Project Management

Lecture 5-2

Introduction

This lecture discusses the key components of project management, role of project manager and techniques to improve project management

The techniques are applicable to

both system and non-system related projects.

Lecture 5-3

What is Project Management?

Project Management is a set of principles, methods and techniques for effective planning of objective-oriented work, thereby establishing a sound basis for effective scheduling, controlling, and replanning in the management of programs and projects.

Lecture 5-4

Project Management Triangle

COST (PRICE)

SCHEDULE (SPEED)

PERFORMANCE / SCOPE (QUALITY)

IDEALSETTLE FOR

Lecture 5-5

Role of Project Manager

• Leader• Planner• Organizer• Politician• Coordinator• Manager

• Communicator• Placator• Negotiator• Administrator• “Doer” (Goal Oriented)

Lecture 5-6

Benefits of Project Management to Top Management

Control over bottom line:• Cost / Schedules / Resources / Results

Delegation at the appropriate level Assurance of completed staff work More responsive to rapidly changing

needs Accountability for both project and

functional responsibilities

Lecture 5-7

Benefits of Project Management to the Project

Autonomy within the defined scope Top management support Assurance of reaching desired target Formal cooperation from functions Visibility Influence

Lecture 5-8

Project Life Cycle

Conceptual Feasibility Study Definition Detailed Planning Implementation Evaluation

Lecture 5-9

Key Things to remember when starting a project

1. Never accept an assignment that you don’t understand or cannot be done. Negotiate a realistic assignment.

2. If people need to accept the project for it to succeed, be sure to use consensus for decision making, and participation as a management style.

3. Take whatever time is needed to negotiate agreement among upper management

4. Obtain the best Sponsor, and see that the Sponsor approves, runs interference and maintains organizational priority for the project.

5. Get the right people involved, committed and accountable.6. Be sure the project is feasible. Modify, cancel or delay if not.7. Before devoting time to doing the work, be sure the project Charter

(including goals, quality, scope, resources, cost and schedule) is approved by the Sponsor and communicated to all involved people.

8. Gain commitment and set the stage for accountability by having functional Managers and Team Contributors plan the work they will do. Coordinate and negotiate interfaces between departments.

9. Coordinate the development of a Responsibility Chart.10. Refine your positive influence behaviours.

Lecture 5-10

Ten Steps to Create a Project Plan

Questions1. What is wanted/needed?2. Is it worthwhile doing NOW?3. What is to be accomplished?4. What will it take?5. What is the best way?6. Who will do what?7. How long will it take?8. How much will it cost?9. How many people are needed?10. How will progress be tracked &

reported?

Deliverable1. Answers to Key Client Questions2. Feasibility Study3. Project Charter & Scope4. Work BreakdownStructure5. Network & Critical Path Activity 6. Linear Responsibility Chart7. Duration & Elapsed Time

Estimates8. Labour and other Estimates9. Gantt Chart / Staffing Histogram10. Gantt Chart / Staffing Histogram /

Cost Line Graph

Lecture 5-11

10 Hints for Project Leadership

Be Consistent Provide Support Don’t make promises you can’t keep Praise in public, criticize in private Be aware of morale danger points Set realistic goals

Lecture 5-12

10 Hints for Project Leadership

Set perceived targets Explain and show, rather than do Don’t rely just on status reports Encourage a good team spirit

Lecture 5-13

Planning Techniques

Two techniques for scheduling and monitoring systems development activities are:

1 Gantt chart

2 PERT (program evaluation and review technique) requires that all activities and the precedent and subsequent relationships among them be identified.

Lecture 5-14

Planning Techniques

What is the critical path?The path requiring the greatest

amount of time.The total time of the project can

be reduced by shortening the critical path.

If any activity on the path takes longer than anticipated, a delay occurs.

Lecture 5-15

Planning Techniques

1 2

4

3

5

6

AC

G

B

D

F

E

Critical path A,B,E

Lecture 5-16

Planning Techniques

A Gantt chart is a bar chart with project activities listed on the left-hand side and units of time (days or weeks) across the top.

For each activity, a bar is drawn from the scheduled starting date to the ending date.

As activities are completed, the bar is filled in.

Lecture 5-17

Planning Techniques

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Activity Week Starting12345678

Project Planning Chart (Sample Gantt Chart)

Lecture 5-18

End of Lecture