Introduction

In this lesson students in a project management class will use a project estimation spreadsheet to predict the time and cost to create a web-based project for a hypothetical client. The students, grouped in teams, will be given some general characteristics of the project that the client wants included. The teams will use the spreadsheet to help them create an estimate that incorporates these characteristics, while staying within the client’s budget. The spreadsheet uses hypothetical historic average completion rates and billing rates to project future performance on the project.

Lesson Objectives

· Given a list of specific and general criteria from the client, students will be able to work in teams to utilize the project estimator spreadsheet to create a time and cost prediction for the project that meets the client’s criteria.

· Given updated data gathered from the project in its early stages of implementation, students will be able to work in teams to create a revised project estimate that stays within the parameters of the client’s criteria.

· Give revised criteria from the client that will cause the project to go over budget, the teams will be able to develop solutions that meet the budget, while falling short on the client’s criteria, or meet the criteria, while going over the budget, and provide plausible arguments for the validity of their solutions.

Learner Prerequisites

Learners will have a basic ability to work with an Excel spreadsheet. They will have a general understanding of the definitions of the different components that comprise a web development project. They will have a basic understanding of mathematical relationships required to calculate total time and cost.

Description of necessary resources and materials

A spreadsheet template will be provided to students for use in preparing their estimates. They will save their work under a new file name. A printed handout of the lesson exercises will be provided to each student.

Lesson Strategies

Students will be divided into teams. It may be helpful to have each team member assume the role of a particular type of web development specialist, as indicated by the categories that the estimates will be based on. Students will be provided the necessary materials and the lesson objectives and exercises will be reviewed. Then the student teams will be allowed to work through the exercises, while asking clarifying questions if needed. They must complete the first exercise successfully before moving on to the second and the second before moving on to the third. Once they have completed the exercises the instructor will review sample solutions. A discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the student’s solutions, as compared to the sample solutions, will be held at the end of the lesson.

Evaluation

Ability to work with spreadsheet   =  1 point
Ability to grasp client criteria and ask clarifying questions  =  2 points
Ability to successfully complete exercise #1  =  3 points
Ability to successfully complete exercise #2  =  2 points
Ability to successfully complete exercise #3  =  2 points
Ability to provide insights into advantages of solutions  =  1 point
10 points Total

Exercises

Exercise #1- You are asked by a client to create a web-based course on learning how to drive. They want this course to be at least 30 pages long with lots of interactions, at least 15 minutes of video and 20 minutes of audio and as many high quality graphics as possible. Use the project estimate spreadsheet to create an estimate that meets these requirements and stays within the client’s budget of $25,000.

Exercise #2- Early in the project you see that the interactions are taking 10 hours each to develop instead of the 5 hours originally estimated. Also the in-house videographer has become very ill and is going to be out on short-term disability. You will have to hire a contractor to handle the video and the best rate you have been able to find is $80 per hour. Provide your client with an updated estimate for the project.

Exercise #3- The client accepts your solution to exercise #2 but thinks that adding more audio and content will really enhance the project. They ask you to increase the audio by 10 minutes and add 5 more pages of content. Create a solution and develop an argument justifying why it is valid.