Project Planning and Project Management
Project Planning and Project Management
Learning Objectives
Define project management and its critical role in ensuring the success of systems development projects.
Describe the ten knowledge areas in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and their functions.
Explain how the Agile approach modifies the application of project management knowledge areas to suit iterative development.
Explain the activities involved in getting a project approved, as detailed in Core Process 1, including risk assessment and feasibility analysis.
Explain the activities required to plan and monitor a project, according to Core Process 2, including scheduling, resource allocation, and progress evaluation.
The Need for Project Management
Systems development projects must succeed to deliver value, meet strategic goals, and avoid wasted resources.
Categories of project success:
Successful projects: Completed on time, within budget, and fully meeting the defined scope.
Challenged projects: Experiencing failures in one or more areas (e.g., delays, cost overruns, scope reductions).
Failed projects: Projects that are cancelled before completion or are not utilized after completion, representing a total loss of investment.
Project Management
Project management involves organizing and directing resources (people, time, budget) to achieve a planned outcome or result.
Key aspects include:
Planning processes to define project goals, scope, and deliverables.
Monitoring processes to track progress and identify deviations from the plan.
Controlling processes to take corrective action and ensure project objectives are met.
Project Manager Responsibilities
Internal Responsibilities:
Developing a realistic and detailed project schedule.
Recruiting, training, and managing team members with appropriate skills.
Assigning tasks to teams and individual members based on expertise and workload.
Assessing and managing project risks proactively to minimize potential disruptions.
Monitoring and controlling project deliverables and milestones to ensure quality and adherence to timelines.
External Responsibilities:
Reporting project status and progress to stakeholders in a clear and timely manner.
Collaborating with the client (sponsor) and stakeholders to manage expectations and ensure alignment with business needs.
Identifying and securing necessary resources, including budget, equipment, and personnel.
Project Manager & Project Stakeholders
Includes a diverse group of individuals and entities:
Users: Those who will directly interact with the system.
Internal stakeholders: Employees or departments within the organization.
Oversight committee: Group providing guidance and governance.
External stakeholders: Clients, subcontractors, technical staff, and regulatory bodies.
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
The PMBOK is organized into 10 knowledge areas that represent key aspects of project management:
Project Integration Management: Unifies and coordinates all other knowledge areas, ensuring cohesive project execution.
Project Scope Management: Defines and controls the functions of the system and the boundaries of the project team's work.
Project Time Management: Creates and maintains a detailed project schedule, tracking milestones and deadlines.
Project Cost Management: Estimates, budgets, and controls project costs to ensure expenditures stay within approved limits.
Project Quality Management: Establishes a quality assurance plan and implements quality control activities throughout the project lifecycle.
Project Human Resource Management: Focuses on recruiting, training, motivating, and developing the project team.
Project Communications Management: Defines communication strategies, identifies stakeholders, and establishes communication channels and schedules.
Project Risk Management: Identifies potential risks, assesses their impact, and develops mitigation strategies.
Project Procurement Management: Manages the acquisition of goods and services from external vendors, including contracts and vendor performance.
Project Stakeholder Management: Identifies stakeholders, plans engagement, and manages relationships to ensure project success.
PMBOK Knowledge Areas Detailed
Project Integration Management
1.1 Project plan development: Creating a comprehensive plan that integrates all aspects of the project.
1.2 Project plan execution: Implementing the project plan and managing its execution.
1.3 Integration change control: Managing and controlling changes to the project plan.
Project Scope Management
2.1 Initiation: Defining the project and obtaining authorization to start.
2.2 Scope planning: Developing a detailed description of the project’s scope.
2.3 Scope definition: Defining what is included and excluded in the project.
2.4 Scope verification: Formalizing acceptance of the project scope.
2.5 Scope change control: Managing changes to the project scope.
Project Time Management
3.1 Activity definition: Identifying the specific activities needed to complete the project.
3.2 Activity sequencing: Determining the dependencies between activities.
3.3 Activity duration estimating: Estimating the time needed to complete each activity.
3.4 Schedule development: Creating the project schedule.
3.5 Schedule control: Monitoring and controlling the project schedule.
Project Cost Management
4.1 Resource planning: Identifying the resources needed for the project.
4.2 Cost estimating: Estimating the cost of each resource.
4.3 Cost budgeting: Allocating costs to different project activities.
4.4 Cost control: Monitoring and controlling project costs.
Project Quality Management
5.1 Quality planning: Identifying quality standards relevant to the project.
5.2 Quality assurance: Ensuring that quality standards are met.
5.3 Quality control: Monitoring and recording results of quality activities.
Project Human Resource Management
6.1 Organizational planning: Identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships.
6.2 Staff acquisition: Getting the needed personnel assigned to and working on the project.
6.3 Team development: Building individual and group skills to enhance project performance.
Project Communications Management
7.1 Communications planning: Determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders.
7.2 Information distribution: Making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner.
7.3 Performance reporting: Collecting and disseminating project information.
7.4 Administrative closure: Generating, gathering, and disseminating information to formalize phase or project completion.
Project Risk Management
8.1 Risk identification: Determining which risks are likely to affect the project.
8.2 Risk quantification: Evaluating risks and risk interactions to assess the range of possible project outcomes.
8.3 Risk response development: Defining enhancement steps for opportunities and responses to threats.
8.4 Risk response control: Responding to changes in risk over the course of the project.
Project Procurement Management
9.1 Procurement planning: Determining what to procure and when.
9.2 Solicitation planning: Documenting product requirements and identifying potential sources.
9.3 Solicitation: Obtaining quotations, bids, offers, or proposals, as appropriate.
9.4 Source selection: Choosing from potential vendors.
9.5 Contract administration: Managing the relationship with the vendor.
9.6 Contract closeout: Completion and settlement of the contract, including resolution of any open items.
Project Stakeholder Management
10.1 Identify stakeholders: Identifying all people or organizations impacted by the project, and documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, and impact on project success.
10.2 Plan stakeholder management: Developing a management strategy to effectively engage stakeholders.
10.3 Manage stakeholder engagement: Managing communications to satisfy the needs and resolve issues.
10.4 Control stakeholder engagement: Monitoring stakeholder relationships and adjusting strategies and plans for engaging stakeholders.
Agile Project Management
Agile Scope Management: Agile methods embrace change, so scope is flexible and is managed iteratively to deliver maximum value.
Agile Time Management: Iterative schedules with short cycles (sprints) allow for frequent adjustments and continuous delivery.
Agile Cost Management: While initial cost estimates might be challenging, iterative budgeting and value-driven prioritization help control costs.
Agile Risk Management: Risks are addressed early in each iteration, focusing on the highest-priority items to minimize potential impact.
Agile Quality Management: Quality is continuously assessed after each iteration through testing, reviews, and stakeholder feedback.
Activities of Core Process 1: Identify the Problem and Obtain Approval
Core processes include identifying the problem, planning and monitoring, discovering details, designing components, building/testing, and completing system tests. These processes ensure a structured approach to project delivery.
Identify the Problem:
Quantify project approval factors to justify the investment.
Perform risk and feasibility analysis to assess potential challenges and viability.
Review findings with client and stakeholders, and obtain formal approval to proceed.
Identify the Problem
IS Development Projects usually:
Respond to an opportunity or strategic initiative to gain a competitive advantage.
Resolve a problem that is hindering organizational performance.
Respond to an external directive, such as compliance with legislation or changes in tax laws.
System Vision Document
Problem Description: A clear articulation of the issue and the proposed solution.
System Capabilities: Detailed description of the functionalities the system will provide, helping to define project scope.
Business Benefits: Tangible (quantifiable monetary gains) and intangible (qualitative improvements) benefits the system will deliver.
Quantify Project Approval Factors
Estimated Time for Completion: Realistic timeline for project delivery.
Estimated Cost of Development: Comprehensive budget including all development expenses.
Estimated Cost of Support: Ongoing expenses for system maintenance and support.
Anticipated system benefits: Expected improvements and advantages from the new system.
Examples of Costs
Summary of Estimated Annual Operating Costs for CSMS:
Connectivity/hosting:
Programming:
Help desk:
Total:
Summary of Development Costs for CSMS:
Salaries/wages:
Equipment/installation:
Training:
Facilities:
Utilities:
Travel/miscellaneous:
Licenses:
Total:
Time Estimate for the New CSMS Project:
Sales subsystem: 20 weeks
Order Fulfillment subsystem: 20 weeks
Customer Account subsystem: 15 weeks
Marketing subsystem: 13 weeks
Reporting subsystem: 12 weeks
Total development time (2 teams): 40 weeks
Final hardening and acceptance testing: 8 weeks
Total project time: 48 weeks
Benefit Types
Tangible Benefit: A benefit that can be measured or estimated in . These are direct financial gains or cost savings.
Intangible Benefit: A benefit that accrues to an organization but that can’t be measured quantitatively. These often involve improvements in areas like customer satisfaction or employee morale.
Cost/benefit analysis is used to evaluate approval by comparing all expected costs against potential benefits. This analysis helps stakeholders make informed decisions about project viability.
Examples of Intangible Benefits
Increased levels of service: Enhancements in service quality leading to customer loyalty.
Increased customer satisfaction: Higher satisfaction scores and improved customer relationships.
Survival—need to do it to compete: Essential investments to remain competitive in the market.
Need to develop in-house expertise: Building internal skills for long-term sustainability.
Determine Project Risk and Feasibility
Organizational risks/feasibility: How well does the new system fit the organizational culture? What are the potential negative impacts?
Technological risks/feasibility: Can the system be built by the team using the required technology? Is sufficient training and expertise available?
Resource risks/feasibility: Are the necessary resources (personnel, equipment, funding) available when needed?
Schedule risks/feasibility: Can the system be built within the required timeframe? Are there fixed deadlines to consider?
Review with Client and Obtain Approval
Executive committee reviews and approves proposals based on risk assessment, feasibility, and alignment with strategic objectives.
Board must review and approve for very large projects due to the significant financial impact.
Involved stakeholders need to understand what is expected to ensure buy-in and support.
IS department needs to know what to do for staffing and support to prepare for the project’s demands.
Whole organization should be made aware of the project and its importance to foster a supportive environment.
Activities of Core Process 2: Plan and Monitor the Project
Plan and monitor activities:
Establish the project environment: Set up the necessary infrastructure and processes.
Schedule the work: Develop a detailed project timeline.
Staff and allocate resources: Assign personnel and resources to specific tasks.
Evaluate work processes: Assess the effectiveness of project operations.
Monitor progress and make corrections: Track progress and address any issues that arise.
Establish the Project Environment
Project manager must establish project parameters and the work environment:
Recording and communicating—internal and external. Who, what, when, and how information will be managed and disseminated.
Work environment: Provisioning workstations, software development tools (IDE), servers, office and meeting space, and support staff.
Process and procedures followed: Defining reporting and documentation standards, programming approach, testing protocols, deliverable formats, and code/version control.
Schedule the Work
Project manager must establish initial project schedule and keep adjusting:
Project Iteration Schedule: The sequence of iterations with assigned use cases or user stories for each iteration.
Detailed Work Schedule: The schedule within an iteration that sequences tasks and specifies dependencies.
As each iteration is completed, the detailed work schedule for the next iteration is refined based on feedback and progress.
Developing Detailed Work Schedule: Includes three steps
Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): The list or hierarchy of activities and tasks used to estimate the work to be done in a project or iteration. The WBS decomposes project deliverables into manageable components.
Estimate effort and identify dependencies:
Task times: Estimate the effort required for each task.
Tasks that must be completed before another task begins: Identify dependencies to sequence tasks logically.
Critical path: Determine the sequence of tasks that cannot be delayed without affecting the project completion date.
Create a schedule using a Gantt chart: Bar chart that portrays the schedule by the length of horizontal bars superimposed on a calendar. It visually represents the project timeline and task durations.
Schedule the Work: WBS With Time Estimates and Notes
Example given for Iteration 1 of Sales Subsystem. Showcases how tasks are broken down and time estimates are assigned.
Schedule the Work: Project Network Diagram Example
Critical Path Precedence Diagram Example. Illustrates task dependencies and the critical path.
Schedule the Work: Gantt Chart
Gantt Chart for first iteration (using Project). Provides a visual representation of tasks, durations, start dates, predecessors, and resource allocation.
Shows task, duration, start date, predecessors, and resources to facilitate project tracking.
Staff and Allocate Resources
Staffing activity tasks consists of 5 tasks:
Developing a resource plan for the project: Identify all required resources.
Identifying and requesting specific technical staff: Secure personnel with the necessary skills.
Identifying and requesting specific user staff: Involve users to gather insights.
Organizing the project team into work groups: Form teams based on expertise and tasks.
Conducting preliminary training and team-building exercises: Prepare and unify the team.
Evaluate Work Processes
Are our communication procedures adequate? How can they be improved?
Are our working relationships with the user effective?
Did we hit our deadlines? Why or why not?
Did we miss any major issues? How can we avoid this in the future?
What things went especially well? How can we ensure it continues?
What were the bottlenecks or problem areas? How can we eliminate them?
Monitor Project Progress and Make Corrections
Process to monitor and control project execution includes assigning work, collecting status, analyzing variance, and taking corrective action if necessary. Regular monitoring helps identify and address issues promptly.
Issues-Tracking Log Example
Includes issue description, priority, impact, reported by, assigned to, target date, resolution description, and status. The log provides a structured way to manage and resolve project issues.
Summary
Project management is important and challenging, requiring a blend of technical and interpersonal skills.
Information systems projects often fail due to poor management, making project management skills highly valuable.
Project management involves directing people to achieve a planned result on schedule and on budget, ensuring project success.
Project managers have internal and external responsibilities, working with clients, committees, and users to ensure project alignment.
The PMBOK organizes project management into knowledge areas, providing a structured framework for managing
Project Planning and Project Management
Learning Objectives
Define project management and its critical role in ensuring the success of systems development projects. Effective project management ensures that projects align with organizational goals, deliver expected value, and are completed efficiently.
Describe the ten knowledge areas in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and their functions. The PMBOK provides a comprehensive framework for managing projects, covering aspects from integration and scope to risk and stakeholder management.
Explain how the Agile approach modifies the application of project management knowledge areas to suit iterative development. Agile project management emphasizes flexibility, collaboration, and continuous improvement, tailoring the PMBOK knowledge areas to iterative cycles.
Explain the activities involved in getting a project approved, as detailed in Core Process 1, including risk assessment and feasibility analysis. Core Process 1 focuses on defining the project's value and viability through detailed analysis and stakeholder alignment.
Explain the activities required to plan and monitor a project, according to Core Process 2, including scheduling, resource allocation, and progress evaluation. Core Process 2 outlines the essential steps for effective project execution, ensuring resources are optimized and progress is tracked.
The Need for Project Management
Systems development projects must succeed to deliver value, meet strategic goals, and avoid wasted resources. Successful projects are crucial for achieving business objectives and maintaining a competitive edge.
Categories of project success:
Successful projects: Completed on time, within budget, and fully meeting the defined scope. These projects deliver the intended benefits and satisfy stakeholders.
Challenged projects: Experiencing failures in one or more areas (e.g., delays, cost overruns, scope reductions). These projects require careful management to mitigate risks and address issues.
Failed projects: Projects that are cancelled before completion or are not utilized after completion, representing a total loss of investment. These projects highlight the importance of thorough planning and risk management.
Project Management
Project management involves organizing and directing resources (people, time, budget) to achieve a planned outcome or result. Effective project management ensures resources are used efficiently to meet project goals.
Key aspects include:
Planning processes to define project goals, scope, and deliverables. Detailed planning sets the foundation for successful project execution.
Monitoring processes to track progress and identify deviations from the plan. Continuous monitoring helps ensure projects stay on track and within budget.
Controlling processes to take corrective action and ensure project objectives are met. Control processes address issues promptly to maintain project momentum.
Project Manager Responsibilities
Internal Responsibilities:
Developing a realistic and detailed project schedule. A well-defined schedule ensures timely completion of project tasks.
Recruiting, training, and managing team members with appropriate skills. Skilled team members are essential for project success.
Assigning tasks to teams and individual members based on expertise and workload. Optimal task assignment maximizes efficiency and productivity.
Assessing and managing project risks proactively to minimize potential disruptions. Proactive risk management prevents costly delays and failures.
Monitoring and controlling project deliverables and milestones to ensure quality and adherence to timelines. Quality control ensures deliverables meet required standards.
External Responsibilities:
Reporting project status and progress to stakeholders in a clear and timely manner. Transparent communication keeps stakeholders informed and engaged.
Collaborating with the client (sponsor) and stakeholders to manage expectations and ensure alignment with business needs. Stakeholder alignment is critical for project support and success.
Identifying and securing necessary resources, including budget, equipment, and personnel. Adequate resources are necessary to achieve project objectives.
Project Manager & Project Stakeholders
Includes a diverse group of individuals and entities:
Users: Those who will directly interact with the system. User involvement ensures the system meets their needs.
Internal stakeholders: Employees or departments within the organization. Internal stakeholders' support is crucial for project adoption.
Oversight committee: Group providing guidance and governance. The oversight committee ensures projects align with strategic goals.
External stakeholders: Clients, subcontractors, technical staff, and regulatory bodies. Engaging external stakeholders ensures compliance and collaboration.
Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
The PMBOK is organized into 10 knowledge areas that represent key aspects of project management:
Project Integration Management: Unifies and coordinates all other knowledge areas, ensuring cohesive project execution. Integration management is the backbone of project success.
Project Scope Management: Defines and controls the functions of the system and the boundaries of the project team's work. Effective scope management prevents scope creep and keeps the project focused.
Project Time Management: Creates and maintains a detailed project schedule, tracking milestones and deadlines. Accurate time management ensures projects are completed on schedule.
Project Cost Management: Estimates, budgets, and controls project costs to ensure expenditures stay within approved limits. Cost management is essential for staying within budget.
Project Quality Management: Establishes a quality assurance plan and implements quality control activities throughout the project lifecycle. Quality management ensures deliverables meet required standards.
Project Human Resource Management: Focuses on recruiting, training, motivating, and developing the project team. Effective human resource management maximizes team performance.
Project Communications Management: Defines communication strategies, identifies stakeholders, and establishes communication channels and schedules. Clear communication keeps stakeholders informed and engaged.
Project Risk Management: Identifies potential risks, assesses their impact, and develops mitigation strategies. Proactive risk management minimizes potential disruptions.
Project Procurement Management: Manages the acquisition of goods and services from external vendors, including contracts and vendor performance. Effective procurement management ensures timely delivery of necessary resources.
Project Stakeholder Management: Identifies stakeholders, plans engagement, and manages relationships to ensure project success. Stakeholder management ensures project alignment and support.
PMBOK Knowledge Areas Detailed
Project Integration Management
1.1 Project plan development: Creating a comprehensive plan that integrates all aspects of the project. This involves consolidating all project plans into a cohesive document.
1.2 Project plan execution: Implementing the project plan and managing its execution. This includes coordinating resources and activities to achieve project goals.
1.3 Integration change control: Managing and controlling changes to the project plan. This ensures that any changes are properly evaluated and approved.
Project Scope Management
2.1 Initiation: Defining the project and obtaining authorization to start. This involves creating a project charter and identifying key stakeholders.
2.2 Scope planning: Developing a detailed description of the project’s scope. This includes defining project objectives, deliverables, and boundaries.
2.3 Scope definition: Defining what is included and excluded in the project. This helps to prevent scope creep and ensure that the project stays focused.
2.4 Scope verification: Formalizing acceptance of the project scope. This involves obtaining stakeholder approval for the defined scope.
2.5 Scope change control: Managing changes to the project scope. This ensures that any changes are properly evaluated and approved.
Project Time Management
3.1 Activity definition: Identifying the specific activities needed to complete the project. This involves breaking down the project into manageable tasks.
3.2 Activity sequencing: Determining the dependencies between activities. This helps to create a logical project schedule.
3.3 Activity duration estimating: Estimating the time needed to complete each activity. This requires considering resource availability and task complexity.
3.4 Schedule development: Creating the project schedule. This involves sequencing activities and assigning start and end dates.
3.5 Schedule control: Monitoring and controlling the project schedule. This ensures that the project stays on track and within the defined timeline.
Project Cost Management
4.1 Resource planning: Identifying the resources needed for the project. This includes personnel, equipment, and materials.
4.2 Cost estimating: Estimating the cost of each resource. This requires considering market rates and historical data.
4.3 Cost budgeting: Allocating costs to different project activities. This helps to ensure that the project stays within budget.
4.4 Cost control: Monitoring and controlling project costs. This involves tracking expenditures and identifying variances.
Project Quality Management
5.1 Quality planning: Identifying quality standards relevant to the project. This includes defining metrics for evaluating project deliverables.
5.2 Quality assurance: Ensuring that quality standards are met. This involves implementing processes to prevent defects.
5.3 Quality control: Monitoring and recording results of quality activities. This includes testing and inspection to identify defects.
Project Human Resource Management
6.1 Organizational planning: Identifying and documenting project roles, responsibilities, and reporting relationships. This helps to ensure clear accountability and effective communication.
6.2 Staff acquisition: Getting the needed personnel assigned to and working on the project. This involves recruiting, selecting, and onboarding team members.
6.3 Team development: Building individual and group skills to enhance project performance. This includes training, coaching, and mentoring.
Project Communications Management
7.1 Communications planning: Determining the information and communications needs of the stakeholders. This involves identifying stakeholders and their communication preferences.
7.2 Information distribution: Making needed information available to project stakeholders in a timely manner. This includes using various communication channels such as email, meetings, and reports.
7.3 Performance reporting: Collecting and disseminating project information. This involves tracking project progress and communicating status updates to stakeholders.
7.4 Administrative closure: Generating, gathering, and disseminating information to formalize phase or project completion. This includes documenting lessons learned and archiving project records.
Project Risk Management
8.1 Risk identification: Determining which risks are likely to affect the project. This involves brainstorming potential risks and documenting their characteristics.
8.2 Risk quantification: Evaluating risks and risk interactions to assess the range of possible project outcomes. This includes assessing the probability and impact of each risk.
8.3 Risk response development: Defining enhancement steps for opportunities and responses to threats. This involves developing strategies for mitigating or avoiding risks.
8.4 Risk response control: Responding to changes in risk over the course of the project. This includes monitoring risks and implementing contingency plans.
Project Procurement Management
9.1 Procurement planning: Determining what to procure and when. This involves identifying project needs and developing a procurement plan.
9.2 Solicitation planning: Documenting product requirements and identifying potential sources. This includes creating a request for proposal (RFP) or request for quotation (RFQ).
9.3 Solicitation: Obtaining quotations, bids, offers, or proposals, as appropriate. This involves contacting potential vendors and requesting proposals.
9.4 Source selection: Choosing from potential vendors. This includes evaluating proposals and selecting the best vendor.
9.5 Contract administration: Managing the relationship with the vendor. This involves monitoring vendor performance and ensuring compliance with contract terms.
9.6 Contract closeout: Completion and settlement of the contract, including resolution of any open items. This includes finalizing payments and documenting contract outcomes.
Project Stakeholder Management
10.1 Identify stakeholders: Identifying all people or organizations impacted by the project, and documenting relevant information regarding their interests, involvement, and impact on project success. This includes creating a stakeholder register.
10.2 Plan stakeholder management: Developing a management strategy to effectively engage stakeholders. This involves defining stakeholder communication and engagement strategies.
10.3 Manage stakeholder engagement: Managing communications to satisfy the needs and resolve issues. This includes holding regular meetings and providing timely updates.
10.4 Control stakeholder engagement: Monitoring stakeholder relationships and adjusting strategies and plans for engaging stakeholders. This involves tracking stakeholder satisfaction and addressing concerns.
Agile Project Management
Agile Scope Management: Agile methods embrace change, so scope is flexible and is managed iteratively to deliver maximum value. Scope is defined through user stories and prioritized based on business value.
Agile Time Management: Iterative schedules with short cycles (sprints) allow for frequent adjustments and continuous delivery. Sprints typically last from one to four weeks.
Agile Cost Management: While initial cost estimates might be challenging, iterative budgeting and value-driven prioritization help control costs. Cost is managed by prioritizing features that deliver the most value.
Agile Risk Management: Risks are addressed early in each iteration, focusing on the highest-priority items to minimize potential impact. Risk mitigation is a continuous process throughout the project.
Agile Quality Management: Quality is continuously assessed after each iteration through testing, reviews, and stakeholder feedback. Continuous integration and testing ensure high-quality deliverables.
Activities of Core Process 1: Identify the Problem and Obtain Approval
Core processes include identifying the problem, planning and monitoring, discovering details, designing components, building/testing, and completing system tests. These processes ensure a structured approach to project delivery. Each core process involves specific activities to manage the project effectively.
Identify the Problem:
Quantify project approval factors to justify the investment. Approval factors include ROI, NPV, and payback period. These metrics help stakeholders understand the project's financial benefits.
Perform risk and feasibility analysis to assess potential challenges and viability. Risk analysis identifies potential risks, while feasibility analysis evaluates technical, economic, and operational viability.
Review findings with client and stakeholders, and obtain formal approval to proceed. Approval ensures alignment and commitment from all parties involved.
Identify the Problem
IS Development Projects usually:
Respond to an opportunity or strategic initiative to gain a competitive advantage. These projects aim to improve business processes or introduce new products/services.
Resolve a problem that is hindering organizational performance. These projects address inefficiencies, bottlenecks, or compliance issues.
Respond to an external directive, such as compliance with legislation or changes in tax laws. These projects ensure the organization meets regulatory requirements.
System Vision Document
Problem Description: A clear articulation of the issue and the proposed solution. This includes the background, scope, and impact of the problem.
System Capabilities: Detailed description of the functionalities the system will provide, helping to define project scope. This includes features, functions, and performance requirements.
Business Benefits: Tangible (quantifiable monetary gains) and intangible (qualitative improvements) benefits the system will deliver. Tangible benefits include cost savings and revenue increases, while intangible benefits include improved customer satisfaction and employee morale.
Quantify Project Approval Factors
Estimated Time for Completion: Realistic timeline for project delivery. This includes milestones, deadlines, and critical path analysis.
Estimated Cost of Development: Comprehensive budget including all development expenses. This includes labor, materials, equipment, and overhead costs.
Estimated Cost of Support: Ongoing expenses for system maintenance and support. This includes help desk support, software updates, and hardware maintenance.
Anticipated system benefits: Expected improvements and advantages from the new system. This includes increased efficiency, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction.
Examples of Costs
Summary of Estimated Annual Operating Costs for CSMS:
Connectivity/hosting:
Programming:
Help desk:
Total:
Summary of Development Costs for CSMS:
Salaries/wages:
Equipment/installation:
Training:
Facilities:
Utilities:
Travel/miscellaneous:
Licenses:
Total:
Time Estimate for the New CSMS Project:
Sales subsystem: 20 weeks
Order Fulfillment subsystem: 20 weeks
Customer Account subsystem: 15 weeks
Marketing subsystem: 13 weeks
Reporting subsystem: 12 weeks
Total development time (2 teams): 40 weeks
Final hardening and acceptance testing: 8 weeks
Total project time: 48 weeks
Benefit Types
Tangible Benefit: A benefit that can be measured or estimated in . These are direct financial gains or cost savings. Examples include increased revenue, reduced operating costs, and improved efficiency.
Intangible Benefit: A benefit that accrues to an organization but that can’t be measured quantitatively. These often involve improvements in areas like customer satisfaction or employee morale. Examples include enhanced brand reputation, improved decision-making, and increased innovation.
Cost/benefit analysis is used to evaluate approval by comparing all expected costs against potential benefits. This analysis helps stakeholders make informed decisions about project viability. It involves calculating the net present value (NPV), return on investment (ROI), and payback period to assess the project's financial feasibility.
Examples of Intangible Benefits
Increased levels of service: Enhancements in service quality leading to customer loyalty. This includes faster response times, personalized service, and improved customer support.
Increased customer satisfaction: Higher satisfaction scores and improved customer relationships. This results in positive word-of-mouth, repeat business, and increased customer lifetime value.
Survival—need to do it to compete: Essential investments to remain competitive in the market. This includes adopting new technologies, improving business processes, and enhancing customer experience.
Need to develop in-house expertise: Building internal skills for long-term sustainability. This ensures the organization has the capabilities to manage and support the system effectively.
Determine Project Risk and Feasibility
Organizational risks/feasibility: How well does the new system fit the organizational culture? What are the potential negative impacts? This includes assessing the impact on existing processes, systems, and personnel.
Technological risks/feasibility: Can the system be built by the team using the required technology? Is sufficient training and expertise available? This involves evaluating the technical complexity, compatibility with existing systems, and the availability of skilled resources.
Resource risks/feasibility: Are the necessary resources (personnel, equipment, funding) available when needed? This includes assessing the availability of key personnel, the cost of equipment, and the adequacy of funding.
Schedule risks/feasibility: Can the system be built within the required timeframe? Are there fixed deadlines to consider? This involves evaluating the project timeline, task dependencies, and potential delays.
Review with Client and Obtain Approval
Executive committee reviews and approves proposals based on risk assessment, feasibility, and alignment with strategic objectives. The committee ensures that the project is aligned with the organization's strategic goals and priorities.
Board must review and approve for very large projects due to the significant financial impact. The board ensures that the project is financially viable and aligned with the organization's overall strategy.
Involved stakeholders need to understand what is expected to ensure buy-in and support. Stakeholder involvement and communication are critical for project success.
IS department needs to know what to do for staffing and support to prepare for the project’s demands. The IS department ensures that the necessary resources and infrastructure are in place to support the project.
Whole organization should be made aware of the project and its importance to foster a supportive environment. Organizational awareness and support are essential for project adoption and success.
Activities of Core Process 2: Plan and Monitor the Project
Plan and monitor activities:
Establish the project environment: Set up the necessary infrastructure and processes. This includes defining roles and responsibilities, establishing communication channels, and setting up project management tools.
Schedule the work: Develop a detailed project timeline. This includes creating a work breakdown structure (WBS), estimating task durations, and identifying dependencies.
Staff and allocate resources: Assign personnel and resources to specific tasks. This includes identifying required skills, assigning team members, and allocating budget and equipment.
Evaluate work processes: Assess the effectiveness of project operations. This includes tracking progress, identifying issues, and implementing corrective actions.
Monitor progress and make corrections: Track progress and address any issues that arise. This includes regular status meetings, progress reports, and issue tracking.
Establish the Project Environment
Project manager must establish project parameters and the work environment:
Recording and communicating—internal and external. Who, what, when, and how information will be managed and disseminated. This includes defining communication protocols, establishing reporting schedules, and creating a communication plan.
Work environment: Provisioning workstations, software development tools (IDE), servers, office and meeting space, and support staff. This ensures that team members have the resources they need to perform their tasks effectively.
Process and procedures followed: Defining reporting and documentation standards, programming approach, testing protocols, deliverable formats, and code/version control. This ensures consistency, quality, and traceability throughout the project.
Schedule the Work
Project manager must establish initial project schedule and keep adjusting:
Project Iteration Schedule: The sequence of iterations with assigned use cases or user stories for each iteration. This defines the scope and timeline for each iteration.
Detailed Work Schedule: The schedule within an iteration that sequences tasks and specifies dependencies. This provides a detailed plan for each iteration.
As each iteration is completed, the detailed work schedule for the next iteration is refined based on feedback and progress. This ensures that the schedule remains accurate and up-to-date.
Developing Detailed Work Schedule: Includes three steps
Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS): The list or hierarchy of activities and tasks used to estimate the work to be done in a project or iteration. The WBS decomposes project deliverables into manageable components. It includes all tasks required to complete the project.
Estimate effort and identify dependencies:
Task times: Estimate the effort required for each task. This includes considering resource availability and task complexity.
Tasks that must be completed before another task begins: Identify dependencies to sequence tasks logically. This ensures that tasks are performed in the correct order.
Critical path: Determine the sequence of tasks that cannot be delayed without affecting the project completion date. This helps to prioritize tasks and manage the project timeline.
Create a schedule using a Gantt chart: Bar chart that portrays the schedule by the length of horizontal bars superimposed on a calendar. It visually represents the project timeline and task durations. Gantt charts are useful for tracking progress and identifying potential delays.
Schedule the Work: WBS With Time Estimates and Notes
Example given for Iteration 1 of Sales Subsystem. Showcases how tasks are broken down and time estimates are assigned. This provides a practical illustration of the WBS process.
Schedule the Work: Project Network Diagram Example
Critical Path Precedence Diagram Example. Illustrates task dependencies and the critical path. This helps to visualize the project schedule and identify critical tasks.
Schedule the Work: Gantt Chart
Gantt Chart for first iteration (using Project). Provides a visual representation of tasks, durations, start dates, predecessors, and resource allocation.
Shows task, duration, start date, predecessors, and resources to facilitate project tracking. This helps to monitor progress and identify potential issues.
Staff and Allocate Resources
Staffing activity tasks consists of 5 tasks:
Developing a resource plan for the project: Identify all required resources. This includes personnel, equipment, materials, and budget.
Identifying and requesting specific technical staff: Secure personnel with the necessary skills. This involves recruiting, selecting, and onboarding team members.
Identifying and requesting specific user staff: Involve users to gather insights. This ensures that the system meets their needs.
Organizing the project team into work groups: Form teams based on expertise and tasks. This promotes collaboration and efficiency.
Conducting preliminary training and team-building exercises: Prepare and unify the team. This ensures that team members have the skills and knowledge they need to perform their tasks effectively.
Evaluate Work Processes
Are our communication procedures adequate? How can they be improved? Effective communication is essential for project success.
Are our working relationships with the user effective? Collaboration with users ensures that the system meets their needs.
Did we hit our deadlines? Why or why not? Meeting deadlines is critical for staying on schedule.
Did we miss any major issues? How can we avoid this in the future? Identifying and addressing issues promptly prevents costly delays.
What things went especially well? How can we ensure it continues? Replicating successful practices improves efficiency.
What were the bottlenecks or problem areas? How can we eliminate them? Addressing bottlenecks improves workflow.
Monitor Project Progress and Make Corrections
Process to monitor and control project execution includes assigning work, collecting status, analyzing variance, and taking corrective action if necessary. Regular monitoring helps identify and address issues promptly. This ensures that the project stays on track.
Issues-Tracking Log Example
Includes issue description, priority, impact, reported by, assigned to, target date, resolution description, and status. The log provides a structured way to manage and resolve project issues. It helps to track and resolve issues in a timely manner.
Summary
Project management is important and challenging, requiring a blend of technical and interpersonal skills. Technical skills are needed for planning and execution, while interpersonal skills are needed for communication and collaboration.
Information systems projects often fail due to poor management, making project management skills highly valuable. Effective project management can prevent costly delays and failures.
Project management involves directing people to achieve a planned result on schedule and on budget, ensuring project success. This requires careful planning, execution, and monitoring.
Project managers have internal and external responsibilities, working with clients, committees, and users to ensure project alignment. This includes communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management.
The