Project Management Techniques
to Control Risk Factors

External Integration Tools

    These are used with low structure projects. Technology should be known. Examples are:

• Users as project leaders
• User project steering committees
• Users on the project team
• Require formal user review and specification approval
• Minutes of meetings distributed to users
• Users prepare status reports for upper management
• Users in charge of training and cutover
• Users in charge of change control during development

    These are used with projects where technology is unknown. Structure should be high. Examples are:

• Highly experienced team members
• Team leader strong technical and management skills
• Frequent team meetings
• Minutes of meetings distributed to team members
• Team holds regular technical status reviews
• Most of team members have good history of working together
• Team members set goals and targets
• Technical expertise not in house should be brought in

Formal Planning and Control Tools

    These are used to assure on-time and on-budget completion. Projects should have high structure and known technology. Examples are:

• Milestone phases developed
• Specifications from feasibility study
• Standard specifications developed
• Processes for project approval steps developed
• Disciplines to control and/or freeze specifications
• Frequent reporting on progress versus plans and budgets
• Peer review of technical aspects
• PERT, CPM, Gantt and other formal tools utilized

Reference:  Laudon, K. C. & Laudon, J. P. (1996). Management information systems: Organization and technology (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc. pp. 540-543.

- R. S. Kulzick - 11/17/2002 -

Contact rkulzick@stu.edu with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2002 Raymond S. Kulzick - Last modified: September 13, 2008