The Ultimate Trick to Software Project Management

http://www.softwareprojects.org/video.htm

The idea for this short report was given
to me when reading a life changing article
on project management.

While I was studying at the Free University
in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, I conducted
field research at a large financial
institution. Basically, I was looking for
ways the project managers could improve
their process.

So, there I was, young, eager, with large
checklists and books to study PMs in the
wild. And guess what? These guys were
very good. But didn't used checklists and
huge binders. They didn't draw boxes and
arrows between them. They weren't occupied
with Gantt charts.

They were actually involved with PEOPLE...
WOW!

But being a student, I needed someone to
tell me what to think :) I needed a theory
on software project management. What is it?
What should you do?

And then I read an article by Barry Boehm
explaining Theory W for software project
management. It is short, it is sweet, it is
something every project manager should know.

According to Theory W your difficulty lies
in the central problem the software project
manager is faced with; appropriately named
'the software project managers' problem'.

Everyone effected by the project, direct or
indirect, has something to say, again direct
or indirect, and will do so. Everyone wants
to get the best from this project for him
personally, or for his (part of the)
organisation. It's the job of the software
project manager to see that everyone gets
what he wants, in one way or another. He
has "to make everyone a winner"!

In this respect, the role of the project
manager becomes that of a negotiator. The
customer always wants to have it all for free,
the user wants to have to greatest
functionality, the programmer doesn't want
to document, but wants to use the coolest
compilers. The software project manager has
to make them all happy.

And actually, that is all there is to
software project management. For me
personally it changed my entire view on
the profession.

Even in the long version, Theory W is short
and sweet:

The Theory W Win-Win Steps
-
1. Establish a set of win-win preconditions
a) Understand how people want to win
b) Establish reasonable expectations
c) Match people's tasks to their win
conditions
d) Provide a supportive environment

2. Structure a win-win software process
a) Establish a realistic process plan
b) Use the plan to control the project
c) Identify and manage your win-lose or
lose-lose risks
d) Keep people involved

3. Structure a win-win software product
a. Match products to stakeholders' win
conditions.


So, the Ultimate Trick in software project
management isn't mine... but it's very
effective.

http://www.softwareprojects.org/video.htm