[thelist] program management software?

[Ken Schaefer]

I have no doubt there are many classes out there on the fundamentals of
project management. Probably lots of books in your bookstore as well. :-)

However, managing projects is partly theory and partly experience. Over time
you build up a gut feeling of how long things take, dealing with customers,
setting expectations etc.

There is some kind of standard certification out there (called PMP if I
recall correctly). I assume there are various courses and books geared
towards that certification. Might be worth looking into if you're looking to
bolster the resume.

Cheers
Ken

--
www.adOpenStatic.com/cs/blogs/ken/ 


: -----Original Message-----
: From: thelist-bounces at lists.evolt.org [mailto:thelist-
: bounces at lists.evolt.org] On Behalf Of Casey
: Sent: Tuesday, 4 October 2005 12:59 PM
: To: thelist at lists.evolt.org
: Subject: Re: [thelist] program management software?
: 
: Thanks Ken.  Is there some sort of class a guy can take to learn all of
: this?
: 
: 
: ----- Original Message -----
: From: "Ken Schaefer" <Ken at adOpenStatic.com>
: To: <thelist at lists.evolt.org>
: Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 8:57 PM
: Subject: RE: [thelist] program management software?
: 
: 
: > Project would be overkill for something like this, unless you need to
: > manage
: > quite a few concurrent projects. Project handles things like resource
: > leveling where you may have a resource (e.g. a person, room, computer)
: > over-committed at particular points in time after you add all their
: > different
: > commitments. So, you can then have Project analyse the critical path,
: and
: > move tasks around so that the resource is not overcommitted. Stuff like
: > that
: > is part of heavy-duty PM tools.
: >
: > You can use Visio for doing various flowcharts, UML, ER diagrams etc. If
: > these are web applications, I certainly wouldn't just have a flowchart.
: > You
: > need more comprehensive documentation to prevent scope creep. You should
: > have
: > flowcharts and use cases to start off with (or similar high level
: > conceptual
: > docs), and then as you develop your classes, each and every interface
: with
: > their properties and methods should be documented. One thing you may
: also
: > wish to look at is Test Driven Development, which is one of the hot
: topics
: > at
: > the moment. But that requires writing your tests before you write your
: > code -
: > so yet more up-front documentation work.
: >
: > Cheers
: > Ken
: >
: >> -----Original Message-----
: >> From: thelist-bounces at lists.evolt.org [mailto:thelist-
: >> bounces at lists.evolt.org] On Behalf Of Casey
: >> Sent: Tuesday, 4 October 2005 11:25 AM
: >> To: thelist at lists.evolt.org
: >> Subject: Re: [thelist] program management software?
: >>
: >>
: >> > I suppose Casey needs to list his requirements.
: >>
: >> Right.  Good point.
: >>
: >> For several years now I have been subcontracting as a designer and
: >> developer for a very small, one man shop.  The owner has recently
: >> expressed an interest in hiring a project manager.  Keep in mind that
: the
: >> projects we are talking about usually have a total of 3 or 4 people
: >> working on small projects and 6 or 7 on the larger ones, so they are by
: >> no
: >> means enterprise level. (Worked as a PeopleSoft developer for two years
: >> in
: >> a mammoth company of several hundred people in the IT department alone
: -
: >> we are not talking anywhere near that level). But, we do do a fair
: amount
: >> of web based application development, usually for small to medium
: >> companies with anywhere from 3 to 50 employees.
: >>
: >> What I had in mind:
: >>   a.. Create and document the project's initial scope.
: >>   b.. Create a flow-chart that outlines the logic flow of the
: >> application.
: >>     a.. The idea here is to have the client sign-off on the flow chart
: to
: >> prevent scope creep
: >>     b.. This flow chart should also be such that it can be handed off
: to
: >> a
: >> developer who can create the application with little or no other
: >> guidelines
: >>   c.. Ability to break down the flowchart into specific tasks or
: objects
: >> and assign them to team members (workflow)
: >>   d.. Allow team members to document progress and others to view the
: >> documentation
: >>   e.. Develop bids
: >>   f.. Track hours
: >>   g.. Document management (nice, but not required)
: >>   h.. Help desk - create tickets, assign them to team members, document
: >> progress, etc.  (nice, but not required)
: >> I have a hunch that MS Project would be like killing a gnat with a
: canon,
: >> but I'm open to input.
: >>
: >> Thanks.
: