3 e.g. p 64, 65; Assignment 3 ]
, Question 2. Requirements Engineering [ 10 pt: 5 each ]
a. What is the difference between functional requirements and non-functional
requirements? Given an example of each.
b. In the context of requirements engineering, what is meant be traceability?
a. Functional requirements refer to functionality: expected behavior of the system.
Typically, functionality can be attributed to a specific piece of software (module, routine,
function call). For example, when a user presses a button ‘reservation’, the system will
start the reservation module, asking for time, date, etc. Conversely, non-functional
requirements are general properties, which cannot be attributed to a single piece of
software, but result from the system as a whole. Examples are security, scalability, and
usability. [ Lecture 2, slide 9, assignment 2 ]
b. Traceability means that all requirements can be traced to their source: which
stakeholder, which rule or regulation, which standard? This is useful in particular
to prioritize and when requirements must be changed.
[ Lecture 2; Assignment 2; Jarke et al (2011), p 1002]
Question 3. Scrum and accommodating change [20 pt: 15; 5 ]
Scrum is an Agile methodology for software development. The Scrum approach should be
rooted in behavior. Therefore, it is characterized by rituals, roles and artefacts.
a. List the rituals, roles, and artefacts of Scrum, and give a brief description of each.
Draw a simple diagram that represents the flow of Scrum. Annotate the diagram
with the rituals and the artefacts, to show where they are located (18 lines).
One of the features of Scrum is that it can handle changes in requirements, during a project.
b. Explain how the rituals, roles and artefacts of Scrum can accommodate a change in
requirements. (6 lines)
