1 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Based on Chapter 21 of Bennett, McRobb and Farmer: Object Oriented Systems Analysis and Design Using UML, (2 nd Edition), McGraw Hill, Managing Object-Oriented Projects—CPA

2 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 n Why we plan n What to plan for n How to create and manage a plan n About resource smoothing In This Lecture You Will Learn:

3 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Objectives By the end of this topic you will be able to: n Construct a small network diagram n Understand the use of ‘float’ to improve resource management n Identify project failure factors n Suggest strategies for success n Explain and justify the contents of a project plan

4 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Why Plan? n Two ‘folk wisdom’ sayings among IS development people: “Failing to plan is planning to fail” “If you can’t plan it, don’t do it”

5 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Why Plan? n Systems development is complex dynamic n May need to bid for resources n Skills and careers n Estimates and understanding the work n Management and professionalism n Meeting client requirements

6 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Why Plan? n Failure can be spectacular: –LSE Taurus project n £480M –London Ambulance Despatch System n £43M (and suspicion of some deaths) –Mull of Kintyre Chinook crash n 29 dead, including high-ranking police and military intelligence officers n Pilots blamed by RAF Board of Enquiry, but many suspect software was at fault

7 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 What To Plan For n Big Picture! n Tasks, dependencies and allocation to staff n Control, performance management n Quality n Client liaison n Procurement n Installation, testing, training n Contingency planning

8 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 What To Plan For Three slogans maybe sum it all up: n Plan for success n Manage change n Manage risks

9 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Creating and Managing a Plan n Basic Techniques –Product (or Work) Breakdown Structure –Network Analysis –Gantt Chart n Specify tasks, dependencies n Estimate duration, cost n Resource smoothing

10 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Monitoring the Plan n Regular control checks n Progress reports to… –Programme Manager –Project Board –IS Steering Committee n Exception and problem reports n Corrective action

11 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Resource Smoothing n Level out human resources to avoid peaks and troughs of activity n Typically done by rescheduling some non-critical tasks (i.e. tasks with float)

12 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Worked Examples n Product Breakdown Structure n A hierarchy of products or tasks n Useful for: –identifying tasks and products –estimating total costs

13 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 PBS Example Project Analysis Spec Software Design Spec Documentation Quality Plan Project Plan Test Plan Implementation Plan

14 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Worked Examples n Gantt Chart (or common bar chart) shows sequence and time of tasks n Useful for: –overall plan of simple projects –identifying need for smoothing –monitoring progress

15 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Gantt Example Activities A Interview users B Prepare use cases C Review use cases D Draft screen layouts E Review screens F Identify classes G CRC analysis H Prepare draft class diagram I Review documentation Number of staff Days 2 staff 3 staff 2 staff 3 staff 2 staff 4 staff Slack time in which the activity can float. Staffing bar chart See A Unsmoothed

16 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Gantt Example Smoothed

17 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Worked Examples n Network/Critical Path Analysis n Also known as PERT –Program Evaluation and Review Technique n Useful for: –scheduling complex projects –finding overall project time –identifying dependencies –identifying critical tasks

18 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 PERT Chart Notation (one of many styles) Milestone number Earliest start time for activity D Latest start time for activity D Activity duration Activity label Milestone D

19 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 PERT Chart Illustration 0 1 C 2 Dummy activity A 5 B D 2 E 2 F H G I 4

20 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 PERT Chart Illustration C 2 Milestone on critical path has zero float A 5 B D 2 E 2 F H G 4 I Non-critical milestone with 7 days float

21 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Constructing a PERT Chart Usually done in three stages: n Draw the network n Forward pass finds earliest finish time n Backward pass finds critical path n Critical activities need more attention from project manager n Delay in a critical task delays completion of the whole project

22 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 PERT Example (from Hughes and Cotterill, p123) ActivityDescriptionDurationPrecedents AH/W selection6 BS/W design4 CInstall H/W3A DCode / test4B EFile take on3B FManuals10 GTraining3E, F HInstall / test2C, D

23 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Summary In this lecture you have learned about: n Why we plan n What to plan for n How to create and manage a plan n About resource smoothing

24 © Bennett, McRobb and Farmer 2002, and De Montfort University 2002 Reading n Chapters 5 & 6 of Yeates and Cadle n Chapters 6 – 8 of Hughes and Cotterell, 1999, Software Project Management, McGraw Hill