| Why do we have to plan and manage IT projects? | | | | careful sifting, planning, specification and design of |
| Why bother at all considering the fact that many | | | | these requirements. Through Project Management, |
| clients eventually accept whatever the resulting | | | | software developers will be able to identify, coordinate |
| software may be? Why bother at all since time is | | | | and monitor tasks, activities and resources to meet the |
| precious in building the systems rather than planning | | | | project requirements. |
| systems? These are the usual answers of | | | | The outcome of Project Management is: scope of |
| independent or freelance software developers who | | | | work is defined, project feasibility is evaluated (thus, a |
| are excited in tackling or building software projects | | | | team can early detect if they are capable of doing a |
| immediately without the need to sit around and plan | | | | project while considering their skills and resources), |
| first. If you will bother to read my article, you will see | | | | tasks and resources are estimated, plans for |
| the importance of IT Project Management. | | | | execution of tasks are developed (through |
| I have an experience before in my last year in college | | | | documentation that serves as blueprint also), and |
| where in we have an IT project to do. Since we are | | | | progress is monitored. |
| excited in building - or finishing? - the product without | | | | The advantages of Project Management are: shorter |
| planning properly, my team suffered a lot in the near | | | | development period, less expenses, quality software |
| end of the project-building time. We failed in building | | | | products, control in activities and resources, client |
| one prototype after another. We also exceeded the | | | | interaction (since they too are informed of the project's |
| time allotment given to us, thus, we suffered financially | | | | progress), early detection of risks and potential |
| since we incurred extra expenses, lost the interest of | | | | problems, good documentation (serves as blueprint and |
| other team members and caused dissatisfaction from | | | | reference), and project members are learning and |
| out teacher. Learning from my mistakes and applying | | | | applying teamwork. |
| Project Management in other areas of my life, I would | | | | Though it usually takes time in planning, in the end |
| like to share the importance and advantages of IT | | | | software developers are assured of smooth work in |
| Project Management to others as well. | | | | developing their IT projects since they already have |
| Project Management is "the application of knowledge, | | | | plans and blueprints in the form of documentations and |
| skills, tools and techniques to project activities in order | | | | reports. All that they have to do is implement it in the |
| to meet project requirements" (PMI, Project | | | | actual building of their products. Take for instance a |
| Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), | | | | carpenter building a small house. Once he has the plan, |
| 2000, p.6). These project requirements are like the | | | | blueprint, tools, workers and other resources, he can |
| goals of a project that once met or achieved signifies | | | | build the house in a jiffy and his construction work will |
| the completion of a project as well as customer | | | | run smoothly. |
| satisfaction. The application of knowledge requires | | | | |