Systems Analysis and Design 8th Edition

1
Systems Analysis and Design 8th Edition

• Chapter 3
• Managing Systems Projects

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Chapter Objectives

• Explain techniques for estimating task completion
  times and costs
• Describe various scheduling tools, including
  Gantt charts and PERT/CPM charts
• Analyze task dependencies, durations, start
  dates, and end dates

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Chapter Objectives

• Identify examples of project management software
  and explain how these programs can assist you in
  project planning, estimating, scheduling,
  monitoring, and reporting
• Explain software change control
• Understand why projects sometimes fail

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Introduction

• You will learn about project planning,
  estimating, scheduling, monitoring, reporting,
  and the use of project management software
• You also will learn how to control and manage
  project changes as they occur

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Project Management Overview

• Project Management
• A successful project must be completed on time,
  within budget, and deliver a quality product that
  satisfies users and meets requirements
• Project manager or project leader
• Project coordinator

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Project Management Overview

• Project managers typically perform four main
  tasks
• Project planning
• Project scheduling
• Project monitoring and controlling
• Project reporting

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Project Planning
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Project Planning

• Identifying Tasks
• One important variable is the size of the
  project, because the amount of work increases
  dramatically as project scope increases
• A project that is twice as large will be much
  more than twice as complex

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Project Planning

• Identifying Tasks
• Multiple interactions can lead to
  misunderstandings and delay
• Project creep
• The capabilities of project team members also
  affect time requirements
• Brooks Law

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Project Planning

• Estimating Task Completion Time and Cost
• Person-days
• Some tasks can be divided evenly so it is
  possible to use different combinations of time
  and people, up to a point
• In most systems analysis tasks, however, time and
  people are not interchangeable

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Project Planning

• Estimating Task Completion Time and Cost
• Best-case estimate (B)
• Probable-case estimate (P)
• Worst-case estimate (W)
• Weight
• Expected task duration
• (B4PW)
• 6

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Project Planning

• Factors Affecting Time and Cost Estimates
• Project size and scope
• IT resources
• Prior experience with similar projects or systems
• Applicable constraints

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Project Scheduling

• A project schedule is a specific timetable
• Project scheduling also involves selecting and
  staffing the project team, assigning specific
  tasks to team members, and arranging for other
  necessary resources
• Must balance task time estimates, sequences, and
  personnel assignments
• Several graphical planning aids can help

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Gantt Charts
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PERT/CPM Charts

• The Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)
• Critical Path Method (CPM)
• The distinctions between the two methods have
  disappeared over time, and today the technique is
  called either PERT, CPM, or PERT/CPM

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PERT/CPM Charts

• Overview of PERT/CPM
• PERT/CPM is called a bottom-up technique
• Project tasks
• Once you know the tasks, their duration, and the
  order in which they must be performed, you can
  calculate the time that it will take to complete
  the project

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PERT/CPM Charts

• PERT/CPM Tasks
• Task box
• Task ID
• Task name
• Task Duration
• Start Day/Date
• Finish Day/Date

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PERT/CPM Charts

• Task Patterns
• Dependent Tasks
• Multiple successor tasks
• Concurrent task
• Predecessor task
• Successor task
• Multiple Predecessor Tasks

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PERT/CPM Charts

• Complex Task Patterns
• When various task patterns combine, you must
  study the facts carefully in order to understand
  the logical sequence
• A project schedule will not be accurate unless
  the underlying task pattern is logically correct

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PERT/CPM Charts

• A PERT/CPM Example with Five Tasks

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PERT/CPM Charts

• Critical Path
• Slack time
• If any task along the critical path falls behind
  schedule, the entire project is delayed
• A critical path includes all tasks that are vital
  to the project schedule
• If necessary, a project manager can reassign
  resources to keep the project on schedule

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PERT/CPM Charts

• Transforming a Task List into a PERT/CPM Chart

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PERT/CPM Charts

• Transforming a Task List into a PERT/CPM Chart

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PERT/CPM Charts

• Comparing Gantt Charts and PERT/CPM
• Although a Gantt chart offers a rapid overview
  that graphically displays the timing, duration,
  and progress of each task, many project managers
  find PERT/CPM charts more helpful for scheduling,
  monitoring, and controlling projects
• PERT/CPM and Gantt charts are not mutually
  exclusive techniques

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Project Risk Management

• Every IT project involves risks that systems
  analysts and project managers must address
• Risk management
• Steps in Risk Management
• Develop risk management plan
• Identify the risks
• Risk identification

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Project Risk Management

• Steps in Risk Management
• Analyze the risks
• Qualitative risk analysis
• Quantitative risk analysis
• Create a risk response plan
• Monitor risks

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Project Risk Management

• Risk Management Software Tools
• Most project management software programs, such
  as Microsoft Project, contain various tools that
  a project manager can use
• The IT team can make a recommendation regarding
  the risks
• Depending on the nature and magnitude of the
  risk, the final decision might be made by
  management

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Project Monitoring and Control

• Monitoring and Control Techniques
• The project manager must keep track of tasks and
  progress of team members, compare actual progress
  with the project plan, verify the completion of
  project milestones, and set standards and ensure
  that they are followed
• Structured walkthrough
• Called design reviews, code reviews, or testing
  reviews

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Project Monitoring and Control

• Maintaining a Schedule
• Maintaining a project schedule can be a
  challenging task
• The better the original plan, the easier it will
  be to control the project
• If enough milestones and frequent checkpoints
  exist, problems will be detected rapidly
• Project managers often spend most of their time
  tracking the tasks along the critical path

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Project Reporting

• Project Status Meetings

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Project Reporting

• Project Status Reports
• A project manager must report regularly to his or
  her immediate supervisor, upper management, and
  users
• Should explain what you are doing to handle and
  monitor the problem
• Most managers recognize that problems do occur on
  most projects it is better to alert management
  sooner rather than later

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Project Management Software

• Project Management Software Examples
• Microsoft Office Project 2007
• Open Workbench
• Open-source software

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Project Management Software

• A Sample Project Using Microsoft Project and Open
  Workbench

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Project Management Software

• A Sample Project Using Microsoft Project and Open
  Workbench

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Software Change Control

• Software Change Control
• A procedure for processing requests for changes
  to an information systems requirements consists
  of four steps
• Complete a change request form
• Take initial action on the request
• Analyze the impact of the requested change
• Determine the disposition of the requested change

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Keys to Project Success

• Business Issues
• The major objective of every system is to provide
  a solution to a business problem or opportunity
• A system that falls short of business needs also
  produces problems for users and reduces employee
  morale and productivity

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Keys to Project Success

• Budget Issues
• Cost overruns typically result from one or more
  of the following
• Unrealistic estimates
• Failure to develop an accurate TCO forecast
• Poor monitoring of progress and inadequate
  reaction to early signs of problems
• Schedule delays due to unanticipated factors
• Human resource factors

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Keys to Project Success

• Schedule Issues
• Problems with timetables and project milestones
  can indicate a failure to recognize task
  dependencies, confusion between effort and
  progress, poor monitoring and control methods,
  personality conflicts among team members, or
  turnover of project personnel

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Keys to Project Success

• Successful Project Management
• When problems occur, the project managers
  ability to handle the situation becomes the
  critical factor
• Sometimes, when a project experiences delays or
  cost overruns, the system still can be delivered
  on time and within budget if several less
  critical requirements are trimmed

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Keys to Project Success

• Successful Project Management
• If a project is in trouble because of a lack of
  resources or organizational support, management
  might be willing to give the project more
  commitment and higher priority
• A typical response is to push back the completion
  date
• Option only if the original target date is
  flexible and the extension will not create
  excessive costs or other problems

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Chapter Summary

• Project management is the process of planning,
  scheduling, monitoring and controlling, and
  reporting upon the development of an information
  system
• Begins with identifying and planning all specific
  tasks or activities
• Can use graphical tools such as Gantt charts and
  PERT/CPM charts to assist in the scheduling
  process

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Chapter Summary

• Project managers are responsible for risk
  management
• Every successful information system must support
  business requirements, stay within budget, and be
  available on time
• Sound project management involves the same skills
  as any type of management

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Chapter Summary

• Chapter 3 complete