Projecting Success: Project Management in Academic Libraries

Stephanie Atkins

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA

Introduction

Projects and project management Two projects at the University of

Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Best practices

Six Phases of a Project

Enthusiasm Disillusionment Panic Search for the guilty Punishment of the innocent Praise and honors for the non-participants

- Der Spiegel 17 December 1973

Project Management

“[P]roject management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project.”

- Project Management Institute

Project Life Cycle

Termination

Control

Implementation

Planning

Selection

Barcoding Project (1996)

Goal: Barcode 3 million volumes in 44 libraries

Timeline: 100 days Implementation: Roving student barcoding

teams Conclusion: Completed 42 libraries

Accessioning Project (2004-2005) Goal: Prepare and transfer 700,000

volumes to a new High Density Shelving Facility

Timeline: 2 years Implementation:

Library staff contribute time Donate student employee wage monies

Conclusion: On-going, but 8,437 hours logged in

Accessioning Project

Best Practice #1: Find the most capable team members

Commitment and dedication Expertise Local knowledge Project manager

Details and specifications“Big picture” perspectiveTeam dynamics and cooperationHigh frustration quotient

Best Practice #2: Invest in the planning process

Define the scope Pilot project!

Test proceduresBenchmarkingBudget justificationsRisk managementStaff morale

Best Practice #3: Achieve balance between planning & flexibility Plan too rigid

Team initiative or creativity discouraged

Costly reworks Plan too flexible

Team lacks direction & cohesionDanger of time & cost overruns

Planning Strategies

“Master project managers plan and attempt to anticipate, yet at the same time they develop a state of readiness to respond quickly to frequent unanticipated events.”

- R. Geveden

Best Practice #4: Understand the organizational culture

1/3 of failed projects = organizational conflict/politics

Project managerExpertiseAbility to influence & negotiateNetwork of people in the organizationStakeholder input

Best Practice #5: Utilize project management software

Microsoft ProjectWork Breakdown Structure (WBS)Gantt Charts

• Scheduling • Tracking people and resources• Milestones

Baselines Microsoft Access

Barcoding Project Gantt Chart

Project Management

“… results in more work being accomplished on limited resources because less time and money are spent on recovering from unplanned, unexpected events throughout the project.”

- K.A. Moore

References

Frame, J.D. 2003. Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques, and the People. 3d ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Geveden, R. 2000. Improvisation is Alive and Well. In Project Management Success Stories: Lessons of Project Leaders. Edited by A. Laufer and E.J. Hoffman. New York: John Wiley & Sons: 81.

Moore, K. A. 1998. Project Management: Can Libraries Benefit? Bibliotheca Medica Canadiana 20: 72.

Project Management Institute. About the Profession: What is project management? Available: http://www.pmi.org/info/PP_AboutProfessionOverview.asp?nav=0501 [May 14, 2004].