Five Keys toSoftware Projects
Lauri Jutila, Kisko Labs Oy
Software is hard.
Software developmentis hard.
Buying softwareis hard.
Managing software projectsis hard.
But maybe there’s hope ...
The Five Topics I wanted to talk about
#1 Preparation
Preparation is half the battle, and nothing is lost by being upon one's guard.
Don Quixote
No battle plan ever survived first contact with the enemy.
General Von Moltke
The more you sweat in training, the less youbleed in combat.
US Marine Corps
Hyvin suunniteltu on edelleen kokonaan tekemättä.
Olli Piirainen
What?
How?
Why?
What are the questions we should find answers to in order to comprehend the our needs and requirements, and to form a mutual understanding of the issue?
How do we describe the needs and requirements so that we can form a mutual understanding with the providers, too?
•As an organization, who are we? Where are we now? In what direction are we heading to?
•What is the key business issue we trying to improve or develop?
•Who are the key beneficiaries of the development effort?
A few key questions
A few key questions•What are the key benefits, outcomes and
effects of the development effort?
•How do we measure the benefits, outcomes and effects?
#2 Requirements
Software roll-out is often an outsourcing of process tasksto the software, partially or completely
One must be able to define and describe the target state of the process in order to determine software requirements
Useful software requirements
definition tools
User StoryA description of what the actor in the process requires from software in a specific phase
In order to reach a milestone of a projectAs a project ownerI want to approve milestone deliverables
MockupA visual of the user interface required in carrying out a process task and its information management
User SketchA sketch drawn by the user about a piece of user interface of the process
#3 Purchasing
After preparation, do we know enough to define sufficiently accurate request for proposal that will generate adequate proposals?
The conflict in sales situation:The buyer wants to buy,the seller wants to sell
Common mistake:Too little time is spent on discussing the needs and requirements, and the situation as a whole
Common mistake:People assume a lot, fill in the knowledge gaps, especially when a complex and abstract topic is under discussion
Establish common goal:Profitable, successful projects - for both parties
#4 Project Management & Organizational Politics
Peter Drucker
Ninety percent of what we call “management” consists of making it difficult for people to get things done.
Once you are past preparation phase,plan sufficiently, butnot excessively.
Project plans don’t run projects, people do.
Execution is strategy
Fred Malek
We have a strategic plan, it’s called ‘doing things’.
Herb Kelleher, South West Airlines
Most project management problems are communication problems
PEOPLE &POLITICS
Project Management is:
The Project Manager
1) All implementation failures are your fault
2)All implementation failures are people failures
3)Project management is people management
4)“Politics” is the alpha and omega of project management — love it or leave it
According to Tom Peters
#5 People
Hard is soft.Soft is hard.
Tom Peters
Build a team that is cross-functional, avoid knowledge silos and strict roles
Insist on participating team selection on provider’s side
Demand that key team members are fully allocated to your project and only your project
Resist all personnel changes in a project team vigorously
“Ain’t any project ever been late because someone didn’t type code fast enough”
Antti Salonen
The Five Keys
Prepare well.
Define requirements with clear purpose.
Over-communicate!
Master the people & politics game.
Take care of people.
Thanks!
Q&A