=Paper=
{{Paper
|id=Vol-2555/paper10
|storemode=property
|title=Decision-making in the forum of distance Master of Project Management
|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2555/paper10.pdf
|volume=Vol-2555
|authors=Anié Bermudez Peña,Yasiel Pérez Vera,Gilberto Fernando Castro Aguilar,Inelda Anabelle Martillo Alcivar
}}
==Decision-making in the forum of distance Master of Project Management==
https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-2555/paper10.pdf
Decision-making in the forum of distance Master of
Project Management
Anié Bermudez Peña1[0000-0002-1387-7472], Yasiel Pérez Vera2[0000-0001-9421-9529], Gilberto
Fernando Castro Aguilar3,4[0000-0001-9050-8550], Inelda Anabelle Martillo Alcivar3,4[0000-
0001-6818-9668]
, Roberto Delgado Victore1
1
University of Informatics Science, Havana, Cuba
{abp,robertodv}@uci.cu
2
La Salle University, Arequipa, Peru
yasielpv@gmail.com
3
Faculty of Engineering, Catholic University Santiago de Guayaquil, Ecuador
{gilberto.castro, inelda.martilloa}@cu.ucsg.edu.ec
4
Faculty of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Guayaquil, Ecuador
{gilberto.castroa, inelda.martilloa}@ug.edu.ec
Abstract. Project management requires the mastery of documentation for
decision-making in project management. Lack of knowledge and inexperience
in decision-making affects the project quality. Developing a system based on
ICT in remote education systems, and knowledge management, it enables more
efficient training of specialists, in order to get results in less time, within budget
and with the quality required by stakeholders. The research aims to develop a
procedure for decision-making through a discussion forum, using ICT and
project cuts. That project cuts reflects the status of the indicators and enable
search for the causes of the damages on tasks, identify the effect on the project
and analyze the damages and synthesis in an integrated process. It also enables
navigation and simulation of possible solutions, select the best and proceed to
decision-making. Research show the indicators for decision-making, navigation,
simulation, evaluation and forum example of the Master of Project
Management.
Keywords: Decision-Making, Distance Education, Project Management
1 Introduction
For organizations that guide production targets towards project management, proper
application of knowledge, processes, techniques, skills and tools has a significant
impact on their success. Business system needs a management process that allows you
Copyright c 2019 for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons
License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
to organize projects, control and direct. This is done in order to shorten time, within
the established budget and with the quality required by the customer and stakeholders.
It aims to establish an effective decision-making supported by tools. Continually
needs generalization of management systems applied to projects, construction,
maintenance, investment, research, advocacy and increase the teaching process,
Integration in the context of project management is to make decisions about where
to focus resources and efforts every day, anticipating potential controversy so that
they can be treated before they become critical [1]. To achieve the success of the
project is necessary to develop a team management work where the director's role as a
leader is decisive for cuts evaluating a set of indicators. These indicators should cover
key knowledge areas of project management: scope, cost, time, quality, logistics and
human resources [2].
Among skills that a person should have to management projects, is undoubtedly the
combination of defining problems, identifying alternatives and decision-making; all
with the goal of supporting the strategic objectives of the organization [3]. One option
to support people during the process of implementation and monitoring of a project is
the use of IT tools; these to clarify the current situation and propose specific
alternatives for solving the problem. This is thanks to IT tools to support decision-
making, which are founded on clear and measurable indicators. In recent decades they
have been developed numerous tools for project management [4-11].
The current stage of development of the Integrated Project Management (IPM)
allows use of Information Technology and Communication (ICT) throughout the life
cycle of the project, from conception, design, implementation and project closure
[12]. That is why the present research is intended to identify key moments where it is
necessary to define the decision-making within the framework of the subproject, the
conditions for it and the quality of this process, supported by the use of IT tools to
ensure effective decision-making in the courts of projects.
Decision-making is defined as selecting an alternative among a set of solutions to a
problem, based on the evaluation of a set of weighted indicators that identify the
causes of the problem. However, the decision is part of a process in which it is just
one step and its quality depends on the level of information to provide the system to
solve the problem. The need to make strategic decisions on project teams should not
be entirely limited by distance. Today, ICTs make disappear the obligation to coincide
in time and space to members of a team.
Installation of technological infrastructure refers to investment in acquiring and
operating the telematics system resources. The information system allows instant
communication and interpersonal distance between groups or between a person and a
documentation center. And the exchange of information of all kinds: graphic, spoken,
document and process simultaneously transmitted and documentation centers access
through the links established.
Team members should be trained to develop technological skills, know how to plan
and conduct remote meetings [13]. It is very important to use basic technologies such
as cell phones, video conferencing, corporate e-mail, commercial e-mails, instant
messaging, application sharing documents, internet, smartphones, cloud computing,
Wi-Fi, internet devices mobile and other auxiliary equipment [14].
Networking, keep people informed and request data from team members will
always be an integral part of the job of a leader of a project team. These leaders will
spend more time and effort creating networks across geographic and organizational
boundaries of the team.
2 The Master of Project Management
The content of the class of Cost and Procurement Management, is aimed at the basic
and fundamental concepts with a theoretical basis for the subject, which allows the
student during the development of evaluations and designed tasks, master the basic
knowledge, which encourages seek continuity in-depth study in complementary
materials, developing research and innovation. The development of the basic content
of the tasks must achieve pass the subject, improving the evaluation will be as long as
the student develops its research capabilities to provide intelligent answers with good
participation in organized forums.
The proposed method is applied in a project management platform (GESPRO)
[15]. This tool is a generic and adaptable software ecosystem, capable of assisting
users in project management of any type of organization. The proposed method and
GESPRO are aligned with PMBOK [2] and CMMI [1] standards, providing the
appropriate interfaces for users to introduce the information to the system, according
to the needs and maturity levels specific to the organization.
2.1 Project Management Forum
The forum needs a content design, from the cut of a project where problems related
supplies and its impact on the cost, time required, quality and human resources
through the indicators presented board command that feeds the Balanced Scorecard
and the selection of five students with their participation roles. The forum used on the
platform of the National Center for Distance Education (CENED).
Virtual team members must have technological skills, among which is:
1. Knowing the ground rules for classroom use CENED and GESPRO.
2. Knowing how to use the classroom CENED and GESPRO to communicate,
coordinate and collaborate, given the tasks or share experiences among other
members of the team or class group through forums or chat.
3. Learn basic technology such as videoconferencing and chat rooms.
2.2 Dashboard and Balanced Scorecard
The dashboard gives students the status of indicators in cutting project and lets you
search for the causes that affect indicators through the navigation system project
management. The main indicators used are: Performance Index Performance (IRE)
Performance Index planning (IRP) Performance Index Cost (IRC), Performance Index
of effectiveness (IREF), Performance Index human resources (IRRH) performance
Index logistics (IRL), data quality index (ICD) [15]. Figure 1 shows the report in a
section of the indicators evaluated allowing comprehensive assessment of the tasks
and the project, according to the weights primarily defined in the IRP and IRC,
defined in the GESPRO Procedural Manual.
Fig. 1. Dashboard on a project cut in the GESPRO tool.
Systematic updating of the result of the cuts in the database of IPM, the indicators
reflected in the dashboard, allows managers of the organization evaluate the
performance of the project indicators, identify trends and diagnosis develop strategic
from making forecasts, with the purpose of making decisions in the courts, with the
validation of the functional structure of the organization projections.
Using the Balanced Scorecard is widespread in the literature and conceptually
provides an updated status about the indicators on a cut of a set of projects according
to priority information. The Balanced Scorecard powered by assessments dashboard
of projects in cuts and other indicators of the organization, can diagnose the state of
the organization, in order to take appropriate strategic decisions.
The method of weighted interval allows the assessment of a fund of shared
resources, a program, a faculty and a department among other organizations projects,
from the use of indicators in assessments cuts of projects and priorities, to proceed to
decision-making within the organization, considering the prospects designed for the
Balanced Scorecard, where project evaluations have an important role in strategic
decisions integrals of the organization.
When it comes to making adjustments from the solutions in the courts, damages
arise in the system that generate other conflicts. The setting is propagated in the
system affecting chain processes and tasks based on structured sequence execution. In
these cases, we proceed to simulate the system for new conflicts and their damages
Naturally, conflicts arise in post-dates the court date, so that preventive factor is of
great importance for achieving finding solutions to conflicts before they occur. In the
shared resource, the setting of a project may affect others and therefore it is necessary
to simulate them to identify conflicts and proceed to solve them.
2.3 Simulations and Alternatives
The simulation, navigation and seamless integration process allows the analysis of
variants of resource allocation, construction sequences, safety, assemblies and other
forms of preparation of the executive project for assessing the changes in resource
allocation, increased cost and time.
It is how to identify project problems before implementation, evaluate specialized
systems such as energy, climate, thermal conductivity, ventilation, audio, intelligent
systems, green areas and orientations among others. It is a term that can give rein to
the imagination and creativity of the project team and analyze solutions before risks
arise, the environmental conditions and problems listed in the database of completed
projects as development of good practices. It allows evaluating several solutions
where cost, time, quality, logistics and resource generate variants to select the best.
In conflict resolution where it is not possible balance of resources for its
unavailability, hiring the same with the possible increase in cost compared to the cost
of the project affected by time increment it is evaluated. Cost analysis provides a
possible solution in the majority of cases and is an issue to be solved by students in
the forum to discuss possible solutions.
Distribution curves of key resources shared by project management, can quickly
identify conflicts and perspectival highlighted in red, indicating a necessary resource
allocation or balance the capacity to resolve the conflict. Sometimes it is preferable to
reduce earnings under hiring resources with increased cost to lose credibility and
image in the market environment for failing to meet the time requirements of the
customer. System provides all necessary information to make the best decision in each
case, by applying appropriate with help of technical tools. Win guarantees customer in
project ensures business in the process operating in the after-sales service.
2.4 Interactive Simulation Process
It is the procedure that the teacher uses to develop students selected stimulation
forum to find solutions to the problem identified in the schedule. It is a process that
stimulates creativity student looking for a variety of possible solutions. These may be
specific or comprehensive. See Figure 2.
The interactive manual process simulation to stimulate knowledge, allows
developing students creativity in generating possible solutions to the problem, in order
to select the best and proceed to decision-making. It is the process in which the
information provided by the system through the navigation to make it knowledge in
the process of decision-making is analyzed.
The combination of the application process combined with the causal analysis and
synthesis, manages the creation of alternatives, as possible sources for decision-
making. Shares of solutions, are reflected as possible outcomes of variants, offering
the effects on indicators of cost, time and quality, so as to achieve robust solutions for
decision-making, both for the next cut, as strategic aligned to project results and the
mission of the organization.
Fig. 2. Project evaluation. Use of accounting in decision-making.
In the project evaluation, the basic indicators to assess are IRP and IRC that from the
affected indices and variables, it is possible to develop a strategy for finding the
causes that affect indicators to evaluate the impact on the project.
2.5 Decision-making in project control
Decision-making requires good identification of the causes reflected in the cut, the
impact on project analysis and study simulating through navigation, evaluating cause
and effect, for a process of analysis and synthesis proceed to integrate the effects,
evaluate possible solutions and proceed to decision-making.
Decision-making is present in all phases of the project, from conception to
feasibility analysis, through planning, implementation and project closure process.
Decision-making requires an analysis of the simulated system to detect potential
induced conflicts and their causes. Sometimes it is important to have enough for the
characterization of conflicts time, but Delinquent decisions may induce other
conflicts. Moreover, decisions lack of information, do not correspond to the solution
requiring the conflict. In each case it is necessary to clarify what is required and
proceed according to their characteristics. This is part of the experience of the project
manager in decision-making.
It is preferable to study and try to solve the next conflict will be presented in the
product draft decision, to be entangled with the problems of low priorities that have
not been resolved at the present time. Diagnostic processes, simulation and
forecasting, contribute to the implementation of strategic management techniques.
The trend of indicators in the behavior provides information for decision-making.
Improper trend requires deeper causes for decision-making.
2.6 Slacks use in decision-making
The systemic approach and optimization of time, a logical strategy work,
technological and resource dependencies allow you to define a critical path maximum
time, which defines the duration of the project and other roads less time than have
certain clearances. The use of techniques of operations research applied to the
calculation of the graph, allow you to define the critical path, total, free and
interference gaps, providing the ability to characterize the conflict in accordance with
the clearances of tasks to proceed in decision-making. If the requirement of time
needed to resolve the conflict is greater than the total float, conflict resolution is more
important than another in which the gap can take time requirement.
In conflicts with requirements exceeding the availability of slack time, you need to
evaluate what is more convenient, if you assign the resource required or let the project
fall behind the schedule. This same conflict can occur in the critical tasks, which have
free play and clearances interference. Decisions to allocate resources or do not
involve a cost and requires an analysis of alternatives which costs almost always play
the key role in decision-making. In other cases, it is necessary to sacrifice part of the
profits based on customer satisfaction and maintain the image and competitiveness of
the company.
When conflict occurs in a critical task direct involvement with the project, it is
necessary to quantify the economic amount needed for the job and compare the
economic impact of project delays and these elements make the appropriate decision.
When conflict is a task with ease, it is necessary affectation and compare it to the
total float, free and interference. Sometimes it is necessary to balance internal
resources, balance the capacity or an external resource allocation time dependence of
affectation and slacks.
In the balance of resources, it is necessary to determine where conflicts represented
in the curve for resource red zones is, split the screen and in the bar chart to identify
tasks that cause conflict with the objective of evaluating the criteria and select tasks
will be moved or divided. Balances capacity are executed following this logic.
In conflicts with requirements exceeding the availability of slack time, you need to
evaluate what is more convenient, if you assign the resource required or let the project
fall behind the difference in the time allotted.
In all cases, the need for information for conflict resolution is very wide and varied
depending on their characteristics. Integration at enterprise level by taking the project
as a basis and support of ICT, sharing information and make better use in terms of
decision-making to resolve conflicts.
2.7 Knowledge management in decision-making
In all threads exist a set of valid concepts for decision-making, which develop below.
It constitutes an important support database of completed projects in which past
experiences are reflected in the project execution as shown in Figure 3. It is possible
through a search engine to find information related to the problem or situation
analysis, evaluate solutions offered previously and based on them, proceed to
decision-making in the current "conflict" if time he allows it. At the conclusion of the
project, it is saved in the database and this in turn contributes to the knowledge
management system project.
Fig. 3. Database of completed projects.
2.8 Design and development forum
Distance Education offers multiple alternatives for evaluating a target from integrated
a group of student and asynchronous forum facilitates participation this participation
an important issue such as the analysis of alternatives simulated for the purpose of
action to choose the best to proceed to decision-making.
Title: Decision-making in the execution control process.
Objective: Develop student skills in decision-making.
Previous Knowledge: Lesson 3 about the Cost and Procurement Management.
Preparation: Schedule in GESPRO with a cut and indicators as shown in Figure 1.
1. Selection of five students and assign their roles.
2. Description of court by the teacher, specifying the value of the indicators.
3. Problem identification by the student selected as project manager.
4. Proposed solution to the problem. Navigation in search of contract, causes, effects.
5. What if? Setting variables and effect indicators.
6. Participation of the rest persons, evaluating the solution, innovation, creativity.
7. Rotation of roles. Other solutions to the same problem. Criteria and intelligent
opinions.
8. Evaluation of possible solutions priorities. Simulation.
9. Analysis of alternatives and integration variables. Analysis and synthesis.
10. Selecting the best solution.
11. Run the solution in the schedule. Keep record. Agreements. Status report.
12. Evaluate recording the forum. Evaluate students.
2.9 Assessment system Students
The development of the forum allows you to select five actors and develop the
process exchanging their roles and from the responses of each, the opinions of a
student on resolving the other, the question of an actor to another, the teacher's
questions and evaluation recording by the teacher, we proceed to perform customized
assessment for publication on the system platform. The evaluation of the solutions in
a number of projects through the use of fund shares is a pending development issue in
the discussion forum.
3 Conclusions
In the content of research developing a procedure for decision-making is developed
from a set of solutions to problems that arise in the courts of the projects through a
discussion forum distance, applying the ICT and information provided by GESPRO.
The procedure allows to develop the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to
develop decision-making in project management, with solutions and greater
efficiency, applying analysis and synthesis, simulating the possible solutions to select
the best and proceed to decision-making in an integrated with the participation of a
group of students with different roles, they receive depending on the quality of their
participation in the forum evaluation process.
It is necessary to strike a balance between management techniques, the increasing
level of capacity of human potential and high-tech resources used in the execution of
projects, to make decisions with the rigor and effectiveness requires project
management. An inopportune decision puts at risk the work of a group of specialists
uses high value resources, jeopardizing project success.
Developing a system based on ICT in education systems remote procedure forums,
simulation and knowledge management enables better training of specialists with
more efficiency and less time in order to get the results in planned, within budget and
with the quality required by the customer and stakeholders term.
Databases of ongoing and completed projects in GESPRO tool, with good use of
indicators, allow to develop the simulation of possible solutions, in order to select the
best in the development of decision-making. The procedure applying knowledge
management and continuous improvement, can be implemented in the most advanced
IPM processes such as Building Information Modeling on a project program.
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