Software Project Software Project Management : An Management : An OverviewOverview

Amit DubeyAmit.dubey@me.com

Presentation OverviewPresentation OverviewWhat is project (5 mins)what is project management (10 mins)what are the components of project

management .(20- 30 mins)Enabling yourself for software projects.(10

mins)questions and answers (~15 mins)

What is projectWhat is project The first thing is to know what is a project, before learning to manage one.

The way I like to define a project is “a set of activities having a definite BEGINNING and END with a UNIQUE RESULT”.

If a project is repeated regularly by keeping most of the attributes same, it becomes an operation. An example can be a setup of a soda drink plant for the first time is a project. The manufacturing of the first batch of soda drinks is also a project. But after that, everyday’s production becomes an operation that has a similar result every time it is performed. So, even an operation when performed for the first time is a project.

The project is ‘Temporary’ in nature as it has a start and an end in a specified time period. Project being temporary doesn’t mean that it is of a short duration. The duration of a project can be as short as a week, for example, and as long as multiple years. Constructing a new room in the house is a project which could be completed in a week or so depending upon the planning, budget, resources, etc., whereas, construction of a 50 stories high rise building could take years. An important thing to understand here is that a construction company involved in the construction of different buildings considers them as individual projects as they result in a different product every time after a specific start and end. The company’s internal departments like procurement, debris disposal, logistics, etc. however are running similar operations just on different sites.

So a project is anything with a start and an end which makes it temporary and it has a unique result which can be a product or a service.

What is project What is project management management ‘what is meant by managing a project?’. If project can be considered a

problem and its result is a solution to the problem then managing it is to adopt the best suitable way, out of many, to reach the solution by addressing the problem. In the simplest possible words, the project management is knowing all your options and choosing the best as per your limitations (environmental, financial, logistical, etc.) to solve your problems. These limitation are called ‘constraints’ in project management terms.

Project management is an art and a science at the same time. It has both professional and social aspects, that is why people with better social skills become better project managers. There is no doubt about technical knowledge of project management being the prerequisite for a project manager but the equal importance of social skills can be judged by that fact that during a project’s life cycle, the project manager spends 90% of his time in managing communications and dealing with the project team, management, customers, cross functional departments, end users, etc. collectively known as stakeholders. So I believe that the basic skill that you need to build, before learning the project management professionally, is social skill and that’s the very essence of project management.

What winners doWhat winners do “The winners clearly spell out what needs to be done in a

project, by whom, when, and how. For this they use an integrated toolbox, including PM tools, methods, and techniques…If a scheduling template is developed and used over and over, it becomes a repeatable action that leads to higher productivity and lower uncertainty. Sure, using scheduling templates is neither a breakthrough nor a feat. But laggards exhibited almost no use of the templates. Rather, in constructing schedules their project managers started with a clean sheet, a clear waste of time.”*

Project management groups Project management groups and processesand processes As we all know, according to PMBOK® 5th Edition

we have 47 PM processes, and these processes are scattered among 5 process groups, and 10 knowledge areas:

Initiating : 2 processes Planning: 24 processes Execution: 8 processes Monitoring & Controlling: 11 processes Closing: 2 processes. PMI Project Management Standards suggest that

the 5 process control groups should be used to define these processes within each phase of a project for a successful implementation. These process control groups are defined as follows: Initiating processes, planning processes, executing processes, monitoring and controlling processes, closing processes,

Process groups vs Process groups vs Knowledge areasKnowledge areasProcess GroupsInitiatingPlanningExecutingMonitoring & ControllingClosingKnowledge AreasProject Integration ManagementProject Scope ManagementProject Time ManagementProject Cost ManagementProject Quality ManagementProject Human Resources ManagementProject Communications ManagementProject Risk ManagementProject Procurement ManagementProject Stakeholder Management (newly added knowledge area in PMBOK guide 5th edition)

What is software project What is software project managementmanagement

Detailed diagramDetailed diagram

Project initiationProject initiation Project Charter is the basic document that officially kicks off

the project by giving the authority to the project manager to go ahead with the project. Technically speaking, the project sponsoring authorities prepare this document and a project manager is assigned during this phase . But, in most cases, since the project manager is already a part of the organization, so this document is also prepared by him. It does not really matters that who prepared the project charter, the most important aspect of project initiation is that this document exists. It is, however, recommended that the project manager participates in the development of the project charter. Project charter for a project is as important and imperative as a graduation degree for your professional career. Project charter is generally a 2-10 pages document but can vary according to the requirement and size of the project. It consists of the following important information:

Project Title and Description: As per the heading, this is simply the name of the project along with its brief description as what to do, its objectives, etc.

Project Manager and Authority Level: This section names the project manager assigned for the project and his level of authority in the project.

Statement of Work (SOW): The SOW is created by the sponsoring agency and describes their needs (macro level requirements) and project’s scope (what to do and what not to do).

Business Case: This section defines the need (business need) of this project. Now, this is a very important part and one can assess the importance of a project by looking at this section. This is called project selection criteria, mostly justified by conducting cost-benefit analysis of all the suggested projects. There are several methods available to perform this analysis including but not limited to Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Benefit-Cost Ration, Economic Value Added (EVA), etc.

Project Resources: This section describes the high level resource requirements to complete this project. Number of team members, their high level skills set, hardware, logistics, etc. are listed in this section.. The purpose of including sections like this and SOW, etc. in project charter is to give an overall picture of the project in one document.

Stakeholders and Their Needs: Anyone who takes part in the project or is effected by the result of this project is called a stakeholder. The project team is the subset of stakeholders. This differentiation is made for the purpose of communications management. For example, the customers of any product, being developed in a project, are stakeholders but we do not send them our project’s status reports, etc. This sections also enlists the high level requirements gathered from the stakeholders by conducting surveys, interviews and other methods of requirements gathering.

Project Constraints and Potential Risks: This section describes the project constraints like deadline, budget and other high level limitations. Besides constraints, high level potential threats and opportunities are also mentioned in this section.

Signatures: Last but not the least, never forget to get the project charter signed by the sponsoring authorities. The signatures are the seal of approval by the management and make it an official document.

Project InitiationProject Initiation

PlanningPlanning As the name suggests, it is a plan with which one can manage

the project as a whole, not just the milestones or activities schedules. Whole project means that this is much more than a mere schedule. You have to remember that this plan is part of theintegration management of the project which means that it integrates all the aspects of the project and continuously evolves during the project duration. This plan is not just one document, rather the following individual documents are put together to form the project management plan:

Project baseline Schedule baseline Cost performance baseline Scope baseline

Plans from each knowledge areaScope management planTime/Schedule management planCost management planQuality management planHuman resource planCommunications management planRisk management planProcurement management planOther management plansRequirements management planChange management planConfiguration management planProcess improvement plan

Often the three baselines are put together under one document generally called project performance baseline against which the project’s integrated performance is measured. The purpose of putting these plans under different headings is to make it easier to remember the names which could be otherwise difficult to remember if listed under a single heading. These individual plans will be explained in their respective topics and areas later on.

The conclusion is that the key to understand this topic is to remember that the project management plan is part of the integration management knowledge area; which means that there are always more than just one plan to integrate

Project PlanningProject Planning

Project ExecutionProject Execution Project execution involves managing and performing the

work described in the project management plan The majority of time and money is usually spent on

execution The application area of the project directly affects project

execution because the products of the project are produced during execution

Project planning and execution are intertwined and inseparable activities

Those who will do the work should help to plan the work Project managers must solicit input from the team to

develop realistic plans

Figure 6-1. Executing Processes and Figure 6-1. Executing Processes and OutputsOutputs

22

Knowledge area Executing process Outputs

Project integration management Direct and manage project execution

DeliverablesWork performance dataChange requestsProject management plan updatesProject document updates

Project quality management Perform quality assurance Organizational process asset updatesChange requestsProject management plan updatesProject document updates

Project human resource management

Acquire project teamDevelop project teamManage project team

Project staff assignmentsResource calendarsProject management plan updatesTeam performance assessmentEnterprise environmental factors updatesChange requestProject management plan updatesEnterprise environmental factors updatesOrganizational process assets updates

Project communications management

Distribute informationManage stakeholder expectations

Organizational process assets updatesOrganizational process assets updatesChange requestsProject management plan updatesProject document updates

Project procurement management Conduct procurements Selected sellersProcurement awardResource calendarsChange requestsProject management plan updatesProject documents updates

Project Monitoring and Project Monitoring and controlcontrol Monitoring and Controlling progress of a project’s

implementation plays a very important role in the successful implementation of a project

Tracking action items : The Action Items list is initially created from the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).  Weekly team meetings are held  to review/update listed action items as well as to add additional items as the need arises.  This is done to ensure that activities in the critical path are completed on time so that the timeline of the project does not slip. These meetings also serve the purpose of protecting the project from unintentional scope creep.

Tracking of issues :Throughout the project implementation, there will be times when action items turn into irresolvable issues at the project team level.  These action items are then escalated into issues to be engaged and resolved by the Project Sponsor and other stakeholders of the specific process in question.

Status reports: The Project Office distributes electronic status reports of all technology-related projects on a bi-weekly basis.      These reports are sent to all Project Sponsors, Team Members, and the Technology Steering Committee;  primarily to show the health of each of the projects currently being implemented.

Change control : Any change within a project that affects the Scope, Timeline, or Budget of the project is subject to the change request process.  The Project Manager submits the change request to the Project Sponsor on behalf of the Project Team.  Once the change has been approved, it can be added to the scope of the project.

Move to Production:As a project moves to completion and the new service or process has been moved into a production environment, there are safeguards that need to be in place to ensure uninterrupted service to the end-users. 

Review Gate Before the project can move into the Close Out phase of the

Project Lifecycle, it must pass through. The Review Gate is a serious of questions that need to be addressed. Routing and signatures of the Review Gate Document may be required depending upon the Classification Level of the project (see below).

Review Gate Document needs to be completed and submitted to the CIO of the implementing institution for approval

Project closureProject closure As a project moves into the Close Out there are several things that

occur to ensure the longevity & sustainability of the newly implemented service.

Transfer of Ownership Throughout the implementation of a project, the Information

Technology Department often works alongside the functional team and plays a very critical role in the setup and roleout of a service. Once the service is operational and stable, there comes a need to transfer ownership of many of the processes IT has helped the Functional Team set up throughout the project. Many of these transitional item become part of the Functional Team’s daily routine once the project has been closed out.

The Objectives Met/Not Met is a document in which the objectives listed within the Business Justification document are reviewed to determine which were met, which were NOT possible due to incorrect assumptions concerning the project implementation and which still need to be met but were not included in phase I of the project.

Lessons Learned The Lessons Learned document allows the project team to provide

feedback to the project office concerning the Project Implementation process. This allows Project Managers of future projects, to learn from past experiences.

Review Gate Before the project can be completed, it must pass through the

review. Level 1 Review Gate Document needs to be completed and

submitted to the CIO of the implementing institution for approval Level 2 Review Gate Document needs to be completed and

submitted to the Project office of the implementing institution for approval

Level 3 Review Gate Document needs to be completed by the project PM and saved within the project file of the implementing institution.

The project is now Complete.

ClosureClosure

Enabling yourself for project Enabling yourself for project managementmanagementWhat is expected from you to be:1. Passionate2. Determined3. Team Player4. Confident5. Up-to-date6. Efficient Time Management7. Coolheaded and Open Minded

8. Competitive9. Creative10. Strategist11. Original12. Industrious13. Realist14. Independent15. Nerves of Steel

Effective SW project Effective SW project management focuses on 3 Pmanagement focuses on 3 P’’s:s:peopleproblemprocess

1.1. peoplepeople must be organized into effective

teams motivated to do high-quality work coordinated to achieve effective

communication and results

2.2. problemproblem must be communicated from

customer to developer decomposed into its parts positioned for work by SW team

3.3. processprocess must be adapted to the people

and problemto get the SW developed: common process framework is

selected appropriate SWE paradigm is

applied set of work tasks chosen

PeoplePeople

3.2 People3.2 Peoplevery important component to

success of SW projectplayers:

senior managers - define business issues that impact project

project (technical) managers - must plan, motivate, organize and control the project team

customers - specify requirements end users - use the sw

3.2 People3.2 Peopleteam leaders:

lead the sw development team MOI model of leadership

motivation organization - of processes ideas or innovation - encourage

creativity

3.2 People3.2 People Another view - 4 key traits of

effective project manager problem solving skills managerial identity - take charge of

the project achievement - reward initiative and

controlled risk taking influence and team building - ability

to read people

Organization of SW Organization of SW teamsteams

A.A. The team structuresThe team structuresSW teams can be organized into

number of different team structures

appropriate team structure depends on type of problem task

3 generic team organizations

1.1.democratic decentralized democratic decentralized (DD) (fig. 1)(DD) (fig. 1) no permanent leader task coordinators appointed for

short time and then replaced decisions made by group

consensus horizontal communication

2.2.controlled decentralized controlled decentralized (CD) (fig. 3)(CD) (fig. 3) leader who coordinates tasks secondary leaders responsible for

subtasks group problem solving horizontal communication among

subgroups vertical communication along

control hierarchy

3. 3. controlled centralized (CC) - i.e. controlled centralized (CC) - i.e. chief programmer team (fig. 2)chief programmer team (fig. 2) top-level problem solving and

team coordination managed by team leader

vertical communication between leader and team members

7 project structures to consider 7 project structures to consider when planning structure of swe when planning structure of swe teams:teams:1. difficulty of problem to be solved2. size of programs (LOC and function

points)3. lifetime of team4. degree to which problem can be

modularized (and structured)5. required quality and reliability of system

being built6. rigidity of delivery date7. degree of communication required for

project

Project structuresProject structurestable 3.1 in text - summarizes

impact of project characteristics on team structure (Mantei81)

centralized structure completes tasks faster - better at handling simple problems

decentralized structure - generates more and better solutions so better at more difficult problems

B.B. ConstantineConstantineorganization structuresorganization structuresdiscusses four organizational

paradigms for SWE teamsProjects or other tasks can be

coordinated by:

1.1. Traditional Hierarchy of Traditional Hierarchy of AuthorityAuthorityclosed paradigmstandards and rulesstability valued (no deviation from

norm allowed)pyramid or hierarchical organizational

structurescollective interests come firstdemonstrate loyalty and defer to

group examples: military or government

2.Innovative Individualism2.Innovative Individualismrandom paradigm (opposite of closed

paradigm)independent individual initiativeinnovation and change through creative

autonomyindividual has freedom to create and act

independentlyindividual more important than group

◦ examples: breakthrough project teams developing new technology

3.3. Adaptive CollaborationAdaptive Collaborationopen paradigmintegrates innovation with

stability and individual with collective

interests through negotiation and discussion

roles and responsibilities are flexibly shared

4.4. Harmonious AlignmentHarmonious Alignmentsynchronous paradigm

(antithesis of open paradigm)alignment with a common vision

or direction (channeless communication)

unified, parallel action through agreement and shared knowledge

example: Amish barn raising

Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths and Weaknesses (Refer to Table 2)(Refer to Table 2)1. Traditional hierarchies

◦ strengths: stability and predictable performance

◦ weaknesses: lack of innovation2. Random paradigm

organizations ◦ strength: creative invention◦ weakness: not highly stable or

efficient

Strengths and Weaknesses Strengths and Weaknesses (Refer to Table 2)(Refer to Table 2)3. Open paradigm organizations

◦strengths: complex problem solving (sharing of diverse opinions)

◦weakness: slow due to debating issues.4. Synchronous paradigm

◦strength: efficiently perform established procedures

◦weakness: may not be highly responsive or adaptive to change.

Team Building Team Building (Refer to (Refer to Table 3)Table 3) activities to build group cohesive Effective team building helps a team

establish an appropriate organization and work culture

means of increasing performance levels activities should be selected based on the

organization, management, and culture of the team

Want to achieve a cohesive Want to achieve a cohesive team:team:objective for every project team

synergy, jelled team (DeMarco and Lister)

jelled teams: more productive and motivated share common goal and culture sense of eliteness

Project LeadershipProject Leadershipideally, style of leadership should

fit team paradigm

Characteristics of managers Characteristics of managers by type of team:by type of team:1. Random teams - a respected

member of the team; a charismatic leader; does not give

orders2. Open teams - supply

structure that helps keep team focused;

team players but also facilitators

Characteristics of managers Characteristics of managers by type of team:by type of team:3. Closed teams - strong

leaders who give clear directions; manage by results 4. Synchronous teams -

visionary leaders; observe and monitor

performance and watch for changing trends

None of the paradigms is ideal for None of the paradigms is ideal for software development.software development.

SW development requires- complex analysis- innovation- predictable, routine tasks

Structured Open teams Structured Open teams are:are:a hybrid of team paradigms a combination of closed (formal, fixed,

or hierarchical) and open (shared, flexible, egalitarian) paradigms

uses formal structures to promote flexibility and efficient problem solving

catalog of essential team rolesformal specification of functional rolesdefault assignment of roles to assure

essential functions are performed

Structured Open teams Structured Open teams are:are:rotation of rolesorganized continuous record of

what the group does (structured, externalized group memory)clear and simple external

accountabilitytechnical consensus buildingpromotion of personal ownership

Problems in SW Problems in SW developmentdevelopment

layered behavioral model consists layered behavioral model consists of the following levels:of the following levels:

1. Individual - analyzed as an intellectual task, subject to the effects of motivational and cognitive processes.

2. Team - social processes interact with cognitive and motivational processes.

3. Project - several teams integrating their work on different parts of the same system.

4. Company - analyzing how company goals, corporate politics, culture and procedures affect the project.

5. Business Milieu - looking at the overall business environment such as other corporations, co-contractors, customers, etc.

Implications for Project Implications for Project ManagementManagementRecruiting and training must be

coupled with team building to translate individual talent into project success.

Project coordination techniques Project coordination techniques used:used:

Formal information exchange procedures were used more when the projects were certain and were in the planning stages.

Informal -interpersonal communication was used frequently regardless of project size, certainty, or life cycle stage.

Electronic communication was used when projects were heavily dependent on input from other groups in the company.

ImplicationsImplicationsPersonal communication is important for

successful coordination, but it may be too expensive to be an effective communication mechanism.

Software engineers must acquire information from those who are remote

communication tools for conferences or distributed meetings are likely to prove more beneficial than FtF meetings

3.33.3 ProblemProblemdilemma of project managerat beginning of project, quantitative

estimates and a project plan are needed

no detailed analysis of requirements at this point to base these on

need to examine the problem to establish scope and boundaries of problem

determine software scopedetermine software scopefirst project management activityto determine scope, make a high-

level surveillance of:◦context - how does sw fit into the

larger context of systems or business, what are the constraints

◦information objectives - what data objects are required for input and produced as output (analysis of inputs and outputs)

◦functionality of sw

project decompositionproject decompositiondecompose complex problem

into smaller piecestrying to put some structure to

the problem in order to make estimates and complete high-level planning

ProcessProcess

3.43.4 ProcessProcessmust select the process model

that is appropriate for the project at hand

refer to your process model

project managerproject manager decide on process model define preliminary plan based on

process model decompose process (add details

to the plan)

Resources and useful Resources and useful links:links:www.pmi.org

Questions/AnswersQuestions/AnswersThank you.