five keys to software projects

Five Keys toSoftware Projects

Lauri Jutila, Kisko Labs Oy

Software is hard.

Software developmentis hard.

Buying softwareis hard.

Managing software projectsis hard.

But maybe there’s hope ...

The Five Topics I wanted to talk about

#1 Preparation

Preparation is half the battle, and nothing is lost by being upon one's guard.

Don Quixote

No battle plan ever survived first contact with the enemy.

General Von Moltke

The more you sweat in training, the less youbleed in combat.

US Marine Corps

Hyvin suunniteltu on edelleen kokonaan tekemättä.

Olli Piirainen

What?

How?

Why?

What are the questions we should find answers to in order to comprehend the our needs and requirements, and to form a mutual understanding of the issue?

How do we describe the needs and requirements so that we can form a mutual understanding with the providers, too?

•As an organization, who are we? Where are we now? In what direction are we heading to?

•What is the key business issue we trying to improve or develop?

•Who are the key beneficiaries of the development effort?

A few key questions

A few key questions•What are the key benefits, outcomes and

effects of the development effort?

•How do we measure the benefits, outcomes and effects?

#2 Requirements

Software roll-out is often an outsourcing of process tasksto the software, partially or completely

One must be able to define and describe the target state of the process in order to determine software requirements

Useful software requirements

definition tools

User StoryA description of what the actor in the process requires from software in a specific phase

In order to reach a milestone of a projectAs a project ownerI want to approve milestone deliverables

MockupA visual of the user interface required in carrying out a process task and its information management

User SketchA sketch drawn by the user about a piece of user interface of the process

#3 Purchasing

After preparation, do we know enough to define sufficiently accurate request for proposal that will generate adequate proposals?

The conflict in sales situation:The buyer wants to buy,the seller wants to sell

Common mistake:Too little time is spent on discussing the needs and requirements, and the situation as a whole

Common mistake:People assume a lot, fill in the knowledge gaps, especially when a complex and abstract topic is under discussion

Establish common goal:Profitable, successful projects - for both parties

#4 Project Management & Organizational Politics

Peter Drucker

Ninety percent of what we call “management” consists of making it difficult for people to get things done.

Once you are past preparation phase,plan sufficiently, butnot excessively.

Project plans don’t run projects, people do.

Execution is strategy

Fred Malek

We have a strategic plan, it’s called ‘doing things’.

Herb Kelleher, South West Airlines

Most project management problems are communication problems

PEOPLE &POLITICS

Project Management is:

The Project Manager

1) All implementation failures are your fault

2)All implementation failures are people failures

3)Project management is people management

4)“Politics” is the alpha and omega of project management — love it or leave it

According to Tom Peters

#5 People

Hard is soft.Soft is hard.

Tom Peters

Build a team that is cross-functional, avoid knowledge silos and strict roles

Insist on participating team selection on provider’s side

Demand that key team members are fully allocated to your project and only your project

Resist all personnel changes in a project team vigorously

“Ain’t any project ever been late because someone didn’t type code fast enough”

Antti Salonen

The Five Keys

Prepare well.

Define requirements with clear purpose.

Over-communicate!

Master the people & politics game.

Take care of people.

Thanks!

Q&A