Projectmanagement

Organising,planningand
schedulingsoftwareprojects

Slide1

Objectives

Tointroducesoftwareprojectmanagementandto
describeitsdistinctivecharacteristics
Todiscussprojectplanningandtheplanning
process
Toshowhowgraphicalschedulerepresentations
areusedbyprojectmanagement
Todiscussthenotionofrisksandtherisk
managementprocess

Slide2

Topicscovered

Managementactivities
Projectplanning
Projectscheduling
Riskmanagement

Slide3

Softwareprojectmanagement

Concernedwithactivitiesinvolvedinensuring
thatsoftwareisdeliveredontimeandon
scheduleandinaccordancewiththe
requirementsoftheorganisationsdeveloping
andprocuringthesoftware
Projectmanagementisneededbecausesoftware
developmentisalwayssubjecttobudgetand
scheduleconstraintsthataresetbythe
organisationdevelopingthesoftware
Slide4

Softwaremanagementdistinctions

Theproductisintangible
Theproductisuniquelyflexible
Softwareengineeringisnotrecognizedasan
engineeringdisciplinewiththesanestatusas
mechanical,electricalengineering,etc.
Thesoftwaredevelopmentprocessisnot
standardised
Manysoftwareprojectsare'oneoff'projects

Slide5

Managementactivities

Proposalwriting
Projectplanningandscheduling
Projectcosting
Projectmonitoringandreviews
Personnelselectionandevaluation
Reportwritingandpresentations

Slide6

Managementcommonalities

Theseactivitiesarenotpeculiartosoftware
management
Manytechniquesofengineeringproject
managementareequallyapplicabletosoftware
projectmanagement
Technicallycomplexengineeringsystemstend
tosufferfromthesameproblemsassoftware
systems

Slide7

Projectstaffing

Maynotbepossibletoappointtheidealpeopleto
workonaproject

Projectbudgetmaynotallowfortheuseofhighlypaidstaff
Staffwiththeappropriateexperiencemaynotbeavailable
Anorganisationmaywishtodevelopemployeeskillsona
softwareproject

Managershavetoworkwithintheseconstraints
especiallywhen(asiscurrentlythecase)thereis
aninternationalshortageofskilledITstaff

Slide8

Projectplanning

Probablythemosttimeconsumingproject
managementactivity
Continuousactivityfrominitialconceptthrough
tosystemdelivery.Plansmustberegularly
revisedasnewinformationbecomesavailable
Variousdifferenttypesofplanmaybedeveloped
tosupportthemainsoftwareprojectplanthatis
concernedwithscheduleandbudget

Slide9

Typesofprojectplan
Plan
Qualityplan
Validationplan
Configuration
managementplan
Maintenanceplan
Staffdevelopmentplan.

Description
Describesthequality
proceduresand
standardsthatwillbeusedinaproject.
Describes theapproach,resourcesand
scheduleusedforsystemvalidation.
Describes theconfigurationmanagement
proceduresandstructurestobeused.
Predictsthe maintenancerequirementsof
thesystem,maintenancecostsand
effort
required.
Describeshowtheskillsand experienceof
theprojectteam
memberswillbe
developed.

Slide10

Projectplanningprocess
Establish the project constraints
Make initial assessments of the project parameters
Define project milestones and deliverables
while project has not been completed or cancelledloop
Draw up project schedule
Initiate activities according to schedule
Wait ( for a while )
Review project progress
Revise estimates of project parameters
Update the project schedule
Re-negotiate project constraints and deliverables
if ( problems arise )then
Initiate technical review and possible revision
end if
end loop

Slide11

Projectplanstructure

Introduction
Projectorganisation
Riskanalysis
Hardwareandsoftwareresourcerequirements
Workbreakdown
Projectschedule
Monitoringandreportingmechanisms

Slide12

Activityorganization

Activitiesinaprojectshouldbeorganisedto
producetangibleoutputsformanagementto
judgeprogress
Milestonesaretheendpointofaprocessactivity
Deliverablesareprojectresultsdeliveredto
customers
Thewaterfallprocessallowsforthe
straightforwarddefinitionofprogressmilestones

Slide13

MilestonesintheREprocess
ACT IVITIES
Feasibility
study

Requir ements
analysis

Prototype
development

Design
study

Requir ements
specification

Feasibility
report

Requir ements
definition

Evaluation
report

Architectural
design

Requir ements
specification

MILESTONES

Slide14

Projectscheduling

Splitprojectintotasksandestimatetimeand
resourcesrequiredtocompleteeachtask
Organizetasksconcurrentlytomakeoptimal
useofworkforce
Minimizetaskdependenciestoavoiddelays
causedbyonetaskwaitingforanothertocomplete
Dependentonprojectmanagersintuitionand
experience

Slide15

Theprojectschedulingprocess

Identify
activities

Software
requirements

Identifyactivity
dependencies

Estimateresources
foractivities

Allocatepeople
toactivities

Createproject
charts

Activitycharts
andbarcharts

Slide16

Schedulingproblems

Estimatingthedifficultyofproblemsandhence
thecostofdevelopingasolutionishard
Productivityisnotproportionaltothenumberof
peopleworkingonatask
Addingpeopletoalateprojectmakesitlater
becauseofcommunicationoverheads
Theunexpectedalwayshappens.Alwaysallow
contingencyinplanning

Slide17

Barchartsandactivitynetworks

Graphicalnotationsusedtoillustratetheproject
schedule
Showprojectbreakdownintotasks.Tasksshould
notbetoosmall.Theyshouldtakeaboutaweek
ortwo
Activitychartsshowtaskdependenciesandthe
thecriticalpath
Barchartsshowscheduleagainstcalendartime

Slide18

Taskdurationsanddependencies
Task
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
T9
T10
T11
T12

Duration(days)
8
15
15
10
10
5
20
25
15
15
7
10

Dependencies
T1(M1)
T2,T4(M2)
T1,T2(M3)
T1(M1)
T4(M5)
T3,T6(M4)
T5,T7(M7)
T9(M6)
T11(M8)

Slide19

Activitynetwork
8days

15days

M1

T3

15days
T9

T1

25/7/99

4/7/99
start

14/7/99

M3

5days

4/8/99

25/8/99

T6

M4

M6
7days

20days

15days
T7

T2
25/7/99

10days

M2

T4

T11
10days

M7

T5

5/9/99

11/8/99

T10

18/7/99

M8

15days

10days
T12

M5
25days
T8

Finish
19/9/99

Slide20

Activitytimeline
4/7

11/7

18/7

25/7

1/8

8/8

15/8

22/8

29/8

5/9

12/9

19/9

Start
T4
T1
T2
M1
T7
T3
M5
T8
M3
M2
T6
T5
M4
T9
M7
T10
M6
T11

M8

T12
Finish

Slide21

Staffallocation
4/7
Fred

11/7

18/7

25/

1/8

8/8

15/8 22/8

29/8

5/9

12/9

19/9

T4
T8

T11
T12

Jane

T1
T3
T9

Anne T2
T6
Jim
Mary

T10

T7
T5

Slide22

Riskmanagement

Riskmanagementisconcernedwithidentifying
risksanddrawingupplanstominimisetheir
effectonaproject.
Ariskisaprobabilitythatsomeadverse
circumstancewilloccur.

Projectrisksaffectscheduleorresources
Productrisksaffectthequalityorperformanceofthesoftware
beingdeveloped
Businessrisksaffecttheorganisationdevelopingorprocuring
thesoftware

Slide23

Softwarerisks
Risk
Staffturnover

Risktype
Project

Managementchange

Project

Hardwareunavailability

Project

Requirementschange

Projectand
product

Specificationdelays

Projectand
product
Projectand
product
Product

Sizeunderestimate
CASEtoolunder
performance
Technologychange
Productcompetition

Business
Business

Description
Experiencedstaffwillleavethe
projectbeforeitisfinished.
Therewillbeachangeof
organisationalmanagementwith
differentpriorities.
Hardwarewhichisessentialforthe
projectwillnotbedeliveredon
schedule.
Therewillbealargernumberof
changestotherequirementsthan
anticipated.
Specificationsofessentialinterfaces
arenotavailableonschedule
Thesizeofthesystemhasbeen
underestimated.
CASEtoolswhichsupportthe
projectdonotperformasanticipated
Theunderlyingtechnologyonwhich
thesystemisbuiltissupersededby
newtechnology.
Acompetitiveproductismarketed
beforethesystemiscompleted.

Slide24

Theriskmanagementprocess

Riskidentification

Riskanalysis

Assessthelikelihoodandconsequencesoftheserisks

Riskplanning

Identifyproject,productandbusinessrisks

Drawupplanstoavoidorminimisetheeffectsoftherisk

Riskmonitoring

Monitortherisksthroughouttheproject

Slide25

Theriskmanagementprocess

Risk
identification

Riskanalysis

Riskplanning

Risk
monitoring

Listofpotential
risks

Prioritisedrisk
list

Riskavoidance
andcontingency
plans

Risk
assessment

Slide26

Riskidentification

Technologyrisks
Peoplerisks
Organisationalrisks
Requirementsrisks
Estimationrisks

Slide27

Risksandrisktypes
Risktype
Technology

People
Organisational

Tools
Requirements

Estimation

Possiblerisks
Thedatabaseusedinthesystemcannotprocessasmany
transactionspersecondasexpected.
Softwarecomponentswhichshouldbereusedcontaindefects
whichlimittheirfunctionality.
Itisimpossibletorecruitstaffwiththeskillsrequired.
Keystaffareillandunavailableatcriticaltimes.
Requiredtrainingforstaffisnotavailable.
Theorganisationisrestructuredsothatdifferentmanagement
areresponsiblefortheproject.
Organisationalfinancialproblemsforcereductionsintheproject
budget.
ThecodegeneratedbyCASEtoolsisinefficient.
CASEtoolscannotbeintegrated.
Changestorequirementswhichrequiremajordesignreworkare
proposed.
Customersfailtounderstandtheimpactofrequirements
changes.
Thetimerequiredtodevelopthesoftwareisunderestimated.
Therateofdefectrepairisunderestimated.
Thesizeofthesoftwareisunderestimated.
Slide28

Riskanalysis

Assessprobabilityandseriousnessofeachrisk
Probabilitymaybeverylow,low,moderate,high
orveryhigh
Riskeffectsmightbecatastrophic,serious,
tolerableorinsignificant

Slide29

Riskanalysis
Risk
Organisationalfinancialproblemsforcereductions
intheprojectbudget.
Itisimpossibletorecruitstaffwiththeskills
requiredfortheproject.
Keystaffareillatcriticaltimesintheproject.
Softwarecomponentswhichshouldbereused
containdefectswhichlimittheirfunctionality.
Changestorequirementswhichrequiremajor
designreworkareproposed.
Theorganisationisrestructuredsothatdifferent
managementareresponsiblefortheproject.
Thedatabaseusedinthesystemcannotprocessas
manytransactionspersecondasexpected.
Thetimerequiredtodevelopthesoftwareis
underestimated.
CASEtoolscannotbeintegrated.
Customersfailtounderstandtheimpactof
requirementschanges.
Requiredtrainingforstaffisnotavailable.
Therateofdefectrepairisunderestimated.
Thesizeofthesoftwareisunderestimated.
ThecodegeneratedbyCASEtoolsisinefficient.

Probability Effects
Low
Catastrophic
High

Catastrophic

Moderate
Moderate

Serious
Serious

Moderate

Serious

High

Serious

Moderate

Serious

High

Serious

High
Moderate

Tolerable
Tolerable

Moderate
Moderate
High
Moderate

Tolerable
Tolerable
Tolerable
Insignificant

Slide30

Riskplanning

Considereachriskanddevelopastrategyto
managethatrisk
Avoidancestrategies

Minimisationstrategies

Theprobabilitythattheriskwillariseisreduced
Theimpactoftheriskontheprojectorproductwillbereduced

Contingencyplans

Iftheriskarises,contingencyplansareplanstodealwiththat
risk

Slide31

Riskmanagementstrategies
Risk
Organisational
financialproblems
Recruitment
problems
Staffillness
Defective
components
Requirements
changes
Organisational
restructuring
Database
performance
Underestimated
developmenttime

Strategy
Prepareabriefingdocumentforseniormanagementshowing
howtheprojectismakingaveryimportantcontributiontothe
goalsofthebusiness.
Alertcustomerofpotentialdifficultiesandthepossibilityof
delays,investigatebuyingincomponents.
Reorganiseteamsothatthereismoreoverlapofworkand
peoplethereforeunderstandeachothersjobs.
Replacepotentiallydefectivecomponentswithboughtin
componentsofknownreliability.
Derivetraceabilityinformationtoassessrequirementschange
impact,maximiseinformationhidinginthedesign.
Prepareabriefingdocumentforseniormanagementshowing
howtheprojectismakingaveryimportantcontributiontothe
goalsofthebusiness.
Investigatethepossibilityofbuyingahigherperformance
database.
Investigatebuyingincomponents,investigateuseofaprogram
generator.
Slide32

Riskmonitoring

Assesseachidentifiedrisksregularlytodecide
whetherornotitisbecominglessormore
probable
Alsoassesswhethertheeffectsoftheriskhave
changed
Eachkeyriskshouldbediscussedatmanagement
progressmeetings

Slide33

Riskfactors
Risktype
Technology
People
Organisational
Tools
Requirements
Estimation

Potentialindicators
Latedeliveryofhardwareorsupportsoftware,many
reportedtechnologyproblems
Poorstaffmorale,poorrelationshipsamongstteam
member,jobavailability
organisationalgossip,lackofactionbysenior
management
reluctancebyteammemberstousetools,complaints
aboutCASEtools,demandsforhigherpowered
workstations
manyrequirementschangerequests,customer
complaints
failuretomeetagreedschedule,failuretoclear
reporteddefects

Slide34

Keypoints

Goodprojectmanagementisessentialforproject
success
Theintangiblenatureofsoftwarecausesproblemsfor
management
Managershavediverserolesbuttheirmostsignificant
activitiesareplanning,estimatingandscheduling
Planningandestimatingareiterativeprocesses
whichcontinuethroughoutthecourseofa
project

Slide35

Keypoints

Aprojectmilestoneisapredictablestatewhere
someformalreportofprogressispresentedto
management.
Risksmaybeprojectrisks,productrisksor
businessrisks
Riskmanagementisconcernedwithidentifying
riskswhichmayaffecttheprojectandplanningto
ensurethattheserisksdonotdevelopintomajor
threats
Slide36