Project Management Information and Tracking System Advanced Concepts

1
Project Management Information and Tracking
System Advanced Concepts

• Office of Technology Services
• Project Management Office

2
PMIT Advanced

• Since July 1, 2008, VCU has operated as a Tier 3
  institution under the Restructured Higher
  Education Financial and Administrative Operations
  Act
• Greater autonomy and control in
• Capitol outlay and acquisition and disposition of
  real property
• Leasing
• Procurement and surplus property
• Finance and accounting
• HR
• Information Technology

3
PMIT Advanced

• To meet provisions of our agreement with the
  Commonwealth, VCU has to develop and follow our
  own policies, standards and procedures in four
  areas of IT management
• Security
• Infrastructure, Architecture, Operations
• Accessibility
• Project Management and Auditing

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PMIT Advanced

• Project Management and Auditing components
• Strategic planning
• Project Portfolio Management
• Project Management
• Auditing

5
PMIT Advanced

• Technology Services Strategic Plan
• Led by Mark Willis
• Supports VCU-2020 Strategic Plan
• Outlines goals and objectives for next three
  years with yearly updates
• Currently being reviewed by University
  constituencies
• Submitted to COVA by September 1

6
PMIT Advanced

• PPM and Information Technology Governance
• Portfolio Management - IT assets and projects
  should be managed to maximize the total return
  from all
• Requires decisions on what IT investments to make
  and what projects to undertake
• Decisions should be made by the University, not
  by Technology Services
• Forum for that decision-making is in development

7
PMIT Advanced

• VCUs Project Management Methodology
• Visited University PMOs
• UVa, WM, GMU, UNCs
• Researched best practices
• VITA, PMI, PMBOK
• Formed PM Task Force
• Representatives from every unit in Technology
  Services

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PMIT Advanced

• Task Force started in July, 2008
• Held bi-monthly meetings where the best practices
  in a project management subject area were
  presented and evaluated
• Recommendation on how to adopt and apply those
  practices at VCU was agreed upon
• Each representative was expected to share those
  recommendations with colleagues for input
• Task Force decisions established principles of
  VCUs PM methodology and the requirements for a
  project information system

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PMIT Advanced

• VCU Project Management Methodology Components
• Policy
• Developed and in review
• Standard
• Developed and being reviewed by VPs
• Practices and Procedures
• Documentation of how OTS projects are initiated,
  approved, prioritized, managed, budgeted, and
  completed is in progress

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PMIT Advanced

• PM Standard Overview
• Project Definition
• Any temporary endeavor with an established
  beginning and end time that has a set of defined
  tasks and assigned resources, undertaken to
  deliver a unique information technology product,
  service or result.
• Project Sponsor
• Individual who makes the case for the project
• Define project goals, secure resources, establish
  internal project priorities, and resolve intra-
  and inter-organizational issues and conflicts

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PMIT Advanced

• PM Standard
• Project Manager
• Every project will have a named PM
• Qualifications escalate with project complexity
• Responsible for
• Developing the Project Plan
• Entering and maintaining project information in
  PMIT
• Executing control measures when required
• Managing projects means managing people

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PMIT Advanced

• Practices and procedures
• Documented on the PMO Web site linked from the
  OTS Home Page
• Information on using PMIT, FAQs, project
  methodology, policy, standard, course
  presentations, sources for project management
  information, etc.
• OTS staff are expected to know and observe
  current PM practices and procedures

13
PMIT Advanced

• Auditing
• Coordinate with VCUs Office of Assurance
  Services to perform IT audits
• Some projects will require an Independent
  Verification and Validation review
• Answerable to APA and subject to COVA reviews

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PMIT Advanced

• VCUs Project Management Office (PMO) role
• Insure best practices are being followed in
  Project Management
• Provide for improved governance of project
  submission, selection, and prioritization
• Facilitate more effective communications between
  project stakeholders and Technology Services
• Establish a consolidated repository of project
  information
• Provide the services necessary to insure Tier 3
  requirements are met

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PMIT Advanced

• Project Information System
• Requirements
• Lean and agile with minimal overhead on Project
  Managers
• The amount of documentation and required project
  management activities scales with the level of
  the project
• Web-accessible with a relational database
• Data input workflows
• Reporting and data analysis capabilities for
  operational, managerial, and strategic purposes

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PMIT Advanced

• Project Information System
• Solution
• Lack of funds meant a COTS system was not
  feasible
• Wanted to avoid form-based solution
• Limited shareability
• Linear communications
• Paper-oriented
• Only viable choice was to build one ourselves

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PMIT Advanced

• Project Management Information and Tracking
  (PMIT) System
• System consists of two components
• Data entry and storage
• Modeled on the Change Management System
  applications Web-based architecture
• SQL/Server database, ASP.Net application
• Reporting and analysis
• SAS Enterprise Business Intelligence tool
• Both use Central Authentication Services eID

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PMIT Advanced

• PMIT continued
• Access is (currently) restricted to Technology
  Services staff
• Project Managers can enter and update their
  projects ONLY
• Everyone in OTS can view any and all projects
• Strategic, managerial, and operational reports
  and data analyses will be available to all

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PMIT Advanced

• Creating a Project in PMIT
• Pre-requisite is the Project Manager has done the
  necessary project analysis to finalize
• Total Cost
• Time to Complete
• Required Resources
• Risk Analysis
• PMs use the above in the classification worksheet
  to determine their projects complexity level

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PMIT Advanced

• Project Classification
• Projects are classified by
• Budget
• Time
• Resources
• Classification is adjusted for Risk

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PMIT Advanced

• Fast Track
• 80 hours or less
• Two or less personnel from within one OTS unit
• Below 10,000 total cost
• Low Complexity
• Greater than 80 and less than 240 hours
• Greater than two and less than 10 personnel
• Greater than 10,000 and less than 100,000

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PMIT Advanced

• Medium Complexity
• Greater than six weeks and less than one year
• Greater than 10 and less than 25 personnel
• Greater than 100,000 and less than 500,000
• High Complexity
• Greater than one year
• Greater than 25 personnel
• Greater than 500,000

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PMIT Advanced

• Complexity determines what project plan
  components are required in PMIT
• Fast Track
• Fast Track Project Worksheet
• Low Complexity
• Project Information
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
• Schedule
• Communications Plan
• Quality Management Test Plan
• Budget Plan
• Spending Plan

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PMIT Advanced

• Medium Complexity
• Project Information
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
• Schedule
• Communications Plan
• Quality Management Test Plan
• Quality Management IVV Plan
• Budget Plan
• Spending Plan
• Risk Plan

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PMIT Advanced

• High Complexity
• Project Information
• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
• Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
• Schedule
• Communications Plan
• Quality Management Test Plan
• Quality Management IVV Plan
• Budget Plan
• Spending Plan
• Risk Plan
• Procurement Plan
• Change and Configuration Management Plan
• Performance Plan

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PMIT Advanced

• Worksheet provides classification guidelines
• Knowing what plans are required, Project Manager
  conducts planning sessions with the projects
  sponsor and project team to develop them
• PMs use the planning tools of their choice
• PMIT is NOT a project planning system, it is a
  project information and tracking system
• PM enters the project plan data into PMIT

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PMIT Advanced

• Workflows for each project complexity level
  automatically guide PMs through the data entry of
  all required plans
• If interrupted, PMIT records where the workflow
  stopped and will display completion status
• Use of additional non-required plans is optional
  at the PMs discretion
• Once all forms are completed, the state of the
  project is set to Active
• DEMO

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PMIT Advanced

• Project information can be added/edited/deleted
  until the project is Closed
• Three aspects of OTS Low, Medium and High
  Complexity projects performance will be monitored
  by the management dashboard
• Scope
• Budget
• Schedule
• PM must update status of all three at least every
  two weeks in PMIT

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PMIT Advanced

• SAS Enterprise Business Intelligence
• Identified in the Portal as the Banner Reporting
  Center
• Folder for Project Management in every Technology
  Services staff user profile
• Operational, managerial, and strategic reports
• Information on staff project assignments,
  schedule, milestones, role and requirements
• PMs can check resource availability to help
  prevent scheduling conflicts

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PMIT Advanced

• VCU Project Management Workflow
• Project proposal
• Business case
• Requirements analysis
• Budget, Time, Resources, Risk
• Review, approve, prioritize according to
• Contribution to University Strategic Plan, IT
  Strategic Plan, Presidential Priorities
• Return On Investment (ROI)

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PMIT Advanced

• VCU Project Management Workflow
• Assign Project Manager
• OTS Management with sponsor input
• PM develops Project Plan and enters project
  information into PMIT
• Plans, updates, reports and analyses
• All OTS staff are expected to know and follow
  current PM processes and procedures
• Documented on the PMO Web site

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PMIT Advanced

• Creating Projects in PMIT
• Fast Track
• PM determines the projects
• Title
• Sponsor Dept
• Description
• Start Date
• End Date
• Deliverable(s)
• Scheduled Hours
• Total Cost

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PMIT Advanced

• Personnel, Role, Number of Hours Assigned
• Tasks to be Performed and Hours to Complete
• Login to PMIT w/ eID and pswd
• Select Create A Project Fast Track
• Enter information
• Select Save Finish

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PMIT Advanced

• Low Complexity
• Project Information
• Title
• Description of Project and Deliverables
• Start Date
• End Date
• Sponsor and Dept
• WBS
• Work Tasks
• Description
• Responsible Unit

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PMIT Advanced

• RBS
• Resource Category
• People Inside VCU
• People Outside VCU
• Software
• Hardware
• Training
• Materials
• Supplies
• Equipment
• Facilities

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PMIT Advanced

• Assigned Resource
• Responsible Role
• Assigned Time
• Schedule
• Task Start Date
• Task End Date
• Time to Complete
• Milestone Event

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PMIT Advanced

• Communications Plan
• Title
• Author
• Purpose
• Audience
• Distribution Vehicle
• Frequency

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PMIT Advanced

• Quality Management Test Plan
• Title
• Description
• Start Date
• End Date
• Responsible Testers
• Required Resources
• Budget Plan
• Total Budget
• Hardware Budget
• Software Budget

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PMIT Advanced

• Services Budget
• Other Budget
• Contingency Reserve
• Comments
• Spending Plan
• Expenditure Period Begin Date
• Expenditure Period End Date
• Hardware Spending
• Software Spending
• Services Spending
• Other Spending
• Comments

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PMIT Advanced

• Medium Complexity
• Project Information
• WBS
• RBS
• Schedule
• Communications
• Quality Management Test Plan
• Budget Plan
• Spending Plan

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PMIT Advanced

• Quality Management IVV
• Description
• Start Date
• End Date
• Reviewer
• Required Resources

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PMIT Advanced

• Risk Plan
• Description
• Probability
• Impact
• Weight
• Mitigation Strategy
• Mitigation Description
• Timeframe Begin Date
• Timeframe End Date

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PMIT Advanced

• High Complexity
• Project Information
• WBS
• RBS
• Schedule
• Communications Plan
• Quality Management Test Plan
• Quality Management IVV Plan
• Budget Plan
• Spending Plan
• Risk Plan

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PMIT Advanced

• Procurement Plan
• Item
• Responsible Person
• Method
• Delivery Date
• Delivery Location
• Change and Configuration Management Plan
• Control Item
• Change Process
• Changed Version
• Current Version
• Change Description

45
PMIT Advanced

• Performance Plan
• Business Objective
• Performance Goal
• Methodology
• Start Date
• End Date
• Responsible Persons
• Reports
• Deliverable
• Deliverable Description
• Acceptance Criteria

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PMIT Advanced

• Editing a Project
• Project information can be edited or new plan
  data added as long as the project is Active
• From the PMIT Home Page, select My Projects
• Select the project title to be edited
• Status of all required plans is displayed
  (Completed or Skipped)
• Select the plan to be edited/added from the list
  on the left
• In Edit mode
• Save commits your changes
• Reset erases any changes and returns to original
  values
• Cancel returns to PMIT Home Page

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PMIT Advanced

• Deleting Data
• You cannot delete an entire project, just Close
  it
• You cannot delete an entire plan - yet
• The relationship between Work Tasks and Resources
  is one-to-many
• The relationship between Work Tasks and Schedule
  is one-to-one
• You can delete individual Resources assigned to a
  Work Task
• But, deleting the Work Task deletes all assigned
  Resources and the Schedule for that task

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PMIT Advanced

• Status Updates
• PMs are required to update the Scope, Budget, and
  Schedule of their Low, Medium and High Complexity
  projects every two weeks minimum, more often at
  management discretion
• Sign in to PMIT, select My Projects, select the
  one to be updated, and use the
• Budget Status to report spending for the period
• Schedule Status to update tasks for completion
• Scope Status to update any changes

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PMIT Advanced

• Status updates are important
• Keep information current for stakeholders
• Reports are only as accurate as the data
• CIO Dashboard uses variance calculations based on
  comparison of actual to planned scope, schedule
  and budget to determine green, yellow or red
  indicators

50
PMIT Advanced

• Closing a Project
• Obtain sponsor acceptance of the deliverable(s)
• Document any open issues that need to be resolved
• Perform duties as required in the Closeout phase
• In PMIT,
• Insure all tasks are 100 complete
• Complete User Acceptance Document
• Closeout
• Closed projects are not included in most reports

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PMIT Advanced

• LAB

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PMIT Advanced

• Project Management after July 15, 2009
• Request to Technology Services
• Does it qualify as a project?
• Estimate cost, time, resources, risk
• Evaluate projects complexity
• Fast Track are handled internally in each OTS
  Unit
• Low, Medium, High complexity project proposals go
  to PMO
• PMO coordinates requirements analysis
• OTS management reviews request, approves, assigns
  priority (unless High Complexity - TBD)

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PMIT Advanced

• OTS Unit and Project Manager are assigned
• Project Manager develops project plan with input
  from stakeholders
• PM enters and updates their project information
  in PMIT system
• Reporting Center for status reports,
  communications to stakeholders, staff
  assignments, etc.
• Perform tasks, monitor performance, update plan
• Obtain user acceptance, close the project

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PMIT Advanced

• Course Take-Aways
• VCU Project Management methodology must meet Tier
  III management agreement requirements
• OTS Task Force developed VCUs Project Management
  methodology and established requirements for PMIT
• Project Management duties and qualifications
  scale with project complexity

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PMIT Advanced

• New project management methodology and PMIT go
  into effect on July 15th
• After July 15th, for information on Project
  Management refer to the PMO Web site
• If having problems with PMIT, call the Help Desk
• IT Strategic Plan and Governance are coming
• Anything that doesnt work, we will change

56
PMIT Advanced

• Questions/Comments
• James C. Thomas
• Project Management Office
• 8-9954
• jcthomas_at_vcu.edu