Project Management For I.T. Professionals

1. Project Management For I.T. Professionals Functions of the I.T. Project Manager I.T. Project Management CIS-244 William Jarrett

2. Personal Skills in I.T. Project Management Identify the personal skills necessary for successful I.T. Managers. Use effective personal skills to manage a situation involving an I.T. Project. Technical Skills in I.T. Project Management Identify examples of the actions that can be taken to manage technical aspects of an IT project. Foundations of I.T. Project Management

3. Personal Skills in IT Project Management

4. Characteristics of a successful IT Project Manager; • Positive- You set the tone for the team, always be positive. • Honest- Mean what you say and say what you mean. Lead by example because your reputation will do the talking. • Adaptable- Deal calmly and creatively with changes. Always be the face of calm in the storm. • Respectful- Treat others with respect and it will be returned in kind. People who feel respected are more likely to handle feedback and suggestions in a posiutive manner. Personal Skills in IT Project Management

5. BEING POSITIVE Being positive includes displaying a positive attitude and concentrating on what is possible rather than the negatives. Personal Skills in IT Project Management

6. BEING HONEST Being includes being honest about expectations with co-workers And clients. Communicate your expectations clearly and completely only making promises you can keep. Personal Skills in IT Project Management

7. BEING ADAPTABLE You must be able to change with situations as they evolve and be open to alternative solutions. To be able to adapt, you must be aware of what is happening. Personal Skills in IT Project Management

8. BEING RESPECTFUL Respect is rarely received unless willingly given first. It is a two way street. Show your team members their work and input is appreciated. Personal Skills in IT Project Management

9. Remember ! You set the tone ! “A leader leads by example not by force.” “If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, the general is to blame.” Sun Tzu ~ The Art of War Personal Skills in IT Project Management

10. Technical Skills in IT Project Management

11. Oftentimes you as the project manager will Also have detailed knowledge about the projects you will manage and may even be a key technical contributor to the project. This does not mean you will be an expert in all things and you may have to make a few decisions based upon the circumstances. Technical Skills in IT Project Management

12. Action 1 – Take Responsibility……. Take responsibility for the aspects of the project you know and have time for. Action 2 – Acquire Knowledge…… Acquire the knowledge to manage those technical aspects that are beyond your current abilities, but can handle after training. Action 3 – Assign Management…… Assign management of those aspects that are beyond your capabilities or do not have time for to someone with the appropriate technical skills. Technical Skills in IT Project Management

13. Delegation Don’t be afraid to ask for help. The number one failing of most new managers is not recognizing when they are in over their head. If you are over committed, delegate some of your responsibilities to another qualified individual. Technical Skills in IT Project Management

14. I.T. Project Evaluation & Selection After completing this topic you should be able to match essential criteria in the evaluation and selection of I.T. projects to examples. I.T. Project Organization After completing this topic you should be able to recognize the organizational steps necessary in I.T. project Organization, and apply the steps to effectively organize a given I.T. Project. I.T. Project Initiation

15. IT Project Evaluation & Selection

16. “Be careful what you choose, you may get it.” General Colin Powell ~ US Army Retired IT Project Evaluation & Selection

17. Before agreeing to take on any project, you should first evaluate it based upon the following criteria; Purpose Goals Required Resources IT Project Evaluation & Selection

18. Purpose – Explains the reason for undertaking the project. Internal Projects Usually involves reasons involving efficiency and improving internal processes. External Projects Usually conducted for profit. Total costs expended for resources, materials and time must be lower than revenue earned to be profitable. IT Project Evaluation & Selection

19. Purpose – Everyone and everything has a purpose. Some are just more obvious than others. IT Project Evaluation & Selection

20. Project Goals – What will the company be able to do once the project is complete. Results should be quantifiable. IT Project Evaluation & Selection

21. Required Resources - Technical Professionals, Hardware, Software, Network equipment. IT Project Evaluation & Selection

22. Remember….. IT Project Evaluation & Selection

23. IT Project Organization

24. There are three organizational steps in IT Project Organization. Define the Project Goals Objectives Develop a detailed project plan Identify Project Activities Estimate Activity Duration Identify Resource Requirements Monitor project progress 1. 2. 3. IT Project Organization

25. Defining the project- Defining the project will help you clarify the projects intent. When defining the project, you need to determine the projects goal as previously discussed and objectives. What is the difference between a goal and an objective? 1. IT Project Organization

26. Goals are broad and lofty statements of intent. (This is what we want) Objectives are the specific measurable steps required to achieve the goal. (This is how we will get there) IT Project Organization

27. A worthy goal might be to “decrease costs and increase business and efficiency”. As you can see this is a very broad statement of intent with little detail as to how this will be accomplished. IT Project Organization

28. One objective to meet this new found goal might be to “implement a system for placing orders and checking order status.” By completing this objective it is reasonable to believe that costs might decrease and business efficiency might increase as a result of implementing this system. IT Project Organization

29. Developing a Detailed Project Plan- The second step in organizing your project is to develop a detailed project plan. Identify Project Activities Estimate Activity Duration Identify Resource Requirements 2. IT Project Organization

30. Identify Project Activities – At first this may seem like a Herculean task and may threaten to overwhelm you. Don’t let this get you down. Remember to break each objective down into tasks that need to be completed to achieve the objectives. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed remember this simple rule. IT Project Organization

31. How do you eat an elephant? IT Project Organization One bite at a time!

32. Once your activities have been determined, you have to also Estimate the Duration of each Activity. Once you have done these two things you can start to organize them in your detailed plan. IT Project Organization

33. One proven successful method to organize your activities is to put them into a Gantt Chart. This method has been used for many years in the construction industry to Organize activities on the job site so contractors don’t get in each others way. IT Project Organization

34. This simple Gantt chart demonstrates how activities are coordinated over a specific timeline to ensure all activities complement each other rather than get in each others way. IT Project Organization

35. Lastly, you must also determine what resources will be required to complete the objectives. Resources include; Human Resources/Personnel Equipment Hardware Software Materials IT Project Organization

36. Money is not considered a resource. In fact , one of the purposes of detailing required resources is so that you can calculate cost estimates and ultimately the project budget. IT Project Organization

37. Monitor Project Progress- It is important to establish a reporting system so that you can ensure the project is within budget and on time. The method of reporting you choose and frequency of reporting will depend on the project or your company. 3. IT Project Organization

38. Common methods of reporting include; In Person E-Mail Software Completing a chart or updating a status report IT Project Organization

39. You will need to pay attention and watch for variances between what is reported and the project plan. When variances are found you should take immediate action by adding resources, extending deadlines or changing the scope. IT Project Organization

40. Good organization is crucial to the success of the IT Project manager. Good planning and organization will help you keep the project’s objectives and ultimate goals in view, which will lead to a successful project. IT Project Organization

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