Project Management Part 1

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Project Management (Part 1)

• By
• Bob Larson

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Overview

• Project management
• Critical support discipline
• Prominent in inception phase
• Include monitoring and controlling projects
• Projects constrained by
• Schedule
• Resources
• Project risks

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What is Project Management?

• Project management involves the defining,
  planning and executing of the tasks that must be
  completed to reach your goal
• The Project Management Institute (PMI) defines
  project management as
• ". . .The art of directing and coordinating
  human and material resources throughout the life
  of a project by using modern management
  techniques to achieve predetermined objectives of
  scope, cost, time, quality, and participant
  satisfaction."

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What is a Project?

• A one-time set of non-routine tasks performed in
  a specific sequence leading to a desired outcome
• It has a distinct start and finish date
• It uses a limited set of resources
• It involves the time of one or many people to
  manage and accomplish the objectives
• Often includes various phase completion
  checkpoints and milestone dates prior to project
  closure

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Why Project Management Needed

• Project management is a total quality method that
  enables a project team to do the right things the
  right way at the right time to achieve full
  customer satisfaction in your projects
• Customers expectations
• Successful results
• On time completion
• Finished within budget
• A product quality that meets their needs
• Management expectations
• Consistent performance
• Repeatable results
• Measurable activities
• Customer satisfaction

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Project Intensity

• Project management intensity has to fit the
  project
• This intensity varies by the project variables
  of
• Size large dollars/hours vs. limited
• Time to accomplish months/years vs. days/weeks
• Complexity of effort many activities/tasks vs.
  a few
• Technology complexity new development vs.
  off-the-shelf
• Risk of failure new technology vs.
  like-replacement
• Visibility of results strategic project vs.
  improvement project, etc.
• Involvement across organizational or functional
  structure across units/groups/businesses vs.
  within a unit

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Project Tools

• Project management software
• Like Microsoft Project
• Speeds up the process and accuracy
• Only as good as the effort you put into it
• Templates for project forms
• Available on the Internet
• Project notebooks
• Goal is to keep all project info handy in one
  place
• 3-ring binder(s) with tab dividers
• Can be put on the computer

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Microsoft Project
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How Does MS Project Add Value?

• Requiring a disciplined approach
• Determining a realistic schedule
• Improving communications
• Performing a "what if" analysis
• Maintaining the data

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Project Management and UP
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Project Life Cycle

• Initiation phase
• Planning phase
• Executing phase
• Controlling phase
• Closing phase

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Initiation Phase

• Defining the major project goals
• Determine project selection criteria
• Assigning the project manager
• Write the project charter
• Obtain sign-off of the project charter

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Planning Phase

• Determine project deliverables
• Write and publish the scope statement
• Establish a project budget
• Define project activities and estimates
• Develop a schedule
• Determine any special skills required

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Executing Phase

• Develop and forming the project team
• Direct the project team
• Secure other project resources
• Conduct status review meetings
• Communicate project information
• Manage project progress
• Implement quality assurance procedures

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Controlling Phase

• Measure performance against the plan
• Taking corrective action when tasks slip
• Evaluate corrective actions
• Ensure the project progress continues according
  to the plan
• Review and implement change requests

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Closing Phase

• Obtain acceptance of project deliverables
• Document lessons learned
• Archive project records
• Formalize the project closure
• Release project resources

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System Scope vs. Project Scope
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Project Success Factors

• Projects tend to be wide ranging
• Simple Web sites
• Implementation of real-time business applications
• Issues complicating project management
• Sophisticated business needs
• Changing technology
• Integrating OS, support programs, and new
  systems
• Project success rate very low
• 28 percent as of 2000

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Project Elements

• Project manager
• Project team
• Project stakeholders
• Project charter
• Project Work breakdown structure
• Project Schedule

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Role of the Project Manager

• Coordinates project development
• Develops detailed plan at project inception
• Activities that must take place
• The deliverables that must be produced
• Resources needed
• Accountable for success or failure
• Has both internal and external responsibilities
• Many career paths lead to project management

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Project Manager Required Skills

• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Organizational skills
• General management skills
• Budgeting skills
• Team building skills
• Negotiation skills
• Problem resolution skills
• People skills
• Skills mile wide and an inch deep

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Project Management Knowledge

• Project Management Institute (PMI)
• Promotes project management
• Provides extensive support material and training
• Defines specialists body of knowledge (BOK)
• Organized into nine knowledge areas
• http//www.pmi.org
• Industry Certifications
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• CompTIAs Project

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Project Mgmt at the Inception Phase

• Inception phase five objectives
• Identify the business need for the project
• Establish the vision for the solution
• Identify scope of the new system and the project
• Develop preliminary schedules and cost estimates
• Develop the business case for the project
• Select and develop project team

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Effective Project Team Attributes

• Good conflict resolution
• Enthusiastic commitment to the project
• Dedicated to project and team members
• Creative problem solving
• High job satisfaction
• Members have a sense of belonging
• Effective communication
• Decisions made jointly after open discussion

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Team Warning Signs

• Status meetings evolve into gripe sessions
• Members lack motivation (apathetic)
• Members find the project non-satisfying
• Poor communications
• Lack of respect for one another
• Lack of respect for the project manager
• Note Poor attitude is like a cold, it tends to
  spread. You will want to address it before
  everyone succumbs.

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Project Stakeholders

• People with vested interest in the project
• Project manager
• Customer
• Project team
• Project sponsor
• Suppliers and/or contractors
• Balancing act
• Often competition for resources
• Not all stakeholders may support the project
• Requires open communications
• Try to minimize negative impact on project

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Sample Stakeholder Analysis
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Project Charter

• Official kickoff document
• Gives the PM authority to proceed
• Acknowledges the project should proceed
• Commits resources to the project
• Ensures everyone is on the same page
• Provides overview of the project and its goals
• Typically a document from project sponsor
• Project manager may have to produce

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Project Charter Elements

• Project description
• Strategic plan
• Project overview
• Project objectives
• Business justification
• Resource and cost estimates
• Roles and responsibilities
• Sign-offs
• Attachments

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Fin