FACTORS TO INITIATE A PROJECT
- Problem in the organization
- Opportunities for improvement
Project Initiation Process
- Identify problems and opportunities
- Define problems statement
- Select projects
To identify problems
- check output against performance criteria
- observer employees behavior
- Listen to external feedback from: vendors, customers, suppliers
Problem Definition Content
- problem statement
- issues
- objectives
- requirements
- constraints
Define problems statement
- Find several points that may be included in one issue.- State the objective.- Determine the relative importance of the issues or objectives.- Identify which objectives are most critical.
Selection Of Projects
- backing from management
- appropriate timing of project commitment
- possibility of improving attainment of organization goals
- practical in terms of resources for the system analyst and organization
- worthwhile project compared with others ways the organization could invest resources
Determining Feasibility
- Defining objectives – improvement aspects
- Determining resources
- Assess the operational, technical, and economic merits of the proposed project.
Defining Objectives
Many possible objectives exist including:• Speeding up a process• Streamlining a process• Combining processes• Reducing errors in input• Reducing redundant storage• Reducing redundant output• Improving system and subsystem integration
Determining Resources
- technical feasibility
- economic feasibility
- operational feasibility
Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA)
• The analysis aims to compare costs and benefits to see whether investing in the development of a new system will be beneficial
CBA techniques
Break-even analysis, payback,cash-flow analysis, present value analysis
Break-even analysis use if/when
the project needs to be justified in terms of cost
Cash-flow analysis use if/when
the project is expensive relative to the size of the company
Payback use if/when
the improved tangible benefits form a convincing arguments for the proposed system
Present value analysis use if/when
The payback period is long
Present value (PV) is
a dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow
Tangiblem Benefits
§ Reduce errors.§ Increase sales.§ Reduced expenses.§ Better credit.§ Reduced credit losses.§ etc
Intangible Benefits
§ Improved customer good will.§ Improved employee morale.§ Better service to the community§ Better decision making§ etc
Development Costs
§ One-time installation of new system
Production Costs
§ Recurring during operation of a system
work breakdown structure(WBS)
to complete projects on time, withinbudget and including the features promised
product-oriented WBS
focuses on the end product or deliverable of the project such as the development of a new product or the construction of a building.
process-oriented WBS
focuses on the processes or tasks that need to be completed in order to deliver the end product such as a software development project or a marketing campaign.
Planning includes:
• Selecting a systems analysis team, assign members.• Estimating time required to complete each task.• Scheduling the project
Control means using feedback to monitor project, including:
• Comparing the plan for the project with its actualevolution.• Taking appropriate action to expedite or rescheduleactivities.
Planning Steps
1 break project into phases
2 phases broken down into task/activities
3 task/activities broken into steps/smaller units
4 time is estimated for each task or activity
5 pessimistic and optimistic estimates for time may be used.
Project scheduling techniques
gantt charts, PERT diagrams, Critical Path method
Gantt chart
• Chart in which bars represent tasks oractivities• Advantages:• Simple : easy to understand• Worthwhile communication withend user.• Drawn to scale : sequence ofactivities/tasks with lengthdurations
PERT diagram
• Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)• Useful when activities can be done in parallel rather than sequence.• sometimes known as Network diagram• Represented by a network of nodesand arrows - - nodes denote events & arrows denote activities• Nodes• called event, identified bynumbers, letters etc• To recognize that an activity iscompleted• Indicate which activities need to becompleted before new activitiesmaybe undertaken (precedence)
PERT diagram advantages
• Easy identification of the order of precedence.• Easy identification of the critical path and thus criticalactivities.• Easy determination of slack time.
Why PERT diagram need pseudo-activities (dummy activities)?
It is used to preserve the logic or clarify the diagram.
What is CRITICAL PATH METHOD (CPM)
• CPM is a project network analysis technique used to predict total project duration.• The critical path is the longest path through the network diagram and has the least amount of slack or float.• A critical path for a project is the series of activities that determines the earliest time by which the project can be completed.
Finding critical path
• develop a good project PERT diagram.
• Add duration for all activities on each path through the projectnetwork diagram.
• The longest path is the critical path
How to control changes to the project schedule
• Perform reality checks on schedules.• Allow for contingencies.• Don’t plan for everyone to work at 100% capacity all the time.• Hold progress meetings with stakeholders and be clear andhonest in communicating schedule issues.
Managing team steps
- Assembling a team
- team communication strategies
- project productivity goals
- team member motivation
Team Management #1: Assembling a Team
• Shared value of team work• Good work ethic• Honesty• Competency• Readiness to take on leadership based on expertise• Motivation• Enthusiasm for the project• Trust of teammates
Team Management #2: Communication Strategies
• Teams often have two leaders:• One who leads members to accomplish tasks.• One concerned with social relationships.• The systems analyst must manage:• Team members.• Their activities.• Their time and resources.
Team Management #3 & #4:Project Productivity Goals and Motivation
• Successful projects require that reasonable productivity goals for tangible outputsand process activities be set.• Goal-setting helps to motivate team members.
Project Charter
Describes in a written document what the expected results of the systems project are and the timeframe for delivery
Project failures may be prevented by:
• Training.• Experience.• Learning why other projectshave failed.