Project Management

1. Project Management • Define project, project management, RAD, JAD • Describe the project triangle and its tradeoffs • Describe project management activities • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of functional, project (purpose) and matrix structures • Describe the advantages, disadvantages and characteristics of SDLC (System Development Life Cycle) and prototyping • Describe the phases of SDLC • Describe project dimensions affecting risk • Discuss integration in dealing with risk • Discuss issues in managing behavioral factors • Discuss open sourcing as a development approach

2. Project Management • Project - temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service • may be divided into subprojects • Project management - application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project • T.A.N.S.T.A.A.F.L.

3. Project Triangle Time Cost QUALITY Scope

4. Project Management Activities • Ensuring progress of project using metrics • Identifying risks and assessing the probability of them occurring • Ensuring progress toward deliverables within constraints of time and resources • Running coordination meetings of the project team • Negotiating for resources on behalf of the project

5. Development Models • Systems Development Life Cycle • Rapid Applications Development (RAD) • Prototyping • Joint Applications Development (JAD) (like RAD with users) • Agile Programming (Dynamic System Development Method; Extreme Programming; Scrum Crystal) • Object-Oriented

6. Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) • Overview • Software Acquisition Choices • SDLC Overview • SDLC:Phases • Alternative Approaches

7. SDLC - Prior Problems • Failure to meet: • Budgets • Schedules • Expectations • TOO LITTLE…. TOO LATE

8. SDLC - Characteristics • “Problem” or “Opportunity” • Many names; Widely applicable • “Analysis” vs. “Synthesis” • Variance across stages

9. SDLC - Characteristics • Disciplined approach • Systems approach • Iterative (not sequential) • Cyclical

10. SDLC - Advantages • Focus on tradeoffs • Focus on goals • Controls: milestones, checklist, accountability • Tools, models, CASE • Hierarchical decomposition • Designed for user & manager involvement

11. SDLC - Reasons for Failure • Scope too broad or too narrow • Lack of needed skills • Incomplete specifications • No control/no framework • Lack of management/user involvement • Too time-consuming

12. SDLC Phases • Initiation and Feasibility • Requirements Definition • Functional Design • Technical Design and Construction • Verification • Implementation • Maintenance & Review

13. I. Initiation & Feasibility • Project objectives & Scope • Preliminary survey & feasibility • Technical • Economic • Operational • Project proposal and schedule • Identify assumptions & constraints

14. II. Requirements Definition • Problem/Opportunity definition • Analyze current system • Focus on decisions and related information needs • Define business functionality • Plan for training, user acceptance

15. Problem/Opportunity Definition • Symptoms vs. real problems • Question decision maker’s statement of problem • Bound problem realistically • Try to ascertain actual cause • Sometimes figuring out the problem is half the solution

16. Analyze Current System • + Understand activities involved • + Identify decision points • + Identify problems & efficiencies • + Be aware of history • - Bias thinking

17. III. Functional Design • Focus on business needs • usability, reliability • Logical design • Outputs • Inputs • Presentation • Processes • Databases • Personnel

18. IV. Technical Design and Construction • Finalize architecture and acquire hardware • Complete technical definition of data access and other system components • Make (program) vs. buy • Develop test plans • Revise schedule, plan and costs

19. V. Verification • Program Testing • Structured walkthrough • Code inspection • Unit test • Pairs testing • Verification, stress, user and security testing

20. VI. Implementation • Cut-over • Parallel conversion • Direct cut-over • Pilot conversion • Phased conversion • User training

21. VII. Maintenance and Review • Post-implementation audit • Ends - information requirements (information, performance) • Means - process • Maintenance (correcting bugs & scheduled maintenance) • Enhancement (adding functionality)

22. Iterative Development System Concept Version “1” Version “2” Version “N” Software Development Process

23. Uses of Prototyping • Verifying user needs • Verifying that design = specifications • Selecting the “best” design • Developing a conceptual understanding of novel situations

24. Uses of Prototyping • Testing a design under varying environments • Demonstrating a new product to upper management • Implementing a new system in the user environment quickly

25. Proposed Advantages Improved user communication Users like it Low risk Avoids over-design Experimentation and innovation Spreads labor to user department Disadvantages in practice Prototypes are used “as is” Integration often difficult Design flaws Poor performance Difficult to manage process Creates unrealistic expectations Documentation is difficult Prototyping

26. ease of use (+) user needs (+) unrealistic user expectations (-) added features (?) poorer performance(-) mixed design quality mixed maintainability less need more difficult to do effort decreased (+) difficult cost-estimation (-) end-user participation increased (+) more expertise needed (-) difficult planning & control (-) Observed Effects of Prototyping Software Product Software Process

27. Rapid Applications Development (RAD) • + Like prototyping, uses iterative development • + Uses tools to speed up development • GUI • reusable code • code generation • programming, language testing and debugging • - Requirements may be frozen too early • - Basic standards often overlooked

28. Joint Applications Development (JAD) • + Saves interviewing and data collection time • + Structured process • + Highly collaborative with business units • - Expensive • - Low use of technology

29. Project Dimensions Affecting Risk • Project Size (relative to others) • The pregnant lady • Complexity • Extent of difficulty • Interdependence of components • Relative • Clarity • High vs. Low

30. Tools for Project Management • Risk a function of size, complexity and clarity • Tools • External integration tools (beyond project team) --- clarity • Internal integration tools ( within project team) --- complexity

31. EXTERNAL User project manager User specification approval process User-managed control process Users as team members User responsibility for education&installation INTERNAL IT professional team leader Frequent team meetings Regular technical status reviews Outside technical assistance Goal setting by team Integration Tools

32. Management Issues • Pulling the plug • Measuring success • Resource constraints • Impact on customers • Business success • Prepare the future

33. Open Sourcing • The process of building and improving “free” software by an Internet community • Release early and often • Delegate as much as possible • Archive and manage the versions • Be as open as possible

34. Free Software The freedom to run the program for any purpose. The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your needs. Access to the source code is a precondition for this. The freedom to distribute copies so that you can help your neighbor. The freedom to improve and release your improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits. Access to source code is a precondition for this GNU Project- Free Software Foundation, “The Free Software Definition,” http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html, Downloaded 4/3/02.

35. Open Sourcing Issues • Protection of Intellectual Property • Updating and maintaining open source code • Competitive advantage • Tech support • Standards