Project Management

Agile methods are a family of development processes, not a single approach to software development. The Agile Manifesto states:

We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value:

• Individuals and interactions over processes and tools
• Working software over comprehensive documentation
• Customer collaboration over contract negotiation
• Responding to change over following a plan

That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items on the left more.

Some of the principles behind the Agile Manifesto are:

• Customer satisfaction by rapid, continuous delivery of useful software
• Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)
• Working software is the principal measure of progress
• Even late changes in requirements are welcomed
• Close, daily cooperation between business people and developers
• Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication (co-location)
• Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
• Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design
• Simplicity
• Self-organizing teams
• Regular adaptation to changing circumstances

The Entry point to Agile is a Project Charter which records following information Business need.

• Project Goal and objective
  
• Vision/Scope
  
• Acceptance Criteria
  
• Assumption/Constraints
  
• Milestones
  
• Estimated Cost and Efforts
  
• Stakeholders at Client End as well as at FSL

Once the Project Charter is in At FSL we prepare Project SOWs (Statement of Work) at the beginning of each iteration in which following information is placed

• Scope
• General Requirements
• Communication and status reporting
• Installation and Training
• Project Organization & Roles and Responsibilities
• Configuration and Quality management
• Deliver
• Change Management
• Escalation Mechanism
• Key Assumptions
• Time Frame, Staffing and Billing 
  

We generate a Project ID for the project in QMS and identify a Project Manager for the Project once the Project manager is identified he

• Prepares a Project Plan
• List of document templates….<long list>…
• Estimates the Project
• Identify the Project team
• Calls a Kick off meeting

On a regular interval as defined in Project Charter/SOW, he releases a Project Status Report to the PMO.