CEN 5055Software Project Management

Chapter 1

IT Project Management - Uniqueness

• High turnover of IT workers• Unique and complex objectives• Difficulty “picturing” software for intended

users/customers• Changing requirements/expectations• Difficulty testing all possible states• Rapidly changing enabling technology

IT Project Management - History

• Driven by rush to space, 1950s (Sputnik)• 1958: PERT [Prog Evaln & Review Technique]• 1950s: CPM [Critical path method]• WBS [Work Breakdown Structure] – goal/subgoal

structure for tasks and delivs.• Gantt chart – time-based bar chart depicting

project activities and resources.• 1970s – present: SEI, CMM, PMBOK• Fit to size: complexity of PM right for project size.

Project Management

• Key characteristics– Temporary (start … end)– Unique – Progressively elaborate (complexity/size growth)

• Secondary characteristics– Primary sponsor/champion– Cuts around organizational boundaries– Must produce tangible deliverables/outputs

What a Project Manager Does

• Initiates• Plans• Executes• Monitors & Controls• Closes• The TRIPLE CONSTRAINT (trade-offs)

– Scope– Time– Cost

Why Project Management Works – 2005 Chaos Study

• Snapshots in 1995, 2001 and 2003• Findings:

– Increase probability of success: 16% 28% 34%– Reduce % canceled projects: 31% 23% 18%– Reduce % schedule overrun: 222% 63% 82%– Reduce % cost overrun: 185% 45% 43%– Increase feature delivery: 61% 67% 52%

• Improvements related to growth of PM discipline, training, tools

What Makes a Project Manager?

• Soft Skills– Leadership– Team building– Negotiation– Conflict management– Organization– Communication

• Oral and written• Technical, non-technical

– Change management– Active listening

What Makes a Project Manager?

• Technical Skills– Project management competency– Knowledge of software– IT knowledge– Business knowledge– Cost estimation and budgeting knowledge

• 6 Things to manage– Project scope - Human resources– Communications - Schedule– Quality - Costs

IT Project Management - History

Functional Weak matrix balanced Strong matrix Projectized

PM authority Little/none Limited Low - Moderate

Moderate - High

High to almost total

Resource availability

Little/none Limited Low - Moderate

Moderate - High

High to almost total

Who controls project budget

Functional manager

Functional manager

Mixed Project manager

Project manager

PM’s role Part time Part time Full time Full time Full time

PM administrative staff

Part time Part time Part time Full time Full time

Why Does Organization Structure Matter?

• Lines of authority– To hire, spend– To supervise work– Responsibility – “the buck stops here”

• Functional organization– (+) Well defined expectations; ability to specialize– (+) Single boss/decision maker– (+) Budget tied overall company: stable, controllable– (-) PM (across boundaries) competes for resources– (-) silos – duplication vs sharing key resources– (-) project competes with everyday responsibilities

Project Based Organizational Structure

• Benefits– Single boss/decision maker– Authority for tasking, evaluation, hiring– Full-time attention by PM– Exploit experience of PM to effect outcomes

• Disadvantages– PM can lose sight of big picture – the company– Must share company’s administrative personnel – Workers out of mainstream of company – may limit

career growth (company-wide)

Matrixed Organizational Structure

• Benefits– Formal project accountability– High visibility across functional units (cooperation)– Adaptable, flexible– Antidote against functional silos– Employee security – job not tied to project

• Disadvantages– Competing priorities of supervisors– Controlling budget/costs– Conflict of interest – “what’s best for my career?”