1. Lecture 6 24/9/15

2. Project … is a planned undertaking that has a beginning and an end and that produces a desired result or product Organized activities Defined (expected) outcome Timeline, schedule SDLC (stages or phases and their sequence) Methodology (models, techniques, tools, guidelines) activities & outcome

3. What is Project Management? …the process of planning, directing, and controlling the development of an acceptable system at a minimum cost within a desired time-frame

4. What does Project Management do? The classic SDLC must be monitored and managed excessively long, drawn out process leads to schedule and cost overruns Techniques such as FTS, JAD (Joint Appl. Dev.), prototyping, RAD (Rapid Appl. Dev.), and CASE should be used to accelerate the life-cycle and keep it under control within the proven problem-solving framework of the SDLC

5. Features of a project A start and a finish Is a unique activity with a visible output May involve uncertainty and risk Involves a team coming together specifically for the project A budget Non repetitive tasks, sequential order Use of resources (including human resources) A single point of ultimate responsibility Clearly defined team roles Clear aims, objectives, goals

6. Terms often confused with ‘project’ Process – a series of steps needed to perform a routine activity (e.g. purchasing). A project may contain many processes. Programme – work performed towards achieving a long term goal (e.g. a health awareness programme). Programmes may never achieve all their goals, and may comprise a series of projects.

7. Examples of types of project and their size Individual – decorating your bedroom Group – organising a wedding Organisation – construction company, building the Millennium bridge in London Project Organisation – creation of a separate independent organisation specifically for accomplishing a particular project, e.g. the Olympic games committee Multinational – design construction of Concorde

8. Why Project Management? Project mismanagement can deter or render ineffective the best analysis and design methods Many projects suffer from poor leadership and management

9. Four common results („symptoms”) of mismanaged projects Unfulfilled or unidentified requirements Uncontrolled change of project scope Cost overruns Late delivery

10. What can go wrong !

11. Causes of Failed Projects Unreasonable estimates of costs before projects begin lack of proper preliminary/feasibility study poor estimating techniques estimates will change as the project progresses schedule delays analysts are overly optimistic

12. Causes of Failed Projects Mismanagement of expectations failure to identify key (or all potential) stakeholders failure to set project scope leads to creeping requirements syndrome budgets and schedules rarely modified Most contemporary companies modify (release) content

13. Causes of Failed Projects Misunderstanding the nature of software Flexible No real physical appearance – only behaviour you can not touch a software component `you may see the code and the result what it does (or not) Difficult to estimate => Mythical man-month assign more people to the project team Only leads to more confusion Complexity increases on the management side