Methodology

 

 

Project management consists in the use of knowledge, abilities, tools and techniques in a broad scope of activities to fulfil the requirements of a specific project and the Client’s wishes. It should also be a repeatable and predictable process, which might be adapted to every project in the organisation.

 

We want our clients to develop their business even more efficiently. Because of that, we approach every project individually and tailor our offer to the needs and requirements of the dynamically changing online market. Abundant experience along with the knowledge of trends and customers expectations allows us to perceive each new project from a different perspective. Our knowledge and engagement guarantee not only efficacious implementation of business tools, but also the posterior optimisation and extension.

 

Agile management

In project management, we use only proven and efficient agile methods, including Scrum, Prince 2, IPMA. Scrum, as the most effective work method, minimises the risk and complexion of projects. It is also based on five basic values, on which we rely on the execution of projects.

 

5 basic Scrum values:

 

It is important to respect everyone, who gathered to create the team executing one project. Because of that all activities within the project are monitored by certified Scrum Masters and the openness of Scrum makes the information visible for each undertaking participant. The Scrum method is based on 2-4 weeks cycles called sprints, during which the client might check the results. This technique also allows to quickly make decisions about changes, e.g. which elements to add, delete or change..

 

Project stages

In order to create a consistent and repeatable project management process, and thereby achieve a deliberate target, it is important to have a transparent action plan.

 

It consists of five stages:

Five-stage process is presumably a general plan and guide for project management, changed and tailored to individual needs and targets of the business.

 

Stage 1 - Needs analysis

The first stage is one of the most crucial. In this part of the project, we carefully identify problems and analyse the needs and goals that our client wants to achieve by implementing the programme. We evaluate the proposed project to determine its value, feasibility and benefits for the company. We also prepare a report that takes into account the specificity of the market, competitors' activities and possible technological limitations. Together with the client, we determine the concept of the project, the scope of work and the schedule.

 

Stage 2 - Organisation of a project team

The second step in the process is extremely important for developing a plan, allocating resources, scheduling, and assembling the team. In this part, we use the knowledge of specialists in various fields, including analysts, information architects, network administrators, designers, programmers, webmasters, graphic designers, testers, SEO specialists, but also people who look at the entire process from a business perspective. Project managers work with their team to come up with an accurate plan down to the last detail. A brief description of the project includes the scope of work, estimated time, work breakdown structure, team roles and responsibilities, approval process, and communication plan.

 

Stage 3 - Kick-off and the execution of a project

This is where the real work on the project begins, when we implement the plan agreed in the project brief. Tasks are assigned to team members, and the project management system (Redmine or JIRA software) enables constant control and observation of which tasks are in progress. This allows us to react quickly when changes are required. The GitLab version control system also facilitates more efficient work. In the third stage, it is extremely important for the team to stick to the plan as at this point the scope of the project may increase or there may be risk factors from the second stage. Therefore, in order to increase the efficiency and quality of work in this phase of project implementation, we increasingly rely on the Continuous Delivery / Continuous Deployment practice. This approach allows us to create software in short cycles, each time ensuring that it can be published manually (Continuous Delivery) or automatically (Continuous Deployment) at any time. An additional benefit of this approach is that versions of incentive programmes are created, tested and released faster and more frequently, which helps to reduce the costs, time and risk associated with changes.

 

Stage 4 - The finalisation of a project

The fourth step of the process is most often carried out in conjunction with the third. This includes constant monitoring and reporting. Before the project is implemented, we thoroughly test all mechanisms and their operation on the target mobile and desktop platforms. The detailed parameters of a given project naturally determine which tools will work best at this stage of process management. Installation and testing is carried out in accordance with the DevOps - Continuous Integration method. After a positive qualitative assessment, the project is implemented. This is the moment when the customer receives an efficient, effective and safe business solution.

 

Stage 5 - Monitoring of a project

After implementing the plan and completing the project, it's time to maintain it, because we not only care about the implementation of a specific solution, but also its further development. In this phase, we can create new functionalities or improve the existing ones. Thanks to the appropriate design of the systems and applications we provide, we can expand them in later phases without losing the consistency and stable functioning of other elements. We can also conduct training for the client's employees so that they can effectively use the applications we implement.