Project Management

My rules for managing projects:

• Use email sparingly - really only use it for notifications that new content is available. 
• Use a collaboration platform - of course, I like Confluence
• Everyone on the same page - everyone has access to the relevant information - working out loud. 
• Information highlights - rather than drowning in information, a page showing highlights of what is happening or decisions made, is a good idea. 

Information gathering - data we need from the existing systems:

• Any existing or old requirements documents, wishlists, design documents etc. 
• Process documents
• Help documents
• Training documents
• All the fields in existence
• Sample data
• All required values in dropdown lists etc
• An understanding of how much data there is, and what shape it's in. 
  • It's always going to be bad, just how bad is it
  • How are we going to clean it up. 
• Existing forms
• Existing reports
  • Including excel spreadsheets, board reports, anything that uses that data. 
• A look at existing screens - if that is not possible, then screenshots.

Current system

• What's good about it
• What's bad about it
• Where does it fall down
• Where do things fall through the cracks
• How is it tracked and monitored
• How do you deal with problems
• What is a perfect scenario
• What is a really bad scenario. 
• What are all the other scenarios. 
• What data is missing from the system, why, where is it?
• What data shouldn't belong in the system?

Other information we need:

• Any and all other systems that the business uses - whether they are related or not. 
• What the board, executive or management needs out of this system.
• What are the legislative requirements or restrictions. 
• What are the inputs to this system. 
  • Eg Website, web forms
• What are the client's / end users / stakeholders needs. 
• What are the emotions / thoughts and feelings around the project. 
• What is the politics and history of the project.