Project Management Concepts

By: Sohaib EjazLecturer ,UoS

Quick LookWhat is it?

Project management involves the planning, monitoring, and control of the people, process, and events that occur as software evolves from a preliminary concept to an operational implementation.

Who does it?Everyone “manages” to some extent, but the scope of management activities varies among people involved in a software project. A software engineer manages her day-to-day activities, planning, monitoring, and controlling technical tasks.Project managers plan, monitor, and control the work of a team of software engineers.

Quick Look (contd.)Why is it important?

Building computer software is a complex undertaking, particularly if it involves many people working over a relatively long time. That’s why software projects need to be managed.

What are the steps?Understanding the four P’s– people, product, process, and project.

What is the work product?A project plan is produced as management activities commence.

IntroductionActivities and products of each phase of the life cycle must be managed, reviewed and controlledFor the project to be delivered

on time, within budget and to the required quality

Project ManagementDefinition:

Project management involves the planning, monitoring and control of the people, process, and events that occur as software evolves from a preliminary concept to an operational implementation.

Purpose:

To plan and document the management and technical functions and activities of the project

The plans must be reviewed, refined and updated as the project progresses

Project Management Concerns

staffing?

cost estimation?

project scheduling?

project monitoring?

other resources?

customer communication?

risk assessment?

product quality?

measurement?

Major processes in Project ManagementIdentify a need for a product or service

Define the goals of the project and their relative importance

Select appropriate performance measures

Develop a schedule

Develop a budget Develop the

technological (process) concept

Integrate into a project plan

Implement the plan

Monitor and control the project

Evaluate project success

Project life cycleConceptual design

Advanced development

Detailed design

Production

Termination

Phases of a ProjectConceptual design phase

The organization realizes that a project may be needed, or receives a request from a customer to propose a plan to perform a project

Advanced developmentProject manager plans the project to a level of detail sufficient for initial scheduling and budgeting

Phases of a Project (Cont.)Detailed design phase

If project approved, it will enter this phase to define responsibility, team, organizational structure, detailed plan

Production phaseThe project is monitored and controlled during this phase

Termination phaseThe project is closed out

Conceptual design\ Opening\ Initiation

GoalsScopeBaselineRequirements FeasibilityDesirability

Major Activities in the conceptual design phase

Start

Identification of a need

Need is important? Stop

Technical evaluation

Project is feasible?

Development of alternatives

Benefit-cost analysis

Selection of best alternative Definition of project

No

Yes

Advanced development\ Planning

Plan BudgetScheduleBid proposalManagement commitment

Detailed design\Executing

Responsibility definitionTeam Organizational structureDetailed planKickoff

Major activities in the detailed design phase

Conceptual design approved?Back to

conceptual design phase

Detailed design is acceptable?Go to

production phase

Prepare technological

baseline

Prepare detailed schedule

Conduct resource requirements

analysis

Prepare budget

No

Yes

Yes

No

Production\ ControllingManageMeasureControlUpdate and re-planProblem solving

Termination\ClosingCloseoutDocumentSuggest improvementsTransitReassignDissolve team

The Management Spectrum

4P’s

People

Product

Process

Project

4 P’sPeople — the most important element of a successful projectProduct — the software to be builtProcess — the set of framework activities and software engineering tasks to get the job doneProject — all work required to make the product a reality

PeopleSoftware Engineering Institute (SEI) has developed a People Management Capability Maturity Model (PM-CMM)Following are some of the KPA’s in PM-CMM

RecruitingSelectionPerformance ManagementTrainingCompensationCareer developmentOrganization and work designTeam/Culture development

PlayersSenior managers

Define business issues

Project (technical) managersPlan, motivate, organize, and control the practitioners

PractitionersDeliver technical skills to engineer a product

CustomersSpecify requirements

End-usersInteract with software once released for production

MOI Model of LeadershipM

otiv

atio

n: A

bilit

y to

Enc

oura

ge

Organization: A

bility to mold or invent new

processes

Innovation: Ability to encourage people to create

In an excellent book of technical leadership, Jerry Weinberg suggests anMOI model of leadership

Characteristics of an Effective Project Manager

Problem solvingDiagnose technical and organizational issues

Managerial identityTake charge

AchievementInitiative, accomplishment

Influence and team buildingUnderstand and react; Remain under control

Mantei Classification of Organizations

Democratic Decentralized (DD)no permanent leader.Task coordinator are for shorter duration and are based on task orientation.Decisions on the basis of group consensusCommunication is horizontal

Controlled Decentralized (CD)Software Engineering Team has defined permanent and secondary leaders.Problem solving a group activity with horizontal communication.Vertical communication along control line also occurs

Control Centralized (CC)Top Level problem solving.Communication vertical between team members and team leader.

Software TeamsThe following factors must be considered when selecting a software project team structure…

The difficulty of the problem to be solvedThe size of the resultant program(s) in lines of code or function pointsThe time that the team will stay together (team lifetime)The degree to which the problem can be modularizedThe required quality and reliability of the system to be builtThe rigidity of delivery dateThe degree of sociability (communication) required for the project.

Mantei 7 Project Factors

Problem ComplexitySize of programTeam DurationDegree of modularity of the problemRequired Quality and ReliabilityRigidity of Delivery DateDegree of Sociability Communication required

Constantine 4 Organizational Paradigms

Closed Paradigm : A closed paradigm structures a team

along a traditional hierarchy of authority.

Such teams can work well when producing software that is quite similar to past efforts, but they will be less likely to be innovative when working within the closed paradigm.

Cont.Random Paradigm :

A random paradigm structures a team loosely and depends on individual initiative of the team members. When innovation or technological breakthrough is required, teams following the random paradigm will excel. But such teams may struggle when “orderly performance” is required.

Cont.Open Paradigm :

An open paradigm attempts to structure a team in a manner that achieves some of the controls associated with the closed paradigm but also much of the innovation that occurs when using the random paradigm.

Cont.Synchronous Paradigm:A synchronous paradigm relies on the natural compartmentalization of a

problem and organizes team members to work on pieces of the problem with

little active communication among themselves.

Toxic Factors for Team Environment

Frenzied work atmosphereHigh FrustrationFragmented ProceduresVague definition of rolesContinuous exposure to failures

The Product

Software ScopeContextInformation ObjectivesFunction and Performance

Problem Decomposition

The Process

Generic phases characterize the software processSelection of Model – a wide array exists e.g. the linear sequential model to the formal methods modelDecision should be appropriate for

CustomersPeople who will do the workCharacteristics of the productProject environment

ProjectA project is an undertaking of limited

duration in time with a defined outcome.

Characteristics of a ProjectOne goalSpecified time / finite lifeWithin BudgetAccording to SpecificationRisk

The Project : Reasons of Jeopardy

Lack of customer’s need or understandingProduct scope poorly definedChanges managed poorlyChange in technologyBusiness needs changeUnrealistic deadlinesResistant UsersLost sponsorshipLack of appropriate skillsLessons not learned

The Project : Jeopardy Avoidance

Reel 5 Points

Start on right footMaintain momentumTrack progressMake smart decisions: Keep it simple and straightConduct postmortem analysis

ConclusionSoftware project management is an umbrella activityFour P’s have a substantial influence on software project management-PEOPLE, PROCESS, PROJECT, PRODUCT.The pivotal element is people