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Project Management: Best Practices for IT Professionals

Project Management: Best Practices for IT Professionals

by Richard Murch
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Release Date: October 2000
ISBN: 0130219142
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Book Description

Master project management, today's most critical business skill!

Project management leadership is today's #1 business skill. Talented, knowledgeable project managers command the best assignments and compensation: they are the future leaders of business. But expert project managers aren't born that way: they've learned specific, proven techniques and strategies for achieving outstanding results. In Project Management, Richard Murch shares those techniques and strategies. Whether you're managing your first project, or you're an experienced project manager facing tough, new challenges, Project Management offers expert solutions. You'll find coverage of all this, and more:

  • The fundamentals of project management, planning, reporting, team building, and team leadership

  • The project lifecycle: planning, analysis, design, construction, testing, rollout, and beyond

  • Responding to constant changes in market conditions, resources, requirements, and schedules

  • Mastering today's latest rapid development management techniques

  • Managing risks and problems more effectively

  • Handling the unique challenges of IT and knowledge management

  • Leveraging Internet and intranet-based project management tools and resources

    • At last, there's a single source for all the expertise project managers need to be successful! Next time you're called upon to do the impossible—and do it yesterday—reach for the one book that can help you make it happen: Project Management by Richard Murch.

    Table of Contents

    1. Copyright
      1. Dedication
    2. Preface
      1. Who Should Read this Book
      2. Organization of this Book
    3. 1. Introduction to Project Management
      1. 1. Evolution of Project Management
        1. Introduction
        2. Industrial Revolution
        3. Key People in Early Project Management
        4. Other Significant Events
        5. Conclusions
    4. 2. Principles of Project Management
      1. 2. Basic Skills For Project Managers
        1. Introduction
        2. What Does a Project Manager Do?
        3. Necessary Skills
          1. Personal Skills
          2. Technical Skills
          3. Management Skills
          4. Coping Skills
        4. Manage One Project—or Many?
        5. Project Management Skills Development
        6. Keys to a Successful Skills Management Endeavor
        7. Conclusions
      2. 3. Project Planning and Reporting
        1. Introduction
        2. Project Planning Deliverables
        3. Project Standards
        4. How Much Detail?
        5. Project Status —An Example
          1. Customer Satisfaction/Follow-On Potential
        6. Conclusions
      3. 4. Project Teams
        1. Shortages in Information Technology Staff
        2. Need for Retention
        3. The Cost of Information Technology Staff Replacement—An Analysis
        4. Retention—Meeting Needs
        5. Conclusions
    5. 3. The Project Management Lifecycle
      1. 5. Project Lifecycle Overview
        1. Introduction
          1. Purpose
          2. Background
          3. Goals
          4. Overview
        2. Lifecycle Process Management
          1. Stakeholders
          2. Audience
          3. Roles and Responsibilities
          4. Revision Process
          5. New Releases
          6. Communication
        3. Section Layout and Structure
        4. Phase Checklists
        5. CRUD—Deliverables Matrix
      2. 6. Project Planning Phase
        1. Purpose
        2. Objectives
        3. Activities
          1. Initiate Project and Organize
          2. Project Definition and Planning
            1. Review Present Status
            2. Identify Business Objectives and Information Strategy
            3. Survey Information Needs
            4. Identify Hardware and Software Environment
            5. Develop Conceptual Design
            6. Investigate Packaged Systems Alternatives
            7. Evaluate Development Alternatives
            8. Prepare Project Impact Analysis
            9. Finalize Project Work Plan
          3. Management Review and Approval
        4. Roles
        5. Inputs
          1. Information Plan
        6. Outputs
          1. Business Case
          2. Conceptual Design
          3. Project Plan
        7. Milestones
          1. Project Plan Sign-Off
        8. Tools
      3. 7. Analysis and Design Phases
        1. Analysis Phase
        2. Purpose
        3. Objectives
        4. Activities
          1. End User Requirements
            1. Confirm Work Flow and Organization
            2. Identify User Requirements
            3. Recover Current Design
            4. Quality Requirements
              1. Identify Quality Requirements
              2. Establish Metrics and Goals
            5. Requirements Analysis and Management
            6. Prototype Business Process
            7. Create Event Model
            8. Create Data Model
        5. Roles
        6. Inputs
          1. Conceptual Design
          2. Current System Description
          3. Enterprise Model
          4. Information Plan
        7. Outputs
          1. Business Process Prototype
          2. Requirements Specification
          3. Quality Requirements
        8. Milestones
          1. Architecture Analysis Assessment Complete (Optional)
          2. Requirements Sign-Off
        9. Tools
        10. Design Phase
          1. Purpose
          2. Objectives
          3. Activities
            1. End User Interface Design
              1. Design Conversations
              2. Design Screens
              3. Design Reports and Documents
          4. Technical Design
            1. Define Application Architecture
            2. Define Processing Flow
            3. Design Logical Database/Data Structure
            4. Design Automated Processes
            5. Design System Interfaces
            6. Design Physical Database/Data Structure
          5. Quality Verification and Validation (QV&V)
            1. Verify Functional Completeness
            2. Test and Verify Quality Attributes
        11. Roles
        12. Inputs
          1. Corporate Standards
          2. Business Process Prototype
          3. Requirements Specification
        13. Outputs
          1. Design Document
            1. Application Architecture
            2. Application Flow
            3. Database Design
            4. End User Interface Design
            5. Workflow Diagram
            6. User Documentation Outline
        14. Milestones
          1. Architecture Design Assessment Complete
          2. Design Sign-Off
          3. Lifecycle Assessment Complete
        15. Tools
      4. 8. Construction Phase
        1. Purpose
        2. Objectives
        3. Activities
          1. Detailed Design
            1. Complete Technical Design
            2. Design Work Units
            3. Complete Database Design
            4. Review Perform Design
            5. Iterate Detail Design
            6. Prepare Common Test Data
          2. Programming
            1. Generate and Code Work Units
            2. Prepare Test Data
            3. Perform Code Review
            4. Conduct Unit and String Test
        4. Roles
        5. Inputs
          1. Design Document
        6. Outputs
          1. Code
          2. Programming Work Units
          3. Test Database
          4. Unit/String Test Results
        7. Milestones
          1. Code Review Complete
          2. String Test Sign-Off
        8. Tools
      5. 9. Test Planning and Preparation
        1. Purpose
        2. Objectives
        3. Activities
          1. Design Testing Approach
          2. Plan Test
          3. Create Test Model
        4. Roles
        5. Inputs
          1. The Corporation IT Standards Environment
          2. Conversion Plan
          3. Data Conversion Processes
          4. Design Document
          5. Requirements Specification
        6. Outputs
          1. Automated and Manual Test Procedures
          2. Test Model
          3. Test Plan
        7. Milestones
          1. Test Plan Sign-Off
        8. Testing Phase
          1. Purpose
          2. Objectives
          3. Activities
            1. Promote Configuration
            2. Perform Integration Test
            3. Perform User Acceptance Test
            4. Check Detailed Results
          4. Roles
          5. Inputs
            1. Automated and Manual Test Procedures
            2. Code
            3. Test Model
            4. Test Plan
            5. User Documentation
          6. Outputs
            1. Test Results
          7. Milestones
            1. Conversion Readiness Sign-Off
        9. Tools
        10. Preparation Phase
          1. Purpose
          2. Objectives
          3. Activities
            1. Plan Training Curriculum
            2. Develop Procedures
            3. Develop User Manuals
            4. Develop Training Material
            5. Train Personnel
          4. Roles
          5. Inputs
            1. Design Document
            2. User Documentation Outline
            3. User Documentation Standards
          6. Outputs
            1. Operations Instructions
            2. Training Curriculum
            3. Training Materials
            4. User Documentation
          7. Milestones
            1. Preparation Plan Sign-Off
            2. User Procedures Sign-Off
            3. Conversion Readiness Sign-Off
      6. 10. Rollout Planning and Implementation Phase
        1. Purpose
        2. Objectives
        3. Activities
          1. Design Data Conversion Processes
          2. Complete Rollout and Conversion Plans
          3. Develop Conversion Procedures
          4. Prepare Site
          5. Create Conversion Files
        4. Roles
        5. Inputs
          1. Design Document
          2. Current System Descriptions
        6. Outputs
          1. Conversion Plan
          2. Converted Data
          3. Data Conversion Processes
          4. Rollout Plan
        7. Milestones
          1. Conversion Readiness Sign-Off
        8. Rollout
          1. Purpose
          2. Objectives
          3. Activities
            1. Perform Readiness Check
            2. Convert System
            3. Monitor Production
            4. Document Potential Enhancements
          4. Roles
          5. Inputs
            1. Conversion Plan
            2. Operations Instructions
            3. Rollout Plan
            4. End User Documentation
          6. Outputs
            1. Change Requests
            2. Postconversion Review Document
          7. Milestones
            1. Postconversion Review Sign-Off
    6. 4. Project Management Techniques
      1. 11. Project Management Methodologies
        1. Introduction
        2. What Is a Methodology, and Why Use One?
        3. Methodology Structures
        4. Why Use a Methodology?
        5. Author's Prediction
        6. What Are the Products?
        7. A Case in Point
        8. Conclusions
        9. Suggested Readings
          1. Bibliography
      2. 12. Managing Rapid Application Development
        1. Introduction
        2. RAD Concepts
        3. Objectives and Benefits of RAD
          1. Objectives
          2. Benefits
        4. The RAD Lifecycle
        5. RAD Project Management Factors
          1. Shorter Duration
          2. Empowered End Users
          3. Use of Existing Architectures and Technology
          4. Proven Methodology
          5. A Highly Motivated Team
          6. Application Complexity
          7. The Internet
        6. The Roles of the RAD Team Members
          1. The RAD Facilitator
          2. The Management Sponsor
          3. Information Specialists
          4. The Scribe
          5. Specialists
          6. Observers
        7. Conclusions
        8. Suggested Readings
          1. Bibliography
      3. 13. Managing Risks
        1. Introduction
        2. What Can Happen with No Risk Management
        3. Information Technology Risk Management Objectives
        4. Types of Risk in Project Management
        5. The Risk Management Process
        6. Risk Management Plan
          1. Identifying the Risks
          2. Risk Watch List
          3. Assess and Monitor Risks
          4. Contingency
        7. Enterprise Risk Profile
        8. Conclusions
        9. Suggested Readings
          1. Bibliography
            1. Risk Management
            2. Information Technology Project Management Risk
      4. 14. Managing Problems
        1. Introduction
        2. Who Uses Problem Solving?
        3. The Problem Solving Model
          1. Understand the Problem
          2. Define the Root Causes
          3. Determine the Solutions
          4. Decide and Plan
          5. Implement and Evaluate
          6. A Matrix Guide
        4. Other Problem Management Techniques
        5. Conclusions
        6. Suggested Readings
          1. Bibliography
      5. 15. Other Techniques
        1. Introduction
        2. Software Quality Assurance
        3. Configuration Management
        4. Requirements Management
        5. SWOT Analysis
        6. Release Management
        7. Software Subcontract Management
        8. Quality Reviews
        9. Crisis Management
        10. Suggested Readings
          1. Bibliography
            1. Software Quality Assurance
            2. Configuration Management
            3. Requirements Management
            4. SWOT Analysis
            5. Subcontract Management
            6. Quality Reviews
            7. Crisis Management
    7. 5. Special Topics in Project Management
      1. 16. Knowledge Management
        1. Introduction
        2. Why Is KM Necessary?
        3. Sources of Knowledge Capital
        4. The Potential for Project Management—KM for PM
        5. Conclusions
        6. Suggested Readings
          1. Bibliography
      2. 17. Project Management and the Internet
        1. Introduction
        2. Personal Computers, Growth and the Internet
        3. Implications for Project Management
        4. The Virtual Office
        5. An Internet Project Management Model
        6. Communication
        7. Recruitment
        8. Training
        9. Conclusions
      3. A. Software Engineering Institute
        1. Introduction
        2. Mission and Charter
        3. Products and Services
        4. Author's Recommendation
        5. Conclusion
      4. B. Project Management Institute
        1. Introduction
        2. Certification
        3. International Awards
        4. Seminars and Education
        5. Recruitment
        6. Membership Offerings
        7. Recommendation
        8. More Information
      5. C. Additional Project Management Resources
        1. Center for International and Program Management
        2. Guide to Project Management Web Sites
        3. International Journal of Project Management
        4. THE INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH NETWORK
        5. Project Management Institute of Canada
        6. The Program/Project Management Initiative
        7. The Project Manager's Reference Site
        8. The Project Management Forum
        9. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
        10. The International Project Management Help Desk
        11. Association for Project Management
        12. ProjectNet
        13. Professional and Standards Organizations
      6. D. A Sample Crisis Plan
        1. Introduction