Project Management tips and techniques to run a successful Digital Content project, with Drupal specific resource information

1. Project
Management
Strategies

2. Project Management Strategies
Charlie Giardino, NorthPoint Digital

3. Charlie Giardino - CSM
Background in Vast Technologies and Industries & Management
Run the Project Office at NorthPoint Digital
Introduction

4. Resource Information
Project Management Tools
Methodologies
Running the Show
Overview

5. Drupal Meetups
Drupal Camps
http://groups.drupal.org/project-management - forum for PMs
www.drupal.org - yes, obvious one, but have tech lead identify all modules you may need before the
project
www.vagrantup.com - build a VM for standard dev environment that can be used by the dev team.
www.virtualbox.org - free VM!!!!
http://drush.ws/ - command line shell and scripting interface for Drupal
Resources

6. ATLASSIAN Jira w/ Greenhopper
ATLASSIAN Confluence or Basecamp – share files, discussion threads, etc.
Scrum Do – www.scrumdo.com - Digital TaskBoard for distributed teams
SeeNowDo – www.seenowdo.com - free shared TaskBoard
www.smartsheet.com - for those waterfall folks
www.projectmanagment.com
www.scrumalliance.org
Project Management Tools

7. Agile Scrum Framework
Techniques / Methodologies
Agile Scrum Framework
Iterative, Flexible
Design – 60-75% upfront
Change is Expected
Multiple Release Points
Improved Product Vision
Ongoing QA
Managed Expectations
Waterfall
All or Nothing
Single Release Point
Designs completed up front
Change Order Hell
Waterfall

8. Never be afraid to ask the client (internal or external) “WHY?” And “WHAT?”
What are business goals and drivers?
ROI, Improved Marketing, Improved Availability, Stability, Single Platform
What is expected Launch Date? What is Minimum Viable Product (MVP)?
Is the timeline realistic?
Who are stakeholders?
Preferred Communication Methods and Management Reporting
Budget.
Do I have the necessary resources to achieve the end goal (both skill and numbers)?
Who will maintain/support site after Launch? If site being rebuilt, who maintains now?
Can we provide an alternative solution?
What to Identify

9. SOW – COMPLETED
Drupal Environments: Acquia, Pantheon, etc.
Source repositories: Git, BitBucket, etc.
Branching Strategies
Code Review Plans
Deployment Strategies
Rollback plans
Meeting Schedules
Demo Schedules
Approval documentation
Change Request Forms
Preparation

10. List of current site URL’s (if migrating existing)
What Modules are required?
Is a given Module still in Alpha/Beta – can we rewrite in time?
Define Blockers
Daily review of team status – 10 minute standup
Adjust team responsibilities
The Fun Has Started

11. Constant Feature Review
Plan for feature based releases & demos
Adjust Requirements based on previous sprints/releases
Adjust Feature priorities with Product Owner
Review and Re-Plan
Adapt, Overcome, Improvise
Product Planning

12. Resource Information
Project Management Tools
Methodologies
Running the Show
Summary

13. New York Office
130 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Tel: 212-819-1700
Boston Office
470 Atlantic Avenue
Boston, MA 02110
Tel: 617-725-8888
Philadelphia Office
1650 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Tel: 215-558-2700
infoUS@northps.com / www.northps.com / @northps
THANK YOU