ISP550

Information Systems Engineering

Topic 4 :
Project Management

WABWE | OCT 2020

 Learning Objectives
• Explain the elements of project management
and the responsibilities of a project manager
• Explain project initiation and the activities in the
project planning phase of the SDLC
• Describe how the scope of the new system is
determined
• Develop a project schedule using Gantt charts
• Develop a cost/benefit analysis and assess the
feasibility of a proposed project
• Discuss how to staff and launch a project
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
 Definition

o Project Management is organizing and directing

other people to achieve a planned result within a
predetermined schedule and budget.
• Beginning of a project, a plan is developed that specifies the
activities that must take place, the deliverables that must be
produced, and the resources that are needed.
o Project management can also be defined as the
processes used to plan the project and then to
monitor and control it.
 Project Success Factors

o Project management is important for success of system

development project
o In 2000, Standish Group Study
• Only 28% of system development projects successful
 Successful – one that is completed on time, within budget, and
including all of the features or requirements envisioned.
• 72% of projects cancelled, completed late, completed over
budget, and/or limited in functionality
 Challenged – One that is completed but over budget, over schedule and
did not meet original specifications
 Failed/Impaired – One that is cancelled before completion

o Thus, project requires careful planning, control, and

execution.
 Reasons for Project Failure

o Incomplete or changing requirements

o Limited user involvement
o Lack of executive support
o Lack of technical support
o Poor project planning
o Unclear objectives
o Lack of required resources
Reasons for Project Failure
 Reasons for Project Success

o Clear system requirement definitions

o Substantial user involvement
o Support from upper management
o Thorough and detailed project plans
o Realistic work schedules and milestones
 The Role of the Project Manager

1. A project manager is the person assigned by the

performing organization to achieve the project objectives.
 The project manager defines and executes project management
tasks.

2. Success or failure of project depends on skills and

abilities of the project manager
• Beginning of project – plan and organize
• During project – monitor and control

3. Responsibilities in TWO areas;

1. internal - must be a good manager of people and resources

2. External - must have strong communication and public relations skills

 Role of the Project Manager (cont..)
Internal Responsibilities
o Identify project tasks and build a work breakdown
structure
o Develop the project schedule
o Recruit and train team members
o Assign team members to tasks
o Coordinate activities of team members and subteams
o Assess project risks
o Monitor and control project deliverables and milestones
o Verify the quality of project deliverables
 Role of the Project Manager (cont..)
External Responsibilities
o Report the project’s status and progress
o Establish good working relationships with those who
identify the needed system requirements
• The people who will use the system
o Work directly with the client (the project’s sponsor)
and other stakeholders
o Identify resource needs and obtain resources
Participants in a System Development Project
oversight committee
clients and key
managers who review
and direct the project

user
the person or group
of people who will
use the new system
Various Titles/Roles of Project Managers
 Project Management Tasks

o Beginning of project
• Overall project planning

o During project
• Project execution management
• Project control management
• Project closeout

 Project management approach differs for;

• Predictive SDLC
• Adaptive SDLC
Project Management and SDLC Tasks
for a Predictive Project
Project Management and SDLC Tasks
for an Adaptive Project
The PMBOK® Guide – The 10 Project Management
Knowledge Areas
 The PMBOK® Guide – The 10 Project Management
Knowledge Areas
1. Project Integration management
 Focuses on coordinating the project’s plan development, execution, and
control of change
2. Project Scope management
 Provides assurance that the project’s work is defined accurately and
completely.
3. Project Time management
• Time management is important for developing, monitoring, and managing
the project’s schedule. It includes identifying the project’s phases and
activities and then estimating, sequencing, and assigning resources for each
activity to ensure that the project’s scope and objectives are met.
4. Project Cost Management
• Cost management assures that the project’s budget is developed and
completed as approved.
5. Project Quality management
• Focuses on planning, developing, and managing a quality environment that
allows the project to meet stakeholder needs or expectations.
 The PMBOK® Guide – The 10 Project Management
Knowledge Areas
6. Project Human Resources Management
• Focuses on creating and developing the project team as well as understanding
and responding appropriately to the behavioral side of project management.
7. Project Communication Management
• Communication management entails communicating timely and accurate
information about the project to the project’s stakeholders.
8. Project Risk Management
• Project risk management is concerned with identifying and responding
appropriately to risks that can impact the project.
9. Project Procurement Management
• Projects often require resources (people, hardware, software, etc.) that are
outside the organization. Procurement management makes certain that these
resources are acquired properly.
10. Project Stakeholder Management
• focuses on identifying project stakeholders to better understand their
expectations or interests, and then developing appropriate strategies for
communication and managing potential conflicts.
PROJECT INITIATION
AND
PROJECT PLANNING
 Project Initiation and Project Planning

o Driving forces to start project

• Respond to opportunity
• Resolve problem
• Conform to directive

o Project initiation comes from

• Long-term IS strategic plan (top-down) prioritized by
weighted scoring
• Department managers or process managers
• Response to outside forces
 Project Planning Activities

5 Phases
 Project Planning Phase Activities
1. Defining the Problem

o Review business needs

• Use strategic plan documents
• Consult key users
• Develop list of expected
business benefits

o Identify expected system

capabilities
• Define scope in terms of
requirements

o Create system scope document

o Build proof of concept prototype
o Create context diagram
 Project Planning Phase Activities
2. Producing the Project Schedule

o Develop work breakdown structure (WBS)

• WBS represents a logical decomposition of the work to be performed and
focuses on how the product, service, or result is naturally subdivided. It is
an outline of what work is to be performed.
o Build a schedule using Gantt chart
o Develop resource requirements and the staffing plan
Work Breakdown
Structure
(Predictive)
Work Breakdown Structure
(Adaptive)
Entering
WBS
into MS
Project
 Task Definitions

o Critical path is the sequence of connected tasks that cannot be

delayed without causing the project to be delayed

o Slack time/Float is that amount of time a task can be delayed

without delaying the project

 Deliverables - Tangible, verifiable work products .

E.g.: Reports, presentations, prototypes, etc.

o Milestone is a definite completion point that is marked by a

specific deliverable or event.
E.g.: Client sign off on test results
Tracking Gantt Chart for Project Plan
Gantt Chart for Entire Project
(with overlapping phases)
Gantt Chart for Iterative Project
Project Planning Phase Activities
3. Identifying Risks and
Confirming Project Feasibility

1. Risk management
2. Organizational and cultural feasibility
3. Technological feasibility
4. Schedule feasibility
5. Resource feasibility
6. Economic feasibility
 Cost/benefit analysis
 Sources of funds (cash flow, long-term capital)
 Risk Management
• Risk - An uncertain event or condition that, if occurs, has
a positive or negative effect on one or more of the
project objectives such as scope, schedule, cost, and
quality.

Risk Analysis
 Organizational and Cultural Feasibility

o Each company has own culture

• New system must fit into culture

o Evaluate related issues for potential

risks
• Low level of computer competency
• Computer phobia
• Perceived loss of control
• Shift in power
• Fear of job change or employment loss
• Reversal of established work
procedures
 Technological Feasibility
o Does system stretch state-of-the-art technology?
o Does in-house expertise presently exist for development?
o Does an outside vendor need to be involved?
o Solutions include
• Training or hiring more experienced employees
• Hiring consultants
• Changing scope and project approach

Schedule Feasibility
• Estimates needed without complete information
• Management deadlines may not be realistic
• Project managers
• Drive realistic assumptions and estimates
• Recommend completion date flexibility
• Assign interim milestones to periodically reassess completion dates
• Involve experienced personnel
• Manage proper allocation of resources
 Resource Feasibility
o Team member availability
o Team skill levels
o Computers, equipment, and supplies
o Support staff time and availability
o Physical facilities
 Economic Feasibility
o Cost/benefit analysis
• Estimate project development costs
• Estimate operational costs after project
• Estimate financial benefits based on annual savings and increased revenues
• Calculate using table of costs and benefits
o Uses net present value (NPV), payback period, return on investment (ROI)
techniques

Intangibles in Economic Feasibility

Intangible benefits cannot be Intangible costs cannot be
measured in dollars measured in dollars
• Increased levels of service • Reduced employee morale
• Customer satisfaction
• Lost productivity
• Survival
• Need to develop in-house • Lost customers or sales
expertise
Summary of Development Costs (example)
 Project Planning Phase Activities
4. Staffing the Project

o Develop resource plan for the project

o Identify and request specific technical staff
o Identify and request specific user staff
o Organize the project team into workgroups
o Conduct preliminary training and team building
exercises
o Key staffing question: “Are the resources available,
trained, and ready to start?”
 Project Planning Phase Activities
5. Launching Project

o Scope defined, risks identified, project is feasible,

schedule developed, team members identified and
ready
o Oversight committee finalized, meet to give go-
ahead, and release funds
o Formal announcement made to all involved parties
within organization
o Key launch question: “Are we ready to start?”
 Summary
o Project management tasks
• Start at SDLC project planning phase
• Continue throughout each SDLC phase
o Organizing and directing other people
• Achieve planned result
• Use predetermined schedule and budget
o Knowledge areas needed (PMBOK)
• Scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, procurement,
stakeholders
o Project initiation
• Information system needs are identified and prioritized in strategic plans
o Project planning phase
1) Define problem (investigation and scope)
2) Produce project schedule (WBS)
3) Confirm project feasibility (evaluate risks)
4) Staff project (know people’s skills)
5) Launch project (executive formal approval)