Web Project Management Todcon2008

Slideshow Transcript

1. Slide 1: Web Project Management Strategies for chaotic web projects
2. Slide 2: A Web Project…  Building a few web pages for a client in town  Developing a simple web application that collects client information  Extensive Content Management System
3. Slide 3: The Chaos  Developer working out of their basement from 12-7am  Designer that doesn’t answer email  Client that wants to change something every other day  Content that hasn’t been written  Server hosting that is unreliable at the moment due to twitter outage
4. Slide 4: A Project is… “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result” – PMBOK Guide (2004)
5. Slide 5: Triple Constraint  Scope  Time  Cost
6. Slide 6: Triple Constraint  What am I building?  How long will it take?  How much will it cost to develop? How much do I charge for it?
7. Slide 7: Dealing with the “what”  Project sponsor (client) asks for something that needs to be built  Meet with client and develop a clear scope along with timeline  Sketch out application  Call in resources you need  Develop application, get feedback, tweak, done.
8. Slide 8: What really happens  “I would like a web site that looks like (insert newsworthy site of the week)”  “Next month would be perfect”  “Oh and can we have video?”  “And a live chat?”  “We would also like our users to sign in and have customizable features.”
9. Slide 9: Learn a little from software engineering  Understand clearly what you are doing  Risk management  Client management  Version control
10. Slide 10: Define what you are doing.
11. Slide 11: Break the project into manageable blocks
12. Slide 12: What is the critical path?
13. Slide 13: Clarity
14. Slide 16: Developers
15. Slide 17: Identify resources  Who do you sub-contract with?  What can they do?  Did you ask them?  Do you know or have you seen?  Is there a line of communication between you and your resources even when not working together?
16. Slide 18: Identify risks  What could cause this project to be delayed or fail?  What will you do about them?  How much will it cost (time/money)?
17. Slide 20: Get the project sponsor involved  Use Basecamp or excel or a word document  Break down the project for the sponsor (and you)  Provide time estimates for each phase  Follow-up with daily/weekly updates on progress  Share information.
18. Slide 21: Learn how to use version control software.
19. Slide 25: Use a process that works for you.
20. Slide 26: Other methods?  GTD  Waterfall  Agile/Extreme
21. Slide 27: About me Jesse Rodgers Member of the Special Projects Group at the University of Waterloo Blog: http://whoyoucallingajesse.com Email: jrrodgers@gmail.com