Module 1

Three Successive Processes

Projects typically involve three main processes:

1. Feasibility Study – “Is it worth doing?”

Assesses whether the project should be started by establishing a valid

business case.

Involves gathering information about the requirements of the application.

Stakeholders may be clear about objectives but unsure about how to

achieve them.

Development and operational costs, plus expected benefits, are estimated.

For large systems, the feasibility study may itself become a project with its
own plan.

Can also form part of strategic planning, assessing multiple potential

developments

2. Planning – “How do we do it?”

If the feasibility study is positive, planning begins.

Planning is iterative, not all at once. Typically:

An outline plan is created for the whole project.

A detailed plan is made for the first stage.

Later stages are planned when more accurate information is available.

Planning details activities, resources, products, responsibilities, and

risks

3. Project Execution – “Do it!”

The project moves into execution, which includes design and

implementation.

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 Design = making decisions about the form of products (e.g., UI,
architecture).

Planning = detailing activities required to produce those products.

Though closely linked, design and planning are distinct.

Key activities in SPM:

Planning
Defines project scope, objectives, schedule, resources, and budget.

Creates a detailed roadmap (e.g., Stepwise plan) to guide execution.

Monitoring & Control

Tracks progress against the plan using metrics and milestones.

Takes corrective action and manages changes to keep the project on target.

Risk Management
Identifies, analyses, and prioritizes potential project risks.

Implements avoidance, mitigation, or contingency plans and monitors them.

Quality Assurance

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 Ensures both process and product meet defined quality standards.
Uses reviews, audits, and testing to verify and improve quality.

Configuration Management
Controls and documents change to software and project artifacts.

Handles versioning, baselines, status tracking, and release management.

Stepwise Project Planning

Step 0: Select project
Selection of project must align with organizational goals.

A project should not be chosen unless it has a valid business case.

Sometimes, multiple possible projects are compared before one is selected.

Step 1: Identify project scope and objectives

Establish overall business objectives (e.g., cut operating costs, improve
service).

Translate objectives into measurable targets (time, cost, quality).

Define scope: what the project will include and exclude.

Prevents “scope creep.”

Objectives must be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant,

Time-constrained).

Step 2: Identify project infrastructure

Identify the organizational structure for the project (board, manager, team).

Decide standards, methods, and tools to be used.

Set up communication channels and reporting mechanisms.

Infrastructure ensures the project has a framework for decision-making and

accountability.

Step 3: Analyze project characteristics

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 Establish the distinctive characteristics of the project:

Size, duration, and complexity.

Degree of familiarity (novelty).

Number of users, type of system (information/embedded).

External constraints (legal, contractual, environmental).

Degree of risk and uncertainty.

These characteristics influence the choice of lifecycle model (waterfall, agile,

prototyping, spiral).

Step 4: Identify project products and activities

Identify deliverables/products the project must create (documents, software,
manuals, etc.).

Define the activities required to produce each product.

Create a Product Breakdown Structure (PBS) and Work Breakdown Structure

(WBS).

Ensures completeness and avoids overlooking tasks.

Step 5: Estimate effort for each activity

Estimate time, cost, and resources for activities.

Methods:

Expert judgement.

Analogy (based on similar projects).

Algorithmic models like COCOMO.

Function point analysis.

Estimation is vital for creating realistic schedules and budgets.

Step 6: Identify activity risks

For each activity, assess possible risks:

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 Technical risks: technology may not work.

Resource risks: staff may leave or be unavailable.

Schedule risks: delays due to dependencies.

Document risks in a risk register.

Plan mitigation (reduce chance of happening) and contingency (what to do if

it happens).

Step 7: Allocate resources

Assign people, tools, and equipment to tasks.

Consider:

Skills and availability of staff.

Resource limits (e.g., only one test environment).

Possible overload or bottlenecks.

Adjust schedule to balance resource usage.

Step 8: Review/publicize plan

Circulate draft plan to stakeholders for review.

Revise based on feedback.

Publish the final plan so all team members and stakeholders:

Understand objectives.

Know their responsibilities.

Commit to deadlines.

Step 9: Execute plan

Put the plan into action.

Monitor progress continuously.

Use tools like:

Gantt charts.

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 Critical path analysis.

Earned Value Analysis (EVA).

Take corrective actions if the project drifts off schedule, budget, or scope.

Step 10: Lower-level planning

Create detailed plans for later phases as the project progresses.

Early planning focuses on overall structure.

Detailed planning is done “just in time” when more accurate info is available.

Balances flexibility with control.

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