» Project Life Cycle explained

THE PLC PROCESS EXPLAINED

The Project Life Cycle (PLC) process is a management process which can support any technical, value added process (i.e. Software Life Cycle, Implementation, Deployment etc.). In order to progress properly, the PLC needs well structured input information which is provided by the PLC Interface. This interface is realized via a standardized document that delivers the necessary information about content, efforts, risks and role assignments.

In this section the PLC process is explained briefly using the example Software Life Cycle (SLC) as the technical, value added process. The chart below clarifies the cooperation between the PLC and the SLC using the CL Effort Estimation document as the PLC Interface.

The SLC starts with the Requirement Analysis (RA) as the very first process step. The RA in detail defines WHAT the technical process should deliver. Therefore this step needs appropriate Requirements (high level) (i.e. use case specifications) and a rough Effort Estimation V1.x as basic input (1). Under normal conditions these artifacts are provided by the sales force or by the product management. The RA delivers the General Requirement Specifications – GRS (2) and an adapted Effort Estimation V2.x (3) based on these requirements as a result. In parallel to the RA the first step of the PLC takes place. In the SETUP phase the Project Information System (PIS) is installed and configured in order to provide the project team with the necessary infrastructure environment.

For the next SLC phase - the Technical Design (TD) - the GRS documents coming from the RA are basic input (4). This process step delivers information about HOW the required functionality should be developed. The Effort Estimation V2.x furthermore feeds the PLANNING step within the PLC process (4a). With this information the PM is ready to create the first version of the Project Planning Documents (5) which are minimum project organization, communication structure, risk analysis, role assignments and project schedule.

As a result of the TD the Technical Design Documents (6) are available describing the software architecture and the implementations methodology in detail.

After updating the Effort Estimation V3.x (7) based on these artifacts the Project Planning Documents (8) can be adapted and finalized.

In the next step the planning documents are tracked to the Project Information System (PIS) which basically consists of an Information Portal (9) and an Operative Tasks Database (9a).

Assuming that the SLC is an agile process the steps Technical Design to Deployment are cyclic within every single sprint (10). This also impacts the PLC where CONTROLLING and PLANNING are cyclic loops as well (10a). All occurring efforts during these loops are tracked to the database (worklogs) by the project team members (11). Provided with all necessary information and by using different PM tools the PMs are enabled to do a proper controlling and manage their projects more effective and efficient (12).

Beside the "classical" activities (closing report, final team meeting, close project organization, post project analysis etc.) the last step in the PLC - the CLOSURE phase - primarily makes sure that all project artifacts are finally prepared for the Knowledge Management process (13). So that other project teams and even the whole organization can benefit from the experience and "lessons learned" it is of extreme importance to consolidate, structure and provide the knowledge out of this project.