1. Software Project Management
Session 1: Introduction, Fundamentals, Classic Mistakes
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

2. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Today
Course basics, administrative items
Introductions
Fundamentals
Classic Mistakes
No lab today
More lab in later term
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

3. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Syllabus Review
Grades
Final Exams: 50%
Project in group: 30%
Class participation: 10%
Sessions
Broadest material in program
Walk away from this course with skills applicable to all forms of projects
But software and IT projects in particular
They have special characteristics
Will bring in show & tell from my current projects
Often discuss material in relation to your projects
We can Refine the curricula
Questions?
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

4. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Textbooks
“Rapid Development”, Steve McConnell
“Information Technology Project Management”, Kathy Schwalbe
“Rita PMP Exam Prep 2005 fifth edition”, Rita Mulcahy, PMP.
“Software Project Management in Practice”, Pankaj Jalote.
“A Guide to the Project Management Body of
Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)”, Project Management Institute, 2000
PMI – Project Management Institute,
Related course “ Software Engineering”.
Not yet at bookstore
Amazon discounted
Show texts to class
Only selections from each
Chosen for balance and relevance
Going to read the Important sections and the Fun sections
Expose to a variety of practices and viewpoints
I will put together a reading list for reference
Online resources (URLs)
100’s of books on topic
Quality range of titles (age, size too)
Different Subject leanings (general, technical, people, process)
Questions?
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

5. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Basics
Essential elements of software project management
Practical, rapid development focus
Real-world case studies
And other examples like job interviews
Highly interactive
Dry as toast?
2 exams
4 or 5 small homework assignments
MS Project for your ‘book’
Small class == large input
Grade depends on participation
Questions?
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

6. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
The Field
Jobs: where are they?
Professional Organizations
Project Management Institute (PMI) (pmi.org)
Software Engineering Institute (SEI)
IEEE Software Engineering Group
Certifications
PMI PMP
The “PMBOK” – PMI Body of Knowledge
Tools
MS Project
dice.com search “project management”
See everything from this class
Bridge Technical and non-technical
Other Certs don’t matter
Hundreds of PM programs like MS-Project
Project: the illusion of control
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

7. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
The Field Part 2
Average PM salary $81,000
Contract rates for PM’s can match techies
PMI certification adds avg. 14% to salary
PMI certs, 1993: 1,000; 2002: 40,000
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

8. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Job Fundamentals
Skills required
PM Positions and roles
The process
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

9. Project Management Skills
Leadership
Communications
Problem Solving
Negotiating
Influencing the Organization
Mentoring
Process and technical expertise
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

10. Project Manager Positions
Project Administrator / Coordinator
Assistant Project Manager
Project Manager / Program Manager
Executive Program Manager
V.P. Program Development
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

11. Software Project Management
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

12. PM History in a Nutshell
Birth of modern PM: Manhattan Project (the bomb)
1970’s: military, defense, construction industry were using PM software
1990’s: large shift to PM-based models
1985: TQM
: Re-engineering, self-directed teams
: Risk mgmt, project offices
2000: M&A, global projects
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

13. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
What’s a project?
PMI definition
A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service
Progressively elaborated
With repetitive elements
A project manager
Analogy: conductor, coach, captain
Temporary:
can be years
Result can be lasting
Team can be temporary
Finite duration
Ex: thousands of buildings, but each is unique
Scope s/b constant even as elaboration happens
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

14. Characteristics of Projects
Temporary endeavor
Unique product or service
Performed by people
Constrained by limited resources
- Budget, time, staff
Planned, executed, and controlled
Have their own organization
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

15. Core Activities and Project Management
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

16. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Definition of Project Management (PM):
Project Management is the application of
knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements.
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

17. Typical Core Activities in IT-Projects
Design of a graphical user interface
Installation of a local area network
Integration test of all system components
Training of users on a new application
Implementation of a set of Java classes
Documentation of design decisions and code
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

18. Typical Project Management Activities
Communication with team, clients, management
Effort estimations
Planning activities and assigning resources
Comparing actual performance to plan
Risk analysis
Negotiation with subcontractors
Staff acquisition
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

19. Project vs. Program Management
What’s a ‘program’?
Mostly differences of scale
Often a number of related projects
Longer than projects
Definitions vary
Ex: Program Manager for MS Word
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

20. Interactions / Stakeholders
As a PM, who do you interact with?
Project Stakeholders
Project sponsor
Executives
Team
Customers
Contractors
Functional managers
managing all stakeholder Expectations is challenging – conflict
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

21. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
PM Tools: Software
Low-end
Basic features, tasks management, charting
MS Excel, Milestones Simplicity
Mid-market
Handle larger projects, multiple projects, analysis tools
MS Project (approx. 50% of market)
High-end
Very large projects, specialized needs, enterprise
AMS Realtime
Primavera Project Manager
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

22. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Tools: Gantt Chart
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

23. Tools: Network Diagram
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

24. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
PMI’s 9 Knowledge Areas
If you study for the PMI certification you’ll need to know these
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

25. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
The Triple Constraint
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

26. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
The Triple Constraint
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

27. More Competing Objectives
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

28. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Project Success
Definition:
A project is successful if the specified results are
delivered in the required quality and within the
predetermined time and resource limits.
Computer scientists tend to focus on scope and quality only
- The development of a technically perfect application is
not a success if the cost exceeds the price clients are willing to pay
- Excellent project results often are worthless if they come too late (temporary market windows, external deadlines)
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

29. Project Integration Management
Ensure that various elements of the project are
properly coordinated
- Estimate cost of staffing alternatives
- Determine effects of a scope change on schedule
Make tradeoffs among competing objectives and alternatives
Primarily task of project manager since he / she is
responsible for seeing the overall “big picture”
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

30. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

31. Project Integration Management Processes Flow Diagram
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

32. Integration Management Processes
Project plan development
Integrates various planning outputs (time, cost, risk, etc.)
Produces a formal, consistent document to manage project execution
Project plan execution
- Produces actual work results
Integrated change control
- Determines that a change has occurred
- Manages the changes as they occur
- Results in corrective actions and project plan updates
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

33. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Strategy
Classic Mistake Avoidance
Development Fundamentals
Risk Management
Schedule-Oriented Practices
McConnell refers to “Pillars”
These provide balance
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

34. Four Project Dimensions
People
Process
Product
Technology
Peopleware issues
10-to-1 difference in Dev productivity
Teams 3 or 5 to 1 diff
Process
Dev basics, risk mgmt, QA, lifecycle planning, customer orientation
Product
Most tangible dimension
Technology
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

35. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
People
“It’s always a people problem” Gerald Weinberg, “The Secrets of Consulting”
Developer productivity: 10-to-1 range
Improvements:
Team selection
Team organization
Motivation
Teams: 5-to-1 range
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

36. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
People 2
Other success factors
Matching people to tasks
Career development
Balance: individual and team
Clear communication
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

37. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Process
Is process stifling?
2 Types: Management & Technical
Development fundamentals
Quality assurance
Risk management
Lifecycle planning
Avoid abuse by neglect
cut time-to-market
Improve quality
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

38. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Process 2
Customer orientation
Process maturity improvement
Rework avoidance
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

39. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Product
The “tangible” dimension
Product size management
Product characteristics and requirements
Feature creep management
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

40. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Technology
Often the least important dimension
Language and tool selection
Value and cost of reuse
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

41. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Planning
Determine requirements
Determine resources
Select lifecycle model
Determine product features strategy
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

42. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Tracking
Cost, effort, schedule
Planned vs. Actual
How to handle when things go off plan?
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

43. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Measurements
To date and projected
Cost
Schedule
Effort
Product features
Alternatives
Earned value analysis
Defect rates
Productivity (ex: SLOC)
Complexity (ex: function points)
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

44. Technical Fundamentals
Requirements
Analysis
Design
Construction
Quality Assurance
Deployment
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

45. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Project Phases
All projects are divided into phases
All phases together are known as the Project Life Cycle
Each phase is marked by completion of Deliverables
Identify the primary software project phases
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

46. Lifecycle Relationships
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

47. Seven Core Project Phases
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

48. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Project Phases A.K.A.
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

49. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
Phases Variation
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

50. Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008
36 Classic Mistakes
McConnell’s Anti-Patterns
Seductive Appeal
Types
People-Related
Process-Related
Product-Related
Technology-Related
Gilligan’s Island
Seductive: good reason for decisions at the time
Some are IT, most not
We’ll visit these throughout course
Gilligan’s Island: new scheme, get off island, seems to work, then fails
Being aware can help prevent
Class discussion
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

51. People-Related Mistakes Part 1
Undermined motivation
Weak personnel
Weak vs. Junior
Uncontrolled problem employees
Heroics
Adding people to a late project
Motivation: studies show has largest impact
Don’t undermine Morale
2nd greatest influence on productivity
Junior != bad
Uncontrolled: most common developer complain about their managers
Heroics. Company hostage.
“Can-do”, “how high” attitudes
Brooks, reading assignment
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

52. People-Related Mistakes Part 2
Noisy, crowded offices
Customer-Developer friction
Unrealistic expectations
Politics over substance
Wishful thinking
60%of developers feel unsatisfactory environment: need quite and privacy
MS offices
Friction: classic differing viewpoints
Results in ‘poor communication’
Passive-aggressive
Realistic Expectations: 1 of top 5 reasons for success of in-house projects
Perception woe
Politics
Managing-up
Wishful
Cognitive dissonance
Closing your eyes and hoping
McConnell: maybe causes the most problems in software development
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

53. People-Related Mistakes Part 3
Lack of effective project sponsorship
Lack of stakeholder buy-in
Lack of user input
Sponsor: a must, no power
All players must buy-in
User input: Survey: number 1 reason for success
W/O input: guessing
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

54. Process-Related Mistakes Part 1
Optimistic schedules
Insufficient risk management
Contractor failure
Insufficient planning
Abandonment of plan under pressure
Similar to wishful thinking
Puts unnecessary pressure
Risk Mgmt:
Risks will manage you
Contractor: late, poor quality, or fails to meet specifications
Requires lots of management
Insufficient planning: “if you don’t care where you’re going, any plan will do”
Abandonment
Out the window
Fall into code-and-fix mode
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

55. Process-Related Mistakes Part 2
Wasted time during fuzzy front end
Shortchanged upstream activities
Inadequate design
Shortchanged quality assurance
fuzzy: before sign-off
Upstream:
Lack of analysis and design
10 to 100 times more costly
5 hrs vs. 50
Design:
Seen schedules w/o it at all
QA:
Seems easy to compress
1 day QA == 3 to 10 later
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

56. Process-Related Mistakes Part 3
Insufficient management controls
Frequent convergence
Omitting necessary tasks from estimates
Planning to catch-up later
Code-like-hell programming
Management controls
Need to be able to track
We’ll cover lots of these
PMI
Convergence
Waste of time
Missing tasks
Often 20-30% of a schedule
Catch-up later
How many times have you seen a project catch-up?
Only by all-nighters
Like hell
“Entrepreneurial” approach
See catch-up later
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

57. Product-Related Mistakes
Requirements gold-plating
Gilding the lily
Feature creep
Developer gold-plating
Beware the pet project
Push-me, pull-me negotiation
Research-oriented development
Gold
Gilding the lily
Performance is required more often than need be
Feature creep
25% average change in req.
Dev. Gold
Nifty new technology
Pet project
Push-me
Slip schedule + add features
Research vs. Development
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008

58. Technology-Related Mistakes
Silver-bullet syndrome
Overestimated savings from new tools and methods
Fad warning
Switching tools in mid-project
Lack of automated source-code control
who’s heard of ‘silver bullet’ (not the beer)
SCM
Jones: 10% month, I see more
Principles of Project Management, Fall 2008