Chapter 1:

Introduction to
Project Management

Information Technology
Project Management,
Eighth Edition

Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder

 Learning Objectives
 Understand the growing need for better project
management, especially for information technology (IT)
projects
 Explain what a project is, provide examples of IT projects,
list various attributes of projects, and describe the triple
constraint of project management
 Describe project management and discuss key elements of
the project management framework, including project
stakeholders, the project management knowledge areas,
common tools and techniques, and project success

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Learning Objectives
 Discuss the relationship between project, program, and
portfolio management and the contributions each makes
to enterprise success
 Understand the role of project managers by describing
what they do, what skills they need, and career
opportunities for IT project managers
 Describe the project management profession, including
its history, the role of professional organizations like the
Project Management Institute (PMI), the importance of
certification and ethics, and the advancement of project
management software

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Introduction
 Many organizations today have a new or renewed
interest in project management
 Worldwide IT spending was $3.8 trillion in 2014, a
3.2 percent increase from 2013 spending
 The Project Management Institute estimates
demand for 15.7 million project management jobs
from 2010 to 2020, with 6.2 million of those jobs in
the United States

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Management Statistics
 In 2013 (the most recent year of PMI’s salary survey), the
average salary in U.S. dollars for someone in the project
management profession was $108,000 per year in the
United States; $134,658 in Australia, (the highest-paid
country); and $24,201 in Egypt (the lowest-paid country)
 The top skills employers look for in new college graduates
are all related to project management: team-work,
decision-making, problem-solving, and verbal
communications
 Organizations waste $109 million for every $1 billion spent
on projects, according to PMI’s Pulse of the Profession®
report

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Motivation for Studying Information
Technology (IT) Project Management
 IT Projects have a terrible track record, as described in the
What Went Wrong?
 A 1995 Standish Group study (CHAOS) found that only
16.2% of IT projects were successful in meeting scope,
time, and cost goals; over 31% of IT projects were
canceled before completion
 A PricewaterhouseCoopers study found that overall half of
all projects fail and only 2.5% of corporations consistently
meet their targets for scope, time, and cost goals for all
types of project.

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Advantages of Using Formal
Project Management
 Better control of financial, physical, and human
resources
 Improved customer relations
 Shorter development times
 Lower costs
 Higher quality and increased reliability
 Higher profit margins
 Improved productivity
 Better internal coordination
 Higher worker morale

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 What Is a Project?
 A project is “a temporary endeavor undertaken
to create a unique product, service, or result”
(PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition, 2013)
 Operations is work done to sustain the business
 Projects end when their objectives have been
reached or the project has been terminated
 Projects can be large or small and take a short
or long time to complete

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Examples of IT Projects
 A team of students creates a smartphone
application and sells it online
 A company develops a driverless car
 A government group develops a system to track

child immunizations
 A global bank acquires other financial institutions

and needs to consolidate systems and procedures

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Attributes
 A project
◦ has a unique purpose
◦ is temporary
◦ is developed using progressive elaboration
◦ requires resources, often from various areas
◦ should have a primary customer or sponsor
 The project sponsor usually provides the direction and
funding for the project
◦ involves uncertainty

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project and Program Managers
 Project managers work with project sponsors,
project team, and other people involved in a
project to meet project goals
 Program: group of related projects managed in a
coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not
available from managing them individually
(PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition, 2013)
 Program managers oversee programs; often act
as bosses for project managers

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-1 The Triple Constraint of
Project Management

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 What is Project Management?
 Project management is “the application of
knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project
activities to meet project requirements” (PMBOK®
Guide, Fourth Edition, 2013)
 Project managers strive to meet the triple

constraint (project scope, time, and cost goals)

and also facilitate the entire process to meet the
needs and expectations of project stakeholders

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-2 Project Management
Framework

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Stakeholders
 Stakeholders are the people involved in or
affected by project activities
 Stakeholders include
◦ the project sponsor
◦ the project manager
◦ the project team
◦ support staff
◦ customers
◦ users
◦ suppliers
◦ opponents to the project

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 10 Project Management Knowledge
Areas
 Knowledge areas describe the key competencies
that project managers must develop
 Project managers must have knowledge and skills

in all 10 knowledge areas (project integration,

scope, time, cost, quality, human resource,
communications, risk, procurement, and
stakeholder management)
 This text includes an entire chapter on each

knowledge area

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Management Tools and
Techniques
 Project management tools and techniques assist
project managers and their teams in various
aspects of project management
 Some specific ones include

◦ Project charter, scope statement, and WBS (scope)

◦ Gantt charts, network diagrams, critical path analysis,
critical chain scheduling (time)
◦ Cost estimates and earned value management (cost)
◦ See Table 1-1 for many more

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
Information Technology Project
Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
Information Technology Project
Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
Information Technology Project
Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Super Tools
 “Super tools” are those tools that have high use and
high potential for improving project success, such as:
◦ Software for task scheduling (such as project management
software)
◦ Scope statements
◦ Requirements analyses
◦ Lessons-learned reports
 Tools already extensively used that have been found to
improve project importance include:
◦ Progress reports
◦ Kick-off meetings
◦ Gantt charts
◦ Change requests
Information Technology Project
Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 What Went Right? Improved
Project Performance
The Standish Group’s CHAOS studies show
improvements in IT projects in the past decade:
 The number of successful IT projects has more than
doubled, from 16 percent in 1994 to 39 percent in 2012
 The number of failed projects decreased from 31
percent in 1994 to 18 percent in 2012
 Success rates were much higher for small projects
than large ones – 76 percent versus 10 percent

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Success
 There are several ways to define project success:
◦ The project met scope, time, and cost goals
◦ The project satisfied the customer/sponsor
◦ The results of the project met its main objective, such as
making or saving a certain amount of money, providing a
good return on investment, or simply making the
sponsors happy

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
Table 1-2: What Helps Projects Succeed?*
1. Executive support
2. User involvement
3. Clear business objectives
4. Emotional maturity
5. Optimizing scope
6. Agile process
7. Project management expertise
8. Skilled resources
9. Execution
10. Tools and infrastructure
*The Standish Group, “CHAOS Manifesto 2013: Think Big,
Act Small” (2013).
Information Technology Project
Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Top Three Reasons Why Federal
Technology Project Succeed
 Adequate funding
 Staff expertise
 Engagement from all stakeholders

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 What the Winners Do…
 Recent research findings show that companies that
excel in project delivery capability:
◦ Use an integrated project management toolbox
(use standard/advanced PM tools, lots of
templates)
◦ Grow project leaders, emphasizing business and
soft skills
◦ Develop a streamlined project delivery process
◦ Measure project health using metrics, like customer
satisfaction or return on investment

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Program and Project Portfolio
Management
 A program is “a group of related projects managed in a
coordinated way to obtain benefits and control not
available from managing them individually” (PMBOK®
Guide, Fifth Edition, 2013)
 A program manager provides leadership and direction
for the project managers heading the projects within the
program
 Examples of common programs in the IT field include
infrastructure, applications development, and user
support

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Portfolio Management
 As part of project portfolio management,
organizations group and manage projects and
programs as a portfolio of investments that
contribute to the entire enterprise’s success
 Portfolio managers help their organizations make

wise investment decisions by helping to select and

analyze projects from a strategic perspective

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-3. Project Management Compared
to Project Portfolio Management

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Best Practice
 A best practice is “an optimal way recognized by
industry to achieve a stated goal or objective”*
 Robert Butrick suggests that organizations need to
follow basic principles of project management, including
these two mentioned earlier in this chapter:
◦ Make sure your projects are driven by your strategy. Be able to
demonstrate how each project you undertake fits your business
strategy, and screen out unwanted projects as soon as possible
◦ Engage your stakeholders. Ignoring stakeholders often leads to
project failure. Be sure to engage stakeholders at all stages of a
project, and encourage teamwork and commitment at all times
*Project Management Institute, Organizational Project Management Maturity Model
(OPM3) Knowledge Foundation (2003), p. 13.

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-4. Sample Project Portfolio
Approach

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
Figure 1-5. Microsoft project portfolio
management capabilities

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 The Role of the Project Manager
 Job descriptions vary, but most include
responsibilities like planning, scheduling,
coordinating, and working with people to achieve
project goals
 Remember that 97% of successful projects were
led by experienced project managers, who can
often help influence success factors

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Suggested Skills for Project Managers
 The Project Management Body of Knowledge
 Application area knowledge, standards, and

regulations
 Project environment knowledge
 General management knowledge and skills
 Soft skills or human relations skills

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Table 1-3 Ten Most Important Skills and
Competencies for Project Managers
1. People skills
2. Leadership
3. Listening
4. Integrity, ethical behavior, consistent
5. Strong at building trust
6. Verbal communication
7. Strong at building teams
8. Conflict resolution, conflict management
9. Critical thinking, problem solving
10. Understands, balances priorities

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Different Skills Needed in Different
Situations
 Large projects: Leadership, relevant prior experience,
planning, people skills, verbal communication, and team-
building skills were most important
 High uncertainty projects: Risk management,
expectation management, leadership, people skills, and
planning skills were most important
 Very novel projects: Leadership, people skills, having
vision and goals, self confidence, expectations
management, and listening skills were most important

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Importance of Leadership Skills
 Effective project managers provide leadership by
example
 A leader focuses on long-term goals and big-
picture objectives while inspiring people to reach
those goals
 A manager deals with the day-to-day details of
meeting specific goals
 Project managers often take on the role of both
leader and manager

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Careers for IT Project Managers
 In a 2014 survey, IT executives listed the “ten
hottest skills” they planned to hire for in 2015
 Project management was second only to

programming and application development

 Even if you choose to stay in a technical role, you

still need project management knowledge and

skills to help your team and organization

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Table 1-4. Ten Hottest IT Skills

in 2020: cloud, data and machine

learning are the top IT skills,
though PMP is highly valued
Information Technology Project
Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 The Project Management Profession
 The profession of project management is growing
at a very rapid pace
 It is helpful to understand the history of the field,

the role of professional societies like the Project

Management Institute, and the growth in project
management software

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 History of Project Management
 Some people argue that building the Egyptian
pyramids was a project, as was building the Great
Wall of China
 Most people consider the Manhattan Project to
be the first project to use “modern” project
management
 This three-year, $2 billion (in 1946 dollars) project
had a separate project manager and a technical
manager

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-6. Sample Gantt Chart
Created with Project 2013

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-7. Sample Network Diagram
Created with Project 2013

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Management Offices
 In the 1990s, many companies began creating
PMOs to help them handle the increasing number
and complexity of projects
 A Project Management Office (PMO) is an

organizational group responsible for coordinating

the project management function throughout an
organization

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-8. Growth in the Number of
Project Management Offices

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Global Issues
 Several global dynamics are forcing organizations to
rethink their practices:
◦ Talent development for project and program managers is a
top concern
◦ Good project portfolio management is crucial in tight
economic conditions
◦ Basic project management techniques are core
competencies
◦ Organizations want to use more agile approaches to
project management
◦ Benefits realization of projects is a key metric

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 The Project Management Institute
 The Project Management Institute (PMI) is an international
professional society for project managers founded in 1969
 PMI has continued to attract and retain members,
reporting more than 449,000 members worldwide by late
2014
 There are communities of practices in many areas, like
information systems, financial services, and health care
 Project management research and certification programs
continue to grow
 Students can join PMI at a reduced fee and earn the
Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
certification(see www.pmi.org for details)

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Management Certification
 PMI provides certification as a Project
Management Professional (PMP)
 A PMP has documented sufficient project

experience, agreed to follow a code of ethics, and

passed the PMP exam
 The number of people earning PMP certification is

increasing quickly

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Figure 1-9 Growth in PMP
Certification, 1993-2014

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Ethics in Project Management
 Ethics, loosely defined, is a set of principles that guide
our decision making based on personal values of what
is “right” and “wrong”
 Project managers often face ethical dilemmas
 In order to earn PMP certification, applicants must
agree to PMI’s Code of Ethics and Professional
Conduct
 Several questions on the PMP exam are related to
professional responsibility, including ethics

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Project Management Software
 There are hundreds of different products to assist in
performing project management
 Three main categories of tools:
◦ Low-end tools: Handle single or smaller projects well, cost
under $200 per user
◦ Midrange tools: Handle multiple projects and users, cost
$200-$1,000 per user, Project 2013 most popular
◦ High-end tools: Also called enterprise project management
software, often licensed on a per-user basis
 Several free or open-source tools are also available

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder
 Chapter Summary
 A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a
unique product, service, or result
 Project management is the application of knowledge, skills,
tools, and techniques to project activities to meet project
requirements
 A program is a group of related projects managed in a
coordinated way
 Project portfolio management involves organizing and
managing projects and programs as a portfolio of investments
 Project managers play a key role in helping projects and
organizations succeed
 The project management profession continues to grow and
mature

Information Technology Project

Management, Eighth Edition Dr. Mohan Sellappa Gounder