1Overview of Project Management and SDLC

Project Management (PM)

A set of fundamental guidelines and best practices used by project managers and teams to plan, execute, monitor, control, and close projects successfully.

Project Management Principles

Provide a framework for effective project management, ensuring that projects are delivered on time, within budget, and with the expected quality.

Project Management

The use of specific knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to deliver something of value to people.

Project Management Activities

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.

Project Management Fields

Often associated with engineering, construction, healthcare, and information technology (IT), which have complex components that need to be completed and assembled in a set fashion.

Project

Temporary efforts to create value through unique products, services, and processes.

Project Resolution

Some projects are engineered to quickly resolve problems, while others require extended timelines to produce outcomes that will not need major improvements outside of projected maintenance.

Project Stakeholders

Individuals and organizations who are actively involved in the project, or whose interests may be positively or negatively affected because of project execution or successful project completion.

Project Lifecycle

The phases a project goes through from initiation to completion.

Initiation Phase

The phase where the project is defined, authorized, and officially initiated, with the primary goal of understanding the project's purpose and feasibility.

Key Activities of Initiation Phase

Defining the project's objectives, scope, and constraints, identifying key stakeholders and their roles, conducting a feasibility study, and preparing a Project Charter.

Feasibility Study

An assessment conducted to evaluate the project's viability.

Project Charter

A formal document that authorizes the project and defines its objectives, scope, stakeholders, and initial high-level constraints.

Feasibility Study Report

An assessment of the project's feasibility, including technical, financial, and operational considerations.

Stakeholder Register

A document that identifies all project stakeholders and their interests or roles.

Planning Phase

Planning is about setting clear project objectives, defining the scope, and creating a detailed project plan.

Key Activities in Planning Phase

Developing a comprehensive project plan that includes scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, and resource management.

Scope Statement

A detailed description of the project's scope, including objectives, deliverables, constraints, and assumptions.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

A hierarchical breakdown of the project into smaller, manageable work packages.

Gantt chart

A horizontal bar chart in which members can see what tasks must be completed in what order, and how long each is expected to take.

Project Budget

A detailed budget that outlines the estimated costs of the project.

Risk Register

A document that identifies project risks, their likelihood, impact, and mitigation strategies.

Execution Phase

Execution is where the project work is carried out according to the project plan.

Key Activities in Execution Phase

Allocating resources and assigning tasks to team members.

Status Reports

Regular reports that provide updates on project progress, including completed work and any issues or changes.

Change Requests

Formal requests to change the project scope, schedule, or budget.

Meeting Minutes

Records of project team meetings, including discussions, decisions, and action items.

Closing Phase

The closing phase marks the formal completion of the project.

Closing Phase Activities

It involves closing out all project activities, obtaining approvals, and ensuring a smooth transition to operations or maintenance.

Key Activities in Closing Phase

Obtaining formal acceptance and approvals for project deliverables.

Final Project Deliverables

All completed and accepted project deliverables.

Project Closure Report

A formal document that provides an overview of the project, its objectives, outcomes, and lessons learned.

Contract Closure

Formal documentation confirming that all contracts and procurement activities are completed.

Lessons Learned Report

A document that captures insights, successes, and areas for improvement from the project.

Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)

The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a structured framework used by software developers and project managers to guide the processes involved in planning, designing, building, testing, deploying, and maintaining software systems or applications.

SDLC Purpose

SDLC helps ensure that software projects are well-organized, manageable, and capable of delivering high-quality results.

Generic Phases of SDLC

Planning, Analysis, Design, Development, Testing, Deployment, Maintenance.

Planning Phase in SDLC

In this initial phase, the project's scope, objectives, feasibility, and overall plan are defined.

Planning Phase Activities

Project goals and constraints are identified, and a project plan is created.

Scope Definition

In this phase, the project's scope is carefully defined, including specifying what the system will and will not do to avoid scope creep.

Objective Identification

Clearly articulate the project's objectives and goals that align with the organization's strategic vision.

Feasibility Analysis

Conduct a feasibility study to assess the project's technical, operational, and financial viability, examining factors such as technical requirements, resource availability, and cost-benefit analysis.

Project Plan

Develop a detailed project plan that outlines the project's timeline, tasks, milestones, and resource allocation, serving as a roadmap for project execution.

Requirements Gathering

In the analysis phase, system analysts work closely with stakeholders to gather and document requirements, which can be both functional and non-functional.

Stakeholder Collaboration

Effective communication and collaboration with stakeholders are essential during this phase to ensure a deep understanding of user needs.

Requirements Analysis

System analysts analyze the gathered requirements to identify inconsistencies, conflicts, and ambiguities, prioritizing and validating them to ensure alignment with project objectives.

Architectural Design

System architects create a high-level system architecture that outlines the system's structure and components, including decisions about technology stack, databases, and integration points.

Detailed Design

Designers create detailed design specifications for various system components, including user interface design, database schemas, and data flow diagrams.

Prototyping

Creating prototypes or mock-ups of the user interface to gather feedback from stakeholders and validate design decisions.

Development

The phase where the actual coding and development of the system or software takes place.

Coding

Developers write the actual code based on the design specifications.

Unit Testing

Developers conduct unit testing to ensure that individual components and modules work as expected.

Integration Testing

Different modules are integrated and tested together to identify and resolve integration issues.

Testing

A critical phase where the system is thoroughly tested to ensure that it meets the specified requirements.

System Testing

The entire system is tested to ensure that it functions correctly and meets the specified requirements.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

End-users or representatives validate that the system meets their needs and can be used effectively in their day-to-day tasks.

Deployment

Once testing is successful, the system is deployed or implemented in the production environment.

Data Migration

If necessary, data from existing systems may be migrated to the new system.

Configuration and Setup

The system is configured and set up in the production environment.

Training

End-users and support staff are trained to use and maintain the system.

Maintenance

The maintenance phase involves ongoing support, updates, and enhancements to the system.

SDLC Models

Different SDLC models provide various approaches to project management and development.

Waterfall Model

A linear and sequential approach to software development.

Agile Model

An iterative approach that emphasizes flexibility and customer satisfaction.

Iterative Model

A model that develops software in repeated cycles (iterations) and allows for incremental improvements.

Spiral Model

A risk-driven model that combines iterative development with the systematic aspects of the waterfall model.

V-Model

An extension of the waterfall model that emphasizes verification and validation.

RAD Model

Rapid Application Development model that focuses on quickly developing prototypes and user feedback.

Project Manager

Leads the project team and is responsible for project planning, execution, monitoring, and control.

System Analyst

Gathers, analyzes, and documents business requirements for the system.

System Architect

Designs the system's high-level architecture and defines the structure of the system.

Designer

Creates detailed design specifications for various system components, including user interfaces, databases, and data models.

Developer

Writes the actual code for the system based on the design specifications.

Tester

Conducts various levels of testing, including unit testing, integration testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing.

Database Administrator

Manages the system's databases, including schema design, optimization, and data security.

End-Users

Those who will use or be impacted by the system. Provide input, feedback, and requirements throughout the SDLC.

Project Manager Responsibilities

Project managers play a multifaceted role that involves various responsibilities, including leadership, communication, risk management, and team coordination.

Successful Project Manager

A successful project manager not only manages tasks and resources but also acts as a leader, problem solver, and facilitator, guiding the project team toward successful project completion while ensuring stakeholder satisfaction.

Project Management Focus

Project Managers focus on the overall management of projects. Their primary responsibility is to ensure that projects are completed on time, within scope, and within budget.

Key Responsibilities of Project Manager

Planning and scheduling, resource allocation and management, risk management, budget management, stakeholder communication and management, issue resolution, project documentation, overall project success.

Stakeholder Interaction

Project Managers interact with a wide range of stakeholders, including executives, clients, team members, and vendors, to ensure that project objectives align with organizational goals and expectations.

Role of System Analyst

System analysts play a key role in understanding, designing, and implementing effective information systems.

Critical Role of System Analysts

System analysts play a critical role in the success of information systems and software development projects.

System Analyst Responsibilities

System Analysts primarily focus on the analysis and design of information systems, understanding business needs, gathering requirements, designing system solutions, and often play a role in the technical aspects of system development and implementation.

Key Responsibilities of System Analyst

Requirements gathering and analysis, system design and architecture, technical evaluation and solution recommendation, testing and quality assurance, user training and support, documentation of system specifications, enhancements and maintenance.

System Analyst Stakeholder Interaction

System Analysts primarily interact with business users, subject matter experts, and developers to gather requirements, define system specifications, and facilitate communication between business and technical teams.