Introduction

CS 495- IT Project Management
By Mesfin Belachew /PhD/

Assistant Professor,
2/23/24 HiLCoE 1
Introduction IT Projects
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Introduction IT Projects
• What Is a Project?
– A project is “a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique
product, service, or result.”*
– A project ends when its objectives have been reached, or the

project has been terminated.
– Projects can be large or small and take a short or long time to

complete.
*PMI, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)
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Introduction IT Projects …..
• Project Attributes:-
• Has a unique purpose (to deliver unique product, unique service or unique result).
• Is temporary (has definite beginning and end).
• Is developed using progressive elaboration.
• Requires resources, often from various areas.
• Should have a primary customer or sponsor.
• Enables business value creation
• Involves uncertainty.
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• Project Attributes …..
– Drive change in organization (aim to move the organization from one state to another
better state)
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• Who and why project is initiated
– Who:
• Primary customer or sponsor
• Organization leaders in general
– Why (factors):
• Meet regulatory, legal, or social requirements,
• Satisfy stakeholder requests or needs,
• Implement or change business or technology strategies,
• Create, improve, or fix products, processes, or services
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• Examples of IT Projects (some)
– A team of students creates a smartphone application and sells it
online
– A company develops a driverless car
– A small software development team adds a new feature to an
internal software application for the finance department
– A college upgrades its technology infrastructure to provide wireless
Internet access across the whole campus
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• Triple Constraint of every project
– The triple Constraint:-
• Scope goals: What work will be done?
• Time goals: How long should it take to complete?
• Cost goals: What should it cost?
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• Quality in the triple Constraints of PM:-
– Also called Project Management Triangle, Triple Constraint
Triangle or the Iron Triangle
– One side of the triangle cannot be changed without affecting the
others.
– The three properties of a project are
interrelated
– Balancing the three constraints is a major
assignment for project management
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• Quality in the triple Constraints of PM …..
Successful project
management means meeting
all three goals (scope, time,
and cost) – and satisfying the
project’s sponsor!
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• Classwork Change in scope:- Server increased from 5 to 10
The following is given for the
sub-project (DC Project).
• 5 Servers,
• 20 Switches, Change in Cost:- Project cost reduced to 5 million
• 50 square meter area,
• 10 million ETB,
• 2 years project time,
• 20 Engineers in the project
Change in Time:- Finish the project in 1.5 years
Write down one change for each
category.
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• IT Project IT Project Success and Failure
– According to Wrike, online survey in 2015, 39% of all projects succeed
(delivered on time, on budget, within scope). 43% are challenged (late, over budget,
with fewer scope) 18% fail (either cancelled prior to completion or delivered and never
used).
IT Project Success & Project Overruns
61%
Project resolution results from CHAOS research for years 2004 to 2012.
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• IT Project IT Project Success and Failure
– IT Project Failure will be even worst in the developing nations
• Lack human resources that are needed to carry out these projects
effectively and efficiently to guarantee the project success
• Limited fund to implement the project
• Other priorities, like political, social, economical
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• Why IT Projects Fails:-
– Not Enough Time (deadline date is decided before the project starts and is
non-negotiable)
– Insufficient Budget ("lowest price most successful candidate" policy)
– Poor Communication (communication with the customer, users, team)
– Never Reviewing Project Progress (ill milestone to check progress)
– Inadequate Testing (no intermediate test, test left until end life cycle, no
test under production environment)
– Lack of Quality Assurance (low quality product, unsatisfied customers)
– Not Conforming to Industry Standards (quality, procedure, etc.
standards)
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• How to improve IT Project success:- (some)
– Skilled team members in the project (~ 48%)
– Use methodology in the PM (like PMBoK, PRINCE, etc.)
– Qualified/Skilled project managers (knowledge and skill, leaders)
– Proper technology and tools (for testing and quality assurances,
etc.)
– Proper resource allocation and management (people, budget, etc.)
– Better risk identification and mitigation
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• Main reasons to study Project Management
– There is a strong demand/ skill shortage,
– There are a variety of industries it applies to (e.g. IT, manufacturing,
construction)
– It is a skill that is required by all employees, team members, employers,
industry, etc.
– Improve the quality of the product (output) of the project,
– Improves your productivity at work, increase success rate of the project,
– Improves your career advancement opportunities (individually),
– Provides an opportunity to be at the forefront of exciting projects
(individual)
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• Why we need Project Management knowledge:-
§ IT (SW and HW) projects have several properties that make them
very different to other kinds of engineering project.
§ The product in some cases are intangible,
§ We don’t have much experience,
§ Large projects are often custom-made (SW & HW),
§ The technology changes very quickly,
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• With better skilled project managers and with better management
processes:-
– increase the success rate Different Hats for a
Project Manager
– reduce the overruns (time & cost),
Strategist, Visionary, Recruiter,
– increase % of features (scope) delivered Designer, Negotiator, Decision-
• Role of the Project Manager (some):- Maker, Integrator, Influencer,
Conflict Manager, Mentor,
– planning, scheduling, Expeditor, Coach, Counselor,
– coordinating, and Diplomat, etc.
– working with people to achieve project goals.
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• Suggested skills for Project Managers:-
– Communication skills: Listens, persuades.
– Organizational skills: Plans, sets goals, analyzes.
– Team-building skills: Shows empathy, motivates, promotes esprit de
corps.
– Leadership skills: Sets examples, provides vision (big picture),
delegates, positive, energetic.
– Coping skills: Flexible, creative, patient, persistent.
– Technology skills: Experience, project knowledge.
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Project Management Frame Work
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Project Management Frame Work
• Project Management Frame Work
– A project management framework is a set of processes, tasks and
tools that provide guidance and structure for the execution of a
project.
• Project Life Cycle ( set of process, to be discussed today)
• Set of tasks and activities (to be disused when we cover scheduling),
• Set of tools, (project plans, project management reports, risk logs, etc.)
– It encompasses all the key components required for planning,
managing, and governing projects.
– Framework Examples:- Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK), PRINCE2, Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM),
Agile, Waterfall, etc.
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Project Management Frame Work ……
• Project, Program & Portfolio
– Project: temporary endeavor undertaken to create a
unique product, service, or result
– Program is group of related projects, subsidiary
programs and program activities
– Portfolio: is a collection of project, programs and
subsidiary portfolios
– The management is also called: Portfolio Management
Program Management
Project Management
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Project Management Frame Work ……
• Project, Program & Portfolio ….. Portfolio Management
– Examples Program Management
AX Construction Group Project Management
ABC Drilling Company

R&D Project
XYZ Construction Company Oil Drilling Diamond Water Drilling

Limited Project Drilling Project Project
Low Cost Apartments Condominiums Luxury House

House Project Project Project Project
2/23/24 HiLCoE 23

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CS 495- IT Project Management

By Mesfin Belachew /PhD/

– A project ends when its objectives have been reached, or the

– Projects can be large or small and take a short or long time to

*PMI, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)

• Time goals: How long should it take to complete?

• Cost goals: What should it cost?

IT Project Success & Project Overruns

– Examples Program Management

AX Construction Group Project Management

ABC Drilling Company

XYZ Construction Company Oil Drilling Diamond Water Drilling

Low Cost Apartments Condominiums Luxury House

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