Plan the Project Flashcards
Project mgmt plans for predictive enable PMs to…
- Execute
- Monitor
- Control
- Close
Project documents
Project documents are not components of the project management
plan; however, they are necessary to manage the project effectively.
Rolling wave planning
A form of progressive elaboration
applied to work packages, planning
packages and release planning
Used in adaptive or predictive
approaches
Product roadmap
Envisions and plans the “big picture”
- Displays product strategy and direction and the value to be delivered
- Leads with the overarching product
vision and uses progressive elaboration to refine vision - Uses themes (goals) to provide structure and associations
- Provides short-term and long-term
visualization
Milestone
- Markers for big events
- Triggers for reporting requirements or approvals
- Created by project manager, customers or both
Milestone list
All milestones & which are mandatory vs optional
Requirements mgmt plan
Plan to ensure all requirements are captured, analyzed, managed and addressed by the project plan
How will you identify requirements
How will you prioritize the requirements
Who is responsible
Who establishes traceability
How will the requirements be managed
Product owner & team role Scope planning for agile
Product owner
- created release backlog
- explains prioritized user stories in detail to team
Team
- estimates effort
- puts stories into iteration backlog
Functional vs non-functional product requirements
Functional - features
Non-functional - supplemental conditions that make product effective (ex: speed, security, etc.)
Requirements documentation
Description of how individual requirements meet the business needs of the project
Requirements traceability matrix
product requirements only. A grid that links product requirements from their origin to the deliverables that satisfy them
Techniques for requirements prioritization
MoSCoW analysis
Kano model
Paired comparison analysis
100 points
MoSCoW
Requirements prioritization model
Must have
Should have
Could have
Won’t have (for now)
Kano model
Requirements prioritization model
Categorize into groups:
- Delighters (high value features)
- Satisfiers (some value features)
- Dissastifiers (features taht if NOT included, would cause the user to dislike the product)
- Indifferent (no impact)
Paired comparison
requirements prioritization model
rank alternatives against each other; good for small groups of requirements
100 points method
requirements prioritization model
a group of people each get to allocate 100 points across all requirements to see which the group prioritizes
Mind mapping
Consolidate ideas
created through individual brainstorming sessions into a single map to reflect commonality and differences in understanding and to generate new ideas
Useful for scope planning/requireemnts gathering
Affinity diagram
Allows large numbers of ideas to be classified for review and analysis
Useful for scope planning/requireemnts gathering
Prototyping
An evaluation and experimentation tool that allows for early feedback to further develop a list of requirements
Project scope statement
Includes:
- scope description
- acceptance criteria
- required deliverables
- out of scope items for clarification
- constraints/assumptions
WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)
Decompose high level work into low level components
Assign an identification system
Review decomposition of work packages and ensure they align with requirements
100% rule - everything in, nothing excluded
Project > Deliverables > Work package
WBS Dictionary
The details on the work packages - includes deliverable, activity, scheduling
Scope baseline
Approved version of the scope statement, WBS, and WBS dictionary
Release planning vs iteration planning
During release planning (or agile release planning), decide:
* Number of iterations or sprints needed
* Features contained in the iteration
* Goal dates of each release
During iteration planning (or sprint planning):
* Prioritize
* Agree on effort
Backlogs
Agile lists of user stories
Product backlog > Release backlog > Sprint backlog
Story map
A story map organizes user stories into functional groups and within a narrative flow (“the big picture”) of the product roadmap.
* Helpful for discovering, envisioning and prioritizing the product and a way ahead!
Epics, Features, Stories
EPICs > a major deliverable
Features > Capabilities
Stories > Short description of required functionality
User story
As a (role), I want (goal), so that (benefit)
Format allows teams to focus on the value
Schedule mgmt plan
- Describes how activites will be defined
- Identifies method & tool used
- Determines format
- Defines maintenance process
Project mgr role in predictive schedule planning
- Break down work package to required activities
- Determine dependencies
- Estimate duration
- Determine critical path
- Resolution for resource overallocations
- Compression of schedule if needed
Work package > Activities List > Activities (Use verbs to build schedule)
Types of schedule dependencies
Mandatory/hard - contractually required; must schedule
Discretionary - Established because of best practice; can reorder if needed
External - Required outside of team’s work; limited control
Internal - Can/should be completed by the team; have control
Types of precedence relationships
Finish > Start (most common)
Start > Start
Finish > Finish
Start > Finish (very rare)
Duration vs. Effort vs. Elapsed Time
Duration - work periods required to complete an activity
Effort - labor unites required to complete an activity
Elapsed time - actual time
Ex: 1 painter takes 10 days (effort)
2 painters take 5 days (duration)
Elapsed time = 7 days incl weekends
Predictive Estimating techniques
Analogous
Parametric
Bottom-Up
Three-point
Analogous
A type of estimating technique
Uses historical data to estimate a project duration or cost (ex: top down estimating)
Less costly and time consuming; may be inaccurate
Parametric
A type of estimating technique
Uses an algorithm to calculate duration/cost (math)
Higher level of accuracy, doesn’t account for a learning curve
Bottom-up
Estimates the lowest level components and aggregates
most accurate and most time consuming
Three-point
Uses most likely, pessimistic and optimistic estimates to define a range
May improve accuacy, requires detailed information and expert knowledge
Triangular method
E = (O + M + P)/3
BETA (PERT) average - weighted method (weights the most likely outcome the highest)
E = (O + 4M + P)/6
Critical path
Critical path activities are those in the schedule that take the longest to complete; They are the shortest possible project duration
Schedule presentation formats
Roadmap
Gantt chart
Milestone chart
Project schedule network diagram
Smoothing
A type of resource optimization
Adjust activities within resource limits and float times but does not change critical path or delay the completion date
Leveling
A type of resource optimization
Adjusts start and finish dates based on resource contraints; can change the critical path
Schedule compression techniques
Fast-tracking - move items from a sequence to overlap
Crashing - shortens duration by adding resources/cost (ex: overtime, more people) - only works on critical path
On Demand vs Time boxed scheduling approaches for Adaptive
On demand (kanban) - team pulls work from the queue
Time boxed/iterative - specific work interval
Agile Methods for estimating effort
Relative sizing - tshirt
Story points - fibonacci sequence
Planning poker - uses deck of fibonacci numbers
Velocity
Average # of story points per sprint
Can change over time
DoR and DoD
DoR - definition of ready
- what needs to be in place to begin work; use DoR check lists
DoD - definition of done
- describes the goal or desired state (similar to acceptance criteria)
RACI
responsibility assignment matrix (RAM) or RACI chart to designate types of responsibilities and keep information visible
Responsible - performs work to complete task
Accountable - delegates/reviews work
Consult - input/feedback
Inform - informed on progress, don’t need details
Procurement
Procurement is the process of purchasing goods or services, usually in reference to business spending.
Bid documents
- Request for information (RFI)
- Request for proposal (RFP)
- Request for quotation (RFQ)
Bidder conference
Method of solidifying bids from vendors
Useful to ensure all prospective vendors have a clear and common understanding of the procurement
Good for highly regulated industries
Cost reimburseable contracts
Contacts that involve payment for costs incurred a fee (seller profit)
Cost plus fixed fee (CPFF)
Cost plus incentive fee (CPIF)
- predefined incentives
Cost plus award fee (CPAF)
- more subjective performance criteria
Fixed price
Firm fixed price (FFP)
- price wont change unless scope changes
Fixed price incentive fee (FPIF)
Fixed price with economic price adjustment (FPEPA)
- allows for provisions based on inflation, cost increases, etc.
Cost baseline
Used in predictive
Used to monitor and measure cost performance throughout the project and compare it with actual results
Includes budget contingencies
Can be changed only through formal change control procedures
Includes contingency reservces but EXCLUDES management reservces
Predictive vs Agile budgeting
Predictive
- Begin w/ fixed budget and amend using change protocols
- Budgeting looks at labor, materials, equipment, facilities, services, IT, contingencies
Agile
- Incremental budgeting approaches
- Consider burn rate (number of team members, blended rate of team, time of involvement)
- Lightweight estimation methods
Risk
An uncertain event or condition that can have a positive (opportunities) or negative (threats) impact on the project
Indicated by a trigger condition
RBS - risk breakdown system
Risk breakdown system
A grouping of project risks that organizes and defines the total risk exposure of the project. Each descending level represents an increasingly detailed definition of sources of risk to the project
Qualitative & Quantitative risk assessment
Qualitative first, THEN quantitative
Qualitative assessment includes probability and impact
Quantitative assessment is conducted if further support is required - this includes assessing money & time (not all risks need quantitative assessment)
Risk register
List of risks, impact, trigger condition, owner, etc.
method of qualitative assessment
Decision tree analysis
Type of quantitative risk assessment method
Branches represent decisions or events with associates costs/risks
End points of branches represent the outcome (negative or positive)
Influence diagrams
Type of risk assessment method
A helpful diagramming technique using a chart, diagram, or other display of information
Helps understand uncertainties and the relationships between different factors
Expected Monetary Value (EMV)
Risk quantification begins with attempting to calculate the “expected monetary value (EMV)” of a risk. Multiply the “risk event probability” by the “risk event impact” to calculate “expected monetary value.”
Contingency plan
Plan ready to implement if a risk occurs
Fallback plan
Plan ready to implement if the primary risk respone plan fails
Trigger condition
Signals a risk could occur
Residual risk
Remains after risk response have been implemented
Secondary risk
Can arise as a direct response of the risk response implementation
Contingency reserve
Money and time in the cost and schedule baselines which are allocated for identified risks and their response strategies
Quality vs Grade
Quality - degree to which something fulfills requirements
Grade - Distinguish something with the same functional use but with different technical characteristics (ex: bells & whistles)
Ex: Toyota is good quality, so is Lexus - Lexus is higher grade
Cost of Quality (CoQ)
Cost of conformance
- prevention costs (training, documenting, equipment, time to do things right)
- appraisal (testing & inspections)
Const of nonconformance
- internal failure costs (rework, scrap)
- external failure costs (liabilities, warranty, lost business)
Standards
Quality standards
- documents established as a model by an authority (ex: dictionary)
Quality Regulations
Quality regulations
- requirements that can establih product, process, or service characteristics, including government compliance (ex: language rules)
De facto standards or regulation
Quality - widely accepted and adopted throuogh use (ex: jargon, slang)
De jure standards or regulation
Mandated by law or approved by experts (ex: word enters dictionary and becomes a defined word)
Quality methods for continuous improvement (CI)
Sig sigma DMAIC
Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control
Kaizen
- change for better/improve
PDCA
- Plan, Do, Check, Act
Agile (scrum, kanban)
Fast tracking
Fast-tracking - move items from a sequence to overlap
Schedule compression technique
Crashing
Crashing - shortens duration by adding resources/cost (ex: overtime, more people) - only works on critical path
Schedule compression technique
Project budget
Cost baseline (includes work packages + contingency reserves) + mgmt reserve
Cost of compliance
Prevention
Appraisal
Cost of non compliance
Internal failure (waste, scrap, rework)
External failure (warrant, repairs, returns, complaints)
Hawthorne effect
Act of measuring something influences behavior
5 strategies for dealing with threats
Avoid - eliminate the threat
Escalate - appropriate when response exceeds project managers authority
Transfer - shift to a third party
Mitigate - early action to reduce the probability or impact, often more effective than repair after
Accept - no proactive plan
OSCAR model
A coaching and mentoring model with 5 contributing factors for supporting individuals who have an action plan for personal development
Outcome - desired long term
Situation - current
Choices/consequences - how you could get there
Actions - commitments
Review
Pink intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation matters to a point (ex: salary)
Then intrinsic:
Autonomy
Mastery
Purpose
Wideband Delphi
Estimating where estimating is done individually and then explained to the group and repeated until consensus is achieved
Wideband has those that did the highs and lows explain their rationale
Time and materials contract
Time & materials (T&M)
- useful for staff agumentation
Project budget
cost baseline + management reserves
Contingency reserves vs. Mgmt reserves
Contingency reserves are identified risks
Mgmt reserves are for unidentified risks
Schedule performance index
Shows how you are progressing against your scheduled baseline
Less than 1 is bad, greater than 1 is good
Cost performance index
Shows how you are progressing against baseline cost
Less than 1 is bad (over budget), greater than 1 is good (under budget)
Verified deliverable process
Communications formula/stakeholder comm channel calculation
Used to identify the potential number of communication channels in a project
N(N-1)/2
Ex: 21 stakeholders = (21(21-1)/2 = 210
Types of opportunity reaponses
Exploit - ensure opportunity is realized and benefit is captured
enhance - increase the impact of the opportunity (early is better)
accept - acknowledge existing, no further action
Share - transfer to a third party
Escalate - Opportunity is outside of scope, mgmt is notified
When is fixed price contract suitable
Suitable when the type of work is predictable and the requirements are well defined and not likely to change
When is cost reimbursable contract suitable
When the work is evolving, likely to change, or not well defined
When is time & materials suitable
When the scope of work is not well defined and the contract duration is not fixed
How to manage stakeholders from a power/interest grid
High power/high interest - manage closely
High power/low interest - keep satisfied
Low power/high interest - keep informed
Low power/low interest - monitor only
Crawford slip method
The Crawford Slip Method is a system aimed at handling a large amount of inputs from a large number of people. It is a way to interview a crowd. It employs the use of a looseleaf style of note taking that is, it uses information written on individual slips that can later be sorted and grouped easily.
Agile 4 key values
Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
Working software over comprehensive documentation
Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
Responding to change over following a plan
Iterative vs incremental
Iterative products get to market before incremental products, but incremental will be more complete when initially released
INVEST
User stories should be INVEST
Independent
Negotiabel
Valueable
Estimable
Small
Testable
3 C’s of User Tories
Card, Conversation, Confirmation
Keeps the purpose of the user story in perspective
3 Scrum Questions
What did you do yesterday?
What will you do today?
Are there any impediments in your way?
Daily scrum is for developers and should not be used to check progress
