IT Project Management Complete Guide

IT Project Management Complete Guide 10 knowledge Areas scope time cost quality HR Communications Risk Procurement Stakeholder Intergration Def: What is a Project "a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product, service or result" Project attributes x7 Objectives-Projects should have a well defined objective, with an expected result or product Temporary-A project has a specific time frame, or fixed life span with a definite beginning and a definite end. Unique-A project may be unique or a once off endeavour. Interdependent tasks- Resources-people, organizations, equipment, materials, and facilities. Customer-project should have a primary customer or sponsor. Uncertainty-A project involves uncertainty, because each project is unique, it is sometimes difficult to define the project's objectives clearly, estimate how long it will take to complete, or determine how much it will cost. Project Examples Great wall of China Hoover Dam Triple Constraint Scope/Cost/Time Advantages of project management Better control of financial, physical, and human resources Improved customer relations Shorter development times Lower costs Higher quality and increased reliability Higher profit margins Improved productivity Better internal coordination Higher worker morale PMBOK Guide What is PMBOK? Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) describes the sum of knowledge within the profession of project management. The complete PMBOK includes proven traditional practices that are widely applied, as well as innovative practices that are emerging in the profession. The primary purpose of the PMBOK guide is to identify good practice. The PMBOK® guide also provides and promotes a common reference for discussing, writing, and applying project management. The PMBOK® offers a set of processes, generally recognized as good practice, which delivers results across industries and organizations. With over two million copies in circulation, the PMBOK® Guide is renowned as one of the leading tools for the profession and is an essential reference for the library of every project management practitioner. The PMBOK® Guide contains the fundamental, baseline practices that drive business results for any organization - local, regional and global. The current version (fourth edition) of the PMBOK guide, was released 31 December 2008 (PMI, 2008). History of Project Management Modern Project Management (1917) Gantt chart: Henry Gantt developed the Gantt chart as a tool for scheduling work and improving efficiency in factories during the first world war. (1945) Manhattan project: Start modern PM. Manhattan project was lead by the U.S. military to develop the atomic bomb during world war II. The success of the project was attributed to the separation of the technical and the project management. (1958) PERT: Project Evaluation and Review Technique is a network analysis technique used to estimate project duration in uncertainty. Originally created for the US Navy as a system to manage and coordinate large and complex projects. (1970s) Software: By the 1970s the military had begun to use software to help manage large projects. Early project management software products were very expensive and ran on mainframe computers. Artemis was an early project management software that helped managers develop complex schedules for designing aircraft. (1990s) Universal use of project management techniques: In the 1990s many companies began creating project management offices to help them handle the growing number and complexity of projects. A project management office (PMO) is an organizational group responsible for coordinating the project management function throughout an organization. PMBOK guide, was released 31 December 2008 (PMI, 2008). Top Management Commitment Management positions are key stakeholders in projects. Level of commitment and support they receive from top management. Without top management commitment, many projects will fail. Some projects have a senior manager called a champion who acts as a key proponent for a project. How Top Management Can Help Project Managers Providing adequate resources Approving unique project needs in a timely manner Getting cooperation from other parts of the organization Mentoring and coaching on leadership issues Top Ten PM Skills 1. People skills 2. Leadership 3. Listening 4. Integrity, ethical behavior, consistent 5. Strong at building trust 6. Verbal communication 7. Strong at building teams 8. Conflict resolution, conflict management 9. Critical thinking, problem solving 10. Understands, balances priorities PMI, academic authors & professionals Project Selection Strategic Planning Involves determining long-term objectives, predicting future trends, and projecting the need for new products and services Selection Methods x5 Organisational needs-provide justification, including need for project, funds