Beta Programs And The Project Manager

Beta Programs and the
Project Manager

Gary Shea
www.garyshea.com

©2008 G Shea Beta Programs PMI-Madison 1

Objective

Show project managers
the value of participating
in beta programs


Topics
 Definitions
 Examples
 Benefits
 Gotchas
 The Role of the Project
Manager  Exercises
 Preliminaries  Advice
 A Process  The Ultimate Goal
 PMBOK Connections  Questions


Definition - What is a Beta?
 Early usage  Test non-
 Pre – General
development –
 Sales / marketing
Availability  Support
 Not production  Delivery

 Not buggy code  Unique
 Partners’ configurations
readiness period  Customer
perspective


Benefits?
 For the organization
 Product awareness and
knowledge
 Critical business
functions
 Competitive advantage
 Vendor contacts
 Vendor relationship
 $avings


Benefits?
 To Project Manager
 Gain knowledge of the
business
 Be able to make a
difference
 New contacts
 Visibility
 Travel
 Have more fun


Preliminaries (for the Project
Manager)

 Be a pro-active project manager
 Be an investigator
 Get the lay of the land
 Configuration Management
 Dig in
 Determine what is critical
 Get the user perspective
 Moving targets – stay current
 Who? Get to know them.


A Process (for the organization)
 Interest
 Negotiation
 Qualification
 Implementation
 Closure


A Process: Interest
 Learn organization environment
 Identify core product set
 Your interests
 Identify possibilities
(questionnaire)
 Organization needs, directions,
sponsorship
 Sketch out project or 2: include
timing, resources, benefits


A Process: Negotiation
 An internal process – gaining
support for the project
 Evaluation of the next release –
why early access is essential
 Executive approval
 Resources earmarked
 Expectations set


A Process: Qualification
 Vendor may seek
you out

 You may have to
sell – Why
essential?
Resources ready.
Smooth sailing thru
legalities,
sponsorship…


A Process: Qualification

 Make case –
paperwork, plan,
schedule, meet
deadlines, be pro-
active and clear

 Keep your team
involved and
informed


A Process - Implementation
 Track activities & refine plan: what needs
to be done – product and documentation
shipments, installation, usage, meetings,
training, reporting, issue management,
test cases and tree
 Enjoy the intensity
 Report and resole issues, provide
feedback. Make a difference.
 Stick to schedule, meetings, checkpoints
 Take good notes.


A Process: Closure
 Final report – jointly written. Team
reviewed. Summarize issues,
recommendations, …
 Lessons learned.
 Dot Is cross Ts all paperwork complete
 Make recommendations on going into
production
 Report to sponsor


PMBOK Connections
 Configuration  Work Breakdown
Management Structures
 Stakeholders  Project phases
 Cross functional  Feedback
team  Closure
 Decentralized team  Lessons learned
 Scope management  Successful projects
 Dependencies


PMBOK – WBS Examples
 Evaluate environment for prerequisite
products, system programmer, ½ day
 Upgrade prerequisite product to next
version, separate dependent project
 Evaluate user guide (200 pages) – 3
days, four end users
 Interview end users – business analyst, 1
day
 ….


Real Life Example – Hudson
Bay Company
 Canadian retailer
uses BI for
applications
 Example Top 50
Selling Products
 Qualifies for
Teradata Beta
program
 Five times
participant


 Selectively
participates
depending on
new function
 Driven by project
managers –
“they know apps
best and make
case to senior
management”


Real Life - Blackbaud
 Provides software for non-profits – Raisers’
Edge
 Local users: MSO, Wisc. Public TV
 Beta is main activity of Stabilization phase
 Processes refined over the years
 Fifty early user customers
 Formal agreements
 Beta Bucks, production environment
‘handholding”
 Recruits through trade shows, user groups
 Function specific, phased, short duration


Real Life – Harley Davidson
 Internal Engineering
betas
 Roll out of tools and
processes (e.g. issue
tracking and risk
assessing tool)
 Borrowed modules
from sister division
 Best practices


 Tweaking and
tuning, refinement
 User acceptance
(best case they
embrace new
product)
 Project oriented


Gotchas

 Organizational goal: minimal change
 Workarounds: pilots, proof of concepts, test
environment
 Mismatch of PM / SDLC rigor
 Solutions: understood up-front, clear contract,
flexibility
 Mismatch of needs (vendor /
customer)
 Solutions: narrowly focused objectives, “next
time”


Exercises

 Identify core functions, products,
processes
 …..
 …..
 …..
 Configuration (e.g. Oracle, Teradata,
Blackbaud)
 …..
 …..


Advice
 Think quality and process improvements
 No hidden agenda
 Share ideas, information, wisdom
 Pushing too had? Ease off
 Stay focused
 Track, advertise, attract
 Consider others’ ideas
 Don’t forget what’s in it for the vendor


The Ultimate Goal
 Make a successful project of
beta participation


Acknowledgements
 Paul Radke, PMI
 Bucky Wall, Blackbaud
 Ken Sutton,Harley Davidson
 Mahmood Rad, Harley Davidson
 Noel Skarpmoen, WUWM Radio
 Mary-Jane Jarvis-Haig, Hudson
Bay Company

Graphics by YKDesigns
©2009 G Shea Beta Programs and Proj Mgmt 26

Beta Programs And The Project Manager

Empfohlen

Empfohlen

Weitere ähnliche Inhalte

Was ist angesagt?

Was ist angesagt? (20)

Andere mochten auch

Andere mochten auch (13)

Ähnlich wie Beta Programs And The Project Manager

Ähnlich wie Beta Programs And The Project Manager (20)

Beta Programs And The Project Manager