systems analysis project management

							Introduction to
Tech Communication &
Project Management


                         Arthur C.M. Chen
                  617 253-7312, Rm 38-460
                    acmchen@alum.mit.edu
                 Motivation

• Technical Leadership
  – “Guiding head of a technical group”
• Two essential tools
  – Communicate to customer and to your team
  – Organize, plan and manage the technical project


 Introduction:
 • Simple advice on presentation
 • Introduction to project management
         Think Before You Present

• Who are your audience, why are they
  listening?

• What is one or two messages you want to
  leave with your audience?
  – What is the message for each slide
          Communicate the Essence

• Who & where
  – Technology and research group of interest
  – Specific Professor or research staff
• What
  – Specific thesis project idea – some details
• Why
  – Personal interest, Future opportunities, Financial support
• When
  – Progress and plan – this term and beyond

                  News story outline
         Why Project Management

• Diverse career opportunities
  – Leadership role
• Most future activities are team and/or multi-
  organization oriented
  – How to help teams to work together
  – Startup business plans
• MEng Thesis Project
  – Good learning vehicle
                        Project

• Project: “an organized undertaking”
  –   Master of Engineering Thesis Project
  –   Finding a job
  –   Building a porch
  –   Buying a house
  –   …
  –   Design and manufacture a car (Large Program)
  –   Put a man on the moon (Huge Program)


        Project management: a discipline
                “Art and Science”
        Project Management Objective

• Achieve the project goal
    – Do a great thesis – on time
•   Keep customers (e.g., Professors) happy
•   Keep the team focus on the goal
•   Make sure that team members work well
•   Everyone shares the load
•   …



    Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers
  Concerns about Project Management

• My work is research so that I can’t plan it
• How can I commit to a schedule if I don’t know
  how it will work out
• I don’t have time to plan – got to get it done

• Project plan is a map and a guide
   - No map, most likely to get lost
   - Plan: understand risks and trade-offs
   - Basis for systematic plan modification
   - Mechanism for efficient communications
                     Framework: Project Cycle

Thesis ideas         Thesis Proposal                             Thesis Completed



   Concept
                       System Design
                       (Architecture)
• Tech. Foundation                         Detailed design/
• Capabilities
                                           Implementation
• Goal

                     • Systems analysis/
                                                                     Demo/test/
                     Synthesis                                       Documentation
                     • Project planning    • Project tracking
                     • Thesis proposal     • Plan modification
                                           • Communicate
                                                                  • Thesis submission
      Product Development Lifecycle

                          • Product Spec.
                          • Marketing
                          • Manufacturing


Prototype

                                                     • New Spec.
                                                     • Marketing
            New Product                              • New Technology




                                        Product II
Similar Framework
    Project Management Process

• Planning
  – Project Definition, Scope, Buy-ins
• Mechanics of putting together a plan
  – Tools: Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
  – GANTT, PERT, etc. charts - computerized
• Tracking plan progress
  – Communicate and follow-up
• Complete project
  – Managing and control
            Project Management
                  Project Management


  Project Planning             Execution Management
  • Define objective           • Get objective signed-off
  • Define work/tasks          • Track plan progress
  • Identify resources         • Communicate within team
  • Plan schedule              • Customer communications
  • Iterate                    • Secure resources
  • Plan modification          • Project discipline

     Technical                         People


Scope, Resources, Schedule & Customers
                   How to Get Started

• Start with the essence of what you are trying to do
• Draw a block diagram of your system
   – “Architecture”
• Do a high level flow chart of your software
   – Identify modules
• Postulate the end result of your prototype
   – User interface, typical use scenarios
• List all possible tasks that needed to be done
   – Organize tasks
• Do some or all of above
              Mechanism of Planning
• Define project objective
• Define work breakdown structure (WBS)
    – Identify tasks and subtasks -- deliverables
    – Lowest element – stand alone work package
•   Identify tasks relationship
•   Identify possible risks
•   Estimate work packages (people, time, etc.)
•   Create initial schedule
•   Iterate plan
•   Document
            Ex: WBS - Buy A House
       `                BUY A HOUSE


                                             FIND
       LOCATION         FINANCING
                                             HOUSE


                        - Determine          - Type of
   1   - Criteria   3                   6
                        affordability        House


                        - Determine          - Find Real
       - Visit
   2                4   mortgage        7    Estate
       Locations
                        provider             Agent

                        - Lockup
                                             - Look for
                    5   mortgage        8
                                             House
                        commitment

                                             - Make
                                        9    Offer, P&S
                                             Agreem't


                                        10   - Closing



Top Down Decomposition, Elemental Tasks
                       Network Diagrams

TASK               PREDECESSOR                        5
1-criteria              3                         4
                                          3
2-visit loc.            1
                                      1
3-affordability
4-mortgage co           3                     6
5-mortg lock            4         2               7
6-type of hse           1                             8
7-real est agent       2, 6                                 9
                                                                10
8-look for hse          7
9-offer, P&S           5, 8
10-closing              9




        Scheduling Techniques
        • PERT – Program Evaluation and Review techniques
        • CPM – Critical Path Method
    Buy a House




Simple Gantt Chart View
                         Possible Application

Thesis ideas         Thesis Proposal
                                  (May 10)   • Understand the scope
   Concept                                     of your goal
                      System Design          • Define your objective
                      (Architecture)
• Tech. Foundation                           • Define tasks and work
• Capabilities
• Goal                                         breakdown structure
                • Systems analysis/          • Develop project plan
                Synthesis
                • Project planning           • Review plan, iterate
                • Thesis proposal
                                             • Document –> thesis
                                               proposal
       Some Estimation Considerations

•   Completeness in definition of tasks and interfaces
•   Time for meetings and communications
•   The range of abilities of team members
•   Experience with similar job/ tasks
•   Learning time for new equipment or software
•   Availability of special facilities


• Earlier identification of unknowns or risks
• A priori calculations –concerns but may not be a
  show stopper (especially in R&D)
                   Closing Summary
• Project Management – Lead an endeavor
• Planning is a map, a guide, especially for a team
   – Relatively simple and helpful techniques
• Management is mostly about people
   – Goal, discipline, communicate
• Risks are inevitable, planning helps to avoid
  stupid ones
• Experience counts
   – Assessing the scope of work, timing, risks


          Risks are Essential in Achievements
            Luck is an Element of Success
               Historical Perspective
                  Phases             Use                  Methods
1960-1970     Traditional Project Construction,        Technology and
              Management          Aerospace,           schedule driven
                                  Defense
1970-1985     Focused Project     High tech            Software
              Management          businesses, multi-   engineering,
                                  discipline           matrix
                                  developments         management
1985-1993     Renaissance of      All organizations, Total quality
              Project             developing formal management,
              Management          methods            concurrent
                                                     engineering
1993- present Modern Project      Accept by top        System
              Management          management,          engineering,
                                  Recognize as a       change and risk
                                  discipline           management