Mastering IT Project Management

Table of Contents

Chapter 1–Introduction to IT Project Management
Introduction
Components of IT Infrastructure
Classification of Organizations
Understanding Project Management
Activities to be Performed in an IT Project
Phases of an IT Project
Types of IT Projects
Distinction of IT Projects from Other Projects

Chapter 2–Approaches to IT Project Management
Project Management Approaches
Ad Hoc Methods-Based Project Management
Process Driven Approach to Project Management
Schedule-Driven Approach
Hybrid of Ad Hoc and Process-Driven Approach
What Is the Right Approach for Project Management? 
Is the Process-Driven Approach Right for You? 
What Process and How Much? 

Chapter 3–Feasibility Study and Project Acquisition
Do We Need a Feasibility Study in These Days? 
The First Decision—In-House or Outsource the Study? 
Steps in Conducting the Feasibility Study
Project Approval
Strategies for Executing the IT Projects
Project Acquisition

Chapter 4–Sizing of IT Components
Introduction to Sizing
Software First or Hardware? 
Availability of the System
Sizing of the Server
Power Requirements
Software Sizing
Contracting

Chapter 5–Planning in IT Project Management
Introduction
Definition of Planning
Types of Plans Prepared by Software Project Management
Quality Control of Planning
Scaling of Planning in IT Project Management
Funds Flow Planning

Chapter 6–Project Execution
Introduction
Procurement of Hardware
Procurement of System Software
Preparation of Specifications and Acquisition of Application Software
Finalize Subcontractors
Receive and Deploy Servers
Receive Networking Hardware and Build the Communication Network
Receive and Deploy the System Software
Prepare Master Data
Receive and Deploy Application Software
Define Systems and Procedures for Running the Operations
Recruiting and Training Personnel for Operations
Procure Consumables for the Initial Operation
Contract/Contractor Management
Setup Configuration Management Process
Train End Users in Operating the System
Conduct Trial Runs
Changeover to New System
Initiate Maintenance When Would All These Actions Be Taken? How about Quality Control? 
Coordination

Chapter 7–Project Control in IT Project Management
Introduction
Schedule Control
Cost Control
Quality Control
Productivity Control
Tools and Techniques for Project Control
Progress Monitoring Meetings
Metrics
Earned Value Analysis
Audits

Chapter 8 – Cash Management
Introduction
Elements of Cash Management
Budgeting
Cash Management

Chapter 9–Quality Assurance in IT Project Management
Introduction
Environment Conducive to Quality
Organizational Process
Standards and Guidelines
Measurement and Metrics
Verification
Inspections
Validation Audits

Chapter 10–Project Closure
Introduction
When Does a Project Really Close? 
Project Closure Activities
Documentation of Best Practices
Documenting the Lessons Learned from the Project
Collect, Derive, and Deposit the Final Project Metrics
Conduct a Knowledge-Sharing Meeting with Peer Project Managers
Deposit the Project Records with the PMO
Project Postmortem
Performance Appraisals of the Project Team
Release of the Project Manager
Close the Project
Organizational Role in Project Closure

Chapter 11–Pitfalls and Best Practices in Project Management
Introduction
Organizational-Level Pitfalls in Project Management
Pitfalls and Best Practices at the PM Level

Appendix A–Management for Project Managers
Appendix B–Decision Making for Project Managers
Appendix C–People Management
Appendix D–Introduction to PERT/CPM
Appendix E–Problem Resolution
Appendix F–Stakeholder Expectation Management
Appendix G–Scheduling
Appendix H–Abbreviations
Appendix I–Templates for IT Project Management