Planning an Information Systems Project PDF

Planning an Information Systems Project: Time, scope, and staff management Dulanjali Wijesekara Lecturer Department of Computer and Data Science NSBM Green University Estimating the Project Time Frame Expert Best for projects where historical data is scarce, or the...

Planning an Information Systems Project: Time, scope, and staff management Dulanjali Wijesekara Lecturer Department of Computer and Data Science NSBM Green University Estimating the Project Time Frame Expert Best for projects where historical data is scarce, or the project is unique in technology or scope. Judgment Parametric Uses statistical relationships between historical data and other variables (e.g., lines of code or number of Estimating features) to estimate project duration. Three-Point Involves creating an estimate by calculating the average of the best-case (optimistic), most likely, and Estimating worst-case (pessimistic) scenarios. Estimating the Project Time Frame Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Involves breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable components and estimating the time required for each. Provides a detailed and comprehensive estimate, ideal for complex projects. Critical Path Method (CPM) Identifies the longest sequence of dependent tasks and measures the time required to complete them, determining the project's minimum duration. Essential for planning and scheduling complex projects, allowing for the identification of tasks that cannot be delayed without affecting the project timeline. Agile Estimating In agile methodologies, time is estimated in terms of sprints or iterations, with work broken down into user stories or features that fit within these timeboxes. Best for projects that embrace flexibility and incremental delivery, common in software development. Industry Standards and Guidelines PMI's PMBOK Offers guidelines on project time management, including processes for planning, estimating, and Guide: controlling schedule. Designed specifically for software projects, particularly ISO/IEC 29110: in small and medium enterprises, offering tailored project management guidelines. Standard for software project management plans, IEEE Std 1058: providing a framework for planning and controlling software projects. Developing the Work Plan Identify Tasks  Managing the size of the project : Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Clarity Accountability Estimation Tracking Breaks down the project Assigns clear ownership of Facilitates more accurate Improves monitoring and scope into smaller, more tasks and responsibilities, estimation of cost, time, controlling of the project manageable pieces, enhancing accountability and resources by breaking progress by providing a making it easier to among team members. the project into smaller structured framework. understand the work parts. involved. Example Structure of the WBS The WBS is organized in a tree structure, with the main project objective at the top and progressively more detailed levels of tasks below. Levels: Level 1: The highest level representing the entire project. Level 2: Major project phases or deliverable-oriented groupings. Level 3 and below: Increasingly detailed layers of tasks and subtasks necessary to complete each Level 2 element. Each level is comprised of WBS elements, which can be tasks, deliverables, or work packages. Process of Creation Define Major Deliverables: Start by outlining the major deliverables or milestones of the project based on the project scope or charter. Decomposition: Break down these major deliverables into smaller, more manageable components. This involves dividing each deliverable into its constituent tasks and activities. Verification: Ensure that each component of the WBS is necessary and sufficient to achieve the project objectives and deliverables. Tools Various project management software tools can facilitate the creation and management of a WBS, such as Microsoft Project, Trello, Asana, and others. Notion These tools often provide visual representations of the WBS, making it easier to understand and manage. Activity Imagine you are a project manager that is working with a web site development project. Create a simple WBS for this project. You are allowed to make any assumption. Managing the time A type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. of the project: Gantt Chart  Create a Gantt chart for the project including activities in the below table. – The project will be started on Monday Activity (02nd May). – The first day of a week in the Gantt Chart should be Sunday. – Saturday and Sunday should be considered as holidays  Staffing levels will change over a project’s lifetime Adding staff may add more overhead than additional labor Staffing the Project Using teams of 8-10 reporting in a hierarchical structure can reduce complexity Staffing plan The staffing plan describes the kinds of people working on the project The project charter describes the project’s objectives and rules A functional lead manages a group of analysts A technical lead oversees progress of programmers and technical staff members CASE Tools A CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) tool Software application designed to support software engineers and developers throughout the SDLC. These tools provide a comprehensive environment to facilitate various aspects of software development, including planning, analysis, design, coding, testing, maintenance, and management. The primary aim of CASE tools is to enhance productivity, improve the quality of software, and enable more efficient and effective development processes. Types of CASE Tools Focus on the early stages of the SDLC, such as requirements analysis and system design. They help in creating diagrams Upper CASE Tools: (e.g., ER diagrams, UML diagrams), documenting requirements, and performing system modeling. Aimed at the later stages of the SDLC, such as Lower CASE Tools: implementation, testing, and maintenance. These tools assist in code generation, debugging, testing, and version control. Provide support across the entire SDLC, combining features of Integrated CASE Tools (I-CASE both upper and lower CASE tools. They offer a seamless environment for moving from design to code and include Tools): functionalities for project management and collaboration.  Features of CASE Tools Diagramming and Design flowcharts, data flow diagrams (DFDs), and Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams. Modeling Ability to model systems and simulate behavior to validate system architecture and design. Code Generation Some CASE tools can automatically generate source code from models, diagrams, or specifications, reducing manual coding efforts. Version Control Documentation Collaboration Features that facilitate collaboration among team members, including shared repositories, change tracking, and communication tools. Examples of CASE Tools Enterprise Architect: supports UML, SysML, BPMN, and other modeling standards for software and systems development. Rational Rose: An object-oriented Unified Modeling Language (UML) software design tool intended for visual modeling and component construction. Visual Paradigm: A suite of tools that supports UML, BPMN, project management, and agile development methodologies.