1 / 37

Project Management: A BRIEF Overview

Project Management: A BRIEF Overview. Greg Magnan Associate Professor Albers School of Business & Econ November 8, 2003. Agenda. A) What, why and life cycles stages of projects. What is a Project?.

zahina
Download Presentation

Project Management: A BRIEF Overview

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Project Management:A BRIEF Overview Greg Magnan Associate Professor Albers School of Business & Econ November 8, 2003

  2. Agenda A) What, why and life cycles stages of projects

  3. What is a Project? • One-time (or infrequent) set of activities that use resources to accomplish an objective • An effort to create a unique product/service with a precisely defined, desired outcome • Constrained by an end-date and resources • May be of any duration (hours to years)

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

  5. Project Life Cycle Stages

  6. 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

  7. I. Project Definition • 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.)

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

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

  10. Project Management Tradeoffs Project Priorities?

  11. 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)

  12. 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

  13. 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

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

  15. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) • Involve project team in creation • Creative / Brainstorming / Post-its • “Mindmapping” • At lowest level, work packages should include a noun and a verb (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

  16. WBS: Mindmap

  17. Work Packages • Defines work (what) • Ids how long • Ids a budget (WP cost) • ID resources (how much) • ID person responsible • ID monitoring points • Coding for info systems

  18. WBS Structure

  19. WBS Example

  20. 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!

  21. Identify Resource Requirements

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

  23. 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: path through the network showing minimum time needed • Delays to elements on the critical path delay the entire project!

  24. Project Scheduling: Node Elements

  25. PERT Diagram(Activity on Node)

  26. 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

  27. Sample Gantt Chart

  28. 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)

  29. 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! • Create contingency plans

  30. 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 in advance • Few slides…but longest project duration!

  31. 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!

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

  33. Milestone Tracking

  34. Tacoma Narrows – Sept. 2003 Milestones

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

  36. Other Issues • People • Communication • Cannot overestimate the need • Report out • Frequency, audience, tools, next steps/resolution • Software • Many options…but learn the techniques first!!!

  37. Conclusion… • Projects are everywhere • Can be actively managed • Science AND art • http://www.pmi.org/

More Related