ics 442 software project management unit 6 project monitoring and control

ICS 442 ICS 442 Software Project Software Project

ManagementManagement

Unit 6Unit 6 Project Monitoring Project Monitoring

and Control and Control

Monitoring and ControlMonitoring and Control

IntroductionIntroduction monitoring and control will help to monitoring and control will help to

ensure projects stay on targetensure projects stay on target it can also help to get projects back on it can also help to get projects back on

target that has gone off targettarget that has gone off target

Management frameworkManagement framework

Reporting structureReporting structure responsibilityresponsibility authorityauthority

Assessing progressAssessing progress formalformal informalinformal

CommunicationCommunication

The The project project control control cyclecycle

Data controlData control

Reporting of progressReporting of progress staff activitystaff activity

time sheetstime sheets risk reportingrisk reporting

Monitoring progressMonitoring progress

Utilising planning toolsUtilising planning tools Gantt chartsGantt charts PERT and CPAPERT and CPA showing slippageshowing slippage critical path progresscritical path progress

CostsCosts

Cost monitoringCost monitoring staffing coststaffing cost material costsmaterial costs delay costsdelay costs

Earned valueEarned value Budget and cost varianceBudget and cost variance

Prioritizing monitoringPrioritizing monitoring

Critical path activitiesCritical path activities Activities with no free float Activities with no free float

remainingremaining Activities with less than a specified Activities with less than a specified

floatfloat High risk activitiesHigh risk activities Activities using critical resourcesActivities using critical resources


Critical path activitiesCritical path activities Any delay in an activity on the critical Any delay in an activity on the critical

path will cause a delay in the path will cause a delay in the completion date for the project. Critical completion date for the project. Critical path activities are therefore likely to path activities are therefore likely to have a very high priority for close have a very high priority for close monitoringmonitoring


Activities with no free float remainingActivities with no free float remaining A delay in any activity with no free float will A delay in any activity with no free float will

delay at least some subsequent activity even delay at least some subsequent activity even though, if the delay is less than the total float, though, if the delay is less than the total float, it might not delay the project completion date. it might not delay the project completion date. These subsequent delays can have serious These subsequent delays can have serious effects on the resource schedule as a delay in a effects on the resource schedule as a delay in a subsequent activity could mean that the subsequent activity could mean that the resource for the activity might become resource for the activity might become unavailable before that activity is completed unavailable before that activity is completed because they are committed elsewherebecause they are committed elsewhere


Activities with less than a Activities with less than a specified floatspecified float If any activity has very little float it If any activity has very little float it

might use up this float before the might use up this float before the regular activity monitoring brings the regular activity monitoring brings the problem to the project manager’s problem to the project manager’s attention. It is common practice to attention. It is common practice to monitor closely those activities with monitor closely those activities with less than, say, one week’s free float.less than, say, one week’s free float.


High risk activitiesHigh risk activities A set of high risk activities should have A set of high risk activities should have

been identified as part of the initial risk been identified as part of the initial risk profiling exercise. These activities will profiling exercise. These activities will be given close attention because they be given close attention because they are most likely to overrun or overspend.are most likely to overrun or overspend.


Activities using critical resourcesActivities using critical resources Activities can be critical because they Activities can be critical because they

are very expensive (as in the case of are very expensive (as in the case of specialised contract programmers). specialised contract programmers). Staff or other resources might be Staff or other resources might be available only for a limited period, available only for a limited period, especially if they are controlled outside especially if they are controlled outside the project team. In any event, an the project team. In any event, an activity that demands a critical resource activity that demands a critical resource requires a high level of monitoring.requires a high level of monitoring.

Getting back on targetGetting back on target

There are two principle optionsThere are two principle options Shorten the critical pathShorten the critical path Reconsider precedence requirementsReconsider precedence requirements


Shorten critical pathShorten critical path The overall duration of a project is The overall duration of a project is

determined by the critical path.determined by the critical path. Things that can be done to shorten Things that can be done to shorten

critical pathcritical path increasing resource levels,increasing resource levels, improving resource efficiency,improving resource efficiency, and how such means can shorten critical and how such means can shorten critical

path timescales to bring a project back on path timescales to bring a project back on target.target.


Reconsider the precedence Reconsider the precedence requirementsrequirements The original project network will The original project network will

probably have been produced for an probably have been produced for an ideal situation. Therefore, there is often ideal situation. Therefore, there is often scope to revisit activity constraints and scope to revisit activity constraints and precedences.precedences.


Reconsider the precedence Reconsider the precedence requirementsrequirements Things that can be considered (cont.)Things that can be considered (cont.)

Altering them to help bring the project back on Altering them to help bring the project back on target.target.

Do unstarted activities really have to await the Do unstarted activities really have to await the completion of other activities before they can completion of other activities before they can start?start?

If an activity has to wait for the completion of If an activity has to wait for the completion of other activities, can that activity be broken down other activities, can that activity be broken down into sub-activities and some of the sub activities into sub-activities and some of the sub activities completed at an earlier date.completed at an earlier date.

Change controlChange control

Also known as configuration controlAlso known as configuration control Configuration librarianConfiguration librarian

can have other namescan have other names Change control proceduresChange control procedures Changes in scope of systemChanges in scope of system

Change control typical Change control typical elementselements

Everyone involved in the project should Everyone involved in the project should be aware of the change control system.be aware of the change control system.

Anyone should be allowed to request a Anyone should be allowed to request a change.change.

Change procedure should be clear an Change procedure should be clear an unambiguous.unambiguous.

Request for change should be checked Request for change should be checked by a suitably qualified person or by a suitably qualified person or persons.persons.


Change options should be explore.Change options should be explore. Preferred change option should be Preferred change option should be

decided.decided. Change option should be approved.Change option should be approved. Change should take place.Change should take place.


Results of change should be Results of change should be monitored to check that it worked as monitored to check that it worked as expected. If this is not the case then expected. If this is not the case then review if change control procedure review if change control procedure must be restarted.must be restarted.

All things to do with the change All things to do with the change control procedure must be control procedure must be documented.documented.

Change control systemChange control system

The change control system should be The change control system should be designed so that it is relatively easy designed so that it is relatively easy for to request a change.for to request a change.

Such a system will not put people off Such a system will not put people off making change.making change.

Changes that will benefit the project Changes that will benefit the project have a greater chance of taking have a greater chance of taking place if system is easy to use.place if system is easy to use.

Change control systemChange control system

People are less likely to try and People are less likely to try and short-circuit the change control short-circuit the change control system if it is easy to use.system if it is easy to use.

A friendly system will have no more A friendly system will have no more bureaucracy than absolutely bureaucracy than absolutely necessary.necessary.

The poor change control The poor change control systemsystem

Changes are often not requested.Changes are often not requested. The consequence of not requesting a The consequence of not requesting a

change could be that: sub-standard change could be that: sub-standard product is delivered to the customer, product is delivered to the customer, design anomalies are not corrected.design anomalies are not corrected.

Changes can get lost in bureaucratic Changes can get lost in bureaucratic systems, with adverse affects on the systems, with adverse affects on the projectproject

The poor change control The poor change control systemsystem

Bureaucratic systems can hold up Bureaucratic systems can hold up changes and the project, with changes and the project, with implication for delivery time and implication for delivery time and cost.cost.

Non user friendly systems Non user friendly systems encourage people to try to find ways encourage people to try to find ways to beat the system, often with to beat the system, often with adverse consequences for the adverse consequences for the project.project.

Quality system & change Quality system & change controlcontrol

A good quality management system A good quality management system would ensure that all procedures would ensure that all procedures and work instructions are in place to and work instructions are in place to cope with changes effectively and cope with changes effectively and efficiently.efficiently.

Changes will be documented.Changes will be documented. Changes will be made in the best Changes will be made in the best

interest of the project.interest of the project.

Quality system & change Quality system & change controlcontrol

Proposed changes will be fully Proposed changes will be fully investigatedinvestigated

Changes will be communicated to Changes will be communicated to those who need to knowthose who need to know

No Quality system andNo Quality system andchange controlchange control

An organisation with no quality An organisation with no quality management system may have to management system may have to rely on an ad-hoc system hastily rely on an ad-hoc system hastily thought up when a change is thought up when a change is required.required.

Or worse the change will be Or worse the change will be implement without any system or implement without any system or checks of what the consequences checks of what the consequences may be (good or bad). may be (good or bad).

No Quality system andNo Quality system andchange controlchange control

The project manager may have no The project manager may have no idea of changes that have been made idea of changes that have been made to the project that he is managing.to the project that he is managing.

This has the potential for serious This has the potential for serious problems especially if other changes problems especially if other changes are made that assume the project is are made that assume the project is still at the original specification.still at the original specification.

ConclusionConclusion

Monitoring and ControlMonitoring and Control management frameworkmanagement framework

communicationcommunication utilising planning toolsutilising planning tools data controldata control costscosts

prioritising monitoringprioritising monitoring getting back on targetgetting back on target change / configuration controlchange / configuration control

ics 442 software project management unit 6 project monitoring and control

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