An Approach to Managing Projects

1. An Approach to Managing Projects Hadeel Elamin Lead Project Manager hadeel@ucr.edu

2. Context • UCR VCSA TS’s journey • 2 years ago – • small organization • Current state – • mid-size organization {in development still} • Transition Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

3. Agile • Iterative • Incremental Prototyping • Short Release Cycles • Reusable Components • Welcomes Changes Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

4. Waterfall • Sequential • Planning • Design • Development • Testing • Go live • Maintenance • Highly structured • Costly changes Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

5. …So we fused the two Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

6. Waterfall Artifacts – Templates • We developed some templates: • Intake Form • Project Charter • Requirement • Project plan • Make or buy analysis • Up-front planning – involve infrastructure • Gain approval Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

7. Waterfall Artifact – Change Requests • Describe the situation • Requires approval • Trade-offs Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

8. Waterfall Artifact - Design Reviews • Identifies possible missteps • Brings all the teams in the loop • Critical thinking • Different perspectives Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

9. Waterfall Artifact - Release Checklist • Management approval • Ensures processes are followed: • Backup • Recurring Tasks/Maintenance • Cost Model update • Change Review Board Approval • Design Approved • Code checked in Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

10. Waterfall Artifact - Status Reporting • Weekly review of projects status • Managing • Schedule • Progress • Risks • Issues • Published bi-weekly Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

11. Agile Artifacts - Standup Meetings • Daily or weekly standups • Reporting progress • Done • WIP • Impediments • Kanban board • Scrub Meetings Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

12. Agile Artifact - Sprints • Review work with customer weekly • Determine if we can release • Cross off done items • Decide what to work on next Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

13. Agile Artifact - Project Backlog • WBS system – Fogbugz • Cases traceable back to requirements • Assigned to developers • Estimated • Prioritized • Gives visibility and status Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

14. Agile Artifact - Retrospectives • Timeline • Thanks • Ideas • Improvements • Pick the top 2 and track progress Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

15. Challenges • Customer education on our process • Narrow the focus • Involve Infrastructure • Breaking silos • Collaborating across teams Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

16. Successes • Customer Satisfaction, Transparency to customers • Team Adoption • Uniform/consistent approach • Scope is defined - projects don’t go on forever • Issues are bubbled up quickly • Risks are monitored • Progress is visible Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

17. Biggest Success – Delivery Rate Hadeel Elamin – An Approach to Managing Projects

18. Comments Hadeel Elamin Lead Project Manager UCR – VCSA TS hadeel@ucr.edu