LM10 (TEXT & PP) - 8 STARRED

T/F: The metrics and measurements established during the planning phase or the organization and preparation phase of software project management may go through further changes as the project proceeds.

TRUE

Most of the information collected during the monitoring phase of the POMA process is gathered in some __________ manner through regular status meetings

formal

Unplanned information may be collected informally through project managers’ ______________ .

conscientious socialization

Define Conscientious Socializing

Purposeful but informal socializing that managers conduct to get a better understanding of the project status.

The amount of unplanned and informal information that the software project managers can gather is directly related to:

How well the managers listen to the team members as they socialize with them at a business level.

T/F: Both formally collected data and informally collected information gathered during the monitoring phase need to be analyzed before appropriate decisions can be made to take action.

TRUE

The formal gathering of project information is usually performed at:

Regular intervals (daily, weekly, monthly), depending on the type of activity, the urgency of the activity, and the stage of the software project.

The needs of information collection must be balanced against:

Resource requirements and the impacts to the on-going project.

Data collection may be based on:

Project activities or on project attributes.

T/F: Both activity-based and attribute-based methods may be employed for measuring the schedule goal.

TRUE

T/F: Activity-based data collection would apply better at a “macro” level, and attribute-based data collection would be a better fit for a “micro” level of data collection.

TRUE

Every project—software or otherwise—is concerned about:

Schedule integrity.

In addition to schedule integrity, what are other major goals and measurements specific to software projects that should be monitored?

• Completeness of function

• Quality

• Budget

Define Completeness of Function

A software product attribute that describes the number of features implemented vs the number required for the product.

T/F: An important goal for software projects is quality.

TRUE

When should goals and measurements of product quality be defined and prepared?

Prior to the monitoring phase.

Define Software Quality

A software product attribute describing how well the product satisfies and serves the needs of the users.

In the case of quality, the attribute-based and activity-based data collection mechanisms are very similar. How are they alike? How do they differ?

Both provide a global view of the quality status of all the functions.

Attribute-based data collection may be easily expanded to include lower severity levels and can achieve more detailed views.

Define Software Budget

A software project attribute describing the financial resources allocated and expected to be followed, by some time period and by areas such as tools, people, travel, education, etc. for that project.

In software projects, this particular attribute is often managed at a somewhat higher level than the traditional, first-line project managers’ level. Indeed, sometimes it is managed by the financial community.

The software budget.

T/F: If the software project has gone through business case analysis, then the organization has likely determined that the project is worth pursuing with the planned budget.

TRUE

Why should software project managers participate in the organization’s discussions of its financial goals?

• To recognize that what they produce will greatly affect the income side.

• Sales and marketing’s revenue projections depend on how the project team reacts to their requests for features and functions.

• Requested features and functions must be weighed against their estimated expense and the feasibility provided by managers.

T/F: Budget-related data may be collected with the attribute-based methodology as well as with the activity-based method.

TRUE

T/F: For the budget attribute, data collection should be performed in concert with the financial organization.

TRUE

To monitor financial goals, the software project managers must collaborate with the financial organization during:

The planning phase as well as the organization and preparation phase.

The formal collection of data for the purpose of project monitoring should be performed on:

A regular basis with the schedule chosen to match the needs of the software project.

T/F: The project team must balance its need for data with the effort required to collect and monitor that information for the particular software project.

TRUE

Though most of data collection decision making occurs during the earlier organization and preparation phase, should these decisions be reviewed during the monitoring phase of project management?

Yes, and perhaps modified.

What are the two purposes of the project status meetings?

1. It is a means to collect the data.

2. It is a way to communicate those data.

T/F: The formal project status meetings should not be lengthy.

TRUE

What is a way to keep project status meetings from being so lengthy?

Cutting the discussion to only high-risk items leaving normal status information to provided in a written form read at one’s convenience.

T/F: If any unexpected information or negative data require further discussion or analysis, a separate meeting should be scheduled to focus on that specific topic.

TRUE

T/F: To ensure full and effective status monitoring, the key attendees must not be allowed to send substitutes to these regular meetings except for special reasons.

TRUE

The key to effective formal status meetings is to create:

A fixed agenda, including only a small buffer for discussion.

T/F: A project status meeting agenda should be circulated prior to the meeting.

TRUE

A formal project status meeting should follow a predefined agenda that includes:

Review of the:

• project and product progress metrics

• personnel and resources

• risk items

T/F: Assessment of human performance is often based on some very hard-to-collect information that requires informal data gathering.

TRUE

T/F: With project team members who work at remote sites, the software project managers need to make an extra effort to meet them in person when they first come on board.

TRUE

What information is not appropriate for any sharing or conscientious socializing?

• Employees’ personal information

• Confidential corporate information

• Information with a “need to know” designation

Define Need-to-know Information

A special class of info intended to be transmitted to a small group of people who have an absolute need to know it. (Ex. impending closing or potential loss of a large contract.)

The activity-based approach gathers information about:

An attribute based on the activities performed to achieve the goal of that attribute.

The attribute-based approach gathers information about:

An attribute based on a metric to measure the achievement of the goal for that attribute.

T/F: Informal status gathering and project monitoring is a powerful tool that must be utilized in conjunction with other, more formal methods of data collection.

TRUE

A _________ rumor about any part of the project may cause workers to engage in lengthy discussions and extensive information seeking rather than focusing on the work at hand.

false

T/F: One important aspect of project management is tracking or monitoring the project progress.

TRUE

The essence of project monitoring is:

measuring the status and understanding whether any adjustment needs to be made.

How do we performing project monitoring?

• Information Collection

• Information Evaluation and Analysis

• Communicating Information

What information do we collect in project monitoring?

Formally (on a regular basis): what we planned to collect and what we have set up and prepared ourselves to collect

Informally (not regular but often): what we can glean from “walking the hall” or “going by the water cooler”, inviting team members for informal “chat” and visiting people’s “offices”.

T/F: Project “Status” is really saying: where do we stand today

TRUE

What does project status tracking show?

“planned”  vs  “actual”  by areas of interest (“goals”)

How often should formal data gathering and monitoring take place?

On a regular basis (weekly, monthly) dependent on the project size, length, and the specific activity.

What is the form for data gathering and monitoring?

Numeric, logical, depending on earlier plan and preparation.

What should we remember during project status tracking / monitoring?

We are collecting data and monitoring against planned “goals” which may be certain product, project, or people attributes.

List examples of product attributes in monitoring.

Quality, functionality completeness, reliability, etc.

List examples of project and people attributes in monitoring.

Productivity, schedule, morale, etc.

What must you do when what is planned changes during monitoring?

You need to show the trace of changes. Include:

- The date of change

- Approved by information

- Additional info such as “impact” of change

What are the two types of data collection in monitoring?

Activity-based; Attribute-based

Define activity-based data collection.

Collecting information on one or more attributes related to a set of activities.

What type of activities are usually used in activity-based data collection?

Those most likely within a process or a method. (Completion, time expended, effort or other resources expended)

Define attribute-based data collection.

Collecting information on one or more sub-attributes related to a specific project attribute (entity) of interest.

What type of attribute is usually included in attribute-based data collection?

An entity such as schedule, function, etc.

Give an example of an activities-based data collection.

Data collection on milestone completion.

Given an example of an attributes-based data collection.

Data collection on the product’s “functional completeness” attribute via the metric “# of features completed”.

How is severity represented in data collection?

(found, resolved) by each defect detection and removal activities. 

Define delta.

the number of severity 1 problems still unresolved.

Give an example of a finance specific data collection.

Data collection on expenses (people, tools, travel, education, general) by functional areas vs. revenue.

Formal Status Meeting Guidelines

1. Should be planned with an agenda. Run this efficiently because for everyone else this is not their “main” responsibility

2. The meeting should not last more than 2-3 hours. Why?

   • Consider the expense for meetings / meeting prep

   • 3 hrs / 40 hrs per wk = 7.5 % in meeting a week!

3. Do not reschedule or postpone meeting too many times as it will lose its legitimacy and relevancy.

4. Do not jump too deeply into “surprise” items. For those, schedule a separate meeting involving only the relevant people.

Informal Project Status (Data) Gathering is based on:

goodwill, trust, and “listening” well and patiently.

Informal Project Status Gathering Guidelines if physically co-located:

• Proactively “walk the halls” often.

• Invite people into your “open” office

• Stop in peoples’ offices and “chat”; do not stay aloof.

Informal Project Status Gathering Guidelines if remotely co-located:

• Make some “physical” contact visits.

• Utilize phone, e-mail, video-conferencing “regularly”. 

• Emphasize developing more “TRUST”.