Project Scheduling, Tracking & Communication Aug, 2010 Presented by: Alok Wadehra

2 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Agenda Software Project Planning Project Scheduling Project Communication How to Engage Customers

3 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Why Are Projects Late? An unrealistic deadline established by someone outside the software development group and forced on managers and practitioner's within the group. Changing customer requirements that are not reflected in schedule changes An honest underestimate of the amount of effort and/or the number of resources that will be required to do the job Predictable and/or unpredictable risks that were not considered when the project commenced Technical difficulties that could not have been foreseen in advance Human difficulties that could not have been foreseen in advance Miscommunication among project staff that results in delays A failure by project management to recognize that the project is falling behind schedule and a lack of action to correct the problem

4 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Software Project Planning Why? The overall goal of project planning is to establish a pragmatic strategy for controlling, tracking, and monitoring a complex technical project. So the end result gets done On time, With quality!

5 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Project Planning Task Set Establish project scope Determine feasibility Analyze risks Define required resources Estimate cost and effort Develop a project schedule » Establish a meaningful task set » Define a task network » Use scheduling tools to develop a timeline chart » Define schedule tracking mechanisms

6 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Proper Scheduling Requirements Work to be accomplished is broken down into different tasks All tasks appear in the network Effort and timing are intelligently allocated to each task Interdependencies between tasks are properly indicated Resources are allocated for the work to be done Closely spaced milestones are provided so that progress can be tracked.

7 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Scheduling Principles Compartmentalization – Define distinct tasks (both product and process) Interdependency – Indicate task interrelationship Time Allocation Defined Responsibilities Defined Outcomes – Each task must have an output Defined Milestones

8 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Effort and Delivery Time

9 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Typical Effort Allocation 40-50% 30-40% “Front end” activities Customer communication Analysis Design Review and modification Construction activities Coding or code generation Testing and Installation Unit, Integration White-box, Black box Regression 15-20%

10 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Defining Task Sets Determine type of project » Concept Development, New Application Development, Application Enhancement, Maintenance, Reengineering Projects Assess the degree of rigor required » Casual, Structured, Strict, Quick Reaction Identify adaptation criteria » Size, Number of potential users, Mission criticality, Application longevity, Project staff, Performance constraints Select appropriate software engineering tasks

11 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Example Concept Development tasks in a linear sequential model

12 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Task Set Refinement 1.1Concept scoping determines the overall scope of the project. Task definition: Task 1.1 Concept Scoping 1.1.1Identify need, benefits and potential customers; 1.1.2Define desired output/control and input events that drive the application; Begin Task FTR: Review written description of need FTR indicates that a formal technical review is to be conducted Derive a list of customer visible outputs/inputs FTR: Review outputs/inputs with customer and revise as required; endtask Task Define the functionality/behavior for each major function; Begin Task FTR: Review output and input data objects derived in task 1.1.2; Derive a model of functions/behaviors; FTR: Review functions/behaviors with customer and revise as required; endtask Task Isolate those elements of the technology to be implemented in software; 1.1.5Research availability of existing software; 1.1.6Define technical feasibility; 1.1.7Make quick estimate of size; 1.1.8Create a Scope Definition; endTask definition: Task 1.1 is refined to

13 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Task Network A task network » Depicts each engineering task, » A Task’s dependency on other tasks, and » Tasks projected duration Used to compute the critical path, a timeline chart and a variety of project information

14 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Task Network for Concept Development

15 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Timeline Charts Tasks Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week n Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 Task 5 Task 6 Task 7 Task 8 Task 9 Task 10 Task 11 Task 12

16 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Use Automated Tools to derive a Timeline Chart

17 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Schedule Tracking Conduct periodic project status meetings in which each team member reports progress and problems. Evaluate the results of all reviews conducted throughout the software engineering process. Determine whether formal project milestones (the diamonds shown in last slide) have been accomplished by the scheduled date. Compare actual start-date to planned start-date for each project task listed in the resource table Meet informally with practitioners to obtain their subjective assessment of progress to date and problems on the horizon. Use Earned Value Analysis to assess progress quantitatively.

18 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Earned Value Analysis (EVA) Earned value » Is a measure of progress » Enables us to assess the “percent of completeness” of a project using quantitative analysis rather than rely on a gut feeling » “Provides accurate and reliable readings of performance from as early as 15 percent into the project” “The earned value system provides a common value scale for every (software project) task, regardless of the type of work being performed. The total hours to do the whole project are estimated, and every task is given an earned value based on its estimated percentage of the total.” [Humphrey]

Project Communications

20 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Pair of Wires Box 1Box 2 A Communication Example "Two missile electrical boxes manufactured by different contractors were joined together by a pair of wires.

21 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Box 1Box 2 A Communication Example (continued) Thanks to a particular thorough preflight check, it was discovered that the wires had been reversed."

22 29 January 2016 Public 2009 After the Crash "The postflight analysis revealed that the contractors had indeed corrected the reversed wires as instructed."

23 29 January 2016 Public 2009  “In fact, both of them had.” Box 1Box 2 A Communication Example (continued)

24 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Communication is important In large system development efforts, you will spend more time communicating than coding A software engineer needs to learn the so-called soft skills: » Technical Writing, » Reading Documentation, » Communication, » Collaboration, » Management, » Presentations.

25 29 January 2016 Public 2009 What is Project Communications? The Project Management Institute (PMI) identifies nine knowledge areas in The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK): » Project Integration Management » Project Scope Management » Project Time Management » Project Cost Management » Project Quality Management » Project Human Resource Management » Project Communications Management » Project Risk Management » Project Procurement Management

26 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Project Communications Management [PMBOK] Project Communications Management includes the processes required to ensure timely and appropriate generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval and ultimate disposition of project information. The Project Communications Management processes provide the critical links among people and information that are necessary for successful communications.

27 29 January 2016 Public 2009 What Project Communications Includes [PMBOK] Communications Planning Information Distribution Performance Reporting Manage Stakeholders

28 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Communications Planning Who? Who needs to know? » Stakeholder Identification What? What do they need to know? When? How frequently? Where? Where are communications required? Why? Why is this important? How? How are they kept informed?

29 29 January 2016 Public 2009 What? Communication event Type of information exchange that has defined objectives and scope » Scheduled: Planned communication (e.g., review, meeting) » Unscheduled: Event-driven communication (e.g., request for change, issue clarification, problem report) Very easy to do with electronic communications! Tendency to send too much to too many Too much is as bad as too little – can’t read everything.

30 29 January 2016 Public 2009 When? How often? » Morning & afternoon? » Day of week? » Day of month? Different intervals for various stakeholders » Weekly for team members » Bi-weekly for sponsor / customers » Monthly for Senior Management Reviews, » Etc.

31 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Where? Location for status meetings Location for team meetings Locations for information: Network drive, website, internal or external, attachments, text

32 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Why? Curiosity? Good/bad Need to know? Builds buy in Provide information Prepare end-users for transition MANY REASONS TO SHARE INFORMATION!

33 29 January 2016 Public 2009 How? Communication mechanism Tool or procedure that can be used to transmit information » Synchronous: Sender and receiver are available at the same time » Asynchronous: Sender and Receiver are not communicating at the same time. Different ways » s » Status Reports » Phone Calls (audio) or Video Calls » Meetings » Face to face, one on one » Press release » Other?

34 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Information Distribution Modify your plan, as required » Add/Subtract Stakeholders » Change Frequency Solicit help for communications if required » Website Maintenance, Project Manager, SQA, Team Member responsible for specific reports, etc.

35 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Manage Stakeholders Actively! Involve! Increase Ownership Address issues Maintain support / relationship Do what you planned! » Create the message » Timely » Accurate » As defined » Deliver the message » Accept feedback as input, if appropriate

36 29 January 2016 Public 2009 How to Engage the Customer: Assumptions The Project Manager has relevant project history – e.g., project initiation, s, agreements, etc. There is a designated Project Sponsor The Project Sponsor: champions the project, provides » overall direction and funding, and approves all major milestones. » sets the vision, common goals and critical success factors » establishes or secures policy » attends regular program reviews » establishes the authorities of the project team and stakeholders » approves the charter and scope of the project including deliverables » sets priority of the project relative to other projects in her/his area » ensures that resources are available to carry the project to its completion » removes obstacles or other constraints » authorizes changes in scope

37 29 January 2016 Public 2009 How to Engage the Customer: Five Steps Step 1: Prepare for initial sponsor meeting Step 2: Conduct initial sponsor meeting Step 3: Prepare for project kickoff meeting Step 4: Conduct project kickoff meeting Step 5: Communicate throughout project

38 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Step 1: Prepare for initial sponsor meeting Prepare/gather project related documentation » Scope » Assumptions » Draft high level plan » Resource requirements Determine project management approach » Roles and responsibilities » Ongoing communication approach Consider using these Checklists/Templates » Project Startup, Project Planning, and Sponsor Checklists » Project Scope, Project Scope Change, Gantt Chart and Resource Planning Templates » Project role descriptions

39 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Step 2: Conduct initial sponsor meeting Collaborate and establish agreement on project: » Scope » Roles, responsibilities, and specific people » High level plan with estimated dates » Ongoing communication approach/schedule » Kick-off meeting agenda and roles Send follow-up to confirm agreements and confirm kick-off meeting agenda, etc. The facilitation of the project kick-off meeting should be a collaborative effort between the project manager and sponsor.

40 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Step 3: Prepare for project kickoff meeting Prepare for meeting » Schedule meeting, etc. » Refine meeting materials per sponsor meeting » Distribute agenda/materials to team before meeting » Allow time for questions when establishing meeting length

41 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Step 4: Conduct project kickoff meeting Conduct meeting » Confirm scope, roles and responsibilities » Review high level plan, issue resolution process and status reporting approach » Define project success criteria and communication strategy » Leverage Issue Log, and Status Report, as appropriate Send follow-up meeting with next steps

42 29 January 2016 Public 2009 Step 5: Communicate throughout project With sponsor » Schedule and hold regular updates as agreed to » Consider these preparation tips  anticipate questions and identify recommended solutions to issues  put yourself in “sponsor’s shoes”  minimize surprises » Review progress, issues and recommended solutions, risk mitigations » Ask for advice With team » Hold regular team meetings to share progress, status and to identify/resolve issues » Engage team to identify issue solutions and risk mitigations With your manager » Keep management informed  minimize surprises

43 29 January 2016 Public 2009 References Software Engineering - A practitioner’s approach - Roger S. Pressman Object-Oriented Software Engineering: Using UML, Patterns, and Java - Bernd Bruegge & Allen H. Dutoit The Project Management Institute (PMI) PMBOK - ( Project Communications (

Thanks