It project management in software companies

Quản lý dự án trong các công ty phần mềm It project management in software companies Quản lý dự án trong các công ty phần mềm It project management in software companies

ABSTRACT

In today's society, projects play a crucial role in various organizations, initiated daily across different sectors Regardless of whether a project is profit-driven or nonprofit, the absence of effective project management often leads to failure This highlights the growing need for project management software, which is essential for the successful implementation of diverse projects This thesis explores the utilization of project management software by examining theories and applying them to two specific tools: JIRA and TRELLO The research identifies key criteria for selecting these tools and evaluates their performance based on comprehensive studies Employing a deductive research approach, the literature review incorporates multiple books and articles, alongside insights gathered from a professional blog dedicated to project management The findings are compared and summarized to address the research question effectively.

To validate the claims made in the blog, I took on the role of a project manager and utilized two software tools to assess their benefits through hands-on experience The findings highlighted the effectiveness of project management software in various scenarios and underscored the importance of establishing relevant criteria for selection These criteria serve as valuable guidelines for organizations seeking to choose the right project management tool based on their specific needs and preferences However, the study has its limitations, prompting the need for further research to gain a comprehensive understanding of project management software tools.

INTRODUCTION

In today's rapidly evolving world, technological advancements are driving significant changes in our daily lives and shifting consumer demands New inventions and upgrades emerge almost daily, compelling businesses to adapt and meet these evolving needs To remain competitive and retain existing customers while attracting new ones, companies must respond effectively to these emerging market demands.

Adapting to the constantly changing demands of customers poses a significant challenge for businesses, necessitating meticulous planning This realization has led organizations to recognize the critical role of effective project management By enhancing their project management capabilities, businesses can gain a competitive edge and respond more swiftly to market changes.

In today's competitive market, learning from mistakes is no longer sufficient, as the fast-paced environment demands outstanding and innovative solutions to avoid falling behind Common issues such as scheduling conflicts, quality defects, and budget overruns often signal trouble for projects The primary focus should be on increasing the number of successfully completed projects, as failures can lead to significant financial losses Key factors contributing to project failures include unclear project scope, inadequate budget planning, insufficient requirement analysis, and the inability to assemble an effective team Ultimately, the success of any project hinges on the decisions made throughout its execution.

Modern project management builds upon traditional methods by emphasizing customer-centric approaches and adapting to evolving business realities Companies are increasingly leveraging advanced technologies and expertise to enhance project management practices Key project management software now offers a comprehensive suite of functionalities, enabling effective planning, organization, resource management, and accurate resource estimation These tools facilitate not only the management of timelines, budgets, and assets but also enhance communication, decision-making reports, documentation, and quality control, although specific features may vary by software.

This research paper explores the significance of project management and the software tools that enhance its effectiveness It examines the utilization of specific software to identify their advantages relative to established standards, as well as comparing different tools to determine which project management tool is the most efficient for successful project development.

This experimental qualitative study aimed to investigate the software methods and tools utilized by software development organizations to effectively implement project management during the development process Successful projects are characterized by their timely completion, adherence to budget constraints, and fulfillment of all requirements outlined in the project charter.

This study holds significant value for IT organizations, as many tools designed to enhance the project development process continue to fail at alarming rates, leading to substantial financial losses for businesses In today's technology-driven world, every aspect of human life—including businesses, societies, and governments—relies heavily on IT solutions Consequently, wasted resources not only jeopardize the success and competitive edge of software companies but also impact the broader societal structures that depend on their outcomes.

In Part 1, I summarized my research paper through specification of a key research question, the methodologies used during the study to find an answer to the question

I also highlighted the result of the research and the conclusion made based on it

In Part II, I highlighted the critical role of Project Management and the specific software tools that enhance its effectiveness, emphasizing their significance for businesses Additionally, Part I provides a comprehensive literature review on the subject.

In Part III, I emphasized the researcher's role and provided a detailed overview of the project components, including the rationale behind the selected software, research methods, and design Additionally, I outlined the scope of the project and discussed the methods for data collection, organization, and analysis.

In Part IV, I present the result of the study as an outcome of methods and tools application and describe and explain the results

In the final section of the study, I summarize the application of Project Management techniques and tools in achieving successful software development, highlighting key findings Additionally, I offer actionable recommendations for implementation and suggest areas for further research.

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter explores the evolution of project and project management theories, along with the development of project management software tools It establishes a foundational understanding for the study and outlines the criteria for assessing subsequent software.

Project as an integral part of Project Management

A project is a planned endeavor comprising a series of related tasks aimed at achieving a specific objective It is important to distinguish between a project and an operation; while a project is unique and time-bound, an operation consists of repetitive activities that contribute to a broader goal.

But project should have particular characteristics, which are:

A project should have a specific objective with a specified budget, schedule and requirements

A project must be unique and distinct from others; for instance, manufacturing 10 identical smartphone models on a single assembly line does not constitute 10 separate projects In contrast, producing 10 different smartphone models on separate assembly lines qualifies as 10 distinct projects due to their varying requirements.

Projects have got a defined starting and ending date A project is considered finished when it reaches its objective After that the project team is dismissed or assigned to a new project

Projects necessitate collaboration among various professionals within an organization In small businesses with limited staff, projects often demand a diverse range of skills from a few employees, alongside external experts Conversely, larger companies typically have enough personnel to meet project requirements without facing such challenges.

A project can be divided into auxiliary objectives that collectively contribute to the main goal To achieve this objective, the project is segmented into smaller units, such as tasks and subtasks, allowing for a structured approach that progresses from general concepts to specific details.

A project undergoes different stages, which require resources, tasks and people

Projects often require new technologies or new ways of doing business

Inability to complete a project on time or on budget usually endangers company's business objectives [5]

A project usually consists of four phases: initiation, planning, execution and closing

Launching a project requires assembling the project team and engaging with the client, alongside creating an initiation plan that outlines the project's objectives, scope, timeline, and budget This plan also defines the necessary procedures, roles, policies, communication agreements, and funding for the project.

As a project is initiated planning should begin before any task is executed There are

10 steps in a good project plan [5] They are:

This project aims to address a specific problem by clearly defining its objectives and outlining the necessary tasks for successful completion To achieve these objectives, a structured approach will be employed, detailing each task required The project's success will be measured through predefined metrics, ensuring that results are quantifiable Ultimately, the project will conclude with a comprehensive evaluation of outcomes, marking the achievement of its goals.

• Break down the project Draw a critical path signifying natural progression from one task to another Identify successive and parallel tasks A flowchart can be of a great help here

• Estimate the resources Create a resource plan that makes sure that right resources are gathered and allocated effectively

• Develop the schedule Set project’s as well as each task’s start and end date

To ensure project success, it is essential to develop a comprehensive communication plan that facilitates effective interaction among team members, management, and stakeholders Establishing a clear communication flow, including timely updates and appropriate channels, will enhance collaboration and keep all parties informed throughout the project lifecycle.

• Identify the procedures State the ways that the deliverables are to be made and tested

• Identify and assess risks Any possible risks and their consequences have to be documented

• Estimate a budget Calculate the expenses associated with the project, assess and compare to the revenue

A Statement of Work (SOW) outlines the specific tasks to be completed, highlights the deliverables expected at each stage, and identifies the necessary resources required for successful project execution.

• Summarize the project plan It involves identifying the tasks and the resources required to execute the project

One of the main elements of the planning phase is project scope development

The project scope encompasses all tasks necessary to achieve the project's objectives, including defining and documenting specific goals, milestones, tasks, outcomes, costs, and schedules Developing the project scope involves four essential steps to ensure clarity and alignment with the project's aims.

The project manager must clearly define what constitutes project success, establish the necessary factors for project initiation, and outline the project's objectives and goals along with performance metrics Following this, it is essential to detail both the inclusions and exclusions within the project scope to ensure clarity and focus.

• Start and stop (the steps that serve as a basis for the project)

• Geographic regions, product, areas (of focus)

• Stakeholders (the parties involved and interested)

• Timeframes (the starting and ending dates)

• Constraints (resources, time, quality, budget, scope)

A project manager must be aware of all parties involved in the project, including decision-makers and those closely associated with the process Key stakeholders typically include managers, project champions, process owners, experts, and staff members.

Effective requirement identification is crucial for project success and involves clear communication with stakeholders and the project champion to understand their needs This process can be facilitated through interviews, workshops, focus groups, or observations, allowing for comprehensive requirement gathering The documented results serve as a foundation for developing use cases and formulating precise project requirements.

But the stakeholders there are also external forces, that might require consideration for requirement formulation They include law, governmental regulations and some area/ product standards

To prevent misunderstandings about project deliverables, it's essential to clearly document what will not be included in the budget and schedule This transparency ensures that stakeholders are aware of the project's limitations and avoids assumptions about additional tasks being executed.

Project Scope Statement justifies the purpose of the project It outlines project’s objectives, deliverables, and the work that has to be accomplished to result in the deliverables

This document establishes a clear understanding among stakeholders and outlines expectations regarding scope exclusions It includes a record of review and approval, ensuring that the project team remains aligned with planning during the execution phase and is informed of any changes that arise throughout the project.

Project Scope Statement should record what’s included or not included into the project The key elements are:

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research problem and framework, detailing the methodology employed to tackle the issue It also outlines the data collection and analysis techniques utilized to ensure the validity of the conducted research.

This study aims to explore the usage of project management software tools and how software companies implement specific tools It also seeks to uncover the various functions of these tools The thesis is designed to organize the criteria for selecting project management software and to aid in the adoption process To achieve this objective, two key research questions have been identified.

1 What requirements do project management software tools need to have?

2 Do chosen software tools satisfy identified requirements?

This study explores the intersection of project management theories and software tools, emphasizing the importance of literature review as a foundation for effective project management It identifies key criteria for selecting project management software by analyzing insights from project managers and existing literature The research begins during my internship as I learn to use project management software while planning a project assigned by my supervisor I conduct a thorough review of relevant literature and documentation to outline the necessary steps for project completion Recognizing the value of project management tools for those with limited experience, I investigate software options that can facilitate project planning After gathering data from seasoned project managers, I analyze and categorize the information, ultimately comparing it with my literature findings The culmination of this process forms the basis of the research outcomes.

Research methodologies can be categorized into two primary approaches: deductive and inductive The deductive approach, often referred to as a top-down method, starts with broad generalizations and narrows down to specific hypotheses for testing In contrast, the inductive approach focuses on generating concepts based on the generalization of specific facts.

This thesis employs a deductive approach to investigate established project management concepts The research aims to identify the criteria for selecting effective project management software tools and their functionalities specifically for software companies.

The above literature review serves as a foundation for the research and provides the requirements for the study

This thesis employs a qualitative research method to conduct an in-depth study of project management software tools Due to the focus on only two specific cases, the findings are tailored to the particular context The research primarily relies on observations and an analysis of project managers' opinions.

A case study is a research method that involves the empirical observation of a specific real-life phenomenon, utilizing various forms of evidence The primary objective of this approach is to understand the foundations of decision-making processes, their implementation, and the resulting outcomes For this reason, I have chosen to adopt this strategy as the central focus of my thesis.

To investigate project managers' experiences with project management software tools, I developed a questionnaire featuring open-ended questions This approach allows project managers to express their insights freely, providing valuable guidelines to understand the significance of these tools The questions were crafted based on criteria identified in the literature review, ensuring relevance to software selection My research was supported by my internship organization and input from independent project managers.

I employed coding analysis for data analysis, generating indicators from criteria identified in the literature review The process began with descriptive coding, where phrases, words, and sentences from the questionnaires were marked with appropriate terms Significant content was highlighted, and the results were organized and categorized for comparison against the indicators to determine if they met the established criteria Ultimately, conclusions were drawn based on this comparative analysis.

Reliability refers to the consistency of study findings over time, indicating that repeated studies yield the same results In contrast, validity pertains to the accuracy of the study, demonstrating that the methods employed effectively measure what they are intended to measure.

To ensure the reliability and validity of this thesis, I regularly examined the selected software tools and chose project managers with extensive experience in various software companies and project management tools This approach was designed to gather the necessary information for the study Additionally, the questionnaire was developed based on criteria identified in the literature review.

RESULT

OVERVIEW OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE TOOLS USAGE

This chapter comprises two cases used for the study It provides a clearer picture on the project management software tools used as well as the findings drawn from them.

JIRA

JIRA is the one out of the two software tools that I chose to research for this thesis

In this chapter I will speculate about the features of this software tool, as well as present and talk about my and other project managers’ experience of it

JIRA, a robust issue tracking tool developed by Atlassian, was originally designed for software development and has evolved into a comprehensive project management solution utilized globally Launched in 2002, JIRA facilitates bug tracking and issue management, allowing teams to record, organize, and assign tasks efficiently Its integration capabilities with various software, such as GIT, enable seamless issue importing and tracking, making it an essential tool for effective project management.

JIRA has got different pricing policies depending on the package chosen There are three types of packages:

• for projects (includes only issue tracking);

• for development (includes agile project management on top of issue tracking);

• for service desk (includes issue tracking and service requests)

The packages have different features regarding the project’s needs JIRA works on both: premises and cloud

This section highlights the key characteristics and features of JIRA, drawing from both official documentation and my practical experiences Through my observations, I illustrate how these elements were effectively utilized during my practice.

JIRA enhances agile planning by accommodating frequent team changes and project adjustments, such as new deadlines and increased budgets, which are common in dynamic companies like House3D Its flexibility allows for effective management of deliverables, maintaining high productivity, and organizing backlogs while facilitating sprint preparation and workflow visualization As the project manager oversees project planning, JIRA serves as a vital software tool, consolidating work across various departments into a single project file for better organization and efficiency.

In JIRA, each issue must be assigned to a single individual; however, project managers have the ability to create a group of multiple users that functions as a single entity, allowing them to assign issues to the group collectively.

JIRA has got dashboard On this board, all the issues are posted, thus the team members can easily see the unassigned ones and take the ones they like

Jira allows for the organization of issues by both sprint and subject, enabling individuals or teams to be assigned to specific topics Accessible from any location with an internet connection, Jira enhances communication among team members, eliminating the confusion often caused by multiple messaging platforms It facilitates the creation of dedicated rooms for different projects, promoting seamless collaboration and smoother project execution.

JIRA offers highly detailed scheduling capabilities, allowing tasks to have precise start and end dates, as well as customizable frequencies for execution These features enable project managers to establish a critical path and accurately assess the time required to complete the project.

Effective tracking is a crucial element of project scheduling, as it ensures timely project completion JIRA enhances this process with its Project Status Report feature, which project managers can use daily to keep team members informed about the project's progress.

JIRA offers a variety of add-ons, including the "Documents" feature, which enables users to store and manage documents efficiently This add-on allows for linking files to specific issues, setting view permissions, and searching for files easily.

JIRA has got easy search functionality One just can include the issue’s title or date to find the issue

JIRA allows the addition of custom fields for seamless integration with ongoing projects, enhancing the execution process This feature addresses the frequent changes that occur during development and eliminates delays caused by intermediaries between the team and the customer By facilitating direct communication, JIRA streamlines and accelerates project execution.

JIRA offers essential features for managing project versions, including adding, editing, deleting, rescheduling, merging, and archiving This functionality allows developers to efficiently mark the project's version after each successful phase, facilitating easy adjustments during the development process if any changes are required.

Jira's project management features are driven by workflows, which outline the processes within an organization These workflows are essential for managing the rules governing the transition of project issues through various stages Additionally, they are visually represented on dashboards for easy monitoring and control.

In project management, tasks transition through distinct stages: they start as TO DO, indicating they are yet to be addressed Once a team member begins working on a task, it shifts to IN PROGRESS Upon completion of all deliverables, the task is marked as DONE However, if unexpected issues arise or changes occur, the task may be moved to PENDING until those matters are resolved.

Effective reporting is essential for monitoring project progress and addressing issues such as scope creep JIRA offers a diverse range of reports to facilitate this tracking process.

• The burnup report to compare the work completed within a sprint with the work planned to be completed

• The cumulative flow diagram used to identify bottlenecks by presenting the length of time each issue stayed in each status

• The velocity report breaks down the amount of work the team managed to complete over a period of time to plan next sprint better

• The sprint burndown chart presents the work as compared to the one remaining

It can help to avoid scope creep

Project managers can enhance visibility in Jira by customizing dashboards to showcase essential project information By incorporating a calendar view and various charts, they can effectively monitor the workload assigned to team members.

This built-in feature is designed to manage repetitive tasks and processes, allowing project managers to customize it according to specific requirements, such as sending email notifications upon task completion.

USING JIRA FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT