Managing Projects

Contemplative Questions  What does project management entail?  Do I want to be a project manager? What is the nature of the work? What skills are required?  What are the stages of a project?  What is the output or outcome of each stage?  What tools and techniques can help?

Managing the Information Systems Project  Project management is all about managing trade-offs between 4 measures. One is development cost. What are the others? –What implications are there with this revelation?  From the Hoffer book— –“Focus of project management is to ensure that information system projects meet customer expectations  Delivered in a timely manner  Meet time constraints and requirements”

 A project is ‘a planned undertaking of related activities to reach an objective.’  Below are 4 general stages of any project: –Project initiation –Planning –Execution –Closing down  Note how these stages fit into the overall SDLC. Are they the same?  What is the output or outcome of each stage? Stages of a Project

 1. Enthusiasm  2. Disillusionment  3. Panic  4. Search for the Guilty  5. Punishment of the Innocent  6. Praise and glory for the Non-Participants Alternate Stages of a Project

Project Manager Activities  Can be everything… never boring… –Management –Leadership –Technical –Problem solving –Conflict management –Customer relations –Team management –Risk and change management

Initiating the Project  Establish project initiation team –e.g. job analyses  Establish relationship with customer  Establish project initiation plan –e.g. a project charter  Establish management procedures  Establish project management environment and workbook

Planning the Project  Describe project scope, alternatives and feasibility –Scope and Feasibility  Understand the project  What problem is addressed  What results are to be achieved  Measures of success  Completion criteria

Planning the Project  Divide the project into manageable tasks  Work breakdown structure  Gantt chart  Estimate resources and create a resource plan  Develop a preliminary schedule  Utilize Gantt and PERT charts

Planning the Project  Develop a communication plan –Outline communication processes among customers, team members and management  Determine project standards and procedures –Specify how deliverables are tested and produced

Planning the Project  Identify and assess risk –Identify sources of risk –Estimate consequences of risk  Create a preliminary budget  Develop a statement of work –Describe what the project will deliver and duration  Set a Baseline Project Plan –Estimate of project’s tasks and resources

Executing the Project  Execute Baseline Project Plan –Acquire and assign resources –Train new team members –Keep project on schedule  Monitor project progress –Adjust resources, budget and/or activities

Executing the Project  Manage changes to Baseline Project Plan –Slipped completion dates –Changes in personnel –New activities –Bungled activities  Maintain project workbook  Communicate project status

Closing Down the Project  Termination –Types of termination  Natural –Requirements have been met  Unnatural –Project stopped –Documentation –Personnel Appraisal

Closing Down the Project  Conduct post-project reviews –Determine strengths and weaknesses of:  Project deliverables  Project management process  Development process  Close customer contract