You
are developing a human resource system for Alfatha industries (PVT) Ltd.
List out different guidelines that you will follow for creating a software
project schedule for HR system?
The key to
a successful project is in the planning. Creating a project plan is the first
thing you should do when undertaking any project.
Often
project planning is ignored in favour of getting on with the work. However,
many people fail to realise the value of a project plan for saving time, money
and many problems.
On completion
of this guide, you should have a sound project planning approach that you can
use for future projects.
Step 1: Project Goals
A project
is successful when it has met the needs of the stakeholders. A stakeholder is
anybody directly, or indirectly impacted by the project.
As a first
step, it is important to identify the stakeholders in your project. It is not
always easy to determine the stakeholders of a project, particularly those
impacted indirectly. Examples of stakeholders are:
- The project sponsor
- The customer who receives the deliverables
- The users of the project output
- The project manager and project team
Once you
understand who the stakeholders are, the next step is to find out their needs.
The best way to do this is by conducting stakeholder interviews. Take time
during the interviews to draw out the requirements that create real benefits.
Sometimes stakeholders will talk about needs that aren't relevant and don't
deliver benefits. These can be recorded and set as a low priority.
The next
step, once you have conducted all the interviews and have a comprehensive list
of needs is to prioritise them. From the prioritised list, create a set of
easily measurable goals. A good technique for doing this is to review them
against the SMART principle. This way, the achievement of the goal will be easy
to identify.
Once you
have established a clear set of goals, they should be recorded in the project
plan. It can be useful also to include the needs and expectations of your
stakeholders.
Now you
have completed the most difficult part of the planning process; it's time to
move on and look at the project deliverables.
Step 2: Project Deliverables
Using the
goals you have defined in step 1, create a list of things the project needs to
deliver to meet those goals. Specify when and how to deliver each item.
Add the
deliverables to the project plan with an estimated delivery date. You will
establish more accurate delivery dates during the scheduling phase, which is
next.
Step 3: Project Schedule
Create a
list of tasks that need to be carried out for each deliverable identified in
step 2. For each task determine the following:
- The amount of effort (hours or days) required for
completing the task
- The resource who will carry out the task
Once you
have established the amount of effort for each task, you can work out the
effort required for each deliverable, and an accurate delivery date. Update
your deliverables section with the more precise delivery dates.
At this
point in the planning, you could choose to use a software package such as
Microsoft Project to create your project schedule. Alternatively, use one of
the many free templates available. Input all of the deliverables, tasks,
durations and the resources who will complete each task.
A common
problem discovered at this point is when you have an imposed delivery deadline
from the sponsor that is not realistic based on your estimates. If you discover
this is the case, you must contact the sponsor immediately. The options you
have in this situation are:
- Renegotiate the deadline (project delay)
- Employ additional resources (increased cost)
- Reduce the scope of the project (less delivered)
Use the
project schedule to justify pursuing one of these options.
Step 4: Supporting Plans
This
section deals with the plans you should create as part of the planning process.
These can be included directly in the plan.
Human Resource Plan
Identify,
by name, the individuals and organisations with a leading role in the project.
For each, describe their roles and responsibilities on the project.
Next,
specify the number and type of people needed to carry out the project. For each
resource detail start dates, the estimated duration and the method you will use
for obtaining them.
Create a
single sheet containing this information.
Communications Plan
Create a
document showing who is to be kept informed about the project and how they will
receive the information. The most common mechanism is a weekly or monthly
status report, describing how the project is performing, milestones achieved
and the work you've planned for the next period.
Risk Management Plan
Risk
management is an important part of project management. Although often
overlooked, it is important to identify as many risks to your project as
possible and be prepared if something bad happens.
Here are
some examples of common project risks:
- Time and cost estimate too optimistic
- Customer review and feedback cycle too slow
- Unexpected budget cuts
- Unclear roles and responsibilities
- No stakeholder input obtained
- Not clearly understanding stakeholder needs
- Stakeholders changing requirements after the project
has started
- Stakeholders adding new requirements after the project
has started
- Poor communication resulting in misunderstandings,
quality problems and rework
- Lack of resource commitment
Risks can
be tracked using a simple risk log. Add each risk you have identified to your
risk log; write down what you will do in the event it occurs, and what you will
do to prevent it from happening. Review your risk log on a regular basis,
adding new risks as they occur during the life of the project. Remember, if you
ignore risks, they don't go away.
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