Software Project Management - I

Sarmistha Neogy
Project Management
 What is a Project?

A temporary and one-time endeavor

undertaken to create a unique product or
service, which brings about beneficial
change or added value
 PM Triple Constraints

• Time

• Cost

• Scope
Manage these or they will
manage you!
 Defining Project Management
• The application of knowledge, skills,
tools and techniques to project
activities to meet project requirements
AND
• Organizing and managing resources so
the project is completed within defined
scope, quality, time and cost constraints
 Why IT Projects Fail

• Weak business case

• Lack of senior management commitme

• Inadequate project planning

(budget, schedule, scope, etc.)
 Why IT Projects Fail (cont’d)

• Absence of user involvement

• New or unfamiliar technology

• Lack of defined, clear,

or concise requirements
Why IT Projects Succeed
 Why IT Projects Succeed

1. Sound project management processes

2. Project tied to the organization’s

business goals

3. Senior management commitment

 Why IT Projects Succeed

4. Good change management

5. Detailed requirements

6. Realistic schedule

7. Good stakeholder relationships

 Why IT Projects Succeed

8. Empowered project manager

9. Skilled and appropriate team members
with defined roles and responsibilities
10. Availability of funding
 What makes this all work?

A good, solid professional project

manager
 Project Management Skills

• Program area knowledge, standards, and

regulations

• Understand the project environment

 Project Management Skills

• General management skills

(budgeting, scheduling)

• Communication skills

• Interpersonal skills
The project manager makes things
happen!
Keys to Successful Projects
 PLAN
• Identify all stakeholders up front!
• Develop the project plan before
starting the project

•Establish communications protocols

 PLAN
•Define your requirements in detail

•Establish a speedy conflict resolution

process

•Make contingency plans

•Plan a reasonable roll-out schedule

 LEAD

•Ensure strong, committed management

support
•Connect the business goals to the IT
project
•Assign an experienced project manager
 LEAD

•Establish clearly defined directions

•Be proactive

•Give IT and program a seat at the table

 LEAD

•Set clear performance expectations

•Ask for technical assistance

•Do not start roll-out until pilot is complete!

 Communicate
•Communicate objectives frequently

•Recognize different perspectives

•Check assumptions frequently

 Communicate
•Manage expectations

•Share success and broadcast

achievements

•Invite feedback
 Manage
•Train all staff in a timely fashion

•Make extensive testing a priority!

•Make the most of pilot testing!

A good project team can be
the key to a successful
project!
Think Big, Think Fast, Think Ahead
 Manage the Project

Successful project management is

delivering a quality product that
meets the customer’s
requirements within time, scope,
and budget.
 Ask these questions!

• Is it a must?
• Can the customer/user do the job without
it?
• Does it contribute to the viability of the
system?
• Does it add value as a feature/function to
the system?
• Is it worth the additional cost?
Keeping Control of the Budget
 Budget/Cost Management

• Monitor project spending

• When a variance occurs,
determine the cause
• Change the execution of the
project, reduce scope
• Prevent unapproved changes
to the project
 Focus on the entire project

Report?
What report?
What is a report?

Documentation
 Project Management Reporting

• Establish reporting requirements upfront

• Include the good, the bad, and the ugly

• Be brief but accurate

• Management really does want to know!

TOPIC : PROJECT MANAGER
A Project Manager is a professional in the field of
project management. Project managers can have
the responsibility of the planning, execution and
closing of any project, typically relating to
construction industry, architecture, aerospace and
defense, computer networking, telecommunication
or software development.
They have to be organized, passionate and goal
oriented, who understand what projects have in
common, and their strategic role in how
organizations succeed, learn and change.
 FUNCTIONS OF
PROJECT MANAGER
 Leading

Controlling Planning

Staffing Organizing
1.Leading : A project manager is expected to be an
able leader of a chosen group of people working
for a common objective. These people may
belong to various functional disciplines who are
guided by the leader.
some key duties for leading projects
include:
- setting team direction
- coordinating activities across different
organizational function
- motivating team members
2.Planning : Planning is an essential duty of a project
manager. Determining what needs to be done,
who is going to do it, and when it needs to be done
are all part of the planning process. Keeping in
mind, that planning is an iterative process that
take place throughout the life of the project.
some key planning duties include:
- define and clarify project plan.
- develop the project plan
- develop the project schedule
3. Organizing : Organizing is about setting up the
project team’s structure. A major driver in this
aspect is the company’s existing structure. The
manpower from either existing or external sources
must be recruited and arranged into a structure
showing all the operating levels according to
assigned responsibilities.
some of the key organizing duties include
-Determine the organizational structure of the project
term
-identify roles and positions
-identify services to be provided by external companies
-staff project positions
4. Staffing: The process of placing
proper staff in their positions is called
staffing. It is one of the important
duties of management to appoint the
right type of personnel for various
disciplines.
4. Controlling: Controlling is all about keeping the
project on track. A plan, while it is being
implemented, encounters various problems.
For example, a supplier may not deliver goods
on time; or a machine fails in the preliminary
test, etc.
some key controlling functions include
- defining project baselines
- tracking project progress
- project status reporting
- determining and taking corrective actions
ROLE OF PROJECT
MANAGER
TECHNICAL TRANSACTIONAL

TRANSFOR-
MATIONAL
1. TECHNICAL: The project manager absolutely
does not need to know how to do everyone’s
tasks within the project, but needs to appreciate
all the processes being carried out and be able
to confidently challenge others at a level of
informed understanding. This Technical aspects
of the project management role would include
those activities needed to develop.
2. TRANSACTIONAL: The Transactional
dimension refers to the traditional project
management activities associated with
managing the project’s work flows and
performance. During the project
implementation stage, transactional activities
would include all those project management
control and reporting activities carried out
regularly , needed to demonstrate control of
the project.
3. TRANSFORMATION: The Transformational
dimension refers to activities associated with
leadership. Here, the project manager is acting
as the project leader. Relationship and
communication skills need to put to work,
seeking to get the best performance from the
project team. This where it is believed that
project managers should be at their most
effective.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF
A PROJECT MANAGER
1. The project manager is the person responsible
for accomplishing the project objectives within
the constraints of the project. He is responsible
for the outcome of the project.
2. The project manager is involved with the
Planning, Controlling and monitoring, and also
managing and directing the assigned project
resources to best meet project objectives.
4. The project manager controls and monitors
project scope, time and cost in managing project
manager controls and monitors project scope,
time and cost in managing project requirements.
5. The project manager examines the
organizational culture and determines whether
project management is recognized as a valid as
role with accountability and authority for
managing the project.
6. The project manager is responsible for
identifying, monitoring and responding to risk
 Project Management Resources

• Project Management Institute – home of the Project

Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
http://www.pmi.org/Pages/default.aspx

• NYS Project Management Guidebook Release 2

http://www.oft.state.ny.us/pmmp/guidebook2/index.htm

• FNS Handbook 901, Chapter 5

http://www.fns.usda.gov/apd/Handbook_901/V_1-2/Chapter_5.pdf
 Acknowledgement
• lumba2cerdik.blog.ubm.ac.id/files/2013/03/Pr
oyek-Manajemen.ppt
• www.gc11.ac.in/wp-
content/uploads/2017/02/ppt-on-project-
manager.pptx