Overview of sub-topic 1.1 of the HSC IPT course. Covers the system development cycle, project plans, Gantt charts, communication skills and key personnel

1. 1.1) Project
Management

2. • Project management is the process of
planning, scheduling and controlling all of
the activities within each stage of the
system development cycle.
• Good project management involves creating
a project plan.
• A project plan is a summary of a project
that specifies who, what, how and when.
• A project plan usually breaks down the
project into major tasks called subprojects.

3. • It must also provide an overall schedule and a
proposed schedule for each of the subprojects.
• One of the most popular tools for graphically
recording and tracking these schedules is a Gantt
chart.
Project
Plan
Collect data
Design website
Create website
Test website

4. • It must also identify the people, information
technology and data/information required
by the system.
• To minimise problems, people working on
the project should understand the need for
project goals, deliverables and schedules.
• Project goals may be broad or specific and
they relate to ways of testing if the project is
successful.
• Deliverables are tangible items expected
from a task. E.g. a report, diagram, manual

5. • Schedules set out the timing of major tasks
and assigns personnel to each task.
• The success of a new system depends upon
accurate time estimates.
• Communication skills incorporate a variety
of strategies and techniques for dealing with
other people.
• They facilitate information sharing and
genuine understanding.

6. • They include:
• active listening
• conflict resolution
• negotiation skills
• interview techniques
• team building

7. • Active listening involves restating,
reflecting and summarising the speaker’s
ideas.
• Conflict resolution solves arguments and
disputes.
• It involves listening to all sides of a
problem and looking for any viable
solutions.
• Negotiation skills are used to reach a
compromise between all parties.

8. • Interview techniques involve careful
preparation, implementation and follow-up.
• Some general rules could include:
• Make sure the purpose of the interview
is understood.
• Ask open-ended questions.
• Restate the responses.
• Review the main points.
• Follow up on any unclear information.

9. • Team building is the process of getting a
group of people working together
effectively.
• A number of different roles are required for
the project to succeed.
• Three important roles are:
• systems analysts
• programmers
• project leaders