Introduction to Project Management

Damian McCourt

HELLO!I am Damian McCourt

Training full time since 2014

IT infrastructure project manager, BT & FBD

You can find me at damian@dcmlearning.ie

Today!▰ When to use a project management approach

▰ Project management methodologies

▰ One fundamental project management tool

▰ Budget, schedule, change management

Project ManagementDefining a project / defining a project manager

Project?“A temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique

product, service or result. A project is temporary in that it has

a defined beginning and end in time, and therefore defined

scope and resources”

Project?

The Triple Constraints

Project Manager Qualities

Failures

Failures

FailuresDeadlines missed

Repeated workBudget overruns

Reputational damage

Quality issues

Annoyed stakeholders

Scope creepLoss of relevance

Failures

Top 4 reasons projects fail▰ Poor or incomplete requirements

▰ Scope creep

▰ A lack of a structured project management methodology

▰ Lack of change control

Expert Knowledge▰ Industry awareness

▰ Subject matter expertise

▰ Political/organisational skills

▰ Attitude to documentation

Project ManagementProject Management Methodologies

Waterfall and Agile

Agile

Short, iterative cycles

End-user closely involved

Requirements unclear

Collaborative work

Waterfall

Gated progress

User Quality Assurance only

Well-defined requirements

Strictly managed work

Waterfall and Agile

Agile

Gradually more refined

Avoids assumptions

Can go on forever ☹

Needs an experienced PM

Waterfall

Easier to budget and schedule

Easier to manage

Assumptions can kill a project

Requirements may change

Waterfall and Agile

Assumptions!▰ NASA/ESA Mars Climate Orbiter

▰ US$ 193.1m

▰ Thrust specified in Pounds

▰ Programmed in Newtons

Project ManagementSome basic tools

Business Case

Project Charter

Project Management Plan▰ Requirements management plan

▰ Schedule management plan

▰ Cost management plan

▰ Quality management plan

▰ Resource management plan

▰ Risk management plan

▰ Scope statement

Project Management Plan

Work Breakdown Structure▰ Project Charter includes a Scope Statement

▰ Which includes a Main Deliverable:

“A new sales office”

“Customer relationship management software”

“A wedding planning service”

Work Breakdown Structure

Work Breakdown Structure

Work Breakdown Structure▰ Sets out what is going to be delivered

▰ Allows you to start planning the ‘how’ and ‘when’…

▰ …blueprint for schedule and budget

▰ Clarity for stakeholders – ‘this is what you’re getting’

▰ Forces stakeholders to focus on deliverables rather than

activities

Work Breakdown Structure

WBS Activities▰ Each work package consists of a list of activities

▰ Used to create the project schedule and budget

▰ Have an expected duration

▰ Consume budget and/or resources

▰ Are usually verb-noun format (build frame, test brakes)

Budget Creation

Change Management▰ Scope creep: unmanaged changes to project scope

▰ Any change can be mapped to the WBS

▰ Change to an Activity, Work Package or Key Deliverable?

▰ Cost of the change can be accurately estimated

▰ Great way to highlight the triple constraints

Project Management▰ Unique endeavour – time, cost, scope limited

▰ Very easy to get wrong without a framework

▰ Defined approaches tested in the real world

▰ Every project document exists for a reason!

▰ Work Breakdown Structure

▰ Main deliverable – key deliverables – work packages – activities

▰ Budget, schedule, change

Project Management