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Syllabus
M.C.A. (Sem-IV), Paper-V Software Project Management
1. Introduction a. What is project? b. What is project Management c. The role of project Manager d. The project Management Profession e. Project life cycle 2. Technology Context a. A system view of project management b. Understanding organizations c. Stakeholder management d. Project phases and the project life cycle e. The context of information technology projects 3. Introduction a. Developing the project schedule b. Project management software tools c. Developing the project budget d. Finalizing the project schedule and budget e. Monitoring and controlling the project f. The project communications plan g. Project metrics h. Reporting performance and progress i. Information distribution 4. The importance of project risk management a. Risk management planning b. Common sources of risk on information technology projects c. Risk identification d. Qualitative risk analysis e. Quantitative risk analysis f. Risk response planning g. Risk monitoring and control h. Using software to assist in project risk management 5. The importance of project procurement management a. Planning purchase and acquisitions b. Planning contracting c. Requesting seller responses d. Selecting sellers e. Administering the contract f. Closing the contract g. Using software to assist in project management h. Outsourcing 6. Change management
a. The nature of change b. The change management plan c. Dealing with resistance and conflict
7. Leadership & Ethics in Projects a. Project leadership b. Ethics in projects c. Multicultural projects 8. Introduction a. Project implementation b. Administrative closure c. Project evaluation References: 1. Information Technology Project Management: Kathy Schwalbe Thomson Publication. 2. Information Technology Project Management providing measurable organizational value Jack Marchewka Wiley India. 3. Applied software project management Stellman & Greene SPD. 4. Software Engineering Project Management by Richard Thayer, Edward Yourdon WILEY INDIA.
knowledge associated with project and program management. The 1950s marked the beginning of the modern Project Management era. Project management became recognized as a distinct discipline arising from the management discipline.
1.1 WHAT IS A PROJECT?
All of us have been involved in projects, whether they be our personal projects or in business and industry. Examples of typical projects are for example: Personal projects: obtaining an MCA degree writing a report planning a party planting a garden Industrial projects: Construction of a building provide electricity to an industrial estate building a bridge designing a new airplane Projects can be of any size and duration. They can be simple, like planning a party, or complex like launching a space shuttle. 1.1.1 Project Definition: A project can be defined in many ways : A project is “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.” Operations, on the other hand, is work done in organizations to sustain the business. Projects are different from operations in that they end when their objectives have been reached or the project has been terminated. A project is temporary. A project’s duration might be just one week or it might go on for years, but every project has an end date. You might not know that end date when the project begins, but it’s there somewhere in the future. Projects are not the same as ongoing operations, although the two have a great deal in common. A project is an endeavor. Resources, such as people and equipment, need to do work. The endeavor is undertaken by a team or an organization, and therefore projects have a sense of
being intentional, planned events. Successful projects do not happen spontaneously; some amount of preparation and planning happens first. Finally, every project creates a unique product or service. This is the deliverable for the project and the reason, why that project was undertaken.
1.2 PROJECT ATTRIBUTES
Projects come in all shapes and sizes. The following attributes help us to define a project further:
- A project has a unique purpose. Every project should have a well-defined objective. For example, many people hire firms to design and build a new house, but each house, like each person, is unique.
- A project is temporary. A project has a definite beginning and a definite end. For a home construction project, owners usually have a date in mind when they’d like to move into their new homes.
- A project is developed using progressive elaboration or in an iterative fashion. Projects are often defined broadly when they begin, and as time passes, the specific details of the project become clearer. For example, there are many decisions that must be made in planning and building a new house. It works best to draft preliminary plans for owners to approve before more detailed plans are developed.
- A project requires resources, often from various areas. Resources include people, hardware, software, or other assets. Many different types of people, skill sets, and resources are needed to build a home.
- A project should have a primary customer or sponsor. Most projects have many interested parties or stakeholders, but someone must take the primary role of sponsorship. The project sponsor usually provides the direction and funding for the project.
- A project involves uncertainty. Because every project is unique, it is sometimes difficult to define the project’s objectives clearly, estimate exactly how long it will take to complete, or determine how much it will cost. External factors also cause uncertainty, such as a supplier going out of business or a project team member needing unplanned time off. This uncertainty is one of the main reasons project management is so challenging.
control the rate at which it is expended. This makes it different from all other resources and cost categories. 1.3.2 Cost: Cost to develop a project depends on several variables including : labor rates, material rates, risk management, plant (buildings, machines, etc.), equipment, and profit. When hiring an independent consultant for a project, cost will typically be determined by the consultant's or firm's per diem rate multiplied by an estimated quantity for completion. Figure 1.1 : The Project management Triangle 1.3.3 Scope: Scope is requirement specified for the end result. The overall definition of what the project is supposed to accomplish, and a specific description of what the end result should be or accomplish can be said to be the scope of the project. A major component of scope is the quality of the final product. The amount of time put into individual tasks determines the overall quality of the project. Some tasks may require a given amount of time to complete adequately, but given more time could be completed exceptionally. Over the course of a large project, quality can have a significant impact on time and cost or vice versa. Together, these three constraints viz. Scope, Schedule & Resources have given rise to the phrase "On Time, On Spec, On Budget". In this case, the term "scope" is substituted with "spec(ification)"
1.4 WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Project management is “the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.” The effectiveness of project management is critical in assuring the success of any substantial activity. Areas of responsibility for the person handling the project include planning, control and implementation. A project should be initiated with a feasibility study, where a clear definition of the goals and ultimate benefits need to be determined. Senior managers' support for projects is important so as to ensure authority and direction throughout the project's progress and, also to ensure that the goals of the organization are effectively achieved in this process. Knowledge, skills, goals and personalities are the factors that need to be considered within project management. The project manager and his/her team should collectively possess the necessary and requisite interpersonal and technical skills to facilitate control over the various activities within the project. The stages of implementation must be articulated at the project planning phase. Disaggregating the stages at its early point assists in the successful development of the project by providing a number of milestones that need to be accomplished for completion. In addition to planning, the control of the evolving project is also a prerequisite for its success. Control requires adequate monitoring and feedback mechanisms by which senior management and project managers can compare progress against initial projections at each stage of the project. Monitoring and feedback also enables the project manager to anticipate problems and therefore take pre- emptive and corrective measures for the benefit of the project. Projects normally involve the introduction of a new system of some kind and, in almost all cases, new methods and ways of doing things. This impacts the work of others: the "users". User interaction is an important factor in the success of projects and, indeed, the degree of user involvement can influence the extent of support for the project or its implementation plan. A project manager is the one who is responsible for establishing a communication in between the project team and the user. Thus one of the most essential quality of the project manager is that of being a good communicator, not just within the project team itself, but with the rest of the organization and outside world as well. 1.4.1 Features of projects:
1.4. 3 Project Management Tools and techniques: Project planning is at the heart of project management. One can't manage and control project activities if there is no plan. Without a plan, it is impossible to know if the correct activities are underway, if the available resources are adequate or of the project can be completed within the desired time. The plan becomes the roadmap that the project team members use to guide them through the project activities. Project management tools and techniques assist project managers and their teams in carrying out work in all nine knowledge areas. For example, some popular time- management tools and techniques include Gantt charts, project network diagrams, and critical path analysis. Table 1.1 lists some commonly used tools and techniques by knowledge area. Knowledge Area Tools & Techniques Integration management Project selection methods, project management methodologies, stakeholder analyses, project charters, project management plans, project management software, change requests, change control boards, project review meetings, lessons-learned reports Scope management Scope statements, work breakdown structures, mind maps, statements of work, requirements analyses, scope management plans, scope verification techniques, and scope change controls Cost Management Net present value, return on investment, payback analyses, earned value management, project portfolio management, cost estimates, cost management plans, cost baselines Time management Gantt charts, project network diagrams, critical-path analyses, crashing, fast tracking, schedule performance measurements Human resource management Motivation techniques, empathic listening, responsibility assignment matrices, project organizational charts, resource histograms, team building exercises
Quality management Quality metrics, checklists, quality control charts, Pareto diagrams, fishbone diagrams, maturity models, statistical methods Risk management Risk management plans, risk registers, probability/impact matrices, risk rankings Communication management Communications management plans, kickoff meetings, conflict management, communications media selection, status and progress reports, virtual communications, templates, project Web sites Procurement management Make-or-buy analyses, contracts, requests for proposals or quotes, source selections, supplier evaluation matrices Table 1.1 : Project Management Tools and Techniques 1.4. 4 Project Success Factors: The successful design, development, and implementation of information technology (IT) projects is a very difficult and complex process. However, although developing IT projects can be difficult, the reality is that a relatively small number of factors control the success or failure of every IT project, regardless of its size or complexity. The problem is not that the factors are unknown; it is that they seldom form an integral part of the IT development process. Some of the factors that influence projects and may help them succeed are
- Executive Support
- User involvement
- Experienced project managers
- Limited scope
- Clear basic requirements
- Formal methodology
- Reliable estimates
1.5 THE ROLE OF PROJECT MANAGER
The project manager is the driving force in the management control loop. This individual seldom participates directly in the activities that produce the end result, but rather strives to maintain the progress and productive mutual interaction of various parties in such a way that overall risk of failure is reduced.
company management for resources, and with project staff about their tasks;
- handling disturbances to the smooth progress of the project such as equipment failures and personnel problems.
1.6 PROJECT LIFE CYCLE
The Project Life Cycle refers to a logical sequence of activities to accomplish the project’s goals or objectives. Regardless of scope or complexity, any project goes through a series of stages during its life. There is first an Initiation or Starting phase, in which the outputs and critical success factors are defined, followed by a Planning phase, characterized by breaking down the project into smaller parts/tasks, an Execution phase, in which the project plan is executed, and lastly a Closure or Exit phase, that marks the completion of the project. Project activities must be grouped into phases because by doing so, the project manager and the core team can efficiently plan and organize resources for each activity, and also objectively measure achievement of goals and justify their decisions to move ahead, correct, or terminate. It is of great importance to organize project phases into industry-specific project cycles. Why? Not only because each industry sector involves specific requirements, tasks, and procedures when it comes to projects, but also because different industry sectors have different needs for life cycle management methodology. And paying close attention to such details is the difference between doing things well and excelling as project managers. Diverse project management tools and methodologies prevail in the different project cycle phases. Let’s take a closer look at what’s important in each one of these stages: 1.6.1 Project Initiation: The initiation stage determines the nature and scope of the development. If this stage is not performed well, it is unlikely that the project will be successful in meeting the business’s needs. The key project controls needed here are an understanding of the business environment and making sure that all necessary controls are incorporated into the project. Any deficiencies should be reported and a recommendation should be made to fix them. The initiation stage should include a plan that encompasses the following areas: Analyzing the business needs/requirements in measurable goals. Reviewing of the current operations.
Conceptual design of the operation of the final product. Equipment and contracting requirements including an assessment of long lead time items. Financial analysis of the costs and benefits including a budget. Stakeholder analysis, including users, and support personnel for the project. Project charter including costs, tasks, deliverables, and schedule. Figure 1.5 : Project Life Cycle 1.6.2 Planning & Design: After the initiation stage, the system is designed. Occasionally, a small prototype of the final product is built and tested. Testing is generally performed by a combination of testers and end users, and can occur after the prototype is built or concurrently. Controls should be in place that ensures that the final product will meet the specifications of the project charter. The results of the design stage should include a product design that:
- Satisfies the project sponsor (the person who is providing the project budget), end user, and business requirements.
- Functions as it was intended.
finished work. The record is made on the contract documents – usually, but not necessarily limited to, the design drawings. The end product of this effort is what the industry terms as-built drawings, or more simply, “as built.” When changes are introduced to the project, the viability of the project has to be re-assessed. It is important not to lose sight of the initial goals and targets of the projects. When the changes accumulate, the forecasted result may not justify the original proposed investment in the project. 1.6.4 Closure: Closing includes the formal acceptance of the project and the ending thereof. Administrative activities include the archiving of the files and documenting lessons learned. This phase consists of: Project close : Finalize all activities across all of the process groups to formally close the project or a project phase. Contract closure : Complete and settle each contract (including the resolution of any open items) and close each contract applicable to the project or project phase. Sample Questions
- Why is there a new or renewed interest in the field of project management?
- What is a project, and what are its main attributes? How is a project different from what most people do in their day-to-day jobs? What is the triple constraint?
- What is project management? Briefly describe the project management framework, providing examples of stakeholders, knowledge areas, tools and techniques, and project success factors.
- Discuss the relationship between project, program, and portfolio Management and their contribution to enterprise success.
- What are the roles of the project, program, and portfolio managers? What are suggested skills for project managers? What additional skills do program and portfolio managers need?
TECHNOLOGY CONTEXT
Unit Structure: 2.1 A systems view of project management. 2.1.1 The Three Sphere model for Systems management 2.1.2 A Case 2.2 Understanding Organisations 2.2.1 The key roles 2.2.1.1 Top management 2.2.1.2 The Project Board 2.2.1.3 Project Manager 2.3 Stakeholder Management 2.3.1 Stakeholder Agreements 2.4 The Context of Information Technology Projects 2.4.1. Software Projects 2.4.2 Software Development Process 2.4.3 Requirements Engineering
2.1 A SYSTEMS VIEW OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
There are many aspects of project management that are important and worthy of comment. There are so many details that must be handled in order for a project to be successful. To be able to handle the day to day details while still keeping your eye of the strategic whole is a demanding task but one that can be learned and improved. As the project is a temporary, one-time endeavor undertaken to solve a problem or take advantage of an opportunity, It usually has a customer or customers (either internal or external to the
a systems philosophy to understand how projects relate to the whole organisation. 2.1.1 The Three Sphere model for Systems management: The three-sphere model of systems management deals with the business, organizational and technological aspects and/or issues related to the project that should be defined and considered in order to select and manage projects effectively and successfully. In terms of addressing its advantage on the business side, a project should supplement or serve as an answer to the business goals; whereas, the technological sphere should state the proper hardware and software issues to be resolved. As for the organizational aspect, matters involving the stakeholders should be taken into full consideration. If the project manager would be able to point out as early as possible the aforementioned issues and integrate it to the project it would definitely aid in determining if an organization should invest and produce the project. Figure 2.1 : Three Sphere model for systems management
2.1.2 A Case: A programmer was given a task to convert a static website of a magazine into a dynamic PHP website; what prompts the management to engage into this project is the fact that the web has become more sophisticated and that there has been a major shift of “print” audience to the internet. You’ll find below the business, organizational and technological issues of the said project. Business issues:
- Would the website be the medium in response to the impact of the internet in a publishing company?
- Would the website supplement the magazine in terms of advertising?
- What will the project cost the company?
- What would be the impact of the website to the sales of the magazine?
- What would be the cost of maintaining the whole system for the website? Technological issues:
- What operating system, server platform, scripting language and database should be used?
- What will be the server and desktop specifications?
- Does our current network setup allow employees to develop this project, or do we need an upgrade?
- Do we have the right internet connection to support this project? Organizational issues:
- Do we have the existing manpower to develop the project?
- What would be the impact of the website to the magazine’s print division?
- How will the website affect our print audience? The most important issues are from the business and organization spheres, since these two primarily follows the business philosophy – it would definitely be pointless if a project fails to meet the endeavors either on the business or organizational
