PRJ566 Project Planning and Management

Lecture - Project Initiation Document: Constraints, Legal, Moral and Ethical Issues, Risk Management

Constraints

Limitations Example: working with a client’s hardware

and software

Moral/Ethical Issues

Does your software Discriminate against any group? Allow/encourage any ethically

questionable behaviour? Handle private data?

Examples Persons under the age of 18 are not

allowed to purchase certain items Legal obligations re handling of private

data Who owns the software?

Legal Issues

Risks

Risk=an uncertainty that can have a negative impact on meeting project objectives

Manage risks throughout the project—ALL PHASES!

Anticipate/avoid problems Minimize surprises

Risk Assessment & Planning

Identifies key risks For each risk:

Explains how you are going to respond to each risk: mitigate (minimize), accept (and manage!), eliminate or transfer

Sources of Risk

Market Finance Technology People Structure/Processes

Risk-Rich EnvironmentsPoor or unstructured processesPoor estimators; poor planners in terms of timeEstimating $ errors; poor or lacking $$ analysis;

strapped for $$ while undertaking projects with questionable payback

Poor project selection criteria “First time” (inexperience)Poor attitude towards qualityPoor conflict management; poor definition of

responsibilities; poor leadershipNo attention to risksLow morale …and so on…

Identifying Risks

Known Risks Unknown Risks

“standard” (e.g. illness) “unknown” knowns

Identifying Risks: “red flags”

Lack of user involvement Lack of management support Poor definition of Scope Lack of proper planning Unrealistic expectations

Identifying Risks: “red flags”

Too much new technology Lack of required skills Poor communication Poor estimating Poor project management

No Risk Response Planning

Risk Response Planning

Avoidance/Elimination Acceptance Transference (e.g. insurance, 3rd party

guarantees, etc.) Mitigation (reduction)

“Risk Register” ExampleRisk Response2 of 4 team members don’t know the required programming language

Mitigate—send developers on training program and assign each a development partner to oversee work.

If our small business software causes any problems due to bugs that we have not uncovered, or misuse, we might get sued.

Transfer to 3rd party—purchase liability insurance. Add liability limitation claims to software.

The technology we’re planning to use is really leading edge; we would be the first (we want to wow our customers!)

Eliminate. We can’t afford the investment unless it works. Go with the older, proven technology.

Our competitors are developing similar products. They might finish first.

Accept. Our suite of products needs this product. We need it to stay in business.