project-management-cmms-planning.md

Project Manager Technical Challenge - Software Development Project Planning

Overview

Plan and document the management approach for a software development project to create a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS). This challenge tests your ability to break down requirements, create user stories, set up project tracking tools, and plan sprints effectively.

Required Tasks

1. Project Setup

• Set up a project in Jira, Trello, or Asana (free trial)
• Create an appropriate project structure using agile methodologies
• Set up relevant labels, epics, or categories
• Configure basic workflows
• Document your tool choice and setup decisions

2. User Story Creation

• Create 15-20 user stories covering core CMMS functionality:
  • Follow proper user story format ("As a [user], I want [feature] so that [benefit]")
  • Include acceptance criteria for each story
  • Add appropriate labels/tags
  • Assign story points for effort estimation
  • Prioritize stories appropriately
• Group stories into epics or themes

3. Sprint Planning

• Plan first three sprints:
  • Allocate user stories to sprints
  • Balance workload appropriately
  • Document sprint goals
  • Create a sprint calendar
  • Include capacity planning considerations

Optional Bonus Tasks

Risk Management Plan

• Identify potential project risks
• Create risk matrix
• Develop mitigation strategies
• Document contingency plans
• Set up risk tracking in project management tool

Team Communication Plan

• Define communication channels
• Create meeting schedule (standups, planning, retros)
• Design status report template
• Plan stakeholder updates
• Document tool integrations (e.g., Slack, email)

Metrics Dashboard

• Set up project metrics tracking
• Create burndown/burnup charts
• Define KPIs
• Plan sprint velocity tracking
• Configure automated reporting

Evaluation Criteria

Required Tasks (100 points)

• Project Setup (30 points)
  • Tool configuration quality
  • Workflow design
  • Organization structure
  • Documentation clarity
• User Story Creation (40 points)
  • Story quality and format
  • Estimation accuracy
  • Prioritization logic
  • Acceptance criteria clarity
• Sprint Planning (30 points)
  • Sprint balance
  • Workload distribution
  • Goal clarity
  • Planning realism

Bonus Features (Extra Credit)

• Risk Management Plan
• Team Communication Plan
• Metrics Dashboard

Submission Requirements

Send Jesse an email with:

1. Project management tool access:

   • Shared access to your project setup (invite me to the project)
   • Screenshots of key configurations

2. Documentation package (Word or a similar tool is fine):

   • Setup decisions and rationale
   • Sprint planning methodology
   • Tool usage guide
   • Optional: Bonus task deliverables

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Tips for Success

• Focus on practical, implementable plans
• Be realistic with estimations
• Document your decision-making process
• Keep organization clear and logical
• If stuck, reach out for guidance

You can use any free trial version of popular project management tools. If you need guidance on tool selection, please ask.

There is no hard deadline, however there are limited positions available for this role and to some extent it's first come first serve so if you take too long (many weeks) to complete the task you might find that there are not open positions left. Feel free to check with me if the position is still available.

A Note on Tools

While you have flexibility in choosing your project management tool, here are some popular options with free trials:

• Jira
• Trello
• Asana
• ClickUp
• Monday.com

If you need guidance on specific tool features or setup, please reach out.