CS-868 Software Project Management

Chapter 3:
The Project Management Process
Groups: A Case Study

Lecture 3

Opening Case
Erica Bell was in charge of the Project Management Office
(PMO) for her consulting firm, The firm. JWD(Job Well
Done)-Consulting, had grown to include more than 200
(full-time consultants and even more part-time consultants.
JWD Consulting provides a variety of consulting services to
assist organizations in selecting and managing information
technology projects. The firm focuses on finding and
managing high-payoff projects and developing strong
metrics to measure project performances and benefits to the
organization after the project is implemented. The firm's
emphasis is on metrics and working collaboratively with its
customers gives it an edge over many competitors.

Opening Case
Joe Fleming, the CEO, wanted his company to continue to grow and
become a world class consulting organization. Since the core of the
business was helping other organizations with project management,
he felt it was crucial for JWD Consulting to have an exemplary
process for managing its own projects. He asked Erica to work with
her team and other consultants in the firm to develop an intranet
where they could share their projects management knowledge. He
also thought it would make sense to make some of the information
available to the firm's clients. For example, the firm could provide
project management templates, tools, articles, links to other sites and
an "Ask the experts feature to help build relationships with current
and future clients. Since JWD Consulting emphasizes the
importance of high payoff projects, Joe also wanted to see a
business case for this project before proceeding.
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Project Management
Process Groups
A process is a series of actions directed toward a particular
result.
Project management can be viewed as a number of
interlinked processes.
The project management process groups include:

Initiating processes
Planning processes
Executing processes
Monitoring and controlling processes
Closing processes
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Project Management
Process Groups
Initiating processes: it include defining and authorizing
a project or project phase. Initiating processes take
place during each phase of a project.
Planning processes: It includes devise and maintaining
a workable scheme to ensure that the project addresses
the organization's need. There are several plans for
projects, such as the scope management plan, schedule
management plan, cost management plan, procurement
management plan.

Project Management
Process Groups
Executing processes: It includes coordinating people and other
resources to carry out the various plans and produce the products,
services, or results of the project or phase. Example of executing
processes include acquiring and developing the project team,
performing quality assurance, distributing information, managing
stakeholders expectations, and conducting procurements.
Monitoring and controlling processes: It includes regularly
measuring and monitoring progress to ensure that the project team
meets the project objectives. The project manager and staff monitor
and measure progress against the plans and take corrective action
when necessary.
Closing processes
Infomation Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

Project Management
Process Groups
Closing processes: It includes formalizing acceptance of the
project or project phase and ending it efficiently.
Administrative activities are often involved in this process
group, such as archiving project files, closing out contracts,
documenting lessons learnt, and receiving formal acceptance
of the delivered work as part of the phase or project.

Project Management
Process Groups
Exampl
e

Figure 3-1. Level of Activity and

Overlap of Process Groups Over
Time

Mapping the Process Groups to

the Knowledge Areas
You can map the main activities of each PM process
group into the nine knowledge areas by using the
PMBOK Guide 2004.
Note that there are activities from each knowledge area
under the planning process group.
All initiating activities are part of the project
integration management knowledge area.

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Table 3-1. Relationships Among Process Groups and

Knowledge Areas

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(contd)
Table 3-1. Relationships Among Process Groups and
Knowledge Areas (Cont)

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(contd)
Table 3-1. Relationships Among Process Groups and
Knowledge Areas (Cont)

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Developing an IT Project Management

Methodology
Just as projects are unique, so are approaches to project
management
Many organizations develop their own project
management methodologies, especially for IT projects
Some organizations use the PMBOK as a foundation for
building their own methodologies

A methodology describes how things should be done; a

standard describes what should be done
PRINCE2, Agile, RUP, and Six Sigma provide
different project management methodologies

Developing an IT Project Management

Methodology

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Developing an IT Project Management

Methodology

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Developing an IT Project Management

Methodology

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RATIONAL UNIFIED PROCESS

(RUP)
The Rational Unified Process is a Project Management
software engineering process tool.
The Rational Unified Process is a process product.
The Rational Unified Process is also a software
development process framework
The Rational Unified Process captures many of the best
practices in modern software development.

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Rational Unified Process

Develop Iteratively
Manage Requirements
Uses UML (Unified Modeling Language)
Produces artifacts
Use component-based architecture
Visually model software
Complex process
A framework
Suitable for large scale systems
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Case Study: JWD

Consultings Project
Management Intranet Site
This case study provides an example of whats
involved in initiating, planning, executing, controlling,
and closing an IT project.
You can download templates for creating your own
project management documents.
This case study provides a big picture view of
managing a project. Later chapters provide detailed
information on each knowledge area.

Infomation Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

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Project Pre-initiation
It is good practice to lay the groundwork for a project
before it officially starts
Senior managers often perform several pre-initiation tasks,
including the following:

Determine the scope, time, and cost constraints for the project
Identify the project sponsor
Identifying key stakeholders.
Select the project manager
Develop a business case for a project
Meet with the project manager to review the process and expectations for
managing the project
Completing a project charter and getting signatures on it.
Determine if the project should be divided into two or more smaller projects
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Project Initiation
Initiating a project includes recognizing and starting a
new project or project phase
The main goal is to formally select and start off
projects

Business Case

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Table 3-4. Stakeholder

Management Strategy

Contents are often sensitive, so do not publish this document.

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Project Charters
See Table 3-6 for an example of a charter
Charters are normally short and include key project
information and stakeholder signatures

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Project Charters

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Project Charters

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Figure 3-2. Kick-off Meeting

Agenda

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Table 3-8. List of Prioritized

Risks

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Project Executing

Infomation Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

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Part of Milestone Report

Infomation Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

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Part of Milestone Report

Infomation Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

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Project Closing
Involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance
of the final products and services.
Even if projects are not completed, they should be
formally closed in order to reflect on what can be
learned to improve future projects.
Outputs include project archives and lessons learned,
which are part of organizational process assets.
Most projects also include a final report and
presentation to the sponsor or senior management.
Project celebration meeting/party
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Questions