CS616 Software EngineeringSchool of CSIS, Pace University

QA Team Presentation

Software Project ManagementPractical Approach By the Current Industry

03/30/2006

Presentation Overview

• Introduction

• Project Management Basic Terminology

• Why Project Management?

• Project Life Cycle

• Project Risk Management

• Communication

• Project Closure

• PM Fun!!

• Conclusions

Team 1 : Team Members

Introduction

Srinivas Vittal

Ancey VargheseHanting Lin

Team Website : http://utopia.csis.pace.edu/cs615/2005-2006/team1/

Raghu Basavaraju

Why Project Management?

To avoid this…

What is a Project?

What is Project Management?

Definition:

What is a Project?

A project is a temporary effort, undertaken with a defined start and end date, to create a unique product, service, or result.

A project is a temporary effort, undertaken with a defined start and end date, to create a unique product, service, or result.

Source : Project Management Institutehttp://www.pmi.org

Definition:

The art of balancing competing demands among scope, time, cost and quality.

What is Project Management?

Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed the Sponsors needs and expectations.

Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed the Sponsors needs and expectations.

Project Characteristics

What are the 3 characteristics which define a project?

Scope/Objectives (products, deliverables) Time (project schedule) Cost (budget)

Implemented against:

Resource constraints / availability Risks & issues Other competing priorities

Value of Project Management

Why Undertake Projects? To deliver a benefit to the organization

To support the business strategy

To identify and resolve major problems / issues

To establish a solid foundation for a new product

To provides guidance in organizing and staffing deliverables

In summary: To enhance the value of the organization through the

timely delivery of objectives, in the most cost effective way possible with the right resources providing subject matter expertise.

Benefits of Project Management

What are the benefits?

Less wasted effort Less hassles due to clear objectives Projects delivered on-time and within budget Projects meet the needs of the business and

deliver business benefits. Improved resource and budget control Better coordination of efforts and activities Increased customer satisfaction Recognition of success

How to get from a Concept to a Product?

Coordinate requirements definition, architecture Coordinate requirements definition, architecture definition, system implementation and testing efforts – definition, system implementation and testing efforts – Project ManagementProject Management

Use process models to guide you through these Use process models to guide you through these activitiesactivities What activity needs to be done nextWhat activity needs to be done next How much of the it needs to be doneHow much of the it needs to be done

Project plan = Instance of process modelProject plan = Instance of process model

Project Plan – What does it provide

Why?Why? What?What? When?When? Who?Who? Where?Where? How?How? How Much?How Much? WhereasWhereas

ObjectivesObjectives Milestones & Milestones &

ProductsProducts ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

ApproachApproach Resources & EffortResources & Effort AssumptionsAssumptions

Project Planning - How to Begin?

1st Step

Sit with the Project Sponsor to discuss and document what he/she is looking to achieve by this project.

understand their passion for the end result

clarify the real scope and objectives of the project

determine constraints (time, $, dependencies)

answer the question “What do I have to do?”

be able to successfully create a Project Charter and get it approved / signed-off by the Project Sponsor

2nd Step

Break down the scope into manageable pieces - “Work Breakdown Structure” (WBS). A planning exercise designed to:

break down the project by component of work, not by department

ensure that you have captured and identified all of the tasks and activities involved to successfully deliver the project

allow you to easily quantify and estimate each deliverable with more confidence

involve the Team in the planning process to create ownership

Sample WBS

15

Work Breakdown Structure0.0 Project Goal

1.0 Objective 2.0 Objective

Task 1.1 Task 1.2 Task 2.1 Task 2.2

Activity 1.1.1Activity 2.1.1

Activity 1.2.1 Activity 2.2.1

Sample : Utopia Project Schedule

Risk

Management

Issues vs. Risks

An issue is a problem that is currently impacting on a project……..

A risk is a problem which may impact the project and jeopardize its success.

Risk Management

Definitions: What is Risk?

The chance of exposure to the adverse consequences of future events - i.e. threats to the management of the project.

What is Risk Analysis? The identification and definition of risks, plus

the evaluation of impact and resulting action. What is Risk Management?

The activities involved in the planning, monitoring and controlling of actions that will address the threats and problems identified, so as to improve the likelihood of the project achieving its stated objectives.

Types of Risks

Typical Project Risks:

Project timescales, deliverables, milestones

Requirements definitions, spec’s

Project management and control

Resource limitations, constraints

Technical complexity

Contractual obligations with consultants / external suppliers

Internal organizational constraints, policy, priorities

Risk Management Process

WATCH !!!

CONSIDER ADDRESS & ACTION !!!

CONSIDER

Risk Assessment:

IMPACT

PR

OB

AB

ILIT

Y

Low

Low

High

High

Communication

&

Reporting

Communication & Reporting

Why is Communication & Reporting important in the conduct of a project?

Keeps everyone up-to-date Promotes confidence Builds understanding throughout Team, projects culture Builds good working relationships Creates discipline Removes immediacy - I need this information now !!

Eliminates surprises !!

What ways can the Sponsor and Project Manager communicate?

Progress Reports (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly) Checkpoint Meetings (at the end of each Phase of Work)

Review progress since last meeting

Agree to proceed to next phase Steering Committee Meetings Team Meetings Chat in the hallway - How’s it going?

Don’t wait for problems to occur to start communicating !!

Communication & Reporting

What is reported on?

Good News Bad News Issues & Risks Achievements for the period

Communication & Reporting

Communication –

An In Depth Look…

What is Communication anyway?

Communication is defined as Communication is defined as the interchange of the interchange of thoughts or opinions through thoughts or opinions through shared symbolsshared symbols; ; e.g. language, words, phrasese.g. language, words, phrases

Some synonyms of the word communication:Some synonyms of the word communication: message,message, directive, word, contact, commerce, directive, word, contact, commerce, communion, intercommunication; converse, communion, intercommunication; converse, exchange, interchange, conversing, discussing, exchange, interchange, conversing, discussing, talking; talking;

The facets of Communication

• SenderSender the person trying to communicate a the person trying to communicate a messagemessage

• ReceiverReceiver the person at whom the message is the person at whom the message is directeddirected

• InformationInformation that a message is sent to convey that a message is sent to convey

• BehaviorBehavior that the Information is meant to that the Information is meant to change (change (ValueValue added) added)

Barriers to Communication

Human natureHuman nature: Peoples’ egos, prejudices, : Peoples’ egos, prejudices, and traditions can get in the wayand traditions can get in the way

Conflicting feelings, goals, opinionsConflicting feelings, goals, opinions: If people : If people feel on opposite sides of an issue they may feel on opposite sides of an issue they may not sharenot share

PowerPower: The idea that knowledge is power can : The idea that knowledge is power can lead to information hoardinglead to information hoarding

Barriers to Communication

Unclear processUnclear process: The receiver and sender may not : The receiver and sender may not share the same language, slang, jargon, share the same language, slang, jargon, vocabulary, symbolsvocabulary, symbols

Chain of commandChain of command: There may be too many layers : There may be too many layers that a message passes through between sender that a message passes through between sender and receiverand receiver

Large size of an organization, geographic distanceLarge size of an organization, geographic distance: : Large numbers of receivers require good message Large numbers of receivers require good message sending methodssending methods

Personal limitationsPersonal limitations: Physical and mental : Physical and mental disabilities, and differences in intelligence and disabilities, and differences in intelligence and educationeducation

Its time for some PM Fun !!!

Managed the resources $$$ ?

Managed the resources ?

Buck passer

The wise project manager maintains a list of people to whom the buck can be passed when this becomes necessary and allocates priorities (proportionate with the degree of aggravation casued to the project manager).•line managers who failed to give up their claim to resources... •controllers of corporate purse strings who failed to cough up the necessary readies.. •project board members, who questioned the validity of the project, or started raising awkward bloody questions about status reports, ……self righteous, megalomaniac, meddling gits....er you get the message.

The wise project manager maintains a list of people to whom the buck can be passed.

Project Closure

What is it? (continued) Formalizing acceptance

By the Project Sponsor Customer confirms all requirements for the product have

been delivered

Noting open items

Analyzing project success and effectiveness Studying what went right and what went wrong

Archiving project records

Project Closure

Lessons Learned A forum to discuss and document positive and

negative attributes of a completed project

Dissect the project process, NOT the people

No finger pointing

Don’t gloss over specifics – ideas for improvement grow out of the specifics

The Project Manager can get the session rolling, but the information should come from the Team

Conclude by translating recommendations into action items

Team 1 : Quality Assurance

Conclusions

Q&A

with

QA Team