Project Management Training Material

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An Introduction to

Project Management

Training Event for Managers

Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

An Introduction to Project Management for Managers Workbook
About the Course: This course is designed for those people who have a requirement to be Managers of Projects as part of their organisational roles. No prior knowledge of project management is required to take part in the course. As the course is being delivered on a practical experiential basis where participants will be asked to consider the live projects on which they are working during the course of the session some spread of knowledge and experience is not unwelcome. The course notes have been designed to provide a portfolio of practical techniques and guidance points which can be used in any future projects in which participants are engaged. Please make any additional notes on them that you wish. Space has been provided for you to do this. Aims of the Course: 1. Appreciate and be familiar with basic concepts of Project Management 2. To evaluate the appropriateness of a project management approach to specific activities, and then use that project management approach where it is appropriate 3. Learn and implement Project Management methodologies Objectives of the Course: By the end of the course you will be able to: 1. Use 20 specific tools and techniques to improve control of projects and achievement of project objectives 2. Be able to evaluate the appropriateness of specific tools for improving project performance. 3. Use the material within this workbook as evidence of underpinning knowledge for appropriate vocational qualifications

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Workbook Contents
Project Tool Subject Course Aims Programme Outline Project Definitions Project Life Cycle Commissioning Process The Successful Project The Business Case The Project Mandate Triple Constraints Project Initiation Work Breakdown Structure Dependency Project Block Template Gantt Charts “Crashing” Control Charts Milestones “What If........” Directing a Project Closing a Project Project Pitfalls, stumbling blocks, cures Further Reading Glossary of Terms Page No. 1 3 4 6 7 8 10 11 13 22 25 26 27 28 30 31 34 35 40 44 45 50 51

*1 2 *3 *4 *5 *6-8 *9 *10 11 *12 13 14 *15 *16 17 *18 *19

Tools which are starred are those which will be focussed in on during the session. Others will either be referred to or will be covered if there is a specific participant requirement to do so in the time available.

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Outline Programme
Notes for participants Date: Start Time: Venue:

“I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I learn.”
The programme will be highly participative. You will be asked to work on live current (or anticipated) projects within small groups. The programme will therefore be built around a number of short presentations on the subjects above following which you will be asked to apply what you have heard to your live material. The specific time allocation will be flexible to provide sufficient opportunity for you to apply learning directly to the work you are engaged in. There will be breaks in the morning and afternoon for teas/coffee and a break at lunch. As it is a participative programme applying learning to your own work, please be prepared briefly to discuss a current or anticipated ‘project’ in which you are involved. Do not feel concerned if you are not sure whether or not that piece of work constitutes a project as this will be the starting point for debate.

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

The Times They are a Changin’ Robert Zimmerman What is a Project? Some definitions: “.....a complex effort to achieve a specific objective within a schedule and budget target, which typically cuts across organisational lines, is unique and is usually not repetitive within the organisation.” (Cleland and King; cited -Institute of Management) “..A human endeavour which creates change; is limited in time and scope; has mixed goals and objectives; involves a variety of resources; and is unique.” (Anderson, Grude, Haug and Turner. Op cit.) “A project is goal orientated. It consists of connected and interrelated tasks and activities, which typically have some elements of dependency between them. A project has limited duration with a fixed start and end point and has some elements of uniqueness.” (Fred Pryor) “a management environment that is created for the purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified business case…a temporary organisation that is needed to produce a unique and pre-defined outcome or result at a pre-specified time using pre-determined resources” (Prince2) “A project is a fractal process in which each component is an exact image on a smaller scale of a larger component.” (Beeching and Jones 1996) It is important to recognise however that project tools represent a general approach to work not just to specifically identified projects. So: Project Tool 1: Project Definition Questions to ask: 1. Does our activity have a specific, measurable goal or goals? 2. Does our activity contain connected or related tasks? 3. Does it have an identifiable start and end point? 4. Does it contain elements of uniqueness? 5. Or if it doesn’t can it be made to do so?

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Why Projects at all? Consider the following from Management Guru Tom Peters: The Professional Service organisation – whether it has 2 or 22,222 employees – has an invariant common denominator: the Project. Projects – with beginnings and ends and clients and products – are what professional service firms do. Full stop. Join one, and you’ll find yourself on a project team by noon of your first day at work; and you’ll be on a project team until..you..leave for good… The high-impact project is the gem..the nugget..the fundamental atomic particle from which the new white collar world will be constructed and/or reconstructed. Or this from equally renowned Leadership thinker Warren Bennis: The bureaucratic organisation is becoming less and less effective…It is hopelessly out of joint with contemporary realities, and..new shapes, patterns, and models are emerging which promise drastic change in the conduct of organisations and in managerial practices in general. So within the next twenty five years we should all witness, participate in and actively work towards the end of bureaucracy and the rise of new social systems better able to cope with 21 st century demands. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH The National Programme for IT in the NHS: NAO Summary Report June 2006 ‘The Department, NHS organisations and NHS Connecting for Health should put in place training and development programmes to strengthen capability, including project management and IT skills available to the wider NHS, continuing its work with the Office of Government Commerce. The shortage of such skills is an immediate risk to the timely implementation of the Programme, and strengthening capacity in these areas will be a long-term asset for the NHS’

Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

The Project Life Cycle

Define the Project

Plan the Project

Implement

Monitor

Adjust

Evaluate

Celebrate

Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

The Commissioning Process Problem / Opportunity Identified

Prioritisation and Definition process

Outline Business case analysis

Project Mandate

Project Commencement

Selection: Manager, Executive

Project Project

Project Brief Produced Project Board Identified

Project Team Appointed

Project Initiation

Project Initiation Document Agreed Meeting Cycles (Board) Celebration - Summary of Learning & incorporation of Organisational Learning

Project Implemented & Managed

Project Closed

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Beginnings are dangerous times Mentat Thufir Hawat Project Tool 2: The Successful Project Are these ingredients in place?
All successful IT projects contain 15 ingredients: 1. An internal senior management sponsor who is committed to the project 2. A clear connection exists between the organisation’s strategy and the project 3. A realistic budget & schedule are in place 4. One person manages the budget, scope and resources 5. Expectations are properly set 6. Scope is well designed and constrained 7. The need to develop the project over several generations is accepted 8. Users are involved early on in the design of the project 9. There is the sophistication to understand that there are always choices in technology and approach 10. Analysis is done of the effects of the project on other key systems in the organisation 11. There is a desire on the part of users to work with and help the developers and vice versa 12. Everyone is aware the clock is ticking 13. Issues are dealt with as quickly as they arise 14. All dealings are open and frank 15. The project’s impact is measured, so that everyone can learn lessons from both success and failure

Again many of these issues will also need to be addressed within non-IT. Projects

Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants PMI Survey of ten top challenges facing Project Managers Challenge Shifting organisational priorities Lack of clarity in the Scope of the Project Project Changes not well managed Project Risk not Assessed or Managed Lack of Project Management Skills Loss of Control Due to Lack of Detail in Project Plans Project does not include all Stakeholder Needs Project not Linked to Organisational Goals Conflict Among Project Team Members Lack of Senior Management Support/Buy in 2002 results 50% 49% 40% 36% 33% 22% 22% 21% 17% 10% 2001 results 43% 50% 35% 37% 34% 21% 21% 20% 17% 11% change +7 -1 +5 -1 -1 +1 +1 -1 0 -1

Notes:

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A key tool at this stage is the Business Case What is the Business Case? The Business Case can be defined as: The justification for the undertaking of a project based on the estimated cost of development and the anticipated business benefits to be gained. The Business Case is used to say why the forecast effort and time will be worth the expenditure. The on-going viability of the project will be monitored by the Project Board against the Business Case. (See below) Evaluating the business case is clearly a critical dimension in the establishing of a project. It both enhances the commissioning process and forces a comprehensive analysis of the validity in the activity – ensuring a focus on ‘results’ rather than activities. The strategic focus and required ‘PEST’ research through analysing of the business case can additionally provide further insight into the area of Project sponsorship and political ownership. Where a Project is part of a wider Programme the initial Business Case for the Project may have already been developed on behalf of the Programme Board. Project Tool 3: Business Case • Composition: • • • • • reasons benefits benefits realisation cost and timescale Cost/Benefit Analysis

One of the more neglected aspects of the Business Case is the third component: Benefits Realisation. It is widely recognised (through bitter experience) that the benefits promised from a project don’t just happen. They have to be made to happen. A classic example is a new IT system installation. Simply installing the hardware and software (and even training staff to use the system) are not sufficient (although given the number of IT projects where that is all that has happened you might think that it was). It is vitally important to devise some measures of what will constitute success and a strategy for ensuring they are implemented. For example if it is stated in the Business Case that a new IT system will reduce the amount of time front line staff spend on non essential tasks so using their time more productively then a measure needs to be devised: 5%? 10%? Over what timescale? A month? Two years? Someone also needs to check that this is actually happening. Ensuring a Benefits Realisation work stream is devised and implemented is a key Project Board role.

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Having determined there is a Business Case for the Project; we are clear a Project approach is appropriate and that the organisational priority of the project is sufficient to merit the investment of resources we now need formally to approve the activity. Project Mandate Why do we need a formal mandate and how does it differ from the Business Case? Essentially the Business Case is what has persuaded us to go ahead; the Mandate is the formal approval to do so. It shows there is an organisational legitimacy and status to what is being proposed and forces clarity on our thinking. It also provides an explicit link between the pre project planning and the formal planning of the project itself. Where a Project is part of a wider Programme a Project Mandate for that Project is likely to have been developed for the Programme Board. The establishing of a project’s status and scope are critical to its success (not least because they will help to define what success is). If there is a lack of clarity at start up it is unlikely matters will become clearer as they go along. Once the Mandate has been approved thinking and planning can start regarding Starting up the Project and can form the basis of negotiation and clarification with the Project Manager regarding what the tasks are they are being asked to achieve and what their role will be in achieving those tasks. Project Tool 4: Example Mandate The actual composition of a Project Mandate will vary according to the type and size of project and also the environment in which the mandate is generated. The project may be a completely new piece of work which has just arisen, it may be the outcome of an earlier investigation or it may be part of a larger programme. The following list contains suggested contents, and should be tailored to suit the specific project. • • • • • • • • • • • Authority responsible Background Project objectives Scope Constraints Interfaces Quality expectations Outline Business Case (reasons) Reference to any associated documents or products An indication of who are to be the Executive of the Project Board and Project Manager The customer(s), user(s) and any other known interested parties who might form part of the Project Board.

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Clarifying the Commission: “..If the question is wrong in the first place, all you can ever hope to achieve, irrespective of the effort,...is the best of a number of wrong answers” (Jones 95) The first and most critical part of a project ‘life span’ is negotiating the commission. Whilst on the surface this may appear a simple issue of asking what’s wanted, proper clarification of commission is a subtle and complex process. Consider this scenario and see how often it has applied to your activities: You are asked to undertake a piece of work / project (usually on top of your ‘ordinary’ workload). You industriously work away to achieve clear and concrete outcomes. You take these outcomes back to the ‘commissioner’ only then to discover that what you have doesn’t actually match what they believe they asked for. And that in fact the ‘problem’ is not only still there anyway, but that your efforts are exacerbating it! A number of important questions arise: • Who are the key stakeholders? Is the immediate ‘commissioner’ the main stakeholder? Does the person doing the commission have full authority over the outcome? • What problem is this a solution to? How clear are they that the outcome they are asking for will resolve the issue - i.e. are they presenting you with a solution or a problem?........ Will the intended outcome in fact merely replace one problem with another - or worse, amplify existing ones!? • What is being said about the role you are seen as taking? How explicit is the authority that you will have? Are you being seen as ‘project manager? Leader? Administrator? In what way do you see your role differently? And finally,...... • What motivates them? Nothing should be assumed! Project Tool 5 (following) begins to help with these issues. Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Fast, Good, Cheap……You can have any two! Anon. The Driver Triangle: Project Tool 5: The Triple Constraints: 1. Time Constraint: When is the outcome required? 2. Budget Constraint: What resources do we have available? 3. Performance Criteria: What are the quality issues? These constraints determine the Project Scope. It is vital that we determine at the outset which of these is the Driver Constraint for our sponsors i.e. which of these is the most important to them, and which is the Least Constraint, i.e. which of these is the least important to them. This is so we know when we have to modify our project plan as we proceed, as we will, which drivers are negotiable and which not, which drivers can we trade on, which drivers must we not allow any slippage on. It is the sponsors’ driver which is the key not yours. Never assume! The key tool here is the “what if....” question. The use of hypothetical questions to determine the driver. E.g. “What would your reaction be if in order to complete on time, we had to add additional staff?” The Triple Constraints: Time “Must be done yesterday ” “Perfection is minimum acceptable” Quality

“50 quid & no more!” Cost Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

The Project Brief (see below) may well form the outcome of these discussions which could be one to one between Project Executive and Project Manager with the Project Mandate as the starting point. Starting up a Project Now that we have defined our commission and obtained a mutually clear understanding of the direction in which we are going. Practical steps can be taken to begin the process of starting the Project up. Project Structure (based on Prince2)

Programme Management
Project Board Project Executive Assurance Project Manager Project Team(s) Notes:

Senior User

Senior Supplier

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When considering representation on a Project Board three interests must be represented at all times: Business The product(s) of the project should meet a business need. The project should give value for money. There should, therefore, be representation from the business viewpoint to ensure that these two pre-requisites exist before commitment to the project is made, and remain in existence throughout the project. The Executive role (see below) is designed to look after the business interests (representing the Customer). In a Public Sector context people sometimes struggle with the term business: try replacing it with terms like operational, clinical or service. User There will be an individual, group or groups for whom some or all of the following will apply: • • • • they will use the final product the product will achieve an objective for them they will use the end-result to deliver benefits they will be impacted by the outcome.

The User presence is needed to specify the desired outcome and ensure that the project delivers it. User management should therefore be represented on the Project Board. Supplier The creation of the end product (and possibly its subsequent operation) will need resources with certain skills. Representation is needed from the Supplier who will provide the necessary skills. Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

The key point is that the Project Board is part of the overall Project Management Team not separate from it. Avoid the twin perils of micro managing and ‘fire and forget’ The five key activities for this stage of the Project are listed below: • Step 1: Appointing a Project Executive and a Project Manager

Appointing a Project Executive: The Project Executive is the person ultimately accountable for the project (not the Project Manager). Throughout the Project the Executive owns the Business Case and provides the link to wider and higher organisational management. The Executive will also be the key decision maker for the Project. So the Executive needs to be someone of sufficient organisational weight to be able to take on this role. The Executive also has a key role in selling the project. Selling is a frequently underestimated but vital role for successful project implementation. Successful projects must be sold to team members, the wider organisation and users of the projects outcomes. Where a Project is part of a wider Programme the way in which individual Project Management Teams are defined and how projects interface with a programme may differ from project to project. The decision must be made during the start-up process of the project, and the roles and responsibilities for that project at both project and programme level defined clearly. Notes:

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It is likely the Programme Board will take responsibility for establishing the Project Board. However, having appointed the Project Executive, the Programme Board may choose to delegate the appointment of the remainder of the Project Board and Project Management Team to the Project Executive, rather than making all the appointments themselves. Whichever option is followed, serious consideration must be given both to the need for programme representation and the need for the project to be seen to be locally owned, so allowing for the adoption of the project’s output by the Customer and Users. Appointing a Project Manager: The Project Manager is given authority to run the project on a day to day basis on behalf of the Project Board and within the constraints that Board has laid down. Again in a Programme the Project Manager may be part of a wider Programme Team. Hints & Tips for Appointing a Project Manager: Consider high quality people part time as an option Where the Project Manager does not have direct authority over staff required to work on or with the project the agreement of the relevant managers should be sought and maintained throughout the Project (this task will almost certainly fall to the Project Board) Remember the Project Manager’s role is to manage the work not to do it Project Managers are Managers not Magicians Notes:

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Step 2: Designing & Appointing a Project Board (in conjunction with the Project Manager)

Project Tool 6: The Project Board: The Project Board is part of the overall Project Management process and not separate from it. The role of the Project Board is to represent at a Managerial Level the business, user and supplier interests. They must have authority for decision making and committing of resources. They are responsible for ensuring that the project remains on course and delivers the outcome to the specified quality standard. They therefore provide the project with organisational presence, thus avoiding the pitfall of “Appoint and forget”. • • • • • Project Board membership is determined by a number of factors: Requirements of a Programme (Strategic) Management Ownership Key Stakeholder inclusion Presence of Expertise (either product or project) Quality assurance

As well as the Project Executive & Project Manager two key interests should be represented on any Project Board: Users & Suppliers. These representatives need to be at a senior level in order to be able to deliver the tasks required from them: Users: Representing the interests of those who will use the final product(s) of the project or receive the benefits the project is designed to produce As Project Boards have to make decisions it is important that representatives have sufficient authority to be able to make those decisions. Similarly it is important that the Project Board does not have too many members (this is a particular issue on the User side). If there is a broad and varied user constituency User Group(s) can be formed. The Executive of the Group(s) can then represent User interests on the Project Board. Suppliers: Representing the interests of those who will actually create the products being realised by the project Project Board members need to be very clear as to their roles and responsibilities before taking on the task of membership

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Step 3: Recruitment of a Project Team (in conjunction with Project Manager)

There are probably as many different ways of staffing a project as there are projects. There are nevertheless some good practice guidelines which can help you decide what the appropriate model for your particular project is. Programme: A Programme will almost certainly require full time Project Managers for the different projects within the programme. It may be necessary to supplement the Project Manager with some kind of project assistant role. Larger projects within the Programme may also benefit from use of the role of Team Manager (some times also known as a (Work Stream or Work Package Leader) . This is an optional role but the Project Manager may find it is beneficial to delegate responsibility for planning and delivery of certain deliverables. This may be dictated by the size of the project, particular specialist skills or knowledge (especially if these are outside the project) or geographical location. It is important too that the need for this role is identified at this stage of project planning and agreed with the appropriate board. Large Project: The definition of large should be seen not just in financial terms but also organisational impact. Again this may well require a full time Project Manager, or at the very least a formally identified role. Again, the Project Manager is likely to be supplemented by individual Team Managers responsible for managing different work streams within the project. These may be full time, part time or undertaking the role alongside other duties depending on the size and complexity of the project and the resources available. They may be delivering work as individuals or ensuring that work is being undertaken by staff they manage. Small Project: May only require an identified Project Manager but it is a rare project where a Project Manager is capable of undertaking all the work themselves and some kind of informal or ‘virtual’ version of the approaches described above may be appropriate. The key is to plan on the basis of what is actually needed to undertake the work required (Tools later in this guide can help with this). One final point on project organisation: it is a common mistake to confuse those who are responsible for directing and overseeing the Project (the Project Board) with those who are actually doing the work (the Project Team) whether they are full, parttime or virtual.

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Step 4: Preparing a Project Brief (in conjunction with Project Manager)

Project Tool 7: Project Brief The following is a suggested list of contents which should be tailored to the requirements and environment of each project. • • • • • • • • Background Project Definition, explaining what the project needs to achieve. It will contain project objectives project scope outline project products and / or desired outcomes any exclusions constraints interfaces

• Outline Business Case description of how this project supports business strategy, plans or programmes reason for selection of this solution • • • Customer’s Quality Expectations Acceptance Criteria Any known risks.

The Project Brief is developed from the Project Mandate supplied at the start of the project and you will note that there is a close relationship in form and content between the two documents. Essentially this is to help the defining and redefining of the Commission; the more is written down in greater levels of detail the clearer the Commission will be (although clearly the level will depend on the complexity of the project). Again the fractal nature of projects begins to emerge . Where a Project is part of a wider Programme the Project Brief for the Project may have already been developed on behalf of the Programme Board.

The notion of reframing or redefining a project as it progresses is not one about which we should become anxious. Indeed it is the very nature of projects that we need to have the confidence and tools to do this. Nor should we be becoming anxious because we haven’t ‘started’ yet. Time spent planning is never wasted! Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants



Step 5: Allocate appropriate Project Assurance

The Project Board members do not work full time on the Project and therefore place a great deal of reliance on the Project Manager. There is a need then in the project organisation for monitoring all aspects of the project’s performance and products independent of the Project Manager. This is the Project Assurance function. Specific responsibilities The implementation of the assurance roles needs to answer the question `What is to be assured? ` A list of possibilities might include: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • maintenance of thorough liaison throughout the project between the Supplier and the Customer User needs and expectations are being met or managed risks are being controlled expenditure and schedule adherence to the Business Case constant reassessment of the value-for-money solution fit with the overall programme the right people are being involved in product creation products are being checked for quality at the right time and by the right people an acceptable solution is being developed the project remains viable the scope of the project is not `creeping up` unnoticed realisation of benefits focus on the business need is maintained internal and external communications are working the needs of specialist interests, for example security, are being observed adherence to quality assurance standards.

It is not enough to believe that standards will be adhered to. It is not enough to ensure that the project is well set up and justified at the outset. All the possibilities listed above need to be checked throughout the project as part of ensuring that it remains consistent with and continues to meet a business need and that no change to the external environment affects the validity of the project. In theory these project assurance functions are part of the role of each Project Board member. According to the needs and desires of the Project Board, any of these assurance responsibilities can be delegated, as long as the recipients are independent of the Project Manager and the rest of the team(s). There will also need to be a link between Programme and Project Assurance where the Project is part of a wider Programme. Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

A Plan is useless. Planning is everything President Eisenhower Now and only now are we ready to start the Project! Project Initiation Once we have established our commission in broad terms we now need to firm this up more systematically. The key phase here is Project Initiation. This may be defined as: Authorising the Project (starting the project off on the right foot) What a project is aiming to achieve Why it is important to achieve it Who is going to be involved in managing the process and what their responsibilities are How and When this is all going to happen Formally marking the point that project has actually begun. The most useful tool here is what is called the Project Initiation Document. This represents the project team’s “contract” with the project’s sponsors. As well as clearly defining what the project team will do the Project Initiation Document also “protects” the team in the sense that the Project Initiation Document also defines what will not be done, as well as making clear any assumptions, risks, time, resource and budgetary requirements which are apparent at this initial stage. so that there is common understanding of: • • • • • • • • • • • the adequacy of reasons for doing the project what key products the project will deliver how an when these will be delivered and at what cost the scope of what is to be done any constraints which apply to the product to be delivered any constraints which apply to the project who is to be involved in the project decision making how the quality required will be achieved what Risks are faced how the project is to be controlled the next commitment the Project Manager is looking for in the light of detailed planning for the next stage

Notes:

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This information can be agreed as informally as the Project Board and Project Manager wish. The Project Manager should always document the understanding, however small the project, and get it signed by the Project Board, even if this is one person. Peoples’ recollection of a verbal agreement can differ weeks, or even days, later. In formal terms the objectives of Initiating a Project are to: • • • • • • • • document and confirm that an acceptable Business Case exists for the project ensure a firm and accepted foundation to the project, prior to commencement of the work, via the creation of the Project Initiation Document enable and encourage the Project Board to take ownership of the project enable and encourage the Project Board to make a decision on whether the project is viable, and to agree to the commitment of resources to the first stage of the project provide the baseline for the decision-making processes required during the project’s life ensure that by carrying out Initiation in an organised manner, the investment of time and effort required by the project is made wisely, taking account of the risks to the project monitor progress of against the plans for the initial stages of the project. Provide the project with an identity and profile within the wider organisation

Much of the information should come from the Project Mandate, enhanced in the Project Brief. Parts of these documents, such as the Project Plan and Business Case, will be updated and refined as the Project progresses. Where the Project is part of a wider programme the Project Initiation Document will need to make explicit reference as to the project’s fit within the Programme. Put simply Project Initiation is: • • • • • Setting our Objectives (what is it we want the project to achieve) Defining the scope (what will the boundaries of the project be) Establishing the strategy (how will we deliver) Deriving the Work Breakdown Structure & initial High Level GANTT Chart Embodying this understanding in the Project Initiation Document

Failure to define your project adequately by this stage will have disastrous consequences later on. Notes:

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Project Tool: 8 The Project Initiation Document Key Elements in the PID • • Background (including Authority and Project Sponsor) Project Definition including:

• • • • •

Approach (if not defined elsewhere) Customer(s) Objectives Scope (Drivers) Constraints

• • • • •

Assumptions Business Case (may cross refer) Project Organisation Structure (including Roles & Responsibilities) Communication Plan Initial Project Plan including:

• • • •

Costs/budget Resources Deliverables/Products Project Phases and Timetable (High Level)

• • • • •

Project Controls Exception Process Initial Risk Log Contingency Plan Project Filing Structure

Notes:

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A Phased Approach:

“Miracles need to broken down into totally impossible tasks, into
phenomenally difficult bits, into very hard problems...,.....,....... , snags.........,.hiccups..”

Breaking a huge task down into manageable and achievable chunks is the essence of successful project management ; not least because a series of small, discrete doable jobs can create a momentum of achievement. Project Tool: 9 Work Breakdown Structure The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) helps organise your project by breaking down the project into more manageable chunks or tasks: Level 1: Level 2: Level 3: Level 4: Project Name or Objective Subsections, departments, functional areas or broad categories Tasks Sub Tasks

Project Tool: 9 (continued)

W B S - (O rg a n is a tio n C h a rt S ty le ) L evel 1 P ro je c t N a m e D e v e lo p n e w a s s e s s m e n t p r o c e s s L evel 2 P ro je c t M a n a g e m e n t L evel 3 G o Ahead L evel 3 M a n a g e P r o je c t Level 3 A c c e p ta n c e L evel 2 P ro c e s s L evel 3 M a p C u rre n t P ro c e s s e s L evel 2 IT L evel 3 E s ta b lis h R e q u ir e m e n ts L evel 4 L in k F o rm s T o S y s te m L evel 2 S ta ff L evel 3 E s ta b lis h T ra in in g N e e d s L evel 4 D e s ig n T ra in in g M a te ria l

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Project Tool: 10 Dependency Tasks As you will have noted, not all tasks have equal status. Some may overlap, some occur directly, or in tandem, while others need directly to follow a predecessor: Dummy Tasks: Parallel Tasks: Dependent Tasks: Notes: Having either a time or work requirement of zero May occur in the same time frame as one or more others Cannot begin until certain others are complete

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Project Tool: 11 Project Block Template (what ought to happen): Below are standard blocks into which projects can be broken down. Whilst these may not have direct relevance to the project area in which you may be working they do provide a starting point if you are having difficulty seeing clear and straightforward ways of breaking your project down into manageable chunks. The percentages associated with them provide rough guides to what proportion of overall project time should be being devoted to these particular stages of activity. Definition: This may lead to a Feasibility Study (some would argue this may be a distinct project in its own right) 15%-25% 10%-25%

Commencement: Initiation:

Implementation Stage(s):20-40% Closing: 10-20%

Notes:

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No plan survives the first shock of battle Karl Von Clausewitz Project Tool: 12 Keeping track of Projects (Project Monitoring): The monitoring of in progress costs, time scales and quality is a major issue for consideration throughout the project. It is not merely sufficient to have a workable project plan. It is also vital that the implementation of that plan is carefully managed as it unfolds; or if the plan has to be modified that this is done in a controlled and informed manner. The key to solving any problem is catching that problem as early as possible. A problem caught early may be trivially easy to solve. The same problem caught too late may be impossible to solve. Below are some tools to help your Project Manager keep track of your project as it progresses. 1. Time GANTT chart
Name 1Establish Commission 2Agree Project Manager 3Manage Project 4Identify Stakeholders 5Establish Working Group 6Workshop 7Analysis 9Pilot Forms 10Revise Forms 11Consult Managers 12Develop Training 13Train Staff 14Rollout Implementation NovDuration Oct-00 Nov-00 Dec-00 Jan-01 Feb-01 Mar-01 Apr-01 May-01 Jun-01 Jul-01 Aug-01 Sep-01 Oct-01 01 1m 1m 14m 1m 1m 1m 1m 2m 1m 1m 2m 1m 1m

8Develop Procedures Forms 2m

Notes: The Black Line represents the Critical Path: the longest path in the project GANTT charts are especially useful in four areas: 1. To see if your original plan meets any Time Constraint that has been set 2. To measure actual progress against schedule 3. To prepare easy to understand and easy to interpret management reports. 4. To provide a clear visual stimulus to creative thinking if a project is going awry. For example, if a project were over running we could clearly see this and then explore options such as: creating more parallel tasks, splitting tasks, crash tasks, change quality, think creatively about adjustments to the non critical path tasks.

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Notes:

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Although a Gantt chart is a simple tool a surprising amount of control information can be generated using it. We could, for example, use it to show how many person weeks a particular project was going to take with only minor additions:
ID Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Establish Commission Agree Project Manager Manage Project Identify Stakeholders Establish Working Group Workshop Analysis Pilot Forms Duration Oct-00 Nov-00 Dec-00 Jan-01 Feb-01 Mar-01 Apr-01 May-01 Jun-01 Jul-01 Aug-01 Sep-01 Oct-01 Nov-01 1m 1m 14m 1m 1m 1m 1m 2m 1m 1m 2m 1m 1m 58 3 2 2 3 16 3 2 2 2 2 9 2 4 3

Develop Procedures Forms 2m

10 Revise Forms 11 Consult Managers 12 Develop Training 13 Train Staff 14 Rollout Implementation Person Months

Scheduling for Maximum Resource Use: Project Tool: 13 The Crash Crash Time: The fastest a task could be completed given unlimited resources. Crash Cost: The cost in resources or money to achieve the crash time. Crash Slope: normal time. the comparison of crash cost to normal cost and crash time to Use the crash slope to answer the question: “Is it worth it?”

This technique can be used loosely or precisely. Notes:

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Project Tool: 14 Keeping track of Projects: 2. Cost Project Control Charts Project Control Charts provide status reports of actual costs against budget with variances. Step 1. Gather the information on how the project is doing (make sure you’re keeping records) - using graphics to focus on key information.
Variance Graph
£2,500.00 £2,000.00 £1,500.00 £1,000.00 £500.00 £0.00 Budget Actual Series1

Step 2 Transfer the information to a Project Control Chart. Task (From Wbs) Select Computers Notes: Planned Time 2 weeks Actual Time 2 weeks Time Variance 0 Planned Cost £2000 Actual Cost Cost Variance £2500 (£ 500.00) Explanation Additional Memory Required

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

This presupposes that you actually have the information to keep track of this. Project control tools tend to focus on time. A simple spreadsheet containing your project budget and comparing actual with projected figures is as good a tool as any for keeping tracking of financial information; not least because graphical information can very swiftly be generated therefrom. Budget Chart
£45,000 £40,000 £35,000 £30,000 £25,000 £20,000 £15,000 £10,000 £5,000 £0 04-Oct 18-Oct 23-Aug 01-Nov 06-Sep 20-Sep Planned Actual

Any good project proposal would include a spreadsheet indicating broad brush expenditure (and income where appropriate) for the duration of the project. This can then be updated with real figures as the project progresses Remember with all these tools that the key is what is the driver constraint for that particular project. You must however be able to show the impact on other constraints of meeting the driver. Notes:

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Keeping track of Projects: 3. Quality Project Tool: 15 Milestone Charts: Another useful tool to help in this regard is the project milestone (or checkpoint) chart which shows what you actually anticipate having done by a particular point in a project. The key point is to have concrete or measurable objectives against which you can compare actual performance. Overleaf is an example focus in on the following terms: Checkpoint (Milestone): Products: Measures of Effectiveness: Control Information specific point in time, typically towards the end of a project phase, at which we review project progress. tangible outcomes which are anticipated at the end of that particular project phase (also called deliverables). the mechanism you use to ensure whether or not you have achieved a particular outcome and to a particular standard. MOEs (as they are called) should be quantifiable. “If you can’t measure it, it isn’t happening!” the information you use to ensure your project is on track. For example the kinds of project tools referred to above

Note the advantage of this approach; each element of the project has a formal sign off before you move onto the next one. In addition to helping with project control this is also extremely useful for on going evaluation purposes. This approach also enables planning to be more realistic; detailed planning stage by stage ensures that the plan reflects what is really happening. The other merit of this approach is that it affords opportunities for group learning and evaluation at each stage. The Project Board will also have a clear point at which to sign off that the Project can proceed at each Stage (or not!). Notes:

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Milestone Chart
Standard Project Stages Definition Products Business Case Project Mandate Checkpoints & control info: Detailed plan and commencement phase

budget

for

Commencement

Products

Project Board Project Team Project Brief Checkpoints & control info Actual expenditure (commencement phase) Detailed plan and budget (Initiation) Project Initiation Document Checkpoints & control info Overall broadbrush project timetable detailing checkpoints & products Forecast of MOEs Actual expenditure (Initiation) Detailed plan and budget (Implementation) Agreed Products for each stage Detailed Plan for each subsequent stage Final Stage: Detailed Plan for Closing Checkpoints & control info Revised forecast of MOEs Actual expenditure (Implementation) Detailed plan and budget (Closing) End of Project Report Handover/Follow on Plan Proposals for further work Checkpoints & control info Estimates of actual MOEs Actual expenditure (Closing)

Initiation

Products

Implementation Stages

Products

Closing

Products

What is missing from these Products? Notes:

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Project Tool: 16 It is important to know what to do when these, or other control mechanisms indicate that something is going wrong. Contingency plans are also vital as goal posts are always prone to movement. Control Point Identification Chart & What-if Analysis Task Select Software Same What could go right or wrong Vendors could be slow in sending packages We could immediately discover ideal software How/when would I know? If only a few vendors respond by halfway through the first week By the first team meeting What could I do? Assume they will be late anyway and ask for all information to be e-mailed or faxed save a week; but software would still have to be tested. Additional week could be kept in reserve in case of later overrun Discuss urgently with Project Board Can commercial software be customised? May have to rethink spec.

Same

nothing on the market which actually meets our needs

First team meeting if nothing even close. End of task period if everything fails, but ought to have early indicators

Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Work Packages With a larger project where there a number of different work streams it may not be physically possible for the Project Manager to oversee the work needing to be done to the appropriate level of control (at least not without a nervous collapse!). Similarly, the Project may require discrete pieces of work to be undertaken by teams or groups of staff outside the direct control of the Project Manager. For example, an IT Project may require the Training Team of an organisation to provide IT training at a particular time to a particular standard; or an organisational change project would almost certainly need input from HR. The reliance on the satisfactory delivery of outcomes or products by staff not directly under your control is clearly a major risk to project success. Fortunately there is a Tool designed to help address this issue: Project Tool: 17 Work Package
Work Package for [Insert Name] Work Stream within [Insert Project Name] Date Person Authorised Work package Scope Stage plan extract Sign-Off Requirements (within the Work Package) Quality checking Reporting Arrangements Tasks Products Quality Standard Timescale

Dependencies: Associated Documents: Work Breakdown Structure for Work Package Outline Gantt Chart for Work Package

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A Work Package may be defined as a set of information about one or more required products collated by a Project Manager formally to pass responsibility for work to a Team Manager or Team Member. The level of formality will vary from project to project but there are good general reasons for putting the required work in writing especially to avoid misunderstanding. Certainly there would be a strong recommendation that where the work is being carried out by any third party (whether within or outside an organisation) there is a definite need for formal written instructions. Notes:

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Directing a Project Now the Project has started the Commissioner still has a key role to play. If Commissioners are to be involved in a Project Board as they should be in some way or another whether personally or by delegation there needs to be clarity about they should and should not be involved in. • Don’t have meetings for the sake of them!

The Project Board are busy people who should only need to be involved when they need to be involved. Meeting dates need to be determined well in advance around critical decision points as identified by the GANTT Chart and Milestone Chart & Stage Plan (see below) • As a Project Board don’t expect the Project Manager to have planned every stage of the project in detail from the start.

It is unlikely that this will be realistic if you have. If someone has a project plan saying something will happen at a particular time on a particular day six months in the future they are probably making it up. The Project Board don’t actually need to know anyway. They will want to know the big picture and get involved when they need too; if they are looking at too much detail they are probably trying to do your Project Manager’s job for you (so why are they employing you?) It can also be destructive. Detail, which is too far from reality probably won’t be achievable which can then lead to disillusionment It is probable that we won’t know every thing we need to know at the start. A staged approach which looks to plan in detail for the next stage whilst the current one is unfolding is probably more realistic. • Key elements of this plan should always be the clear concrete outcomes expected from that stage of the project. These should be expressed in noun rather than verb language: Products or Deliverables rather than Activities.

Notes:

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The objectives of Directing a Project are to: • ensure the ultimate success of the project judged by • the ability of the results of the project to deliver the business benefits set out in the Business Case • delivery to agreed time, cost and quality parameters manage the identified risks to the project ensure the effective management of all people and resources concerned with the project commit the required resources make decisions on any changes when requested by the Project Manager provide overall direction and guidance throughout the project make decisions on exception situations ensure that the project and the products remain consistent with business plans and the external environment ensure that the necessary communications mechanisms are in place sponsor appropriate external communication and publicity about the project. This process covers the direction of the project throughout its life cycle. The Project Board proactively manages the project’s response to the external environment. Within the project above and beyond the decision points identified in advance the Project Board should manage by exception (in other words only become seriously involved when something isn’t going according to plan). The Project Board members are normally busy executives with a range of responsibilities, and demands on their time should be kept to a minimum, while fulfilling their responsibilities to the project. The key responsibilities are: • • overall directional decision making resource commitment.

• • • • • • • • •

Notice these are the responsibilities of the Project Board collectively not the Project Manager alone Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Events, dear boy, events Harold Macmillan Project Tool: 18 Project Board Meetings Project Board Meetings These should be planned when the Project Plan is first being put together and should be timed for points in the plan where decisions are actually required from the Project Board, for example towards the end of a Project Block or Stage when the detailed plan for the next Stage needs to be approved or when a particular Product is due. These meetings are sometimes called Milestone Meetings. These will be your tool for Directing the Project. There is no point in having monthly meetings simply for the sake of them. This is for two reasons: • Project Board members are likely to be busy people so it makes sense to have their commitment to some purposive activity secured well in advance. Someone is always more likely to attend a meeting where they are required to make a decision than one where they are not. Meetings organised as suggested above will be focused on outcomes specific to the project. This reduces the likelihood of ad hoc changes or undirected discussions.



Any good Project Plan will always list the Products expected in a particular stage or block. The focus of Milestone Meetings should always be the approval or otherwise of the Products anticipated for completion during that phase. Otherwise Projects should be managed by exception. That is the Project Board would only be called together for other than the timetabled meetings where a serious deviation from the Project Plan is likely (what constitutes a serious deviation is something which should be laid down in the Project Initiation Document) and the Project Board will need to approve a proposed course of remedial action. Notes:

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Project Tool 18 (continued): This is not to be seen as a disaster. Plans change for all sorts of reasons; not all of them bad. The whole point about a staged approach is that by breaking our project down into manageable chunks we have both the opportunity to achieve something concrete and to reflect and adapt to changes in reality as they occur: remember too detailed a plan too early is certainly destined to fail! It is important though that if changes are made they are formally agreed by the Project Board and the Project Initiation Document is revised appropriately. It is not change which is the issue but rather unauthorised or unplanned change! Again within a wider Programme such formally agreed changes will need to be fed back to the Programme Board. Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Closing the Project: One of the defining features of the project is that it is finite: it has a start and an end. If the project loses this distinctiveness, then it loses its effectiveness over purely operational management approaches. So a clear end to the project or to particular phases of a large project: • • • • is always more successful than the natural tendency to drift into operational management. is a recognition by all concerned that either the operational regime must now take over, or the products from this project become feeds into some subsequent project, or into some larger programme or the current project has run its course helps achieve business objectives by avoiding waste and by providing a useful opportunity to take stock of achievements and experience provides an opportunity to ensure that all unachieved goals and objectives are identified, so that they can be addressed in the future.

The fact that goals have not been achieved may be for entirely defensible reasons. In an IT project, for example, additional features may have been identified which have not been developed deliberately until the originally planned system was in place. The drift to operational management is a particular danger for two reasons: • The Project Team can find themselves still involved with the support of the products of the Project which have been released to operational staff thus draining resources which should be available to complete later stages of the Project. This can be a particularly problematic issue with large scale IT projects where a particular system is being introduced in a modular fashion Responsibility for the new products will not be owned by operational staff, whilst the Project team may rightly feel that what has been successfully delivered is now no longer their responsibility



The essentials of Project Closure can be summarised as: • • • • • • • check everything has been delivered according to the most up to date version of the Project Initiation Document check that the products are accepted make sure there are no loose ends record any follow-on recommendations store the project records for audit release resources Celebrate!

Notes:

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Evaluate the Project. This is potentially one of the most valuable and all too frequently neglected aspects of successful Project Management. By building in a final stage of evaluation it is possible to gain a measure of a given project’s success and see what lessons can be learned. The three key areas for review are quality, time and costs. Others include: • • • • Staff skills gained or identified mistakes not to be repeated tools and techniques that were valuable what would be tackled differently

This is why it is so important to maintain your project documentation as you go so that you have data on which to draw. A strong recommendation would be the writing of an end of project report which addresses the specific issues referred to above and looks at actual performance against targets. Such reports can then provide an invaluable resource when it comes to planning and managing subsequent projects: especially in providing hard information regarding how long it actually takes to perform specific tasks (as opposed to how long we think it takes). Notes:

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Project Tool 19: End of Project Report (Example) The purpose of the End of Project Report is to pass on any lessons which can be usefully applied to other projects. The data in the report could be used by a corporate group, such as quality assurance, who are responsible for the quality management in order to refine, change, and improve standards. Statistics on how much effort was needed for products can help improve future estimating. Composition What management processes: - went well - went badly - were lacking • • • • • A description of any abnormal events causing deviations An assessment of technical methods and tools used An analysis of project issues and their results Recommendations for future enhancement or modification of the project management method Useful measurements on how much effort was required to create the various products

Notes:

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Murphy was an Optimist O’Toole’s Corollary Project Tool: 20 Potential Project Pitfalls & Suggested Solutions Below are some standard mistakes and the points at which they occur. When I was first learning about projects this was the bit I found most useful, and the bit that was most difficult to pin people down on; what goes wrong and how do we put it right? Everyone makes mistakes. The key is to learn from them. 1. Mistaking Solution for proper Problem Analysis 2. Inadequate initial commission (scope and driver): Avoid by: Developing a coherent Business Case, evaluating possible projects against objective criteria, tightly defining, the what if.. techniques, awareness and use of the triangular driver model, written and agreed (as in signed) commission, with measures of effectiveness to show whether achieved or not ( Project Initiation Document). Also agreed relationship with commissioners; Project Board or named individual. Clear who reporting to and when; clear schedule of milestone meetings with agreed reporting format including what and how will be reported.

Notes:

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Project Tool: 20 (continued) 2a. Fire & Forget

Avoid by: Recognition that Commissioners have an on going role to play in the success of a Project. Providing the Project with a recognised organisational identity through the establishing of a Project Board with appropriate authority. Ensure formal closure of project with proper measures of success 2b. Failure to plan/ including contingency (your most useful phrase at any stage is what if...) & co-ordinating with other activities planning in a vacuum; that is recognising people are likely to have other calls on their time. In the real world you rarely work on one project at a time. 2c. 2d. Failure to recruit appropriate project team members skills/mix Unrealistic time schedules

Avoid by: proper worked out project plan, including WBS, Gantt, checkpoints (milestones), products and crucially task allocations to specific named individuals, with costs and time scales. Adopt a staged approach to planning rather than being too detailed too early. Use estimating tools and historical data where available. Having both a clear idea of what the project is about, who is available and what their necessary skills are. This is to ensure appropriate mix as well as match. We should not be afraid to look beyond immediately available staff, or if we can’t we may have to consider their training and development needs in order for them to participate successfully in such activities. Where you have planned out your project activities always have what if.. or contingency plans for each key point in the project. Not just what you expect to happen, but what you would do if things go wrong. Nothing should be assumed. Mustn’t be afraid to say what won’t work and why. Look at alternatives. Don’t be afraid to kill off a ‘Death March Project’. Notes:

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Project Tool: 20(continued) 3a. Allowing un-negotiated changes to take place as you go along, must have a mechanism for noting and incorporating at a later stage. The ‘wouldn’t it be nice if..’, ‘while we’re at it let’s..’ and so on 3b. Inadequate controls over time, quality and cost once you have embarked on your project 3c. Inadequate documentation and evidence. No one minds things going wrong providing you can show how and what you do about it

Avoid by: Milestone/Checkpoint meetings with the Project Board, with formally written agreement to proceed with noted and agreed amendments either cost, budget, scope. Providing evidence of progress in clear, straightforward format which Project Board can understand and speaks to their particular drivers. This one of the principle uses of the GANTT chart. Also regular team meetings within the team (one option is to appoint an identified progress chaser), partly to prepare evidence for Project Board but partly also keeping track on what is happening. Use of other monitoring tools discussed above 4. Drift into operational management

Avoid by: Formal Project or Project Stage Closure process 5. Failure to evaluate and incorporate learning

Avoid by: Formally reviewing project including post project report incorporating logs/diaries/ Project Board reports etc. Notes:

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Project Management ProgrammeNotes for Participants

Tensions between a line management and project management approach. Unless an organisation is exclusively organised around Project work and Project Teams then there is always an inherent tension between line responsibility and project work. This can manifest itself in seven ways: • • Workload: if the Project Manager is not full time then project work will often be on top of normal day to day work Authority: there is a danger that the Project Manager or the Project Board will not have sufficient authority to mobilise resources outside the Project Team; and there will be a lack of recognition of the status of work on the project as distinct from day to day work especially by staff who are only tangentially involved Accountability: Project Managers will often have a line Manager as well as working to a Project Board. This can lead to a serious blurring of operational accountability Lack of Organisational Fit: There is a danger of the Project Manager becoming isolated from and disregarded by the conventional structures of the organisation Communication/Information: Linked to the above, especially where the Project Manager is part time there are dangers of information overload or starvation, and difficulties in meshing with the different communication networks formal and informal, within the organisation. Lack of Understanding: It is not only those directly involved with projects who need to have an understanding of project management methodology but those indirectly involved too.



• •



Ring Any Bells? Notes:

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Suggested Solutions: • The composition of the Project Board is critical here. It is vital that the Board comprises members of sufficient organisational weight to ensure that any blockages which the Project Manager encounters can be resolved. When the Project Initiation Document for the Project are drawn up the precise role and responsibility of the Project Manager must be clearly defined It is also critical that the Project Initiation Document of the Project are circulated widely not just to those directly involved in the Project but indirectly too.

• •

Notes:

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And Finally…… Projects the bare minimum: • A Business Case (at the very least a written justification of why we are doing this) – if you don’t know why you are doing this, how can you hope to persuade other people? A Project organisation (even if it is only identifying who is doing what) One or more plans (scaled to the size and complexity of the project) A method of handling risks and issues A method of change control A definition of quality expectations (have we done it to the right standard?) Controls that match the organisation and size of the project

• • • • • •

Notes:

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Further Reading: There are a wide variety of books available on Project Management. Below are a number which we found helpful in preparing this work book divided into categories:
Quick, introductory texts & handbooks The One Minute Manager Builds High Performing Teams by K. Blanchard, D. Carew & E. ParisiCarew, Fontana 1993 Successful Project Management in a Week by M. Brown, Hodder & Stoughton 1992 Essential Managers: Project Management by A. Bruce & K. Langdon, Dorling Kindersley 2000 10 Minute Guide to Project Management by J. Davidson, MacMillan 2000 Project Management by P. Hobbs, Marshall Publishing 1999 The Project Management Advisor By L. Pacelli, Prentice Hall 2004 Provocative & stimulating Riding The Tiger M. Chung, A. Davidson, H. Gellman, Harper Business 1998 The Project 50 by T. Peters, Knopf 1999 Fifth Generation Management by C.M. Savage, Butterworth-Heinemann 1996 The Fifth Discipline by P. Senge, Century Business, 1993 Time To Think By Nancy Kleine. Pub - Wardlock Not for the fainthearted! Managing Successful Projects with PRINCE2 Office of Government Commerce 2002 The Project Management Body of Knowledge Project Management Institute 1996 Longer Introductory texts The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Project Management S. & K. Baker, Alpha Books 1998 Project Management R. Burke John Wiley 1992 Project Workout R. Butterick Prentice Hall 2000 The Fast Forward MBA Management E.Verzuh John Wiley 1999 in Project

The Handbook of Project Management T. L. Young, Kogan Page 1998

Notes:

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Glossary of Terms Business Case: Information which describes the justification for setting up and continuing a project. Driver Triangle: The three constraints on a project of Time, Cost & Quality End of Project Report: A document completed at the end of a project to pass on any lessons which can be usefully applied to other projects. Outcome: The result of a project. Useful term where the project result is not an easily definable product. Product: An item which the project has to create as part of its requirements. Also known as a deliverable. Programme: A portfolio of projects selected, planned and managed in a co-ordinated way and which together achieve a defined set of business objectives. Project Board: The Project Board is responsible for ensuring that the project remains on course to deliver products of the required quality to meet the Business Case defined in the Project Initiation Document. As a minimum it should comprise a Project Board Executive, the Project Manager and representation of User & Supplier interests. Also known as a Steering Group. Project Brief: A description of what the Project is to do: a refined and extended version of the Project Mandate. Project Executive: The Project Executive is the person ultimately accountable for the project . Throughout the Project the Executive owns the Business Case and provides the link to wider and higher organisational management. The Executive will also be the key decision maker for the Project and have a key role in selling the project. So the Executive needs to be someone of sufficient organisational weight to be able to take on this role. Also known as the Steering Group Chair.

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Project Initiation Document: A document which brings together the key information needed to start the project and to convey that information to all concerned with the project. Also known as a Project Charter or Terms of Reference Project Manager: The person given the authority and responsibility to manage the project on a day to day basis to deliver the required products within the constraints agreed with the Project Board. Project Mandate: Information created externally to the project which is the formal organisational approval to go ahead with the project. Project Milestone: Key point in a Project plan where a decision is required or a product is to be delivered. Also known as a Checkpoint. Project Stage: A division of the project for management purposes. Also known as a Project Phase or Project Block. Sponsor: Senior Manager responsible for establishing the project, also known as the Commissioner or Champion. They or their nominated representative should be Executive of the Project Board . Supplier: Representing the interests of those who will actually create the products being realised by the project Team Manager: An individual to whom the responsibility of ensuring the planning of the creation of certain identified products and their successful delivery User: Representing the interests of those who will use the final product(s) of the project or receive the benefits the project is designed to produce Work Package: A set of information about one or more required products collated by a Project Manager formally to pass responsibility for work or delivery to a Team Manager or Team Member.

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