Project Management Tools and Techniques

1. Project Management Tools and Techniques ISMC, October 23, 2001

2. What Is A Project? • Includes an element of something new • Has a beginning and an end • Often interdisciplinary and as such involves people with differing backgrounds

3. What Is Project Management? • The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project

4. Why Use Project Management Tools and Techniques? • Focus and clarify our thinking so that we proceed in a systematic, effective, and efficient manner • Identify everything that needs to be considered and done to reach a goal (includes what is to be communicated and to whom) • Identify who will do what and time frames

5. Why Use Project Management Tools and Techniques? • Reduce the confusion, frustration, backtracking, and errors that can be associated with developing or introducing something new

6. Why Use Project Management for Virtual Reference? • Advantages previously noted • We all begin to develop project management skills • We can apply these skills to other projects • We can help others in the Library develop these skills

7. Where Are We Going? • Overall project may have three distinct components: 1. Feasibility study 2. Pilot 3. Operational

8. Feasibility • Should we introduce virtual reference? Why or why not? • What’s involved in introducing virtual reference? • What do we need to know, what do we need to do, what decisions do we have to make in order to answer the two previous questions?

9. Pilot Project • Develop a plan for a pilot • Activate the pilot • Develop an assessment plan for the pilot • Activate the assessment plan • Decide whether we’re going into full operation and, if so, what adjustments should be made

10. Move To Operational • Develop a plan to move from pilot to operational • Activate the plan • Develop a plan for on-going assessment • Activate the assessment plan

11. Next Step? • Preparing a Project Charter