For Project managers and business analyst who have started exploring the Focused Build and looking for deeper insights and the questions which pops out while using the tool. Well,this blog is intended to give the significant points to remember when you are exploring in the R2D Process areas. If you have not read the Part 1 yet. Kindly go through the below link and then glance at this part- 2, such you can understand the sequence better
Part 1: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/01/22/project-management-in-focused-build-common-qa-for-pms/
Imagine how many times you have to go through the problem of revising the Project Dates. For instance, Out of 5 tasks, if you are changing the dates of Task 2, then there is a huge effort required in adjusting the subsequent dates of other tasks(3 to 5)accordingly and in turn changing the overall project timelines.
This problem is resolved by Project management through Solution Manager. Simply slide and adjust the task dates through Gant chart. All other tasks, dates and Project Schedule gets automatically adjusted with the below message.
Typically Dates of “tasks” determine the schedule for the “overall project”. Project schedule (high level, in the top) gets adjusted automatically to the time required for the overall project. So, start defining time from bottom, the overall project dates will get auto updated. That is called bottom up scheduling approach.
2. Can I switch between top-down and bottom up scheduling?
No, decide your approach at initial stage of the project and go for it.
By default, a Build Project follows bottom up approach. If a top down approach is required, change it initially or delete or adjust the task dates manually which perhaps require some effort.
3. How to Change Severity and status of a Phase, wave, Sprint or a Q - gate?
Select the desired level and change in status management
4. Where to place Work package and Work item under a Project?
It is always, WP comes under a wave and Work Item under a Sprint.
5. How to place a milestone?
Every phase inherently has a milestone. Milestone can be created anywhere manually. Either use Create button to place milestone at specific date or use the below checkbox option for existing wave, sprint or a task.
6. What is a Q gate and who is responsible for a Q gate?
Quality Gate or Q-Gate is a special milestone in a software build project. A quality gate is scheduled during the hand-over from one project phase or wave to the next. All project stakeholders review the deliverables of the previous phase or wave and decide collaboratively whether the project can move into the next phase or wave (as the availability of documents is checked rather than their content.) . The project manager is responsible for milestone and quality gate deadlines, and signs off the tasks that pass the gates
7. What is the significance of a wave? Can we proceed without a wave?
A wave is formally signed-off by customer key-users. Technically it is possible to create your own simple style of Project without a wave. However, if you have to stick to the Focused Build methodology, this is the recommended approach. Else, you don’t get to see the desired output in Solution Readiness dashboard.
8. What is the purpose of a Sprint and who is responsible for it?
Each sprint ends with a review meeting, during which the finished developments are signed off, and unfinished tasks are assigned to the scope of the next sprint. Project managers trigger the first sprint.
9. If I postpone a Sprint, do I have to perform subsequent adjustments for the wave manually?
If I postpone a sprint, this will change the duration of the superordinate wave automatically. when a predecessor task is postponed the successor tasks are also postponed.
10. How do I create a Sprint, the option is unavailable.
There is no exclusive option to create a Sprint. You have to create tasks and that task should be mentioned with type as Sprint. Or else, in template, there would be a default sprint mentioned which can be copied and reused.
11. What is the difference between attachment and documentation tab In work package?
Work item and Work Package has attachment (dropdoc )to add any required attachment. However, there is also a dedicated option named documentation, where we can reference the SOLDOC element. Both serves the same purpose, but in attachment, it is saved locally, whereas in Documentation, it is saved globally under solution Manager.
12. How to view/manage the consumed efforts for each work package?
Ensure the Work Package is filled with “Efforts” and “Completion percentage” (manual task). Efforts and percentage all together gets aggregated in Project level like below.
13. How to manage work packages from Project perspective?
Remember, we don’t create Work packages from Project. Work packages are associated to the waves under a Project. As mentioned earlier, Work packages aligns with Waves. So, Wave and WP relationship can be created from WP and not from the wave itself.
14. I am unable to create a Work package from Project Management Tree. Why?
There is no direct option to create a WP transaction. You can only relate a Work package to the Project and corresponding wave.
15. How to manage/view work Item from Project perspective?
Select the top level of Project element and move over to Work package-> Development.
16. I am unable to create a Work Item from the Sprint. Why?
There is no direct option to create work item from Project management. Either use Template Sprint or create a Task of type sprint in the project. Once done, go to Work package and from the work package create a work item and associate it to the Sprint which was already created.
All the above are the major queries while using the tool and this should help in reducing the comprehending time to minimal. Most of the time, in Focused Build, the issues are due to wrong user handling. In a holistic Project perspective, these points are essential for a seamless rollout. Hope this helps. Cheers!
Part 1: https://blogs.sap.com/2021/01/22/project-management-in-focused-build-common-qa-for-pms/
Prologue
- How does the “Bottom up scheduling of Projects” work?
- Can I switch between top-down and bottom up scheduling?
- How to Change Severity and status of a Phase, wave, Sprint or a Q - gate?
- Where to place Work package and Work item under a Project?
- How to place a milestone?
- What is Q gate and who is responsible for a Q gate?
- What is the significance of a wave? Can we proceed without a wave?
- What is the purpose of a Sprint and who is responsible?
- If I postpone a Sprint, do I have to perform subsequent adjustments for the wave manually?
- How do I create a Sprint, the option is unavailable.
- What is the difference between attachment and documentation tab?
- How to view/manage the consumed efforts for each work package?
- How to manage work packages from Project perspective?
- I am unable to create a Work package from Project Management Tree
- How to manage/view work Item from Project perspective?
- I am unable to create a Work Item from the Sprint.
Here are the top few queries in FB Process
- How does the “Bottom up scheduling of Projects” work?
Imagine how many times you have to go through the problem of revising the Project Dates. For instance, Out of 5 tasks, if you are changing the dates of Task 2, then there is a huge effort required in adjusting the subsequent dates of other tasks(3 to 5)accordingly and in turn changing the overall project timelines.
This problem is resolved by Project management through Solution Manager. Simply slide and adjust the task dates through Gant chart. All other tasks, dates and Project Schedule gets automatically adjusted with the below message.
Typically Dates of “tasks” determine the schedule for the “overall project”. Project schedule (high level, in the top) gets adjusted automatically to the time required for the overall project. So, start defining time from bottom, the overall project dates will get auto updated. That is called bottom up scheduling approach.
2. Can I switch between top-down and bottom up scheduling?
No, decide your approach at initial stage of the project and go for it.
By default, a Build Project follows bottom up approach. If a top down approach is required, change it initially or delete or adjust the task dates manually which perhaps require some effort.
3. How to Change Severity and status of a Phase, wave, Sprint or a Q - gate?
Select the desired level and change in status management
4. Where to place Work package and Work item under a Project?
It is always, WP comes under a wave and Work Item under a Sprint.
5. How to place a milestone?
Every phase inherently has a milestone. Milestone can be created anywhere manually. Either use Create button to place milestone at specific date or use the below checkbox option for existing wave, sprint or a task.
6. What is a Q gate and who is responsible for a Q gate?
Quality Gate or Q-Gate is a special milestone in a software build project. A quality gate is scheduled during the hand-over from one project phase or wave to the next. All project stakeholders review the deliverables of the previous phase or wave and decide collaboratively whether the project can move into the next phase or wave (as the availability of documents is checked rather than their content.) . The project manager is responsible for milestone and quality gate deadlines, and signs off the tasks that pass the gates
7. What is the significance of a wave? Can we proceed without a wave?
A wave is formally signed-off by customer key-users. Technically it is possible to create your own simple style of Project without a wave. However, if you have to stick to the Focused Build methodology, this is the recommended approach. Else, you don’t get to see the desired output in Solution Readiness dashboard.
8. What is the purpose of a Sprint and who is responsible for it?
Each sprint ends with a review meeting, during which the finished developments are signed off, and unfinished tasks are assigned to the scope of the next sprint. Project managers trigger the first sprint.
9. If I postpone a Sprint, do I have to perform subsequent adjustments for the wave manually?
If I postpone a sprint, this will change the duration of the superordinate wave automatically. when a predecessor task is postponed the successor tasks are also postponed.
10. How do I create a Sprint, the option is unavailable.
There is no exclusive option to create a Sprint. You have to create tasks and that task should be mentioned with type as Sprint. Or else, in template, there would be a default sprint mentioned which can be copied and reused.
11. What is the difference between attachment and documentation tab In work package?
Work item and Work Package has attachment (dropdoc )to add any required attachment. However, there is also a dedicated option named documentation, where we can reference the SOLDOC element. Both serves the same purpose, but in attachment, it is saved locally, whereas in Documentation, it is saved globally under solution Manager.
12. How to view/manage the consumed efforts for each work package?
Ensure the Work Package is filled with “Efforts” and “Completion percentage” (manual task). Efforts and percentage all together gets aggregated in Project level like below.
13. How to manage work packages from Project perspective?
Remember, we don’t create Work packages from Project. Work packages are associated to the waves under a Project. As mentioned earlier, Work packages aligns with Waves. So, Wave and WP relationship can be created from WP and not from the wave itself.
14. I am unable to create a Work package from Project Management Tree. Why?
There is no direct option to create a WP transaction. You can only relate a Work package to the Project and corresponding wave.
15. How to manage/view work Item from Project perspective?
Select the top level of Project element and move over to Work package-> Development.
16. I am unable to create a Work Item from the Sprint. Why?
There is no direct option to create work item from Project management. Either use Template Sprint or create a Task of type sprint in the project. Once done, go to Work package and from the work package create a work item and associate it to the Sprint which was already created.
All the above are the major queries while using the tool and this should help in reducing the comprehending time to minimal. Most of the time, in Focused Build, the issues are due to wrong user handling. In a holistic Project perspective, these points are essential for a seamless rollout. Hope this helps. Cheers!
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