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Project ManagementProject Management

http://http://www.managementsupport.comwww.managementsupport.com

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OutlineOutline

PM in today’s environmentPM in today’s environment rapid changerapid change BPRBPR

The project planThe project plan Management & communicationsManagement & communications Organizational, people, political issuesOrganizational, people, political issues StakeholdersStakeholders Tools & methodologiesTools & methodologies

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Three DisciplinesThree Disciplines

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Why Projects SucceedWhy Projects Succeed

User involvementUser involvement Exec management supportExec management support

unequivocal sponsorshipunequivocal sponsorship Clear understanding & statementClear understanding & statement

of requirementsof requirements Effective planningEffective planning Realistic expectationsRealistic expectations

Standish Group survey of IT execsStandish Group survey of IT execs

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CustomersCustomers== Needs/Requirements Needs/Requirements

Needs analyst traits:Needs analyst traits: strong ability to deal with customersstrong ability to deal with customers political skillspolitical skills technically competenttechnically competent open-minded & imaginativeopen-minded & imaginative high tolerance for ambiguity high tolerance for ambiguity articulatearticulate

Technicians tend to produce Mercedes not the Hyundai thatTechnicians tend to produce Mercedes not the Hyundai that==s s wantedwanted

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Attaining Political CredibilityAttaining Political Credibility

Establish mission Establish mission what products/services we providewhat products/services we provide

Identify customersIdentify customers functional (direct)functional (direct) political (indirect) political (indirect)

Survey customersSurvey customers what expectations/perceptions exist?what expectations/perceptions exist? criteria for measuring them?criteria for measuring them? triggers for them?triggers for them?

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Sources of Project RiskSources of Project Risk

General sourcesGeneral sources environmental (largely uncontrollable)environmental (largely uncontrollable)

external, e.g. government regulationsexternal, e.g. government regulations internal, e.g. new division VPinternal, e.g. new division VP

technicaltechnical marketmarket financialfinancial peoplepeople

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Realistic EstimatingRealistic Estimating

Lots of reasons for poor estimatesLots of reasons for poor estimates inexperience, technical problems, changes optimists, low-inexperience, technical problems, changes optimists, low-

balling, politicsballing, politics Bottom-up cost estimatingBottom-up cost estimating

rollup the WBS packagesrollup the WBS packages Top-down or Parametric estimatingTop-down or Parametric estimating

from experience to complex modelsfrom experience to complex models

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Configuration Management (CM)Configuration Management (CM)

Resist change via bureaucracyResist change via bureaucracy Change control via CMChange control via CM

Rigorously screen changesRigorously screen changes formal process for assessing meritformal process for assessing merit major or minor impact?major or minor impact? if major goes to Change Control Board (CCB)if major goes to Change Control Board (CCB)

document changesdocument changes update baselineupdate baseline

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Earned Value ApproachEarned Value Approach

Developed in 1960s for large defense projects; now used in smaller Developed in 1960s for large defense projects; now used in smaller projectsprojects

50-50 rule assumes task 50% complete when started, 100% when 50-50 rule assumes task 50% complete when started, 100% when completedcompleted

Compare earned value to planned costsCompare earned value to planned costs Collecting dataCollecting data

large projects employ cost account managerslarge projects employ cost account managers for smaller projects, use 50-50 rule, take advantage of for smaller projects, use 50-50 rule, take advantage of

milestones, or can guess using experiencemilestones, or can guess using experience Limitations of earned valueLimitations of earned value

availability of accurate, timely dataavailability of accurate, timely data educational; need organizational understandingeducational; need organizational understanding

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Post-Implementation AuditPost-Implementation Audit

Evaluate project’s achievements against planEvaluate project’s achievements against plan budget, deadlines, specifications, quality of deliverables, budget, deadlines, specifications, quality of deliverables,

client satisfactionclient satisfaction Six questions:Six questions:

1.1. Project goal achieved?Project goal achieved?2.2. On time, within budget & per specs?On time, within budget & per specs?3.3. Client (stakeholder) satisfied?Client (stakeholder) satisfied?4.4. Business value realized?Business value realized?5.5. PM lessons learned?PM lessons learned?6.6. What worked, what didn’t?What worked, what didn’t?