2. 2
What Is a Project?
• A project is “a temporary endeavor
undertaken to create a unique product,
service, or result” (PMBOK® Guide 2004, p.
5)
• Projects can be large or small and take a short
or long time to complete
3. 3
What is a project?
• One definition
– ‘a specific design or plan’
• Key elements
– non-routine
– specific objectives
– planned
– predetermined time span
– constrained resources
5. Denver International
Airport – Scope
• Designed to be the
largest US airport.
• Estimate cost: $1.7
billion.
• Budget: $2.08 billion.
• Planned finish date:
Oct. 1993.
6.
7. 7
Denver International AP
• Repeated design changes due to
changing requirements
from United Airlines
• Malfunctioning computerized
baggage system
• Inter-terminal transit
breakdowns.
• Millworkers’ union strike.
8. 8
DIA – Cost & Time
2
2.5
4.8
4
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Cost Time
Estimate
Actual
9. 9
DIA – Success?
• Public relations
disaster.
• 2006 blizzard
shredded Teflon roof.
• Death of Luis Jimenez
12. 12
The Role of the Project
Manager
• Planning
• Scheduling
• Coordinating
• Coaching
• Project succeeds or fails based on you!
13. JJ - Software Project
Management, Oct 2010
13
Position of planning
• Feasibility study - decide if project is worth doing
• Plan how you are going do it, then do it
feasibility study
planning
project
Is it worth doing?
How do we do it?
Do it!
14. 14
Project Management
Institute (PMI)
• Disseminates industry
best practices.
• Provides training and
certifications.
• Project Management Body
of Knowledge (PBMOK)
16. 16
Functional vs. Project
Manager
Functional manager Project manager
Clear authority; quasi-
permanent; can direct
Low authority; temporary;
must convince
Established organization Developing organization
Long-term relationships Short-term relationships
Small set of skills managed Diverse set of skills
managed
21. 21
Adages
• Brooks’ Law
Adding manpower to a late software
project makes it later.
• Throwing money at a project doesn’t
solve the problem
• Taking resources away from a project
doesn’t always make it easier either
Editor's Notes
Trade off requirements against time and cost. (if we make the house smaller it will cost less and take less time.)Cannot exactly improve time by throwing in more money (diseconomies of scale). – overtime.If the requirements increase, pretty soon the cost and time multiply exponentially and the stool is in danger of tipping over.
Communication skills: listening, persuadingOrganizational skills: planning, goal-setting, analyzingTeam Building skills: empathy, motivation, esprit de corpsLeadership skills: sets example, energetic, vision (big picture), delegates, positiveCoping skills: flexibility, creativity, patience, persistenceTechnological skills: experience, project knowledgeProject managers need both “hard” and “soft” skills Hard skills include product knowledge and knowing how to use various project management tools and techniquesSoft skills include being able to work with various types of people
