Plumbing to Paint: Managing a Technology Project Myra Hope Eskridge, Web & DB Consultant MIT Information Services & Technology Departmental Consulting and Application Development
Plumbing to Paint:Managing a Technology Project
Myra Hope Eskridge, Web & DB Consultant
MIT Information Services & TechnologyDepartmental Consulting and Application Development
What is a Project?
• A process of discovery, design, and build that results in a new or improved system.
• …and typically involves coordinating more than one person or process.
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Plumbing to Paint
• Running a technology project is like renovating your kitchen.
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My best advice
• A project is an investment. You and your stakeholders will invest time and money in planning, design, build, testing, approving -- and eventually maintaining -- the evolving site.
• Time up front will save time and money later. Invest in Discovery.
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What does a project look like?
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discover design build
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What does a project look like?
Acionix Consulting
Web Style Guide 3rd Edition
Yale Web Strategy & Utilization
IKM Network Communications, Ltd.
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What does a project look like?
MIT IS&T DCAD
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What does a project look like?
MIT IS&T DCAD
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discover design build
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Project Phases
• Define clear project goals, objectives, and scope.
• Discover project requirements by defining how users will interact with the site.
• Partner with professional talent who match the project's needs.
• Design the user experience through an iterative design exploration.
• Develop the design into a into a fully functioning web site.
• Deliver a final web site that meets all of the project's goals.
~from the DCAD consulting site: http://ist.mit.edu/services/consulting/web
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Current State
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Why Invest in Definition and Discovery?
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1. Build a business case for the project.
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Project drivers
• The users don’t like how it looks
• It’s a deprecated model, no longer supported
• It takes too long to use
• It’s difficult to use
• The users need more features
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Target State
This!
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Target State?
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Why Invest in Definition and Discovery?
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2. Identify users and learn what they need.
1. Build a business case for the project.
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How do I know I have a project?
Top five project drivers:
5. It’s out of date
6. It’s broken
7. It’s not supported
8. I need better data
9. Management wants improvement
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Define Scope
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• Where am I?
• What do I need?
• For whom?
• When do I need it?
Define
• Where am I?
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- Current State, Project Drivers
Project drivers
• The users don’t like how it looks
• It’s a deprecated model, no longer supported
• It takes too long to use: 8 secs to complete task
• It’s difficult to use
• The users need more features
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Define
Where am I?
• What do I need?
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- Current State, Project Drivers
- Goals, Objectives, Target State
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Metrics
Make your case with numbers
• on the web: page hits; usability study scores; number of completed applications in a given time period; number of help calls; time to load; etc.
cf: Web Site Analytics
• in a database: time needed to complete a task; number of separate processes needed to perform a task; time to load; etc.
cf: Usability Review
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Drivers / Goals
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• More interesting design
• An upgrade
• Reduced task completion time:
from 8sec to 3sec
• Easier to use
• The users need more features
• The users don’t like how it looks
• It’s no longer supported
• It takes too long to use : 8 secs
to complete task
• It’s difficult to use
• The users need more features
Project Driver Project Goal
Define
Where am I?
What do I need?
• For whom?
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- Current State, Project Drivers
- Goals, Objectives, Target State
- Stakeholders, Users, and Audience
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Stakeholders
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• Persons or organizations that are actively involved in the project, or
whose interests may be positively or negatively affected by the
execution of the project.
• Persons or organizations who exercise influence over the project and
its results.
Board
Regulators
FacultyStudents
Developers
Manager
Sponsor
Users/Audience
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• Internal Users
– creators and maintainers of the system
• External Users
– consumers of the system’s data or content
Stakeholders
systemExternal
UsersInternalUsers
Define:
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Where am I?
What do I need?
For whom?
• When do I need it?
- Current State, Project Drivers
- Goals, Objectives, Target State
- Stakeholders and Users
- Target Launch,Time Constraints and Dependencies
When do I need it?
Target Date, Time Constraints, and Dependencies
• now
• we must launch in time for x (constraint)
• we can not launch until X (dependency)
• as soon as possible
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Complexity
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cost $ $$ $$$ $$$$+
project size quick small medium large
# of stakeholders few many
technology complexity simple complex
systems interfaces few many
process interfaces Few many
development hours (~1-20) (~10-40) (~30-80) (~60+)
Review:
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• Where am I?
• What do I need?
• For whom?
• When do I need it?
- Current State, Project Drivers
- Goals, Objectives, Target State
- Stakeholders and Users
- Target Launch,Time Constraints and Dependencies
Timeline and Deliverables
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The Projects
• Kitchen • Web Site
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Define
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Tasks:
ProjectScope
Deliverable:
(team/project manager) Define the project scope
(stakeholders) Approve the scope
Building a Team
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Stakeholders
Building a Team
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BusinessAnalyst
Project Manager
Stakeholders
Current State
• What’s wrong?
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• What’s wrong?
bad lighting
users need more features
broken infrastructure
old windows
difficult to find things
broken appliances
exposed code
users need more features
broken widgets
outdateddesign content needs
work
difficult to find things
Project Drivers
Kitchen
• Color looks old
• Plumbing is rickety, faucets don’t
work any more
• Cabinets are too high and shallow
• The space is laid out badly, difficult
to actually cook
• The users need more features
Web Site
• The design is outdated
• It breaks or looks bad in current
browsers
• Search is unreliable and delivers
bad results
• Users have trouble doing what we
want them to do
• The users need more features
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Define
• Internal Users / Audience
– people who cook
– people who build and maintain
the equipment
– other people who live in the
house
• External Users / Audience
– people who eat
– other visitors to the house
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• Target Date
– June 1, 2011
– Graduation weekend
Building a Team
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BusinessAnalyst
Project Manager
Stakeholders
Users
Discover
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Tasks:Deliverables:
BusinessRequirements
Site Map
Request forProposal
(RFP)
(business analyst) Interview users, write
requirements and RFP
(stakeholders) Approve requirements and RFP
External Users
External Users/Audience
• Job-seekers
• Prospective or Current Students
• Faculty
• Partner Universities
• Prospective or Current Donors
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Stakeholders
web siteExternal
Users
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Internal Users
Internal Users
• Content editors
• Reviewers / Testers
• Module programmers
• Systems administrators
• Database administrators
• Data analysts
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Stakeholders
web siteExternal
UsersInternalUsers
Systems
Systems interfaces
• Hosting service
• Database(s)
• Authentication
• Payment processing
• Other web sites
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Stakeholders
web siteExternal
UsersInternalUsers
systems
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Users
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Drop-in guests
Shoppers
Dinner guests
Grandparents
Coffee guests
Caterer
Landlord
Plumber
Faculty
Developers
Content editors
Prospective students
Donors
Hosting service
Prospective donors
Stakeholders
Discover
Features
• Total Redesign
• Refrigerator
• New Sink Plumbing
• Paint
• Name Sign
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Features
• Information Architecture
• Search
• Hosting
• Redesign
• Identity/Logo
Discover
Feature 5.0
• Refrigerator
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Feature 5.0
• Search box
Discover
Feature 5.0
• Refrigerator
1. The user must be able to open
the door without hitting the
counter.
2. The refrigerator door must
hold at least 4 gallons of milk.
3. The refrigerator must produce
copious amounts of ice.
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Feature 5.0
• Search
1. The user must be able to find
the search box easily.
2. The system must
automatically fill in the search
term as the user types.
3. The system will present
search results ranked
according to defined priorities.
Target State
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Kitchen Floor Plan Site Map
Discover+
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Tasks:Deliverables:
Risks:a. Not capturing all of the requirements.Secret allies: your stakeholders and end-users. Plan to interview every type of user, and to go through at least two revisions of your requirements, with full participation and review from stakeholders.
b. Not achieving stakeholder approval.Secret ally: your project sponsor
BusinessRequirements
Site Map
Request forProposal
(RFP)
(team/business analyst) Interview users, write
requirements and RFP
(stakeholders) Approve requirements and RFP
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Partner
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Deliverable: Tasks:
Proposal (PM) Send out the RFP for bids
(prospective designers) Submit proposals
(team) Review proposals; hold interviews; select
vendor
(team) Begin writing content
Partner +
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Deliverable: Tasks:
Risk:a. Vague language, for example: “etc.”, “as needed”, “TBD” may open the project up for unending costs later.Secret ally: clarity, and a thorough review.b. Finding the right mix of vendors for the project.Secret ally: stakeholder experience, and DCAD
Proposal (PM) Send out RFPs for bids
(prospective designers) Submit proposals
(team) Review proposals; hold interviews; select vendor
(team) Begin writing content
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Building a Team
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BusinessAnalyst
Project Manager
Stakeholders
Designers
Usability Team
AccessibilityTeam
Users
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Design
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Deliverables: Tasks:
VisualDesigns
Wireframes,Style Guide
ContentDeck
(designer) Create designs
(usability and accessibility teams) Review designs
and provide feedback
(team) Meet regularly with designer to review
designs; select final option
(designer) Create design deliverables
(team) Finish the content
Design +
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Deliverables: Tasks:
Risk: Design may result in development cost beyond budget.Secret ally: If developer is involved early, they can review designs and give feedback about complexity
VisualDesigns
Wireframes,Style Guide
ContentDeck
(designer) Create designs
(usability and accessibility teams) Review designs and provide feedback
(team) Meet regularly with designer to review designs; select final option
(designer) Create design deliverables
(team) Finish the content
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Building a Team
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BusinessAnalyst
Project Manager
Stakeholders
Designers
Developers
Usability Team
AccessibilityTeam
Users
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Develop
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Deliverable: Tasks:
Prototype
(developer) Build site templates from the designs and
completed site content
(usability and accessibility teams) Review prototypes
and provide feedback
(project manager and team) Manage changes
(team) Review and comment on templates; approve
when ready
Develop+
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Deliverable:
Risk: Small enhancements may build into big expenses.secret ally: your developer can inform you of incremental costs
Prototype
Tasks:
(developer) Build site templates from the designs and
completed site content
(usability and accessibility teams) Review prototypes
and provide feedback
(project manager and team) Manage changes
(team) Review and comment on templates; approve
when ready
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Building a Team
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Systems Owners
BusinessAnalyst
Project Manager
Stakeholders
Designers
Developers
Usability Team
AccessibilityTeam
Testers
Users
Deliver
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Deliverables: Tasks:
CompleteSite
Service LevelAgreement
(SLA)
(developer/s) With feedback from team, complete the
site
(team) Review and comment on completed site;
approve when ready to launch
Deliver+
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Deliverables: Tasks:
Risk:Issues discovered during testing may be costly. Time spent in Discovery will save you time and money in development.Secret ally: your requirements.
CompleteSite
Service LevelAgreement
(SLA)
(developer/s) With feedback from team, complete the
site
(team) Review and comment on completed site;
approve when ready to launch
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Post-Launch
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Post-launch Tasks:
(developer) Begin “warranty” period. Complete any
remaining fixes or adjustments
(team) Continue to review and test updates to the site
(site maintainer) After “warranty” period, begin
maintenance SLA
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Fin!
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Appendix A: Project Management Resources
At MIT:
• Departmental Consulting and Application Development ([email protected])
• Publishing Service Bureau ([email protected])
• Usability Team ([email protected])
• Accessibility Team ([email protected])
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Appendix A: Project Management Resources
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On the Web:
• http://ist.mit.edu/services/web/reference
• http://www.webstyleguide.com/wsg3/index.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_management
Appendix B: Project Documentation Templates
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On the web:
• http://www.jiludwig.com/Template_Guidance.html
• http://www.uservices.umn.edu/pmo/batoolkit.html
Appendix C: Project Phase Images
http://www.acionyx.com/projects.php
Acionyx Consulting
Web Style Guide 3rd Edition
http://gd.tuwien.ac.at/languages/html/webstyle/wsg3/1-process/7-development-process.html
http://www.yale.edu/yalecollege/web/process/index.html
Yale Office of Web Strategy & Utilization
http://www.ikm.co.uk/our-services/project-management/
IKM Network Communications, Ltd. (U.K.)
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