Measuring Performance

What are the types of performance measures that could be used for assessing systems development projects?

There are many types of measures which can be used as assessments throughout the project's development life cycle. During the Initiation Phase, measuring a potential project's ability to meet organizational functions and business plans help to prioritize if that project should be developed.

In the Planning Phase, performance measures will be detailed in the Project Plan so that expectations are clearly defined. These measures will maintain the progress of the project and if they are meeting time constraints. Measures include deadlines for deliverables and status reports.

During the development phase, performance measures should play an important role in the project to control for risks and factors that could greatly affect the final product. Involving users and their feedback should be used as performance measures so that the designs of the system and its eventual implementation will be user-friendly and accepted. 

The Implementation Phase is the most difficult since the project moves from paper to production. The intense phase focuses on programmers, hardware, and software coming together. Performance measures should include all testing types for the code(s), the compatibility among new and existing hardware and software, and user's feedback as they test the new system.

Finally, the project close-down goes beyond the system to include the people who were involved in its development. A Lessons Learned document will provide performance measures from team members, and their insights can help with future projects in how to handle challenges or provide creative ideas.

Cultural Competance

How will the use of outsourcing impact the way in which a project is managed?
Our technology has greatly impacted not only in how businesses are able to make partnerships from around the globe, but has also had societal implications which are being made aware as countries and cultures are brought together. While technology crosses physical boundaries, there are still inherent perceptions, expectations, and experiences which challenge a project manager's ability to lead and manage a project.

The risks of leading diverse people who come from different backgrounds greatly increases a project's exposure to failure but it can't be avoided. Outsourcing can have significant financial benefits and obtain specific expert knowledge that may be critical to a system's function, and it means that the project manager has to understand the contextual change that comes with these benefits.

Cultural competance is a critical skill for a project manager to develop because it will help with team motivation, moral, and communication. Understanding how a norm for one culture might be aversely perceived in another affects relationships among the team members. As my professor states, "Technology doesn't fail; it is people who fail". If people fail to understand the impact of culture on a person's values and actions, then a project will fail.

Team Evaluation

During the progress review, how might the project manager asses the contribution of each member of the project team?
Assessing each member's contribution is important because people who take on extra responsibilities want to be noticed for their efforts. Although it may not be directly said, having some sort of recognition for their work makes people feel valued, and this goes back to job satisfaction. A project manager can use a variety of methods to asses a member's contribution but ince the question is about individual contributions, Peer Evalutions will help the project manager learn how team members interacted with each other during the project's life cycles.

The expectations people have when they work together are absolutely different than in informal settings. Peer evaluations will give inside knowledge as to how other members viewed the individual's committment to the project, prioritizing and organizational skills, collaborative efforts, and reliability. Since projects mean relying on others to achieve a single goal, developing trust and respect is important for meeting deadlines, budgets, and quality. While there should be other assessments used when evaluating an individual's contributions, peer reviews are often tell-tale signs of how that individual will positively or negatively affect future projects.

So Far ....

Status report:
The status for the CS250 project is currently on track! In all honesty, there were numerous variables that contributed to the project's delay. Time management and individual issues are things we've been struggling with, but the good communication among team members have kept the project on a positive note.

Currently, a definite schedule has been created and an agreed goal has been set up. All team members are excited and expecting to get this project completed in two weeks. We are confident in the quality of our project because of the faith we have in our team members' skills and from the collaborative environment we've developed. In two weeks, our media content will be edited and hosted on a secure site, along with support and training documents for the media's maintenance.

So far ... so good.

User-friendly

Why is user-centered development critical to successful systems development projects?
User-centered development is critical to projects because users are ultimately the ones who will decide if the system developed is successful. The usability of a system depends on if it is easy, efficient, and accurate. If a system isn't intuitive and easy-to-use, a user will get frustrated and lose interest in the system. No business wants to spend thousands or even millions of dollars on a project and have it fail because it is rejected by the user for its complexity. Whenever a project is being developed, it is critical to have user involvement throughout the process.

Efficiency and accuracy are also important components. Not only are these factors extremely important for business functions, but users also want systems to do tasks in a shorter amount of time and get the right information the first time. Approaching systems development centered on user requirements will give developers important knowledge of how users will use the system and what information they need to relay.

No matter how flashy or how 'cutting edge' a system has been created, it will not be successful is users don't accept it. In order to give users what they want, user-centered development is the method for creating user-friendly systems.

Accepting Change

What aspects of the workplace might motivate people's acceptance of change?

For many people, Change is a scary unknown. While no one can stop Change, there are many things which can help make the transitions easier. In the workplace, transparency is often conflicted with politics but having honest communications will motivate people to accept change. Even if the business culture focuses on a top-down approach, people are more willing to accept changes when they are informed as to why and how the changes will be made.

Also, a supportive atmosphere is needed in the workplace. Being able to discuss their negative and/or positive thoughts to each other will help people to accept changes because they will be able to sort through their feelings. Despite not agreeing to new regulations or procedures, a person's negativity can be reduced simply by being able to voice their opinions.

As part of this support system, managers who take the time to listen to their employees' concerns can greatly motivate people to accept change. People need to feel valued, and part of that can be expressed when a manager allows people to be honest and open without the worry of repercussions. Even if nothing comes out of the conversation, just having their concerns heard goes a long way in helping people deal with changes in the workplace. 

the IT Environment

How does the IT environment contribute to the success or lack of success in systems development processes?

The IT department is absolutely critical in the development of a system. IT handles all the necessary components of the technology (hardware, software, and programming) in order for a business to function. In regards to project management, IT is another aspect which needs attention during systems development. For them to make the right codes, they need to have a clear vision/understanding of what is required but this can be difficult because IT people are often very technical and may not agree with the users on what a system should include. This disconnect can contribute to delays or even dissatisfaction with the system.

However, IT can be a source for success because of their expertise. IT can make improvements to the user's suggestions and make the system more efficient or add values in ways which were not considered during the requirements gathering phase.

Great Speech

What makes a speech great?

I listened to Mary Fisher's speech at the 1992 Republican National Convention. The speech is titled, "Whisper of AIDS", and I feel that it is one of the most important speeches I have heard.

The 5 criteria I used to give it the status as "a great speech" are:  
Ability to generate emotional response
Paint pictures with words and phrases
Ability to connect to every level of the audience
Call for suitable action(s)
A positive message rather than criticism

Mary Fisher's speech brought awareness to America's tendency to isolate the AIDS epidemic to certain people. As a person out of the norm, her speech gave the struggle for AIDS a different perspective by insisting that it is a national issue, experienced by many people of various backgrounds. The words and phrases she used were absolutely loaded language but they were effective for the message that America needs to be compassionate and supportive to those afflicted with the disease. This is a great speech because I can still recall some of the emotions and thoughts from when I first heard it -- two years ago. Great speeches linger in the mind and make people reflect.

Politics

How often and in what ways might internal politics factor into project success?
Politics is a major component in the work environment. The political dynamics of the business culture can either positively or negatively affect the success of a project since internal politics is about power. In many cases, the development of projects redefines a person's responsibilities and redistributes their power by changing the flow of information.

For example, even if the development of an ERP system would help the business to effectively analyze data, political problems will arise because those who were at the top of the informational hierarchy would lose their status. For a person whose identity is closely related to their job, this would be a huge threat and they could respond by sabotaging the project, consciously or subconsciously.      

But whatever the project may be, political factors need to be addressed. Politics are seen at every level of an organization because they result from people's interactions and their positions in the hierarchy.

Failure

The definition of failure for me is unhappiness.

I know that even with all the practicing or preparation for a task doesn't promise a result of perfection. I'm not a perfectionist but acceptance of my actions and efforts is my definition for success. If I fail at a test or bomb in giving a presentation, I would say it was a success if I was happy with my efforts. Anything else I would label a failure.

Amy: the Student Project

What is a project?
My professor asked this question on the first day of IT Project Management. While some of us stated goals, deadlines, and the usual book definitions, our professor agreed and then stated that we, as individuals are projects. We fit all the criteria.
So the next question is: how will I manage the project Amy?
As a student, my biggest area of risk is time management. With deliverables, training through research and readings, documentation, and other sub projects, time management will be a key to my project success. In order to control this aspect, I will commit a few hours everyday to work on school activities. Rather than prioritizing tasks by their due dates, I will be more pro-active and start tasks on the day they are assigned. This will help me to make sure things are not done last minute, which will also ensure quality.

Time management also includes attending all my classes and meetings with my student groups. Going to classes are the best ways to get answers to questions because those teaching the classes have authority in their respective fields. Gaining the right knowledge is vital for reducing errors, and required for success in the work place.

The ultimate deliverable for Project Amy is to graduate in Spring 2013. This event will stamp a success or failure to the project. However, a criteria for success will be graduating with a high GPA and an absolute appreciation for everything I've learned. Because this project is an investment of time and money, commitment to the project should result in appreciation of its development.




 

Projects

Why Do Projects Fail?
Douglas M. Arnstein wrote an article about his observations of the pitfalls that projects often fall prey to. For me, the heart of the matter is consolidating business needs with personal needs.
When a project is identified, it also needs to be aligned with business needs. A project can easily fall apart when it is not centered on the goals and objectives of the business. This is important since meeting business requirements will also gain the support of key management personnel.
At the other end of the rope are the individuals handling the development of the project. Managing people and the different personality types are not easy. But making a priority to involve everyone in an aspect of the project induces commitment to the project and responsibility. Taking the time to get the input from the Project Sponsor, key stakeholders, and the members of the development Team makes people feel that their roles are important, and they will become invested in the success of the project.

But a project's success rests entirely on COMMUNICATION between the two parties. You can have the most skilled people developing a much needed business project, but without project clarity things will fall apart. Creating a Project Plan, Project Scope, and Communication Plan are critical for everyone to have the same understanding and expectations of a project.  Jumping into a project without validating the expectations, objectives, clear definitions for success, and standards for how, when, and what to communicate, confusion will not only stall a project but it will also be incomplete.  

All three factors are important to the success of a project. If you miss one or don't give it the attention it deserves, then the likelihood of the project failing increases dramatically.