ESS Project Management Practices - Minimum Standard Criteria and Recommendations

1. ESS Project Management Practices -Minimum Standard Criteria and Recommendations • Objective • Background • ESS Minimum standards • ESS Recommendations • LSD Actions • SPS Update, Changes and Issues

2. Objective • Strengthen ESS project management practices • Instill a project management culture • a competitive project selection environment • focus on performance, cost and time objectives • not only outcomes, but delivering on budget and on schedule. • Provide minimum standard criteria • Promote SPS as an important tool and essential linkage • Need SMT approval to implement

3. Background • Feb. 1999 AEB report on ESS project mgmt. culture and practices • requested by ADM • recommends a reform to ESS project management approach • July 1999 report - Managing Research Projects - by Samson & Ass. • basics on project management • analysis and improvements to ESS project management • including development and implementation of performance measurement criteria

4. Background • phase 1 recommended actions: • develop minimum project mgmt. Criteria • survey practices at division / branch level • identify gaps with the minimum criteria • phase 2 recommended actions: • action plan to rectify gaps. • build project management tool kit (ie. SPS) • foster project management culture

5. Background • Oct. 13, 1999 PPCD presents progress to SMT • Nov. 23, 1999 memo to SMT - proposed min. standard criteria and recommendations • Jan. 5, 2000 memo to SMT - proposed min. standard criteria, recommendations and implementation process (up to March 31, 2000); • SMT approves proposal

6. Project Management Criteria - ESS Minimum Standard • Project Planning • in place, scoped, budgeted • Project Proposal • scope, objectives, method, impacts, benefits, HR, funding, milestones, client satisfaction measurement • Project Evaluation • in place, fits ESS policy ...goals, objectives and strategies • Project Selection and Approval • selection criteria - compatibility, relevance, capacity, potential • documented, communicated and scheduled review.

7. ESS Minimum Standard • Project Control and Review • regular monitoring, reporting, communication of variances, performance • Project Communication • documenting results by ‘appropriate means’ (ie. ResSources) • Project Post-mortem Evaluation • performance review, lessons learned, criteria review, client evaluation • Project Impact Assessment • identification of projects requiring impact assessment study

8. Project Management Practices - ESS Recommendations • Project Management Culture • focus not only on outcome but also delivering on budget and on schedule • indicators of such a culture • Project Management Practices • project leader practices - project cycle, team and interested parties. • Management of the Project Life Cycle • use appropriate planning approach and tools • improve evaluation and approval decisions by adopting set criteria

9. ESS Recommendations • Next Steps • implement improved project management • structured and systematic approach • process (min. standards) • tools (promoting SPS) • Implementation Plan completed by March 31, 2000 • ESS Intranet site with project management information, linked with the SPS; • survey of project management practices on a division basis; • gap analysis; • division action plans to eliminate any gaps

10. LSD Project Management Practices • Project Planning Manual (Dec. 1995) • followed for non-operational survey projects • exceeds ESS min. standards on paper • appropriate tools to meet need • micro project mgmt. • Local or regional PMS • large projects - MS Project • macro project mgmt. • SPS - standard activities; GPS#=SPS#?

11. LSD Actions - What • Survey of project management practices • overview of operational survey and mapping projects • review of other specific projects • review of SPS - use, adherence, concerns • Gap analysis - current practices vs. min. standards • Rationalize gaps and develop action plan • report to MB - review by email • Forward to ESS - summary of gaps, rational and action plan (March 31)

12. SPS Version 3 update • .ESS Mandatory Fields condition for approval. • Tombstone data : Project Leader, Project Title,ESS Goals,Branch Activity, Start Date, End Date • Project information: Objective, Description, Method, Impact, Risk, Environmental Assessment. Geographic Area • http://s-601-ora2.gsc.nrcan.gc.ca:5100/ess_sst/pic/pic4.log • Project input process responsibility of project leader (proposed and approval pending status) • Project Leaders submits to SPS Coordinator for SPS approval • LSD designates SPS Coordinators

13. SPS Version 3 update • New SPS Coordinator Component • controls to set the project status, adjust the scheduled start and end date of a project and link the project to the SPS Time Reporting Component (TRC). • Provides customization of Centre/Division project input form. • http://s-601-ora2.gsc.nrcan.gc.ca:5100/ess_sst/pic/Coor4.log • Help information - location sensitive

14. SPS changes • ADM behind initiative for improved project management using SPS • ESS project revision process • ESS project approval process • Areas under development • more user friendly Personnel and Cost fields • project review module • improved on-line user help • detail query and reporting in SPS Coord. Component

15. SPS Issues • LSD review of existing SPS projects? • Complete Information and status • What projects should LSD enter into SPS? • LSD SPS Coordinators - all Managers? • Review LSD’s SPS activities? • Standard for LSD’s SPS project numbering? • LSD project # = GFS project # • LSD’s SPS mandatory fields? • Slow access for north?