what is project management? refer to the project triangle
project management is a methodical, planned and ongoing process that guides all the development tasks and resources throughout a project’s development. project management is often described using the ‘project triangle’ where time, money and scope form the three sides to determine the quality of the system. if any one side of the triangle is altered, the remaining two sides are affected
what is a project team and who does it consist of
the project team is responsible for the development of the new information system. this consists of the project leader or system analyst, programmers (if required) and participants. project managers require excellent communication and planning skills. they must motivate, negotiate and resolve conflict while ensuring that the project remains on time and budget.
effective communications skills include the ability to:
- understand what is said
- resolve conflicts
- negotiate with team members and management
- work in a team
- gather information through interviews, questionnaires or discussions
what are some consequences for groups that fail to function as a team
- financial loss
- employment loss
- missed opportunities
what are project management tools used for
project management tools are used to document and communicate
- what each task is
- who completed each task
- when the task is to be completed
- how much time and money is available to complete each task
what are gantt charts
horizontal bar graphs used to indicate when tasks need to be completed by. outlines steps and time required
how is the scheduling of tasks done
done through gantt charts
what are journals and diaries
the diary is a record of appointments, events and meetings. the journal is a detailed record of what happened at each meeting, how tasks have been allocated and when tasks are to be/are completed. it is also a record of problems encountered and how these were overcome. these records may be used later in the training and system manuals.
what is the funding management plan
this is a record of the scheduling and costing of tasks and other expenses. it should specify how and when the funds will be allocated to each task. accounts should be kept for each task to ensure that the task in completed on budget.
what is the communication management plan
this is a record of when meetings are to be held throughout the development of the information system, the purpose of each meeting and who should attend.
what are some social and ethical issues to be considered when developing a system
- peoples reaction to computers: some are intrigued by new technology, others feel threatened.
- effect on employment (changing nature of work). includes job gain, job loss and the change in types of jobs.
- Privacy and copyright issues should also be considered. Often existing system data is required to assist the development. Team members must respect the confidentiality of such data and not divulge its content to others. Copyright issues including who will retain the copyrights for the new system. Often team members are required sign a contract that hands over all copyrights to the development company.
- The total work environment of the development team has a significant effect on productivity, commitment and also the moral of individual team members. The work environment including health and safety issues such as ergonomic design of furniture, appropriate lighting and noise levels, varied work routines, and also procedures for reporting and resolving potential OHS problems.
what communication skills are required to manage a systems development project
- active listening
- conflict resolution
- negotiation skills
- interview techniques
- team building
what is active listening and what are some active listening techniques
this is a strategy for improving listening skills. the aim of active listening is to better receive and understand the speaker’s intended message, and to ensure that the speaker knows that the listener has received and understood their message. it also makes the speaker feel heard and encourages them while they are talking to you. active listening techniques include
- mirroring - repeating some of the speaker’s key words
- paraphrasing - the listener uses their own words to explain what they think the speaker has just said; also reflecting the feelings as well as the meaning
- summarising - used to refocus or direct the speaker to some important topic or to reach agreement so the conversation can end
- clarifying questions - asking questions or making statements that encourage the speaker to provide more detailed explanations
- motivational responses – encouraging the speaker and indicating that you are interested in what they have to say
what is conflict
when groups or teams work together some amount of conflict is inevitable. conflict is not always a bad thing. it is when the conflict becomes personal or is unresolved that it becomes a problem. decisions are always made involving a choice between alternatives, which sometimes causes conflict.
what are some common conflicts
- allocating limited resources to development tasks. if time or money needs to be added to one area, it usually needs to be reduced in another
- different goals of team members. eg. the graphic designer may have different expectations to the software developer
- scheduling of tasks. often tasks need to be completed in sequence. one task being behind schedule can delay other peoples work
- personal differences such as culture, age, religion and experience
what are some strategies to resolve conflict
- attack the problem not the person
- brainstorming - each person expresses their ideas
- mediation - a third party
- group problem solving - all involved are on an equal footing and are encouraged to contribute equally
what are some negotiation techniques
we negotiate with others to reach a compromise situation that suits both parties. in general, negotiations commence with both parties arguing for more than they ultimately expect.
negotiation techniques
- know in advance all you can about the person, product, service and/or organisation prior to negotiation commencing
- consider a range of acceptable arrangements in advance
- approach the other party directly to make an appointment in advance
- it is easier to lower you expectations than to raise them
- prior research and planning will help you to be confident and assertive
- establish trust and credibility before negotiations commence
what are interviews used to do
interviews are used to:
- identify problems with existing systems
- obtain feedback during development
- to recruit and asses staff performance
planning and preparation is the key to successful interviews. when scheduling an interview the interviewee should be made aware of the purpose of the interview and they should also be given sufficient time to prepare.
what are some positive and negative interviewer attributes
positive interviewer attributes
- well-prepared questions
- attention and careful listening
- personal warmth and engaging manner (active listening skills)
- the ability to sell ideas and communicate enthusiasm
- putting the interviewee at ease
- politeness and generosity
- focus on the topics that need to be covered. do not go on rants, off topic
negative interviewer attributes
- lack of preparation
- not allowing enough time for the interview
- talking too much
- losing focus
- letting the interviewee direct the conversation
- biased towards people with similar ideas and styles to their own
- tendency to remember most positively the person they last interviewed.
what is a team
definition of a team: two or more people with complimentary sills, behaviours and personalities who are committed to achieving a common goal.
what are some advantages of groups that function as a team
- increased productivity
- enhanced job satisfaction
- the development of a quality system
what are some consequences for groups that fail to function together as a team
- financial loss
- employment loss
- missed opportunities
what is the objective of the stage ‘understanding the problem’? what comes out of this stage? who are the important people
The objective of this stage is to determine the purpose and requirements of the new system. A requirements report is then produced. a system analyst is the person responsible for analysing the existing system, determining the requirements and then designing the new system
what are some approaches to identify problems with existing systems (expand on them)
- interviewing/surveying users of the information system: interviews and surveys are the primary tools for collecting user experiences and problems with the existing system, and also for identifying their needs and any new ideas they may have to improve the system.
- interviewing/surveying participants: participants within existing systems will have an understanding of the part of the system with which they primarily interact. they are able to identify problems and often they also have ideas in regard to solving these problems.
- analysing the existing system by determining:
- how it works: understanding of the operations of the existing system must be understood
- what it does
- who uses it: observing participants and users of the system
