Project Management:A BRIEF OverviewGreg Magnan

Associate ProfessorAlbers School of Business & Econ

November 8, 2003

AgendaA) What, why and life cycles stages of projects

B) PM Phases C) OTHER ISSUES

I. Definition People/Teams

II. Planning Status

III. Execution Software

IV. Delivery Communication

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)

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”

Project Life Cycle Stages

Definition Planning Execution/Impl. Delivery/Ops

Leve

l of E

ffort

Selection Charter Goals Specs Tasks Responsi

bilities

Estimates Schedules Sequencing Budgets Resources Risks Staffing

Status Reports Changes Quality Forecasts

Train Customer Transfer

Documents Project Closeout Release Resources Reassign Staff Lessons Learned

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

I. Project Definition

1. 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.)

COST

I. Project Definition

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

SCOPE Checklist

• Project Objectives• Deliverables• Milestones• Technical

Requirements• Limits & Exclusions• Reviews with

Customer

CHECK

Project Management Tradeoffs

COST PERFORMANCE(scope & quality)

SCHEDULE

Project

Priorit

ies?

II. Project PlanningTo organize the work / avoid future problems

Assemble TeamDetermine Tasks (Work Breakdown Structure)Assign ResponsibilitySequence DeliverablesSchedule Milestones / DeliverablesSchedule ResourcesIdentify Risks / Protect the Plan (mitigation

plans)

Leading Projects

1. People own what they help to create2. Team members who truly understand the

project will be more committed• Inspiration through meaning

3. Use team-based tools throughout4. Show your appreciation for contributions5. Empowerment through trust and respect6. Stay on top of the details

II. Project Planning

3. 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

II. Project Planning3. 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

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

WBS: Mindmap

MBA576

Monitoring

Service Project

Psych

Scheduling Planning

Overviewof PM

Project Selection

Closeout

Client Signoff

Software PMI

Excell

MSProject

IndividualBehavior

GroupBehavior

Org.Behavior

ClientRelations

Journal

TeamSelection

NetworkPlanning

EV

Budgeting

PERT

GANTT

Compression

Time/CostTradeoffs

Crashing

WBS

TeamInterdependencies

Vision

ProblemStatement

SuccessFactors

Approach

RiskAnalysis

DecisionAnalysis

?

7 56

121110

8 4

21

9 3

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

WBS Structure

TASK

Sub-task

Workpackage

Sub-task

Workpackage

Workpackage

Workpackage

Workpackage

WBS Example

Plan Meeting

Agenda

ReserveRoom

Arrangements

CopyMaterial

OrderBev.

Meet w/Boss

ReviewMtg.

Notes

II. Project Planning

4. 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!

Resource1

Resource 2

WBS 1 XWBS 2 XWBS 3 X

Identify Resource Requirements

Resource 1 Resource 2WBS 1 XWBS 2 XWBS 3 X

II. Project Planning

6. 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

WBS 1 XWBS 2 XWBS 3 X

II. Project Planning7. 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!

Project Scheduling: Node Elements

Early Start Duration Early Finish

Late Start Slack Late Finish

Task Name

PERT Diagram(Activity on Node)

EarlyStart

Duration

EarlyFinish

LateStart

SlackLate

Finish

Task Name

EarlyStart

Duration

EarlyFinish

LateStart

SlackLate

Finish

Task Name

EarlyStart

Duration

EarlyFinish

LateStart

SlackLate

Finish

Task Name

EarlyStart

Duration

EarlyFinish

LateStart

SlackLate

Finish

Task Name

EarlyStart

Duration

EarlyFinish

LateStart

SlackLate

Finish

Task Name

EarlyStart

Duration

EarlyFinish

LateStart

SlackLate

Finish

Task Name

EarlyStart

Duration

EarlyFinish

LateStart

SlackLate

Finish

Task Name

II. Project Planning

8. 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

Sample Gantt Chart

ID Task Name Start Finish DurationNov 2002 Dec 2002

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5

1 2d11/25/200211/22/2002Research cause

2 5d11/29/200211/25/2002Enter mailing data

3 3d11/29/200211/27/2002Write cover letter

4 2d12/3/200212/2/2002Call prospects

5 3d12/6/200212/4/2002Finalize details

II. Project Planning

9. 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)

November 2003

S M T W T F S

1

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27 28 29

30

II. Project Planning

10. 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

III. Project Implementation / Execution

11. Begin work on time

12. 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!

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!

III. Project Implementation / Execution

13. Status and Communication• Gantt Charts / Milestones• Sponsor

Areas to report• Schedule• Risks• Budget• Changes• Scope?

Milestone Tracking

11/1/2002 12/1/2002 1/1/2003 2/1/2003 3/1/2003 4/1/2003

10/26/2002 4/26/2003

12/11/2002Milestone Description

2/16/2003Milestone Description

4/22/2003Milestone Description

Tacoma Narrows – Sept. 2003

Milestones

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

Other Issues

• People• Communication

– Cannot overestimate the need

• Report out – Frequency, audience, tools, next

steps/resolution

• Software– Many options…but learn the techniques first!!!

Conclusion…

• Projects are everywhere

• Can be actively managed

• Science AND art

• http://www.pmi.org/

COST