Project Management

1. Project Management

2. Planning • Defining the real problem • Identifying the stakeholders • Setting the objectives • Preparing for trade-offs • Defining the activities

3. Define the real problem • Perceived need or purpose for what trying to do • What led people to see this as problem to be solved • Who has a stake in the outcome • How do stakeholders goals differ • What criteria will be used to determine success of project

4. Identify stakeholders • What functions or people might be affected by project’s activities or outcome • Who contributes resources – people, space, time, tools, and money – to the project • Who will use and benefit from output of project

5. Set project objectives • Specific • Measurable • Action oriented • Realistic • Time-limited

6. Aspects of project • Quality – determine how to satisfy and measure quality standards • Organization – roles, assignments, relationships, right people • Communication – information for stakeholders and how to deliver • Risk – determine and evaluate possible responses

7. Prepare for trade-offs • Time • Cost • Quality • Quality = Time + Cost

8. Define activities • Use work breakdown structure • Major Tasks • Sub-Tasks • Time duration

9. Starting the project • Assemble the team • Set the schedule • Develop a budget

10. Assign People to Tasks • Who is part of the team • What skills are required • Talk with each team member about their skill set • Match people to tasks and skills required

11. Plan a kick-off meeting • Discuss roles and responsibilities • How to work together • Commitment to plan • Commitment to schedule

12. Create project schedule • Know which deadlines have no flexibility • Make tasks no longer than 4-6 weeks • Use work breakdown schedule and assign deliverables • Identify bottlenecks • Establish communication system

13. Develop a critical path • Critical activities must be completed on time to meet project deadline • Tools • Critical path diagram – flow chart • Performance Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) chart – flow chart • Gantt chart – bar chart

14. Develop a budget • Determine line items – personnel, travel, training, supplies, space, research, capital expenditures, overhead • Other possible costs – training for staff and users, maintenance costs, licensing fees, outside support such as legal or accounting, etc.

15. How to manage the project • Stay on the critical path • Decide what to delegate • Monitor project’s progress • What is important? • Timely information • Corrective action • Monitor project’s budget • Ensure quality control • Report progress to stakeholder

16. How to manage the problems • Mission creep or change in scope • Time slippage • People • Team structure • Interpersonal • Productivity

17. Ending the project • Post-project evaluation • Spirit of learning • Outside facilitators • Future status • Ongoing critical tasks • Risk assessment • Information relevant to other projects • Useful final report

18. Barbara J. Ford • Mortenson Center for International Library Programs, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • bjford@uiuc.edu