The EnterPrize Organization: Organizing Software Projects for Accountability and Success

The EnterPrize Organization: Organizing Software Projects for Accountability and Success

by Neal Whitten
Released January 2000
Publisher(s): Project Management Institute
ISBN: 9781628251678

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Book description

Neal Whitten presents a highly practical guide to software project management, using a model that builds on the strengths of functional projectized and matrix organizations, while reducing or eliminating their weaknesses. You will recognize proven and familiar ways to define key roles and responsibilities, while also discovering exciting new organizational ideas for software projects.

Throughout the book, Whitten shares lessons that have a profound impact on your ability to draw out project members and help them realize their full potential, while performing the same valuable function for yourself as project leader.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title Page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Dedication
  5. Contents
  6. Illustrations
  7. Tables
  8. Preface
  9. Acknowledgments
  10. Introduction
    1. Haunting Questions are Answered
    2. The EnterPrize Organization
    3. Who Should Read this Book
    4. Helpful Information to Know before you Read this Book
    5. How this Book is Organized
  11. Chapter 1: Overview of the EnterPrize Organization
    1. Product Manager
    2. Project Manager
    3. Business Architect
    4. Product Architect
    5. Process Architect
    6. Resource Manager
    7. Team Leader
    8. Team Member
    9. Working Relationships
    10. Functional-Reporting View
    11. Project-Reporting View
    12. Organizing for Large, Multiple, Small, and Maintenance Projects
  12. Chapter 2: The Product Manager
    1. Obtains Product Funding
    2. Owns Profit and Loss Responsibility for the Product
    3. Approves Product Plans Affecting Overall Product Success
    4. Performs as Resource Manager for Direct Reports
    5. Performs as Product Sponsor
    6. Provides Final Point of Escalation
    7. Q & A
  13. Chapter 3: The Project Manager
    1. Has Full Responsibility and Accountability for the Project
    2. Owns the Business of Running the Project
    3. Demonstrates Leadership; Makes Things Happen
    4. Has No Direct Reports
    5. Applies Lessons Learned from Recent Projects
    6. Defines Project Roles and Responsibilities
    7. Leads Project Planning Activities
    8. Performs Project Tracking
    9. Adopts Project Management Best Practices
    10. Manages to Project Priorities; Performs Risk Management
    11. Communicates Project Status Upward and to the Client
    12. Drives Decision-Making to Lowest Level Reasonable
    13. Promotes Client Involvement
    14. Encourages and Supports Escalations
    15. Enforces Effective Change Control
    16. Challenges Conventional Thinking
    17. Mentors Project Members
    18. Promotes Good Working Relationships
    19. Preserves Key Project Documentation
    20. Q & A
  14. Chapter 4: The Business Architect
    1. Defines the Client's Problems (Requirements) to be Solved
    2. Owns the Business Process Direction Designed into the Product
    3. Has No Direct Reports
    4. Manages Client Expectations
    5. Drives Meets Minimum Requirements for Product Content
    6. Works Closely with the Product Architect, Team Leaders, and Project Manager
    7. Is a Catalyst for Resolving Business-Related Problems
    8. Performs Business Process-Related Mentoring to Project Members
    9. Q & A
  15. Chapter 5: The Product Architect
    1. Owns the Technical Solution to the Client's Problems—The What and the How
    2. Chairs the Change-Control Board
    3. Has No Direct Reports
    4. Works Closely with the Business Architect, Team Leaders, and Project Manager
    5. Ensures Acceptable Technical Processes and Methodologies are Defined and Followed
    6. Is a Catalyst for Resolving Technical-Related Problems
    7. Performs Technical-Related Mentoring to Project Members
    8. Q & A
  16. Chapter 6: The Process Architect
    1. Defines/Tailors the Software Development Process
    2. Has No Direct Reports
    3. Leads the Effort in Designing, Documenting, and Measuring Project Processes
    4. Ensures that Appropriate Processes are Being Followed
    5. Is the Catalyst for Resolving Process-Related Problems
    6. Performs Process-Related Mentoring to Project Members
    7. Recommends/Approves the Metrics to be Tracked for Selected Activities
    8. Q & A
  17. Chapter 7: The Resource Manager
    1. Has Direct Reports
    2. Hires and Fires
    3. Performs Resource Planning and Allocation
    4. Defines Roles and Responsibilities for Direct Reports
    5. Supports Direct Reports in Meeting their Commitments
    6. Drives Decision-Making to Lowest Level Reasonable
    7. Is a Catalyst for Resolving Domain-Related Problems
    8. Evaluates Performance of Direct Reports
    9. Compensates and Awards Direct Reports
    10. Provides Career Counseling and Development
    11. Promotes a Productive Work Environment
    12. Serves as Channel for Company Communications
    13. Executes Company Policies and Practices
    14. Procures and Manages Logistics for Direct Reports
    15. Secures Future Work Opportunities
    16. Q & A
  18. Chapter 8: The Team Leader
    1. Has Full Responsibility and Accountability for a Team
    2. Has No Direct Reports
    3. Assists Resource Manager with Job Assignments
    4. Leads the Creation and Tracking of the Team's Plan
    5. Identifies and Tracks Interplan Dependencies
    6. Works with Business Architect and Product Architect
    7. Supports Team Members
    8. Monitors Quality of the Team's Deliverables
    9. Informs Resource Manager
    10. Supports Project-Tracking Meetings
    11. Approves Project Documentation that Affects the Team
    12. Ensures that Acceptable Processes, Methodologies, and Tools are Defined and Used
    13. Q & A
  19. Chapter 9: The Team Member
    1. Responsible and Accountable for Assigned Tasks
    2. Routinely Informs Team Leader or Person Supporting
    3. Routinely Informs Resource Manager
    4. Supports Project Members
    5. Approves Project Documentation
    6. Perform Duties Similar to the Team Leader If…
    7. Q & A
  20. Chapter 10: Organizing for Large Projects
    1. Functional-Reporting View
    2. Resource Managers
    3. Department Size
    4. Department Skill Groups
    5. Team Leaders and Subteam Leaders
    6. Support Personnel for the Project Manager and Others
    7. Project-Reporting View
    8. Q & A
  21. Chapter 11: Organizing For Multiple Projects
    1. Functional-Reporting View of Eight Projects
    2. Project Management Office
    3. Business Architect Office
    4. Product Architect Office
    5. Department Skill Groups
    6. Starting a New Project
    7. Project Example: Project 1
    8. Goals for a Multiproject Organization
    9. Q & A
  22. Chapter 12: Organizing for Small Projects
    1. Four-Member Project
    2. Ten-Member Project
    3. Q & A
  23. Chapter 13: Organizing for Maintenance Projects
    1. Routine Maintenance Releases
    2. Maintenance Release = Project
    3. Functional- and Project-Reporting Views
    4. Product Manager and Resource Manager
    5. Project Manager
    6. Business Architect
    7. Product Architect
    8. Process Architect
    9. Team Leaders and Team Members
    10. Overlapping Maintenance Releases
    11. Emergency Fixes
    12. Postproject Reviews
    13. Q & A
  24. Chapter 14: The Project Management Office
    1. Providing Qualified Project Managers
    2. Providing Project Management Consulting
    3. Providing Project Management Mentoring
    4. Creating and Maintaining Project Management Processes
    5. Providing Project Management Tools and Support
    6. Conducting Project Orientation and Culture Training
    7. Providing Project Planning and Tracking Support
    8. Creating and Maintaining Project Command Centers
    9. Supporting Project Meetings
    10. Facilitating Project Meetings
    11. Preparing Project Status Reports
    12. Performing Project Reviews
    13. Performing Postproject Reviews and Follow-Ups
    14. Filing/Summarizing Postproject Reviews
    15. Ensuring that New Projects Apply Lessons Learned
    16. Performing Product Reviews and Follow-Ups
    17. Providing Contract Proposal Support
    18. Sponsoring Project Management Education
    19. Archiving/Retrieving Project Records
    20. How to Organize a Project Management Office
    21. Dangers of Having No Project Management Office
    22. Is your PMO Respected?
    23. Q & A
  25. Chapter 15: Are you too Soft?
    1. Examples of Too-Soft Behavior
    2. Why We are too Soft
    3. It is about Results, Not Effort
    4. Behave as you Would if you Owned the Business
    5. Demonstrate Behavior for Others to Model
    6. Are you Up to Becoming an Effective Project Manager?
    7. Q & A
  26. Chapter 16: The Escalation Process
    1. What is an Issue? An Escalation?
    2. Escalation Guidelines
    3. Escalate is not a Dirty Word
    4. Escalation Example 1
    5. Escalation Example 2
    6. Q & A
  27. Chapter 17: Additional Questions and Answers
  28. Glossary

Product information

  • Title: The EnterPrize Organization: Organizing Software Projects for Accountability and Success
  • Author(s): Neal Whitten
  • Release date: January 2000
  • Publisher(s): Project Management Institute
  • ISBN: 9781628251678