Understanding the Customer and Building the

Right Team

Before we start construction, let’s lay the groundwork.

1. Homework Question (34 competencies)

2. Critical Success Factors

3. Importance of Considering the Corporate Process

4. Key Players and their Motivations

5. Importance of Teamwork

6. Leadership vs Management

Outline for Tonight

Product Develop Skills

Awareness of Process Standards

Evaluating Alternative Processes

Tailoring Processes

Assessing Processes

Defining the Product

Managing Requirements

Managing Subcontractors

Performing the Initial Assessment

Selecting Methods and Tools

Tracking Product Quality

Understanding Development Activities

Project Management Skills

Building a WBS

Documenting Plans

Estimating Costs

Estimating Effort

Managing Risks

Monitoring Development

Scheduling Work

Selecting Metrics

Selecting Project Management Tools

Tracking Processes

Tracking Project Progress

Which are most important?People Management Skills

Appraising Performance

Handling Intellectual Property

Holding Effective Meetings

Interaction and Communication

Leadership

Managing Change

Negotiating Successfully

Planning Careers

Presenting Effectively

Recruiting

Selecting a Team

Teambuilding

10 signs of IS project failure:1. Project managers don’t understand users’ needs.

2. The project’s scope is ill-defined.

3. Project changes are managed poorly.

4. The chosen technology changes.

5. Business needs change.

6. Deadlines are unrealistic.

7. Users are resistant.

8. Sponsorship is lost.

9. The project lacks people with appropriate skills.

10. Managers ignore best practices and lessons learned.

Critical Success Factors

Source:“Critical Success Factors in Software Projects”

by John Reel, IEEE Software, June 1999

1 – 7 occur before even the design starts

4

Stable Requirements Accurate Estimations Teamwork and Unified Vision Attention to Risks

Critical Success Factors

Source:lots of reading by Dannelly

1. The Critical Point of View is the End-User◦ the best software solutions come from

understanding the customer's view of the world and addressing the customer's problems

Why consider the Corporate Process?

2. Perceived Value is based on how well the software solves the customer's problem in their domain◦ Value is not entirely based on Quality

for example - Microsoft software crashes

◦ Perceived Value ≠ Actual Costs for example - Microsoft security holes costs

millions of dollars

Why consider the Corporate Process?

3. Customer's take the Business View ($), not the computer science view

4. The system should revolve around the Company's Objectives

Why consider the Corporate Process?

So who are the key players? Who should we try to make happy?

Question…

Managers Employees / Users Company's Stock Holders Consumers

People in the Process

Return On Investment

Intangible Benefits

Market Strategy◦ meeting existing or expected demand

being the first to market

◦ securing our niche in the market

Managers' Motivations

Employees / Users

Consumers

Stock Holders

Others’ Motivations?

How we conduct the project and who we need on our team is also dependant on the type of product and the type of work to be conducted.

Other considerations…

business biggest class includes services

consumer mass market / shrink wrap price sensitive

Industrial and real-time really timely scientific

Types of Software Products

new software product component integration re-engineered product heroic maintenance

Project Types

We must understand the Company Process

We must recognize the key players and know their objectives

The type of product dictates a lot

Now that we have a good idea of the environment that we are dealing with, it is time to build a team and start planning

Summary

Questions…

What is the number one determiner of a group’s productivity?

What is the difference between a “manager” and a “leader”?

Important Teamwork Ideas

Software Projects are Cultural Events

Management ≠ Leadership

Team’s ability is based more on its personality than its skill

Cohesion

Biggest influence on Productivity is Team Cohesion

Team cohesion influences how the team reacts to external influences, internal problems, and project challenges

Cultural Roles Leader Listener Talker Expert Complainer …

Engineering Roles Requirements Analyst Designer Quality Assurance Marketing / Customer Liaison Tools Expert Documentation Trainer …

Cultural To-Dos

Monitor and Manage Culture, as well as technical issues

Understand each team member’s background and personality

Match Roles to Personalities

Understand the Organizational Culture

Management vs Leadership Management is derived by title People are required to do the work specified by the manager

Leadership draws extra effort without obligation

Most managers rose because of technical skills, not people skills

Management vs Leadership

Manager – Do things Right

Leader – Do the Right Thing

Manager’s ToDo List

Gain visibility without micromanagement

Review process and products, not people

Coordinate, don’t manipulate

Use your knowledge, not your power

Focus on project’s needs and people’s needs, not your power

Leader’s ToDo List

Hire for trait and train for skill Be confident in self and team Be fallible Lead by example Utilize team member’s talents Complete commitments on time

Leader’s ToDo List Allow staff to make decisions Place workers physically together Limit the number of projects assigned to a person

Never impose phony deadlines Allow teams to jell, don’t mix them up frequently

Create ritual (e.g. team meetings)

How much Leadership?

Team Leader

Unwilling & Unable strong direction

Unwilling & Able soft direction, sensitive to feelings

Willing & Unable concern for feelings, help do tasks

Willing & Able stand back and get out of their way

see table 6-14 and Figure 6-9.

Improving the Team

Make professional development a project goal

Recognize long and short term development goals

Let each member specify personal goals

Have members track their time

P-CMMwww.sei.cmu.edu/cmm-p

The People Capability Maturity Model (People CMM) is a framework that helps organizations successfully address their critical people issues. Based on the best current practices in fields such as human resources, knowledge management, and organizational development, the People CMM guides organizations in improving their processes for managing and developing their workforces. The People CMM helps organizations characterize the maturity of their workforce practices, establish a program of continuous workforce development, set priorities for improvement actions, integrate workforce development with process improvement, and establish a culture of excellence. Since its release in 1995, thousands of copies of the People CMM have been distributed, and it is used worldwide by organizations, small and large.

SEI's Motivation to develop P-CMM Scarce talent High salaries High turnover Increased workloads Unfinished work

P-CMM Level One – ad hoc Level Two – stable foundation of processes

across organization Level Three – best practices are made the

common practice Level Four – processes are managed Level Five – continuous improvement

Next Time… Now that we have a team and know the customer's environment, let's start creating something.

Step One - define the scope, set some measurable goals

Step Two - start figuring out all the tasks that need to be done

Before class #3, read the article from Navy regarding value of defining scope, etc.

“Homework”