8/7/2016

5IT163

IT Project Management

Lecture 1: Introduction
[ Introduction to Project, Characteristics and
Examples, Relation with Strategic Plan ]
Dr. Suddhasil De

Importance of Project Management

[Ref: http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/1067792/Project.]
5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

8/7/2016

Project

[Ref: http://www.clipartpanda.com/categories/projects-clip-art.]
5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

Project

Project Management: based on basic concept project.

Project: Foundation for

(i) building body of knowledge,
(ii) conducting research,
(iii) establishing standards,
(iv) administering certification,
(v) providing professional development, and
(vi) providing academic accreditation.

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

8/7/2016

Project: Definition

Defn1 [Widely-accepted]: A project is a temporary endeavor

undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.
[Ref: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 5th Edition, 2013, Project Management Institute]

Defn2: A project is a unique endeavor to produce a set of

deliverables within clearly specified time, cost and quality
constraints.
[Ref: Project Management Guidebook, Method123 Inc.]

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

Project: Examples

Construction of building, industrial plant, infrastructure etc.;

Development of new product/service/result;

Conducting research effort with recording its outcome;

Change in structure/process/staffing/style of organization;

Implementation, improving or enhancing, of existing business

processes and procedures.

Development of new/modified information system (hardware,

software, or both);

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

8/7/2016

Project: Characteristics

Temporary in nature, with definite beginning and end.

Longevity period not pre-defined.

Termination condition:
(a) projects objectives have been achieved,
(b) its objectives will not or cannot be achieved,
(c) need for project no longer exists,
(d) client (i.e. customer, sponsor) wishes to terminate project.

Outcome: unique; tangible as well as intangible.

Temporary behavior not applicable to projects outcome (outcome

typically outlive its project).

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

Project: Characteristics

Presence of repetitive elements in some project deliverables and

activities.

Outcome featuring uncertainty as well as variation, different from

ongoing work effort (i.e. operations) of organization, even though

both involve repetitive processes.

Need for more dedicated planning than other routine work, as

project activities and outcome can be relatively new.

Involvement of single individual or multiple individuals, as well as
single organizational unit, or multiple organizational units from
multiple organizations.

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

8/7/2016

Project: Example analysis

Construction of office buildings:

Repetition:
constructed with same or similar materials;
constructed by same or different teams.

Uniqueness:
constructed in unique location;
constructed following unique design [relatively new];
constructed for unique stakeholders.

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

Project: Relation with organizations strategic plan

Projects undertaken for directly/indirectly achieving objectives

within organizations strategic plan:
Market demand (e.g. a car company authorizing project to build
more fuel-efficient cars in response to fuel shortages);
Strategic opportunity, or business need (e.g. a training company
authorizing project to create new course to increase its revenues);
Social need (e.g. a non-governmental organization in developing
country authorizing project to provide potable water systems, latrines
and sanitation education to communities suffering from high rates of
infectious diseases);

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

8/7/2016

Project: Relation with organizations strategic plan

Environmental consideration (e.g. a public company authorizing
project to create new service for electric car sharing to reduce
pollution);
Customer request (e.g. an electric utility authorizing project to build
new substation to serve new industrial park);
Technological advance (e.g. an electronics firm authorizing new
project to develop faster, cheaper and smaller laptop, based on
advances in computer memory and electronics technology);
Legal requirement (e.g. a chemical manufacturer authorizing project
to establish guidelines for proper handling of new toxic material).
5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

Possible exam question

State the typical objectives in any organizations strategic
plan that drive the organization to undertake projects.
Or

What are the common objectives that a project, undertaken

by any organization, is expected to accomplish for the
organization?

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

8/7/2016

Project: Comparison with Operations

Projects
Duration
Nature

Operations

Temporary undertakings.

Ongoing core business

activities.
Special endeavors (not dayDay-to-day tasks, business
to-day acts) of organization to focus, and purpose of
create unique products,
organization.
services, and conditions.

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

13

Dr. Suddhasil De

Summary

Importance of project management.

Definition of project.
Characteristics and examples of project.
Relationship of project with organizations strategic plan.
Difference of project with organizations operations.

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De

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References
1. PMBOK guide, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 5th
Edition, Project Management Institute, 2013.
2. Kathy Schwalbe, Information Technology Project Management, 8th Edition,
Cengage Learning, 2014.
3. Joseph Phillips, IT Project Management: On Track from Start to Finish, 3rd
Edition, McGraw-Hill, 2010.
4. PMI, The PMI Project Management Fact Book, 2nd Edition, Project
Management Institute, 2001.

5IT163 (IT Project Management)

Dept. of CSE, NITP

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Dr. Suddhasil De