Managing Integration Projects

Course Overview

Systems and process integration projects are becoming the norm rather than the exception. Integration projects, however, are the most difficult the manage and laden with traps to snag the unwary project manager. Participants will learn tips and processes that come from years of experience that will prepare them to avoid the failures that plague integration projects. Techniques taught in the course are reinforced with thorough real-life case studies and a hands-on exercise that is woven throughout the course.

Key Outcomes

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Define an integration project and the common areas of complexity
• Explain how to form an effective integration team
• Perform stakeholder analysis in an integration environment
• Explain how to identify, collect, and analyze systems integration requirements
• Examine methods for planning integration activities
• Describe the communication complexities of integration projects
• Evaluate change management processes for highly complex changes
• Identify the common risk areas for integration projects
• Develop a work breakdown structure that focuses on integration complexity
• Explain how to make build-vs.-buy decisions based on total cost of ownership
• Describe estimating techniques unique to integration projects
• Explain common pitfalls that occur during project execution

Course Outline

Introduction to Integration Project Management

• Define an integration project
• Explain how to form an integration project team
• Explain how to identify and analyze stakeholders
• Identify how to collect and analyze integration project requirements

Preparing the Integration Project Team

• Describe how to create an integration team harter
• Describe the complexity of communication plans for integration projects
• Explain change management processes
• Define areas of risk for integration projects and how to manage the additional complexity presented by those risk areas

Planning and Integration Project

• Explain how to create a work breakdown structure for an integration project
• Describe methods for planning integration activities
• Describe procurement/purchasing options and how they impact an integration effort
• Explain how estimating an integration project differs from other projects
• Create a work breakdown structure and make purchase option decisions

Integration Project Controls

• Describe the importance of stakeholder management throughout project execution and control
• Explain how to maintain a productive relationship with customers/sponsors
• Explain how conflict management  manifests itself in integration projects
• Describe the process and the emphasis on status reporting and communication for this portion of the integration project life cycle
• Explain the importance of project and product reviews

Project Implementation

• Explain how to perform the implementation of the integration product
• Define testing options for interfaces and integration of the product
• Identify the verification and validation activities that can help ensure success
• Describe how to appropriately address test results

Project Delivery

• Explain how to perform the final test on integration projects
• Identify integration project training deliverables
• Describe how to perform the final integration activities
• Identify the required integration project closeout activities
• Explain how to perform the final test, integration, and closeout activities