“I wanta get my 10 class participation points”

• Is project management rocket science?• What are the three components of the triple constraint?• What is more difficult? Rocket science and calculus or

projects and people?• In addition to the triple constraint, what other factors are

there?• Name two of the four frames of project management• Name the other two

TODAY:

• The Pre-proposal

• Schwalbe, Chapter 2

• The General Project Lifecycle

• The Software Development Lifecycle

• The Catch-22 in Software Development

• Some risk-considerations relative to projects?

The Pre-proposal

• Discussed in Ch 11 of copy packet

• A way to allow everyone to submit project suggestions

• A short, crisp information piece for review by managers who decide what projects to fund

• No technical jargon

The Pre-proposal

• States what is to be done

• Why it should be done

• What business value it will provide to the enterprise

• Endeavors to secure senior management approval and the resources to develop a detailed plan

Pre-proposal should consist of:

– Discussion of problem or opportunity– Purpose or goal of project– Objectives– Success criteria– Assumptions/Risks/Obstacles

• ALL ON A SINGLE PAGE

• As discussed in Chap 11 of copy packet

Chapter 2:The Project Management

Context and Processes

What is a project??• A definite beginning, ending• An objective or goal• Made up of tasks (activities)• Consumes a budget• Has limited resources• Must be completed by a certain

date• Accomplished by a team• Has a client or customer• Involves risk

What else can we say about projects???

• A project is accomplished by a process, also called a methodology

• This is the sequence of steps, tasks the comprise the project

Why are projects becoming in vogue?

• Companies are more cost conscious• They want to know who did what for how

long• They want each employee assigned to a

specific cost code• A better way to do cost accounting• Instead of being perpetual, jobs are assigned

to projects

Projects Cannot Be Run In Isolation

• Projects must operate in a broad organizational environment

• Project managers need to take a holistic or systems view of a project and understand how it is situated within the larger organization

• See example in opening and closing case

ASSIGNMENT

• Do problem 2 on page 46. Do not include PMI.ORG

A Systems View of Project Management

• A systems approach emerged in the 1950s to describe a more analytical approach to management and problem solving

• Three parts include:– Systems philosophy: View things as systems;

interacting components working within an environment to fulfill some purpose

– Systems analysis: problem-solving approach– Systems management: Address business,

technological, and organizational issues before making changes to systems

Figure 2-1. Three Sphere Model for Systems Management

Project Phases and the Project Life Cycle

• A project life cycle is a collection of project phases

• Project stages vary by project or industry, but some general phases include– definition and conceptualization– planning and budgeting– development and implementation– termination and closeout

Figure 2-2. Phases of the Project Life Cycle

Product Life Cycles

• Products also have life cycles• The Systems Development Life Cycle

(SDLC) is a framework for describing the phases involved in developing and maintaining information systems

• Typical SDLC phases include planning, analysis, design, implementation, and support

Sample SDLC Models

• Waterfall model: has well-defined, linear stages of systems development and support

• Spiral model: shows that software is developed using an iterative or spiral approach rather than a linear approach

• Incremental release model: provides for progressive development of operational software

• Prototyping model: used for developing prototypes to clarify user requirements

The WaterFall Model

Definition of Requirements

Analysis

Design

Construction

System Integration Testing

Acceptance Testing

Implementation

Operation

Figure 2-3. Spiral Model of Software Development

Distinguishing Project Life Cycles and Product Life Cycles

• The project life cycle applies to all projects, regardless of the products being produced

• Product life cycle models vary considerably based on the nature of the product

• Most large IT products are developed as a series of projects

• Project management is a cross life cycle activity done in all of the product life cycle phases

Why Have Project Phases and Management Reviews?

• A project should successfully pass through each of the project phases in order to continue on to the next

• Management reviews (also called phase exits or kill points) should occur after each phase to evaluate the project’s progress, likely success, and continued compatibility with organizational goals

What Went Right?

"The real improvement that I saw was in our ability toin the words of Thomas Edisonknow when to stop beating a dead horse.…Edison's key to success was that he failed fairly often; but as he said, he could recognize a dead horse before it started to smell...as a result he had 14,000 patents and was very successful…In IT we ride dead horsesfailing projectsa long time before we give up. But what we are seeing now is that we are able to get off them; able to reduce cost overrun and time overrun. That's where the major impact came on the success rate.”

Cabanis, Jeannette, "'A Major Impact': The Standish Group's Jim Johnson On Project Management and IT Project Success," PM Network, PMI, September 1998, p. 7

Understanding Organizations

Structural frame: Focuses on roles and responsibilities, coordination and control. Organization charts help define this frame.

Human resources frame: Focuses on providing harmony between needs of the organization and needs of people.

Political frame: Assumes organizations are coalitions composed of varied individuals and interest groups. Conflict and power are key issues.

Symbolic frame: Focuses on symbols and meanings related to events. Culture is important.

Many Organizations Focus on the Structural Frame

• Most people understand what organizational charts are

• Many new managers try to change organizational structure when other changes are needed

• 3 basic organization structures– functional

– project

– matrix

Figure 2-4. Functional, Project, and Matrix Organizational Structures

Table 2-1. Organization Structure Influences on Projects

Weak Balanced Strong

Project manager’sauthority

Little or none Limited Low to Moderate Moderate to high

High toalmost total

Percent ofperformingorganization’spersonnel assignedfull-time to projectwork

Virtually none 0-25% 15-60% 50-95% 85-100%

Project manager’srole

Part-time Part-time Full-time Full-time Full-time

Common title toproject manager’srole

ProejctCoordinator/Project leader

Coordinator Manager/ Project/Leader Officer Program/ Manager

Project/ProgramManager

Projectmanagementadministrative staff

Part-time Part-time Part-time Full-time Full-time

ProjectCharacteristics Functional

Organization typeMatrix Project

What Went Wrong?

The Superconducting Super Collider (SSC) provides an excellent example of a project that failed primarily due to politics. The objective of the $11 billion SSC project was to provide answers to fundamental questions about the formation of the universe. SSC managers campaigned for good will and support at universities, schools, and scientific meetings. This "preaching to the choir" failed to convey the benefits of the project to the real decision makers: the Clinton administration and members of Congress. One SSC attempt to gain political support backfired when an assembly of scientists and Nobel laureates took the back seat to the historic Rabin-Arafat handshake signaling the possibility of peace in the Middle East. All press coverage focused on the Rabin-Arafat meeting. On October 19,1993, Congress--after spending more than $2 billion on the SSC project--ended the project after 11 years of effort and put 2,000 people out of work. SSC management failed to focus on and gain

support from the most influential stakeholders on the project.

Recognize the Importance of Project Stakeholders

• Recall that project stakeholders are the people involved in or affected by project activities

• Project managers must take time to identify, understand, and manage relationships with all project stakeholders

• Using the four frames of organizations can help meet stakeholder needs and expectations

• Define scope of project

• Identify stakeholders, decision-makers, and escalation procedures

• Develop detailed task list (work breakdown structures)

• Estimate time requirements

• Develop initial project management flow chart

• Identify required resources and budget

• Evaluate project requirements• Identify and evaluate risks

Prepare contingency plan• Identify interdependencies• Identify and track critical

milestones• Participate in project phase

review• Secure needed resources• Manage the change control

process• Report project status

Table 2-2. Fifteen Project Management Job Functions

"Building a Foundation for Tomorrow: Skills Standards for Information Technology," Northwest Center for Emerging Technologies, Belleview, WA, 1997

Suggested Skills for a Project Manager

Communication skills: listening, persuading

Organizational skills: planning, goal-setting, Organizational skills: planning, goal-setting, analyzinganalyzing

Team Building skills: empathy, motivation, esprit de corps Leadership skills: sets example, energetic, vision (big

picture), delegates, positive Coping skills: flexibility, creativity, patience, persistence Technological skills: experience, project knowledge

SKILLS VS. COMPETENCIES

Table 2-3. Most Significant Characteristics of Effective and Ineffective Project Managers

• Leadership by example

• Visionary

• Technically competent

• Decisive

• Good communicator

• Good motivator

• Stands up to upper management when necessary

• Supports team members

• Encourages new ideas

• Sets bad example

• Not self-assured

• Lacks technical expertise

• Poor communicator

• Poor motivator

Effective Project Managers Ineffective Project Managers

Project Management Process Groups

• Project management can be viewed as a number of interlinked processes

• The project management process groups include– initiating processes– planning processes– Executing and controlling processes– closing processes

Figure 2-5. Level of Process Group Activity Over Time

Table 2-4. Relationships Among Project Process Groups, Activities, and Knowledge AreasProject Process Groups

Knowledge Area Initiating Planning Executing Controlling ClosingIntegration Project plan

developmentProject planexecution

Overallchangecontrol

Scope Initiation Scope planning Scopeverification

Scope changecontrol

Activitydefinition

Schedulecontrol

ActivitysequencingActivitydurationestimating

Time

ScheduledevelopmentResourceplanning

Cost control

Cost estimating

Cost

Cost budgeting

Quality Quality planning Qualityassurance

Qualitycontrol

Organizationalplanning

Teamdevelopment

Humanresources

Staff acquisition

Communications Communicationsplanning

Informationdistribution

Performancereporting

Administrativeclosure

Riskidentification

Risk responsecontrol

Riskquantification

Risk

Risk responsedevelopment

Procurement Procurementplanning

Solicitation Contract close-out

solicitationplanning

SourceselectionContractadministration

Project Process GroupsKnowledge Area Initiating Planning Executing Controlling ClosingIntegration Project plan

developmentProject planexecution

Overallchangecontrol

Scope Initiation Scope planning Scopeverification

Scope changecontrol

Activitydefinition

Schedulecontrol

ActivitysequencingActivitydurationestimating

Time

ScheduledevelopmentResourceplanning

Cost control

Cost estimating

Cost

Cost budgeting

Quality Quality planning Qualityassurance

Qualitycontrol

Organizationalplanning

Teamdevelopment

Humanresources

Staff acquisition

Communications Communicationsplanning

Informationdistribution

Performancereporting

Administrativeclosure

Riskidentification

Risk responsecontrol

Riskquantification

Risk

Risk responsedevelopment

Procurement Procurementplanning

Solicitation Contract close-out

solicitationplanning

SourceselectionContractadministration

Discussion Questions• Review the example of applying systems management to

the opening case (see Figure 2-1). Think of an issue relevant to your organization or from current events and analyze it to identify its key business, organizational, and technological aspects.

• Which skills do you think are most important for an IT project manager? Can they all be learned, or do you think some are innate?

• Briefly describe what happens in each of the five process groups (initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing). On which processes should most team members spend the most time? What are some of the deliverables of each process?

The Waterfall ModelDefinition ofRequirements

Analysis

Design

Construction

System IntegrationTesting

Acceptance Testing

Implementation

Operation

The Seven Phases of the Waterfall Model

• Definition -- 10%• Analysis -- 15%• Design -- 15%• Programming -- 15%

– Preparation and programming--10%– module testing--5%

• System Test -- 25%• Acceptance Testing -- 5% • Operation -- 15%

Definition -- Goals

• Goal: Understand User’s Problem

• Goal: Estimate cost and time

Definition -- Activities• Gain an excellent understanding

– Peruse all the relevant materials and documentation

• Interviews (of the end-user)• Write Requirements Document

– Based on understanding and interviews

• Write Project Plan (PP)• Write Proposal

The Project Plan

• includes personnel, cost, schedules

• cost and schedule are 100% off at this point

• Schedules– Gantt Chart -- MS Project– Pert -- MS Project– WBS

• Follows the format in handout

The Interviews

• Objective: To learn the client’s business

• Plan the interview

• Ask the right questions

• Follow up with a second interview

• Update the PP, which is now only 100% off max

Analysis

• More interviews

• Perusal of the relevant information

• The _____ diagram

• The _____ diagram

• ________________ Design

Analysis, Cont’d

• Write Functional Specification– For each requirement in the RD, a function or

component is conceived– Functionality is based on the analysis

• Update PP, which is the ______________– Cost, schedule are now only 50% off, max

Design

• _____ charts

• _____ code

• Data Structure Design

• Walkthrough

Design, Cont’d

• Medium-level Design

• Walkthrough

• Write Acceptance Test Plan

• Write Design Document

• Update PP– Cost, schedule are now only 25% off, max

Programming

• Plan the integration

• Detailed module design

• A “type of” design occurred soooo ______________________

• Fabricate test sets

Programming, Cont’d

• Decide how to integrate the modules

• Code Module

• Test Module

• Test lowest levels of integration

• Develop User Documentation

System Test

• Develop System Test Plan

• Perform regression testing

• Final Thorough Test

Acceptance

• Make preparations for “show and tell” date with customer

• Have client run through all tests on that Date

• Try to acquire client’s signature on that date

Operation

• Install Software

• Train Personnel

• Provide six months support

• Sell the next phase

The Definition Phase--3 major activities in this phase

• Gain an excellent understanding of the user’s problem– Read all the relevant materials– Interview the user

• Decide whether to do the project or not?– Analyze all possible risk contingencies– GO/NO GO DECISION

• Write the proposal– details what will be delivered, when and at what cost

Gain an excellent understanding of the problem

• Read the manuals ahead of interviews• Conduct interviews• Write the Requirements Document

– Obtain user sign off

• Prepare the Project Plan– Use computer software– Gives you first “ballpark” estimates as to cost

and schedule

PROBLEM

• We in the IT community have a ______ reputation for underestimating projects

• Why??• Its too ______ to understand the complete

user requirements up front• User doesn’t know what ___ wants• We don’t know how much time it takes to

do certain tasks

Feasibility and the Go/No go Decision

• Can the system be built technically?

• Can the system be built within the cost and schedule constraints?

• Is this project doable NOW by ME?

We live in a Dream World

• There will be no changes• Upper management will do what’s right• We will have the necessary resources when

they are ______• The hardware manufacturer will deliver its

products on time• The user will fulfill her responsibilities• There is no competition

The Realities: Bad Projects are out there for the taking

• Estimates are by edict

• Marketing signs fixed price contracts based on your first ballpark estimate– Fixed price contracts are ones in which the

contractor must produce a specific product for a specific price by a specific time

The Realities: Why Bad Things Happen to ____ Projects

• You as PM never get adequate resources– You get these resources from line managers,

the customer

• Changes take place -- there is _____ creep

• Responsibilities remain undefined

• User is unsympathetic to problems

The Four Steps of Risk Management

• Anticipate the risk• Eliminate the risk where possible• Reduce the impact of the risk• Stay in control when things go wrong• (The acronym is EARS, except turn the A and the

E around)– Contrary to popular opinion, the most important organs

when it comes to risk management are your ears and your brain.

Anticipating Risk

• Inappropriate technical people– SNA vs. TCP/IP expertise

• Improper working environment– Traditional client/server vs. OLE automation vs.

traditional mainframe

• Third party supplied resources– May not deliver on time

• Crash projects• Unspecified payment/budget

– User pays quarterly (and has authority to cancel)

Financial risk Situations

• Poorly estimated projects

• Poorly defined requirements

• Distributed project management never works (two PM’ers)

• Overzealous management

Technical Risk Situations

• The wrong solution

• Bad requirements/specification

• Not knowing the user

The Risk Quiz

Eliminating the Risk where Possible

• Use risk tables

• Use contingency tables