Herding Cats Why Project Management Matters

Laurel Raleigh, PSMI

The Crazy Color Chameleon

• Let me Tell you a story about this Chameleon…

About Me• My Experience

• 2.5 years Project Coordinator• 2 years Project Administrator• 5 years Project Manager• Newly indoctrinated into the Scrum world • Professional Scrum Master I (PSMI) • In Process of obtaining Project Management Professional (PMP) Certificate• Bachelors in Business Administration, focusing in Project Management

• My Super Power would be…• My favorite movie genre…• Sorting Hat placement…• Cats or Dogs?

Objectives

• Define a project• Understand what Project Management is• Understand what a Project Manager does• What it takes to be a Project Manager• Basic Project Management terms• What is Agile • What is Scrum • Scrum Roles• Basic Scrum terms• Explore different types of Projects Management (Waterfall vs Agile)

What is a Project

The PMI defines a project as follows:• A project is temporary in that it has a defined beginning and end in

time, and therefore defined scope and resources.• And a project is unique in that it is not a routine operation, but a

specific set of operations designed to accomplish a singular goal. So a project team often includes people who don’t usually work together –sometimes from different organizations and across multiple geographies.

• But what is it really?

What is Project Management - Waterfall

• Project Management is a method to deliver projects on-time and on-budget

• Follows a liner process in a sequence

• Phases do not start until the prior is completed • Does not go backwards to previous phases

• Uses Tools and defined processes to accomplish this goal

Waterfall Phases – Project Life Cycle

• Initiating

• Planning

• Executing• Monitoring and Controlling

• Closing

Initiating Phase

• First Phase – where the project is defined

• Objectives

• Scope• Purpose

• Deliverables

• Don’t Skip this phase

Planning Phase

• Second Phase – development of the plan for the project

• Develop timeline• Breakout tasks and identify dependencies• Determine project cost• Define expected product quality• Identify risks and develop plans to

eliminate or mitigate the risks• Develop communication plan• Develop a change process

• Don’t skip this phase

Executing Phase

• Third Phase - actual development of the product

• Typically the longest phase

• Project Manager uses multiple methods to keep the project on track in this phase

• Communication is key in this process

Monitoring and Controlling Phase

• Fourth Phase – applied after implementation

• Observe process/project

• Identify potential problems and risk• Apply corrective action

• Deploy mitigation strategy

• Uses multiple tools in this process

• Don’t skip this phase

Closing Phase

• Fifth and Final Phase – product hand off• Deliver product• Deliver documentation• Close contracts• Communicate with stakeholders• Review process and identify areas for improvement for future

projects

• Don’t skip this phase

Key Terms – Project Triangle

• Model of the constraints of project management

• If one of the constraints is adjusted, no less than one other constraint is impacted

Key Terms – Critical Path Methodology (CPM)

• An algorithm for scheduling a set of project activities

• Identifies core tasks that are crucial to the project’s completion

• Identifies the sequence items must be completed in

• Identifies project milestones

More Key Terms

• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Stakeholders

• Scope• Scope Creep

• Timeline

• Deliverable• Milestone

More Key Terms

• Product Charter

• Communication Plan

• Key Performance Indicators• Post Mortem

• Gantt Chart

• Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)• Risk Management

What is a Project Manager (PM)• PM’s are responsible for all phases of a project

• Develop and communicate an effective work plan based on objectives.

• Acquire, allocate, and manage appropriate resources• Set priorities and assign deadlines

• Navigate and overcome unforeseen obstacles

• Deliver quality project deliverables on time and on budget

What does it take to be a Project Manager

• Great organization skills

• Ability to be comfortable with constant change and adapt plans accordingly

• Foresight to set achievable outcomes• Analytical skills to help determine

actionable timeframes and deadlines

• Good communication skills

Project Management Lite• Practical yet minimalistic

approach to project management that can help you complete your projects fast with less steps

• Apply what makes sense for your business

What is Agile

• Agile project management is an approach based on delivering requirements iteratively and incrementally throughout the project life cycle. It is flexible, provide empowerment and collaboration

• Originally developed for software development to meet the constantly changing requirements

What is Scrum

• A framework, not rules• Designed for complex adaptive

problems• Allows for productivity and

creativity for delivering products of the highest possible value

• Scrum is a term lifted from Rugby• Method of restarting play that

involves players packing closely together with their heads down

Key Terms - Roles• Product Owner (PO)

• Responsible for maximizing the value of the product resulting from work of the Development Team

• Responsible for Product backlog

• Scrum Master (SM)• Responsible for promoting and supporting Scrum• Scrum Masters do this by helping everyone understand Scrum theory, practices,

rules, and values• The Scrum Master is a servant-leader for the Scrum Team.

• Development Team (Dev)• Consists of professionals who do the work of delivering a potentially releasable

Increment of "Done" product at the end of each Sprint• Only members of the Development Team create the Increment• Consist of 3-9 cross-functional, with all the skills as a team necessary to create a

product Increment

More Key Terms • User Story

• Product Backlog

• Refinement• Time-Box

• Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

• Iteration• Increment

• Spike

• Blocker

Key Terms - Sprint

• A time-box of one month or less during which a "Done", useable, and potentially releasable product Increment is created.

• A new Sprint starts immediately after the conclusion of the previous Sprint.

• Sprints consist of the Sprint Planning, Daily Scrums, development work, Sprint Review, and Sprint Retrospective.

• During the Sprint:• No changes are made that would endanger the Sprint Goal• Quality goals do not decrease• Scope may be clarified and re-negotiated between the

Product Owner and Development Team as more is learned

Key Terms – Ceremonies

• Sprint Planning• Occurs at the beginning of every sprint• Includes Product Owner, Scrum Master, and Development Team• Determine goal for sprint and what will be pulled in from the backlog

• Daily Scrum• Daily check-in for the last 24-hours and planning for the upcoming 24-hours

• Sprint Review• Occurs at the end of the Sprint• May include demonstrations of Product • Review progress and compare to organizational goals

• Sprint Retrospective• Occurs after the Sprint Review• The team reflects on its performance and creates a plan for improvements to be

enacted during the next Sprint.

Scrum Framwork

Waterfall vs. Agile

• The waterfall is easy to manage, sequential, and rigid method.

• Agile is very flexible and it is possible to make changes in any phase.

• In Agile process, requirements can change frequently. However, in a waterfall model, it is defined only once by the business analyst.

• In Agile Description of project, details can be altered anytime which is not possible in Waterfall method.

• Because Agile focuses on time-boxed delivery and frequent reprioritization, it’s possible that some items set for delivery will not be completed within the allotted timeframe. Additional sprints (beyond those initially planned) may be needed, adding to the project cost.

Waterfall vs. Agile

• Waterfall model is ideal for projects which have defined requirements, and no changes are expected. On the other hand, Agile is best suited where there is a higher chance of frequent requirement changes.

• The very high degree of customer involvement, while great for the project, may present problems for some customers who simply may not have the time

• In both versions, documentation is crucial

Just for fun

Questions

Resources

Traditional Project Management

• PMI.org• Project-management.com• PMBOK Guide• Herdingcats.typepad.com• The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A

Leadership Fable – Patrick M Lencioni• Project Management Lite: Just

Enough to Get the Job Done…Nothing More – Juana Clark Craig

• The Lazy Project Manager – Podcast

Agile Projects - Scrum

• Agilemanifesto.org• Scrumguides.org• Scrum.org• Scrumalliance.org• Scrum Mastery by Geoff Watts• Power of Scrum by Jeff Sutherland• Scrum Pocket Guide by Gunther

Verheyen• Agile Product Management with

SCRUM---Creating products that customers love--Roman Pichler