understanding the customer and building the right team
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Understanding the Customer and Building the Right Team. Before we start construction, let’s lay the groundwork. Outline for Tonight. Homework Question (34 competencies) Critical Success Factors Importance of Considering the Corporate Process Key Players and their Motivations - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Understanding the Customer and Building the
Right Team
Before we start construction, let’s lay the groundwork.
1. Homework Question (34 competencies)
2. Critical Success Factors3. Importance of Considering the Corporate
Process4. Key Players and their Motivations5. Importance of Teamwork6. Leadership vs Management
Outline for Tonight
Product Develop Skills
Awareness of Process Standards
Evaluating Alternative Processes
Tailoring Processes
Assessing Processes
Defining the Product
Managing Requirements
Managing Subcontractors
Performing the Initial Assessment
Selecting Methods and Tools
Tracking Product Quality
Understanding Development Activities
Project Management Skills
Building a WBS
Documenting Plans
Estimating Costs
Estimating Effort
Managing Risks
Monitoring Development
Scheduling Work
Selecting Metrics
Selecting Project Management Tools
Tracking Processes
Tracking Project Progress
Which are most important?People Management Skills
Appraising Performance
Handling Intellectual Property
Holding Effective Meetings
Interaction and Communication
Leadership
Managing Change
Negotiating Successfully
Planning Careers
Presenting Effectively
Recruiting
Selecting a Team
Teambuilding
10 signs of IS project failure:1. Project managers don’t understand users’ needs.2. The project’s scope is ill-defined.3. Project changes are managed poorly.4. The chosen technology changes.5. Business needs change.6. Deadlines are unrealistic.7. Users are resistant.8. Sponsorship is lost.9. The project lacks people with appropriate skills.10. Managers ignore best practices and lessons learned.
Critical Success Factors
Source:“Critical Success Factors in Software Projects”
by John Reel, IEEE Software, June 1999
1 – 7 occur before even the design starts
4
Stable Requirements Accurate Estimations Teamwork and Unified Vision Attention to Risks
Critical Success Factors
Source:lots of reading by Dannelly
1. The Critical Point of View is the End-User◦ the best software solutions come from
understanding the customer's view of the world and addressing the customer's problems
Why consider the Corporate Process?
2. Perceived Value is based on how well the software solves the customer's problem in their domain◦ Value is not entirely based on Quality
for example - Microsoft software crashes◦ Perceived Value ≠ Actual Costs
for example - Microsoft security holes costs millions of dollars
Why consider the Corporate Process?
3. Customer's take the Business View ($), not the computer science view
4. The system should revolve around the Company's Objectives
Why consider the Corporate Process?
So who are the key players? Who should we try to make happy?
Question…
Managers Employees / Users Company's Stock Holders Consumers
People in the Process
Return On Investment Intangible Benefits Market Strategy
◦ meeting existing or expected demand being the first to market
◦ securing our niche in the market
Managers' Motivations
Employees / UsersConsumersStock Holders
Others’ Motivations?
How we conduct the project and who we need on our team is also dependant on the type of product and the type of work to be conducted.
Other considerations…
business biggest class includes services
consumer mass market / shrink wrap price sensitive
Industrial and real-time really timely scientific
Types of Software Products
new software product component integration re-engineered product heroic maintenance
Project Types
We must understand the Company Process
We must recognize the key players and know their objectives
The type of product dictates a lot
Now that we have a good idea of the environment that we are dealing with, it is time to build a team and start planning
Summary
Questions… What is the number one determiner of a group’s productivity?
What is the difference between a “manager” and a “leader”?
Important Teamwork Ideas
Software Projects are Cultural Events
Management ≠ Leadership Team’s ability is based more on its personality than its skill
Cohesion Biggest influence on Productivity is
Team Cohesion Team cohesion influences how the team
reacts to external influences, internal problems, and project challenges
Cultural Roles Leader Listener Talker Expert Complainer …
Engineering Roles Requirements Analyst Designer Quality Assurance Marketing / Customer Liaison Tools Expert Documentation Trainer …
Cultural To-Dos
Monitor and Manage Culture, as well as technical issues
Understand each team member’s background and personality
Match Roles to Personalities Understand the Organizational Culture
Management vs Leadership Management is derived by title People are required to do the work specified by the manager
Leadership draws extra effort without obligation
Most managers rose because of technical skills, not people skills
Management vs Leadership
Manager – Do things Right
Leader – Do the Right Thing
Manager’s ToDo List
Gain visibility without micromanagement
Review process and products, not people
Coordinate, don’t manipulate Use your knowledge, not your power Focus on project’s needs and people’s needs, not your power
Leader’s ToDo List Hire for trait and train for skill Be confident in self and team Be fallible Lead by example Utilize team member’s talents Complete commitments on time
Leader’s ToDo List Allow staff to make decisions Place workers physically together Limit the number of projects assigned to a person
Never impose phony deadlines Allow teams to jell, don’t mix them up frequently
Create ritual (e.g. team meetings)
How much Leadership?Team LeaderUnwilling & Unable strong directionUnwilling & Able soft direction, sensitive to
feelingsWilling & Unable concern for feelings, help do
tasksWilling & Able stand back and get out of their
way
see table 6-14 and Figure 6-9.
Improving the Team
Make professional development a project goal
Recognize long and short term development goals
Let each member specify personal goals Have members track their time
P-CMMwww.sei.cmu.edu/cmm-p
The People Capability Maturity Model (People CMM) is a framework that helps organizations successfully address their critical people issues. Based on the best current practices in fields such as human resources, knowledge management, and organizational development, the People CMM guides organizations in improving their processes for managing and developing their workforces. The People CMM helps organizations characterize the maturity of their workforce practices, establish a program of continuous workforce development, set priorities for improvement actions, integrate workforce development with process improvement, and establish a culture of excellence. Since its release in 1995, thousands of copies of the People CMM have been distributed, and it is used worldwide by organizations, small and large.
SEI's Motivation to develop P-CMM Scarce talent High salaries High turnover Increased workloads Unfinished work
P-CMM Level One – ad hoc Level Two – stable foundation of processes
across organization Level Three – best practices are made the
common practice Level Four – processes are managed Level Five – continuous improvement
Next Time… Now that we have a team and know the customer's environment, let's start creating something.
Step One - define the scope, set some measurable goals
Step Two - start figuring out all the tasks that need to be done
Before class #3, read the article from Navy regarding value of defining scope, etc.
“Homework”