IS 488 IT Project Management
Dr. Honghui Deng
Assistant Professor
MIS Department
UNLV
3.1
Chapter 2 Discussion question
• It has been suggested that more
ethical mistakes result from failure of
imagination than from failure of
moral principle. If you cannot think of
alternative courses of action, you
have few choices. A practical aspect
of ethical reasoning involves
determining whether all available
options are exhausted. Do you
agree?
3.2
Chapter 2 Discussion question
• Read and comment on the interview
with a project manager at the end of
Chapter 2 & 3.
3.3
Chapter 3
DEFINING IT PROJECT SCOPE
3.4
Chapter 3 Project scope
• Two important interrelated questions:
– What is to be developed?
– How it should be developed?
• This is true for
– Developers (project manager and team
members) and
– Recipients (users and sponsors)
• Both must be clear on project ‘intent’.
3.5
Chapter 3 Project specifications
• Project success is closely tied with user
needs specification.
• It is important for the developers to
understand exactly what the project is
expected to accomplish.
• Effective allocation of resources is
dependent on it.
• It saves time by eliminating features that
have little value to the customer.
3.6
3.7
3.8
3.9
3.10
3.11
3.12
Chapter 3 Project scope
• Project scope is the guide for
developing project plan.
• Project plan is the guide for project
execution.
• Thus, project success is directly
linked with the project scope.
• Project scope is developed by the
project manager in close
collaboration with the customer.
3.13
Chapter 3 Project scope content
• It clearly describes deliverables that are:
– Realistic and
– Doable
• It is a source for measuring progress and
controlling quality.
• It must be clear on:
– Overall objectives
– Specific deliverables
– Milestones
– Needed resources
3.14
Chapter 3 Overall objectives
• Example, “to develop and implement
a web based inventory system that
integrates all suppliers within 18
months at an approximate cost of
$100,000.”
• This statement suggests what is
expected, when it is expected, and at
what cost.
3.15
Chapter 3 Deliverables
• Must be defined with specific time and cost
projected.
– Example, “a prototype of a system
within two months at the cost of
$25,000.”
• Deliverables are used as a base to assign
responsibilities and evaluate performance.
• Collectively, deliverables accomplish the
overall objectives of the project.
3.16
Chapter 3 Milestones
• A milestone reflects an event - a point in the
life of the project when a significant
accomplishment has been made.
– Example, prototype test is complete
• Milestones are based on deliverables and
used to monitor progress. Once milestones
fall behind schedule it is an indication that
the entire project may be delayed.
• They must be easily recognized by all team
members and sponsors.
3.17
Chapter 3 Resources
• Divided into three main components:
– human resources (talent and skills required in
the team).
– facilities and equipment (communication
channels, testing tools).
– organizational (support, collaboration with
inside and outside entities).
• Exclusion or exemption clauses can be
included when unusual situations are
expected.
• Once agreed, get developers and
sponsors to sign the project scope
statement.
3.18
Chapter 3 Project charter
• Used to get authorization for a project and
includes:
– project title
–
–
–
–
–
–
project sponsors
project manager’s name
start date
project objectives
project cost and resources
completion or due date
• Does not replace ‘scope’ and is not always
used.
3.19
Chapter 3 Project charter example
•
•
•
•
•
Project title: OS migration from NT to XP
Project sponsors: IT Support Services
Project manager: Misty Blue
Start date: November 1, 2004
Project objectives: Upgrade operating systems to
XP for all employees within 6 weeks. See attached
page for the list of eligible employees.
• Project cost: Budgeted $50,000 for labor costs
and $20,000 for software.
• Completion date: December 15, 2004
• Comments: We expect Dew Berry and Jap Napa from
Instructional Development Office to work on this project.
See attached for the list of team members.
3.20
Chapter 3 Work breakdown structure
• Breaks down the entire project into
manageable parts.
• Each part becomes a ‘work unit’ with its
cost, responsibility, due dates, and so on
assigned to it.
• It is similar to an organizational chart
where a quick glance will tell us the
number of divisions, the hierarchy, people
responsible for each division, size of each
division, and so on.
3.21
Chapter 3 WBS
Video 02 Work Breakdown Structure
3.22
Chapter 3 Organizational chart
NOVICE
SOFTWARE
SERVICES
DISTRIBUTION
MARKETING
DEVELOPMENT
SALES
INTERNET COMMERCE
3.23
FINANCE
Chapter 3 WBS – Webpage project
• Consider, for example, a simple information
system project that has the objective of
developing a webpage for a small business. You
may break down this project to three phases of:
– Design
– Development
– Implementation
• These activities are further defined as:
3.24
Chapter 3 WBS – Webpage project
• Design phase involves
– Needs analysis determined through interviews with the
business owner and employees.
– Review and selection of software and languages
• Development phase involves
–
–
–
–
Purchase software
Write programs and test
Review the product with the user
Make revisions based on feedback from the user
• Implementation phase involves
– Select server site
– Obtain permission
– Install and test
3.25
Chapter 3 WBS – Webpage project
Activity
Description
Due date
Team
member
1. Design
1.1 Needs analysis
1.2 Software selection
2 days
2 days
Greg
Fred
2. Development
2.1 Purchase
software
2.2 Write program
2.3 Review with user
2.4 Make revisions
1 day
4 days
1 day
1 day
Fred
Matt
Matt
Matt
3. Implementation
3.1 Select server
3.2 Obtain permission
3.3 Install system
1 day
1 days
2 days
Jennifer
Jennifer
Matt
Phase
3.26
Chapter 3 WBS – Coding scheme
1.0 Design
1.1 Needs analysis
1.1.1 Define owner needs
1.1.2 Define user needs
1.2 Software selection
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.2.3
Define system needs priorities
Survey available software
Recommend software choice
2. Development
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
Purchase software
Write program
Review with user
Make revisions
3. Implementation
3.27
Chapter 3 WBS - Change
• Most information systems go
through several changes before they
are complete.
• It is important to update all records
once a change has been made.
• Software packages such as MS
Project will update all documents
once a change has been made to a
work unit.
3.28
Chapter 3 WBS – As a Mgmt. tool
• To monitor progress.
• To evaluate cost, time, and quality.
• Assign responsibility for each ‘work
unit’ or ‘work package’.
• To control quality; each work unit is
a control point.
• It helps communication and
documentation.
• Has clearly defined deliverables.
3.29
Chapter 3 WBS - Approach
• Top-down – start from the highest
level and work your way down to the
lowest level.
– Good when the project manager can
visualize the entire project.
• Bottom-up - start from the lowest level
and work your way up toward the
overall project level.
– Good to involve team members and
utilize expertise. Time consuming.
3.30
Chapter 3 WBS – Check list
• Work units must be clear and understood
by those responsible.
• Each work unit must be independent of
other work units for ease of allocating
resources.
• Each work unit must have one person
responsible even if multiple individuals
work on it.
• The sum of work units must result in the
project outcome.
• Team members must be involved in its
development.
3.31
Chapter 3 Work unit responsibility chart
Deliverables
Greg
Define owner needs
Principle
Define user needs
Principle
Matt
Jennifer
Fred
Support
Define system needs
priorities
Support
Principle
Survey available software
Support
Principle
Recommend software
choice
…..
…..
3.32
Chapter 3 Work unit responsibilities
• Document and communicate
• Use a form; could be a simple one like the
table on the previous slide.
• Responsibility chart also describes
authority.
• The chart helps coordinate between units
especially for large projects.
• Lack of clear responsibility and authority is
often the source of misunderstanding,
poor coordination, and discontent.
3.33
3.34
Chapter 3 Discussion question
• What would you do in cases where
deliverables are difficult to define?
– Can you use milestones as
deliverables?
• How does WBS differ from project
network? How are the two linked?
3.35
Chapter 3 WBS - Hierarchical
breakdown
4-3
Hierarchical Breakdown of the WBS
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
3.36
© 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Chapter 3 WBS - Levels
4-4
Work Breakdown Structure
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
3.37
© 2003 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
Assignment 1
• Start working on your assignment 1
that is due next week:
“Describe an information system
project, define its scope, list major
activities involved in that project, and
develop a work breakdown structure
for it.”
3.38