Project Management: Inception Phase Objectives

Objectives of Project Management and the Inception Phase

• Project management elements and project manager responsibilities are explained
• Describes how the UP disciplines of business modeling and environment relate to the inception phase
• Project management activities are described for the inception phase
• Development of a project schedule using a work breakdown structure (WBS) and PERT and Gantt charts takes place
• Microsoft Project is used to create the project schedule
• A risk analysis of potential project risks is performed
• Cost/benefit analysis is developed using net present value calculations
• Key deliverables and activities of the end of the inception phase are listed
• Three techniques for monitoring and controlling a system development project are discussed

Overview of Project Management

• The Unified Process (UP) development methodology consists of phases, iterations, and disciplines
• UP provides framework for project definition and execution
• Project management is a critical support discipline
• Project Management is prominent in the inception phase
• Tasks include monitoring and controlling projects
• Development project artifacts (products) include:
  • Development of a new software system
  • Enhancement or upgrade of an existing system
  • Integration of software into existing environment
• Projects constrained by schedule and resources
• Project novelty presents great challenges because:
  • Different products are produced
  • Different activities required for varying schedules
  • Different resources are used

Project Success Factors and the Role of the Project Manager

• Development projects produce software systems
• Projects are wide ranging from simple Web sites to implementation of real-time business applications
• Issues complicating project management include sophisticated business needs, changing technology, and integrating OS, support programs, and new systems
• Project success rate: 28% as of 2000
• The project manager coordinates project development
• Specifications are required in a detailed plan at project inception:
  • Activities that must take place
  • The deliverables that must be produced
  • Resources needed
• Project manager accountable for success or failure
• Project manager has internal/external responsibilities

Project Management and the Unified Process

• Project Management Institute (PMI) is a professional organization that promotes project management
  • PMI provides extensive support material and training
  • Defines specialist's body of knowledge (BOK)
• PMBOK organized into nine knowledge areas
• PMBOK principles to be applied to iteration activities
• Project management is a support business discipline
• Project management tasks are prominent at inception
• Other important disciplines of the inception phase include:
  • Business modeling
  • Environment
  • Requirements
  • Design

The Unified Process and the Inception Phase

• The inception phase of the UP has (5) objectives:
  • Identify the business need for the project
  • Establish the vision for the solution
  • Identify scope of the new system and the project
  • Develop preliminary schedules and cost estimates
  • Develop the business case for the project
• Inception phase may be completed in one iteration

Business Modeling, the Business Environment and Stakeholders

• The primary purpose of business modelling is to understand business needs
• Chief business modelling activities include:
  • Understand the business environment
  • Create the system vision
  • Create business models
• Business modelling interwoven with requirements
• Objective: understand project operational context
• Initial document: statement of business problem
• Two follow-up activities include:
  • Considering needed interfaces to other systems
  • Evaluating existing architecture
• Criticality of performing stakeholder analysis
• Stakeholders: people with an interest in the system, such as users, sponsors, and support staff

Creating the System Vision and Business Models

• The purpose of a system vision is to justify strategic importance of new system
• Clear vision statement includes (3) essential pieces:
  • Precisely specified objective(s)
  • Concrete (dollar value) benefits tailored to sponsors
  • System capabilities meeting objective(s)
• Project charter: defines need, objective, benefits, scope:
  • System vision
  • Statement of business need
  • Stakeholder analysis form
• Three major areas normally require business models:
  • Business events
  • Business processes
  • Information repositories and flows
• Business models tied to system requirements
• Model format and rigor vary with each project

Environment, the Inception Phase, and Defining Project Scope

• Discipline concerned with development environment
• Several activities are included:
  • Select and configure the development tools
  • IDEs and CASE
  • Tailor the UP development process
  • Defining the rigor of a project
  • Provide technical support services
• System scope: defines capabilities of new system
• Project scope: describes how project is to be built:
  • Provides disposition toward staff training
  • Provides data conversion information
  • Sets parameters for quality control
• System scope is part of the larger project scope
• Essential use case model helps delineate scope
• Essential use case list attached to the project

Developing WBS, Scheduling and Resource Requirements

• Development team sets schedule for project and iterations
• Tasks involved in scheduling include:
  • Develop the work breakdown structure (WBS)
  • Develop the schedule
  • Develop resource requirements and staffing plan
• Two general approaches for building a WBS include:
  • By deliverable timeline
  • By a sequential timeline
• Four techniques for identifying WBS tasks include:
  • Top-down: Identify major activities first
  • Bottom-Up: List all tasks first and organize later
  • Template: Use standard template of tasks
  • Analogy: Copy tasks of similar completed project
• Project schedule orders all activities and tasks
• Building the schedule requires:
  • Identifying dependencies between the tasks on WBS
  • Estimating the effort that each task will require
  • Identifying related tasks
• Scheduling tool: Microsoft Project is used

Charts, Resource Requirements and Feasibility

• Two types of charts used to show project schedule include:
  • PERT/CPM chart
  • Gantt chart
• Charts show same information in different formats
• Key metrics include:
  • Critical path
  • Slack time, or float
  • Milestones
• Core team members very active in inception iteration
• Most early tasks are project management activities
• MS Project allows several ways to input resource information
• Formula for effort: Effort = Duration x Persons
• Feasibility analysis: verifies project viability
• Activities used to evaluate a project's feasibility include:
  • Assess the risk to the project (risk management)
  • Determine the organizational/cultural feasibility
  • Evaluate the technological feasibility
  • Determine the schedule feasibility
  • Assess the resource feasibility
  • Perform cost/benefit (economic) analysis

Risk Management, Feasibility and Project Completion

• Feasibility analysis also includes risk management
• Risk management: identify potential trouble spots
• Organize potential problems in risk matrix
• Project manager bases two strategies on matrix:
  • Preventing the negative event
  • Developing a contingency plan
• Some potential human risks impacting new system include:
  • Low level of computer competency among employees
  • Perceived shifting of organizational power
  • Fear of employment loss due to increased automation
  • Reversal of long-standing work procedures
• One way to counter risks: training sessions
• Inception activities are project foundation
• Key deliverables of inception include:
  • Project charter package
  • Essential use case list
  • Project schedule
  • Cost/benefit analysis
  • Project feasibility and risk analysis
• General scope and approach should be clearly defined
• Scope and essential use case lead to elaboration phase