1 WEB1P Lecture 2 Introduction, web project management & risk management

2 Web project management

3 How are web projects special? Activities in creating a web site Project management methodologies Project life cycles Activity planning

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5 Content formats

6 What needs to be done? Business content – e-commerce aspects Presentation – content on web site Technical content – client-side, server-side programs, databases etc Server configuration Site naming, capacity, security, maintenance planning, content management……

7 Stages in traditional IS development Project initiation and PID Requirements engineering System design Software construction Hardware purchase Integration and system testing Installation and cut- over Project close-down Maintenance

8 Typical activities for website development Feasibility study/web strategy Project initiation/assemble team Define site requirements, characteristics Plan site: architecture, functions, appearance Plan and acquire content Create/acquire supporting software Acquire and commission web server/ ISP agreement Site test, launch and handover Maintenance/update of site Evaluation

9 What is special about web projects? Lack of standards for development Short time-scales (1 – 6 months) Interactive development More diverse teams Parallel working Outsourced jobs Problems with communication and coordination Use of new tools and technologies

10 Piecemeal development can have undesirable effects Consider a framework for organising development This is known as a Project Management Methodology Takes tasks from project life cycle.

11 Existing methods Answer the question: What do traditional methods do to help web site development? Life cycles: waterfall, Boehm spiral, prototyping PRINCE2, Agile methods: DSDM, Extreme programming, RAD, JAD

12 Project life cycles …or SDLCs (System Development Life Cycle) Relate to IS development Can they be applied to web development?

13 THE WATERFALL MODEL Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

14 Prototyping Prototype = working model of one or more aspects of the new system Constructed to test or validate understanding or assumptions Prototyping integral to agile methods such as JAD, RAD, extreme programming Types of prototyping: –Throw-away prototyping –Evolutionary prototyping

15 Boehm Spiral

16 PM methodologies Structured, e.g. PRINCE2, SSADM Agile/Prototyping, e.g. RAD, DSDM “Socio-technical” e.g. Soft Systems Methodology

17 PRINCE2 Process Model

18 PRINCE2 Concepts PRINCE2 distinguishes between –Technical task of delivering products –Management aspects Involvement of the End User (EU) throughout Scopes projects using work breakdown structures and stages Can be tailored to different types of project

19 PRINCE2 Stages Large project divided into stages to provide regular formal assessment points Stages produce specific products Exception reports if tolerances exceeded Mid-stage and end-stage assessments Stages end at key control points – project board gives approval to move onto next stage

20 Advantages and disadvantages of PRINCE2 Advantages Controlled and organised start, middle and end Regular reviews Involvement stakeholders Good communications channels Disadvantages Time-consuming? Too complex for most developments Expensive?

21 Agile methods Acknowledge need for flexibility Focuses on keeping code simple, testing often, delivery of components as soon as they are ready Client approval as project progresses Take into account the way teams work Emphasis on communication and collaboration

22 Dynamic System Development Model Developed from Rapid Application Development methodology Most project methodologies deliver functionality at expense of timescale and cost DSDM prioritises functionality to meet timescale and cost (MoSCoW) (

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24 Core techniques Time boxing MoSCoW prioritisation Modelling Prototyping Testing

25 Time-boxing

26 DSDM - MoSCoW M = Must haves – critical to project success S = Should haves – important but not critical C = Could haves – could be left out with impacting on project W = Won’t haves – can be left out and done later

27 DSDM – Advantages and Disadvantages Advantages Control User involvement Direction Prototyping Testing Disadvantages Buy-in by Organisation and people New roles and processes - training Need full application of principles Knowledge and skills to apply Suitability of project

28 Website development - Typical activities Feasibility study/web strategy Project initiation/assemble team –Project initiation document –Work planning (WBS, schedule, resources) Define site requirements, characteristics –Use-case scenarios –Wireframe prototypes

29 Plan site: architecture, functions, appearance Content –Content map –Plan and acquire content Technical –Create/acquire supporting software –Infrastructure planning –Acquire and commission web server/ ISP agreement Site test, launch and handover Maintenance/update of site Evaluation

30 Intangibles: Agree content format, sources, delivery dates for content providers Capacity planning and server configuration Security planning Implement change control/content management Determine site performance metrics Determine maintenance types and schedule Plan for evaluation

31 Current ideas for website development Often combination of Waterfall and prototyping project life cycles, some working in parallel “Agile” methodologies used for development Workflow – borrowed from editing industries Benchmarking – experience from previous projects, other web site developments Need for experienced staff

32 Web project phases, work stages and deliverables PhaseWork stageDeliverables Preproduction 1. Project clarification 2. Solution definition Project brief; outline budget and schedule From Friedlein (2001) Consultancy recommendations 3. Project specification Project specification document Production 4. Content Content delivery plan; asset tracking mechanism; content preparation; storyboards 5. Design and constructionProject milestones; change control documents 6. Testing, launch and handover Testing; marketing initiatives; handover briefing and documentation Maintenance 7. MaintenanceMaintaining plan/SLA; training and development Evaluation8. Review and evaluationProject review; site performance analysis

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34 Activity planning Why we plan the development activities Creating a project schedule Work breakdown structure Gantt chart How do you produce plans Have a go Two tools……

35 Work breakdown structure Reduces complexity by breaking work down into manageable parts Helps identify main stages of work/reduces risk of forgetting stages Ensures tasks happen in the right order Reduces risk of repeating tasks

36 WBS Stage 4Stage 1Stage 2Stage 3 3rd Activity 1st Activity2nd Activity 1st Activity2nd Activity 5th Task 6th Task 4th Task 1st Task 3rd Task 2nd Task

37 Gantt chart (Hentry Gantt, American engineer) Shows WBS against a time axis Shows duration of each task Shows dependencies between tasks Used to show when the project will finish Used to monitor progress

38 GANTT CHART Stage A Stage C Stage D Stage B Time Units A C Calendar date Activities Last Update

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40 Project management summary Web development project activities Some project management methodologies and life cycles Ways of scheduling the work.