Introduction
What is a project?
Attributes
■ Has a unique purpose
■ Is temporary
■ Is developed using progressive elaboration
■ Requires resources, often from various areas.
■ Should have a primary customer or sponsor
■ Involves uncertainty
Project Examples of information technology
■ Developing a new product or service
■ Acquiring/Implementing a software product
■ Constructing a building or facility
■ Running a campaign for political office
■ Implementing a new business process
The triple constraint
■ Scope - What work will be done?
■ Time - How long should it take to complete
■ Cost - What should it cost
What is Project Management
Project stakeholders
■ Project sponsor
■ Project manager
■ Project team
■ Support staff
■ Customers
■ Users
■ Suppliers
■ Opponents to the project
Project management knowledge areas
■ Integration Management
■ Scope Management
■ Time Management
■ Cost Management
■ Quality Management
■ Human Resource Management
■ Communications Management
■ Communications Management
■ Procurement Management
Project management tools and techniques
■ Project Charter and WBS (scope)
■ Gantt charts, PERT charts, critical path analysis, critical chain scheduling (time)
■ Cost estimates and earned value management chart (cost)
Project success factors
■ Executive support 2.
■ User involvement 3.
■ Experienced project manager 4.
■ Clear business objectives 5.
■ Minimized scope 6
■ Standard software infrastructure
■ Firm basic requirements 8.
■ Formal methodology 9.
■ Reliable estimates 10.
■ Other criteria, such as small milestones, proper planning, competent staff, and ownership
The Role of the
Project Manager
Job description
Job descriptions vary, but most include responsibilities such asplanning, scheduling, coordinating, and working with people to achieve project goals ■
Remember that 97 percent of successful projects were led by experienced project managers ■
15 PM job Functions
Define scope of project ■
Identify stakeholders, decision makers, and escalation procedures. ■
Develop detailed task list (work breakdown structures) ■
Estimate time requirements ■
Develop initial project management flow chart ■
Identify required resources and budget ■
Evaluate project requirements ■
Identify and evaluate risks ■
Prepare contingency plan ■
Identify inter-dependencies ■
Identify and track critical milestones ■
Participate in project phase review ■
Secure needed resources ■
Manage the change control process ■
Report project status ■
Skills for project manager
Be comfortable with change ■
Understand the organizations they work in and with ■
Lead teams to accomplish project goals ■
Hard skills - include product knowledge and knowing how to use various project management tools and techniques ■
Soft skills -include being able to work with various types of people ■
Communication skills: Listens, persuades ■
Organizational skills: Plans, sets goals, analyzes ■
Team-building skills: Shows empathy, motivates, promotes esprit de corps ■
Leadership skills: Sets examples, provides vision (big picture), delegates, positive, energetic ■
Coping skills: Flexible, creative, patient, persistent ■
Technology skills: Experience, project knowledge ■
Project management profession
Professional societies such as the Project Management Institute (PMI) have grown significantly. •There are specific interest groups in many areas, such as engineering, financial services, health care, and IT. •Project management research and certification programs continue to grow
The Project Management Institute
Ethics in Project Management
■ Ethics is an important part of all professions.
■ Project managers often face ethical dilemmas.
■ In order to earn PMP certification, applicants must agree to the PMP code of professional conduct.
■ Several questions on the PMP exam are related to professional responsibility, including ethics.
Project Management Software
Low-end tools: Handle single or smaller projects well; cost under $200 per user ■
Mid range tools: Handle multiple projects and users; cost $200-500 per user; Project 2003 most popular (includes an enterprise version) ■
High-end tools: Also called enterprise project management software; often licensed on a per-user basis; VPMiEnterprise Online(www.vcsonline.com) ■
New Trends in IT
Project Management
Heavy weight and lightweight software processes
Managing agile IT projects
A project is “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result "
Advantages
■ Better control of financial, physical, and human resources.
■ Improved customer relations.
■ Shorter development times.
■ Lower costs.
■ Higher quality and increased reliability.
■ Higher profit margins.
■ Improved productivity.
■ Better internal coordination.
■ Higher worker morale (less stress).
Project managements is
the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements