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Project Management

Approaches for IT Projects


Project Management Challenges and
Solutions for Managing IT Service, IT
Product, and Mixed Implementation
Projects
Bill Schneider, PMP
Senior Project Manager
Susquehanna Technologies

Goals
Explore and understand the similarities
and differences in managing various IT
implementation projects.
Determine project approach strategies,
and management materials for successful
implementations.

Agenda
Project Types and Approaches
Attributes and Challenges
Key Project Approach Strategies
Management Materials
Discussion

Project Types

Project Types
Custom

Implementation Projects
Product Implementation Projects
Mixed

Project Approaches

Approaches
In-house
Outsource

Mixed

In-house Custom Projects

Description

Build custom software to solve your business challenge

Attributes

Highly customized needs


Business needs/processes do not match available COTS
Identified market opportunity
Confidential processes/data

Challenges

Driven by cost with sacrifice to remainder of triple constraint


Employ technical staff to build and maintain
Not well defined
Unattainable objective(s)
Business strategy misalignment

In-house Custom Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Involve

champion and stakeholder constantly


and deeply
Determine technical staff requirements
Determine, define, and evaluate project
metrics

In-house Custom Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Project

Charter
Stakeholders involvement activities
Staff acquisition and team development plans
Project cost measurements and controls

In-house Product Projects

Description
Implementing

Attributes
COTS

COTS to solve your business challenge

meets business needs and processes

Challenges
Product implementation creates turf wars
Project implementation cycle does not meet

business

needs
Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge
to build and maintain

In-house Product Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Leverage

and manage stakeholders


Evaluate products
Acquire specialized staff
Perform and understand functional gap
analysis

In-house Product Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Business

process documentation
Project Charter
Stakeholders involvement activities
Staff acquisition and team development plans

In-house Mixed Projects

Description

Implementing COTS with customizations to solve your business


challenge

Attributes

Highly customized needs


Business needs and processes somewhat match available COTS
Identified market opportunity
Confidential processes or data

Challenges

COTS not conducive to customization


Projects driven by cost with sacrifice to triple constraint
Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and
maintain
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs

In-house Mixed Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Perform

and understand functional gap

analysis
Communicate gap analysis
Understand product flexibility and
customizability
All other in-house strategies

In-house Mixed Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Maintenance

project charter and plans


All other in-house materials

Outsourced Custom Projects

Description

Attributes

Contracting to have custom software built to solve your business challenge


Highly customized needs
Business needs and processes does not match available COTS
Identified market opportunity

Challenges

Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise


Potential mismatch of PMLC approach
Platform standardization and flux
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

Outsourced Custom Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Perform

rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the
beginning

Outsourced Custom Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Procurement

Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management

Outsourced Product Projects

Description

Attributes

Contracting to have COTS implemented to solve your business challenge


COTS meets business needs and processes
Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff

Challenges

Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise


No match of PMLC approach
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
May work with PSO, PSO Partner, or both
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

Outsourced Product Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Perform

rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the
beginning
Perform and understand functional gap
analysis

Outsourced Product Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Procurement

Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management and
understanding of scope

Outsourced Mixed Projects

Description

Attributes

Contracting to have COTS implemented and customized to solve your business


challenge
COTS somewhat meets needs
Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff

Challenges

COTS not conducive to customization


Rely on another company for variety of expertise - technical and PM
No match of PMLC approach
Platform standardization and flux
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

Outsourced Mixed Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Perform

rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the
beginning
Perform and understand functional gap
analysis

Outsourced Mixed Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Procurement

Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management and
understanding of scope

Mixed Custom Projects

Description

Attributes

Building custom software to solve your business challenge with contracted help
Highly customized needs
Business needs and processes does not match available COTS
Identified market opportunity
Confidential processes or data
Has in-house staff but does not have bandwidth, skill set, knowledge in specific industry area

Challenges

Projects driven by cost with sacrifice to triple constraint


Have development staff to build and maintain
Not well enough defined
Unattainable objective
Out of alignment with business strategy
Rely on another company for technical and PM expertise
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

Mixed Custom Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Focus

on Integration
Involve champion and stakeholder constantly
and deeply
Determine, define, and evaluate project
metrics
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate

Mixed Custom Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Project Charter
Change Control Plan
Stakeholders involvement

activities
Staff acquisition and team development plans
Project cost measurements and controls
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management

Mixed Product Projects

Description

Attributes

Implementing COTS to solve your business challenge with contracted help


COTS meets business needs and processes
Has in-house staff but does not have bandwidth, skill set, knowledge in specific COTS
platform

Challenges

Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs


Have some technical personnel with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain
Rely on another company for technical expertise
Match timing on product versioning
May work with PSO, PSO Partner, or both
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

Mixed Product Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Focus

on Integration
Leverage and manage stakeholders
Evaluate products
Acquire specialized staff
Perform and understand functional gap analysis
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning

Mixed Product Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Change Control Plan
Business process documentation
Project Charter

Stakeholders involvement activities


Staff acquisition and team development plans
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Understand scope

Mixed Mixed Projects

Description

Attributes

Implementing COTS with customizations to solve your business challenge with contracted
help
COTS somewhat meets needs
Do not have technical personnel versed in COTS on staff, but has technical personnel
versed in platform

Challenges

COTS not conducive to customization


Have technical staff with very specialized knowledge to build and maintain
Project implementation cycle does not meet business needs
Rely on another company for technical expertise
Match upgrade timing on installed HW and SW platforms
Match timing on product versioning
Procurement
Communication
Managing integrated team

Mixed Mixed Projects (contd)

Key Project Approach Strategies


Focus on Integration
Perform and understand functional
Communicate gap analysis

gap analysis

Understand product flexibility and customizability


All other In-house Strategies
Perform rigorous procurement
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Ensure you are a stakeholder from the beginning
Perform and understand functional gap analysis

Mixed Mixed Projects (contd)

Management Materials
Change

control Plan
Maintenance Project Charter and Plans
All other in-house materials
Procurement Plan
Communications Plan
Internal Project Charter and Project Plan
Detailed scope management and understanding of
scope

Discussion

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