The IT director started the department staff meeting with news that the payroll system project was just approved. The new system will reduce clerical time and errors, improve morale in the payroll department, and avoid possible fines and penalties for noncompliance. However, the new system must be installed by January 1st in order to meet new federal reporting rules, all expenses from now on must be approved in advance, the system should have a modular design if possible, and the vice president of finance would like to announce the new system in a year-end report if it is ready by mid-December.

Tasks

1. Why is it important to define the project scope? How would you define the scope of the payroll project in this case?

2. Review each of the four constraints and identify its characteristics: present vs. future, internal vs. external, and mandatory vs. desirable.

CONSTRAINTS	CHARACTERISTICS Answer all 3 questions for each constraint 1. Present or future? 2. Internal or external? 3. Mandatory or desirable?

3. What questions would you ask to determine the feasibility of this project?

4. Given the time constraints, could you shorten any of the typical steps in the preliminary investigation? Which ones? Explain your answer.