DON F. ERWINBUFFALO STATE COLLEGEBUFFALO, NEW YORK, USA

PART 1 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT BASICS

Software Project Management

Introduction

• Who is Don?• Who are you?

Who are we?

• Don?• You?

Why are we here?

• Why do (would) you want to be a project manager?

The Big Question:

“Good judgement comes from experience, and often experience comes from bad judgement.” -Rita Mae Brown, author

Survey

What are the top 5 issues you need to solve on your software project?

1. The difficulties in estimations (budget, schedule, etc.)2. Wrong assumptions3. Customer changing mind4. How to manage client expectations5. Not enough qualified resources

Overview

Project Management BasicsProject Management on Software ProjectsManaging Stakeholders’ ExpectationsRisk ManagementProject CommunicationLeadership in Software Project ManagementIT GovernanceOther???

We Plan to Cover:

Reality Check

The Bad News•No six steps to Software Project Management bliss•There are no shortcuts•One size does not fit all•“It depends…”

So Why Talk About it?•Share experiences / lessons learned•Validate the things you are doing well•See if you are doing things that just make matters worse

Project Management Basics

What is a Project?Project Management ProcessesThe Triple ConstraintWhat is Project Management?The Project ManagerThe Importance of Project ManagementProject Management FrameworkIntegrated Approach

Project Management Basics:

What is a Project

What is a Project?• Temporary endeavor• Unique result• Compare with a program• Has a sponsor• Is chartered/authorized

(Some process for selection/approval)• Ask: Is it really a project?

What is not a Project?

Has a desired result

Has a beginning and an end

Involves many people/organizations

Is new or unique

Has time, cost, performance constraints

Exploratory **

Indefinite beginning and end

Involves one person/team

Many of the same thing

No time, cost, performance constraints

YES No

(Brown)

Is it a Project?

Programs•Aircraft Production Line•“Keep the Trains Running” (KTR) activities• Regulatory updates• New version of

reports

Projects•Upgrade Aircraft Engine•Replace custom software app with off-the-shelf app

Project Sponsorship

• All projects should be initiated to meet a strategic goal(more about that later…)• Project needs to have an advocate (executive

sponsor)• Project Manger has to be given the authority to

spend organization’s money• PM and various supervisors need to be defined• Relationships need to be clarified• The general scope and constraints need to be

defined

Process Groups

All projects typically go through these five processes

Plan Monitor &

Control

Implement

Close

Initiate

Project ManagementInstitute (PMI)

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Process Purpose

A process is a series of actions directed towards a particular result.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Result

activityinputs outputs

(Brown)

PM Processes Groups

Initiating Planning Executing

Monitoring

Controlling

Closing

(PMBOK)

PM Processes Groups

Initiating Planning Executing

Monitoring

Controlling

Closing

• Develop Charter• Develop Preliminary Scope

(PMBOK)

PM Processes Groups

Initiating Planning Executing

Monitoring

Controlling

Closing

• Develop PM Plan• Scope Planning, WBS Definition• Resource Loaded Schedule• Cost Estimating and Budgeting• Quality Planning• Human Resource Planning• Communications Planning• Risk Planning• Purchasing & Contracts Planning

“Failure to prepare is preparing to fail.”Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the USA

(PMBOK)

PM Processes Groups

Initiating Planning Executing

Monitoring

Controlling

Closing

• Project Execution• Quality Assurance• Acquire and Develop Team• Distribute Information (Communication)• Vendor Selection

(PMBOK)

PM Processes Groups

Initiating Planning Executing

Monitoring

Controlling

Closing

• Change Control• Scope Control• Schedule Control• Cost Control• Quality Control• Manage Team• Performance Reporting / Manage Stakeholders• Risk Management• Contract Management

(PMBOK)

PM Processes Groups

Initiating Planning Executing

Monitoring

Controlling

Closing

• Close Project• Contract Closure

(PMBOK)

The Triple Constraint

Cost

Scope

Time

The Challenge: Maintain Equilibrium

RiskQuality

There are more than three…

Others?

The Triple Constraint

Cheaper

Better

Faster

Pick any two…

Another way to look at it…

The Triple Constraint

Touching one constraint always affects the others

Project Management Goals

To define:•What will we do?•How will we do it?•How will we know we are done?

Outcomes must be:•Measureable - in some quantitative manner that is not arguable •Time Bound - discrete time limits for measurement •Achievable - agreement between the person(s) responsible for meeting the objective and their supervisor(s)/project manager

The Project Manager

• Someone has to pull all this together• (usually) Not responsible for producing the product• Not a side job…• Responsible for the process to produce the product• Must understand:• PM concepts• The business• The technology• The stakeholders• The culture• …

• Must be:• A leader• A motivator• A diplomat• A negotiator• Willing to say things

people don’t want to hear

The Project Manager is the Glue

Client/SponsorClient/

Sponsor

Team ATeam ATeam ATeam A

Team ATeam ATeam sTeam s

StakeholdersStakeholders

VendorsVendors

Project ManagerProject

Manager

Organization Structure

FunctionalMatrix

WeakBalancedStrong

Projectized

Each type affects:•PM Authority•Resource Availability•Budget Control•PM Role (FT/PT)•PM Administrative Staff (FT/PT)

(PMBOK)

The Project Organization Chart

The Enterprise’s Organization Chart

Who works for whom?

Importance of Project Management

• Compressed product life cycle• Competitive edge in global market• Knowledge explosion• Corporate downsizing• Increased customer focus

(Brown)

Advantages of Project Management

• 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

(Brown)

Project Management Framework

The PMBOK’s 9 Knowledge Areas

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Project Management Framework

Core function areas constrain how project objectives are met•Scope•Time•Cost•Quality

Facilitating function areas are the means for achieving project objectives •Human Resources•Communication•Risk•Procurement Management

Knowledge function (project integration management) controls changes to process and product (Brown)

Time Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Cost Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Scope Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Quality Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Core Functions

Cost

Scope

Time

Remember this?

The first four knowledge areas are Core Functions.

Quality

(Brown)

Facilitating Functions

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Human Resource Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Risk Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Communication Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Procurement Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Integration Management

IntegrationManagement

IntegrationManagement

Time Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Cost Management

Scope Management

Scope Management

Quality Management

Quality Management

HR Management

HR Management

Risk Management

Risk Management

Communication

Management

Communication

Management

Procurement Management

Procurement Management

(Brown)(PMBOK)

Project Management Skills

Technical Skills•Budgeting•Planning•Scheduling•Documenting•Contracts

People Skills•Leading•Motivating•Listening•Empathizing

Which is more important?

BothYou need an equal measure of

each… (Brown)

List of Works Cited

1. Project Management Institute (PMI), Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK). 3rd ed. 2004.

2. Brown, Craig. "The Project Management Process - Week 1." SlideShare.com. 17 Aug 2008. BetterProjects.net. 7 Aug 2008 <http://www.slideshare.net/craigwbrown/the-project-management-process-week-1?src=embed>.