IT Project

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CHAPTER 12

• IT Project
• Management

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PROJECT

• A temporary endeavor undertaken
• to create a product or service
• Typically a one-time endeavor that can be
• divided into tasks, which
• requires coordination and control, with
• a definite beginning and end

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PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS

• RISK UNCERTAINTY HIGHEST AT START
• ABILITY TO INFLUENCE RESULTS HIGHEST AT START
• COST STAFFING LOW AT START, HIGHER NEAR END,
  RAPIDLY DROP OFF AFTER

PMI, 1996
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PROGRAM

• GROUP OF PROJECTS
• MANAGED IN COORDINATED WAY
• TO OBTAIN BENEFITS NOT AVAILABLE FROM MANAGING
  THEM SEPARATELY

PMI, 1996
5
PROJECT INITIATION

• PROJECT CHARTER Describes objectives, scope,
  assumptions (results from feasibility analysis)
• RANK ALTERNATIVES May require estimates of costs
  times, judgment
• WORK WITH THE NUMBERS Sensitivity analysis, deal
  with uncertainties (does outcome change with
  change in input?)

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PROJECT MANAGER CHARACTERISTICS

• LEADING Communicating, problem-solving
• NEGOTIATING Ability to get things done within
  organizational setting
• NON-TECHNICAL SKILLS

PMI, 1996
7
NON-TECHNICAL SKILLSETS

• COMMUNICATION Listening, persuading
• ORGANIZATIONAL Planning, goal-setting, analyzing
• TEAM-BUILDING Empathy, motivation, esprit de
  corps
• LEADERSHIP Sets example, energetic, vision,
  delegates, positive
• COPING Flexibility, creativity, patience,
  persistence

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Key Business Roles

• Project Sponsor Executive participates in the
  initial project proposal and the feasibility
  studies, argues for approval, has ownership of
  project, provides funds, oversees success,
  ensures benefits
• User Champion Has credibility in affected
  community, continually communicates project
  vision benefits

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Project Planning

• Scheduling Involves work breakdown analysis,
  time estimates, sequence of tasks
• Budgeting Documents total costs, levels at which
  each is controlled. Bottom-up (cost and aggregate
  elements), top-down (sets total for project,
  assigns dollars to elements)
• Staffing Identifies required skill mix,
  proficiency level, quantity, timeframe, provides
  incentives
• Planning Documents
• Statement of Work High-level description of what
  project will deliver when
• Project Plan Details of tasks (e.g., PERT, Gantt
  chart)

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Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)
Circles are activities Arrows show
sequence Values are time units (not to scale)
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GANTT CHART
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PROJECT EXECUTION CONTROL

• Approval of plan, schedule, budget
• Assign responsibilities Authorities
• Status reporting
• Risk management
• Solve problems before they become critical

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STATUS REPORTING

• Schedule
• Scheduled actual, or forecast completion dates
• Explanations of deviation(s)
• Budget
• Total project funding
• Expenditures to date of report
• Current estimate of cost to complete
• Anticipated profit/loss
• Explanations of deviation(s)

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IT-RELATED RISKS

• ORGANIZATIONAL Competitive, reputation,
  technical
• PERSONNEL Personnel and expertise, non-use
  unintentional misuse
• SYSTEMS PROJECT Control design, project delay
• EXTERNAL SECURITY External fraud, theft, crime.
  Extraordinary event

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CHANGE MANAGEMENT

• CHANGE MANAGEMENT
• the ability to successfully introduce change to
  individuals and organizational units
• Activities communicating, training, providing
  incentives
• CHANGE MODEL
• Lewin/Schein Model
• Change Efforts
• MANAGING COMPLEX PROJECTS

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LEWIN/SCHEIN CHANGE MODEL

• UNFREEZING
• Establish a felt need
• Create a safe atmosphere
• MOVING
• Provide necessary information
• Assimilate knowledge, develop skills
• REFREEZING

Lewin, 1947, Schein, 1987
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CHANGE EFFORTS

• 1. ESTABLISH SENSE OF URGENCY
• 2. FORM POWERFUL GUIDING COALITION
• 3. CREATE A VISION
• 4. COMMUNICATE VISION
• 5. EMPOWER OTHERS TO ACT ON VISION
• 6. PLAN FOR CREATE SHORT-TERM WINS
• 7. CONSOLIDATE IMPROVEMENTS, PRODUCE MORE CHANGE
• 8. INSTITUTIONALIZE NEW APPROACHES

Kotter, 1995
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CHAPTER 12

• IT Project
• Management