14.

Developing Custom
Processes for IT Projects
Bibek Ropakheti
Rajendra Bahadur Thapa
Outline
• 14.0 Economics of Project Management
• 14.1 Developing an IT Project Management Methodology
• 14.1.1 A Customized SDLC Model for IT Project
• 14.1.2 Customizing Project Management Workflow
• 14.1.3 IT Process Tailoring
• 14.1.4 Barriers to Implementation of Tailored Project Management
• 14.2 Moving Forward with Customized Management Processes
• 14.2.1 Information System at PM’s Office
• 14.2.2 Preventive Maintenance of Office Computer System
• 14.2.3 Eleven Axioms for IT Project Success
• 14.2.4 Decision Making Tips for PM
• 14.2.5 PM’s Checklist
• 14.3 Certified associate in Project Management
• 14.4 Project Management Maturity
• 14.5 Promoting project Excellency through awards and assessments
• 14.6 Certification process flow
• 14.7 Code of Ethics
• 14.8 Future Trends
Why Custom Processes for IT Projects?
• Customer’s role is dominant
• Environment is more dynamic
• Tasks are mental, unique, and complex
• Society is more democratic and educated
• Individuals have higher aspirations and expectations
• Government’s role is less clear, and its performance more closely
scrutinize
• Sources of knowledge are different (tacit knowledge, the practitioner)
 Economics: Law of Supply and Demand
• Project Status
• Maximizing benefits

Demand Side Supply Side

CUSTOMER PROJECT MANAGER
• Business Strategy • Project Deliverables
Economics of Project

•Business Requirements • Project Performance

• Operational Resources • ICT Resources

Demand Management Supply Management

1. Enhance visibility of customer’s 1. Track work progress and benefits
operations
Management

2. Conduct what-if analysis against

2. Assess customer’s demand available resources both for
against capital funding project work and non-project work

Apprehend State of Balance between Supply and Demand

• Measure Client Satisfaction
•Access the state of IT governance
Regulating Supply
• Cost Analysis-
•Categories: HW, SW, People
Managing Supply and Demand for a PM
SUPPLY
Efficiency MAX. BUSINESS VALUE
DO THE PROJECT RIGHT
• Business centric IT
• Reliable Delivery
HIGH solution

MODULE THROUGH DO THE PROJECT RIGHT

• Lack of creditability • At risk for over-
LOW
committing

HIGH DEMAND Efficiency

LOW
Figure: Managing Supply and Demand for a PM
Developing an IT Project Management
Methodology
Many organization develop their own project management methodologies,
especially for IT projects.
b. Project Planning
a. Project Initiation
•Recognizing and starting a new project or • Main purpose of planning is to guide
execution.
project phase
•Key outputs include: •Key outputs include:
•Assigning the project manager •A team contract
•Identifying the key stakeholders • A scope statement
•Completing a business case • A work breakdown structure (WBS)
•Completing the project charter and getting • Project Schedule (Gantt, etc)
• list of prioritize risks
signature on it.
•Project Initiation Documents •Project Planning Documents
• Business Case Study • Project Executing
• Project Charter • Project controlling
• Stakeholder Analysis • Project closing
• Post-project follow-up
A customized SDLC Model for IT Projects
• To design and develop a “customized +tailored +tuned” project management
methodology – A “multi-pass model”
• Multi-pass model need not be a full fledged development methodology, rather it
encompasses both the “iterative & incremental model” and the agile model in a
“merge and fit” manner.
• Key logical phases of multi-pass model are:
• Outline initial requirements, focus on mission – critical issues and develop proof of concept –
Agile way.
• Sort out major requirements, prioritize according to business need and develop an initial
stable solution – Iterative & Incremental way.
• Increase client’s involvement, develop more functional and relatively more sensible solution
– Agile way.
• Finalize requirements, enhance design, develop complete solution, test rigorously – iterative
& incremental way
 Activity Management Schedule & Resource
Select & Take Tasks from WBS Management
Put estimated duration for
each task
Management Workflow

Assign Preliminary Resource Perform Scheduling & Prepare

for Each Task Gantt Chart
Customizing Project

Check for Dependencies,

Update Gantt Chart
Add Summary Task &
Milestone
Adjust Schedule & Resource
Utilization
Collect Actual Data, Make Compare & Update Project
Decisions on Corrections Plan
Update Project Status, Report
& Distribute
Figure: A Guideline for Project Management workflow
 IT Project Process Tailoring

SDLC PMI Guideline

Project Info Tailored Project

Organization Inputs Tailoring of Project Process
External Input Process

Lesson Learned

Figure: Tailoring of Project Process

Barriers to Implementation of Tailored Project
Management
• External Environment • Task
• Unpredictability, hostility and • Degree of innovation (previous
heterogeneity experience)
• Degree of dependence on environment • Scope (size and duration)
• Customer, consumer (public, private, • Interdependence and heterogeneity of
culture, experience) task’s components
• Objectives and Constraints • Type (Technical, business, organizational)
• Ambiguity, conflicts, stability • Organizational and Human Resources
• Strategic importance • Structure, systems, culture (of parent
• Level of required performance, speed organization & project)
• Special constraints and risks (e.g. • Top management support
funding) • Project leader (competence, experience)
• Type of contract • Team members, other contributors (
experience, skills, culture)
Project Management Maturity
The foundation for achieving excellence in project management can best be described as
the project management maturity model (PMMM), which is comprised of five levels.
Each of the five levels represents a different degree of maturity in project management.
• Level 1—Common Language: good understanding of the basic knowledge on project
management.
• Level 2—Common Processes: common processes need to be defined and developed such
that successes on one project can be repeated on other projects.
• Level 3—Singular Methodology: the synergistic effect of combining all corporate
methodologies into a singular methodology, the center of which is project management.
• Level 4—Benchmarking: process improvement is necessary to maintain a competitive
advantage. Benchmarking must be performed on a continuous basis.
• Level 5—Continuous Improvement: evaluates the information obtained through
benchmarking and must then decide whether or not this information will enhance the
singular methodology.
Project Management Maturity .. Contd.

Fig: the five levels of maturity

• Promoting Project Excellency through Awards
and Assessment
• Certification Process Flow
Code of Ethics
Project Management Institute (PMI) sets ethical standards by which
professionals must abide when completing tasks.
• Responsibility (towards community)
• Respect (relationship between employers and clients)
• Fairness (work performance)
• Honesty (personal performance)
How to Create a Code of Ethics
1) Decide why are you writing your code of ethics. Is it to inspire your
employees? Is it to spell out the expected behavior?
2) Begin with introduction that explains the purpose of the code of
ethics and what you hope to achieve by instituting such a code.
3) Add the items to your code of ethics. Cover the issues like
interpersonal relationships, behavior expected around customers
and clients and other items specific to your company/industry.
4) Decide how you will implement code of ethics.
Future Trends
Five Themes kept surfacing for future Project Management. (ED
HOFFMAN, APPEL Director) src: ASK MAGAZINE
• Team diversity
• Virtual Work
• Sustainability
• Innovation
• Portfolio Management
Think about future Tools for
Project Management.
Thank you.