For IT projects, since I'm KICT students, a lot of IT projects have been done throughout each semesters such as the fancy Building Learning Base Flash for Kindergarten Children and Online Shopping Website to more advance such as Ibn Jaafar Filing System, Set Up Sguil in Linux Ubuntu and so on. All have been successfully done and basically in a group whereas all of the member will be assign a role.
Each of the tips below are all base on what I have learn in class combining altogether with what I had experience and learn as in practical in both project types. We will go through each chapters in Schwalbe book entitled Information Technology Project Management (5th ed.)
List of chapters
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9
Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12
Chapter 1: Introduction Project Management
This chapter basically introduce us to basic terms essentials in project management. Project, is something (product, service or result) which must have our own clearly defined purpose, undertaken by identified group of people, in a duration of time and require resources.
One of the important point in this chapter is about the triple constraints which are; Time, Scope and Goal. If any of these constraints change, at least one is affected and need to be change as well. It's proven in example of my situation therefore let me share you some experience of mine. I currently managing a program for Mahallah which involving 36 foreign students to a home-stay at Terengganu. We acquire some amount of money in running the program, since the budget exceed the amount that a principal can approve, we have to seek for approval from the Director of STAD or Deputy Rector (part of procedure in the university). What happen was our proposal has been rejected at first due to our cost allocation which need to be increased. Since one of the constraints been changed (Cost), we have to re scratch budget allocation and resend back the application letter and it cause the date of the program is a little bit delayed.
Some tips I would like to suggest, always be prepared. Unwanted and unexpected situation may come to you, so always have a Plan B or backup plans so you are clear of what you want to do and even the constraints have occur to be change, you can manage it well.
"Man plans, and it's God who decides"
One other thing we must to take note from this chapter is the project management framework which consists of nine knowledge areas which we'll gone each one by one on later chapters. All nine knowledge areas are including integration management, scope, time, cost, quality, human resources, communication, risk and procurement.
In this chapter, we are introduced of the organization, it concept in broad, and also, we are guided to perform organizational chart which have 3 types (Functional, Project and Matrix). As we go through the chapter, we form the organizational structure in practical for our group project.
Firstly, our group got the title of project to do Human Resource Department IT project and as the result from discussion and brainstorming, we decided to do enhancement of performance evaluation of the academic staff in IIUM which evaluate quality of a lecturer.
In determining position in project chart, we randomly pick amongst ourselves to hold certain position base on basic strength and weakness of ourselves. For example, we agree to choose Abi Dzar as the project manager since he has the clear picture of proposed project, and we hope, he will lead us to produce good outcome.
Important tips in this chapter, even all the members are well verse in his/her capability and knowledge, we must identify the character of each person as well as their strength and weaknesses so we appoint the right people to the right job. This will make your project get into the right track and maximum accomplishment can be achieved.
Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm
Chapter 3: The Project Management Process Groups
As we acknowledge, a project involve processes. A process is a series of actions directed toward a particular result and project management process groups include initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling as well as closing. These five processes are basis in every project. Project initiation is done to formally denote the start of a project in which the key stakeholders and project manager are assigned. These assigned people then move to planning phase where a project management plan that describe plan on whole project to the end to be guidance for the next phase- execution. Project team members will take into place where they execute planned project and turn it into a completed product. This process will take longest time and require most resources. In the meanwhile, as the project run, the member and project manager will consistently monitor and controlling the progress of a project. Some milestone might be targeted in some points so it's easier to keep track and do monitoring. A consistent kill points is important if any error occur so it can be detected in early time so the project will always heading to produce the right product. Last but not least, closing the process. It involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance of the final products.
These processes can be map with nine knowledge area mentioned in previous chapter. Later in next chapters we will go through one by one of the nine knowledge area in basis of processes from this short chapter.
Chapter 4: Project Integration Management
The first knowledge area in the book is the most important one of integrating core and facilitating knowledge which is; Project Integration Management. This knowledge area as stated in Chapter 1, is effects and affected by all other eight knowledge area, so a success of a project very much depends on this part. Listed below is the processes involve project integration management.
- Developing a project charter.
- Developing a preliminary project scope statement.
- Developing a project management plan.
- Directing and managing project execution.
- Monitoring and controlling project work.
- Performing integrated change control.
- Closing the project.
Basically the whole chapter is explaining each of the points above in detail.
Chapter 5: Project Scope Management
In a project, we have to specify our scope to ensure every member leading to the right end. So every member must know their specific scope or all work they need to do in completing the project. Scope management involve some processes which are planning and defining the scope, creating work-breakdown structure (WBS) and followed by verify and control the scope defined.
Firstly, the way of how we going to do scope management also be documented and this document will guide through all process as they take place.
One part that might be essential in this chapter is creating WBS. Some approaches can be done but it's just like scratch the task or activity in organized hierarchical way. These hierarchy play significantly important since it will differ level of task and activity in it. Some brief concept of WBS have been define by the lecturer in class and she even gave us clear picture when she brought in real example of her own project's WBS. Then, we had been given WBS as assignment.
When I exercise WBS for my group, which is for 3 departments-task using SmartArt in Microsoft Word 2007 (the software really helps and amazingly intelligent), the font which automatically adjusted by Microsoft become very small until I have to zoom very big. I know that I can separate each department to be in different sheet but actually all departments are interconnected. Later, I divide those tasks in different sheet so it's viewable and I couldn't imagine if I get into very much detail, WBS can be super duper big! :-)
Later then I feel that WBS is not a good medium for a big project. It's not systematic and troublesome to refer for guide. It only suits for small project, so the task can be break real down (into details) and not all subdivided task are visible to all members (maybe one person only holds his part of scope with no concern on other's detail). I remember some other diagram like Activity diagram (generated by StarUML) or flowchart, even they're a bit complex, but it can hold many things such as the flow in their shape, more precise and systematic.
Some days in between, I went to a meeting for Mahallah program, and I started to draw WBS for me to easily navigate all work to be done. There is it, I figured out the best strength of WBS. Tips for this chapter, WBS is best for it's simplicity and understandable.
WBS is simple, can be sketch in just couple of minute can can be understood by most of people. Afterall, if people who read the structure of work don't understand all shapes in those flowchart and activity diagram, there's no point of using it. Therefore, I realize a thing that the most important is the structure that can be understood by all people even they don't have any background of IT since IT project normally consists of people from various areas and field of studies.
If you don't change your mind, why have one?
Chapter 6: Project Time management
Few weekends ago, I went home and I perceive my father's Gantt Chart he currently using on a running project of PKNS. It contains with bars of activity which are denoted by some colors to determine durations, milestones and some other information. In this chapter, we discusses on time management and the processes include defining and sequencing the activities, estimating resource and duration for each activities as well as develop and control the schedule.
A proper scheduling is undeniably important as it play big role of ensuring the project success. It distinguish a good project from an awful one. The schedule is used to ensure project done in time with properly manage all activities along with resources. Some milestones may be dictated at some points, level or phase in a project for the project manager to ensure completion, scope and objective align with PMP.
How to develop a good project schedule?
- Start draft one at early stage of project initiation
- Keep update the schedule as the project moves
- All duration or deadlines determined must be realistic
- Take into account all activities should be done, if the scope is large or involving so many processes, divide the project into phases or level and create milestones of each
- Gather enough knowledge of needed resources (man power, hardware or software or might be services)- how they are to be used and their availability
- Ensure time-line created fully manipulate duration given and resource available.
- Develop legends which are easy to be understood, colors that represent conventional way of importance level
Not to be forgotten, the commitment of all project members are needed where they must always keep align to the project schedule and adhere to all deadlines determined. It has no meaning if we have a very good schedule but the project members disobey on it.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: Not a single dawn breaks out without two angels calling out: “O! Son of Adam, I am a new day and I witness your actions, so make the best out of me because I will never come back till the day of judgment.” - AlMa'thur
Chapter 7: Project Cost Management
This chapter introduce us to an essential topic since all project involve money. Normally, some cost has been approved or allocated to your project. Bad cost management lead your project is off on the wrong foot or precede cost overrun and both could impact your project to be delayed or suspended , or even worst; possible cause project end or termination. If project cost spilled, time and scope might change and stakeholders or customer may no longer interested on the project you had done, since it bring revenue generated will spilled as well and shows that crappy project management bringing all the whole nine yards of your effort are useless. I have notified some points of having good cost management below.
Tips to ensure good cost management (base on cost management process)
- Cost estimation
- Base thing that we have to do is in the initiating process whereas cost estimation must be logical. Wrong estimation will harden cost management. Pick a good person who have well-knowledge of financing, experience enough in allocating cost is important hence a realistic figure of money is allocated. Some information from outside source might be needed.
- Cost estimation done in the first place might be not total accurate therefore people who develop estimation should struggle to do estimation as precise as it could be. As the project runs, team often find out some cost which has been overlooked. Thus, prediction of these kind of situation must be identified in early cost estimation.
- Cost budgeting
- Create cost baseline that show time-phased budget so project manager are able to keep track on the progress of project along with budget spent in some points of time. The cost baseline should also take into account realistic and predictive all events might occur.
- In addition, for any changes if happen, produce an updated cost baseline or revised cost baseline, so it's always reliable and precise to refer.
- Cost control
- Another important process of cost management is cost control where project manger have to monitor cost performance
- Cost monitoring can be done referring to the cost baseline developed in cost budgeting. The point of time placed in the cost baseline is in periodic or regular basis and the project manager must perform proper measurement of cost performance in each points
The cost is long forgotten but the quality is remember forever
Many of IT projects aiming of producing quality products or services. What is quality? To what standard that a product can be competent and considered having good quality? ISO defines quality as the degree to which a set of inherent characteristics fulfills requirements. Several characteristics has been listed in order to consider quality of a product. Here are few characteristics that I consider essential feature for qualifying a product or services in concerns with IT project:
- Functionality - Main feature of a product is to be functional or less the product bring no meaning to the customers.
- Maintainability - Other than to be functional, a quality product normally can easily be maintained. More maintainability feature it provide, more likely a product to have better quality than the others.
- Support - Additionally, one feature in a product to identify they have quality is when they provide consistent support for their customers. Dell Inc. emphasize on support to ensure quality of their product and in enhancement of service for each product purchased by the customer. This feature may just an option for producers of product but the approach done by Dell proven to made them in glory.
- Structured and robust - For IT project, data structure is important to ensure the data is understandable by third party which may not part of project team members. The product must be robust where it could tolerate and take into account possibilities in all conditions.
- Fault-tolerance - Another important feature could be fault tolerance which indicate that it could tolerate and the system not auto crash or machine just break down if any error happens.
- Open to future enhancement - Quality product also understandable by others as mentioned above for the sake of future enhancement that may be made by others. This is a very important feature where all part of project must be properly documented since nature of IT project which is open to be learn by others.
How to assure quality of your product?
- Set standard - Standard to be followed by the project must be stipulated so that the project move toward that standard.
- Role and responsibility - Project manager should be responsible for assure quality from scratch (early start of initiation process continuously until project completion).
- Material - The product must be made by material that is acceptable in quality so it's last longer.
- Benchmarking - One approach which is benchmarking is also good idea for project managers to look another similar succeeded project.
- Quality audit - Structured review by set of people who have good command of quality auditing. They sometime hired from outside the project people so that they made unbiased auditing.
Overall, high effort must be done to ensure product quality and this effort is worth since high-quality product usually draw customers' and researchers' attention to be used or manipulated to be better product.
The World is three days: "As for yesterday, it has vanished, along with all that was in it. As for tomorrow, you may never see it. As for today, it is yours, so work in it."- Hassan al-Basri
Chapter 9: Project Human Resource Management
This chapter is merely important for us to understand since our role in group project is Human Resource Department. After we got this department as role in project, we actually gather real information of IIUM Human Resource Department through website and I even go to HR office on my way to settle some work there to see how they flow. What I learn, HR is basically about managing people (as for IIUM, HR concerns on all staff, - academic and non-academic staff). This department is the one who do recruitment, provide training or promotions and even amount of salary allocation to the staff. As the people is the main asset of an organization, managing people in right way also important to guarantee project success.
Processes involve in project human resource includes planning, acquiring, developing and managing project team members. As we acknowledged, documented plan on staff management plan should be establish in early phase and this plan must be followed in later phases of recruiting and controlling a team. As I read the slides on managing people, I feel that I'm still poor in this soft skill since I always experience inefficiency of man power allocation. I find that managing people is not as easy as dealing with machine in my programming assignment but it's even bigger and complicated issue which carry along with responsibilities and feeling.
In my experience, even job allocation has been done properly and people with good command has been selected and assigned to the job, project manager still has the bigger role and challenge to assure the job really done since people wont do a job if they're not motivated enough. Project manager has to be smart in tackle their people, not to be lenient and not to be too strict. He/She should suit him/herself in various types of people. One keyword from the seniors for me before I became MRC, expect the unexpected and be prepared all the time. Additional point I have to state here that it is a must for project manager to be patient. This is important as we see the best example from the prophet, his approach to be very patient and smart had made Islam achieve great success.
Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat...We must find each other. - Mother Teresa
Chapter 10: Project Communications Management
In this chapter, several important processes in communication management process discussed which are communication planning, information distribution, performance reporting and managing stakeholders. Later in this chapter, the book mentioned about conducting meeting as platform to communicate. I agree that a meeting is a good medium to do communication for a project. Even if you meet people you work with closely or everyday, a formal meeting must be conducted and it must have certain objectives. If the meeting member stay focus to achieve those objectives, then it will help so much in doing later tasks through ensuring your project completion. But, under what circumstances a meeting should be held? How frequent it must be conducted? Some friends of mine said, better conduct the meeting frequent but keep each session short and in contrary, the other said conduct only few session but each must settle everything so we dont have to waste other time to meet. Below are some tips refering to the book plus my personal addtition base on my experience.
How to run effective meeting
Be professional
- The scope of the meeting must only within the checklist prepared and keep the environment formal so all meeting members do not waste time talking unrelated things.
Frequency
- The frequency of a meeting must be base on the need of a meeting. Update or follow-up can be done through observation and other way else instead of meeting.
Prepare checklist
- Important points of message to be delivered or agenda must be joted down in a checklist before the meeting held. The checklist can also help a project manager to determine the need of the meeting. If all checklisted items are not very critical, can be extend to other later date, or other medium can be used (memo, e-mail or so on), the meeting might be not held and vice versa. Another thing should be included in the checklist is the people related to each matter in the meeting to assure right people being called for the meeting.
Be clear
- People who call for the meeting must clear on the purpose of each meeting so the meeting will not heading nowhere
One more part I like in this chapter is about handling conflict. Several possible way of handling conflicts include confrontation, compromise, smoothing, forcing or withdrawal. I also learn that conflict can be good since it could produce better result and motivation to project members. I agree on the statement but I think the conflict can be good only if the member manage and take it in the right way.
Whoever is offered an apology from a fellow Muslim should accept it unless he knows that the person apologizing is being dishonest.- Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) [Mishkat al Tabrizi, Vol III Hadith no. 5052].
Chapter 11: Project Risk Management
Toward the end of the course, we learn about risk management. Risk management often be overlooked by the project managers. They just put all those possible risk in their heads without properly document them but this document is very important to ensure the project keep running in any circumstances. While learning this chapter in class, we are putted in group and practice our own group project's risk register.
Tips to create a good risk register
- All possible risk in any circumstances must be stipulated
- Take into account both positive and negative risk
- Some calculation or matrices must be done
The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you'll make one
Chapter 12: Project Procurement Management
Our final lecture is talking about the project procurement management which describe acquiring goods and/or services from an outside source (outsourcing). Many parties debating on the need of outsourcing. As for me, I'm not on the side of Wal-Mart which dont do outsource at all. For the sake of cost at one point yes can be reduced, but in concern with IT project, which normally need people from various areas. A form of consultant also may be needed and other experts, for hiring them as part of staff made cost become even bigger. Another factor is a company might be running several projects with acquiring different skill set of people and outsourcing of experts definetely needed in order to ensure professional work and quality of product produced.
Some processes involve in project procurement management are:
- Planning purchases and acquisitions
- Planning contracting
- Requesting seller responses
- Selecting sellers
- Administering contracts
- Closing contracts
One thing we should notify that those processes are critical to ensure good procurement management. One more essential point in this chapter is about the types of contracts base on situation namely, fixed price (lump sum), cost reimbursable, time and marterial and unit price contract. A contract can fall on all four types mentioned.
The most painful thing to experience is not defeat but regret
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