Project Management- From 1970 onwards
Many project management software companies emerged including Artemis (1977), Oracle
(1977) and Scitor Corporation( 1979). The rapid evolution and progress of computer
technology resulted in the growth of some project management software businesses
such as Oracle (1977), Artemis (1977), and Scitor Corporation (1979). Oracle offers a
comprehensive and fully integrated stack of cloud applications and platform services.
Artemis is the brand name of a family of software based project planning and
management tools.
The modern history of project management software really took off in the Eighties
and Nineties, when the information management sectors grew in leaps and bounds,
especially with the advent of the personal computer and networking facilities. This
growth resulted in low-cost PCs that can do multi-tasking and efficiently managing
complex project schedules. This allowed for the growth of project management
techniques as well as software programs.
1986: The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a methodology used to develop and
refine an organization's software development process. The model describes a five-
level evolutionary path of increasingly organized and systematically more mature
processes. CMM was developed and is promoted by the Software Engineering Institute
(SEI), a research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Defense (DoD). SEI was founded in 1984 to address software engineering issues and,
in a broad sense, to advance software engineering methodologies. More specifically,
SEI was established to optimize the process of developing, acquiring, and maintaining
heavily software-reliant systems for the DoD. Because the processes involved are
equally applicable to the software industry as a whole, SEI advocates industry-wide
adoption of the CMM. The CMM is similar to ISO 9001, one of the ISO 9000 series of
standards specified by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The ISO
9000 standards specify an effective quality system for manufacturing and service
industries; ISO 9001 deals specifically with software development and maintenance.
The main difference between the two systems lies in their respective purposes: ISO
9001 specifies a minimal acceptable quality level for software processes, while the
CMM establishes a framework for continuous process improvement and is more explicit
than the ISO standard in defining the means to be employed to that end. CMM's Five
Maturity Levels of Software Processes
At the initial level, processes are disorganized, even chaotic. Success is likely to
depend on individual efforts, and is not considered to be repeatable, because processes
would not be sufficiently defined and documented to allow them to be replicated.
At the repeatable level, basic project management techniques are established, and
successes could be repeated, because the requisite processes would have been made
established, defined, and documented.
At the defined level, an organization has developed its own standard software process
through greater attention to documentation, standardization, and integration.
At the managed level, an organization monitors and controls its own processes through
data collection and analysis.
At the optimizing level, processes are constantly being improved through monitoring
feedback from current processes and introducing innovative processes to better serve
the organization's particular needs.
1988: “Earned value management approach”: combining measurements of
scope,schedule and cost is integrated into project management. Earned value
management (EVM), or earned value project/performance management (EVPM) is
a project management technique for measuring project performance and progress in an
objective manner. It is a systematic project management process used to find
variances in projects based on the comparison of worked performed and work planned.
EVM is used on the cost and schedule control and can be very useful in project
forecasting. According to the NASA Headquarters Library, the first version of Earned Value
Management (EVM) was developed by the Defence Department (DoD) to track its programmes
during the sixties. Since 2005, EVM has been a part of general federal project risk management.
Today EVM is a mandatory requirement of the US government. The Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) promotes use of EVM as a preferred performance-based management system to
manage software projects. EVM is also used in the private sector by companies in a variety of
industries, consulting firms and educational establishments.
Some of the most well known organisations practicing EVM are:
NASA
Project Management Institute (PMI)
Society of Cost Estimating and Analysis
Defence Acquisition University
Federal Acquisition Institute
Acquisition Management (UK)
1996: Prince2: PRINCE2 is the world's most widely-adopted project management
method. It is used by people and organizations in a range of different industries.
The Benefits of PRINCE2
A practical step-by-step guide to successfully manage any project
A flexible method that can be tailored to any organization or role involved in managing
projects
An accessible and globally-recognized certification which adds value to your CV.
The 7 PRINCE2 process are:
Starting Up a Project (SU)
Initiating a Project (IP)
Directing a Project (DP)
Controlling a Stage CS)
Managing Product Delivery (MP)
Managing a Stage Boundary (SB)
Closing a Project (CP)
he Starting Up a Project Process
Main article: Starting Up a Project
This is the responsibility of both the Project Manager and the Executive. This is the very first
process and is, in fact, known as the Pre-Project process, referring to the fact that it occurs
before the project starts, as the project does not start until the Initiation Stage begins. In this
process, the reasons for the project are established, the project management team is assigned,
and a Stage Plan is created to run the Initiation Stage.
The Initiating a Project Process
Main article: Initiating a Project
The Initiating a Project process is the process that defines the Project Product, product
quality, project timeline and costs, risk analysis, and commitment of resources, and
assembles the PID (Project Initiation Documentation). This is also the process where
the Project Plan is created and the Business Case for the project is finalized. All of this
information is assembled into the Project Initiation Documentation.
The Controlling a Stage Process
Main article: Controlling a Project
The Controlling a Stage process is where the Project Manager does most of his work.
The Project Manager watches over the work, takes corrective action, observes changes,
and communicates with stakeholders, which includes reporting. Each action can be
repeated many times by the Project Manager until the stage is complete. The project is
divided into stages for management and control efficiency. The Controlling a Stage
process monitors each stage and is repeated for each stage in the project.
The Managing Product Delivery Process
Main article: Managing Product Delivery
Managing Product Delivery is the process where the planned products are created
and it comes under the responsibility of the Team Manager. It is where the Work
Packages are executed, the products get created, and work gets done. The Team
Manager receives the Work Packages (which are a list of tasks) from the Project
Manager, and delivers the completed and tested Work Packages back to the Project
Manager.
The Managing a Stage Boundary Process
Main article: Managing a Stage Boundary
The Managing a Stage Boundary process has two main functions: (1) reporting
on the performance of the existing stage and (2) planning the next stage.
Therefore, the Project Board can check on how well the stage has done against
the Stage Plan. In other words, this process evaluates the stage and prepares
the plan for the next stage. The End Stage Report and Next Stage Plan are
submitted to the Project Board.
The Closing a Project Process
Main article: Closing a Project
The Closing a Project process covers the work of wrapping up the project
and this process is the last part of the last stage. PRINCE2 suggests a
number of activities to be done to prepare the project for closure, such
as End Project Report, Lessons Learned Report and Acceptance Record.
The output of this process will be the basis for the Project Board’s
confirmation for closure, as the project is closed by the Project Board in
the Directing a Project process and not by the Project Manager.
Cloud computing:The truly portable office is not only possible, but is quickly becoming the norm
for many businesses. Handheld devices were a big step toward the reality of working anywhere,
and now cloud computing has removed the final barrier. With project management
software hosted in the cloud, you can have everything you need at your fingertips, anywhere
you happen to be. Project management software coordinates and automates many of the more
tedious functions of managing projects. Most of these software programs include graphs
and Gantt chart generation, task assignment, time sheets and milestones. More advanced
versions can also regulate resources, monitor budgets, track expenses and calculate costs. this
method of working involves using programs and storing data through an internet connection.
Cloud software is hosted by the provider on remote servers, rather than being physically
installed on a company's machines. Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox and your Amazon Kindle
digital library are examples of cloud storage.
Saas Project Management refers to the delivery of project management
software on demand, in a cloud computing environment. Saas is a very
appropriate model for the delivery of project management software,
since virtually every type of business needs the ability to effectively
manage projects. Saas Project Management applications provide a
comprehensive tool set for managing projects from start to finish;
including (but not limited to): bug tracking and ticketing, change
management, online chat and virtual meeting rooms, contact
management tools, cost and budget tracking, dashboards and custom
reporting, custom templates, document sharing & collaboration tools,
invoicing, online expense tracking functionality, online timesheets,
project scheduling, resource management, task management and
workflow management capabilities. Also known as on-demand software,
hosted software or web-based software, SaaS eschews traditional software
installation, maintenance and management approaches in favor of delivering
cloud-based applications via the internet. With SaaS, service provider
partners shoulder the burdens of security, availability and performance.
Organizations of all shapes and sizes are embracing the SaaS philosophy as
an alternative to on-premises hardware and software deployment. IT
management metrics provider Computer Economics reports that 60 percent of
all companies now have integrated at least some SaaS solutions into their
business, with 36 percent intending to increase their investment in the months
ahead.
Software as a service (SaaS), sometimes called “on-demand software”, allows software to be
licensed and delivered electronically to your business computers from a convenient, centrally
hosted cloud network. SaaS project management software streamlines your business by
providing comprehensive tools designed to efficiently manage projects throughout its various
stages. SaaS project software covers a wide range of effective tools that will improve the daily
functionality of your business. SaaS project management software tracks, monitors and
manages various changes, and facilitates live chat and virtual conference rooms, cost and
budget analysis, bug tracking, task management capabilities and custom reporting and
templates.
Total Cost Management (TCM) is a systematic and structured approach to understand
the costs of an organization, with the aim of providing a holistic framework to control, reduce
and eliminatecosts. Cost management is a philosophy, an attitude, and a set of techniques to
create more value at lower cost. Some of the important tools and techniques of Total
Cost Management are as follows:-
- Activity Based Costing
- Activity Based Management
- Target Costing
Just as in Agile Software Development, an Agile project is completed in small
sections. These sections are called iterations. In Agile Software Development,
for instance, an iteration refers to a single development cycle. Each section or
iteration is reviewed and critiqued by the project team, which should include
representatives of the project's various stakeholders. Insights gained from the
critique of an iteration are used to determine what the next step should be in
the project.
