1.1) Project Management

• Project management is the process of planning, scheduling and controlling all of the activities within each stage of the system development cycle.

• Good project management involves creating a project plan.

• A project plan is a summary of a project that specifies who, what, how and when.

• A project plan usually breaks down the project into major tasks called subprojects.

• It must also provide an overall schedule and a proposed schedule for each of the subprojects.

• One of the most popular tools for graphically recording and tracking these schedules is a Gantt chart.

ProjectPlan

Collect data

Design website

Create website

Test website

• It must also identify the people, information technology and data/information required by the system.

• To minimise problems, people working on the project should understand the need for project goals, deliverables and schedules.

• Project goals may be broad or specific and they relate to ways of testing if the project is successful.

• Deliverables are tangible items expected from a task. E.g. a report, diagram, manual

• Schedules set out the timing of major tasks and assigns personnel to each task.

• The success of a new system depends upon accurate time estimates.

• Communication skills incorporate a variety of strategies and techniques for dealing with other people.

• They facilitate information sharing and genuine understanding.

• They include:• active listening• conflict resolution• negotiation skills• interview techniques• team building

• Active listening involves restating, reflecting and summarising the speaker’s ideas.

• Conflict resolution solves arguments and disputes.

• It involves listening to all sides of a problem and looking for any viable solutions.

• Negotiation skills are used to reach a compromise between all parties.

• Interview techniques involve careful preparation, implementation and follow-up.

• Some general rules could include:• Make sure the purpose of the interview

is understood.• Ask open-ended questions.• Restate the responses.• Review the main points.• Follow up on any unclear information.

• Team building is the process of getting a group of people working together effectively.

• A number of different roles are required for the project to succeed.

• Three important roles are:• systems analysts• programmers• project leaders