Notes

Outline

Chapter 2: The Project Management Context and Processes

Projects Cannot Be Run In Isolation Projects must operate in a broad organizational environment Project managers need to take a holistic or systems view of a project and understand how it is situated within the larger organization See example in opening and closing case to illustrate this concept

A Systems View of Project Management A systems approach emerged in the 1950s to describe a more analytical approach to management and problem solving Three parts include: Systems philosophy:  View things as systems, interacting components working within an environment to fulfill some purpose Systems analysis:  problem-solving approach Systems management:  Address business, technological, and organizational issues before making changes to systems

Figure 2-1. Three Sphere Model for Systems Management

Project Phases and the Project Life Cycle A project life cycle is a collection of project phases Project phases vary by project or industry, but some general phases include concept development implementation support

Figure 2-2. Phases of the Project Life Cycle

Product Life Cycles Products also have life cycles The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is a framework for describing the phases involved in developing and maintaining information systems Typical SDLC phases include planning, analysis, design, implementation, and support

Sample SDLC Models Waterfall model: has well-defined, linear stages of systems development and support Spiral model: shows that software is developed using an iterative or spiral approach rather than a linear approach Incremental release model: provides for progressive development of operational software RAD model:  used to produce systems quickly without sacrificing quality Prototyping model: used for developing prototypes to clarify user requirements

Figure 2-3. Spiral Model of Software Development (Boehm, 1988)

Distinguishing Project Life Cycles and Product Life Cycles The project life cycle applies to all projects, regardless of the products being produced Product life cycle models vary considerably based on the nature of the product Most large IT products are developed as a series of projects Project management is done in all of the product life cycle phases

Why Have Project Phases and Management Reviews? A project should successfully pass through each of the project phases in order to continue on to the next Management reviews (also called phase exits or kill points) should occur after each phase to evaluate the project’s progress, likely success, and continued compatibility with organizational goals

What Went Right?

Understanding Organizations

What Went Wrong?

Many Organizations Focus on the Structural Frame Most people understand what organizational charts are Many new managers try to change organizational structure when other changes are needed 3 basic organization structures functional project matrix

Figure 2-4. Functional, Project, and Matrix Organizational Structures

Table 2-1.  Organizational Structure Influences on Projects

Recognize the Importance of Project Stakeholders Recall that project stakeholders are the people involved in or affected by project activities Project managers must take time to identify, understand, and manage relationships with all project stakeholders Using the four frames of organizations can help meet stakeholder needs and expectations Senior executives are very important stakeholders

Table 2-2. What Helps Projects Succeed?     According to the Standish Group’s report CHAOS 2001: A Recipe for Success, the following items help IT projects succeed, in order of importance: Executive support User involvement Experience project manager Clear business objectives Minimized scope Standard software infrastructure Firm basic requirements Formal methodology Reliable estimates

Need for Top Management Commitment Several studies cite top management commitment as one of the key factors associated with project success Top management can help project managers secure adequate resources, get approval for unique project needs in a timely manner, receive cooperation from people throughout the organization, and learn how to be better leaders

Need for Organizational Commitment to Information Technology (IT) If the organization has a negative attitude toward IT, it will be difficult for an IT project to succeed Having a Chief Information Officer (CIO) at a high level in the organization helps IT projects Assigning non-IT people to IT projects also encourage more commitment

Need for Organizational Standards Standards and guidelines help project managers be more effective Senior management can encourage the use of standard forms and software for project management the development and use of guidelines for writing project plans or providing status information the creation of a project management office or center of excellence

Table 2-3. Fifteen Project Management Job Functions* Define scope of project Identify stakeholders, decision-makers, and escalation procedures Develop detailed task list (work breakdown structures) Estimate time requirements Develop initial project management flow chart Identify required resources and budget Evaluate project requirements Identify and evaluate risks Prepare contingency plan Identify interdependencies Identify and track critical milestones Participate in project phase review Secure needed resources Manage the change control process Report project status

Suggested Skills for a Project Manager Communication skills:  listening, persuading Organizational skills:  planning, goal-setting, analyzing Team Building skills:  empathy, motivation, esprit de corps Leadership skills:  sets example, energetic, vision (big picture), delegates, positive Coping skills:  flexibility, creativity, patience, persistence Technological skills:  experience, project knowledge

Table 2-3. Most Significant Characteristics of Effective and Ineffective Project Managers Leadership by example Visionary Technically competent Decisive Good communicator Good motivator Stands up to upper management when necessary Supports team members Encourages new ideas Sets bad example Not self-assured Lacks technical expertise Poor communicator Poor motivator

Project Management Process Groups Project management can be viewed as a number of interlinked processes The project management process groups include initiating processes planning processes executing processes controlling processes closing processes

Figure 2-5. Overlap of Process Groups in a Phase (PMBOK Guide, 2000, p. 31)

Table 2-5. Relationships Among Process Groups, Activities, and Knowledge Areas

Table 2-5. Relationships Among Process Groups, Activities, and Knowledge Areas

Developing an IT Project Management Methodology Just as projects are unique, so are approaches to project management Many organizations develop their own project management methodologies, especially for IT projects Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan used the PMBOK as a guide in developing their IT project management methodology

Figure 2-6. IT PM Methodology