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Managing Organizational Projects

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LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Explain the triple constraints and its importance in project management

2. Describe the fundamentals of project management

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MANAGING SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS

• Analysts predict investment in IT projects worldwide through 2010 will be over $1 trillion

• 70 percent will be lost due to failed projects

• The consequences of failed projects include:– Damaged brand– Lost goodwill– Dissolution of partnerships– Lost investment opportunities– Low morale

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The Triple Constraint

• Project management interdependent variables

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• Benjamin Franklin’s timeless advice - by failing to prepare, you prepare to fail - applies to software development projects

• The Hackett Group analyzed 2,000 companies and discovered:– Three in 10 major IT projects fail– 21 percent of the companies state that they cannot

adjust rapidly to market changes– One in four validates a business case for IT projects

after completion

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• Common reasons why IT projects fall behind schedule or fail

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNDAMENTALS

• Project – temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result

• Project management – the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project requirements

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• The Project Management Institute (PMI) develops procedures and concepts necessary to support the profession of project management (www.pmi.org) and has three areas of focus:1. The distinguishing characteristics of a practicing

professional (ethics)2. The content and structure of the profession’s

body of knowledge (standards)3. Recognition of professional attainment

(accreditation)

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• Project deliverable – any measurable, tangible, verifiable outcome, result, or item that is produced to complete a project

• Project milestone – represents key dates when a certain group of activities must be performed

• Project manager – an individual who is an expert in project planning and management

• Project management office (PMO) – an internal department that oversees all organizational projects

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SUCCESSFUL PROJECT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

• Top five successful project management strategies1. Define project success criteria2. Develop a solid project plan3. Divide and conquer4. Plan for change5. Manage project risk

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CHAPTER EIGHTEENOpening Case Study Questions

1. What are the three interdependent variables shaping project management? Why are these variables important to an e-espionage software development project?

2. Explain how the government can use the top five successful project management strategies to ensure its projects remain on-schedule and under budget

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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CASEBusiness Subject Matter Experts

• One of the best kept secrets of successful software development projects is to deploy a non-IT business subject matter expert (SME) to the project team to answer questions, solve problems, and troubleshoot

• A SME is relied on to take ownership of the project and ensure everything is executed correctly

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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CASE QUESTIONS

1. How can having a SME on your project alleviate scope creep?

2. How can having a SME on your project impact time constraints?

3. How can having a SME on your project impact costs?

4. Argue for or against the following statement: “There is no need to have a SME on the project management team”