| As a practicing project manager I felt that I | | | | everyone at once you have a better chance of |
| could provide some good tools, useful | | | | getting your concerns or information |
| information and cool links related to this | | | | disseminated correctly rather than reliance |
| field. This page is for project managers | | | | on word of mouth by members of the team |
| and the purpose is to share information on | | | | telling others. Every time a different person |
| software development project management | | | | relays information the slant, intent, body |
| topics. My scope on this page is to provide | | | | language, inflection all have a chance to |
| general, as well as, specific project | | | | infer something different.Negotiating - |
| information and software to assist anyone who | | | | conferring with people to come to consensus |
| is working to establish consistent software | | | | or agreement. Negotiating infers that there |
| project leadership.Moreover, I hope to | | | | may be a need for a mediator, arbitrator or |
| provide some assistance in building | | | | facilitator. It depends on the circumstance, |
| professionalism. The current literature still | | | | the importance, the level, and, more likely, |
| says even with all the training going on and | | | | the issues. Issues like cost, scope, |
| attention to managing projects there is still | | | | objectives, contract terms and conditions, |
| a rather large error or failure rate in | | | | resources can all require negotiating skills. |
| software projects. If your career path is in | | | | |
| project management you have a legacy problem | | | | |
| and even more reason to read and apply the | | | | Problem solving - defining (problem |
| things that work. My favorite book on this | | | | definition) and deciding (decision making |
| stuff is by Harold Kerzner and is Project | | | | based on analysis, solution viability or |
| Management A Systems Approach to Planning, | | | | dictates from stakeholders).Influencing the |
| Scheduling and Controlling. I had the good | | | | organization - the ability to use power and |
| fortune to attend PMI certification training | | | | politics to get things done. This requires |
| with Dr Kerzner as the instructor.This | | | | the ability to understand the mechanics or |
| article is on project management body of | | | | the organization regarding how to |
| knowledge (PMBOK).Before anything else | | | | constructively use political ability.Project |
| remember that responsibility without | | | | management processes can be organized into |
| sponsorship makes you an immediate target for | | | | five groupings of one or more processes each |
| project time, scope and resource adjustment | | | | as follows:Initiating processes - this |
| problems. Responsibility without authority is | | | | includes recognizing that a project or phase |
| pretty much like having great vanity. It | | | | should begin and making a commitment to do |
| means almost nothing when tough choices are | | | | it. |
| required. It is quite a lot like Solomon's | | | | |
| thinking on vanity being "like striving after | | | | Planning processes - this means developing |
| the wind".First of all my focus is on the | | | | and maintaining a "workable" plan to |
| principles developed by Software Engineering | | | | accomplish what the project was undertaken to |
| Institute (SEI) and shared by project | | | | accomplish.Executing processes - coordinating |
| managers world-wide within the context of the | | | | people and any other resources to "execute" |
| Capability Maturity Model (CMM).As a starting | | | | or carry out the plan.Controlling processes - |
| point it is important to discuss what is | | | | making sure that the project objectives are |
| called the project management body of | | | | met by measuring and monitoring progress. |
| knowledge (PMBOK). The PMBOK was developed to | | | | Furthermore, it means taking appropriate |
| provide c | | | | corrective actions when necessary.Closing |
| | | | processes - bringing the project to an |
| onsistent definition to the phases of a | | | | orderly conclusion with formal acceptance of |
| project and to delineate what should be | | | | the phase or the project. |
| considered as important within the context of | | | | |
| each part of project management guidance.The | | | | Everyone connected with managing projects |
| knowledge areas and project management | | | | has had the additional core challenge of |
| processes are contained in nine main focus | | | | developing metrics that are "added value" in |
| areas.Project Integration Management - | | | | performance capability and delivery of |
| development of project plan, project plan | | | | completed projects that meet the expectations |
| execution and change control. | | | | of stakeholders. Collecting metrics does not |
| | | | mean just tabulating figures. It means |
| Project Scope Management - initiation, scope | | | | developing information that helps now and |
| planning, scope definition, scope | | | | then helps even more in future efforts.There |
| verification and scope change control. | | | | are many, many methods. The charge is to |
| | | | determine what works best for your |
| Project Time Management - activity | | | | organization. There are volumes of |
| definition, activity sequencing, activity | | | | information on what to collect and how to use |
| duration estimation, schedule development and | | | | the measures effectively. The main point is |
| schedule control. | | | | to not just collect data. Collect |
| | | | information!My next article will discuss the |
| Project Cost Management - resource planning, | | | | project triangle and the level of technical |
| cost estimating, cost budgeting and cost | | | | solution - time, resources and technology |
| control. | | | | solutions. Following that I will be sharing |
| | | | information on Six Sigma as developed by |
| Project Quality Management - quality | | | | Motorola that can drastically change the |
| planning, quality assurance, and quality | | | | quality of your products and/or services by |
| control. | | | | instilling a business process culture that |
| | | | does affect the organization and provide |
| Project Human Resource Management - | | | | positive returns. In fact the principles are |
| organizational planning, staff acquisition | | | | based on statistical analysis that revolves |
| and team development. | | | | around the concept of standard deviation.I |
| | | | would now like to offer some suggestions, by |
| Project Communications Management - | | | | way of experience, and then offer some links |
| communications planning, information | | | | to places I have found of great value to |
| distribution, performance reporting and | | | | me.Cost Expert is a fairly inexpensive |
| administrative closure. | | | | software package that provides for what-if, |
| | | | reporting, combining types of estimates such |
| Project Risk Management - risk | | | | as function points, top down, bottom up, GUI. |
| identification, risk qualification, risk | | | | Moreover, you can use it with Microsoft |
| response development and risk response | | | | Project. I have enjoyed the functionality and |
| control. | | | | reporting capabilities. The software will |
| | | | help generate good plans, resource |
| Project Procurement Management - procurement | | | | requirements and risk factors. Cost Expert is |
| planning, solicitation planning, | | | | particularly good for project managers |
| solicitation, source selection, contract | | | | working without a formalized project-central |
| administration and contract close-out.As you | | | | organizational approach.I have also been a |
| can see from these focus areas there is a | | | | big fan of Microsoft Project software ever |
| strong emphasis on the use and meaning of the | | | | since Project 4. The new version still |
| word "control". A LOT of activity and | | | | provides a database schema and the VBA |
| paperwork can be developed in these | | | | capability to expand the functionality |
| management areas, but the main point is that | | | | continues to make the product a good choice |
| there must be corrective action as required. | | | | for those not interested in spending much |
| The authority and responsibility resides with | | | | more money for project software.There is a |
| the project manager.There are many skills and | | | | fairly simple wizard that is good to start |
| attributes that a project manager needs to | | | | with in counting function points. It is |
| draw upon to be effective. The project | | | | called the SEER Function Point Wizard and it |
| manager has to be:Leader - as a manager the | | | | is fpwiz.There is a PDF file on DoD |
| primary concern is consistently provide key | | | | initiatives regarding software measurement |
| results that are expected by the | | | | that is Software Measures for DOD |
| "stakeholders". Leading is also required and | | | | Systems.MMB&T makes available version 1.1 of |
| involves establishing the vision, strategies | | | | the SoftEST which was developed by MCR |
| needed to "realize" the vision, and, in fact, | | | | Federal Inc. on behalf of the Air Force Cost |
| establishing the direction. The leader must | | | | Analysis Agency.SoftEST Cost Model (V1.1) (1 |
| motivate, inspire and communicate among the | | | | MB - Zipped file)DEVELOP YOUR MICROSOFT |
| various people overcoming the political, | | | | PROJECT AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT SKILLS |
| bureaucratic and people barriers. It is | | | | |
| important to remember that leadership must be | | | | Getting the most out of Microsoft Project |
| demonstrated at all levels within the project | | | | requires using the product features correctly |
| such as by individuals responsible for | | | | and using the right features to meet your |
| technical issues and by team | | | | project management needs.Microsoft describes |
| members.Communicating - exchanging | | | | resources you will find helpful in developing |
| information is the key. Make sure that clear, | | | | your skills with Microsoft Project and |
| concise and complete information is given to | | | | applying them to the broader field of project |
| the receiver. Make sure that the receiver has | | | | management.Read about it at: Microsoft |
| obtained the information in its entirety and | | | | Project AssistanceMicrosoft(R) Project |
| that it is clearly understood. Communications | | | | Courseware Trainer PackThese are but a few |
| is a broad subject area but suffice to say | | | | resources available. The good news is that |
| that, whether oral or written, communications | | | | the function is now recognized as something |
| is critical to the project. It does not | | | | that merits full attention from executive |
| matter whether the communications are formal, | | | | management and sponsorship to avoid the |
| whether the communications are going up, down | | | | previously very high failure rate on |
| or vertical. What does matter is that the | | | | projects.This article is copywrited by Martin |
| effort will be far exceeded by the results. | | | | Floyd of MMB&T. All rights reserved. |
| One area to remember is that if you tell | | | | |