Gantt Charts

Correct Answer: Show the sponsor the updated Gantt chart, discuss the causes of the delay and the plan to get back on track.

The best way to explain the delay to a sponsor is to 'Show the sponsor the updated Gantt chart, discuss the causes of the delay and the plan to get back on track.' This is the most professional and productive way to handle the situation. It is transparent, as it gives an honest representation of the project's status. It also gives a sense of what actions are being implemented to counteract the delay. The answer 'Blame a specific team member for the delay' is incorrect because placing blame on individuals does not solve the issue and is unprofessional. The response 'Tell the sponsor that the original schedule was unrealistic' is inappropriate because it fails to address the current issue at hand - the delay of a milestone. The time to discuss the realism of the schedule would have been during the planning stages. Lastly, the answer 'Alter the Gantt chart to hide the delay' is both unethical and unprofessional. It is always better to be transparent about project delays and work on solutions rather than trying to hide them.

Correct Answer: Incorporate a rolling wave planning technique, breaking down tasks into sprints with detailed activities for the near term and high-level milestones for the future.

The best approach is to incorporate a rolling wave planning technique, breaking down tasks into sprints with detailed activities for the near term and high-level milestones for the future. This approach aligns with the adaptive nature of Agile projects, allowing for flexibility in the face of changes and new feature requests. By providing a detailed view of the immediate future and a high-level overview of the longer-term plan, the updated Gantt chart effectively communicates the project's current status and future milestones to both stakeholders and the project team. Extending all task durations uniformly is not appropriate as it does not account for the specific impact of the new features on individual tasks and may lead to an unrealistic timeline. Restructuring the project timeline entirely from the introduction of the new features would disregard the work already completed and the value of the existing project plan, causing unnecessary disruption and potentially undermining the team's progress. Revising the Gantt chart to present detailed tasks for the entire project duration goes against the principles of Agile, which emphasize adaptability and iterative planning. Fully planning out each sprint in advance reduces the team's ability to respond to changes and incorporate feedback effectively.

Correct Answer: Identify opportunities to accelerate other tasks, future or current.

The best way to mitigate the risk of a delay in a software project, as predicted by a Gantt chart, is to identify opportunities to accelerate other tasks, whether they are future or current. This method of 'fast tracking' can help make up for the time that might be lost due to the delay in one task. The other options are not desirable. Ignoring the prediction is irresponsible and may result in failure to deliver on time. Simply altering the Gantt chart to show an earlier completion date does not deal with the actual problem and is equivalent to ignoring it. Adjusting the speed of the critical path tasks may not always be feasible or may cause a decrease in the quality of work. Therefore, the suggested approach is to identify opportunities to accelerate other tasks.