Page 55 - DCAP304_DCAP515_SOFTWARE_PROJECT_MANAGEMENT

Unit 2: Step Wise Project Planning

While there may be one main project objective, in pursuing it there may be temporary project Notes
objectives. In lots of instances, project teams are tasked with achieving a series of objectives in
pursuit of the final objective. In many cases, teams can only proceed in a stair step fashion to
attain the desired outcome. If they were to proceed in any other manner, they may not be able
to develop the skills or insights along the way that will allow them to progress in a productive
manner.
Objectives can often be set under three headings:

 Performance and Quality: The end consequence of a project must fit the principle for
which it was intended. At one time, quality was seen as the blame of the quality control
department. In more recent years, the concept of total quality management has come to
the fore, with the responsibility for quality shared by all staff from top management
downwards.
 Budget: The project must be completed without more than the authorized expenditure.
Financial sources are not always infinite and a project might be abandoned altogether if
funds run out before completion. If that was to happen, the money and effort invested in
the project would be forfeited and written off. In tremendous cases the project contractor
could face ruin. There are many projects where there is no direct profit motive, however,
it is still important to pay proper attention to the cost budgets, and financial management
remains essential.
 Time to Completion: Definite progress has to match or beat planned progress. All significant
stages of the project must take place no later than their specified dates, to result in total
completion on or before the planned finish date. The timescale purpose is very significant
because late completion of a project is not very likely to please the project purchaser or the
sponsor.
Project objectives are often tough to track, vague, and lacking in depth. In project objectives,
people require details to help know where they are in the process, and data helps them make
conversant decisions. We like to recommend “DISCO” when forming objectives. “DISCO” can
be spelled out to point us in the proper direction for creating project objectives and tracking
their progress.

D - Detail Specifics

Give as much knowledge as possible and make these objectives very specific. Far too many
objectives have been set, which are very grey in nature and lack data to help team members
understand all specifics.

I - Include Qualitative and Quantitative Measurements

Objectives must be deliberate. When you look at an objective, you must ask, “Can we measure
this?” If not, it needs to be rewritten so that it can be measured and tracked for successful completion.
The only way to do this is to make sure qualitative and quantitative components are set.

Qualitative measurements calculate a project based on quality standards, quality indicators, or
quality characteristics. Defect ratio, break down ratio, and improvement needs are all to be
measured. Each of these can be prioritized and broken down into a specific tracking mechanism
to follow and monitor.
Quantitative measurements calculate the project based on numerical indicators. Some of the
most ordinary quantitative measurements are time, budget, production, work hours, process
time, and development progress. Quantitative measurements normally include the need to set
a series of benchmarks as a starting point to begin tracking.

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 49