Project Management Information and Tracking Basics

1. Project Management Information and Tracking Basics Technology Services Project Management Office

2. Course Outline • Background • VCU Project Management Methodology • Project Management Information and Tracking System • Requirements Analysis • Project Classification • PMIT System Demo • Lab • Discussion/Questions

3. Background • VCU signs Tier III Management Agreement with COVA in mid-2007 • Project Management Office created in early 2008 to meet COVA requirements • TS Task Force determines PM methodology and system requirements 2008-2009 • Project Management Information and Tracking System goes live in July 2009

4. VCU Project Management Methodology • Combination of best practices from • Project Management Institute (PMI) • VITA • Other colleges/universities • Projects are classified and managed according to four criteria • Cost • Resources • Time • Risk

5. VCU Project Management Methodology • The more complex a project: • the greater the planning requirements • the more involved the execution and control • the more advanced skills and greater experience the PM must have • All projects have a single identified Project Manager and a Project Sponsor • Anyone in Technology Services is eligible to become a Project Manager by meeting the education and experience qualifications

6. VCU Project Management Methodology • PMs are responsible for all aspects of their projects – planning, monitoring, control, budget, change management, etc., etc. • VCU’s PM Methodology is subject to both internal and State audit • JLARC did perform an audit in 2010 and found VCU in compliance with all COVA requirements

7. VCU Project Information System • Lack of funding meant a COTS system was not feasible • Evaluated freeware • Limited shareability • Linear communications • Task and schedule focused • Weak analysis and reporting capabilities • Decision was made to design and build one ourselves (within limited resources & time)

8. VCU Project Information System System Requirements • Web-accessible w/ CAS authentication • Relational database • Data input workflows with status indicators • 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 • Reporting and data analysis capabilities for operational, managerial, and strategic purposes

9. Project Management Information and Tracking System • PMIT system consists of two components • Data entry • Modified version of the Change Management System application’s Web-based architecture • SQL/Server database, ASP.Net application • Reporting and analysis • SAS Enterprise Business Intelligence tool • Both use CAS/eID to authenticate

10. Project Management Information and Tracking System • PMIT’s internal role-based security authorizes users • Project Managers can enter and update data for their projects only • TS projects accessible by TS staff only • School/department projects accessible by their staff only • All TS staff can view any and all project information and access all strategic, managerial, and operational reports

11. Project Management Information and Tracking System • Purpose of PMIT is to punish you for being a Project Manager - NOT - • PMIT is designed to serve TS needs for: • Capturing project information for tracking and analysis • Sharing best practices and lessons learned • Enhancing planning skills • Improving on-time and within-budget deliverables

12. Requirements Analysis • Critical step in any project is a complete a thorough Requirements Analysis • Document and obtain agreement from the sponsor & primary stakeholders on the project’s • Mission, goals and objectives • Deliverables and how measured • Contribution to unit and University strategic goals • Required budget • Begin-to-end time to complete • Impact on resource base • Project risk and strategies

13. Requirements Analysis • Requirements Analyses templates are available on the PMO Web site • Initially, the RA may be done by a more senior PM in your area (or by PMO) • The more accurate the analysis the greater the project’s chances of success! • Resist the temptation to skip or shorten this crucial effort!

14. Requirements Analysis • Key goal is to evaluate the project’s Return On Investment (ROI) and cost/benefit ratio • Focus on deliverables in business context: • Improve service • Reduce cost • Mitigate risk • A project can be worthwhile but not be worth doing!

15. Requirements Analysis “We know our business and don’t need anyone to tell us how to do it” • New user technology almost always requires changes to existing business processes • A Business Process Analysis (BPA) will help insure those changes are identified and made • BPAs are the responsibility of the business owner but can be critical to TS project success

16. 1. Requirements Analysis 2. Classification Worksheet 3. Planning Templates 4. PMIT Data Entry

17. Requirements Analysis Guides • Short Form – simple projects • Long Form – more complex projects

18. Classification Worksheet • Using information from the RA, the PM completes the Classification Worksheet to arrive at the project’s complexity level • The classification is a guideline. If, for any reason, the PM feels the project to be higher in complexity than calculated, the project can always be managed at the next level • Projects are not to be managed at a lower level than calculated

19. Project Classification Criteria • Projects are classified by: • Budget • Time • Resources • Risk

20. Project Classification • Fast Track • 80 hours or less • Two or less personnel from within one TS 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

21. Project Classification • 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

22. Project Classification • Complexity determines what project plan components are required • 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

23. Project Classification • Medium Complexity • Project Information • Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) • Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) • Schedule • Communications Plan • Quality Management Test Plan • Quality Management IV&V Plan • Budget Plan • Spending Plan • Risk Plan

24. Project Classification • High Complexity • Project Information • Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) • Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS) • Schedule • Communications Plan • Quality Management Test Plan • Quality Management IV&V Plan • Budget Plan • Spending Plan • Risk Plan • Procurement Plan • Change and Configuration Management Plan • Performance Plan

25. Classification Worksheet Review PMO Web Site Classification Worksheet

26. PMIT System • Once you authenticate with your eID and password, PMIT home page displays • You have two options: • Data Review • Data Management • In Data Review, you can review previously entered project data • In Data Management, you can enter a new project or update an existing one

27. PMIT System • For existing projects, you can • Assign to another project manager • Previous PM can no longer update • Suspend a project • Retains all data entered • Removes from management reports • Can be made Active again later • Delete a project • Removes it from the database • No longer available for any future action

28. PMIT System • PMIT has workflows for each project complexity level to automatically guide you through the entry of required plans • If interrupted, PMIT records where the workflow stopped and upon signing in again displays the completion status of all forms • Once all forms are completed, the status of the project is automatically set to Active

29. PMIT System • All project information can be edited/deleted until the project is Closed • Three aspects of active project performance will be monitored by the management dashboard • Scope • Budget • Schedule • PM must update status of all three at least every two weeks!

30. PMIT Demos • Create a new Fast Track project • Create a new Low Complexity project • Update the LC project’s budget, scope and schedule status • Close the LC project

31. LAB #1 http://wrc2003-test.vcu.edu/WSS/ITPros/default.aspx • Classify example projects #1 and #2 • Identify the project plan templates needed for each • Enter the plan data into PMIT for #1

32. VCU Project Workflow Review • Project proposal • Builds the business case • Requirements analysis • Budget, Time, Resources, Risk, Alternative Solutions, Recommendation • Review, approve, prioritize according to: • Contribution to department, unit, and University goals and objectives • Return On Investment (ROI)

33. VCU Project Workflow Review • Assign Project Manager • TS Management with sponsor input • Develop Project Plan, enter and update project information in PMIT • Plans, reports and analyses • Monitor project performance • Update plans, record issues • Closeout • Obtain user acceptance of all deliverables • Close project in PMIT

34. Course Take-Aways • VCU’s management agreement with COVA requires a project management methodology be followed for University IT projects • TS Task Force developed VCU’s Project Management policy, standards, best practices and established requirements for PMIT system • Project manager skills and experience and PMIT requirements scale up with project complexity

35. Course Take-Aways • As a PM you may use any other project management tools you like, but you must enter and update data in PMIT • CIO says “If it’s not in PMIT it’s not a project…” • Anyone in TS is eligible to become a PM by meeting the education and experience qualifications • Anything that doesn’t work as designed, we can change for the better

36. PMIT Basics Questions/Discussion James C. Thomas Project Management Office 8-9954 jcthomas@vcu.edu