BIS4225.

11
Project Management

1
 Reading Materials
Pressman (2000) Chap. 2,
3, 6.

2
 Focus
IS Management should focus
on:
People
Problem
Process (the way humans work)
It is intensely a human
activity.
3
 Focus
However, project managers
tend to be less concerned
with the people factor.
Process without talented and
well-motivated staff will not
achieve the projects goals.

4
 Attributes of Proj Mgrs
Confidence to assume control
and leadership
Understand non-verbal signals
and respond to them
Learn from past mistakes
Acknowledge contributions of
others
5
 Software Team
Individuals:
assigned to a specific
function
assigned to different
functions
organized into teams
6
 Project Process
Problem: To select the
process model that is
appropriate for the
software to be engineered
by a project team.

P(1997, 68-9) 7
 Process Models
Linear Sequential Component
Prototyping Assembly
Rapid Application Concurrent
Development development
(RAD) Formal
Methods
Incremental
Fourth
Spiral
Generation
P(1997, 68) 8
 Process Models
The Project Manager:
decides appropriate process
model for project;
defines preliminary plan
(based on process
framework activities).
9
 Process Models
Once the preliminary plan
is established:
process decomposition
begins;
work tasks are created.

10
 Process Models
Considerations:
Problem (opportunity)
addressed by the new IS;
Timescale constraint;
Staffing constraint.

11
 Nature of Problem

Safety Critical End User

Application System
Tight control Less rigour
Rigorous testing Better user
interfaces
12
 Framework Activities
Each function to be engineered
must pass through:
Customer Communication
Planning
Risk Analysis
Engineering
Construction and Release
Customer Evaluation
P(1997, 69) 13
 Estimates and Targets
To estimate the number of
staff needed to complete
the project:
within a given time
within a given financial
constraint
14
 Estimates and Targets
Definition of an Estimate
(De Marco):
The most optimistic prediction that
has a non-zero probability of
coming true.
A prediction that is equally likely to
be above or below the actual result.

15
 Framework Activities
Team members who work
on each function will apply
each of the framework
activities to it.

P(1997, 69) 16
 PERT
Program A Probabilistic
Model
Evaluation times to
Review complete each
activity are NOT
Technique known with
certainty.

17
 PERT
Three Estimates
Most Optimistic Time
Most Likely Time
Most Pessimistic Time
to determine the Expected
Activity completion time and
variance.
18
 PERT
ExpectedTime Variance
2 Immediate
Activity a m b (a4mb) ba
t v Predecessors
6 6

A 1 2 3 2.0 0.11 -
B 2 3 4 3.0 0.11 -
C 1 2 3 2.0 0.11 A
D 2 4 6 4.0 0.44 B
E 1 4 7 4.0 1.00 C
F 1 2 9 3.0 1.78 C
G 3 4 11 5.0 1.78 D, E
H 1 2 3 2.0 0.11 F, G
a = most optimistic time; m = most likely time; b = most pessimistic time

19
 CPM
Critical A Deterministic
Network Model
Path assumes both
Method time and cost to
complete each
activity are
Allows known with
Crashing. certainty.
20
 Estimation Process
Estimation by Analogy:
Estimate from what actually
occurred (in an earlier project).
Estimates from a portfolio of
completed projects (with
common characteristics)
Use statistical prediction
21
 Estimation Process
Dataset:
A collection of estimates
made before the start of a
project together with
measurements made
throughout a project.
22
 Project Planning
Project complexity has a
strong effect on the
uncertainty inherent in
project planning - even
with valid estimates.

23
 Risk Management
Uncertainty:
The event that characterizes the
risk may or may not happen.
Loss:
If risk becomes a reality,
unwanted consequences or
losses will occur.
P(1997, 133) 24
 Risk Management
Project Risks:
threatens project plan;
identifies potential budgetary,
schedule, staffing, resource,
etc.

P(1997, 133-4) 25
 Risk Management
Technical Risks:
threatens the quality and
timeliness of software
development;
identifies potential design,
implementation, interfacing,
verification, maintenance.
P(1997, 133-4) 26
 Risk Management
Business Risks:
threatens viability of software
for example, a system that:
nobody wants
does not fit business strategy
cannot be sold
loses focus of management, budget
and personnel commitment.
P(1997, 133-4) 27
 Risk Identification
Product Size Development
Business Environment
Impact Technology to
Customer be built
Characteristics Staff size and
Process experience
Definition
P(1997, 135) 28
 Impact Assessment
Catastrophic
Critical
Marginal
Negligible

P(1997, 142) 29
 Risk Projection
Risk Table: provides a
technique for risk projection
(estimation):
Risks
Category (PS, BU, CU, PD, DE, TE, ST)
Probability (%)
Impact (1, 2, 3, 4)
RMMM plan
P(1997, 141-3) 30
 Risk Projection
Risk Table:
Table is sorted by probability
and by impact.
High-probability, high-impact
risks are at the top of the
table.
P(1997, 143) 31
 RMMM
Risk Mitigation
Problem avoidance activities
Risk Monitoring
Project tracking activities
(assessment, aversion steps,
analysis)
Risk Management
P(1997, 146) 32
 RMMM
RMMM Plan (part of overall
project plan):
Introduction
Project Risk Table
RMMM
RMMM Plan Iteration Schedule
Summary
P(1997, 149) 33