Project Management is not just the management of developing a system; it is a cross life cycle activity. Project Management activities overlap all system development phases, implementation and operation and support. The Project Management activities illustrated below correspond to classic management functions; scoping, planning, estimating, scheduling, organizing, directing, controlling, and closing.
1. Negotiate Scope - This sets the guidelines and boundaries of a project. Before any work is assigned, all work must be accepted by all teams and parties of what will be completed and the time frame. Fulfilling this step is critical to a project’s success. To fully define all guidelines, a statement of work is generally created, defining the type of work to be performed on this project.
2. Identify Tasks - Referencing the project scope, the next activity is to identify project tasks. Tasks identify the work to be done. Typically, work is defined by a top down, outlining manner. Depending on the size of the project and the size of the team, identifying tasks maybe 2 to 3 steps before each task becomes a manageable amount of work that can be planned, schedules and assigned. Larger projects usually involve breaking things into phases, and each phase is then broken into major tasks and milestones. This prepares us for Step 3, which requires Task timelines.
3. Estimate Task Durations - Having identified the phases, the milestones and individual tasks with suitable level of detail, an estimated duration for each task must be completed. Factoring the size of each team, number of users, availability of users, aptitude of users, experience of team personnel, time committed to other projects and experience from previous projects all play a role at this stage.
4. Specify Intertask Dependencies - Knowing the task durations estimates, we can now go ahead and develop a project schedule. The project schedule not only depends on the each task durations, but also on intertask dependencies. Knowing that you can only start certain tasks when other tasks are completed is essential to a successful schedule.
5. Assign Resources - Having listed each task timeline requirements, we can now determine the skill set required to complete each task and which and what resources are most suitable and required in completing each task within their determined timelines. Resources include: people, services, facilities and equipment, supplies and materials, and money.
a. People - System owners, users, analysts, designers, builders, external agents, and clerical help that will be involved in the project in any way.
b. Services - A service such as a quality review that may be charged on a per use basis.
c. Facilities and equipment - Facilities and equipment includes the use of rooms, and technology that will be needed to complete the project.
d. Supplies and Materials - Everything from paper, pencils, notebooks, toner cartridges, pens, etc…
e. Money - Everything noted above has some cost associated to it, and the accounting team is included, but their job is to make sure the project falls within the budget!
The availability of these resources, especially people, facilities and equipment, can significantly alter a project schedule.
6. Direct the Team Effort - Everything until now has been just preparation for the main thing, the project. Despite what people may think, the hardest task that management has is to manage people. The ability to co-ordinate, delegate and manage multiple resources is a sought after skill by every company. Every Project Manager is unique, their skills and tactics a combination of their likes and dislikes as a subordinate. Finding the right Project Manager can be the difference in the success or failure of a project.
7. Monitor and Control Progress - Keeping all involved people and teams on the status and monitoring the progress against the scope, the schedule and the budget is essential to completing a project. Untimely progress reports, or extended periods of not monitoring the progress may result in project failure. It only takes one task to fall behind for the domino effect to start. Schedule adjustments may be required should any task, milestone or phase be completed ahead or behind schedule, it is essential that proper monitoring and control of every project is completed for success.
8. Assess Project Results and Experiences - Learn from our mistakes! No project ever goes completely smooth, and no processes are every perfect. At JS Consulting Group, we strive to learn, to apply and to transfer our knowledge from our mistakes as much as our success. After the completion of all of our projects we find ourselves asking each team member 3 general questions:
a. Did the final product meet or exceed user expectation?
b. Did the project come in on schedule?
c. Did the project come in under budget?
The obvious question behind all these answers is “why or why not?” Asking ourselves these questions give us, changes to our existing processes are made to improve the system development and project management methods that will be used on the next project. Any suggestions for improvement are communicated to our “Centre of Excellence,” which can modify standards and processes, as well as share useful ideas and experiences with other project teams that may ask for their help or expertise. Project assessments often contribute improvements to specific project deliverables, tasks or milestones, processes and the overall project management.
