2/21/06 page 1loui some notes from berkun art of project management cs436 (material for quiz)

2/21/06 Loui

Some Notes from BerkunArt of Project Management

CS436

(material for quiz)

2/21/06 Loui

The five qualities of good visions

• The vision document has a SIMPLIFYING effect on the project

• The vision document is the first source of GOALS

• The vision document CONSOLIDATES ideas from many other places

• It should be INSPIRATIONAL• It should be MEMORABLE

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Key points to cover: vision

• What is the one sentence that defines this specific release of this specific project?

• How does this project contribute to the goals of the organization?

• Why is this project more relevant than others?

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• What scenarios/features for customers are essential?

• What scenarios/features for customers are desired but not essential?

• Who are the customers? What problems does this project solve for them?

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• Who are the stakeholders for this project (the people with power who are not necessarily customers)?

• Why will these customers buy what we offer?

• Who are the competitors and how will this project compare?

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• What will not be a part of this project?

• What are some ways this project could fail, and how to minimize their likelihood?

• What are other people involved in this project depending on? How will work be divided?

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Writing the vision statement

• It's hard to be simple

• Writing well requires one primary author

• Volume is not quality

• Draft, review, revise!

• Avoid: kitchen sink, mumbo jumbo, spineless wimp-o-matic, what the vp wants

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Visions should be visual!

Show the data and the process!

Show the user!

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Where ideas come from

• Design = exploration: schedule time for exploration

• Good questions attract good ideas: consider questions that focus attention

• Bad ideas often lead to good ideas

• Brainstorming is a specific activity

• The customer experience starts the design

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What to do with ideas

• Ideas get out of control• Managing ideas demans a steady hand• Changes cause chain reactions• Creative work has momentum• Checkpoint your design phases:

– Vision/proof of concept– Alternatives– Specification

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Deciding what to Specify

• Requirements/expectations• Features• Technical specs/detail of engineering

approach• Work item lists: describe each

programming assignment, estimate time, name names

• Criteria for testing/passing milestones

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More on Specs

• Borrow from other spec!• Avoid jargon and obscure language• Hold onto specifications• Have specific readers in mind when you write• Don't give complete api's, do show some detail• Describe algorithms at high level• Get feedback!

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Relationships

• Get people's best work:– Listen to and follow technical advice

– Challenge people to do great things

– Inspire by your own feelings about the project

– Clear roadblocks for them

– Remind them of their roles

– Remind them of project goals

– Teach and let learn

– Ask them for their good work

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Relationships

• Don't annoy people, e.g.:– Assume I'm an idiot– Don't trust me– Waste my time– Manage me without respect– Make me listen to or read stupid things

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Relationships

• "Sometimes people with more power than you inflict processes on your team…"– Shield your team from the process– Bet against the process / counterpropose– Ignore the process (be warned!)

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Relationships

• Non-annoying email:– Concise, simple, direct– Offers an action and a deadline– Prioritizes– Don't assume people read it– Avoids play-by-play– Permits FYI to be filtered– Is often called the telephone

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Relationships

• Meetings:– Kinds:

• highly interactive discussion

• Reporting

• status/project review

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Relationships

• Meetings:– Questions:

• are the right people in the room?

• What to prepare?

• Be on time?

• End = what happens next.

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Relationships

• Meetings:– Facilitate:

• Host

• listen & reflect

• direct the conversation

• end the conversation

• record what happened (scribe)

2/21/06 page 1loui some notes from berkun art of project management cs436 (material for quiz)

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