Introduction - North Dakota · Web viewIdeas: What metrics are associated with the performance test plan (e.g., how many users will be simulated and what are the expected results)?

Empower People Improve Lives Inspire Success

Project NameProject Plan (under $250K, NDIT Development)

Project Sponsor: xxxAuthor: xxxVersion: xxxRevision Date: xxx

(Change this logo out to the agency’s logo, and delete this blue text)

Template 1/07/2021

< Project Name > Project Plan Version 0.0

Table of Contents1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 5

1.1 Purpose of This Document...........................................................................................................5

1.2 Background and Project Purpose................................................................................................5

1.3 Project Assumptions and Constraints..........................................................................................5

1.3.1 Project Assumptions................................................................................................................5

1.3.2 Project Constraints................................................................................................................... 5

1.4 Project Repository........................................................................................................................ 5

2 Governance.................................................................................................................................... 63 Scope Management....................................................................................................................... 8

3.1 In Scope....................................................................................................................................... 8

3.2 Out of Scope................................................................................................................................ 9

3.3 Deliverable Expectations.............................................................................................................9

4 Time Management........................................................................................................................105 Cost Management........................................................................................................................ 12

5.1 Budget....................................................................................................................................... 12

5.2 Cost Control............................................................................................................................... 12

6 Communication Management.....................................................................................................136.1 Meetings.................................................................................................................................... 13

6.2 Project Communication..............................................................................................................14

7 Quality Management.................................................................................................................... 147.1 Quality Assurance......................................................................................................................14

7.2 Quality Control........................................................................................................................... 16

8 Organizational Change Analysis................................................................................................169 Decision Management.................................................................................................................1610 Risk Management........................................................................................................................ 1711 Issues Management..................................................................................................................... 1712 Action Item Management............................................................................................................1813 Integrated Change Control..........................................................................................................1914 Human Resource Management...................................................................................................2015 Procurement Management..........................................................................................................20

List of TablesTable 1: Role Assignments.......................................................................................................................... 6Table 2: RACI Matrix................................................................................................................................... 7Table 3: Deliverable Expectations...............................................................................................................9Table 4: Meetings...................................................................................................................................... 14

2

Template 1/07/2021


Table 5: Communication............................................................................................................................ 14Table 6: Procurement................................................................................................................................ 20

List of FiguresFigure 1: High-Level Project Schedule......................................................................................................10Figure 2: Risk Process............................................................................................................................... 16Figure 3: Issue Process............................................................................................................................. 17Figure 4: Action Item Process.................................................................................................................... 18Figure 5: Integrated Change Control Process...........................................................................................19

3

Template 1/07/2021


1 Introduction (Delete all instructions and update table of contents prior to finalizing document.)

1.1 Purpose of This DocumentThe purpose of the project plan is to define the project scope, schedule, budget, and quality expectations of the project, and to provide a comprehensive strategy for managing the project.

1.2 Background and Project PurposeThis information may be transferred from the background section of the project charter and updated as necessary. Include the business reason for doing the project and success measures (how do we know the project has solved the business need?). This could also include a summary description of the product of the project

xxx…

1.3 Project Assumptions and Constraints

1.3.1 Project AssumptionsThe project has the following assumptions:

xx (example: “The agency will be awarded the 2021 grant to continue project funding”)

xx

1.3.2 Project ConstraintsThe project has the following constraints:

xx (example: “Federal regulations require that this project be completed by 12/31/2023” or “Business resources on this project cannot exceed 25% of their time”)

Cost, schedule, scope, and quality are often in conflict during projects. The sponsor elected to prioritize as follows: Consult with sponsor and arrange according to project priority. Note that this will drive decisions on the project. If Cost is #1, the project may give on Quality, potentially decrease scope, and adjust the schedule to keep the costs from exceeding the budget.

1. Cost

2. Quality

3. Scope

4. Schedule

1.4 Project RepositoryDue to the reporting required out of ND VIEW, all projects are required to use this tool and associated repositories.

The official project repository is the location where all project documentation will be stored. This repository will be the primary repository of record in accordance with the records retention section of STD009-05 and/or the performing organization’s records retention policies.

The current retention policy requires that project repositories and associated documents be available for six years after the project is closed. After six years, the project information will be deleted. Project

4

Template 1/07/2021


information that must be retained longer than six years should be stored by the agency in a separate location.

The SharePoint site attached to North Dakota’s project tool, ND Visualize Integrated Enterprise Project Work (ND VIEW), will be the repository for the project charter, schedule, risks, issues, action items, change requests, deliverable management, reports, and decisions. All other documents will be housed in the SharePoint site within the project-specific Microsoft Teams site. Necessary project team members will have access to the repositories. Security access for these sites must be granted by the primary project manager.

The following WMS reference may not apply or be applicable only to the project manager. If this is applicable only to the project manager, you can delete:

The Work Management System (WMS) will also be used for this project to track and record North Dakota Information Technology (NDIT) project team assignments. WMS is also used for approval of budget items such as planning estimates, budget estimates and after-analysis cost estimates. Security access to WMS must be granted by NDIT.

WMS Work Order #x

WMS Service Request #x

2 GovernanceThe Role Assignments and RACI Matrix should be customized for each individual project when assigning the resource responsibilities. If there is a change in a management plan, this matrix may also need to be adjusted accordingly.

Include specific deliverables and activities in the RACI Matrix. This is only an example, however, this example was adapted from the SDLC RACI and should be applicable to most projects.

The following section describes the authority of those involved in the project, lines of accountability and the flow of information.

Fill in/change as applicable.

5

Template 1/07/2021


Table 1: Role Assignments

Role Name Agency

Sponsor xx xx

Project Manager

Business Analyst

Technical Analyst

User Interface Analyst

Software Architect

NDIT Team Member

Quality Assurance Analyst

Team Lead

Software Development Manager

Business Team Member

Fill in/change as applicable. Use the SDLC to confirm which deliverables NDIT will provide for this project.

Table 2: RACI Matrix

R Responsible – person who does the work to complete the task

Spon

sor

Proj

ect M

anag

er

Bus

ines

s A

naly

st

Tech

nica

l Ana

lyst

UI A

naly

st

Softw

are

Arc

hite

ct

ND

IT T

eam

Mem

ber

QA

Ana

lyst

Team

Lea

d

Softw

are

Dev

elop

men

t Man

ager

Bus

ines

s Te

am M

embe

r

A Approval/Accountable – person who signs off or is answerable for the thorough completion of the task

C Contributor/Consulted – person whose opinion is sought to complete the task or who contributes to the task effort

I Information Only/Informed – person who is not an R, A, or C and needs to be informed about the task by the role noted as Responsible

Coordinate acceptance of deliverables R

Project plan and schedule deliverable A R C C C C C C C C C

Analysis package deliverable A I R C C C C C

After-Analysis estimate A C R C C C C C C

Design package deliverable A I C R C C C C C

Schedule and facilitate design reviews I R

Schedule and facilitate code reviews I R

System test plan I I R

Request and monitor performance testing I R

Testing Package deliverable A I C R

6

Template 1/07/2021


R Responsible – person who does the work to complete the task

Spon

sor

Proj

ect M

anag

er

Bus

ines

s A

naly

st

Tech

nica

l Ana

lyst

UI A

naly

st

Softw

are

Arc

hite

ct

ND

IT T

eam

Mem

ber

QA

Ana

lyst

Team

Lea

d

Softw

are

Dev

elop

men

t Man

ager

Bus

ines

s Te

am M

embe

r

A Approval/Accountable – person who signs off or is answerable for the thorough completion of the task

C Contributor/Consulted – person whose opinion is sought to complete the task or who contributes to the task effort

I Information Only/Informed – person who is not an R, A, or C and needs to be informed about the task by the role noted as Responsible

User acceptance test scripts deliverable A I C R

User acceptance testing C I C R

Training for other business users R

Training documentation R

Implementation and transition plan deliverable A C C R C C I C

Final acceptance deliverable A R

Facilitate overall project team communication R

Resolve conflict within project team C R

Manage and execute project plan R

Manage/update project schedule R

Manage project costs and update budget R

Recommend corrective course of action, if necessary R C C C C C C C

Create WMS assignments for NDIT project team R C

Monitor WMS assignment for NDIT project team (actual vs. assigned hours and dates) R C

Maintain project repository R

Create and send out status reports R

Post-Implementation Report A R C C C C C

Archive project documentation R

3 Scope Management3.1 In ScopeIn addition to the deliverables of the project, this section should include those processes that are within the scope of the project but may not be defined as a deliverable. The list included with this template should be modified to meet the needs of the individual project.

7

Template 1/07/2021


For example:

Analysis package

Project Plan and schedule

Design package

Solution

o xx (description of what will be developed, what interfaces or high-level functionality will be included)

Status reports

Unit testing

System testing

Performance testing

Security testing

User acceptance testing

Training

o xx (who will perform the training and provide training documentation, who will be trained)

Implementation/Transition Plan

Closeout meeting

Post-Implementation Report

3.2 Out of Scope Sometimes it is as important to state what is out of scope for the project as it is to state what is in scope in order to ensure complete understanding of the scope of the project when entering the planning phase. The list included with this template should be modified to meet the needs of the individual project.

Any element not listed as “in scope” is considered out of the scope of the project. However, specifically, the scope of the project does not include:

Examples:

The <component> of the <COTS product>

The interface to <system>

3.3 Deliverable ExpectationsHave a conversation with customer to determine what “good” looks like and what they are expecting to receive for each deliverable. You can use the table as is or add acceptance criteria for each item along with the expectations.


8

Template 1/07/2021


Table 3: Deliverable Expectations

Deliverable Deliverable Expectations

Analysis Package Document containing analysis artifacts: Business Process Model (current) Business Process Model (future) Requirements Document Entity Relationship Diagram Use Cases Security Roles and Processes Plan Conceptual Architecture Data Migration Plan Test Plan

Project Plan and Schedule Documents created with the sponsor and project team during planning meetings, and finalized when the After-Analysis estimate is approved.

Design Package Document containing design artifacts Architectural Diagram User Interface Prototype Functional Design Specifications Conceptual Data Model

Test Package Document containing a summary and results of NDIT testing:

Compliance (Accessibility) Test Report Functional (System) Test Report Solution (Usability) Test Report Performance Test Report Security (Vulnerability) Test Report

User Acceptance Package Document containing a summary and results of the agency testing:

User Acceptance Plan User Acceptance Testing Cases User Acceptance Test Scripts

Training Agency-provided training to the system users, including documentation

Implementation and Transition Plan Implementation content created by NDIT that contains specific information about the implementation (e.g., architectural diagram, information on the environment, tasks and strategy for the implementation).

Transition contact provided by NDIT and the agency that contains specific information about the transition of the business to the new product.

Final Acceptance Approval for NDIT to implement the product upon completion of User Acceptance Testing

9

Template 1/07/2021


Deliverable Deliverable Expectations

Post-Implementation Report Document containing final project metrics, measurements of the project objectives, and the responses from the project team surveys completed at the end of the project.

4 Time ManagementThe schedule for this project will be maintained using the State’s ND VIEW tool. The project schedule will be baselined before work on activities begins, and performance will be measured against the baseline.

Instead of using text or a table to communicate the high-level timeline, consider creating a graphical representation of the schedule which can be used to communicate both the original schedule and any changes (see Option 1 below for an example created in Visio).

Option 2 uses verbiage and provide the option for a link.

10

Template 1/07/2021


Option 1:Following is the high-level schedule for this project:

Example:

Figure 1: High-Level Project Schedule

11

Template 1/07/2021


Option 2: The project is expected to start on x/xx/xxxx and complete on xx/xx/xxxx. Refer to the project schedule for deliverable and activity due dates: link to .pdf of baselined schedule.

The schedule will be monitored and controlled by the project manager(s) in the following manner:

Baseline the project schedule in ND VIEW

Monitor the project schedule on a minimum of a bi-weekly basis to determine if the project will be completed within the original effort, cost, and duration

o Identify activities that have been completed during the previous time period, update the schedule to show they are finished, and determine whether there are any other activities that should be completed but are not

o If not, determine the critical path and look for ways to accelerate these activities to get the project back on its original schedule

Integrate any approved change requests into the project schedule baseline and provide project teams with an assessment of the impact on the timeline

Utilize performance reports to identify which dates in the schedule have or have not been met, as well as for alerting the project team to any issues that may cause schedule performance problems in the future

Obtain progress reports at least bi-weekly from the various project teams to monitor the status of tasks by collecting information such as start and finish dates, remaining durations for unfinished activities, and any known risks or issues

Changes to the schedule will be managed through the integrated change control procedure

ND VIEW will be used manage and report schedule variance by all project teams

5 Cost Management5.1 BudgetThe budget for the project is $X, with an additional $X set aside for management reserve.

Ongoing costs are estimated to be $X per year.

The original cost estimate is based on the product scope defined in this project plan. A revised cost estimate will be created at the end of the analysis phase. This estimate is done based on the requirements identified in the analysis document. When the budget above reflects the after-analysis budget, this paragraph may be removed.

5.2 Cost ControlChanges to the budget will be managed through the integrated change control procedure.

The cost baseline will be entered into the State’s ND VIEW tool. As costs accrue, the actual costs will be entered into the tool and measured against the planned costs to determine the cost variance. Updates to ND VIEW will occur at least bi-weekly.

Unless approved by their team lead, NDIT project managers are required to update ND VIEW on a minimum of a biweekly basis.

12

Template 1/07/2021


Other items to include: Where does cost information come from? Who signs off on invoices? Is there a process for authorizing payments?

6 Communication ManagementVerbal and written communication is a responsibility for all members of the project team and is important to project success.

The communication tools and documents addressed in the project plan are used for communication between project team members, and between the project team members and stakeholders. All of these documents will be stored in the Microsoft Teams site. Other locations may be used for document communication and storage on this project and are noted in the table below.

6.1 MeetingsNote how you will be approving meeting minutes. An example is noted below but can be adjusted if necessary.

The author of the meeting minutes will link those minutes and notify the meeting attendees by email/Microsoft Teams for approval, along with a deadline for any comments or changes. Non-response will be considered approval of the minutes.

Meeting ground rules can be established at the beginning of the project by the project team in a separate document, or you may use the bulleted list below (add, change, or delete as necessary).

Meeting ground rules:

Meetings will start and end on time

Facilitator will send agendas or meeting goals/purpose will be sent out in advance of the meeting

Attendees are expected to read any required documents and come prepared to speak to the meeting topic

Required invitees who cannot attend are expected to find their own designees or accept meeting outcomes

All invitees are expected to review the meeting minutes to obtain information about the discussions and decisions in the meeting

The following are the types of meetings to be held during this project, the frequency of the meetings, and who should attend:


13

Template 1/07/2021


Table 4: Meetings

Meeting Type Purpose Frequency Facilitator Attendees Minutes Required?

Design Create user cases and determine how the system will work

As needed Technical Project Lead

Business and NDIT Project Team Members

Yes

Project Status Review progress and upcoming activities, discuss issues and risks

Weekly Primary Project Manager

Project team members

No

Project Closeout Review project, discuss lessons learned

Once Primary Project Manager

Project team members

Yes

6.2 Project CommunicationFollowing is the information on project team and stakeholder communication for this project:

Table 5: Communication

Communication Description Frequency Author(s) Audience LocationApproval Required?(Approver)

Status Reports Summarize project progress and upcoming activities, budget and schedule variance

Bi-weekly Primary Project Manager

Project team members, sponsor, ESC, executive management

Teams Site No

Meeting Minutes Written record of meetings requiring it

Various Primary Project Manager

Meeting attendees and interested parties

Teams Site Yes(Attendees)

Agency User Updates

Information on solution and project progress

Bi-weekly Business Lead Business staff that will use the system

Agency website

Yes(Sponsor)

7 Quality Management7.1 Quality AssuranceQuality assurance is the process of auditing the quality requirements and the results from quality control measurements to ensure use of appropriate quality standards and operational definitions.

14

Template 1/07/2021


Following are the quality assurance processes for this project:

Integrated change control – verifies that any changes to quality during the project are discussed and approved by the appropriate person

Monitoring schedule and cost variance – ensures oversight of the project schedule and cost in relation to the project baseline to provide visibility to any potential project schedule or cost issues

Definition of deliverable acceptance criteria and/or expectations – verifies that the deliverables are of an acceptable quality and meet the customer’s expectations

Acceptance management – verifies that the deliverables are of acceptable quality and that they meet the established project requirements

Peer review of project management documents – provides documents associated with management of this project (e.g., business case, project charter, and this project plan) a review by other NDIT project managers for clarity and implementations of previous lessons learned

Following are the quality assurance processes for the product produced by this project:

Add or remove as necessary

Web design walkthroughs with NDIT’s software architect and web design team – verifies compliance with the design specifications and web design quality

Prototype walkthroughs – screen shots are shown to the appropriate user group to confirm that the requirements were understood and the system designed correctly

Code walkthroughs with NDIT’s software architect – verifies compliance with the design specifications and code quality

Unit testing – happens periodically during development to ensure sections of code are meeting the design specifications

System testing – verifies the system operates per the design specifications

Regression testing – retests a modified program to verify that the fix did not introduce any additional errors

Usability testing (after system testing) – determines if the design is “user-friendly” and to provide lessons learned for the NDIT web design team (this can also provide notice of possible future enhancements for the product)

Note details of the usability testing: Will it be done before or after the development? Are there any specific goals of the testing (e.g., validating the design, or determining if drop-downs or radio buttons are desired)? Who will be participating? How will requests to change the design be handled?

Performance/Load testing – ensures the system can support the number of users or data; automated test that may utilize existing test scenarios to determine system performance and identify any system issues

Compliance (accessibility) testing – ensures the system is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act

Security testing – ensure that the system adheres to appropriate security levels; test vulnerabilities, as well as user roles and data security

Agency/User acceptance testing – ensures compliance with the design and that the system operates as expected using “real life” scenarios

7.2 Quality ControlQuality control is the process of monitoring and recording results of executing the quality activities to assess performance and recommend necessary changes.

15

Template 1/07/2021


Following are the quality control measures the project manager will apply to this project:

At a project milestone, the project cost variance will not exceed the baseline budget by 20% or more

Project schedule variance will not exceed the baseline schedule by 20% or more

Acceptance management process requires approval of deliverables as criteria to move forward with the project (the submission of a deliverable does not constitute acceptance or approval)

Following are the quality control measures the project manager will apply to the product produced by this project:

The product will not move forward to agency/user acceptance testing if any “show stopper” errors are present

The product may move forward to agency/user acceptance testing at the discretion of the sponsor if high-level errors are present

The project will move forward to agency/user acceptance testing if minimal/cosmetic errors are present

Ideas: What metrics are associated with the performance test plan (e.g., how many users will be simulated and what are the expected results)? Will the product be moved to either the system test or acceptance test phases if there are known errors? If so, what level of errors will be allowed?

8 Organizational Change AnalysisWhat changes will this project cause to the business or the customers? Who will be affected? What processes or policies will be affected? How much impact will these changes have? Will we stop or change how we do something as a result of this project?

Also include who is leading the change and/or managing this change? How involved or committed is the business leadership to the change?

Consider using a readiness assessment.

This project is anticipated to…

9 Decision ManagementDecisions made during the project are an integral part of the project process. Though they are documented in locations such as meeting minutes, a comprehensive area for all decisions is helpful for reference purposes.

This project will document all major decisions in ND VIEW.

Decisions made regarding specific risks, issues, or change requests will be documented in those items only.

10 Risk ManagementA risk is considered to be an event that has the potential to occur.

All risks will be documented in ND VIEW.

The process for flagging and managing risks is as follows:

16

Template 1/07/2021


Flow chart may be modified or deleted if desired.

Figure 2: Risk Process

11 Issues ManagementAn issue is defined as any point at which an unsettled matter requires a decision. Risks that become reality are also documented as issues.

All issues will be documented in ND VIEW.

The procedures for handling an issue are as follows:


17

Template 1/07/2021


Figure 3: Issue Process

12 Action Item ManagementAn action item is defined as a question, problem, or condition that requires a follow up activity for resolution. If unsettled, an action item can become an issue or a risk, depending upon the severity of the impact.

All action items will be documented in ND VIEW.

The procedures for handling an action item are as follows:


18

Template 1/07/2021


Figure 4: Action Item Process

13 Integrated Change ControlIntegrated change control is the process of reviewing all change requests, approving changes, and managing changes to deliverables, project documents, and the project management plan. Changes to the project after the project’s budget, scope, and schedule have been baselined may impact a variety of areas including cost, scope, schedule, and quality. Changes that impact one or more of these areas must be approved via the change control process. A change request must specify what the change is, the reason for the change, and how it will impact cost, scope, schedule, and/or quality.

All change requests must be approved or rejected by the sponsor, unless they designate a threshold for project manager approval, and will be documented in ND VIEW.

Steps for the change control process are as follows:


19

Template 1/07/2021


Figure 5: Integrated Change Control Process

14 Human Resource ManagementNew members will be provided necessary security access and given a copy of the charter and project plan. New members will meet with the project manager for a short orientation regarding the project status, goals, expectations, responsibilities, and roles.

Members of the project team that are leaving the project will be asked to have a meeting with the project manager to debrief prior to their last day. The purpose of this meeting will be to gather outstanding information, obtain status of any work, reassign any issue resolutions or action items, discuss replacement if necessary, terminate security, and obtain any comments or concerns regarding the project.

15 Procurement ManagementIf there is no procurement, this section can be deleted.

The following processes will be followed for the procurement management of this project as required by the State of North Dakota Office of Management and Budget: www.nd.gov/spo/legal/guidelines.

If institutions of higher education, Legislative Branch, or Judicial Branch, insert the policies and procedures established by the branch.

Table 6: Procurement

Item Procured Procurement Type

Agency Procuring

Procurement Officer

Contract Administrator

What will the project procure?

RFP? Work Order?

Name of agency purchasing

Name Name

20

http://www.nd.gov/spo/legal/guidelines