Software Project Management

Successful Software Project Management relies on three key elements:

• Effective Software Development Planning (incorporating Estimation, Risk Management, etc.)
• Proper Tracking/ Control
• People Management/Team Building

How Insight can help you
If you are about to undertake a new project or wish to regain control over your existing project. Insight can help by providing a range of consulting and training services, in the area of Software Project Management.

Consulting Services
Insight can assist you with new or existing projects by:

• Performing troubleshooting on projects experiencing difficulties
• Providing coaching in specific areas such as planning, estimation, risk management, tracking…

Software Project Management Training Workshops
Insight Consulting offer a practical three day workshop, Software Project Management in which those new to managing software projects will gain a solid, comprehensive foundation of skills with which to plan and operate projects.

Senior project managers who want to reinforce their experience with proven principles and approaches, will also find this an excellent course.

This workshop covers the fundamentals of software project management, instantly applicable to a wide variety of projects.

Software Project Management (2 or 3-day course)

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this workshop you will be able to:

• Increase the probability of bringing your project in on time and within budget
• Develop a project proposal
• Develop feasible project plans applying appropriate concepts in activity identification, software estimation, resourcing, scheduling and software risk management
• Apply a team-based collaborative approach to software project management that enhances the probability of project success
• Apply project control techniques that help find solutions to problems fast - enabling you to bring your project back on track as quickly and cheaply as possible
• Understand what the SEI Capability Maturity requires in relation to the software project manager role and also the additional processes that are in place to support him/her.
• Understand how to use tools such as MS Project to support planning and tracking.
• Appreciate the key concepts in people management/leadership
• Operate a continuously improving software project management process

Level and Orientation of Audience
By participating in this practical two/three day workshop, those new to managing software projects will gain a solid, comprehensive foundation of skills with which to plan and operate projects. Also excellent for senior project managers who want to reinforce their experience with proven principles and approaches, this workshop covers the fundamentals of software project management, instantly applicable to a wide variety of projects.

This workshop offers a systematic and professional approach that provides a valuable opportunity for the entire project team to understand the concepts of software project management. Through the use of practical exercises, they can then work together to apply the lessons learnt to their own projects. Each individual participant also leaves with a personal software project management action plan.

Topics Covered

Project Initiation - to define the project in enough detail to allow the project sponsor to decide on project viability /approval

• Defining project scope, goals and objectives
• Defining time, quality, cost and functionality sensitivities
• Identifying business issues
• Providing an overview of major tasks/phases and associated estimates
• Performing initial risk analysis

Project Planning - to establish reasonable plans for performing the necessary tasks to achieve the project objectives

• Identify the necessary activities
• Estimate software size, effort, cost, etc.
• Establish commitments
• Apply resources
• Schedule
• Manage the risks

Project Tracking and Control - to provide adequate visibility into actual progress so management can take effective actions when the project's performance deviates sufficiently from the plans.

• Tracking and control techniques: reviews, baselines, metrics, milestones
• Tracking size, cost, schedule, quality, functionality, risk, etc.
• Project communications and reporting
• Taking corrective action as problems arise

Project Analysis - to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the project and the project management process. This can occur both during and upon completion of the project.

• Approach, criteria and checklists
• Reporting and improving the process

Tools/ automated support for Software Project Management

• MS Project Demo

Industry Standards/Models

• Practical Aspects of Industry Standards/Models that are useful for the Software Project Manager
• Key processes that support Software Project Management, e.g., Software Configuration Management, Software Quality Assurance, Requirements Management, Software Sub-Contract Management etc.

People management, teams and leadership

• What makes a good project manager/leader?
• Communication issues (inside and outside the project team)
• Motivation
• Team building
• People/Cultural issues
• Resolving conflict
• Negotiation
• The four-quadrant leadership model
• Time management