Unit 6

IT Project Management
and
Project Scheduling
(8)
©
 Project Management
• Software Project Management (SPM) is a proper way of planning and leading
software projects.
• It is a part of project management in which software projects are planned,
implemented, monitored, and controlled.
• Project management is the discipline of planning, executing, and overseeing projects
to achieve specific goals within defined constraints, such as time, budget, and
resources. It contains a range of processes and methodologies designed to ensure that
projects are completed successfully and efficiently.
 Project Management
• A project is a group of tasks that need to complete to reach a clear result.
• A project also defines as a set of inputs and outputs which are required to achieve a
goal.
• Projects can vary from simple to difficult and can be operated by one person or a
hundred.
• Projects usually described and approved by a project manager or team executive.
• They go beyond their expectations and objects, and it's up to the team to handle
logistics and complete the project on time.
• For good project development, some teams split the project into specific tasks so
they can manage responsibility and utilize team strengths.
 Types of Software Management
1) Conflict Management
It is the process to restrict the negative features of conflict while increasing the
positive features of conflict. The goal of conflict management is to improve
learning and group results including efficacy or performance in an organizational
setting. Properly managed conflict can enhance group results.
1) Risk Management
It is the analysis and identification of risks that is followed by synchronized and
economical implementation of resources to minimize, operate and control the
possibility or effect of unfortunate events or to maximize the realization of
opportunities.
 Types of Software Management
3. Requirement Management
It is the process of analyzing, prioritizing, tracking, and documenting
requirements and then supervising change and communicating to pertinent
stakeholders. It is a continuous process during a project.

4. Change Management
It is a systematic approach to dealing with the transition or transformation of
an organization’s goals, processes, or technologies. The purpose of change
management is to execute strategies for effecting change, controlling change, and
helping people to adapt to change.
 Types of Software Management
5. Software Configuration Management
It is the process of controlling and tracking changes in the software, part of the
larger cross-disciplinary field of configuration management. Software
configuration management includes revision control and the inauguration of
baselines.

6. Release Management
It is the task of planning, controlling, and scheduling the built-in deploying
releases. Release management ensures that the organization delivers new and
enhanced services required by the customer while protecting the integrity of existing
services.
 Why Software Management
1) Efficiency: Ensures projects are completed on time, within budget, and with
optimal resource utilization.
2) Risk Management: Identifies and mitigates potential risks, ensuring smooth
progress throughout the project lifecycle.
3) Communication and Collaboration: Enhances teamwork and stakeholder
engagement through clear objectives, roles, and responsibilities.
4) Resource Optimization: Maximizes efficiency by carefully allocating resources
such as time, money, and manpower.
5) Decision Making: Provides a structured framework for informed
decision-making, aligning with project goals and objectives.
 Why Software Management
6) Quality Assurance: Ensures high quality results by Following to standards and best
practices throughout project execution.
7) Adaptability: Enables teams to adapt to changes and challenges effectively, ensuring
project success in dynamic environments.
8) Strategic Alignment: Helps align project activities with organizational objectives,
ensuring projects contribute to overall business goals.
 The Four P’s
1) People
• The most important component of a product and its successful implementation is
human resources.
• In building a proper product, a well-managed team with clear-cut roles defined for
each person/team will lead to the success of the product.
• Need to have a good team in order to save our time, cost, and effort. Some assigned
roles in software project planning are project manager, team leaders, stakeholders,
analysts, and other IT professionals.
• Managing people successfully is a tricky process which a good project manager can
do.
 The Four P’s

2) Product
• This is the deliverable or the result of the project.
• The project manager should clearly define the product scope to ensure a successful
result, control the team members, as well technical hurdles that he or she may
encounter during the building of a product.
• The product can consist of both tangible or intangible such as shifting the company
to a new place or getting a new software in a company.
 Why Software Management

3) Process
• In every planning, a clearly defined process is the key to the success of any product.
• It regulates how the team will go about its development in the respective time period.
• The Process has several steps involved like, documentation phase, implementation
phase, deployment phase, and interaction phase.
 Why Software Management

4) Project
• The last and final P in software project planning is Project. It can also be considered
as a blueprint of process. In this phase, the project manager plays a critical role.
• They are responsible to guide the team members to achieve the project’s target and
objectives, helping & assisting them with issues, checking on cost and budget, and
making sure that the project stays on track with the given deadlines.
●
Project Manager
● A project manager is a character who has the overall responsibility for the
planning, design, execution, monitoring, controlling and closure of a
project.
● A project manager represents an essential role in the achievement of the
projects.
● A project manager is a character who is responsible for giving decisions, both
large and small projects.
● The project manager is used to manage the risk and minimize uncertainty.
● Every decision the project manager makes must directly profit their project.
● Role of a Project Manager:
1. Leader :A project manager must lead his team and should provide them direction to make
them understand what is expected from all of them.
2. Medium: The Project manager is a medium between his clients and his team. He must
coordinate and transfer all the appropriate information from the clients to his team and report to
the senior management.
3. Mentor: He should be there to guide his team at each step and make sure that the team has
an attachment. He provides a recommendation to his team and points them in the right
direction.

● Responsibilities of a Project Manager:

● Managing risks and issues.
● Create the project team and assigns tasks to several team members.
● Activity planning and sequencing.
● Monitoring and reporting progress.
● Modifies the project plan to deal with the situation.
● Need of Project Management
1. Ensures Project Success:
● On-time and within budget:
Project management helps organizations deliver projects on time and within the allocated
budget by providing a framework for planning, resource allocation, and progress tracking.
● Achieves desired outcomes:
By clearly defining project goals and scope, project management ensures that projects deliver
the intended results and meet stakeholder expectations.
● Maintains quality:
Project management emphasizes quality control throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring that
deliverables meet the required standards.
● Need of Project Management
2. Improves Efficiency and Productivity:
● Optimizes resource utilization:
Project management helps organizations allocate resources effectively,
ensuring that the right people, tools, and materials are available at the right
time.
● Streamlines workflows:
By establishing clear processes and procedures, project management can help
organizations streamline their workflows and improve efficiency.
● Reduces waste and rework:
Effective project management can minimize waste and rework by identifying
potential problems early on and implementing preventative measures.
3. Enhances Communication and Collaboration:
● Improves communication:
Project management fosters clear and consistent communication among team
members, stakeholders, and clients, ensuring that everyone is on the same page.
● Facilitates collaboration:
Project management provides a framework for teams to collaborate effectively,
sharing information and working together towards common goals.
● Builds stronger relationships:
By promoting open communication and collaboration, project management can
help build stronger relationships with stakeholders.
4. Manages Risks Effectively:
● Identifies and mitigates risks:
Project management helps organizations identify potential risks early on and
develop strategies to mitigate them, reducing the likelihood of project failure.
● Addresses issues proactively:
By monitoring project progress and identifying potential problems, project
managers can address issues proactively and prevent them from escalating.
● Ensures project resilience:
Project management helps organizations build resilience by developing
contingency plans and preparing for unexpected events.
1) Initiation/Start up Phase
2) Planning Phase
3) Implementation Phase
4) Closure Phase
 Project Feasibility
● Feasibility refers to whether or not a project will be successful and how to
overcome potential obstacles for the project.
● It is the study of a project's various elements to determine if it has the
potential for success. Before a project begins, a company can evaluate the
project's feasibility to identify obstacles, form strategies to overcome
them and ultimately attract investors. Managers consider their available
resources and financial requirements when determining a project's
feasibility.
● The feasibility of a project becomes clear when a business plans to launch
a new product, expand its location or perform activities that impact the
company and its departments.
 Why are feasibility studies
important?
● Understand all aspects of the project feasibility
● Find potential problems during the project's implementation
● Determine the viability of the project
● Define alternative solutions to obstacles
● Enhance project success by analyzing data from multiple sources
● Identify obstacles and challenges
 RFP (Request for Proposal)
● In project management, an RFP (Request for Proposal) is a formal
document used to solicit detailed proposals from potential vendors or
service providers for a specific project, outlining requirements,
expectations, and selection criteria.
● Purpose of an RFP:
● The primary goal of an RFP is to clearly communicate project needs
and evaluation criteria to potential vendors, encouraging them to
submit comprehensive proposals that address those needs.
● Key Elements of an RFP:
A well-crafted RFP typically includes:
1) Project overview and objectives
2) Scope of work
3) Technical requirements
4) Evaluation criteria
5) Timeline and milestones
6) Submission instructions
● Benefits of using an RFP:
1) Standardizes the proposal evaluation process
2) Encourages competitive pricing and innovation
3) Clearly defines project expectations and deliverables
4) Helps project managers select the best vendor for the project
Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK)
 Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK)
1) Project Integration Management: Focuses on coordinating all project aspects to
ensure successful completion, including developing the project plan, managing
changes, and monitoring project performance.
2) Project Scope Management: Defines and manages the project's deliverables, ensuring
they meet requirements and are within the defined boundaries.
3) Project Time Management: Plans, executes, and controls the project schedule to
ensure timely completion.
4) Project Cost Management: Plans, estimates, and controls project costs to ensure the
project stays within budget.
5) Project Quality Management: Ensures the project deliverables meet the required
quality standards.
 Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK)
6) Project Resource Management: Focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing the
project team and other resources effectively.
7) Project Communications Management: Plans, manages, and controls project
communication to ensure stakeholders are informed and engaged.
8) Project Risk Management: Identifies, analyzes, and manages project risks to minimize their
impact.
9) Project Procurement Management: Manages the acquisition of goods and services from
external suppliers.
10) Project Stakeholder Management: Identifies, analyzes, and engages with stakeholders to
ensure their needs and expectations are met.
 Business Case
● In project management, a business case is a document that justifies a project's initiation
by outlining its benefits, costs, risks, and alternatives, ultimately convincing
stakeholders of its value and strategic alignment.
● The primary goal of a business case is to provide decision-makers with the information they
need to determine whether a project is worth investing in.
● When to use a business case:
● Project Initiation: A business case is typically developed during the project initiation phase
to justify starting a project.
● New Initiatives: When proposing a new project or strategic initiative.
● Resource Allocation: When requesting funding or resources for a project.
● Change Management: When implementing significant changes within an organization..
 Business Case
● A typical business case includes:
1) Problem Statement: Clearly defines the issue or opportunity the project aims to address.
2) Project Objectives: Specifies what the project aims to achieve and how it will contribute to
the organization's goals.
3) Benefits: Outlines the positive outcomes and value the project will deliver, both tangible
and intangible.
4) Costs: Details the resources, time, and expenses required for the project.
5) Risks: Identifies potential challenges and setbacks that could impact the project's success.
6) Alternatives: Explores other options for addressing the problem or opportunity and why the
proposed project is the best choice.
7) Recommendations: Provides a clear recommendation for or against the project, based on
the analysis presented.
 Project Charter, Project Scope
❖ Project Charter is a high-level document that authorizes a project, outlining its purpose,
objectives, and key stakeholders, while a Project Scope defines the boundaries of the
project, detailing deliverables and acceptance criteria.
❖ Purpose:
To formally authorize a project, providing a high-level overview and foundation for the
project.
❖ Content: Example:
1) Project purpose and objectives A charter for a new website
development project might outline the
2) Key stakeholders and their roles
project's goal (increase online sales),
3) Project manager's authority key stakeholders (marketing and IT
4) High-level scope, risks, and assumptions departments), and the project
manager's authority to make decisions
5) Business case and justification for the project
regarding the project's scope.
 Project Charter, Project Scope
Project Scope:
❖ Purpose:
To define what is and is not included in the project, setting clear boundaries and
expectations.
Example:
❖ Content: The scope statement for the website
● Detailed list of project deliverables development project might specify the
● Project boundaries and constraints number of pages, the types of content, the
target audience, and the required
● Acceptance criteria for each deliverable functionalities, as well as define what is not
● Work breakdown structure (WBS) included in the project (e.g., e-commerce
functionality).
● Budget and resource requirements
In Project Management business case justifies the need for a
project, while a project charter formally authorizes it and
defines its scope, objectives, and stakeholders.
Project Scheduling
● In project management, project scheduling involves creating a detailed plan that
outlines the timing and sequence of all project tasks, dependencies, milestones, and
deadlines to ensure timely completion and efficient resource allocation.
● A project schedule is a timetable that organizes tasks, resources and due dates in an
ideal sequence so that a project can be completed on time.
● A project schedule is created during the planning phase and includes the following:
A project timeline with start dates, end dates and milestones.
● Defining Tasks: Breaking down the project into manageable, discrete tasks.
● Establishing Dependencies: Identifying which tasks must be completed before others can
begin.
● Estimating Durations: Determining the estimated time required for each task.
● Assigning Resources: Allocating the necessary resources (people, equipment, etc.) to each
task.
● Setting Milestones: Identifying key points or deliverables within the project timeline.
● Creating a Timeline: Visualizing the project schedule, often using tools like Gantt charts or
timelines.
● Monitoring Progress: Tracking the project's progress against the schedule and identifying
potential issues.
● Managing Changes: Adapting the schedule to accommodate unforeseen circumstances or
changes in project scope.
● Communicating the Schedule: Ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the project
timeline and their responsibilities.
Benefits of Effective Project Scheduling:
● Improved Project Control:
A well-defined schedule helps project managers stay on track and make informed decisions.
● Enhanced Communication:
A clear schedule facilitates better communication among team members and stakeholders.
● Efficient Resource Allocation:
By understanding task dependencies and durations, resources can be allocated effectively.
● Reduced Risk:
Proactive scheduling helps identify potential delays or conflicts early on, allowing for
timely mitigation.
● Increased Productivity:
A well-structured schedule helps team members focus on their tasks and meet deadlines.
● Better Project Outcomes:
By ensuring that all tasks are completed on time and within budget, project scheduling
contributes to overall project success.
Task Set for the software Project & Timeline charts WBS
● A Task Set, when used in software projects, defines the specific work items (tasks)
required to complete a project, along with associated deliverables, milestones, and
quality assurance points.
● The WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) provides a hierarchical breakdown of the
project scope into manageable tasks.
● A timeline chart, like a Gantt chart, visually represents these tasks over time,
showcasing dependencies and deadlines.
Defining a Task Set
1. Identify Project Scope:
Clearly define the project's goals, deliverables, features, and any constraints.
2. Breakdown into Deliverables:
Divide the project into major deliverables (outputs or results).
3. Breakdown into Sub-Deliverables:
Further decompose each deliverable into smaller, more manageable sub-deliverables.
4. Define Tasks:
Identify the specific tasks or work packages required to complete each sub-deliverable.
5. Assign Resources:
Determine who (team members, developers, etc.) will be responsible for each task.
6. Estimate Time and Resources:
Estimate the time needed for each task, including the resources required (hardware, software, etc.).
7. Define Dependencies:
Identify which tasks depend on others and in what order they need to be completed.
Defining a Task Set
8. Create the WBS:
Organize the tasks hierarchically into a WBS structure, showing the relationships between tasks and
deliverables.
9. Create the Timeline Chart:
Use the WBS to create a timeline chart (Gantt chart) visually representing the tasks, their durations,
deadlines, and dependencies.
Defining a Task Set Example
● Project: Develop a new website.
● Deliverable: "User Interface"
● Sub-Deliverable: "Design Wireframes"
● Tasks:
1)"Gather UI/UX requirements"
2)"Create wireframes"
3)"Design mockups"
4)"Review designs"
5)"Implement UI in code"
6)"Test UI"
● WBS: Organized hierarchically with "User Interface" at the top, then "Design
Wireframes", "UI Implementation", etc., underneath.
● Gantt Chart: Visually displays the tasks, their durations, and dependencies on the
timeline, for example, "Design Wireframes" task must be completed before "UI
● A timeline chart, especially when combined with a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS),
provides a visual representation of a project's schedule and tasks, allowing for better
planning, execution, and tracking.
Developing the Project Schedule,
● It involves breaking down the project into manageable tasks, estimating durations,
identifying dependencies, and assigning resources to ensure timely completion.
● This process includes creating a work breakdown structure, assigning resources,
determining task durations, and identifying interdependencies between tasks.
●
Steps in Developing the Project Schedule,
1. Define Project Scope and Objectives:
Clearly outline the project's goals, deliverables, and scope to ensure everyone is aligned.
2. Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS):
Decompose the project into smaller, manageable tasks and subtasks, according to Invensis
Learning.
3. Estimate Task Durations:
Determine how long each task will take to complete, considering factors like resources and
dependencies.
4. Identify Dependencies:
Determine which tasks depend on others to complete and identify potential bottlenecks.
5. Assign Resources:
Allocate the necessary personnel, tools, and equipment to each task, according to Project
Manager.
Steps in Developing the Project Schedule,
6. Determine Milestones:
Identify key checkpoints or deliverables along the project timeline to track progress,
according to Toggl.
7. Create the Project Schedule:
Visually represent the project schedule using tools like Gantt charts or calendars, according to
Asana.
8. Monitor and Control:
Track progress, make adjustments as needed, and ensure the project stays on schedule,
according to ProjectManager.
Network Diagrams (AON, AOA)
● Project network diagrams, visually represent the sequence and dependencies of tasks
within a project using arrows and nodes.
1) Activity on Arrow (AOA)
2) Activity on Node (AON).
● AOA uses arrows to represent activities and nodes to represent events (activity start or
end)
● AON uses nodes to represent activities and arrows to show dependencies between them.
● Example