Web Project ManagementStrategies for chaotic web projects in Higher ed.

A Project is… “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result” – PMBOK Guide (2004)

A Web Project is...Building a few web pages for a department.Developing a simple web application that collects student information.Using Twitter/Facebook/Ning for whatever specific reason*Extensive Content Management System.

A Project is… “ongoing, with many false starts and chronic scope creep. Governed by committee(s), success is not often tangible.” – Higher Ed.

The ChaosDeveloper comes in sometime after noon.Designer that doesn’t answer email.Department wants to see the term “pedagogy” on something aimed at parents.Committees.Never ending change requests.

Learn a little from Software EngineeringPick a dev strategy: understand clearly what you are doingVersion controlIssue tracking

Project definitionFirst committee meeting needs a “memorandum of agreement”Define the goals, objectives, and/or outcomesSign it.

Follow a process, deliver a product.

Triple ConstraintScopeTimeCost

Triple ConstraintWhat am I building?How long will it take?How much will it cost to develop?

Dealing with the “what”Project sponsor asks for something that needs to be builtMeet with committee and develop a clear scope along with timelineSketch out applicationCall in resources you needDevelop application, get feedback, tweak, done.

What really happens“I would like a web site that looks like (insert newsworthy site of the week)”“Next week would be perfect”“Oh and can we have video?”“And a live chat?”“We want social media”

Manage ResourcesWhat are the skills and people available to this projectHow much time do they have?Is there a line of communication between you and your resources even when not working together in the same place?

Identify risksWhat could cause this project to be delayed or fail?What will you do about them?How much will it cost (time/money)?

Break Project down

Two week chunks

Critical path

# S: (adj) agile, nimble, quick, spry (moving quickly and lightly) "sleek and agile as a gymnast"; "as nimble as a deer"; "nimble fingers"; "quick of foot"; "the old dog was so spry it was halfway up the stairs before we could stop it"- http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=agile

Image from http://www.flickr.com/photos/18091975@N00/

From http://www.flickr.com/photos/orcmid/3879384912/

Agile process

Agile process

Get involvedUse Basecamp or excel or a word documentBreak down the project for the sponsor (and you)Provide time estimates for each phaseFollow-up with daily/weekly updates on progressShare information.

PM software?Microsoft Project (larger teams)OmniPlan (for the mac users)Basecamp

Learn how to use version control software.

Version Control Software?GithubSubversion (svn)Team Foundation ServerCVSGoogle Code (svn)

Track the project.

Issue trackingDocument milestonesTrack conversations, changes, rationaleGenerate reports (if you want)Control your scope.

Bugz

Issue tracking softwareBugzillaTracTeam Foundation ServerBasecamp

Use a process that works for you.

About me.Jesse RodgersAssociate Director, VeloCity -- University of WaterlooBlog: http://whoyoucallingajesse.com Twitter: http://twitter.com/jrodgersEmail: jrodgers@uwaterloo.ca