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Project Management 16 th November 2011. John Patterson Commercial Development Manager, Sage (UK) Limited. What is a project?. Wikipedia says:
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Project Management16th November 2011 John Patterson Commercial Development Manager, Sage (UK) Limited
What is a project? • Wikipedia says: • A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end (usually time-constrained, and often constrained by funding or deliverables), undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value.
Project Management Triangle Quality of Outcome Scope Cost Time
Project Cycle • Initiating • Planning • Executing • Controlling • Closing (or Define, Detail, Develop, Deploy, Debrief, or…)
Phase 1: Initiation • Whatis the project aiming to achieve? • Why is it important to achieve it? • Who is going to be involved and what are their responsibilities? • How and when is it all going to happen?
Phase 1: PID (Project Initation Document) • Background • Objectives • Scope • Constraints • Assumptions • Risks • Deliverables • Investment • Stakeholders
Phase 2: Planning • When should activities be done, by whom • What order? • Estimating duration and effort • Agreeing quality control activities • Calculating overall cost • Producing project budget • Assessing the risks • Identifying management control points • Key: What? When? Who? What needs to happen first?
2. Planning tasks: Sample Gantt Chart
2. Planning: Evaluating Risk • Identify - what is the risk? • What is the probability of the risk happening? • 1=Low, 5=High • What is the impact if the risk happens? • 1=Low, 5=High • What is the product of probability x impact? • 1-9: green • 10-19: amber • 20+: red
2. Planning: Responses to risk • Probability v Impact • E.g. null hypothesis
Phase 3: Execution Managing a Project is about making things happen. The Project Managermust: • ensure that the project resources are focused upon delivery of the expected outcomes • keep risks under control, keep the Business Case/PID under review • carefully monitor any movement away from the project scope and outcomes
3. Execution: What does this really mean? • Leading the team • Meeting with team members • Communicating with stakeholders • Fire-fighting • Securing necessary resources • …..doing the work!
3. Execution: Managing Self • Single consolidated to do list • Switch off the yellow envelope! • Schedule email sessions in Outlook • Body clock • Group (‘chunk’) and schedule similar tasks • OHIO / 4 Ds • Prioritise • Urgent v Important! Outlook? • Avoid Student Syndrome… Don’t waste your buffer…
3. Execution: Managing through others • Influencing • Specification • Move the chair! • SMART objectives • Specific • Measurable • Attainable • Relevant • Timebound • Clarity – roles and responsibility • Communicate, communicate, communicate
Pencil Space pen $1 Million A little bit less….. 3. Execution: The importance of the spec… The ability to use a pen in space The ability to write in zero gravity
Phase 4: Controlling • Managing the plan • Managing issues • Managing risks • Managing scope and exceptions – deviation from plan • Monitoring results • Reporting
Phase 5: Closing • Completion… • Or not! • Emotional investment, letting go • Review and learn • Documentation • Handover
Try to avoid… • Overcomplicating • Overpromising and underdelivering • No contingency • Bad news late • Glossing over the planning stage • Assumptions around other people’s level of understanding / buy-in (communication)
Terminology • PRINCE2 • Six Sigma / Lean manufacturing • Waterfall • Agile • QA
Useful Resources http://www.mindtools.com/pages/main/newMN_PPM.htm
Thank you!Any questions? Email: john.patterson@sage.com