Project Management

Project - temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service may be divided into subprojects

Project management - application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L.

Project Triangle

 

Time Cost

Scope

QUALITY

Project Management Activities

Ensuring progress of project using metrics

Identifying risks and assessing the probability of them occurring

Ensuring progress toward deliverables within constraints of time and resources

Project Management Activities

Running coordination meetings of the project team

Negotiating for resources on behalf of the project

Development Models

Systems Development Life CycleRapid Applications Development

(RAD)PrototypingJoint Applications Development

(JAD) (like RAD with users)Object-Oriented

Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

OverviewSoftware Acquisition ChoicesSDLC OverviewSDLC:PhasesAlternative Approaches

SDLC - Prior Problems

Failure to meet: Budgets Schedules Expectations

TOO LITTLE…. TOO LATE

SDLC - Characteristics“Problem” or “Opportunity”Many names; Widely applicable“Analysis” vs. “Synthesis”Variance across stages

SDLC - Characteristics

Disciplined approachSystems approachIterative (not sequential)Cyclical

SDLC - AdvantagesFocus on tradeoffsFocus on goalsControls: milestones,

checklist, accountability

SDLC - Advantages

Tools, models, CASEHierarchical decompositionDesigned for user & manager

involvement

SDLC - Reasons for Failure

Scope too broad or too narrow

Lack of needed skillsIncomplete specificationsNo control/no framework

SDLC - Reasons for Failure

Lack of management/user involvement

Too time-consuming

SDLC Phases

Initiation and FeasibilityRequirements DefinitionFunctional DesignTechnical Design and ConstructionVerificationImplementationMaintenance & Review

I. Initiation & FeasibilityProject objectives & ScopePreliminary survey & feasibility

Technical Economic Operational

Project proposal and scheduleIdentify assumptions & constraints

II. Requirements Definition

Problem/Opportunity definitionAnalyze current systemFocus on decisions and related

information needsDefine business functionalityPlan for training, user acceptance

Problem/Opportunity Definition

Symptoms vs. real problemsQuestion decision maker’s

statement of problemBound problem realisticallyTry to ascertain actual causeSometimes figuring out the

problem is half the solution

Analyze Current System

+ Understand activities involved+ Identify decision points+ Identify problems & efficiencies+ Be aware of history- Bias thinking

III. Functional DesignFocus on business needs

usability, reliability

Logical design Outputs Inputs Presentation Processes Databases Personnel

IV. Technical Design and ConstructionFinalize architecture and acquire

hardwareComplete technical definition of data

access and other system componentsMake (program) vs. buyDevelop test plansRevise schedule, plan and costs

V. VerificationProgram Testing

Structured walkthrough Code inspection Unit test Pairs testing

Verification, stress, user and security testing

VI. Implementation

Cut-over Parallel conversion Direct cut-over Pilot conversion Phased conversion

User training

VII. Maintenance and ReviewPost-implementation audit

Ends - information requirements (information, performance)

Means - processMaintenance (correcting bugs &

scheduled maintenance)Enhancement (adding functionality)

Rapid Applications Development (RAD)

Like prototyping, uses iterative development

Uses tools to speed up development GUI reusable code code generation programming, language testing and debugging

Requirements may be frozen too earlyBasic standards often overlooked

Iterative Development

System Concept

Version “1”

Version “2”

Version “N”Software

Development Process

Uses of Prototyping

Verifying user needs

Verifying that design = specifications

Selecting the “best” design

Developing a conceptual

understanding of novel situations

Uses of Prototyping

Testing a design under varying

environments

Demonstrating a new product to

upper management

Implementing a new system in the

user environment quickly

Prototyping

Proposed Advantages Improved user

communication Users like it Low risk Avoids over-

design Experimentation

and innovation Spreads labor to

user department

Disadvantages in practice Prototypes are used

“as is”Integration often

difficultDesign flawsPoor performance

Difficult to manage process

Creates unrealistic expectations

Documentation is difficult

Observed Effects of Prototyping

ease of use (+) user needs (+) unrealistic user

expectations (-) added features (?) poorer performance(-) mixed design quality mixed maintainability

less need more difficult to do

effort decreased (+) difficult cost-

estimation (-) end-user

participation increased (+)

more expertise needed (-)

difficult planning & control (-)

Software Product Software Process

Examples of Software Risk Items

personnel shortfallsunrealistic

schedules/budgetsdeveloping wrong

functionalitydeveloping wrong user

interfacecontinuing stream of

requirements changes

Examples of Software Risk Items

shortfalls in externally furnished components

shortfalls in externally performed tasks

real-time performance shortfallsstrained technical capabilities

Project Dimensions Affecting Risk

Project Size (relative to others)

The pregnant ladyExperience with Technology

RelativeProject structure

High vs. Low

Low Company-Relative Technology

LOWSTRUCTURE

HIGHSTRUCTURE

LARGEPROJECT

Low Risk(susceptible to

mismanagement)

Low Risk

SMALLPROJECT

Very LowRisk

(susceptible tomismanagement)

Very LowRisk

High Company-Relative Technology

LOWSTRUCTURE

HIGHSTRUCTURE

LARGEPROJECT

Very HighRisk

MediumRisk

SMALLPROJECT

HighRisk

Medium-Low Risk

Tools for Project Management

External integration tools (beyond project team)

Internal integration tools ( within project team)

Formal planning toolsFormal results-control

mechanisms

Integration ToolsEXTERNALUser project managerUser specification

approval processUser-managed control

processUsers as team

membersUser responsibility for

education&installation

INTERNAL IT professional team

leaderFrequent team

meetingsRegular technical

status reviewsOutside technical

assistanceGoal setting by team

Tools of Project Management

Formal Planning ToolsPERT, CPMMilestonesSystems specification

standardsFeasibility study

specificationsProject approval

processesPostaudit procedures

Formal Control Tools

Periodic formal status reports vs. plan

Change control disciplines

Regular milestone presentation meetings

Deviations from plan reports

Relative Contribution of Tools: High Structure

TYPE DESCRIPTION EI II FP FC

I Low Tech, Large Low

Med

Hi Hi

II Low Tech, Small Low

Low Med

Hi

III High Tech, Large Low

Hi Med

Med

IV High Tech, Small Low

High

Low Low

Relative Contribution of Tools: Low Structure

TYPE DESCRIPTION EI II FP FC

V Low Tech, Large Hi Med

Hi Hi

VI Low Tech, Small Hi Low Med

Hi

VII High Tech, Large Hi Hi Low+

Low+

VII High Tech, Small Hi Hi Low Low

Open Sourcing

The process of building and improving “free” software by an Internet community Release early and often Delegate as much as possible Archive and manage the versions

Be as open as possible

Free Software

The freedom to run the program for any purpose.The freedom to study how the program works,

and adapt it to your needs. Access to the source code is a precondition for this.

The freedom to distribute copies so that you can help your neighbor.

The freedom to improve and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. Access to source code is a precondition for this GNU Project- Free Software Foundation, “The Free Software Definition,” http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free- sw.html, Downloaded 4/3/02.

Open Sourcing Issues

Protection of Intellectual PropertyUpdating and maintaining open

source codeCompetitive advantageTech supportStandards