Project Management

Dr. Sangeeta Arora � (HOD, P.G dept of computer science & IT)�

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Key Definitions

• Project management is the process of planning and controlling the development of a system within a specified timeframe at a minimum cost with the right functionality.
• A project manager has the primary responsibility for managing the hundreds of tasks and roles that need to be carefully coordinated.

CREATING THE WORK PLAN

A Workplan Example

Identifying Tasks

• Top-down approach
• Identify highest level tasks
• Break them into increasingly smaller units
• Methodology
• Using standard list of tasks

Top Down Task �Identification

Phases

Phases with

high level steps

Estimating a Project Based on Industry Information

Planning Analysis Design Implementation

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Industry

Standard

For Web 15% 20% 35% 30%

Applications

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Time

Required 4 5.33 9.33 8

in Person

Months

Time Estimation Using a More Complex Approach

Estimation Trade-offs

• Size
• Function points
• Lines of code
• Effort
• Person-months
• Time
• Months

Getting the Right Numbers for Estimation

• Prior projects
• Past experience
• Industry standards
• Detailed analysis

Estimating Effort

• Function of size and production rate
• COCOMO model

COCOMO Estimation Calculation

Effort = 1.4 * thousands-of-

(in Person- lines-of-code

Months)

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Example:

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If LOC = 2000 Then...

Effort = (1.4 * 2000) = 28 Person Months

Estimating Schedule Time

• Rule of thumb for estimation

Schedule Time (months)

=

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3.0 * person-months^1/3

Staffing Attributes

• Staffing levels will change over a project’s lifetime
• Adding staff may add more overhead than additional labor
• Using teams of 8-10 reporting in a hierarchical structure can reduce complexity

STAFFING THE PROJECT

Key Definitions

• The staffing plan describes the kinds of people working on the project
• The project charter describes the project’s objectives and rules
• A functional lead manages a group of analysts
• A technical lead oversees progress of programmers and technical staff members

Motivation

• Use monetary rewards cautiously
• Use intrinsic rewards
• Recognition
• Achievement
• The work itself
• Responsibility
• Advancement
• Chance to learn new skills

Conflict Avoidance Strategies

• Clearly define roles and project plans
• Hold individuals accountable
• Project charter listing norms and groundrules
• Develop schedule commitments ahead of time
• Forecast other priorities and their possible impact on the project

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CONTROLLING AND DIRECTING THE PROJECT�

Margins of Error in �Cost and Time Estimates

Typical margins of Error for

Well-done Estimates

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Phase Deliverable Cost (%) time (%)

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Planning System Request 400 60

Project Plan 100 25

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Analysis System Proposal 50 15

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Design System Specification 25 10

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Source: Boehm et al. (1995)

Tracking Tasks Using Gantt Chart

CASE Tools

Initiation Analysis Design Implementation

Upper CASE Lower CASE

Integrated CASE (I-CASE)

CASE Components

Procedural Metadata

Logic

Diagrams Screen

Designs

CASE Repository

Standards

• Examples
• Formal rules for naming files
• Forms indicating goals reached
• Programming guidelines

Documentation

• Project binder
• Table of contents
• Continual updating

Managing Scope

• Scope creep -- a major cause of development problems
• JAD and prototyping
• Formal change approval
• Charging for changes

Managing Risk

• Risk assessment
• Actions to reduce risk
• Revised assessment

Classic Mistakes

• Overly optimistic schedule
• Failing to monitor schedule
• Failing to update schedule
• Adding people to a late project

Summary

• Project management is critical to successful development of new systems
• Project management involves planning, controlling and reporting on time, labor, and costs.