Project Management Systems

4/16/2013

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What Is a Project?• A project is “a temporary endeavor

undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result” (PMBOK® Guide 2004, p. 5)

• Projects can be large or small and take a short or long time to complete

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What is a project?

• One definition – ‘a specific design or plan’

• Key elements– non-routine– specific objectives– planned – predetermined time span– constrained resources

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Denver International Airport – Scope• Designed to be the

largest US airport.• Estimate cost: $1.7

billion.• Budget: $2.08 billion.• Planned finish date:

Oct. 1993.

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Denver International AP

• Repeated design changes due to changing requirements from United Airlines 

• Malfunctioning computerized baggage system

• Inter-terminal transit breakdowns.

• Millworkers’ union strike.

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DIA – Cost & Time

Cost Time0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1.7

2.5

4.8

4

Estimate

Actual

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DIA – Success?

• Public relations disaster.

• 2006 blizzard shredded Teflon roof.

• Death of Luis Jimenez

PM Three-Legged Stool

Scope

Cost

Time

Project Success

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Project Management Skills

• Leadership• Communications• Problem Solving• Negotiating• Influencing the Organization• Mentoring• Process and technical expertise

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The Role of the Project Manager• Planning

• Scheduling

• Coordinating

• Coaching

• Project succeeds or fails based on you!

JJ - Software Project Management, Oct 2010

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Position of planning

• Feasibility study - decide if project is worth doing• Plan how you are going do it, then do it

feasibility study

planning

project

Is it worth doing?

How do we do it?

Do it!

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Project Management Institute (PMI)• Disseminates industry

best practices.• Provides training and

certifications.• Project Management Body

of Knowledge (PBMOK)

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Functional vs. Project Manager

Functional manager Project manager

Clear authority; quasi-permanent; can direct

Low authority; temporary; must convince

Established organization Developing organization

Long-term relationships Short-term relationships

Small set of skills managed Diverse set of skills managed

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PM Tools: Software• Low-end

– Basic features, tasks management, charting– MS Excel, Milestones Simplicity

• Mid-market– Handle larger projects, multiple projects, analysis

tools– MS Project (approx. 50% of market)

• High-end– Very large projects, specialized needs, enterprise– AMS Realtime– Primavera Project Manager

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Project Management Tools and Techniques

–Project charter, scope statement, and WBS (scope)

–Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path analysis, critical chain scheduling (time)

–Cost estimates and earned value management (cost)

JJ - Software Project Management, Oct 2010

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Tools: Gantt Chart

JJ - Software Project Management, Oct 2010

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Tools: Network Diagram

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Adages

• Brooks’ Law

Adding manpower to a late software project makes it later.

• Throwing money at a project doesn’t solve the problem

• Taking resources away from a project doesn’t always make it easier either