OpenCyber Academy
Bachelor's · Chapter 33 · English
Course code: OCA-095Chapter 33: OCA-095-C033

Chapter 33 — Group project I: plan

Open, free learning for anyone who wants to protect people and technology. No account is required to read this text or its worked answers.

Lesson map

Lesson 33 published. Map, example, EX097.

flowchart TD
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["33.1 The project"]
  N2["33.2 Dividing work"]
  N3["33.3 Planning"]
  N4["33.4 Risks"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4
  N4 --> EX["Worked example"]
  EX --> Q["Exercise EX097"]

Logical drawing

flowchart LR
  N0["Learning outcomes"]
  N1["33.1 The project"]
  N2["33.2 Dividing work"]
  N3["33.3 Planning"]
  N4["33.4 Risks"]
  N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> Q["EX097"]

[Learning outcomes]
    |
    v
[33.1 The project]
    |
    v
[33.2 Dividing work]
    |
    v
[33.3 Planning]
    |
    v
[33.4 Risks]
    |
    v
[Worked example] --> [Exercise EX097]

Learning outcomes

You will (1) plan a team governance project; (2) divide work and agree roles; (3) manage project risks.

33.1 The project

In year three, Amara joins a group project with three classmates. Their brief is to design governance for Harbourline's new online ordering service, which will collect delivery addresses, order histories and payment tokens. The group must deliver a governance plan, a data inventory, quality rules, a retention schedule and a privacy assessment in ten weeks. Dr. Lindqvist acts as client, representing Harbourline's operations director, and will review progress at fortnightly meetings with the group. The client brief is short and leaves some questions open on purpose.

33.2 Dividing work

The group lists deliverables and assigns leads based on interest: Amara leads quality rules and retention, one classmate leads the inventory, another leads the privacy assessment and the fourth coordinates and writes the governance plan. Each lead has a reviewer from the group. They agree to meet weekly and keep work in a shared folder with version history. Amara notes that clear roles prevent duplication and gaps, just as in governance itself. The coordinator keeps a list of who owns each section and its review status.

33.3 Planning

The group writes a plan with weekly milestones. The inventory must come first, because rules, retention and privacy depend on knowing what data exist. They schedule a client meeting after week three to confirm the inventory. Amara points out that the online service is still being designed, so data fields may change. The group plans to update their work after the client confirms the final design, leaving time in weeks seven and eight. The plan is shared with Dr. Lindqvist at the first client meeting.

33.4 Risks

The group identifies risks: unclear requirements from the client, a member falling ill and conflicts over writing style. Responses include confirming requirements in writing after each client meeting, reviewers able to take over sections and a shared style guide. Amara also suggests agreeing how decisions will be made if the group disagrees. Dr. Lindqvist notes that group projects mirror workplace governance, where agreed roles, decisions and records matter as much as technical skill. The group writes these agreements on the first page of the shared folder.

Worked example

Amara's group plans governance for online ordering, assigns leads with reviewers, sequences the inventory first, plans for changing fields and manages risks with written confirmations and a style guide.

Synthetic case. The project is synthetic.

Errors and limits

Starting rules before the inventory leads to rework.

Exercises

Worked answers

EX097. Quality rules and retention.

EX098. Rules, retention and privacy depend on it.

EX099. Confirming requirements in writing after each meeting.