Introduction to project management

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Introduction to project management

• Ian Allison

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The Software Project

• What is a project?
• Why do we need project management?
• Why do projects fail?
• The role of project managers
• Structure of projects
• Setting off on the right foot

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What is a Project?
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Characteristics of a Project

• Must have a start finish
• Fixed time cost
• Must have an objective
• Clear view of outcome
• People and resources to manage
• Need for leadership
• Often unique
• Causes problems

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Why project management?

• 3 major criticisms
• Projects are delivered late
• Actual costs far exceed estimates
• Systems do not meet expectations
• how do projects get to be years late in
  delivery? one day at a time Fred Brooks The
  Mythical Man Month

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Failure in IT Projects
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Role of project manager

• What are the tasks of a project manager?
• What are the key skills in being a good project
  manager?

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Persuasive Communicator
Good Controller
Effective Planner
Project Manager
Effective Manager
Good Trainer
Technically Competent
Sensitive to problems of change
Organisationally Powerful
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DEVELOPMENT MODELS

• Waterfall
• Clear deliverables
• PRINCE 2
• Incremental
• Rapid development environment
• DSDM (RAD)

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Waterfall Model
Feasibility Study
Define Requirements
System Design
Programming and Testing
Implementation
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PRINCE - Planning/ Deliverables
Project Deliverables
Managerial
Technical
Quality
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PRINCE - Planning / Tolerances
Target

Cost
Tolerance Box
-
-

Time
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PRINCE - Control
Stages
Phases
Product
Product
Product
Management Control - health of project
Technical Control - health of product
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DSDM Life Cycle
Feasibility
Business Study
Agree Schedule
Implement
Functional Prototype Iteration
Implement- ation
Create Functional Prototype
Identify Functional Prototype
Business Review
Train Users
Review Prototype
User approval user guidelines
Review Design Prototype
Design Prototype Iteration
Identify Design Prototype
Create Design Prototype
Agree Schedule
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DSDM Principles

• Active user involvement
• Frequent delivery of products
• Fitness for purpose is acceptance criterion
• Collaborative co-operative approach
• Testing integrated throughout life cycle

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Time Boxing
U s e r R e v i e w
U s e r R e v i e w
U s e r R e v i e w
Time box 1
Time box 2
Time box 3
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Setting out

• Terms of Reference
• Clear scope and constraints
• Feasibility Study
• Is is possible?
• Project Strategy
• How are we going to do it?
• Requirements
• Detailed set of expectations
• Prototype
• Exploring checking our understanding