The Simple Matter of Project Management

EXTENT Conference
Moscow Renaissance Hotel
October 29-30, 2011

Test Automation for Trading Systems

Julian Hensman
SeOrb Ltd

Vision, Clarity, Focus

Transcript

1. ©2011 SeOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management 30th October 2011 Julian Hensman vision, clarity, focus vision, clarity, focus
2. ©2011 seOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management - Contents What is Project Management? What is Methodology? Why is everything so complicated? How can we gain control? Hints and Tips Questions SeOrb – Encouraging Quality through Intellectual Investment
3. ©2011 seOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management - What is Project Management? … but first, what is a project? And for that matter, what is a programme?  Project: Specific defined products (scope), with a start and a finish  Programme: Variable outcome focussed on benefit Key Factors:  Scope  Schedule  Budget  Quality OK, so what is Project Management?  Planning and Dependency Management  Risk and Issue Management  Change Management  Time Management  Resource Management  Financial Management  Communication and Stakeholder Management  Organisation  Process Management  etc, etc, etc… SeOrb – Exceeding Expectation through Service Excellence
4. ©2011 seOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management - Methodology What is it? • PMI (CAPM / PMP) • MPMM • AMP PMBOK • PRINCE II • Sprint • Agile • Waterfall • Interactive • Incremental • Phased • RUP (Rationalised Unified Process) • CCPM (Critical Chain) • Scrum • Extreme Programming • Ten Step • MSP • ITIL • CMMI • … SeOrb – Keeping it Simple Methodology is the study of methods. When we talk about using a methodology, we usually mean using a set of proven methods As a project manager, the chances are, you will be told which method to use! Project methods vs. Project Management methods … be careful! What isn’t it? • Guarantee of success! • Always right! (MSP confuses issues and changes) • Useful, if nobody follows it, or it is only followed loosely or inconsistently • A replacement for common sense or core techniques.
5. ©2011 seOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management - Why is everything so complicated?!!! SeOrb – Empowerment through Agility Plans  Tasks, parent tasks  Fixed duration, fixed units, fixed work?  Dependencies and resource allocations  Schedule contingency and review periods  PBS/WBS?  Spreadsheet?!!! Factors  Assumptions and dependencies  Risks and Issues  Changes and Deliverables  Actions  Budget: top down / bottom up / utilisation  Quality control vs. quality assurance  What is Quality? Budget  Top down vs. bottom up?  How much will my project cost really?  Budget contingency? All these things are linked and can be simplified!!! Human Factors  Matrix reporting lines  Outsourced delivery  “Experience”  Democracy
6. ©2011 seOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management - How can we gain control? SeOrb – Common Sense Paradigm Project Work Items: PBS Risks Issues Changes Work: Activities Actions Milestones Resources Assignment Work Type Time: Planned Actual
7. ©2011 seOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management - How can we gain control? SeOrb – The Art of the Possible Project Linkages:- Examples  Assumptions vs Dependencies  Risks vs Issues  Defects vs Changes vs Deliverables  Actions vs Tasks Project Linkages:- Show them in a dashboard Gently Forcing Control  Project process: no need for extensive training, directives, influencing or persuasion, just a good “system”  Everything goes in the system, keep it centrally  If team members do not use the system, they have no information  By using the “system”, team members are, by definition, following the process  When everything is on the system, everything can be linked, coordinated and reportable  Simple but sensible process, coupled with meaningful reporting, provides total knowledge, enabling full control  Incorporate workflow, for management as well as delivery, to embed guidance and obviate training The Simple Matter of Project Management - How can we gain control?
8. ©2011 seOrb Ltd The Simple Matter of Project Management – Starter for 10 Standish Group 2006 CHAOS Survey: 67% of all IT projects fail • Use a “system” that promotes simple process and take time to set it up properly! • Is a project a democracy? Reporting line: Army & General • As simple as possible • Review time – plan it (fixed duration)! • Contingency – schedule vs. budget – keep them separate • Plan Activities – between 2 and 20 days • 100 Lessons Learned by Jerry Madden, Goddard Space Flight Center http://askmagazine.nasa.gov/issues/14/practices/ask14_lessons_madden.htm • Objective based rewards. If you reward for delivering on time, do not expect Quality • Keep your Stakeholders interested • Communication, communication, communication SeOrb – Vision. Clarity. Focus
9. ©2011 seOrb Ltd Julian Hensman m: +44 (0)7818 060101 e: jhensman@seorb.com http://www.seorb.com vision, clarity, focus