Toolkit 4

Systems Analysis & Design

7th Edition

Systems Analysis & Design

7th Edition

Toolkit 4

22

Toolkit Objectives

Describe project management tools and how they are used

Describe the steps used in project planning, scheduling, monitoring and controlling, and reporting

Explain techniques for estimating task completion times and costs

Describe various scheduling tools, including Gantt charts and PERT/CPM charts

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Toolkit Objectives

Calculate completion times, start dates, and end dates for a project

Identify examples of project management software and explain how these programs can assist you in project planning, estimating, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting

Explain the steps involved in software change control

Understand the reasons why projects sometimes fail

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Introduction

You will learn about project planning, estimating, scheduling, monitoring, reporting, and the use of project management software

You also will learn how to control and manage project changes that typically occur

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Project Management Overview

Project managers typically perform four main tasks:

– Project planning

– Project scheduling

– Project monitoring and controlling

– Project reporting

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Project Planning

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Project Planning

Identifying Tasks– One of the most important variables is the

size of the project, because the amount of work does not relate directly to the size of the project

– If one project is twice the size of another project, the larger project will take more than twice as many resources to develop

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Project Planning

Identifying Tasks

– The capabilities of project team members also affect time requirements

– Brooke’s Law

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Project Planning

Estimating Task Completion Time and Cost

– Person-days

– Some tasks can be divided evenly so it is possible to use different combinations of time and people, up to a point

– In most systems analysis tasks, however, time and people are not interchangeable

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Project Planning

Estimating Task Completion Time and Cost

– Best-case estimate (B)

– Probable-case estimate (P)

– Worst-case estimate (W)

– Weight

– Expected task duration:(B+4P+W)

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Project Planning

Factors Affecting Time and Cost Estimates

– Project size and scope

– IT resources

– Prior experience with similar projects or systems

– Applicable constraints

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Overview of Project Scheduling

Project scheduling involves the creation of a specific timetable

Dependent task Must balance task time estimates, sequences,

and personnel assignments Several graphical planning aids can help

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Project Scheduling with Gantt Charts

Gantt Chart Task groups Are not an ideal tool

for controlling a complex project

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Project Scheduling with PERT/CPM Charts

The Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)

Critical Path Method (CPM) The important distinctions between the two

methods have disappeared over time, and today the technique is called either PERT, or CPM, or PERT/CPM

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Overview of PERT/CPM

– PERT/CPM is called a bottom-up technique

– Once you know the tasks, their duration, and the order in which they must be performed, you can calculate the time that it will take to complete the project

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PERT/CPM Chart Format

– Task box

– T (task duration, or time)

– ES (earliest start)

– EF (earliest finish) – expected project duration

– LF (latest finish)

– LS (latest start)

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Task Patterns

– Sequential tasks

– Multiple successor tasks• Concurrent task

• Predecessor task

• Successor task

– Multiple Predecessor Tasks

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Task Patterns

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Complex Task Patterns

– When various task patterns combine, you must study the facts carefully in order to understand the logical sequence of tasks

– A systems analyst must understand that project calculations will not be accurate unless the underlying task pattern is logically correct

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A PERT/CPM Example with Five Tasks

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A PERT/CPM Example with Five Tasks

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Critical Path

– Is a series of tasks with no slack time.

– Slack time is the difference between a task’s EF and LF

– If any task along the critical path falls behind schedule, the entire project is delayed

– A critical path includes all tasks that are vital to the project schedule

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Transforming a Task List into a PERT/CPM Chart

– You must develop three versions:• Version 1: Basic Structure

• Version 2: Enter ES and EF Values

• Version 3: Add LF and LS Values

– After you enter the LS and LS figures, you will be able to identify the critical path

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Comparing Gantt Charts and PERT/CPM– One significant advantage of PERT/CPM

charts is that all individual tasks and dependencies are shown

– A PERT/CPM chart displays the critical path for the overall project and the slack time

– A Gantt chart offers a rapid overview – PERT/CPM and Gantt charts are not

mutually exclusive techniques

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Project Monitoring and Controlling

Monitoring and Control Techniques– The project manager must keep track of

tasks and progress of team members, compare actual progress to the project plan, verify the completion of project milestones, and set standards and ensure that they are followed

– Structured walkthrough is a review of a project team members based on design reviews, code reviews, or testing reviews

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Project Monitoring and Controlling

Maintaining a Schedule– Maintaining a project schedule can be a

challenging task– The better the original plan, the easier it will

be to control the project– If enough milestones and frequent

checkpoints exist, problems will be detected rapidly

– It is mathematically possible for a project to have more than one critical path

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Project Reporting

Project Status Meetings– Most project managers schedule regular

status meetings with the entire project team– Each team member updates the group and

identifies any problems or delays– The meetings also give the project manager

an opportunity to update the entire group, seek input, and conduct brainstorming sessions

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Project Reporting

Project Status Reports– A project manager must report regularly to

his or her immediate supervisor, upper management, and users

– Should explain what you are doing to handle and monitor the problem

– Most managers recognize that problems do occur on most projects; it is better to alert management sooner rather than later

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Project Management Software


– can assist you with project planning, estimating, scheduling, monitoring, and reporting.

Project Management Examples

– Microsoft Project

– Open Workbench

– Open-source software

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– The first step in project management is to identify the tasks, task duration, and task dependencies

– Network diagram

– Project planning is a dynamic task and involves constant change

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Software Change Control

Software Change Control A procedure for processing requests for

changes to an information system’s requirements consists of four steps:

1. Complete a change request form

2. Take initial action on the request

3. Analyze the impact of the requested change

4. Determine the disposition of the requested change

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Keys to Project Success

Business Issues

– The major objective of every system is to provide a solution to a business problem or opportunity

– A system that falls short of business needs also produces problems for users and reduces morale and productivity

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Budget Issues

– Cost overruns typically result from one or more of the following:

• Unrealistic estimates

• Failure to develop an accurate TCO forecast

• Poor monitoring of progress and inadequate reaction to early signs of problems

• Schedule delays due to unanticipated factors

• Human resource factors

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Schedule Issues

– Problems with timetables and project milestones can indicate a failure to recognize task dependencies, confusing effort with progress, poor monitoring and control methods, personality conflicts among team members, or turnover of project personnel

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Successful Project Management

– When problems occur, the project manager’s ability to handle the situation becomes the critical factor

– Sometimes, when a project experiences delays or cost overruns, the system still can be delivered on time and within budget if several less critical requirements are trimmed

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Successful Project Management– If a project is in trouble because of a lack of

resources or organizational support, management might be willing to give the project more commitment and higher priority

– A typical response is to push back the completion date

– Option only if the original target date is flexible and the extension will not create excessive costs or other problems

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Toolkit Summary

Project management is the process of planning, scheduling, monitoring and controlling, and reporting upon the development of an information system

Begins with identifying and planning all specific tasks or activities

Can use graphical tools such as Gantt charts and PERT/CPM charts to assist in the scheduling process

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Toolkit Summary

A project manager uses a variety of techniques to monitor, control, and report project tasks

Software change control is concerned with change requests that arise

Every successful information system must support business requirements, stay within budget, and be available on time

Toolkit 4 complete

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Toolkit 4

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