What's Different About Web Application Projects?
Understanding Web Application Project Methodologies and Processes

As organizations undertake Web Application initiatives, they generally find that the processes and methodologies that they use for “normal” projects, even to build sophisticated Client/Server systems, don’t work.  At least not “as is”.

Why not?  What has to change?

This one-day briefing explores what’s different about planning and conducting Web Application projects.  It specifically addresses how design, development and deployment processes must change and adapt to successfully implement Web Applications.

Web Application project management certainly includes issue management.  So, this briefing identifies and explores the issues associated with Web Application projects.  What are they and what’s different about managing them?

Quality issues

How good does it have to be to implement?  Just "good enough".  So, how do you define "good enough"?  It's good enough if it's "fit for use".  So, what's fit for use?  What processes, methods and metrics do you use to determine "fit for use”?

Staffing issues

How do you select the project team members for internal projects and (especially) hybrid projects that span organizations, e.g. when implementing a supply chain management system.

Life-cycle issues

What impacts do Web Applications impose on development strategies, e.g. iterative prototyping, especially given diverse and even contradictory emulation, extension and innovation objectives?

Project approach issues

Is a RAD approach appropriate?  JAD?  How, if at all, must they be modified to fit into an Web Application project framework?

Implementation issues

Acceptance challenges, organizational change, role & responsibility changes, and, especially, relationship changes (both interpersonal, small group and organization-to-organization).  How do you plan for and manage the changes typically caused by Web Application implementations?

Personal change management issues

"Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape."  How can YOU become & remain flexible, and how can you help foster flexibility in all participating parties?

Methodology and product issues

What established methodologies work well?  Don't work well?  For example: How much UML definition is actually necessary?  Do you REALLY have to build ALL of those models & create ALL of those artifacts?  Is Rational Rose the only, or even the best, approach & product line?

Definition and documentation issues

Which metadata are really mandatory, e.g. for defining XML objects/elements?  What metadata are needed by which methodology and technology approaches?

This briefing is designed for interactive discussion.  It provides you with the opportunity to raise and discuss the project issues and challenges that you face as you plan and implement your Web Application initiatives.