Project Management Overview

1. Project Management Overview OPER 576 Greg Magnan, Ph.D. April 1, 2004

2. Agenda • What is a project? • PM Phases / Processes • Selection / Initiation / Definition • Planning • Execution & Controlling • Closing • Other Issues • People, Communication, Report out, Software

3. Why We’re Here… • Business Environment • Competition • Technology • Speed • Organizations • Teams • Projects • Project Leaders • Methodology

4. What is a Project? • One-time (or infrequent) set of activities that use resources to accomplish an objective • An effort to produce a unique product or service with a “precisely” defined outcome • Constrained by an end-date and resources • Scope, Time, Cost, Risk, and Quality • May be of any duration (hours to years)

5. Why Study Project Management? • Appear in all organizations, all functions • Perhaps 30-40% (or more) never completed • Business Dynamics/Customer Focus • Knowledge/Information Explosion • Limited Resources/ “Unlimited” to-do • “How stuff gets done”

6. Project Life Cycle Stages

7. Roles in Project Management • Project Leader • Project Team Member • Sponsor • Project Customer • Resource Managers

8. Project Leader Role • Provide direction; lead through PM process • Obtain approvals; status reports • Remove obstacles; interface with Sponsor • Facilitate team process; • Respond to requests for changes • Call and run team meetings

9. I. Project Definition/Initiation 0. Selection • Identify the Need • Criteria (may differ for strategic or operational) • Resources • Level, Owner • Justification • Feasibility • Financial Returns / Risks • Rank Possible Projects

10. I. Project Definition/Initiation • State the Project • What, Why, When [scope] • Cost/Budget • Project Statement (short) • Action and end result • Time • Cost (optional) 1b. Charter • Scope + (risk limits, customer needs, spending limits, team composition, etc.)

11. I. Project Definition/Initiation 1c. Develop Objectives • Define benefits & measures of success • “What will this look like at the end?” • Identify constraints • Identify requirements

12. SCOPE Checklist • Project Objectives • Deliverables • Milestones • Technical Requirements • Limits & Exclusions • Risk Identification • Reviews with Customer

13. Project Management Tradeoffs Project Priorities?

14. II. Project Planning To organize the work / avoid future problems • Assemble Team • Determine Tasks (Work Breakdown Structure) • Assign Responsibility • Sequence Deliverables • Schedule Milestones / Deliverables • Schedule Resources • Identify Risks / Protect the Plan (mitigation plans)

15. Leading Projects • People own what they help to create • Team members who truly understand the project will be more committed • Inspiration through meaning • Use team-based tools throughout • Show your appreciation for contributions • Empowerment through trust and respect • Stay on top of the details

16. II. Project Planning • Assemble Project Team / Kickoff • Who will be on the team? • Team Phases • Forming/Storming/Norming/Performing • Motivation throughout project • Kickoff Meeting • Icebreaker / Sponsor / Team contract • Inclusive / “Parking Lot” for issues • Review Charter w/ team / Feedback

17. II. Project Planning • Develop Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) • A graphic or outline depicting how major deliverables relate to sub-elements • Establish specific outputs & accomplishments • Hierarchical listing of all project elements • Lowest level detailed tasks (work packages) • Work that can be assigned to individual or group • Measurable outcome • List major Deliverables (DBS) • Enables planning, scheduling, budgeting

18. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) • Involve project team in creation • Creative / Brainstorming / Post-its • “Mindmapping”…examples to follow • At lowest level, work packages should include a verb and a noun (e.g., “meet w/ customers”) • Short duration tasks that have a definite start and stop point, consume resources, and represent cost. • A control point in the project • Use a consistent level of detail throughout WBS

19. WBS: Mindmap

20. Mindmapping Examples

21. Mindmapping Examples

22. Mindmapping Examples

23. Work Packages • Defines work (what) • ID’s task duration • ID the budget (WP cost) • ID resources (how much) • ID person responsible • ID monitoring points • Coding for info systems

24. WBS Structure

25. WBS Example

28. II. Project Planning • Identify Resource Requirements • To avoid future resource problems and help assign responsibility • For each WBS element, consider: • Knowledge, skills, facilities, equipment, supplies, materials, special/unusual resources • Identify type, amount, and cost • ESTIMATE!

29. Identify Resource Requirements

31. II. Project Planning • Responsibility Assignment Matrix • To make responsibilities clear and visible • WBS elements down left side • Note Deliverables • Names of individuals/groups along top • Mark Primary responsibility (P) • One for each terminal element • Negotiate commitment from each person

32. II. Project Planning • Sequence Deliverables • To help schedule work efficiently • Consider all WBS elements • Estimate calendar duration for each • List precedence for each task • May construct network diagram • CRITICAL PATH: longest path through the network showing minimum time needed • Delays to elements on the critical path delay the entire project! • Mascitelli: Critical Core

33. Tacoma Narrows Vision and Plan

34. Tacoma Narrows Schedule

35. Project Scheduling: Node Elements

36. PERT Diagram(Activity on Node)

38. II. Project Planning • Schedule Deliverables / Gantt Chart • To provide basis for project monitoring • Identify start and finish dates • Review precedence to ensure that no terminal element starts or finishes too soon • Gantt charts, however, do NOT show precedence • Once again, uses WBS as main input

39. Sample Gantt Chart

40. II. Project Planning • Schedule Resources • “Resource the Plan” to help maintain commitment of resources • Resource managers allocate resources • Act in collaboration with Project Manager • Confirm or negotiate specific commitments for each resource • Be aware of resource manager’s constraints or policies (e.g., % res. util. limits) • May affect schedule sequence!

41. II. Project Planning • Risk Management / Protect the Plan • To help ensure that we meet or exceed the project objectives • Spot areas of concern ahead of time (risks) • Brainstorming / Mindmapping • Critical path / Complex tasks / Unreliable resources • Estimate probabilities and impact! • Rank Order • Create contingency plans • B and C

42. III. Project Implementation / Execution • Begin work on time • Monitor project • Progress against objectives • Progress against milestones • Resource use and cost • Human performance • Set performance/deliverable expectations • Few slides…but longest project duration!

43. III. Project Implementation / Execution • This is where the “art” of PM comes alive • Overcoming obstacles • Budgets, technologies, contractors • Motivating “peripheral” players • Problem solving • Manage Change • Need a process!

44. III. Project Implementation / Execution • Status and Communication • Gantt Charts / Milestones • Sponsor • Areas to report • Schedule • Risks • Budget • Changes • Scope?

45. Milestone Tracking

46. Tacoma Narrows – Sept. 2003 Milestones

47. IV. Project Delivery 14. Project Closeout & Evaluation • To ensure all objectives were met and share lessons learned • Include closeout activities in WBS, resource requirements, RAM, and schedule • Review lessons learned • How to share??? • Identify Project Success Factors

48. Other Issues • People • Communication • Cannot overestimate the need • Report outs • Frequency, audience, tools, next steps/resolution • Keep lean! • Software • Many options…but learn the techniques first!!! • Microsoft Project training forthcoming

49. Other Resources… • http://www.pmi.org/ • http://www.oft.state.ny.us/pmmp/guidebook2/

50. Conclusion… • Projects are everywhere • Can be actively managed • Science AND art