Course Overview:

Managing a modern Systems Development Lifecycle (SDLC) project requires a thorough understanding of the various roles that must come together in order to create a successful application. This understanding begins by recognizing the need to work within a multidisciplinary environment. Business Analysts, Project Managers and Software Testers each have multiple implementation options (such as Waterfall or Agile) available to them. Knowing which tool or technique to use in any particular situation is key to success. This Fundamentals of SDLC training course will give you the knowledge you need to help you choose between these methods, tools and artifacts so that you can quickly and efficiently take your SDLC project from concept to working implementation.

Target Audience:

This course is designed for participants who plan, manage and execute software/ systems development, life cycle, and projects (SDLC). It would be beneficial for:

• Managers of Software Development organizations

• Project Managers

• Team Leads

• Business Analysis Managers

• Business Analysts

• Testing Managers

• Systems Testers

• Product Owners

• Program Managers

• Systems Architects

• QA Professionals

• Anyone wanting to enhance their business analysis or project management skills

Learning Objectives:

• Know how to identify, evaluate and document the many stakeholders of a project

• Be able to distinguish between the different types and levels of software testing

• Understand the reason for the various artifacts and the key features of each

• Write effective User Stories that can be used to identify requirements in an Agile project

• Learn how the differing life cycle models combine to create an SDLC implementation

• Be able to choose the proper project management methodology for your project based upon its own unique characteristics

• Understand the significance of different estimating methods and how they should be utilized for time and cost estimation

• Understand the significance of the Agile Manifesto and its relationship to the twelve (12) principles of Agile

• Use Earned Value Project Management to assess budget and schedule compliance

• Be able to use the Triple Constraints Triangle as a tool to help others understand the relationship of time, cost, and scope in any project

• Learn the fundamental tools and techniques of business analysis at each stage of a project

• Recognize the significance of risk management to the proper management of an SDLC project

• Be able to create the three major baselines (Scope, Schedule and Cost) necessary to properly control a project

• Understand how requirements are tracked and validated using a Requirements Traceability Matrix

• Know how to determine the Critical Path through a network of activities

• Assign relative estimate values using Planning Poker

• Know how to decompose Work Packages into Activities that are sized for proper managerial overview

• Create an Iteration (Sprint) Backlog from a prioritized Product Backlog

• Understand the key features of your project’s Test Plan

• Track and apply the concept of Velocity to your Release and Iteration plans

Prerequisites:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

Course Materials:

Students will receive a course manual with presentation slides and reference materials.

Examination:

There is no exam.

Technical Requirements:

For eBooks:

Internet for downloading the eBook

Laptop, tablet, Smartphone, eReader (No Kindle)

Adobe DRM supported software (e.g. Digital Editions, Bluefire Reader)

eBook download and activation instructions

Agenda:

Introduction — What is a Project?

• Projects as Opposed to Operational Management

• Projects as Part of Strategic Management

• Projects as Integral to Program Management

The Project Life Cycle

• Generic Project Life Cycle

• The Project Management Life Cycle

• The Process Groups

• SDLC Overview

• IIBA Knowledge Areas

Project Management Concepts and Methodologies

• Waterfall

• Agile

• Iterative

Project Initiation — The BA Role

• Stakeholder Analysis and the Stakeholder Register

• Initial Business Analysis Artifacts 

• Documenting Requirements within a Requirements Gathering Approach 

• Types and Sources of Requirements

Initiation — The PM Role: Baselines

• Develop Project Charter

• Collect Requirements 

• Project Scope Statement 

• Work Breakdown Structure 

• Scope Baseline 

• Define Activities 

• Project Schedule Network Diagram (Dependency Network) 

• Estimate Activity Resources 

• Effort vs. Duration and Compensation

• Develop the Project Schedule 

• Critical Path Method 

• Schedule Compression

Initiation — Important Subsidiary Management Plans

• Test Plan

• Human Resource Plan

• Communications Management Plan

• Risk Management Plan

Performing the Work — Project Execution

• Cost Control

• Earned Value Management, CPI, SPI

• Scope Control

• Requirements Communication 

• Solution Assessment and Validation

• Requirements Traceability Matrix 

• Software Testing 

• Levels of Testing

Closing the Project

• Project Closure — Product Acceptance

• Closing the Project — Things That Must Be Accomplished

Agile Overview

• What is Agile All About? The Agile Manifesto and Principles

• The Levels of Agile Planning

• Release Planning — The Product Backlog, Sprint Backlog 

• Story Points and Velocity

• Iteration Planning

• Daily Scrums, Sprint Reviews, Demos and Retrospectives

Hands-On Exercises

• Exercise 1 — Stakeholder Analysis

• Exercise 2 — Capturing High-Level Requirements

• Exercise 3 — Create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• Exercise 4 — Decompose Work Packages to Activities

• Exercise 5 — Develop a Dependency Network

• Exercise 6 — Estimate Activity Durations

• Exercise 7 — Compensate Effort to Duration

• Exercise 8 — Develop a Critical Path Network Diagram

• Exercise 9 — Perform Earned Value Calculations

• Exercise 10 — Write User Stories

• Exercise 11 — Perform Sprint Planning