IT Project Management Individual Assignment

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IT Project Management

Diploma in Information Technology

Lesson 19: Overall Revision – Part 1

IT Project Management

Diploma in Information Technology

Topic 1: Introduction to Project Management

1.2.1 Characteristics of a project

It has an established objective.

It is temporary with a defined lifespan (i.e. beginning and an end date).

It involves several departments and professionals.

It is typically unique or has never been done before.

It has specific time, cost and performance requirements.

1.4 What is project management?

Project Management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.

1.5 Triple constraints

3 main areas need to be managed in a project:

Cost: How much money is to be spent?

Time: How long the project will run before completion?

Scope: What deliverables are to be achieved?

1.6 Project management framework

Project management framework (PM framework) is a subset of tasks, processes, tools and templates used in combination by the management team to get insight into the major structural elements of the project in order to initiate, plan, execute, control, monitor, and terminate the project activities throughout the management life-cycle. PM framework allows using various methodologies and approaches to plan and schedule the major phases of the life-cycle.

1.6 Project management framework

By Alphamu57 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3976594

1.7 Project, program & portfolio management

A project may be managed in three separate scenarios: as a stand-alone project (outside of a portfolio or program), within a program, or within a portfolio.

Multiple projects may be needed to accomplish a set of goals and objectives for an organisation. In those situations, projects may be grouped together into a program.

1.7 Project, program & portfolio management

A program is defined as a group of related projects, subsidiary programs, and program activities managed in a coordinated manner to obtain benefits not available from managing them individually.

Example: Managing the development of all e-commerce projects together can be a program.

Program = Sub-programs + Projects and sub-projects.

1.7 Project, program & portfolio management

A portfolio is defined as projects, programs, subsidiary portfolios, and operations managed as a group to achieve strategic objectives.

Example: Managing all types of website development related projects and programs can be a portfolio while managing all mobile Apps related projects and programs can be another portfolio.

Portfolio = Sub-portfolios + Programs and sub-programs + Projects and sub-projects.

1.7 Project, program & portfolio management

1.8 Roles of a project manager

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Lesson 2: IT projects and the organisation

2.1.1 What is a system approach?

System management addresses the business, technological, and organisational issues associated with creating, maintaining, and making changes to a system.

A system approach takes into account the total environment the project exists and impacts.

An illustration

Business

Cost of system implementation?

Cost to administer the system?

Would it increase sale

& productivity?

Technological

Which order tracking

system?

The network requirement?

The DB management system?

Organisational

Time saved after

Implementation?

Will the management support?

Who will be the users?

Successful project

2.2.1 Functional organisation structure

2.2.2 Project organisation structure

2.2.3 Matrix organisation structure

2.4 Project life cycle

2.5.1 Globalisation

Issues

Communications

Trust

Common work practices

Tools

Suggestions

Employ greater project discipline

Think global but act local

Keep project momentum going

Use newer tools and technology

2.5.2 Outsourcing

Organisations stay competitive by using outsourcing to their advantage, such as finding ways to reduce costs.

Their challenge is to make strategic IT investments with outsourcing by improving their enterprise architecture to ensure that IT infrastructure and business processes are integrated and standardised.

2.5.3 Virtual teams

Advantages:

Increasing competiveness and responsiveness

Lowering costs

Increased expertise and flexibility

Increased work/life balance

Disadvantages:

Isolation & Interpersonal Relationships

Communication Problems

Dependence on Technology

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Lesson 3: Project Management Process Groups

3.1 PM Process Groups

3.1.1 Initiation Process Group

It is good practice to lay the following groundwork or pre-initiation tasks for a project before it officially starts.

Determine the scope, time, and cost constraints for the project.

Identify the project sponsor.

Select the project manager.

Develop a business case for a project.

Meet with the project manager to review the process and expectations for managing the project.

Determine if the project should be divided into two or more smaller projects.

3.1.2 Planning Process Group

Planning processes include devising and maintaining a workable scheme to ensure that the project addresses the organisation’s needs.

Projects include several plans, such as:

Scope management plan

Schedule management plan

Cost management plan

Procurement management plan

3.1.3 Execution Process Group

It involves taking the necessary actions to complete the activities in the project plan.

The products of the project are created during project execution, and it usually takes the most resources to accomplish this process.

Executing processes include coordinating people and other resources to carry out the various plans and create the products, services, or results of the project or phase.

3.1.4 Monitoring and Controlling Process Group

Measure progress against all plans

Take corrective actions when there is deviation

Ensure that progress meet project objectives

Ensure that the project meets stakeholders’ needs and quality standards

Reporting performance to stakeholders

Stakeholder can identify any necessary changes to keep project on track

3.1.5 Closing Process Group

It involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance of the final products and services and then bringing the project or project phase to an orderly end.

It includes verifying that all of the deliverables are complete, and it often includes final project report and presentation.

3.1.6 Interactions among the Process Groups

3.2 PM Knowledge Areas (KA)

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Lesson 4: Project Integration Management – Part 1

4.1 Project Integration Framework

Initiating	Planning	Executing	Monitoring & Controlling	Closing
	Scope		Scope
	Schedule		Schedule
	Cost		Cost
	Quality
	Resource
	Risk		Risk
	Communication
	Procurement
Stakeholder
Integration

4.1.1 Project integration management

It involves coordinating all the other project management knowledge areas throughout a project’s life cycle.

This integration ensures that all the elements of a project come together at the right times to complete a project successfully.

4.3.1 Benefit Measurement Methods

1. Benefit/Cost Ratio

It gives us whether the benefits of the project are higher than the costs. Projects that have a higher Benefit-Cost Ratio are generally chosen over others.

2. Economic Model

It is the performance metric that calculates the worth-creation of the organisation while defining the return on capital. It is also defined as the net profit after the deduction of taxes and capital expenditure.

4.3.1 Benefit Measurement Methods

3. Scoring Model

It is an objective technique: the project selection committee lists relevant criteria, weighs them according to their importance and their priorities, then adds the weighted values. Once the scoring of these projects is completed, the project with the highest score is chosen.

(See examples on the next 2 slides)

4. Payback Period

It is the duration that the project will recover the money invested with its revenues.

Scoring Model

4.3.1 Benefit Measurement Methods

5. Net Present Value (NPV)

This gives us the today’s value of the sum of all transactions (inbound and outbound) that will happen in future. When picking a project, one with a higher NPV is preferred. The advantage of considering the NPV over the Payback Period is that it takes into consideration the future value of money.

6. Discounted Cash Flow

It is well-known that the future value of money will not be the same as it is today. For example, $20,000 won’t have the same worth ten years from now. Therefore, during calculations of cost investment and ROI, be sure to consider the concept of discounted cash flow.

4.3.1 Benefit Measurement Methods

7. Internal Rate Of Return (IRR)

The IRR indicates how many percent of the investment will turn back as revenue in future. It is used to select the project with the best profitability; when picking a project, the one with the highest IRR is chosen.

8. Opportunity Cost

It is the cost that is given up when selecting another project. During project selection, the project that has the lower opportunity cost is chosen.

4.4 Project charter

The project charter is the 1st formal project document and generally signed & approved by the project sponsor.

Provides a condensed, summary-level overview of the project.

Allows stakeholders to document the agreed upon scope and objectives, approach, and major deliverables of the project.

4.5 Develop Project Management Plan

Source: PMBOK, 6th Edition, pg 82.

4.6 Project Management Plan Content

Scope management plan: How the scope will be defined, developed, monitored, controlled, and validated.

Requirements management plan: How the requirements will be analysed, documented, and managed.

Schedule management plan: Establishes the criteria and the activities for developing, monitoring, and controlling the schedule.

Cost management plan: How the costs will be planned, structured, and controlled.

Quality management plan: How an organisation’s quality policies, methodologies, and standards will be implemented in the project.

4.6 Project Management Plan Content

Resource management plan: Provides guidance on how project resources should be categorised, allocated, managed, and released.

Communications management plan: How, when, and by whom information about the project will be administered and disseminated.

Risk management plan: How the risk management activities will be structured and performed.

Procurement management plan: How the project team will acquire goods and services from outside of the performing organisation.

Stakeholder engagement plan: How stakeholders will be engaged in project decisions and execution, according to their needs, interests, and impact.

4.7 Approaches for Project Management Plan

Data-gathering techniques:

Brainstorming: It is frequently used when developing the project management plan to gather ideas and solutions about the project approach. Attendees include the project team members although other subject matter experts or stakeholders may also participate.

Checklists: Many organisations have standardised checklists available based in their own experience or use checklists from the industry. A checklist may guide the project manager to develop the plan or may help to verify that all the required information is included in the project management plan.

4.7 Approaches for Project Management Plan

Data-gathering techniques:

Focus groups: They bring together stakeholders to discuss the project management approach and the integration of the different components of the project management plan.

Interviews: They are used to obtain specific information from stakeholders to develop the project management plan or any component plan or project document.

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Lesson 5: Project Integration Management - Part 2

5.1 Project Execution

It involves taking the necessary actions to complete the activities in the project plan.

The products of the project are created during project execution, and it usually takes the most resources to accomplish this process.

Executing processes include coordinating people and other resources to carry out the various plans and create the products, services, or results of the project or phase.

5.2 Relationship between project execution & planning

5.3 Tools & Techniques in Managing Project Execution

There are both manual & automated tools in project management. Commonly used techniques are:

PERT – Project Evaluation & Review Technique

CPM – Critical Path Method

Gantt Chart

5.3.1 PERT

It uses 3 types of time estimates:

Optimistic time – Best possible time for completion of the activity.

Most likely time – Highest probabilistic time for completion of the activity.

Pessimistic time – Longest time for completion of the activity.

5.3.1 PERT

The weighted average is calculated by the following formula:

Expected Time

= [Optimistic + (4 x Most Likely) + Pessimistic] / 6

5.3.2 CPM

Critical path is the path with the longest duration in a project.

It determines the total duration required for completion of the project.

CPM is a deterministic model that is both time & cost-driven.

The amount of time that activity can be delayed without delaying the project is called as slack time.

5.3.2 CPM

The critical path of the project determines the following four parameters for each activity, which are calculated using the expected time for relevant activities:

ES – Earliest Start

EF – Earliest Finish

LS – Latest Start

LF – Latest Finish

5.3.3 PERT & CPM

PERT & CPM help in the following:

Identifying the critical activities (no slack)

Identifying the non-critical activities (with slacks)

Establishing project completion timelines.

Deriving activities/tasks interdependencies

Identifying resource requirements & limitations.

5.3.4 Gantt Chart

Used to show calendar time task assignments in days, weeks or months.

Uses graphic representations to show start, elapsed, and completion times of each task within a project.

Ideal for tracking or monitoring progress.

5.3.4 Gantt Chart

5.6 Change Control System (CCS)

Technically there are FOUR (4) change control systems:

Scope Change Control System: This is the most common, as most project changes affect the project scope first and foremost.

Cost Change Control System: When a scope change request is entertained then a corresponding concern is the cost of the scope change. It can be affected without changing the project scope when we consider how the cost of materials may change.

5.6 Change Control System (CCS)

Schedule Change Control System: Scope changes can affect the project schedule as more deliverables may equate to more time needed to create them. Schedule changes can happen without affecting the project scope. Consider a delay by a supplier to ship the materials needed in a project.

Contract Change Control System: Contracts typically have provisions for allowing changes or additional items to be entered into the contracted work, but not always. Changes to the project scope may directly affect the contracted work so the contract change control system is enacted.

5.7 Closing Process

It involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance of the final products and services and then bringing the project or project phase to an orderly end.

It includes verifying that all of the deliverables are complete, and it often includes final project report and presentation.

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Lesson 6: Project Scope Management - 1

6.1 Project Scope Management

Project scope refers to all the work involved in creating the products of the project and the processes used to create them.

Deliverables can be product-related, such as a piece of hardware or software, or process-related, such as a planning document or meeting minutes.

6.1.1 Why Do We Manage Scope?

Its part of the Triple constraints

Scope impact on the other two constraints

TIME

COST

SCOPE

Quality

6.1.2 Gold Plating

Saying “No” to additional work not in the charter

Preventing extra work/Gold plating*

Gold plating:

It means delivering more than customer’s requirement.

It may result in increased cost and less chances of project success, hence it is considered as a bad practice.

6.1.3 Product vs Project Scope

6.2 Project Scope Management –

5 Main Processes

A well-composed project scope statement generally consists of these 8 areas:

1) Justification

Reasons why the project is created. Important for stakeholders to understand project justification.

2) Product description

All known characteristics of a result, product, service that will be produced.

3) Acceptance criteria

Conditions that must be fulfilled before the acceptance of project deliverables.

6.3 Project Scope Statement

4) Deliverables (or objectives)

What will be produced (result, product, service). Important for stakeholders to agree upon.

5) Exclusions

Statements or any elements not included in a project. They help to prevent scope creep.

6) Constraints

Any limitations a project faces due to various reasons: resources, funding, time etc.

6.3 Project Scope Statement

7) Assumptions

They bring some uncertainties and risks to a project and need to be carefully analysed. All stakeholders should be aware and minimise them.

8) Cost estimates

The cost estimates needed to complete a project. They may be unknown at first, but it is important to know accurate costs.

6.3 Project Scope Statement

Scope creep in project management happens when additional features, functions, requirements or work are added beyond the agreed-upon scope with no consideration to impacts on time, cost and resources or stakeholders/customer approval.

6.4 Scope Creep

Occurs due to:

Unclear scope definition.

Poor management of scope and requirements

Not following the change management

Inconsistent collection of project requirements

Lack of sponsorship or stakeholder involvement

Longer duration of a project, hence greater chance for scope creep.

6.4 Scope Creep

Tips to control scope creep:

Set well defined scope and requirements

Set clear, measurable objectives and focus on the deliverables

Establish an effective change management process and follow it diligently

Provide project updates and engage sponsor and stakeholders regularly

Break down projects into smaller and manageable sub-tasks

6.4 Scope Creep

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Lesson 7: Project Scope Management - 2

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) breaks a complex project into smaller tasks that are more manageable and approachable.

It is an important project management document that integrates scope, cost and schedule baselines ensuring that project plans are aligned.

7.1 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

7.2 Methods of creating WBS

Using guidelines

The analogy approach

The top-down approach

The bottom-up approach

The mind-mapping approach

Guidelines exist to provide form, content, and a project framework that is based upon meeting certain criteria and standards of the organization” (Schwalbe, 2011).

Every company has own guidelines to obtain the best possible outcome of the project.

7.2.1 Using Guidelines

This technique uses a repository of WBS’s on file that already worked for similar kind of project in past.

The project manager can review a previous project WBS for a new project at a new company, because it is the same method for all projects.

7.2.2 The Analogy Approach

The WBS is derived by decomposing the overall project into sub-projects or lower-level tasks. This decomposition is based on general project characteristics and not on detailed design elements. The decomposition continues until the tasks or work units reach a level where they can be accurately defined and estimated.

7.2.3 The Top-down Approach

Team members first identify as many specific tasks related to the project as possible. They then aggregate the specific tasks and organize them into summary activities, or higher levels in the WBS.

Can be quite chaotic if the tasks identified by the team are not all at the same level.

7.2.4 The Bottom-up Approach

Mind minding describes the process of brainstorming by creating a branching structure that diagrams the thoughts and ideas associated with the project.

Tasks are written into non-linear, branching format and then create the WBS structure.

Once completed, the mind mapping can be used in developing a top-down or bottom-up approach WBS.

7.2.5 Mind-mapping Approach

7.2.6 WBS Dictionary

A WBS dictionary is a document that describes detailed information about each WBS item.

It’s format can vary based on project needs. It might be appropriate to have just a short paragraph describing each work package.

The approved project scope statement and its associated WBS and WBS dictionary form the scope baseline. Performance in meeting project scope goals is based on this scope baseline.

7.3 Scope Verification

Scope verification involves formal acceptance of the completed project scope by the stakeholders.

This acceptance is often achieved by a customer inspection and then sign-off on key deliverables.

7.3 Scope Verification

7.4 Scope Control

The goal of scope control is to influence the factors that cause scope changes, assure changes are processed according to procedures developed as part of integrated change control, and manage changes when they occur.

You cannot do a good job of controlling scope if you do not first do a good job of collecting requirements, defining scope, and verifying scope.

7.4 Scope Control

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Lesson 8: Project Schedule Management

The 6 processes of project time management

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Lesson 9: Project Schedule Management

8.2.3 Task Dependencies

8.3 Tools and Techniques for Activity Duration Estimating

Six (6) tools and techniques:

1. Expert Judgment

2. Analogous Estimating

3. Parametric Estimating

4. Three Point Estimates

5. Reserve analysis

6. Group Decision Making Techniques

8.3.1 Expert Judgement

Using experts who have knowledge of the related field and experience in estimating activity duration.

It can be provided by a member or multiple members of the project management team.

8.3.2 Analogous Estimating

It analyses a similar project completed in the past and makes a rough estimation for the current project by using the past project’s data.

It makes duration calculations easier and faster but with less accuracy.

It is useful when little information about the project is known, and management needs quick answers.

8.3.3 Parametric Estimating

It is similar, but more accurate, than the analogous estimation.

To use it, multiply the number of units you need by the time it takes to produce the units.

Historical information about similar activities is needed to complete the estimate. The method is scalable.

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8.3.3 Parametric Estimating

For example, if the historical data shows that it takes 1 person an hour to produce 1 unit, we can reasonably estimate that 3 units can be completed by 3 workers within an hour.

When this method is used, it's important to account for all tasks that impact the activity.

(For example, if the workers spend part of the time preparing materials, account for that time in the estimates).

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8.3.4 Three Point Estimates

Estimate	Description
Most Likely Estimate (Tm)	This is the activity duration for most cases.
Pessimistic Estimate (To)	This is the activity duration in the worst-case scenario.
Optimistic Estimate (Tp)	This is the activity duration in the most favorable case.

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8.3.4 Three Point Estimates

Two popular formula:

1. Triangular distribution:

Te = (To + Tm + Tp ) / 3

2. Beta (or PERT):

Te = (To + 4Tm + Tp) / 6

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8.3.4 Three Point Estimates

For Activity A:

To = 4 hours , Tm = 8 hours , Tp = 16 hours

Triangular Distribution:

Te = (4 + 8 + 16 ) / 3

= 28 / 3

= 9.3 hours

Beta Distribution (PERT):

Te = [4 + 4(8) + 16] / 6

= 52 / 6

= 8.7 hours

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8.3.5 Reserve Analysis

It is considered as a contingency reserve.

Once the schedule for each activity is fixed, contingency reserve duration can be added.

The contingency reserve duration can be changed depending on the situation.

It helps the project team to manage schedule risks to minimise their impacts.

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8.3.6 Group Decision Making Techniques

Group decision making techniques can be used to estimate the duration of each activity.

In this technique, the team members or experts are consulted to provide the best estimates for the project activities.

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Lesson 9: Project Schedule Management

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CPM consists the following SIX (6) steps:

Define the project scope/goals and prepare the work breakdown structure (WBS).

Define the sequential or parallel relationships among the activities.

Present the network diagram with all the activities connected.

9.2 Critical Path Method

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For each activity, assign the time and/or cost estimates.

Determine the critical path, the path with the longest time through the network.

Use the network diagram to monitor and control the project progress.

9.2 Critical Path Method

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9.2.2 Network diagram

Activity on Activity

Node (AON) Meaning

(1)

(2)

When A is done, it is followed by B and then C.

Both A and B must be done before starting C.

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Activity on Activity

Node (AON) Meaning

(4)

A and B must be done before C and D can start.

(3)

When A is done, B and C can start.

9.2.2 Network diagram

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Activity on Activity

Node (AON) Meaning

(6)

B and C can start when A is done. D can only start when both B and C are done.

(5)

C can only start when both A and B are done; D can start when B is done.

9.2.2 Network diagram

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9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

The critical path is the longest duration path through the network.

The critical path determine the minimum time in which the project can be done.

There shall be no delay in critical path activities, else the project will be delayed.

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9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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Earliest start time (EST) is the earliest possible time at which an activity can start. It is calculated by moving from first to last event in a network diagram.

Earliest finish time (EFT) is the earliest possible time at which an activity can finish. EFT = EST + duration of that activity.

9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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Latest finish time (LFT) is calculated by moving from last event to the first event of the network diagram.

Latest start time is the latest possible time by which an activity can start. LST = LFT – duration of that activity.

9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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Duration is the estimated or actual time required to complete a task or an activity.

Float is the difference between time available for completing an activity and the time necessary to complete an activity.

9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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9.2.3.1 Forward Pass Rules

Earliest Start Time Rule:

When an activity has only ONE (1) immediate predecessor, its EST is equal to the EFT of the immediate predecessor.

EST = EFT of the immediate predecessor

If an activity has TWO (2) or more immediate predecessors, its EST is the largest of all the EFT values of its predecessors.

EST = Max [EFT of all immediate predecessors]

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Earliest Finish Time Rule:

The earliest finish time (EFT) of an activity is the earliest start time (EST) plus its own activity duration.

EFT = EST + Activity duration

9.2.3.1 Forward Pass Rules

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9.2.3.2 Backward Pass Rules

Latest Finish Time Rule:

When an activity is an immediate predecessor for just one single activity, its LFT is equal to the LST of the immediate successor.

When an activity is an immediate predecessor to more than one activity, its LFT is the smallest of all the LST values of its successors.

LFT = Min [LST of all immediate successors]

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Latest Start Time Rule:

The latest start time (LST) of an activity is the difference of its latest finish time (LFT) minus its own activity duration.

LST = LFT - Activity duration

9.2.3.2 Backward Pass Rules

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Float is the length of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the entire project.

Float = LST – EST

Float = LFT - EFT

9.2.3.3 Calculating Float Time

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Activity	Immediate Predecessor (s)	Time (Weeks)	Activity	Immediate Predecessor (s)	Time (Weeks)
A	-	3	F	D	4
B	A	4	G	C	3
C	A	5	H	E, G	5
D	B	4	J	H	3
E	B	7	K	F, J	5

9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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The project’s expected completion time is 27 weeks.

Six (6) activities (A, B, E, H, J & K) are on the critical path.

Four (4) activities (C, D, F & G) are not on the critical path and have float times.

9.2.3 Critical Path Analysis

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9.4 Crashing

Project crashing is shortening the duration of a project by reducing the time of one or more tasks.

It is done by increasing the resources to the project, which in turn reduces the time taken for the planned tasks. However, it adds cost to the overall project.

Main objective is to shorten the project while also keeping costs at a minimum.

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9.5 Fast Tracking

It compresses a project timeline and shortens the project duration.

During fast-tracking, a planned activity partially or completely overlaps with another.

Activities that were initially scheduled to be done one after another are rearranged to occur at the same time.

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9.6 Crashing vs Fast Tracking

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Questions?

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