Instructional Objective

Module 5Refining Objectives, Scope, and Other Project ParametersSession 5.2 Reviewing the PAR and refining key project parameters

Instructional Objective At the end of the session, the learner should be able to use a set of guidelines as a member of a team to review the project analysis report (PAR) and refine key project parameters.

Contents of the PAR • What is to be accomplished? • Problem or need • Objectives • Deliverables • Process structure—What life cycle phases are recommended for the rest of the project? • Organization structure—Who are the stakeholder and team members? • Budget—What monetary and nonmonetary resources are required? • Schedule—When is the project supposed to startand finish? • Risks: What are the risks?

Reviewing the PAR • 1. Analyze • Review each section • Look for potential problems and issues • Determine where more detail is needed • Read twice, preview and in-depth • 2. Escalate • Bring serious problems, issues, and recommended solutions to management for resolution • 3. Document • Track issues • Create written summary document • Begin project implementation plan.

Analyze/Escalate/Document • Review as a team • Schedule sufficient time and anticipate follow-up meetings • Have the right participants • Develop an agenda and distribute it before the meeting Structuring the review meeting for success

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Structuring the review meeting for success Review key agenda items and develop a shared understanding of the tasks: Improve clarity and specificity of PAR Assess its practicality Develop shared understanding of deliverables, processes, rules, etc. Identify gaps and issues for follow-up Resolve issues and problems Create foundation for more detailed implementation planning Start project implementation document Escalate as needed

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR • Preview the document, then analyze each section in detail • Start with statement of problem (need) or opportunity • What problem is the project trying to solve? • Why is this important?

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR Review the project objectives What results and accomplishments are expected? Are they clear? Are they specific? Are they consistent? Are they sufficiently detailed? What constitutes completion? Other objectives (success factors)

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR • Review the scope

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR • Review the scope • What are the deliverables and end items that determine the scope of the project? • Are there any omissions? For example, are soft items such as training and documentation identified as deliverables? • What are the main components for each deliverable? • Are they listed in the PAR? • Are any missing? • Is the breakdown complete? • Where is more detail needed? • What quality standards apply to each major component?

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR • Review the process recommendations • Team must identify and sequence the broad set of actions needed to complete the project. Mobilize Execute Terminate • Team must document the process structure it will use. • Subphase elements • Milestones (accomplishments) • Checkpoints (reviews)

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR Review the process structure What is the life cycle for the project as described in the PAR? (Check the project schedule.) Given the deliverables and end items, is this the appropriate life-cycle model? Will it result in creation of the required deliverables? Where in the life cycle is the project now? How should the life cycle be modified to better meet the requirements of the project?

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR Review the organizational structure What organizational structure is recommended for the project? Is the structure appropriate? What is the role, function, and authority of the project manager? Who is represented? As stakeholders Project team members Users Regulatory officials Contractors Government agencies Are the appropriate organizations signed up for the project Is anyone missing who needs to be represented?

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) • Review the budget • What is the overall budget estimate? • How much is allocated to each deliverable? • How were the estimates derived? • Does the overall estimate seem realistic? • Do the allocations to the deliverable seem realistic? [More detailed resource modeling will occur in Step 7 (Module 7).] • Is there an allocation for contingencies? • What should be done if the budget seems inadequate? Questioning the PAR

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) • Review nonmonetary resource requirementsDefinition: Nonmonetary resources = Services (people), goods, and equipment • Does the PAR provide information on the project’s nonmonetary resources? • What information is provided? • How were these estimates derived? • How realistic are they? • What implications do they have for the project implementation team? • Are modifications needed? • Is anything missing? Questioning the PAR

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) • Review the schedule Definition: Master summary schedule = A timeline showing approximate start and finish dates for subphases Questioning the PAR

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR Review the schedule Is there a master summary schedule? What is the proposed duration? When is the project supposed to start? Finish? When is implementation planning supposed to start? Finish? What is the proposed schedule for each component? How realistic are these estimates? Have any of the dates already passed? Will any dates need to be revised?(Note: At this point, only rough estimates of phase lengths are possible. Detailed scheduling methods are discussed in Module 7.)

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Questioning the PAR Review the risksDefinition: Risks = Things that can go wrong, cause delays, cost overruns, and failure Types of risks: Technical (poor subsoil) Cost (inflation) Schedule (delays) Resource (labor shortage) External (floods)

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) • Review the risks • What are the technical risks, such as poor subsoil conditions for building foundations? • What are the cost (monetary) risks, such as inflation? • What are the schedule risks, such as delays in funding? • What are the resource risks, such as a shortages of cement or labor? • What are the external risks, such as floods? • Are there unidentified potential risks? • What can be done to reduce the risks? Questioning the PAR

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Issues tracking form Date Potential impact Due date Issuenumber Description Owner Status or resolution

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Track issues • Review as a project team • Preview, then analyze in detail • Review section by section • Start with the problem that is to be solved • Review the project objectives • Review the scope (deliverables or end items) • Review the process recommendations • Assess the organizational structure • Review the budget • Review the nonmonetary resource assumptions • Review the schedule • Review the risks

Analyze/Escalate/Document • Identify serious issues and problems • Major inconsistencies between objectives and budget • Major unidentified risks • Unrealistic schedules • Shortage of resources • Negative environmental impacts • Bring these to upper management with recommended solutions • Plan escalation strategy Escalation process

Analyze/Escalate/Document • Decision maker—To whom will an issuebe taken? • Positioning—How will the issues be explained? • Timing—When will an issue be taken to management? • Method—What type of communication method will be used? • Messenger—Who will present the issue? Plan escalation strategy

Analyze/Escalate/Document • Agreements • Assignments • Issues • Recommendations • Decisions Prepare meeting summary documents

Analyze/Escalate/Document(continued) Begin project implementation plan document (PIP or PID) Team members prepare chapters Contents should include: Deliverables (product structure) Life cycle (process structure) Revised budget Revised master schedule Detailed schedule (after Module 7) Organizational arrangements Project managers charter (authority and responsibility) Outstanding issues

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued) Revise PIP Plan to revise the PIP throughout implementation After management reviews When detailed schedule is developed or revised As circumstances change View the PIP as a working document Keep the PIP updated even during the execution subphase

Review of lecture Information in PAR must be refined for planning and controlling implementation Project implementation team must review PAR and refine the key project parameters Analyze/escalate/document is a 3-step process for reviewing the PAR

Review of lecture (continued) Analyze: Setting up review meeting Questioning the PAR Tracking issues

Review of lecture (continued) Escalate: Identifying serious issues Providing management with options and recommendations Using an escalation strategy

Review of lecture(continued) Document: Tracking in writing agreements, assignments, issues, recommendations, and decisions Beginning to draft project implementation plan (PIP) Planning to revise the PIP regularly throughout the project

Review of lecture(continued) A careful review of the PAR may be the most important success factor for a project

The Next Session: 5.3 An in-depth look at two important tools The product structure — clarifying the deliverables The process structure — clarifying the actions required to produce the deliverables

Discussion Questions Why is it important for the project team to develop a detailed understanding of the PAR? What process do new project teams use to develop a detailed understanding of the PAR (or its equivalent) in your organization? How would you escalate issues in your organization? What are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping the PIP current, even during execution?

Instructional Objective