Project Management Approaches for IT Projects

Project Management Challenges and Solutions for Managing IT Service, IT Product, and Mixed Implementation Projects
Bill Schneider, PMP Senior Project Manager Susquehanna Technologies

Goals
Explore and understand the similarities and differences in managing various IT implementation projects. Determine project approach strategies, and management materials for successful implementations.

Agenda
Project Types and Approaches Attributes and Challenges Key Project Approach Strategies Management Materials Discussion

Project Types

Project Types
Custom

Implementation Projects Product Implementation Projects Mixed

Project Approaches

Approaches
In-house Outsource

Mixed

In-house Custom Projects

Description

Build custom software to solve your business challenge

Attributes
Highly customized needs Business needs/processes do not match available COTS Identified market opportunity Confidential processes/data

Challenges

Driven by cost with sacrifice to remainder of triple constraint Employ technical staff to build and maintain Not well defined Unattainable objective(s) Business strategy misalignment

In-house Custom Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Involve

champion and stakeholder constantly and deeply Determine technical staff requirements Determine, define, and evaluate project metrics

In-house Custom Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Project

Charter Stakeholders involvement activities Staff acquisition and team development plans Project cost measurements and controls

In-house Product Projects

Description
Implementing

COTS to solve your business challenge

Attributes
COTS

meets business needs and processes

Challenges
Product implementation creates turf wars Project implementation cycle does not meet

business

needs Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain

In-house Product Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Leverage

and manage stakeholders Evaluate products Acquire specialized staff Perform and understand functional gap analysis

In-house Product Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Business

process documentation Project Charter Stakeholders involvement activities Staff acquisition and team development plans

In-house Mixed Projects

Description

Implementing COTS with customizations to solve your business challenge

Attributes

Highly customized needs Business needs and processes somewhat match available COTS Identified market opportunity Confidential processes or data

Challenges

COTS not conducive to customization Projects driven by cost with sacrifice to triple constraint Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs

In-house Mixed Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Perform

and understand functional gap

analysis Communicate gap analysis Understand product flexibility and customizability All other in-house strategies

In-house Mixed Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Maintenance

project charter and plans All other in-house materials

Outsourced Custom Projects

Description

Contracting to have custom software built to solve your business challenge Highly customized needs Business needs and processes does not match available COTS Identified market opportunity Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise Potential mismatch of PMLC approach Platform standardization and flux Procurement Communication Managing integrated team

Attributes

Challenges

Outsourced Custom Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Perform

rigorous procurement Communicate, communicate, communicate Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning

Outsourced Custom Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Procurement

Plan Communications Plan Internal Project Charter and Project Plan Detailed scope management

Outsourced Product Projects

Description

Contracting to have COTS implemented to solve your business challenge COTS meets business needs and processes Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff

Attributes Challenges

Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise No match of PMLC approach Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs May work with PSO, PSO Partner, or both Procurement Communication Managing integrated team

Outsourced Product Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Perform

rigorous procurement Communicate, communicate, communicate Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning Perform and understand functional gap analysis

Outsourced Product Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Procurement

Plan Communications Plan Internal Project Charter and Project Plan Detailed scope management and understanding of scope

Outsourced Mixed Projects

Description

Contracting to have COTS implemented and customized to solve your business challenge COTS somewhat meets needs Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff COTS not conducive to customization Rely on another company for variety of expertise - technical and PM No match of PMLC approach Platform standardization and flux Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs Procurement Communication Managing integrated team

Attributes

Challenges

Outsourced Mixed Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Perform

rigorous procurement Communicate, communicate, communicate Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning Perform and understand functional gap analysis

Outsourced Mixed Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Procurement

Plan Communications Plan Internal Project Charter and Project Plan Detailed scope management and understanding of scope

Mixed Custom Projects

Description

Building custom software to solve your business challenge with contracted help Highly customized needs Business needs and processes does not match available COTS Identified market opportunity Confidential processes or data Has in-house staff but does not have bandwidth, skill set, knowledge in specific industry area Projects driven by cost with sacrifice to triple constraint Have development staff to build and maintain Not well enough defined Unattainable objective Out of alignment with business strategy Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise Procurement Communication Managing integrated team

Attributes

Challenges

Mixed Custom Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Focus

on Integration Involve champion and stakeholder constantly and deeply Determine, define, and evaluate project metrics Perform rigorous procurement Communicate, communicate, communicate

Mixed Custom Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Project Charter Change Control Plan Stakeholders involvement

activities Staff acquisition and team development plans Project cost measurements and controls Procurement Plan Communications Plan Internal Project Charter and Project Plan Detailed scope management

Mixed Product Projects

Description

Implementing COTS to solve your business challenge with contracted help COTS meets business needs and processes Has in-house staff but does not have bandwidth, skill set, knowledge in specific COTS platform

Attributes

Challenges

Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs Have some technical personnel with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain Rely on another company for technical expertise Match timing on product versioning May work with PSO, PSO Partner, or both Procurement Communication Managing integrated team

Mixed Product Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Focus

on Integration Leverage and manage stakeholders Evaluate products Acquire specialized staff Perform and understand functional gap analysis Perform rigorous procurement Communicate, communicate, communicate Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning

Mixed Product Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Change Control Plan Business process documentation Project Charter

Stakeholders involvement activities Staff acquisition and team development plans Procurement Plan Communications Plan Internal Project Charter and Project Plan Understand scope

Mixed Mixed Projects

Description

Implementing COTS with customizations to solve your business challenge with contracted help COTS somewhat meets needs Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff, but has technical personnel versed in platform COTS not conducive to customization Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs Rely on another company for technical expertise Match upgrade timing on installed HW and SW platforms Match timing on product versioning Procurement Communication Managing integrated team

Attributes

Challenges

Mixed Mixed Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies

Focus on Integration Perform and understand functional Communicate gap analysis

gap analysis

Understand product flexibility and customizability All other In-house Strategies Perform rigorous procurement Communicate, communicate, communicate Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning Perform and understand functional gap analysis

Mixed Mixed Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Change

control Plan Maintenance Project Charter and Plans All other in-house materials Procurement Plan Communications Plan Internal Project Charter and Project Plan Detailed scope management and understanding of scope

Discussion