The textbooks used for this class really need to give better examples however. I understand the point is that we should focus on the process, and not the actual project, it is still kind of silly.

A tutorial for Microsoft Project 2007 suggests a small CPA firm I work for wants to network its 5 computers with a budget of 50,000 dollars, and a time limit of 6 months. I actually laughed out loud when I read this.

First of all, the book has a copyright date of 2009. This isn't an old book. There are no small businesses who are not networked at this point. Even at minimum, every small business in America has some haphazard network connecting all their machines to a cable modem or something to get out on the Internet.

The whole thing could be done in literally hours cowboy style, and if done properly with structured cabling (as opposed to holes bashed in walls and random patch cables run room to room), documentation, backups, etc , it wouldn't take more than a few days.

So yes, it's all about the project management process, but they really could have chosen a project that has more realistic costs and timeline. This isn't doing any of the non-technical people in the class any favors.