choosing a project management system

Choosing a Project Management System

© 2001 Dekker, Ltd. 3

Introduction

Requirements DefinitionProduct EvaluationGap AnalysisPeer ReviewVendor’s PerspectiveOrganizational ImpactsPitfalls

Requirements Definition

Collecting RequirementsDistilling Requirements

Evaluation Criteria


Collecting Requirements

Publish the Schedule for Collecting RequirementsReview Existing System Capabilities

Core CapabilitiesProceduresProcessesEvaluate Existing System for What Works and What Does Not Work

Develop Interview Criteria and QuestionsInterview the Organization

Ensure Key Roles of the System Are RepresentedDefine NeedsDefine WantsCustomer Requirements

Evaluate Industry Best Practices


Collecting Requirements

Develop Schedule Evaluate Existing

SystemInterview System

StakeholdersEvaluate Industry

Best Practices

Develop Evaluation Criteria

Publish Results PreliminaryReview Pass

Fail

RequirementsComplete

End

VendorReview

Pass

Fail


Distilling RequirementsCreate Description for Each Requirement

Define Required DataIdentify CalculationsDescribe OutputsInclude Samples as Appropriate

Categorize as Needs vs. WantsNeeds

Existing CapabilitiesCustomer RequirementsBusiness Directions

WantsNew Business DirectionsFeatures Desired Special Interests


Distilling Requirements

Establish Ranking for Needs and WantsDefine as Core System RequirementsIdentify Must Have CapabilitiesWeight Needs Heavier Than Wants

Document Evaluation CriteriaDefine Measurement CriteriaRelate to Demonstration ScenariosDefine Demonstration Score Card


Evaluation Criteria

GeneralComplete Cost and Schedule IntegrationProvide Full Life Cycle Capabilities Proposal Through Project CompletionProvides Support for Subcontract ManagementWhat If AnalysisTrend AnalysisDrill DownUser FriendlyUses Contemporary Technology


Evaluation Criteria

ScheduleGantt SchedulingCPM Scheduling

ResourceFlexible Resource Levels

DepartmentSkillBy Name

Resource AvailabilityEquivalency


Evaluation CriteriaCost

Escalate Direct RatesMid Period EscalationsSupport For ECDsConcurrent Rates

Burden RatesFlexible Line Item DefinitionApply to Percentages or DollarsProvide Compound BurdeningProvide Segregated Burdening

PerformanceANSI CompliantTrend AnalysisMetrics


Evaluation Criteria

ReportingCanned ReportsUser Defined QueriesCustom Report FormatsSchedule GraphicsBusiness Graphics

Office IntegrationOutput to ExcelOutput to Power PointOutput to Word


Evaluation Criteria

Drill DownDefinable Business RulesVariance ThresholdsReview Exceptions

Capable of Integrating with AccountingTechnology

Contemporary DatabaseWEB DesignedOutlook EnabledExtensible


Evaluation Criteria

Implementation SupportTraining

Application TrainingEnd User TrainingTechnical Training

ConsultingImplementation ConsultingApplication Consulting

Customer SupportTelephone SupportOn Site Support


Evaluation Criteria

Vendor InformationNumber Years in OperationAnnual Gross SalesNumber of EmployeesReferencesNumber Years Product Line Has Been AvailableTarget Markets for ProductReleases Per Year

Major ReleaseMinor Release

Migration Path to Major Releases

Product Evaluation

Request For InformationDown Selection

Product PresentationsRequest for Quote


Request For Information

Describe OrganizationOrganizational Business FocusFunctional ContactProcurement Contact

Describe the Scope of the ImplementationFunctional

PricingSchedulingResource ManagementProject ManagementEarned Value Management

OrganizationalNumber of UsersNumber of SitesTechnology Infrastructure


Request For Information

Provide Samples from Existing SystemSample DataSample InputsSample OutputsTurn Around Documents

Provide Response CriteriaRequirements DefinitionScore CardMeasurement Criteria

Expectations for Scope of the Response


Down Selection

Eliminate All Non ResponsiveMeasure Responses Against Requirements

Meets Core RequirementRate Product Ability from 1 to 10

Meets Need RequirementRate Product Ability from 1 to 10

Meets Wants RequirementsRate Product Ability from 1 to 5

Chose Top Two or Three Vendors


Product PresentationsDefine Criteria for the Presentations

Vendor OverviewCompany HistoryProduct FocusClient Base

Product OverviewVendor Standard DemonstrationProduct Features

Requirement Review / Demonstration ScenariosScenarios Demonstrated in the ApplicationSample Data Demonstrated in the ApplicationReview Application Output

Technology Review (Requires Corporate IT Staff)


Request for QuoteRequest an Updated MatrixDescribe the Scope of the Implementation

PricingProject ManagementResource ManagementNumber of UsersNumber of SitesTechnology Infrastructure

Identify Services RequiredTrainingConsultingData TransitionInterfacesCustomization / Cost of Mods

Request Vendors Approach to the Implementation


Product Evaluation

Request forInformation Product Presentation

Request for Quote

Final NegotiationsEvaluate

Quote Vendor SelectionPass

Fail

Begin Implementation

End

Start

Pass

Fail

Down SelectionPass

Fail

GAP Analysis


GAP AnalysisIdentify Missing Need Items

ReportGraphicsMatrixTechnology

Request Vendor ReviewSolutions Within COTS ApplicationCost of ModificationsAlternatives

Internal IT Staff ReviewPotential to Enhance COTS SolutionCost of ModificationsLevel of Vendor Participation


Peer Review

Define Key Roles of the OrganizationPricing ManagerSchedule AnalystCost AnalystFinance AnalystProject ManagerIPT LeadControl Account ManagerProgram Office


Peer Review

Establish a Review TeamMust Have Representation for Each Key RoleMust Participate in Each Phase of the Review

Define Sr. Management Closure PlanArticulate Review ProcessDefine Recommendation MilestonesIdentify Acceptance Levels From Stakeholders

LicensingReviewAcceptance


Organizational Impacts

Software

HW

Procedures

Training

People

Core ImplementationTeam Must Focus

OnThese Three (3)

Issues

Objectives

™

}Hardware and

Softwarerepresents just the

tipof the iceberg...

}Cultural


Organizational Impacts

Time to ImplementRequirements DefinitionProduct SelectionPilot ProgramLimited FieldingFull Deployment

Changes to ProcessesCost Schedule IntegrationElimination of Redundant Data and Process StepsData CollectionData Reduction


Organizational ImpactsCultural Resistance

Human Nature to Resist ChangePerception of Existing System

End UserManagementOperationsCustomer

Corporate IQTechnology Status

Cost of ImplementationCorporate InitiativeFunctional RequirementProgram Specific


Organizational ImpactsData Migration

Volume of Existing DataSource of Existing Data

Enterprise DatabaseDesktop DatabaseSpreadsheetsProprietary Sources

Technology InfrastructureOperating SystemNetwork Environment (LAN, WAN, WWW)DatabaseWEB Environment


Vendor Perspective

Must Have Procurement InvolvedMust Articulate a Schedule for the SelectionMust Provide Sufficient Time to Prepare for PresentationsScope of the Presentations Must Be Proportional to the Budget for the ImplementationShould Consider Vendor’s Training for Hands on Evaluation


PitfallsInconsistent Review MethodologiesNot Involving ProcurementNot Defining a Closure PlanNot Defining Requirements for Vendor Participation Up FrontNot Defining Expectation for Vendors Role in the EvaluationNot Including Representation on the Evaluation Team for Each Stakeholder GroupLengthy Evaluations Result in Diminishing ReturnsSoftware Does Not Represent a Significant Cost to Vendor


Pitfalls

Experts Can Self-Train on Any PM ToolVendor Only Supplies SoftwareSystem Evaluated to Capabilities of Existing System

Conducting the Implementation Without End User Involvement

End User Necessary Only to Provide Requirements for the SystemDo Not Have the Time to be Involved in the Process