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Project Management: A Critical Skill for IT Organizations. Presented by Hetty Baiz Project Office, OIT Princeton University. Background. Princeton replaces administrative systems multiple projects cross-functional mutually Interdependent multi-million dollar investment
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Project Management:A Critical Skill for IT Organizations Presented by Hetty Baiz Project Office, OIT Princeton University
Background Princeton replaces administrative systems • multiple projects • cross-functional • mutually Interdependent • multi-million dollar investment Success and failure is no longer within the total control of a given project.
What’s A Project? A “project” • Will deliver • Business and/or technical objectives • Is made up of • Defined processes & tasks • Will run for • Set period of time • Has a budget • Resources and $’s
Project success occurs when we have: I A delighted client (expectations met) Delivered the agreed objectives I Objectives Met an agreed budget - $, resources etc. I Within an agreed time frame I The 'Golden Triangle' of ProjectSuccess and Done it all professionally & without killing the team I Cost Time What is Project Success?
Why Do Projects Fail? • Changing scope • Insufficient planning • No risk or issues management • Poor communication • Lack of commitment and responsibility by stakeholders
Steering Committee Senior Mgmt Clients & Users Academic & Business Units Interdependent Projects Project Information Technology Outside Groups (Vendors) Team Members Who Are Stakeholders?
Project Management A Maturity Model best practice best practice competent Success rate better than 75% aware aware aware e Success rate of 45 to 75% seat seat of the of pants pants Success rate of 30 to 45% Success rate less than 30%
Competent • Methodology and standards are well established and supported • Stakeholders understand and accept roles • Discrete measures support good management • Projects are set up and managed end-to-end • Risks are clearly defined and controlled
What Is Princeton Doing? • Established a project management organization • monitor, assess, manage, support • Developed and supports a Princeton project management methodology
Project Management Organization Steering Committee Project Managers’ Team Project Implementation Teams Project Office
Project Office Mission To enable the successful implementation of OIT initiatives in a way that establishes a project management culture so that we deliver projects on time, within budget and with expected results.
How? • Define a Princeton Project Management Methodology (PPMM) • Support and Mentor • Offer Training • Facilitation, Audit, Review
Princeton Project Office Methodology Continuous Improvement Consulting/Mentoring Education/Training
Tracking & Control Complete Initiation Planning & Reporting Assess Review Project Management Process Initiation Plan Detailed Plan Status Report Post Project Review Report
Initiation Planning • Goal • Objectives / Deliverables • Scope • Roles & Responsibilities • Risks • Success Criteria • Time line (high level)
Management Techniques To increase the likelihood of project success you must manage: • Stakeholders • Risks • Issues • Change
Manage Stakeholders A stakeholder is any person or group who, if their support were to be withdrawn, could cause the project to fail. - Get them involved - Keep them informed - Gain their endorsement
How to Manage Stakeholders • Identify stakeholders • Involve in planning • Establish expectations / accountabilities • Formal communication • Gain sign-off • Change and issues resolution • Project reviews • Define project completion
Risk Management What is “risk”? • Any factor capable of causing the project to go off track. Develop, monitor, implement Risk Plan
Issues Management • Unresolved issues will drive a project towards failure and consume a significant part of a project manager’s time. • Stakeholders play key role in issues management and resolution Establish Issues log, review, escalation process
Change Management • Uncontrolled changes to a project will probably account for up to 30% of a project’s total effort. • If these changes are not managed, the project will be viewed to be over time and over budget. Establish a Change Management Process
PPMM Summary Overview Process Initiation Plan Detail Work Plan Status Report Audit Report Post phase assessment
PPMM Tools • Office 2000 • Word • Excel • Access • MS Project 2000
Recommended Best Practices Project Planning and Management • Follow proven methodologies • Active Executive/Project Sponsor • Identify / revisit “critical success” factors • Document assumptions • Business process change vs. customization
Recommended Best Practices Project Planning and Management • Have technical staff in place at start-up • Plan for backfill • Involve Steering Committee early • Plan production support in central offices • Plan for applying fixes • Plan for “end of project” • Plan for vacation/sick time
Recommended Best Practices Scheduling, Tracking and Control • Break large projects into phases (no > 18 - 24 months total) • Control phase “bleed over” • Post phase assessments • “Go/No Go” decision points • Sponsor sign-off • Review Scope periodically
Recommended Best Practices Scheduling, Tracking and Control • Building learning curve into plans • Weekly team meetings • Detail planning in 1-2 month segments • Define and manage to “critical path” • What’s important • Prioritize • Who, what, when
Recommended Best Practices Reporting • Establish monthly status reporting • Hold monthly status reviews with key stakeholders • Oral status reports are effective • Keep users of system (middle managers) informed
Recommended Best Practices Resourcing • Resource Plan • Cross functional teams work • Co-locate teams • Projects are full time job • Complete training before prototyping • Have full team train together • Leverage investment • Build team spirit
Recommended Best Practices Managing Expectations • Have a Communication Plan • Make major policy decisions up front • Don’t make promises to users up front • Monthly status report and review • Monthly / bi-monthly presentations • Articles, web pages, newsletters • Special communications from sponsor • Focus groups, demos, town meetings
Recommended Best Practices Promoting the System • Focus Groups during gap analysis • Demos for every user after first release • Executive Sponsor showed support • Town meetings to endorse system • Major presentation to users
Recommended Best Practices Methodology • Follow proven methodologies • Consolidate methodology ( pre-kick off ) • Functional reps go to all prototyping • Use standard report formats • Co-locate developer with tester (short term)
For more information…... • Call the Princeton Project Office at (609) 258-6335 • Send e-mail tohetty@princeton.edu • Visit our web site at… • www.princeton.edu/ppo