Information Systems Information Systems System Analysis 421System Analysis 421

Chapter 3

Managing the Information Systems Project

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Explain the process of managing an information systems project

Discuss skills required to be an effective project manager

Describe skills and activities of a project manager during project initiation, planning, execution and closedown

Explain Gantt and Pert charts

Review commercial project management software packages

3.23.2

Figure 3-1Figure 3-1Three computer applications at Pine Valley Three computer applications at Pine Valley Furniture: Order Filling, Invoicing, and PayrollFurniture: Order Filling, Invoicing, and Payroll(Source: Hoffer, Prescott, and McFadden, 2002)(Source: Hoffer, Prescott, and McFadden, 2002)

3.33.3

Pine Valley FurniturePine Valley Furniture

Pine Valley FurniturePine Valley Furniture

• Manufacturing Company– Product: Wood Furniture

– Market: US

– Organized into functional areas• Manufacturing

• Sales

• Orders

• Accounting

• Purchasing

– Three independent computer systems were converted to a database in 1990’s

3.43.4

Managing the Information Systems Managing the Information Systems ProjectProject

• Focus of project management– To ensure that information system projects meet

customer expectations• Delivered in a timely manner

• Meet time constraints and requirements Project Manager

– Systems Analyst responsible for:• Project initiation

• Planning

• Execution

• Closing down

3.53.5

Managing the Information Systems Managing the Information Systems ProjectProject

• Project Manager

– Activities include:• Management

• Leadership

• Technical

• Problem solving

• Conflict management

• Customer relations

• Team management

• Risk and change management

Project Management Project Management ProcessProcess• Project

– Planned undertaking of related activities to reach an objective that has a beginning and an end

• Four Phases

– Initiation

– Planning

– Execution

– Closing down

3.73.7

Initiating the ProjectInitiating the Project

• Establish project initiation team

• Establish relationship with customer

• Establish project initiation plan

• Establish management procedures

• Establish project management environment and workbook

3.83.8

Planning the ProjectPlanning the Project

• Describe project scope, alternatives and feasibility– Scope and Feasibility

• Understand the project

• What problem is addressed

• What results are to be achieved

• Measures of success

• Completion criteria

3.93.9

Planning the ProjectPlanning the Project

• Divide the project into manageable tasks

• Work breakdown structure

• Gantt chart

• Estimate resources and create a resource plan

• Develop a preliminary schedule• Utilize Gantt and PERT charts

3.103.10

Planning the ProjectPlanning the Project

• Develop a communication plan– Outline communication processes among

customers, team members and management

• Determine project standards and procedures– Specify how deliverables are tested and

produced

3.113.11

Planning the ProjectPlanning the Project

• Identify and assess risk

– Identify sources of risk

– Estimate consequences of risk

• Create a preliminary budget

• Develop a statement of work

– Describe what the project will deliver and duration

• Set a Baseline Project Plan

– Estimate of project’s tasks and resources

3.123.12

Executing the ProjectExecuting the Project

• Execute Baseline Project Plan– Acquire and assign resources

– Train new team members

– Keep project on schedule

• Monitor project progress– Adjust resources, budget and/or activities

3.133.13

Executing the ProjectExecuting the Project

• Manage changes to Baseline Project Plan– Slipped completion dates

– Changes in personnel

– New activities

– Bungled activities

• Maintain project workbook

• Communicate project status

3.143.14

Closing Down the ProjectClosing Down the Project

• Termination– Types of termination

• Natural– Requirements have been met

• Unnatural– Project stopped

– Documentation

– Personnel Appraisal

3.153.15

Closing Down the ProjectClosing Down the Project

• Conduct post-project reviews– Determine strengths and weaknesses of:

• Project deliverables

• Project management process

• Development process

• Close customer contract

3.163.16

Activity PlanningActivity Planning

• Activity planning includes– Selecting a systems analysis team

– Estimating time required to complete each task

– Scheduling the project

• Two tools for project planning and control are Gantt charts and PERT diagrams

Estimating TimeEstimating Time

• Project is broken down into phases

• Further broken down into tasks or activities

• Finally broken down into steps or even smaller units

• Estimate time for each task or activity

• May use a most likely, pessimistic, and optimistic estimates for time

Gantt ChartsGantt Charts

• Easy to construct and use

• Shows activities over a period of time

Q u e s t io n n a i re s

R e a d R e p o rt s

A n a ly ze D a ta F lo w s

In tr o d u ce P r o to ty p e s

O b s e rv e R e a c t io n s

P e r fo r m C o s t /B e n e fi t

P r e p a re P r o p o s a l

P r e s e n t P ro p o s a l

C o n d u c t In te rv ie w s

1 5 10 15 20WeeksCurrent Week

Gantt Chart ExampleGantt Chart Example

PERT DiagramPERT Diagram

• PERT - Program Evaluation and Review Technique– PERT diagrams show precedence, activities

that must be completed before the next activities may be started

– Used to calculate the critical path, the longest path through the activities

– This is the shortest time to complete the project

A N o n e 3C o n d u c t In te rv ie w s

B Q u e s t io n n a i re s A 4

C R e a d R e p o rt s N o n e 4D A n a ly ze D a ta F lo w s B , C 8

E In tr o d u ce P r o to typ e s B , C 5

F O b s e rv e R e a c t io n s E 3

G P e r fo r m C o s t /B e n e fi t D 3

H P r e p a re P r o p o s a l G 2

P r e s e n t P ro p o s a lI H 2

10

20

30 50 60 70 80

40

A, 3 B, 4

C, 4 D, 8 G, 3 H, 2 I, 2

E, 5 F, 3

PERT Diagram ExamplePERT Diagram Example

PERT Diagram PERT Diagram AdvantagesAdvantages• Easy identification of the order of

precedence

• Easy identification of the critical path and thus critical activities

• Easy determination of slack time, the leeway to fall behind on noncritical paths

TimeboxingTimeboxing

• Timeboxing sets an absolute due date for project delivery

• The most critical features are developed first and implemented by the due date

• Other features are added later

Representing and Scheduling Project Representing and Scheduling Project PlansPlans

• Gantt Charts– Useful for depicting simple projects or parts

of large projects

– Show start and completion dates for individual tasks

• PERT Charts– Show order of activities

3.253.25

Comparison of Gantt and PERT Comparison of Gantt and PERT ChartsCharts

• Gantt

– Visually shows duration of tasks

– Visually shows time overlap between tasks

– Visually shows slack time

• PERT

– Visually shows dependencies between tasks

– Visually shows which tasks can be done in parallel

– Shows slack time by data in rectangles

3.263.26

Gantt and PERT Charts for Pine Valley Gantt and PERT Charts for Pine Valley FurnitureFurniture

• Steps– Identify each activity

• Requirements Collection

• Screen Design

• Report Design

• Database Design

• User Documentation

• Software Programming

• Installation and Testing

3.273.27

Gantt and PERT Charts for Pine Gantt and PERT Charts for Pine Valley FurnitureValley Furniture

– Determine time estimates and expected completion times for each activity

– Determine sequence of activities

– Determine critical path• Sequence of events that will affect the final

project delivery date

3.283.28

Project Management Project Management SoftwareSoftware• Many systems are available

• Three activities required to use:– Establish project start or end date

– Enter tasks and assign task relationships

– Select scheduling method to review project reports

3.293.29

SummarySummary

• Skills of an effective project manager

• Activities of project manager

– Initiation

– Planning

– Execution

– Closedown

• Gantt and PERT Charts

• Commercial Project Management Software

3.303.30