q pmt 02 initiation and feasibility

Prepared by: PDK First Prepared on: 01-02-2010 Last Modified on: 30-07-2010Quality checked by:

Copyright 2010 Asia Pacific UCTI

Project Initiation and Feasibility

M.Sc. in Computing, Engineering and Technology

Quality and Project Management for TechnologyCE00783-M

Quality and Project Management for Technology


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Topic & Structure of the lesson

The Project initiation and Feasibility



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Learning Outcomes

At the end of this module, YOU should be able to:

• Explain the process involved in Project Initiation

• Explain the process involved in project feasibility

• Explain and produce boundaries and scope to a project



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Key Terms you must be able to use

If you have mastered this topic, you should be able to use the following terms correctly in your assignments and exams:

• Key Term 1 – Project Initiation

• Key Term 2 - Project Feasibility



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Main Teaching Points

• Project Initiation

• Project Feasibility

• Project Justification

• Plan & Design

• Setting boundaries and scope



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Project Initiation

Activities during project initiation

Definition

Feasibility

Justification

Plan & Design



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Project Definition

• Definition of the project can range from• a one page definition form see Fig 2.2 • to a large document of 10 pages

• Many examples of standard forms • Create your own• Text books• Web

• It goes without saying that this is an important part of the project! Why?

• What are your personal experiences?



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Project Feasibility

• Before proceeding with the project we MUST decide whether • It is possible• The benefits outweigh the costs for the

organisation• Business Issues

• Cost saving• Strategic advantage • New or improved services• New legislation, • Simply to resolve an existing problem



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Project Feasibility

• Technical Issues• Hardware architecture and compatibility• Software availability and compatibility• Increase volumes

• Time• Is the project deadline feasible?• What factors may influence the project length

• We can select projects this way – • we will look more into how we can measure

benefit later this afternoon



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Project Feasibility Report

• The report is very worthwhile• Forces the author to think in a structured way• Reduces fuzziness of project• Reduces argument over what is in the project

and what is not

• Many different formats for reports



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Project Feasibility Report

• Should include these major headings• Executive summary• Decision Criteria• Source and reliability of data• Alternatives considered• Comparison of alternatives• Conclusions• Recommendations



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Project Justification

• Benefits or savings

• Legal necessity

• Technical necessity

• Competitive advantage

• Political reasons



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Plan and Design

• Plan and design follows:

• The feasibility study, when

• Project approval is received



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Plan and Design

• Includes:1. Boundaries & scope2. Identify standards, methods, & techniques3. Identify technical environment4. Identify tasks to be performed5. Determine skill required6. Estimate effort & duration7. Allocate resource to tasks8. Plan dependencies9. Seek approval & revise



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Setting the Boundaries and Scope

• Context Diagrams – • A high-level Data Flow Diagram (DFD) it shows:

• the project as a single process box and • defines the project boundary

• Outside the process box are external entities which will interact with the system

• Useful diagrammatic technique for identifying the scope of the project



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• Between the entities and the process box are nodes representing collections of data involved in the communication

• The medium can be given a key letter e.g. H for hardcopy. You can make these up yourselves

• Arrows indicate the flow of information

• A scope boundary can be drawn which indicates nodes which are within the system or outside the system

Setting the Boundaries and Scope



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Scope – Product Breakdown Model

• Very useful technique - visualisation• What is it? –

• A straightforward hierarchical chart • Indicates the products that the project will

deliver• It illustrates the “deliverables”

• Overall, and as• Individual items



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Scope – Technical Environment

• Various levels of model - depends on the project • Carry out an inventory of:

• what the customer has at present, and • what the customer might need for the project



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Scope of the Project

• Do I use the context diagram technique?• Sometimes, usually when I am following a

SSADM methodology• Do I use the PBM technique?

• Yes• Do I use the TEM technique?

• Yes• Other types high level diagram that illustrate the

scope • Use Case diagrams



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Tips for Project Initiation

• Based on our experience I would advise:• Make sure you feel comfortable about the scope

of the project - if you have the slightest doubt DO NOT continue until resolved

• Set the expectation level - make sure everyone agrees what we are trying to do - as the Americans would say - we are all on the same page

• If the expectation is unrealistic - say so NOW - not later



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Tips

• Be SMART!• Specific - don’t be vague with project objectives• Measurable - expect to measure project

achievements• Agreed - commitment • Realistic• Timed - without pressure nothing gets done!

Pressure is what projects are all about!



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Success and Failure

• Successful project - an order entry system for a brass valve company using Access 97. • Scope understood and expectation level right

• Failure project - an estimating add-on for an accounting package for a well known telecoms multinational • Agreed in principle what the project was to do

but the scope was “fuzzy”



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Q & A

Question and Answer Session



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Next Session : Project Selection

TerminateTerminate

DetermineFeasibility

Per Phase

SDLCSpecifies

Until All TasksAre Complete

Plan

Report

Review

Plan NextPhase

Estimate

Initiate

Execute Tasks

Check Quality

Collect Results

Assess Progress

ScheduleObtain

Resources

Estimate

q pmt 02 initiation and feasibility

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project lengthwe

project definitiondefinition

project feasibilitybefore

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project initiation key