SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGEMENT(Introduced in 2013 by IBM)

Nishant Kumar

LECTURE-1Basic Definitions

OBJECTIVE• Define a project management• Define the following terms

ProjectSub-ProjectProgramPortfolio Management

• List the phases of the project life cycle.

Why SPM(Software Project Management)

?

What is Management ?

Management in business and organizations is the function that coordinates the efforts of

people to accomplish goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively. Management comprises planning, organizing,

staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization to accomplish the goal.

--Wikipedia

What is Project ?Project is a ‘temporary’ endeavor undertaken to create a unique service, product or result. It has a definite beginning and a definite end. It is undertaken to create a lasting outcome.

orA project is well-defined task, which is a collection of several operations done in order to achieve a goal (for example, software development and delivery). A Project can be characterized as:

Every project has a goal. Project is not routine activity or day-to-day operations. Project comes with a start time and end time. Project ends when its goal is achieved hence it is a temporary

phase in the lifetime of an organization. Project needs adequate resources in terms of time, manpower,

finance, material and knowledge-bank.

Project Management

Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to

project activities to meet the project requirements.

Software Project Management is….

A Software Project is the complete procedure of software development from requirement gathering to testing and maintenance, carried out according

to the execution methodologies, in a specified period of time to achieve intended software

product.

Software project management is the art and science of planning and leading software projects.It is a sub-discipline of project management in which software projects are planned, implemented, monitored and

controlled.

Software projects have several properties that make them very different to other kinds of engineering project. The product is intangible.Its hard to claim a bridge is 90% complete if there is not 90% of the bridge there. It is easy to claim that a software project is 90% complete, even if there are no visible outcomes.

Large software projects are often “bespoke”.Most large software systems are one-off, with experience gained in one project being of little help in another.

The technology changes very quickly.

Most large software projects employ new technology; for many projects, this is the raison d’etre

SPM over Another Project

WHY WE NEED TO LEARN SOFTWARE

PROJECT MANAGEMENT?

To deliver a quality product.

To keep cost within clients budget.

Tracking of project stages.

Accomplishing task as per schedule.

Lets discuss five process groups

Initiating

Planning

Executing

Monitoring and Controlling

Closing

Managing Project Requirements in broader context Identifying Requirements

Addressing the needs and expectations of the stakeholders

Balancing the competing project constraints including , but not limited to scope, quality, schedule, budget, resources and risk.

Portfolio ManagementPortfolio management is a centralized management of one or more portfolios. It includes identifying, prioritizing, authorizing, managing and controlling projects, programs, and other related work, to achieve specific strategic business objectives.

Example: An infrastructure firm that has the strategic objective of maximizing the return on its investments may put together a portfolio that includes a mix of projects in oil and gas, water, roads, rail and airports. For this mix, the firm may choose to manage related projects as one program. All of the power projects may be grouped together as a power program.

Project Phases Project phases are components of the project life

cycle. They are divisions within a project where extra control is needed to effectively manage the completion of a major deliverable. It can be sequential or can overlap. They mainly facilitate ease of management, planning and control.

Project phases can be mapped to the following life cycle structure irrespective of size or project complexity:1. Initiating the project2. Organizing and preparing3. Carrying out the project work4. Closing the project

Project Lifecycle Characteristics In project life cycle cost and staffing levels are

low in the initial stages, increase while work is carried out and then drops.

Initial PhaseCost and staffing

levels low

Final PhaseCost & staffing

levels drop

Intermediate PhaseCost and staffing levels peak

Time

Cost

& S

taffi

ng L

evel

… The cost of changes and correcting errors

typically increases substantially as the project approaches completion.

Stakeholder influence, risk and uncertainty are high in the initial stages, dropping over the life of the project.

Term Definition

Project A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Temporary means that every project has a definite beginning and a definite end.

Subproject A subproject is a set of work units assigned to a single project organizational unit to divide the project into more manageable components.

Program A program is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually.

Project management Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.

PortfolioManagement

The centralized management of one or more portfolios, which includes identifying, prioritizing, authorizing, managing and controlling projects, programs, and other related work, to achieve specific strategic business objectives.

Portfolio A collection of projects or programs and other work that are grouped together to facilitate effective management of that work to meet strategic business objectives.

ProgressiveElaboration

Continuously improving and detailing a plan as more detailed and specific information and more accurate estimates become available as the project progresses, and thereby producing more accurate and complete plans that result from the successive iterations of the planning process.

Project ManagementOffice (PMO)

An organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related to the centralized and coordinated management of those projects under its domain.

Sponsor A sponsor is an individual or an organization that has the authority to perform, delegate or ensure completion of the following project commitments: Formalisation of an agreement with the delivery organization Approval to proceed with the start of the project or of a phase Acceptance of the deliverables from the project Spending for the cost or price, or both, of the project as specified in the

agreement

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Assignment Discuss the phases in your projects.

LECTURE-2Project Stakeholders and Organizational

Influences on Project Management

OBJECTIVE:• Define stakeholders.• List some of the key stakeholders in a software

development project.• Explain the relationship between stakeholders and the

project.• List the different types of organizational structures.• Explain the influence of an organizational structure on

project management

Term Definition

Project A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result. Temporary means that every project has a definite beginning and a definite end.

Subproject A subproject is a set of work units assigned to a single project organizational unit to divide the project into more manageable components.

Program A program is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not available from managing them individually.

Project management Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.

PortfolioManagement

The centralized management of one or more portfolios, which includes identifying, prioritizing, authorizing, managing and controlling projects, programs, and other related work, to achieve specific strategic business objectives.

Portfolio A collection of projects or programs and other work that are grouped together to facilitate effective management of that work to meet strategic business objectives.

ProgressiveElaboration

Continuously improving and detailing a plan as more detailed and specific information and more accurate estimates become available as the project progresses, and thereby producing more accurate and complete plans that result from the successive iterations of the planning process.

Project ManagementOffice (PMO)

An organizational body or entity assigned various responsibilities related to the centralized and coordinated management of those projects under its domain.

Sponsor A sponsor is an individual or an organization that has the authority to perform, delegate or ensure completion of the following project commitments: Formalisation of an agreement with the delivery organization Approval to proceed with the start of the project or of a phase Acceptance of the deliverables from the project Spending for the cost or price, or both, of the project as specified in the

agreement

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STAKE-HOLDERS Stakeholders are the people or organizations actively involved in

the project, or whose interests may be positively or negatively affected by the start or completion of the project. They can positively or negatively affect the project by execution (start) or completion of the project. They may exert influence over the project, its deliverables and on the project team. It can be both internal and external.

Some key stakeholders in a software development project: Executive Sponsor or Funding Authority Project Manager Product Manager Project Team Members including Analysts, Developers, Testers and

Technical Writers Quality Assurance Team Marketing and Finance Team Government Agencies and Regulatory Bodies Vendors and Sub contractors Business Partners Financial Institutions and Banks, etc.

Organizational Structure

It is of three types

Functional

Project Based

Matrix

Functional Organization

The functional organization is the classical hierarchy. Staff members are grouped by skills, functional specialty, or other common attribute and report to a single individual above them in the hierarchy.

Project coordination

Chief Executive

Functional Manager

Functional Manager

Functional Manager

Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff

Functional Organization

Coloured boxes indicate staff engaged in project activities

Advantages Staff is managed by a person with experience in their same specialty who

can adequately understand and review their work. Staffers have the opportunity to move up within their functional areas,

which gives a reason for them to stay long-term. The company gets the advantage of their expertise and company knowledge over time.

Staffers work with others in their field, which allows for knowledge sharing and lateral job moves to learn new skills.

Disadvantages Functional areas may have difficulties working with other functional areas.

There is often a perception that they are competing with other functional areas for resources and a lack of understanding of what other areas do for the company. So, the accounting department may be upset that its request for an additional headcount is denied, but the company financial results point to a need for additional sales people rather than accountants.

As the company grows larger, the functional areas can become difficult to manage due to their size. They can become almost like small companies on their own, with their own cultures, facilities, and management methods.

Functional areas may become distracted by their own goals and focus on them, rather than on overall company objectives. For instance, there may be a desire by the I.T. department to implement a new, state-of-the-art computer system, but the overall company objectives support investment in new products instead. Since the unit doesn't have an overview of the entire company, it may focus attention on goals that it believes are important but which are not priorities for top management.

Project-Based Organization

It has a full time project manager who has almost total authority over project decisions, resources, and budget. Project team members report directly to the project manager.

Chief Executive

ProjectManager

Project Manager

ProjectManager

Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff Staff

Projectized Organization

Project coordination

Matrix Organization

They are structured such that the project manager’s authority and control are governed by the type of matrix used.

Resources are “borrowed” from functional areas to accomplish project objectives.

Project coordination

Matrix… The advantages of a matrix organisation are:

Resource has a home organization to which he/she can return.

New ideas and best practices are constantly coming into the project team with the various experiences and skills of different team members.

Project manager can focus on project-related activities while the functional manager can handle organizational issues such as performance reviews, pay and benefits, and hiring and termination activities.

The challenge of a matrix organisation is: Dual reporting and communication requirement.

Assignments Discuss the kind of probable influences the

various stakeholders have on the project. Discuss the organizational structure in which

your projects are executed.

LECTURE-3Project Management

Processes

OBJECTIVE

• Recall the stakeholders influence on projects.• Explain the project management processes.• Explain interaction of process groups in a project.• List the knowledge areas in which a project manager

requires skills.

Introduction to Project Management Processes Project process is a set of interrelated actions

and activities that are performed to achieve a pre-specified set of products, results, or services.

They mainly fall into two major categories: Project Management Processes encompass the

tools and techniques involved in applying the skills and capabilities described in the knowledge areas.

Product-oriented processes are typically defined by the project life cycle, varying by application area.

Project management processes are grouped into five categories:

Initiating Process Group This group defines and authorises a new

project or new phase of an existing project by obtaining authorisation to start the project or phase. Initial scope of the project is defined Initial financial resources are committed Internal and external stakeholders are identified Project manager selected (if not already done)

The two processes in this group are: Develop Project Charter Identify Stakeholders

Planning Process GroupThis group defines and refines project objectives. Project management plan and project documents that will be used to carry out the project are created. Detailing of the plan is done progressively referred to as “rolling wave planning”.

1. Develop project management plan2. Collect requirements3. Define scope4. Create Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)5. Define activities6. Sequence activities7. Estimate activity resources8. Estimate activity durations9. Develop schedule10. Estimate costs

11. Determine budget12. Plan quality13. Develop human resource plan14. Plan communications15. Plan risk management16. Identify risks17. Perform qualitative risk analysis18. Perform quantitative risk analysis19. Plan risk responses20. Plan procurements

Executing Process Group This group integrates people and other

resources to carry out the project management plan for the project.

It comprises of 8 processes:

1. Direct and manage project execution.

2. Perform quality assurance3. Acquire project team4. Develop project team

5. Manage project team6. Distribute information7. Manage stakeholder

expectations8. Conduct procurements

Monitoring and Controlling Process Group

1. Monitor and control project work2. Perform integrated change control3. Verify scope4. Control scope5. Control schedule

6. Control costs7. Perform quality control8. Report performance9. Monitor and control risks10. Administer contracts

This group regularly measures and monitors progress to identify variances from the Project Management Plans so that corrective actions can be taken when necessary, to meet project objectives.

It comprises of 10 processes:

Closing Process Group This group formalises acceptance of the

product, service or result and brings the project or project phase to an orderly end.

It comprises of two processes: Close project or phase Close procurement

Project Management Knowledge Areas The 42 Processes within the 5 Process Groups,

are mapped into 9 Project Management Knowledge Areas:1. Project Integration Management2. Project Scope Management3. Project Time Management 4. Project Cost Management 5. Project Quality Management6. Project Human Resource Management7. Project Communications Management8. Project Risk Management9. Project Procurement Management

Assignment Discuss the interaction of process groups in a

project.

LECTURE-4Project Initiating

Processes

OBJECTIVE• Define a project charter. • Explain the purpose of using a project charter. • List the different fields that should be present in a project

charter. • Explain stakeholder analysis. • Create a stakeholder register.

Project Charter A project charter is a document that formally authorises a

project.

It is a document usually issued by an entity external to the project organization which provides the project manager with the authority to apply organisational resources to project activities.

A project charter: Includes the business need that the project is to address Includes the product description Establishes the scope of the project Names the project manager as the responsible and authorised

party Identifies the project deliverables, schedule and budget

… The purpose of the Project Charter is to

document the:

Reasons for undertaking the project

Objectives and constraints of the project

Directions concerning the solution

Identities of the main stakeholders

Sample Project Charter A sample The project charter contents include:

The specific purpose of the project Project objectives and criteria for success High level requirements High level project description High level risks Summary milestone schedule Summary budget Project approval requirements Assigned Project Manager and authority level Name and authority of the sponsor

Assignment Discuss and develop the project charter for

one of your live projects

THANKS