IS 556 Project Management
David A. Lash
630.979.5940
dlash@condor.depaul.edu
David Lash
IS 556 Fall 2003
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What We Will Cover Today
Course Background and Logistics
What is Project Management?
Software Project Management Issues
Starting A Project Team
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What This Course Will Cover
How to handle large and small projects
successfully
Industry best practices
Issues that can make a project succeed or fail
Corporate culture
Role of the user
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More Of What We Will Cover
Resistance to Technological change
External factors, including vendor relations
Proposals and contracts
Tools and techniques for project estimating and
scheduling
Project assessment
Project approaches or models
More ????
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Materials
On Time, Within Budget, 3rd Ed, E. M.
Bennatan, John Wiley
Software Project Survival Guide, Steve
McConnell, Microsoft Press
Recommended
The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management: Quick
Tips, Speedy Solutions, and Cutting-Edge Ideas. Eric
Verzuh (Author). John Wiley & Sons; 1st edition
Course Web Page - Announcements and can find
materials (condor.depaul.edu/~dlash)
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Case Studies
 Creating a Web Site for Medisys, Ivey 98E011.
 Xerox Sales Activity Management, Ivey 99E015.
 HCL America, HBS 9-396-030.
 Concordia Casting Company, HBS 9-192-151.
 Timberjack Parts: Software Selection, HBS 9-398-085.
 Vandelay Industries, HBS 9-697-037.
 Bank of Ireland, HBS 9-399-012.
 BellSouth Enterprises, 9-193-150.
 Ford Motor Company, 9-198-006
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About the Class
Lecture and discussion format
Discussions revolve around case analysis
Grading is based upon:
Case Study Project - 35%
Case Case Presentation/write-up (10%) and
individual case write ups (20%) - 30%
Final Exam - 35%
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About Business Cases
A case is . . .
a point in time snapshot of a business or IT related
issue, problem or situation.
Cases are meant to . . .
stimulate critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Generally speaking, cases consist of 10-20 pages of
text and exhibits.
Cases are generally based upon reality, within
certain privacy parameters.
Generally speaking, there is not an established
‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer for any given case,
however minimum expectations exist.
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Tips About Cases
Not every detail or exhibit contained in a case
may be relevant.
Think big picture - The problems or issues w/i a
case may not relate directly to a specific class
session.
much more likely to relate to the class/subject matter
as a whole.
Every case generally includes an array of
business, technical and project management
related issues.
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Case Write-Ups
Students will work in groups of 2-3 and complete:
Case write-ups:
• must review the weekly case and prepare a “write-up” based
upon the case. (1-2 pages typed). (Due before class.)
Case Presentation:
• Each non-distance group must “present” 1 case to class and lead
discussion.
• Each distance group must select a case to “specialize” in. Write
up for that case would be 4-6 pages.
One or two case readings are assigned for every
regular class meeting.
Think and write like a business person, not a
student completing a homework assignment!
Write in the third person, as a “trusted advisor” to
the main actor or character in a case.
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Case Write-Ups
As a general rule each case will contain
business, technical and project management
related issues.
For instance, consider that:
Any software development (or software package
selection and implementation) project poses specific
risks to business objectives.
Technical challenges pose specific risks to project
objectives and to business objectives.
Resource capabilities (such as staff availability,
expertise and productivity) pose specific risks to
project objectives.
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Case HW Write-Ups
The analysis of each case should specifically
focus on identifying the challenges faced by
the persons and/or organization contained
within the context of this course – the
project management dimensions are of
primary interest.
But do not forget that:
Every software related project is first and foremost a
business related project.
Every software related project is also a technical or
engineered solution to a business problem.
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Case Write-Ups
One possible approach or strategy for
analyzing business cases is to a make a “three
pass” review:
Quickly read or skim the case – to familiarize
yourself with the case and to perhaps also identify
any immediately obvious issues at this point in your
analysis and understanding.
Then read the case again, this time searching for
and noting specific issues or problems – look for the
“red flags”.
Now look at the case again and consider what was
not said or discussed in the case that perhaps
should/could/would improve upon the chain of
events unfolding in the case.
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Case Presentations
Each group will lead class in discussion in one case.
Presentation should present:
• Basic facts of the case
• Technical/business/Project management
challenges faced
• Lead discussion on next steps/recommendations
Case to present and date will be randomly
assigned to each group.
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About the Class Project
Class projects represent a challenging way to
learn about a particular subject on an indepth basis.
Student groups are expected to apply their
research work in the form of
recommendations to solving the issues related
to a particularly significant issue or problem
and in making substantive recommendations.
 Think of the classroom audience as an executive
steering committee and the instructor as the
executive sponsor of your project.
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Class Project Deliverables
Project Write-Up
Consists of 15-25 typed pages
An expanded version of a case write-up
Project Management Documentation
(i.e. C/B analysis, Charter, Schedules, Budgets,
Org Chart, Resource Plan, WBS Chart, Status
Reports, Issues Log)
PowerPoint Presentation
This is an “executive level overview” of the
project write-up
Presentations are limited to 30 minutes per
team. At 30 minutes, your time will STOP and
will be graded upon what was presented.
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Class Project Presentations
Each project team will make a presentation
of their research findings to the rest of the
class.
The last 2 class meetings of the quarter is
devoted to student project presentations.
Each project team will consist of both
classroom based and “virtual” team members.
The virtual team members are the Distance
Learning (DL) students enrolled in this class.
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Class Project Topics
These topics selected must be germane to project
management or to software development (possibly
IT), in general.
Class project teams must be formed by our next
class meeting.
Your group must submit your group via:
http://condor.depaul.edu/~dlash/extra/IS556/groups.html
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Project Topic Approval
Regardless of what topic is selected, students
must obtain instructor approval of the topic
selected.
Specific topics will be awarded to project
teams on a first requested, first approved
basis.
An e-mail topic approval request will suffice.
Submit topic request by fourth class meeting.
Presentations on the last 2 nights of class of
the quarter.
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DL/COL Students
Requirements for both Physical and Virtual (DL)
students are identical in this class.
DL Students must collaborate with physical or
classroom-based students to assume a role in and
accomplish tasks related to the project.
All students must participate in the group project
presentation, if a student cannot be present for the
last class meeting, their portion of the presentation
must be delivered as a voice over in the PowerPoint.
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All Students
All assigned case write-ups for this class
are to be submitted electronically for
review and grading purposes in the
COL/DL web site.
Case write-ups are due on the day class
meets.
Late work is subject to a loss of up to
50% of its’ assigned point value.
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Questions/Feedback
Problems, Questions or Issues:
E-Mail is the best and quickest way to reach
me.
I will create an FAQ page for the class as/if
questions arise. I will add to this page any
questions and any answers that are germane to
the class at large.
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Week 1 - What we will learn
What are projects, project management and
project managers.
What is so special about software projects
Starting with he project team
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What is Project Management?
• The planning, organizing, directing and controlling of
company resources for a relatively short-term objective that
has been established to complete specific goals. (Kerzner - PM A
systems Approach To Planning, Scheduling & Controlling - 2001.)
•“… the art of directing & coordinating human and material
resources throughout the life of a project by using modern
management techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of
scope, costs, time quality and participant satisfaction.” (PMI BOK,
1996)
• The application of knowledge, skills, tools & techniques to
project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and
exceptions for a project.(Cleland, PM - Strategic Design & Implementation,
1999.)
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What Is A Project?
• Any undertaking that has a definite, final objectives
representing specified values to be used in the satisfaction of
some need or desire. (Ralph Currier Davis)
• … simply a cluster of activities that is relatively separate and
clear cut. Building a plant, designing a new package, soliciting
gifts p $500,000 for a men's dormitory are examples. (Newman The Process of Management: Strategy, Action, Results, 6th Edition. - Prentice
Hall, 1987.)
•A project is a sequence of tasks with a beginning and end that
are bounded by time, resources and desired results. Baker and
Baker. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Project Management., Alpha Books 1998.)
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What Is A Project?
•Focused Activities - Usually has definite start & end times,
some specific mission or objective and is usually time and
cost bound.
• Focused Resources - organize resources to create some
product or service that is unique in some way.
•Focused Objectives - The activities or steps usually have
specific objectives completed within a set of specifications.
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Characteristics
Goal directed
Collaborative
Planned
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Different Types of Project
• Developing a New Release of Software
•Running a political campaign
•Building a bridge
•Development of Italian High-speed train
•Re-engineering a business process.
•A military campaign.
•Executing a surgical procedure
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Which projects for your organization?
Strategic Fit
T
I
m
e
Project
Technical
Performance
C
o
s
t
Operational Fit
•What will the project cost?
•What time is required?
•What technical performance capability is needed?
•Will the project results fit into the organizational strategies?
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What is A Project Manager?
Kerzner - Project Management a Systematic Approach
“… responsible for coordinating and integrating
activities across multiple, functional lines.”
Needs to have
Strong communication skills
familiar with operations of each line organization
management as well as technical skills
“PM may have increasing responsibility, but very
little authority. … can force them to “negotiate”
with upper-management as well as functional
management for control of company resources.”
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More On PM Role …
Thomas A. Stewart, The Corporate Jungle Spawns a New Species: The
Project Manager”, Fortune, July, 10, 1995, pp 179-180.
Project managers are a class of managers that fill
niche that used to be filled by mid-level management
Thomas A. Stewart, The Corporate Jungle Spawns a New Species: The Project Manager”,
Fortune, July, 10, 1995, pp 179-180.
 The role tends to include:
dedicated to delivering project on time within cost and
performance specification
Interfaces with people doing actual work (e.g.,
technologists, construction worker, tactical units, etc)
Setting priorities for project team members without direct
line-of-management control
Reporting status to management
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More On PM Role …
Project Management is industry
independent project managers are not:
The techniques and tools of project
management are used in many industries
project managers must
know how to operate in the select business and
environment
understand the tasks being accomplished
gain respect of project members
must understand the project management, business
management and technical aspects of project being
managed
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SIGs within The PMI
Aerospace & Defense
Manufacturing
Automation Systems
Marketing & Sales
Automotive
Metrics
Configuration Management
New Product Development
Consulting
Oil, Gas & Petrochemical
Design-Procurement-Construction
Pharmaceutical
Dispute Management
Quality in PM
Diversity
Real Estate Development
E-Business
Retail
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Education & Training
Risk Management
Environmental Management
Service & Outsourcing
Financial Services
Students of PM
Global Communications Technologies
Troubled Projects
Government
Utility Industry
Hospitality Management
Web
Information Systems
Women in Project Management
International Development
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Software Project Manager Role ...
Ensure software is developed
On time
On budget
Meet requirements
Project Manager
Often does not have direct reports
Often has direct software experience
May or may not make time, budget and
requirement commitments.
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Role of Software Project Manager
Leadership and Guidance
Technical leadership
Planning
Customer Relations
Client management
Senior management liaison
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Possible PM Skill Mix
For Example an 8 Person R&D Project
Project Management
Technical
Business
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Another Possible PM Skill Mix
For example, 70 person Software Development.
Project Management
Technical
Business
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Project Management Functions
Project Definition, Project Planning,
Project Control . . .
Project Definition - What is being done with
who
What is the Project’s Objectives
purpose,
goals and
constraints
What are The Basic Project Management
Controls
Who is involved and what are their roles.
is the “chainDavid
of command”.
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Project Management Functions
Project Planning - Details of how to meet
the goals
What Risks Need to Be Managed
What is the Schedule
How long will this all take?
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Project Management Functions
Project Control - How to keep project
moving towards its goals.
Progress Management
Communication
Corrective Action
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Project Management Functions
Definition
•Sponsor
•Stakeholders
•Project Rules
•Objectives
Planning
•SOW
•Responsibility Matrix
•Communication Plan
•Charter
•Risk Management
•Detailed Planning
•Scheduling
•Risk Plan
•Schedule
•Budget
•Resource Plan
Control
Corrective
Action
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•Measure Progress
•Communication
•Corrective Action
•Project Closure
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What we will learn
What are projects, project management and
project managers.
What is so special about software projects
Starting with the project team
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Hi-Technology Projects
Hi-tech projects are much more software-based
Track record for industry is not good.
80
70
60
% of project
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SW
HW
40
30
20
10
0
1970s
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Project Costs
1995 US spending on IT projects
$250B
175,000 projects
$50B on cost overruns
$81B on cancelled projects
But look at a success…
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Example of a problem
p 11 NCI Phone Co.
What is wrong here from a project
management viewpoint?
Other examples?
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Some Software Problems Issues
Requirements
Incomplete
Inflexible
Employment issues
Retaining people
People conflicts
Resource contention
Customer issues
Changing requirements
too demanding
Not available
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Software Project Issues Continued
Estimate issues
Cost estimates - hardware, software, resources
Time estimates - External/internal deliverables
Development Process Issues
Poor testing
Bad or no documentation
Lack of change management
Inflexible or poor software design
Difficult software integration
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Software Project Issues Continued
Release issues
Missing features
Unnecessary features
Misinterpretation of feature operation
Missing necessary features
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More Software Problems
Inability to close projects
Feature / contract disputes
Last minute changes
Testing failure
Staff drift
Lack of rollout planning
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Bill of Rights pp.7-8
Customer/project team often conflict and not
respect eachothers rights.
Customer Bill of Rights VS Project Team’s
Customer
To set project objects (and have them followed)
To know project length and cost
To make reasonable requirement changes and know
costs
To clearly know project status
To hear on-going risk assessment affecting cost,
schedule and quality.
To have access to project deliverables
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Bill of Rights pp.7-8
Project Team Bill of Rights
To know project deliverables and to clarify priorities
T o know what project to build and a clear product
definition
To have access to customer, manager, marketer or others
making decisions about functionality
To work project phases in a technically responsible way
(in particular, not start coding too soon.)
To approve effort and schedule estimates (to provide
cost/schedule estimates, and revise when requirements
change.)
To have status accurately reported.
To be free from frequent interruptions and distractions.
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What We Will Cover Today
Course Background and Logistics
What is Project Management?
Software Project Management Issues
Starting A Project Team
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Kinds of Stakeholders
• Five
key areas to think about:
•Project Manager •Project Team
•Functional Management
•Sponsor
•Customer
•How are all these stakeholders involved and
how satisfy them all?
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Ident Your Stakeholders?
• Project Stakeholders - Anyone having a stake in the
success of the project
•Customers, engineers, vendors, technicians, management
•Sometimes they are easy to identify. Other times need to
ask
•Who are the customers?
•Who will make a contribution?
•Who has a stake in the project?
•A Primary task when starting a project
•Who are the project stakeholders?
•What political/technical/organization issues do they
bring?
•Do they all agree on the goals of the project?
•Do they agree that there is a project?
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StakeHolder: Project Manager
•Need to assess your own role.
•What is the extent of you authority
•How clear is your role?
•How clear are other responsibilities with relationship to this
one?
•Who controls your priorities?
•Project manager leads project even when working
with people with more formal authority.
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StakeHolder: Project Team
•Who will do the tasks of project?
•How clear are roles?
•How solid is their commitment?
•How will inform major & minor players? (can be large
numbers?)
•Will need to identify tasks, dependencies & roles.
•May be people wanting to be on team that’s not
proper.
•PM may need to recruit the team
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Stakeholder:Sponsor
•The person with formal authority who is ultimately
responsible for the project.
•Typically has authority to stop the project
•May be a senior executive or junior manager
•Their support is key since
•They empower the PM to manage the project
•The sponsor’s authority can greatly help the PM
in projects that cross function lines.
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Sponsor Duties
•A Champion for the Project!
•Issue the Project Charter
•Assist in building the responsibility matrix
•Review and Approve the SOW
•Review Project Status
•Advise the PM
•Help Management The Projects Priority VS other
projects
•Advises Project manager and helps overcome
organization obstacles
•From a fortune 500 study . . . Having a known and
active sponsor was the number 1 reason for success
(Example, SPOC project)
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Stakeholder: Functional Management
•More likely to have area responsibility instead of 1
project.
•E.g., engineering, testing, internal auditing
•Their support a critical success factor for:
•Assembly of team
•Helping with political resources
•Timely decision making - may have decision
power for portions of the project that effect
project
•E.g., DB rollout requirements required
cooper of people at diverse sites
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Stakeholder: The Customer
•Typically the persons or group paying for the
project.
•Get final say on the requirements for project
•Must differentiate between vital few and significant
many
•Who will make final decisions?
•There may be only 1 or 2 easily identified
customers(e.g., a contract job)
• There may be 1000s of contractors (e.g., car
manufacture, consumer software). May need customer
reps.
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Stakeholder Management
•Project manager must carefully look at stakeholders
•identify the proper stakeholders
•understand the nature of stakeholder interest
•evaluate the impact of stakeholder behavior
on the project
•What do you need them to do?
•How will ensure they will do it?
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Stakeholder Management - II
•Politics and stakeholder concerns definitely effect
projects:
• “communicate” project so all stakeholders
understand rationale
•appropriately identify sponsors and assure they
fully endorse the project
• “sell” project to stakeholders (particularly nonbelievers)
•Concentrate on benefits and sponsorship backing.
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Project Stakeholder Management Process
What remedies will you employ?
How will you manage statkeholder(s)?
Does team fully understand potential
impact?
What needs to be known?
Who will obtain it?
How prevent "leaking" of
information
Identify
Stakeholders
Implment
Stakeholder
Management
Strategy
Gather info
on Stakeholders
What is nature of mission or
stake?
Adverse or supportive to
project?
Predict
Stakeholder
Behaviour
Identify
Stakeholder
Mission
What will stakeholder do?
What is the impact of this behavior?
Determine
stakeholder
Strength &
Weakness
Identify
Stakeholder
Strategy
What strategy will stakeholder employ
to acheive their mission?
What is their availability to project?
Political alliances?
Public Support?
Dedicatiion?
From Project Management: Strategic Design And Implementation. Third
Edition. D. Cleland. 1999. Pp 164-177.
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Example Stakeholder Management
•Example - multi-organizational project to develop a
“single point of contact” for people moves •“real-estate starts move (space management)
• porters physically move,
•networking and desktop team set up PC
•Phone team adjusts number
•Desktop/networking department head wants singleseamless process for moves.
•Real-estate DH supports but does not have “time” for
project reviews but provides a engineer.
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Some Final Stakeholder Thoughts
PM Sometimes Can Control Who Becomes a
stakeholder
Question different roles if it is appropriate
Manage Upward - Need to lead your
stakeholders (including sponsor - what do
you need out of the sponsor?)
Consider Assembly Of “Project Board Of
Directors”
Review status
Help With Key Decisions
Key Communication
E.g., Program management For Consultant
Deployment.
Board of director meeting each month.
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Review costs, schedule,
decisions and $.
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How can we fix the problems?
Iterative approach
Continuous change
Flexibility
Client/user buy-in
Realistic planning
Adherence to some basic principles
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Summary
What are projects, project management and
project managers.
What is so special about software projects
Starting with the project team
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