Project Management Development and Acquisition

Project Management Development and Acquisition



Project Management Development and Acquisition

Introduction

Project management processes are organized into five process groups. Each process group either interacts with the other process groups within a system development phase or across phases. These process groups are known as initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing. As depicted in Figure 1.9, IPMC Project Management Framework, these processes may be repeated during any of the steps of the life cycle. For example, repeating the planning process during each phase helps to keep the project focused on the business need and cost, schedule, and performance objectives. The project management processes are not discrete, one-time events; they are overlapping activities that occur at varying levels of intensity throughout each phase of the project.

Analysis

The application of project management is an iterative process. For example, within the Planning Phase, several iterations of planning may occur as the team develops the optimal product solution for a customer. Identified solutions may require refinements to the schedule, the cost estimates, the quality requirements and/or the risk planning. As changes occur, the impact to other areas must be determined. Over time, the iterations should become smaller in magnitude and more defined as more detailed information is developed (Hickson et al, 2003).

After the initial Planning Phase has been completed, feedback from the Execution Phase (identified through the Controlling Phase) may results in adjustments to the project plan. Adjustments due to feedback typify the project management process. Project Management is a dynamic effort and requires a continual process of evaluation. Evaluation activities, such as oversight, quality control, and executive review are ongoing activities and affect every phase of the project (Grover et al, 2002).

System Development Life Cycle

The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) identifies the processes and tasks and their order that must be completed to produce and maintain a system throughout its life cycle. Your organizational SDLC is designed to produce systems in an evolutionary or incremental manner and not in a “big bang” or “all at once” manner. PMs should develop systems one increment at a time and one project at a time. Each increment—managed as a project—represents some but not all of the system's target capability. As each increment builds on the previous, the system's target capability is realized. In this way risk is reduced and the systems initial (and often most critical) capability is delivered faster. In addition, PMs should manage changes or enhancements to operational or production systems as new projects (Cobb, 2003).

There are different approaches or methods to systems development such as waterfall, spiral, or iterative. These variations exist to address the various types of systems being developed and the approach an organization chooses to develop. The project manager works with the systems design and development subject matter experts to determine the appropriate development methodology to apply within the overarching IPMC Project Management Framework. For example, multiple software development iterations or “spirals” could take place within Step 3 (System Development and Testing) of the Framework (Franz and ...