Project Management
The software engineer and the project manager provide complementary skills and work collaboratively on shared activities. The three main activities of the project manager are organizational liaison, personnel management, and project monitoring and control. The "Liaison" section discusses the project manager's role as a go-between for the technical team and agents who are not members of the technical team (such as project sponsors, users, IS management, vendors, and so on). In the "Personnel Management" section, you will learn that this job entails working with personnel and human resources to hire, fire, and provide employees with professional development. The "Monitor and Control" section explains that project monitoring involves tracking project progress relative to budget. Project control means implementing changes when progress is unsatisfactory (such as training or revising project plans).
Automated Support Tools for Project Management
Project management support tools have increased in sophistication and performance since the mid-1980s when the first PC-based tools arrived. The tools in this section support project planning, task assignment and monitoring, estimation tools, and scheduling tools (see Table 3-5). Key tool capabilities not considered here include word processing, spreadsheets, calendars, or interfaces to electronic mail (these are considered useful for all organization members). Other tools that are used by a project manager but are discussed in other sections of the text are for configuration management, quality control, and metrics.
TABLE 3-5 Automated Support Tools for Project Management
|
Product |
Company |
Technique |
|
CA-products |
Computer Associates International, Inc. |
Project planning |
|
DataEasy Project Management |
Data Easy Software Foster City, CA |
Task mapping |
|
Demi-Plan |
Demi Software Ridgefield, CT |
Critical path project planning and tracking |
|
Foundation |
Arthur Anderson & Co. Chicago, IL |
Project management Project planning |
|
IEW, ADW (PS/2 Version) |
Knowledgeware Atlanta, GA |
Project planning |
|
Life Cycle Manager |
Nastec Southfield, MI |
Project planning, task assignment, tracking |
|
Life Cycle Project Manager |
American Management Systems Fairfax, VA |
Project planning, task, assignment, tracking |
|
Maestro |
SoftLab San Francisco, CA |
Problem tracking |
|
microGANTT |
Earth Data Corp. Richmond, VA |
Project planning |
|
Milestone |
Digital Marketing Corp. Walnut Creek, CA |
Critical path project planning and tracking |
|
Multi-Cam |
AGS Mgmt Systems King of Prussia, PA |
Project planning and tracking |
|
PMS II |
North America MICA Inc. San Diego, CA |
Project planning, task assignment, tracking Critical path PERT |
|
Primavera Project Manager |
Primavera Systems Inc. Bala Cynwyd, PA |
Project planning, task assignment, tracking |
|
Project |
Microsoft Bellevue, WA |
Project planning, task assignment, tracking |
|
Project Workbench, Fast Project |
Applied Business Technology NY, NY |
Project planning, task assignment, tracking |
|
System Architect |
Popkin Software and Systems Inc. NY, NY |
Project planning |
|
Teamwork |
Cadre Technologies Inc. Providence, RI |
Planned completion date tracking |
|
vsDesigner |
Visual Software, Inc. Santa Clara, CA |
Project completion tracking Critical issues monitoring |