1. Project Management Approaches for IT Projects
Project Management Challenges and Solutions for Managing IT Service, IT Product, and Mixed Implementation Projects
Bill Schneider, PMP
Senior Project Manager
Susquehanna Technologies

2. Goals
Explore and understand the similarities and differences in managing various IT implementation projects.
Determine project approach strategies, and management materials for successful implementations.

3. Agenda Project Types and Approaches Attributes and Challenges
Key Project Approach Strategies
Management Materials
Discussion

4. Project Types Project Types Custom Implementation Projects
Product Implementation Projects
Mixed

5. Project Approaches
Approaches
In-house
Outsource
Mixed

6. In-house Custom Projects
Description
Build custom software to solve your business challenge
Attributes
Highly customized needs
Business needs/processes do not match available COTS
Identified market opportunity
Confidential processes/data
Challenges
Driven by cost with sacrifice to remainder of triple constraint
Employ technical staff to build and maintain
Not well defined
Unattainable objective(s)
Business strategy misalignment

7. In-house Custom Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Involve champion and stakeholder constantly and deeply
Determine technical staff requirements
Determine, define, and evaluate project metrics

8. In-house Custom Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Project Charter
Stakeholders involvement activities
Staff acquisition and team development plans
Project cost measurements and controls

9. In-house Product Projects
Description
Implementing COTS to solve your business challenge
Attributes
COTS meets business needs and processes
Challenges
Product implementation creates turf wars
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain

10. In-house Product Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Leverage and manage stakeholders
Evaluate products
Acquire specialized staff
Perform and understand functional gap analysis

11. In-house Product Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Business process documentation
Project Charter
Stakeholders involvement activities
Staff acquisition and team development plans

12. In-house Mixed Projects
Description
Implementing COTS with customizations to solve your business challenge
Attributes
Highly customized needs
Business needs and processes somewhat match available COTS
Identified market opportunity
Confidential processes or data
Challenges
COTS not conducive to customization
Projects driven by cost with sacrifice to triple constraint
Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs

13. In-house Mixed Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Perform and understand functional gap analysis
Communicate gap analysis
Understand product flexibility and customizability
All other in-house strategies

14. In-house Mixed Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Maintenance project charter and plans
All other in-house materials

15. Outsourced Custom Projects
Description
Contracting to have custom software built to solve your business challenge
Attributes
Highly customized needs
Business needs and processes does not match available COTS
Identified market opportunity
Challenges
Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise
Potential mismatch of PMLC approach
Platform standardization and flux
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

16. Outsourced Custom Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning

17. Outsourced Custom Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management

18. Outsourced Product Projects
Description
Contracting to have COTS implemented to solve your business challenge
Attributes
COTS meets business needs and processes
Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff
Challenges
Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise
No match of PMLC approach
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
May work with PSO, PSO Partner, or both
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

19. Outsourced Product Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning
Perform and understand functional gap analysis

20. Outsourced Product Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management and understanding of scope

21. Outsourced Mixed Projects
Description
Contracting to have COTS implemented and customized to solve your business challenge
Attributes
COTS somewhat meets needs
Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff
Challenges
COTS not conducive to customization
Rely on another company for variety of expertise - technical and PM
No match of PMLC approach
Platform standardization and flux
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

22. Outsourced Mixed Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning
Perform and understand functional gap analysis

23. Outsourced Mixed Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management and understanding of scope

24. Mixed Custom Projects Description Attributes Challenges
Building custom software to solve your business challenge with contracted help
Attributes
Highly customized needs
Business needs and processes does not match available COTS
Identified market opportunity
Confidential processes or data
Has in-house staff but does not have bandwidth, skill set, knowledge in specific industry area
Challenges
Projects driven by cost with sacrifice to triple constraint
Have development staff to build and maintain
Not well enough defined
Unattainable objective
Out of alignment with business strategy
Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

25. Mixed Custom Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Focus on Integration
Involve champion and stakeholder constantly and deeply
Determine, define, and evaluate project metrics
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate

26. Mixed Custom Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Project Charter
Change Control Plan
Stakeholders involvement activities
Staff acquisition and team development plans
Project cost measurements and controls
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management

27. Mixed Product Projects
Description
Implementing COTS to solve your business challenge with contracted help
Attributes
COTS meets business needs and processes
Has in-house staff but does not have bandwidth, skill set, knowledge in specific COTS platform
Challenges
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
Have some technical personnel with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain
Rely on another company for technical expertise
Match timing on product versioning
May work with PSO, PSO Partner, or both
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

28. Mixed Product Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Focus on Integration
Leverage and manage stakeholders
Evaluate products
Acquire specialized staff
Perform and understand functional gap analysis
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning

29. Mixed Product Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Change Control Plan
Business process documentation
Project Charter
Stakeholders involvement activities
Staff acquisition and team development plans
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Understand scope

30. Mixed Mixed Projects Description Attributes Challenges
Implementing COTS with customizations to solve your business challenge with contracted help
Attributes
COTS somewhat meets needs
Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff, but has technical personnel versed in platform
Challenges
COTS not conducive to customization
Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
Rely on another company for technical expertise
Match upgrade timing on installed HW and SW platforms
Match timing on product versioning
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

31. Mixed Mixed Projects (cont’d)
Key Project Approach Strategies
Focus on Integration
Perform and understand functional gap analysis
Communicate gap analysis
Understand product flexibility and customizability
All other In-house Strategies
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning

32. Mixed Mixed Projects (cont’d)
Management Materials
Change control Plan
Maintenance Project Charter and Plans
All other in-house materials
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management and understanding of scope

33. Discussion