Project Management 101 - Process PDF

Project Management 101 - Process 📘 Project Management 101 - Process 📘 🎉 1. Welcome & Kick-Off 🌟 Objective: To start the project on the right foot by setting clear expectations, building enthusiasm, and fostering a sense of collaboration amon...

Project Management 101 - Process 📘 Project Management 101 - Process 📘 🎉 1. Welcome & Kick-Off 🌟 Objective: To start the project on the right foot by setting clear expectations, building enthusiasm, and fostering a sense of collaboration among everyone involved. Description: The Welcome & Kick-Off phase is a critical moment in the project lifecycle. This phase is designed to set the tone for the entire project, ensuring that both the client and the team are aligned on goals, expectations, and communication practices. When a new project is assigned by the BD Team or PMO office, the project manager is immediately informed. Ideally, a kick-off message should be sent to the client within the same day to establish a prompt and professional start. Following this, as soon as the project team is allocated (team allocation is covered in the next chapter), a kick off message to the team should also be sent. During the kick-off, it's essential to set expectations with everyone involved—both the client and the team. For the client, this includes a warm welcome and an overview of the communication practices that will be followed throughout the project. This is the moment to reassure the client that their project is in good hands and that our core values of quality and commitment will guide every step of the process. For the team, the kick-off is an opportunity to welcome them aboard, provide a brief overview of the project's goals, and emphasize the importance of communication, quality, and commitment. Setting these expectations early helps to foster a sense of ownership and alignment, ensuring that everyone is working towards the same objectives with the same dedication. 🎯 Example: During the kick-off for an e-commerce website project, the project manager sends a welcome message to the client on the same day the project is assigned, outlining the communication practices and setting expectations. Once the team is allocated, the manager sends a welcome message to the team, introducing the project's goal of increasing online sales by 20%, and emphasizes the importance of quality and commitment. A daily scrum schedule is also established to ensure continuous alignment and progress tracking. Page 1 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process 📝 2. Review Given Project Details 📝 Objective: To ensure that the project manager fully understands the project’s requirements, scope, and client expectations, setting the stage for successful execution. Description: At this stage, as the project manager, your primary responsibility is to thoroughly review all available details about the project. This includes carefully going through the requirement documents, scrutinizing designs or mockups, listening to recorded client calls, and analyzing the client's existing website or application if available. Your goal is to clearly understand what the client wants to achieve from this project. Begin by assessing the client’s business and products to align the project objectives with their overall business strategy. It's essential to not only comprehend the technical and functional requirements but also to grasp the client's mindset. Determine whether the client is primarily focused on cost, deadlines, or another aspect of the project. Evaluate how the client prefers to communicate—do they need frequent, detailed updates, or are they satisfied with high-level summaries? Additionally, gauge their technical expertise: are they tech-savvy, or do they require more simplified explanations? This step is akin to preparing a blueprint before building a structure; you need to ensure that all elements are considered, understood, and aligned with the client's vision. The insights gained during this phase will guide your communication strategy, decision-making process, and overall project management approach, ensuring that you meet or exceed client expectations. 🔧 Example: For a mobile app project, you would not only review the document detailing features such as user login, profile management, and push notifications but also listen to client calls to understand the rationale behind these features. You would assess the client’s priorities—whether they are more concerned with staying within budget or launching on time. Based on your understanding, you would plan your communication strategy and ensure that your team is aligned with the client's expectations and technical comfort level. 🚀 3. Understand Project Goals 🎯 Objective: To clearly understand and define the project's goals, ensuring alignment with the client’s strategic objectives and desired outcomes. Description: As a project manager in software development or e-commerce store development, your role in this stage is crucial. You need to dive deep into the underlying reasons why the client is undertaking this project. Is the client building software to sell as a SaaS product, looking to Page 2 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process automate their business processes, or aiming to digitize an existing process? Understanding these core motivations is essential because they will shape every aspect of the project, from design decisions to development priorities and beyond. 🗺️🚗 Think of this phase as setting the coordinates for a successful journey. Just like plotting your destination on a GPS before a road trip , understanding the project goals ensures that everyone on the team knows the ultimate destination and can chart the best course to get there. This is where you define success—by identifying specific, measurable goals that align with the client’s vision. It’s not just about knowing what the client wants to achieve but also understanding why. Are they trying to tap into a new market, increase operational efficiency, or provide a better experience for their customers? This understanding will guide your decisions throughout the project, from feature prioritization to resource allocation, ensuring that the end product truly meets the client’s needs. Ensure that the entire team is aware of the project goals and understands their role in achieving them. This alignment is key to a cohesive and focused development process 💡 Example: In a project to develop an e-commerce platform, if the client’s primary goal is to automate their existing retail operations and expand their market reach, you would focus on features like inventory management, seamless payment integration, and user-friendly interfaces. Understanding that the client’s success metric might be increasing online sales by 50% within the first six months helps you and the team prioritize functionalities that drive conversion and enhance the user experience. 📊 4. Research on Project Domain & Competitors 🔬 Objective: To equip the project team with essential industry knowledge and competitive insights that will guide strategic decisions throughout the project. Description: As the project manager, your role in this stage is to thoroughly research the business domain or subdomain relevant to the project—whether it’s fitness, health, nutrition, or another area. This research is critical because it provides the context needed to make informed decisions during the development process. Understanding the nuances of the project’s domain helps ensure that the final product aligns with industry standards and meets the specific needs of the target market. Understand the Target audience, Market trends,Regulatory requirement and Key players Equally important is researching the project’s competitors. Whether you’re developing software or building an e-commerce store, knowing what the competition is doing allows you to identify gaps in the market, understand what has been successful, and, crucially, what hasn’t. This information will be invaluable as you move forward, helping you to position the product Page 3 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process strategically and differentiate it in a crowded market. Analyze existing solutions, identifying their: Strengths and weaknesses, Features and functionalities, User engagement strategies and Market positioning Think of this phase as laying the groundwork for a competitive strategy—like a chess player studying their opponent's moves before the game begins. By gathering and analyzing data on the domain and competitors, you can anticipate challenges, spot opportunities, and craft a product that not only meets but exceeds the client’s expectations. 🏋️‍♂️ Example: For a project aimed at developing a fitness tracking app, you would research the fitness and health domain to understand trends like the growing demand for personalized wellness solutions. Simultaneously, you would conduct a competitor analysis of popular apps such as Fitbit and MyFitnessPal, assessing their features, user experience, and market performance. By identifying gaps, such as a lack of integration with certain wearable devices, you can guide your team to develop a product that not only matches but surpasses existing offerings. 🛠️ 5. Requesting Team Allocation 👥 Objective: To ensure the timely and efficient allocation of the right team members to your project, enabling smooth project execution without unnecessary delays. Manager's Responsibilities: 1. Review Team Availability: ○ Begin by checking the Team Availability Sheet pinned in the pm_team Slack channel. This sheet provides an up-to-date overview of which team members are currently available or will be available soon. ○ Identify the resources you need, including specific roles (e.g., front-end developer, back-end developer, UI/UX designer) and their availability status. 2. Request Resource Allocation: ○ Once you’ve identified the available team members, promptly add your request to the Manager Resources Sheet. Include the following details: Project Name: Clearly mention the project for which the resources are needed. Starting Date: When the team members are required to start working on the project. Ending Date: The expected completion date or the date until the resource will be needed. Number of Hours Required Per Day: Estimate the daily hours each resource will need to commit to the project. 3. Immediate Resource Utilization: Page 4 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process ○ If the resources you need are marked as available in the Team Availability Sheet, you can immediately start working with them. ○ No need to wait for approval: Request approvals can take up to a day. If the resources are free and you’ve confirmed their availability, initiate the project tasks without delay. 4. Quick Communication: ○ For any urgent discussions or clarifications regarding resource allocation, utilize the pm_team Slack channel. Prompt communication ensures that everyone stays aligned and any potential issues are addressed quickly. 5. Update and Release Resources: ○ As soon as a team member is no longer needed on your project, immediately update the Manager Resources Sheet to reflect the end of their allocation. ○ This step is crucial to ensure that the resource becomes available for other managers and projects in a timely manner, preventing bottlenecks in resource allocation across the organization. Example: For instance, if you're managing an eCommerce store development project, you may need a front-end developer to design the user interface, a back-end developer to manage the store’s database and server-side logic, and a UI/UX designer to ensure a seamless shopping experience for users. After checking the Team Availability Sheet, you find the right people are available starting next week. You add a request in the Manager Resources Sheet, specifying that you'll need each of them for 6 hours per day over the next three months. Since they’re free now, you kick off the project immediately and inform them of their tasks. By following these steps, you ensure that your project has the right resources allocated at the right time, enabling your team to work efficiently and deliver quality results. 💬 6. Client Communication 📞 Objective: To establish a clear understanding of client communication practices, ensuring timely, effective, and transparent communication between the team and the client. This chapter outlines the responsibilities of managers to maintain communication protocols, monitor client interactions, and ensure all project stakeholders are informed at every stage of the project lifecycle. Manager Responsibilities: 1. Recording and Sharing Meeting Minutes: Page 5 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process ○ Client Meeting Recording: Managers must ensure that every client meeting is recorded without exception using the Fathom tool. This includes scheduled meetings, ad-hoc discussions, and review sessions. ○ Sharing Minutes of Meeting (MOM): After each client meeting, the manager is responsible for sharing the MOM along with the meeting's recording link in the designated external Slack channel. The MOM should include key discussion points, action items, deadlines, and responsible individuals. 2. Weekly Team Updates to Client: ○ Regular Updates: All team members working on client-related tasks are required to submit a weekly update every Friday. This update must include: A summary of tasks completed during the week. Supporting screenshots or a Loom video demonstrating the work accomplished. These updates should be shared in the external Slack channel ○ Alternative Timing for Updates: If a team member is planning to take leave on Friday, the weekly update should be submitted on Thursday/Monday. 3. Daily Updates for Specific Phases: ○ For projects such as the Discovery phase, POC phase, or some retainer projects, managers must ensure that daily updates are shared with the client. These daily updates should also include: Screenshots or Loom videos showing progress. A brief description of tasks completed. ○ This daily communication ensures that the client remains informed and aligned with ongoing work, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings. 4. Timely Response to Client Messages: ○ Immediate Attention: Managers are responsible for ensuring that every message from the client is attended to promptly, particularly in Slack. Any delays or missed responses can result in client dissatisfaction, so timely communication is essential. ○ No Direct Messages (DMs): All client communications should take place in the appropriate Slack channels rather than in direct messages (DMs). This ensures that all stakeholders, including managers, senior leadership, and other team members, remain informed about the project status and client requests. 5. Managing Client Escalations: ○ Handling with Care: Managers must approach client escalations with great care and a focus on customer service. If an issue arises, it is crucial to gather all necessary information, understand the client’s concerns, and respond in a calm, solutions-oriented manner. ○ Involving Senior Management: Escalations should be discussed with senior management before proceeding to ensure that the response aligns with company policies and expectations. This collaborative approach ensures that complex issues are handled effectively and with the necessary support. 6. Proactive Communication Regarding Public Holidays: Page 6 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process ○ Managers must notify the client at least one week in advance of any upcoming public holidays that may affect project timelines or team availability. This ensures that clients are aware of potential delays and can adjust their expectations accordingly. Examples of Good and Bad Client Communication Practices: Good Example: ○ Scenario: A team member completes a key feature ahead of schedule and shares a detailed Loom video demonstrating the functionality along with the code commits in Slack. The manager follows up with a summary and a link to the recording of the review meeting where this feature was discussed. ○ Outcome: The client feels informed and confident in the team's progress, resulting in increased trust and smooth project flow. Bad Example: ○ Scenario: A team member misses a deadline but fails to inform the client. The next week, the client inquires about the missing feature, leading to confusion as the delay had not been communicated. The manager had also failed to record the meeting where the delay was initially discussed. ○ Outcome: The client becomes frustrated due to lack of transparency, which leads to an escalation and potential risk to the relationship. By adhering to these guidelines, managers can ensure clear and effective client communication, contributing to stronger relationships, higher client satisfaction, and successful project outcomes. 📂 7. Project Documents/Digital Assets Management 🗄️ Objective: To ensure all project-related documents and digital assets are well-organized, easily accessible to the team, and securely protected from unauthorized access. Manager's Responsibilities: 1. Create a Centralized Project Folder: ○ For each project, the manager must create a dedicated Google Drive folder. This folder will serve as the central repository for all project-related documents and digital assets. ○ Ensure that the folder is appropriately named and easy to identify, following the company’s naming conventions. 2. Organize and Secure Project Documents: ○ Within the main project folder, create subfolders for different types of documents such as: Page 7 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process Project Credentials: Store sensitive information like project-specific login credentials. 3rd Party Service Credentials/API Keys: Keep API keys and third-party service credentials in a secure subfolder. Scope of Work/Project Requirement Documents: Store all project requirement documents, including the scope of work. Designs and Prototypes: Store Figma design links, prototypes, and any other design assets. Meeting Notes and Call Recordings: Archive important meeting notes and video recordings. Miscellaneous Resources: Any other relevant documents or assets that don’t fit into the categories above. ○ Security: Ensure that access permissions are set appropriately. Only authorized team members should have access to sensitive information like credentials and API keys. Regularly review and update access permissions as team members join or leave the project. 3. Document Overview and Link Management: ○ Create a Google Doc named “Project Document Overview” within the project’s main Google Drive folder. ○ This document should include: A comprehensive list of all project documents with their corresponding links. Design Links: URLs to Figma designs or other design resources. Jira Board Link: A direct link to the project’s Jira board for task tracking. Project Credentials: Links to documents or sections containing credentials, ensuring they are secure and only accessible to authorized personnel. 3rd Party Services and Credentials: Information and access details for any third-party services integrated into the project. Add project Github Code Repository links ○ Update this overview document regularly as new documents or assets are added or modified. 4. Maintain Accessibility and Security: ○ Ensure that all team members have the necessary access to the project folder and the Document Overview file. This access should be set based on their role in the project. ○ Periodically audit the folder and the Document Overview to ensure everything is up-to-date, secure, and accessible. 5. Communicate Changes: ○ Any significant updates to the document structure, new additions, or changes in access permissions should be communicated to the team promptly via Slack or email. ○ Encourage team members to report any issues they encounter with accessing documents so they can be resolved swiftly. Page 8 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process Example: For an eCommerce store development project, the manager would create a Google Drive folder named "XYZ eCommerce Project." Inside, there would be subfolders for "Project Credentials," "API Keys," "Designs," and more. A "Project Document Overview" Google Doc would list each document and link, such as the Jira board for tracking tasks, Figma links for design prototypes, and credentials for accessing third-party payment gateways. By maintaining this structured approach, the manager ensures that the team has everything they need at their fingertips while keeping sensitive information secure. This systematic organization facilitates smoother project management, enabling the team to focus on development without wasting time searching for documents or worrying about security breaches. 🗃️ 8. JIRA Setup and Management 🛠️ Objective: To ensure every project is efficiently managed and tracked through JIRA, our primary project management tool, enabling clear visibility and progress tracking for all stakeholders. Manager's Responsibilities: 1. Initial JIRA Setup: ○ For every project, regardless of its type (Kanban, Sprint, POC phase, Discovery phase, etc.), the manager must ensure that a JIRA board is set up before the project begins. ○ Create the JIRA board with the appropriate template (Kanban or Scrum) depending on the project’s needs. 2. Configure the JIRA Board: ○ Create and name columns that represent the stages of the project workflow. These columns should typically include: Backlog Ready to Work Design Phase Development To-Do In Progress Ready for QA Ready for Client Review Released to Staging/Production ○ Ensure that each column is accurately named and represents the correct stage of the project to streamline task management. 3. Backlog and Ticket Management: Page 9 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process ○ Populate the JIRA backlog with all the tasks needed for the project. Ensure each ticket is: Properly titled and described. Contains all relevant information, including design specifications, development requirements, and testing criteria. Assigned to the correct team member, with clear due dates and priorities. ○ Regularly review the backlog to ensure it is up-to-date and reflective of the project’s current needs. 4. Active Board Management: ○ Actively manage the JIRA board by ensuring that: Tickets are moved through the stages (columns) as work progresses. Updates are made in real-time: As tasks move from "To Do" to "In Progress" and beyond, the board should reflect these changes immediately. Team members are updating their tickets regularly to reflect the current status of their tasks. ○ Conduct regular JIRA board reviews during team meetings to ensure all tasks are correctly tracked and progressing as planned. 5. JIRA Permissions and Integrations: ○ Set up JIRA permissions to ensure that only relevant team members can manipulate tickets in their respective stages. For example: Developers can move tickets from "Development To-Do" to "In Progress." QA can transition tickets from "Ready for QA" to "Ready for Client Review." ○ Integrate JIRA with other platforms for enhanced efficiency, such as: GitHub: Link JIRA tickets with corresponding GitHub pull requests to track code changes alongside tasks. Slack: Set up JIRA notifications in Slack channels to keep the team informed of ticket updates and status changes. 6. Continuous Monitoring and Improvement: ○ Continuously monitor the JIRA board’s effectiveness. Ensure that the board is being actively used by the team and that all project information is up-to-date. ○ Make adjustments to the board setup, columns, and ticket management processes as needed to improve workflow efficiency and project visibility. Example: In a software development project for an eCommerce platform, the manager sets up a JIRA Scrum board with columns for "Backlog," "Design Phase," "Development To-Do," "In Progress," "Ready for QA," "Ready for Client Review," and "Released to Staging/Production." Each task, such as "Integrate payment gateway," is created as a JIRA ticket with all necessary details and linked to the corresponding GitHub pull request. The manager ensures that developers move tickets to "In Progress" when they start coding and that QA members update the status once testing begins. JIRA is integrated with Slack to notify the team when tickets change status, ensuring everyone is aligned and the project progresses smoothly. Page 10 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process By diligently managing the JIRA setup and ensuring active usage, the manager guarantees that the project remains organized, on track, and transparent to all team members and stakeholders. 🛡️ 9. Understanding the Project's Different Stages 💡 Objective: As a manager in a software development company, understand the various stages a project can be in when it comes to your team, and know how to navigate each stage to ensure successful project delivery. Description: When a project comes to your team, it can be in various stages, requiring different approaches and levels of involvement. As a manager, it's crucial to identify the project's current stage and adapt your strategy accordingly. 💡 Project Stages: Idea Stage The project is still in its infancy, with only a basic idea or concept. Your team will need to guide the client through: POC (Proof of Concept) Phase: Validate the idea's feasibility and potential. Discovery Phase: Do wireframes/designs, define project requirements, goals, and deliverables. Defined Requirements Stage The client comes with solidified requirements or existing designs/wireframes. Your team will: Estimate the work required Proceed to the development stage Enhancement Stage The client has existing software and wants modifications or enhancements. Your team will: Estimate the work required Proceed to the development stage Example: In a project to develop a new AI-based recommendation system, the client may come to your team with only a vague idea of what they want to achieve. Your team would guide them through the POC and Discovery phases to define the project's scope and requirements. Alternatively, the client may come with a clear set of requirements and existing wireframes, allowing your team to estimate the work and jump into development. Page 11 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process 🎉 By understanding the project's stage and adapting your approach, you can ensure a smooth and successful project delivery. 🔍 10. POC Phase: A Manager's Guide 🔍🚀 Objective: As a manager, your objective in the POC phase is to oversee the validation of the feasibility and effectiveness of a proposed solution or technology, ensuring that it aligns with the client's requirements and is viable for full-scale development. Manager's Responsibilities: Clearly define the POC's scope and objectives with the client and the project team to 💬 ensure everyone is on the same page. Foster proactive communication: ○ Share daily updates with the client using tools like Loom and screenshots of progress. ○ Schedule regular client calls to discuss findings, address concerns, and gather feedback. Oversee the creation of a prototype or small-scale version of the project to test ⚠️ specific functionalities, technologies, or concepts. Monitor progress and identify potential risks and challenges: ○ Work closely with the project team to detect any roadblocks or technical feasibility issues. ○ Collaborate with the team to develop mitigation strategies and adjust the approach as needed. Make informed decisions: Based on the POC's outcome, decide whether to proceed with full-scale development using the chosen approach. Determine the direction and possible feature set of the full project. Description: The POC phase is a critical stage where you test the waters before diving into full-scale development. By creating a small version of the project, you can validate the proposed solution's feasibility, identify potential risks, and make informed decisions about the project's direction. Example: Page 12 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process In a project to develop a new AI-based recommendation system for an eCommerce platform, the project team conducts a POC to test the algorithm's effectiveness using a subset of data. As the manager, you oversee the POC, ensure proactive communication with the client, and make decisions based on the outcome. The successful POC demonstrates that the algorithm can 💡 accurately predict user preferences, leading to the decision to proceed with full-scale development using the chosen approach. 🕵️‍♀️ 11. Discovery Phase: A Manager's Guide 🔍 Objective: As a manager, your objective in the Discovery Phase is to execute a thorough exploration and definition of the project’s requirements and design. This phase is critical when the client approaches with just an idea, and it sets the foundation for the entire development process. Manager's Responsibilities: 1. Wireframes & UI/UX Designs: ○ Initiate the Design Process: Collaborate with the design team to start creating wireframes and UI/UX designs based on the client's vision or a reference app. Ensure that the initial concepts are aligned with the client’s expectations. ○ Set Deadlines and Manage Progress: Take a ballpark estimate from the design team for the completion of wireframes and UI/UX designs. Set realistic deadlines, keeping in mind any potential revisions. This estimate might be a range rather than an exact timeframe. ○ Deliverables: Ensure the team provides a Figma file and a clickable prototype at the end of this phase. These deliverables are crucial for both the client’s understanding and the development team's subsequent work. 2. Scope Requirement Document Writing: ○ Develop a Detailed Requirement Document: Begin writing a comprehensive requirement document parallel to the design process. This document should be detailed enough to cover every aspect of the project—each screen, feature, and sub-feature. ○ Finalize Requirements: As the designs are finalized, update the document to reflect these features. The document should clearly outline what each module, feature, and screen will do, including happy paths and alternative scenarios. ○ Ensure Clarity for All Stakeholders: The document should be written so that anyone—client, team members, or other stakeholders—can understand the complete scope and functionality of the project. Attached examples of requirement documents as needed. 3. Time Estimates of Development Work: ○ Gather Detailed Estimates: Once the designs and requirement document are complete, request detailed time estimates for each module, screen, and feature. Page 13 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process This can be done by the respective team lead or delegated to available team members, but the team lead must approve all estimates. ○ Include Additional Time Allocations: Typically, add 20% of the total development hours for QA and 15% for project management to ensure comprehensive coverage. Example sheet attached to demonstrate how these estimates are calculated. 4. Milestone Distribution & Deadline Planning: ○ Organize Features into Milestones: Divide all features into multiple milestones, ensuring that each milestone is no longer than four weeks. Prioritize core features in the initial milestones, with less critical features scheduled for later milestones. ○ Plan for Adjustments: Make the last milestone relatively smaller to accommodate any final revisions or unexpected changes toward the end of the project. ○ Calculate Deadlines: Determine the deadline for each milestone based on the work hours involved and the availability of resources for each tech stack. Summarize these deadlines to calculate the overall project deadline in weeks. Example milestone distribution and deadline planning sheet attached as a reference. Description: The Discovery Phase is where you meticulously plan and prepare before the actual 🏗️ development begins. It's like an architect creating detailed blueprints before constructing a building. This phase ensures that every detail is thought out, from wireframes to the final UI/UX design, and that a clear and comprehensive plan is in place for the development team to follow. Example: 📱 For a new mobile app, as the manager, you oversee the creation of wireframes to outline the user flow, guide the design of the UI in Figma, ensure a clickable prototype is built, and develop a detailed requirements document. You also gather time estimates from team leads, plan milestones, and establish deadlines, ensuring that the project is set up for success from the start. 🛠️ 12. Development Phase 🔧 Objective: To transform the project designs and requirements into a functional product by coordinating the development efforts and ensuring progress aligns with the project goals. Description: The Development Phase is the most hands-on part of the project lifecycle, where the manager’s role is crucial for guiding the team through the actual building of the software. It’s Page 14 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process during this phase that the manager must ensure that the team is effectively translating the project’s design and requirements into working software. This stage is the engine of the project—code is written, features are implemented, and constant feedback loops help shape the final product. As a manager in a software development company, your job is to ensure that each developer or team member clearly understands their tasks and responsibilities, and that development proceeds smoothly in alignment with the timelines, sprint goals, and client expectations. Since the team will be following the Scrum methodology, it is essential to keep the team organized and motivated through structured sprints, regular stand-ups, and sprint reviews. 🏗️ Sub Chapters: 12.1 Architecture Diagram 🏠 Objective: To plan and document the architecture for each component or sub-project within the overall project, ensuring that each architecture is aligned with the system's goals and scalability requirements. Description: In the development phase of a project, especially when multiple sub-projects like Android apps, iOS apps, web apps, and dashboards are involved, each requires its own architecture diagram. These diagrams serve as blueprints that ensure all parts of the system are built on solid foundations, allowing for seamless integration and scalability. From a manager’s perspective in a software development company, it is crucial to ensure that each team responsible for a sub-project creates an architecture diagram that not only supports its individual application but also integrates with the overall system. The architecture diagrams will outline how different technologies, frameworks, and components interact within each sub-project and how they contribute to the entire system's scalability, performance, and security. The manager must ensure that these architectures are cohesive and that communication across teams is clear to avoid future integration issues or performance bottlenecks. Review each architecture diagram to ensure that the proposed technologies, design patterns, and frameworks are in line with the overall project goals. Validate that each sub-project architecture supports scalability, performance, and integration with other sub-projects. Ensure that each architecture diagram is well-documented and stored in a centralized repository that all teams can easily access and reference. Example: For a project involving an Android app, iOS app, web platform, and an administrative dashboard, the manager organizes architecture planning sessions for each sub-project. The Page 15 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process Android and iOS teams create architecture diagrams for their respective mobile apps, ensuring they can both communicate with the same backend APIs. The web platform and dashboard teams, meanwhile, design their architectures to share common components such as user authentication and data management systems. The manager facilitates discussions between teams to ensure that these architectures will integrate smoothly and meet the client’s expectations for scalability and performance. 12.2 Scrum Process 🌀 Objective: To manage and oversee the software development process using the Scrum framework, ensuring that teams work efficiently, collaborate effectively, and deliver high-quality results within set timelines. Description: Scrum is an agile framework commonly used in software development companies to manage complex projects. As a manager, it's essential to understand how the Scrum process works, as it helps facilitate team collaboration, encourages adaptability, and ensures continuous delivery of value to the client. In Scrum, the project is broken down into smaller, manageable pieces (sprints), which allows the team to focus on short-term goals while keeping the overall project in mind. Scrum emphasizes roles, responsibilities, and structured ceremonies (or meetings) that help the team stay on track, communicate effectively, and remain agile in responding to changes. The key roles in Scrum include the Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team, each playing a vital role in the process. As a manager, you must ensure that the Scrum framework is being followed correctly by coordinating team activities, facilitating communication, and resolving blockers. Understanding each role and ceremony is crucial to making Scrum work effectively within your teams. Key Scrum Roles: 1. Product Owner: ○ The Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of the product by managing the product backlog. ○ They define the priorities of the tasks and work closely with stakeholders to ensure the team is delivering features that align with business goals. ○ In our scenarios, the client often serves as the Product Owner, or they may appoint someone from their team to fulfill this role. 2. Scrum Master: Page 16 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process ○The Scrum Master acts as a facilitator and ensures that the Scrum process is being followed correctly. ○ They remove obstacles that may hinder the development team's progress and coach the team on how to improve their practices. ○ In our scenarios, the project manager often serves as the Scrum Master, or He/She may appoint someone from the QA team to fulfill this role. 3. Development Team: ○ The Development Team consists of the individuals responsible for building the product (developers, designers, testers, etc.). ○ The team is self-organized, and they decide how best to accomplish the tasks prioritized by the Product Owner. ○ As a manager, it’s important to ensure that the development team has the resources and tools they need to work efficiently. Example: In a project to build an e-commerce platform, the manager ensures that the team follows Scrum. The Product Owner prioritizes features like the shopping cart and payment gateway, the Scrum Master facilitates smooth sprints and addresses issues, and the Development Team delivers small but functional increments. Sprint Planning sets clear goals, Daily Stand-ups maintain alignment, Sprint Reviews gather client feedback, and Retrospectives drive improvements for future sprints. Scrum Ceremonies: 12.2.1 Backlog Grooming 📝 Objective: To ensure the project backlog is well-organized, clearly defined, and prioritized for efficient sprint planning and execution, setting the foundation for the development team to deliver high-quality work without delays. Description: Backlog grooming (also known as backlog refinement) is a critical part of the Scrum process, where the manager, Product Owner, and team collaboratively review, refine, and prioritize the product backlog. For a software development company, this stage ensures that the development team has a clear, well-structured set of tasks to work on during the sprints. As a manager, you are responsible for overseeing the initial creation and ongoing grooming of the backlog. This involves creating tickets for the complete project, ensuring each task is clearly defined, prioritized, and well-documented with all necessary resources (e.g., designs, dependencies, technical specifications). Each task should have a clear, concise description of what needs to be done. This includes the objective, specific steps, expected outcome, and acceptance criteria. Proactively identify and resolve potential blockers—whether technical, design, or dependency-related—so that the team can progress smoothly during the sprint. You need to make sure the tasks are small enough to fit into a sprint and that the team has everything they need to complete them successfully. Continuously monitor any changes in task dependencies or priorities due to project updates, Page 17 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process client feedback, or unexpected technical challenges. Make adjustments to keep the development flow smooth. 12.2.2 Sprint Planning 📅 Objective: To plan and assign the work that will be completed during the upcoming sprint by ensuring the team understands the goals, resolving any potential blockers, and moving tasks from the backlog to the sprint. Description: Sprint Planning is a key Scrum ceremony where the team commits to the work they will deliver in the upcoming sprint. The manager plays a critical role in ensuring that the team is well-prepared and that the planning process is smooth and efficient. In this phase, the manager ensures that tasks are clearly defined, dependencies are resolved, and resources are in place before the sprint begins. The Product Owner sets the priorities, while the team decides how much work they can realistically complete within the sprint. The manager helps facilitate this meeting by ensuring clarity, removing roadblocks, and assigning tasks to specific team members. Ensure that every team member understands what success looks like at the end of the sprint. This includes clear deliverables for each task and how they align with the overall sprint goal. 12.2.3 Daily Stand-up 🏗️ Objective: To keep the development team aligned on progress, identify and resolve any blockers, and ensure everyone is working toward the sprint goals efficiently. Description: The Daily Stand-up is a short, focused meeting designed to promote team alignment and surface any issues that may impact the sprint’s progress. As a manager in a software development company, you play a crucial role in organizing and facilitating this ceremony. The stand-up is typically time-boxed to 15 minutes and follows a clear format where each team member answers three questions: 1. What did I do yesterday? 2. What will I do today? 3. Are there any blockers? The manager must ensure the meeting is held consistently, that all team members attend, and that any blockers identified are addressed promptly. To ensure accountability and transparency, the manager is also responsible for sharing the minutes of the meeting (MOMs) and attendance report on slack channel afterward. As a manager, you need to work with your team to find a time for the Daily Stand-up that works for everyone. Ensure the time is consistent across the sprint to foster routine. Set clear expectations for attendance. All team members are required to attend the stand-up in person unless they are working from home (Approved WFH) for the entire day. In the case of partial WFH, team members must attend the stand-up in the office. Ensure that the stand-up is quick Page 18 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process and to the point. Each team member should briefly share their update without diving into unnecessary details or unrelated topics. As a manager, observe the flow of the meeting and make adjustments if necessary. If meetings consistently run over time or become unproductive, find the cause and correct it—whether that’s refocusing the team, addressing issues outside the meeting, or improving the structure. Remind team members that blockers should not wait until the Daily Stand-up to be raised. Encourage them to communicate challenges as they arise so the project stays on track. 12.2.4 Sprint Review 🎉 Objective: To review and showcase the completed work at the end of each sprint, gather feedback from stakeholders or clients, and discuss any changes or adjustments needed for the next sprint. Description: The Sprint Review is a critical Scrum ceremony where the team presents the work they have completed during the sprint and gathers feedback. Depending on the client's involvement, this meeting may be more informal, with progress updates shared directly via platforms like Slack. If the client or Product Owner cannot attend every sprint review, feedback can be gathered after major milestones, typically every two sprints. As a manager, your role is to facilitate the Sprint Review, ensure that progress is effectively communicated, and confirm that the completed work meets the client's expectations and business goals. It’s also your responsibility to handle the feedback loop—whether directly in the meeting or asynchronously through Slack—and ensure that the team receives actionable input to guide the next sprint. 12.2.5 Sprint Retrospective 🔄 Objective: To reflect on the completed sprint, identify areas for improvement, and implement changes that will enhance team performance and productivity in future sprints. Description: The Sprint Retrospective is a key opportunity for the team to engage in self-reflection and continuous improvement. Held at the end of each sprint, the purpose of this meeting is to analyze what went well, what didn’t, and how the team can improve processes, communication, and performance in the next sprint. As a manager in a software development company, you play a crucial role in facilitating this process and ensuring that the feedback gathered during the retrospective translates into actionable improvements for future sprints. The manager’s responsibility is to foster an open and honest environment where team members feel comfortable sharing feedback. The manager should also document the meeting minutes (MOMs), highlighting key takeaways, and ensure that the team takes the necessary steps to resolve any recurring issues Page 19 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process 🚀 12.3 Deployment & Environment Management: From Development to Production Objective: To ensure seamless management of different environments—Development, QA (Quality Assurance), Staging, and Production—during the software development lifecycle. This chapter outlines the role of the project manager in coordinating setup, deployment, and release processes across various environments for web, iOS, and Android platforms. Description: In any software project, effective management of multiple environments is crucial to ensure quality, stability, and smooth progression from development to production. Each environment serves a distinct purpose: Development Environment: Initial setup for developers to write and test code. QA/Staging Environment: Used for internal testing or by QA teams to validate features and ensure stability. Production Environment: The live environment where end-users interact with the software. The project manager plays a vital role in coordinating these environments, understanding the requirements for each, and ensuring that deployments across these environments are smooth and efficient. Key Responsibilities of the Manager: 1. Initial Development Environment Setup: ○ Ensure that the development environment is set up correctly before coding begins. Typically, this involves configuring local machines, version control, and integration tools to maintain consistent development workflows. ○ Coordinate with the development team to ensure cloud infrastructure (e.g., AWS EC2 or Vercel for web applications) is in place. 2. Introducing QA/Staging Environments: ○ As the project progresses, evaluate the need for a QA/staging environment based on the project’s scope and complexity. ○ Ensure testing environments are properly configured with a replica of the production environment to allow for thorough testing before releasing builds to production. ○ For iOS, verify that QA/staging builds are shared via Diawi or TestFlight for internal and client testing. For Android, ensure APKs are generated and shared accordingly. 3. Production Environment Setup: Page 20 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process ○ Ensure that the production environment is set up and ready when transitioning the project to live users. This requires close coordination with the client for access to critical production-level services: For iOS, ensure access to the client’s Apple Developer account to submit production builds through TestFlight or directly to the App Store. For Android, manage access to the Google Play Developer account to submit the production APK for review and release on the Play Store. ○ Ensure the backend infrastructure for production (e.g., servers, databases) is secured and scalable, typically leveraging cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Vercel. 4. App Store Submission Process: ○ For iOS and Android, the manager should oversee the submission process to the respective app stores. Ensure the team is ready to address any feedback from the App Store Review team. ○ If App Store feedback is development-related (e.g., issues with app functionality or security), assign tasks to the dev team for resolution. If feedback pertains to client-related issues (e.g., content violations or legal matters), communicate the concerns promptly to the client for their resolution. 5. Post-Deployment Monitoring: ○ After production deployment, ensure that a post-deployment testing phase is executed to catch any potential issues. ○ Coordinate ongoing monitoring using tools such as AWS CloudWatch, Firebase, or other analytics tools to track performance and identify any post-launch problems. Example: For a financial application, the manager ensures the initial development environment is set up with all necessary infrastructure on AWS. As features are developed, a QA environment is introduced where the testing team can validate transaction processes. After successful QA, the build is moved to TestFlight for client testing. Finally, once the app passes all internal tests, the manager oversees the deployment to the App Store and Google Play Store, ensuring access to the required developer accounts and coordinating the production environment’s final infrastructure on AWS. When the app goes live, the manager continues to monitor feedback from the stores, addressing technical issues with the dev team and relaying business-related feedback to the client. 12.4 Project Deliverables & Client Sign-Off Process ✅ Objective: Page 21 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process To deliver completed milestone features to the client and obtain formal approval (sign-off), ensuring that the project progresses according to the plan. Additionally, to ensure source code and final deliverables are shared with the client after successful sign-off and financial confirmation. Milestone Delivery & Client Testing 🎯 1. Routine Updates: Throughout the development phase, the manager ensures that clients receive regular updates (daily or weekly) on progress. These updates typically include testing URLs, screenshots, or video demos, which allow the client to stay informed and provide feedback on an ongoing basis. 2. Final Milestone Delivery: At the end of each milestone, the project manager must oversee the formal delivery of the completed milestone to the client. This involves: ○ Clearly Communicating the Scope: Provide a detailed message specifying which milestone is being delivered and list all features that are included for testing. ○ Providing Build for Testing: Depending on the platform, the deliverable will vary: For web projects: Share a URL and login credentials (if needed). For Android apps: Provide an APK file. For iOS apps: Share a Diawi link or a TestFlight build. If sharing a build is not feasible, create and provide a thorough video walkthrough demonstrating the features. ○ Set Client Feedback Timeline: Typically, the client is given 2–4 days (depending on the project’s complexity) to test the delivered build and provide feedback. Client Feedback & Issue Resolution 🔄 3. Client Feedback: Once the client has tested the build, they may report bugs or suggest enhancements. The manager should handle this process by: ○ Bug Fixes: Coordinate with the development team to promptly resolve any bugs reported by the client within the feedback period. ○ Enhancement Requests: If the client requests enhancements that were not part of the agreed-upon milestone scope, it is essential to consult senior management before proceeding. Any enhancements should be formally approved and may require a change in the project scope or additional budgeting. Formal Milestone Sign-Off ✅ Page 22 / 23  Project Management 101 - Process 4. Requesting Sign-Off: After resolving any reported issues, the project manager must formally request sign-off from the client. This can be done via the preferred communication channel (Slack, email, etc.). Source Code Handover & Payment Confirmation 🔑💵 5. Source Code Sharing: If the client requests the source code after milestone sign-off, the project manager must: ○ Verify Payment: Before sharing any source code, coordinate with the finance team to confirm that the client has made full payment for the respective milestone. ○ Deliver Source Code: Once payment is confirmed, the source code can be shared with the client. Final Project Sign-Off 🎉 6. Final Milestone and Project Completion: The final milestone usually coincides with the completion of the entire project. At this stage, the manager must: ○ Comprehensive Review: Conduct a thorough review of the entire system to ensure all features are working as expected before delivering the final milestone. ○ Final Milestone Delivery: When delivering the final milestone, clearly communicate to the client that it represents the completion of the entire project and that they should review the project in its entirety. ○ Request Final Project Sign-Off: In the sign-off request, include a note that the client’s sign-off on this last milestone will also represent the sign-off for the entire project. This ensures that both the final milestone and project closure are officially approved. Page 23 / 23