1. Introduction to Project Management
Prof. Victor W. A. Mbarika
Ref: C.M. Chen

2. Motivation Technical Leadership Two essential tools Introduction:
“Guiding head of a technical group”
Two essential tools
Communicate to customer and to your team
Organize, plan and manage the technical project
Introduction:
Simple advice on presentation
Introduction to project management

3. Why Project Management
Diverse career opportunities
Leadership role
Most future activities are team and/or multi-organization oriented
How to help teams to work together
Startup business plans
MIS Thesis Project at Covenant University
Good learning vehicle

4. Project management: a discipline
Project: “an organized undertaking”
Master of MIS Thesis Covenant University
Finding a job
Building a porch
Buying a house …
Design and manufacture a car (Large Program)
Put a man on the moon (Huge Program)
Project management: a discipline
“Art and Science”

5. Project Management Objective
Achieve the project goal
Do a great thesis – on time
Keep customers (e.g., Professors) happy
Keep the team focus on the goal
Make sure that team members work well
Everyone shares the load …
Real life example:
Putting together business plan for a biotech startup  resources, schedule => budget
Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers

6. Concerns about Project Management
My work is research so that I can’t plan it
How can I commit to a schedule if I don’t know how it will work out
I don’t have time to plan – got to get it done
Project plan is a map and a guide
No map, most likely to get lost
Plan: understand risks and trade-offs
Basis for systematic plan modification
Mechanism for efficient communications
Large high energy physics, scientific space mission – well organized project

8. Framework: Project Cycle (Example from developing a thesis)
Thesis ideas
Thesis Proposal
Thesis Completed
Concept
System Design
(Architecture)
Detailed design/
Implementation
Demo/test/
Documentation
MIS. Foundation
Capabilities
Goal
Systems analysis/
Synthesis
Project planning
Thesis proposal
Project tracking
Plan modification
Communicate
Thesis submission
Cover bottom first
Many of the concepts came from software engineering
Development cycle – conceptually the same for breadboard, prototype, product, product iteration

9. Product Development Lifecycle
Prototype
Product Spec.
Marketing
Manufacturing
New Product
New Spec.
Marketing
New Technology
Product II
Similar Framework

10. Project Management Process
Planning
Project Definition, Scope, Buy-ins
Mechanics of putting together a plan
Tools: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
GANTT, PERT, etc. charts - computerized
Tracking plan progress
Communicate and follow-up
Complete project
Managing and control

11. Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers
Project Management
Project Management
Project Planning
Define objective
Define work/tasks
Identify resources
Plan schedule
Iterate
Plan modification
Execution Management
Get objective signed-off
Track plan progress
Communicate within team
Customer communications
Secure resources
Project discipline
Technical
People
Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers

12. How to Get Started Start with the essence of what you are trying to do
Draw a block diagram of your system
“Architecture”
Do a high level flow chart of your software
Identify modules
Postulate the end result of your prototype
User interface, typical use scenarios
List all possible tasks that needed to be done
Organize tasks
Do some or all of above

13. Top Down Decomposition, Elemental Tasks
Ex: WBS - Buy A House
Top Down Decomposition, Elemental Tasks

14. Network Diagrams Scheduling Techniques1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Scheduling Techniques
PERT – Program Evaluation and Review techniques
CPM – Critical Path Method

15. Simple Gantt Chart View
Buy a House
Simple Gantt Chart View

16. Possible Application Thesis ideas Thesis Proposal
(May 10)
Understand the scope of your goal
Define your objective
Define tasks and work breakdown structure
Develop project plan
Review plan, iterate
Document –> thesis proposal
Concept
System Design
(Architecture)
Tech. Foundation
Capabilities
Goal
Systems analysis/
Synthesis
Project planning
Thesis proposal

17. Some Estimation Considerations
Completeness in definition of tasks and interfaces
Time for meetings and communications
The range of abilities of team members
Experience with similar job/ tasks
Learning time for new equipment or software
Availability of special facilities
Earlier identification of unknowns or risks
A priori calculations –concerns but may not be a show stopper (especially in R&D)

18. Closing Summary Project Management – Lead an endeavor
Planning is a map, a guide, especially for a team
Relatively simple and helpful techniques
Management is mostly about people
Goal, discipline, communicate
Risks are inevitable, planning helps to avoid stupid ones
Experience counts
Assessing the scope of work, timing, risks
Risks are Essential in Achievements
Luck is an Element of Success

19. Historical Perspective
Phases
Use
Methods
Traditional Project Management
Construction, Aerospace, Defense
Technology and schedule driven
Focused Project Management
High tech businesses, multi-discipline developments
Software engineering, matrix management
Renaissance of Project Management
All organizations, developing formal methods
Total quality management, concurrent engineering
1993- present
Modern Project Management
Accept by top management, Recognize as a discipline
System engineering, change and risk management