Manager Project Skills
Project Manager
Technical
- Competance - Reputation
Leadership
- Charisma - Interpersonal Skills
Management
- Alliances - Reciprocity
Project Workers Functional Managers
The Project Manager: Contrasting Roles
Outside/Administrative Role (CEO) Goal: Interface Team to Outside World Primary Activities: Primary Activities:
- obtaining needed resources - buffer team from administrivia - report plans & status to stakeholders - solve people project problems - provide link from stakeholders for: ! changes ! budgets ! schedules ! people ! company policies - build to specifications - meet budget and time constraints - reliable and maintainable product - chair walk-throughs - define modules & interfaces - assign tasks - monitor progress and quality - solve technical project problems - produce progress reports - DO MOST COMPLEX TASKS
(CIO) Goal: produce quality product
Staffing: , 1 Staffing: 0, , , 1
Inside/Technical Roles
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Design Build Test Accept Operate
Managerial Roles ! Helps write Functional Specifications ! Writes Preliminary Project Plan (cost & schedule) ! Prepares Upper Levels of Work-Breakdown Schedule ! Obtains Resource Commitments Technical Roles (Systems Consultant) ! Technical Member of Feasibility Team ! Ensure Phase I follows the 80/20 Rule ! Produces Conceptual Design ! Prepares Lower Levels of Work-Breakdown Schedule ! Prepares Resource Estimates ! Supervises Development of Prototype (when required)
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Design Build Test Accept Operate
Management Roles ! Write Management Sections of Functional Specifications - Deliverables - Change Control Procedures - Acceptance Test Procedures - User Responsibilities - Contract/Service Level Agreements Technical Roles (Systems Analyst) ! Write Technical Sections of Functional Specifications - System, Conversion, and Testing Requirements - Architecture Requirements - Module/Component Descriptions and Interfaces ! Selects Development/Build Team
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Design Build Test Accept Operate
Management Roles: ! Establish and Maintain Change Control Procedure ! Establish and maintain Control and Status Reporting Procedures - Weekly Plan & Cost Monitoring - Monthly Steering Committee Reporting - Conduct Milestone Review Meeting with Stakeholders Technical Roles: ! Coordinate and Perform System & Module Design ! Conduct Design Reviews and Walk-Throughs ! Assure Conformance to Phase I 80/20 Rule
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Design Build Test Accept Operate
Management Roles: ! Control By Walking Around - Team and Outside ! Monitor Happiness of Team & React Immediately to Problems Keep Project Focused Technical Roles: ! Assign Tasks and Monitor Progress Weekly ! Conduct Walk-Throughs of All Products and Documentation ! Perform Complex Tasks and Write Key Documentation ! Assure Conformance to Standards
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Build Design Test Accept Operate
Management Roles: ! Assures that System Test Plans are Followed ! Hold Stakeholders at Arms Length ! Calls Project Completion Meeting (buys pizza and beer) Technical Roles: ! Plans and Controls the Integration and Systems Testing ! Prepares Weekly/Daily Progress Reports
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Design Build Test Accept Operate
Management Roles: ! Arranges the Acceptance Test Resources and Time ! Assures that the Users are Properly Trained to Operate the System ! Assures that Users operating the System represent Typical Users ! Assures that Acceptance Test Plans are Followed Technical Roles: ! Assures that Users Properly Operate the System during Acceptance ! Assures that Quick Fixes are Completely Tested
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Design Build Test Accept Operate
Management Roles: ! Assure that Technical Support and Service Levels Promised Happen ! Calls Post-Implementation Review ! Prepares Project Success/Failure Report ! Act as Feasibility Team Head during New Release Planning ! Assure that the Release System Procedures are Followed Technical Roles: ! Project Leader of Release Builds ! Act as Warranty Person during Walk-Throughs ! Maintain Defect Records ! Monitor and Forecast System Quality (Functional & Technical)
The Project Manager: Life Cycle Roles
Define Analysis Design Build Test Accept Operate
Manage Risks
1. Creeping Requirements - Interface Specs using Prototyping - Systems Specs as User Operations Manual - Phased Development 2. Requirements Gold Plating - Design Emphasis on Minimalism 3. Phase Product Considered Unacceptable - Interface Specs using Prototyping - Testing Releases for Full Functionality 4. Unachievable Schedule - Estimate/Commit ONLY to Next Phase - Emphasize Upstream Reviews...