Project talk: what graduates need to know about IT project work

Technology projects come in all shapes and sizes and bring together people working in a wide range of roles. When you start your graduate job in IT, you could join a team rolling out a new customer relationship database across the offices of a global client, or developing the new release of a software application.

But while every project is different, they typically follow a similar life-cycle that falls into six steps. It's good to be aware of the basic project steps and outline process, as well as understand some of the terminology, before you attend graduate interviews in the IT sector.

Step 1: Winning the business; assessing feasibility

Bidding or feasibility studies are the first step. Bidding is usually for projects delivered to an external client. A bidding team that usually comprises experienced sales people, market researchers and business managers, assesses whether a project will be profitable. A proposal is put together for the client outlining what can be offered at a competitive price.

Top skills for future project managers:

• good verbal and written communication skills
• teamwork and the ability to work with and motivate others
• problem-solving ability and a cool head
• organisation and planning, and the ability to work to and meet deadlines
• commitment to delivering your part.

A feasibility study is the first stage of an internal project. Business managers and technology leaders assess their budgets and the priority of the work in the context of the business as a whole. If the project is to develop or upgrade a product sold to an external market, sales and marketing people will provide feedback on the features and improvements customers want in the new release.

Step 2: Gathering requirements

A 'requirements gathering' stage occurs whether you work on an internal or external project. Under the guidance of a project manager, business analysts start to work out what the project needs to do, how the technology will be used, what features will be essential and what the technology will need to achieve in the future. To do this they talk to the 'stakeholders', ie those with a vested interest in the project – from senior-level executives down to the main users.

Step 3: Defining the specs

Business analysts and consultants document the requirements, and the project manager defines the 'scope' of the project, ie the features that can be included given the time and resources available, and the budget. From the scope a technical specification is produced. Technical architects, designers, senior developers, network and operating system professionals flesh out the specifications and design the system. Experienced testers can also be involved in the design process, as they can identify any potential issues before work starts.

Step 4: Technology development

Enter the technical specialists who work under the guidance of the project manager to build the hardware, software or system according to the specifications. Coding and configuration take place. This is the stage of project work that is most typically associated with IT, but it's one part of a much bigger picture.

Step 5: Testing

Testing actually goes on throughout the development process, but for projects being delivered to a client there is often a further three-stage testing process once development of the whole system is complete: testing at your own location, inviting the client to see the system working at your own site, and then testing once the system is in place at the client's site.

Step 6: Closing out

Once the product or system has been delivered and 'accepted', the project manager and key members of the team start to 'close out' the project. For some projects provision is made to support the transition to the new technology or to provide user training. A project may even include a long-term contract to provide support and maintenance.

Finally, the team evaluates the process and the lessons learned, and any documentation is filed or handed over. Team members move on to start work on the next project – but not until the previous project's successes have been well and truly celebrated!

Job-talk for IT graduates: project methodologies and terminologies

• agile software development A software development methodology that anticipates a need for flexibility, delivering approved, functioning elements of an application as they are ready rather than one complete application at the end of a project.
• CMM Capability Maturity Model. A five-level model used for refining and developing an organisation's software development process.
• ITIL Information Technology Infrastructure Library. Best practice guidelines and detailed information for managing infrastructure, development and operations in information technology - widely used in IT service management.
• lean programming A methodology that focuses on optimising the programming process through efficiency and minimising waste, from the level of the individual programmer up to organisational factors.
• PRINCE2 Projects IN Controlled Environments. UK government standard for IT project management. However, PRINCE methodology has been embraced by IT project managers in both the public and private sectors. It is recognised as'the'standard for project management.
• RAD Rapid Application Development. Developing products faster through an accelerated process development model.
• SDLC Systems Development LifeCycle. A project management model that includes stages from feasibility study through to running and maintaining the application or system developed.

Graduates at work on technology projects

• IT project jobs: graduate software engineer builds a game asset management system
• IT project jobs: industrial design graduate takes on ultimate challenge – developing a next-generation kid-proof computer
• IT project jobs: graduate consultant heads down under to support new banking software
• IT project jobs: graduate joins team to upgrade a Kenyan telecoms network and services