Chapter 2-3 Traditional Project Management Defining the ...

Dr. Anwar Abu-Zarifa . Islamic University of Gaza . Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering © 2017/2018 1

Chapter 2-3Traditional Project Management

Defining the Project


Traditional Project Management Life Cycle

DefiningPlanningExecutingControllingClosing


Five questions to be answered by any good definition of a project:

What is the problem or opportunity to be addressed?What is the goal of the project?What objectives must be met to accomplish the goal?How will we determine if the project has been successful?Are there any assumptions, risks, or obstacles that mayaffect success?

Defining


complete plan clearly state:

What is to be done?Why it is being done?Who will do it?When it will be done?What resources will be needed?What criteria must be met in order for the project to bedeclared complete and successful?

Planning


Planning - continued

Planning reduces uncertaintyAllows us to consider likely outcomes and put corrective measures in place

Planning improves efficiencyBy recognizing dependencies and resource relationships in advance, can optimize tasks and shorten total duration

Planning increases understandingAct of planning gives insight into goals and objectives

A basis for measuring:Planning provides a basis for measuring work planned against work performed


Executing the project plan involves a number of steps:

Identify the specific resources that will be required to accomplish workScheduling workers to activitiesSchedule activities with start and end datesLaunch the plan

Executing


Initial Schedule lists:

What must be accomplished in projectWhen each task must be accomplishedWho is responsible for completing each taskWhat deliverables are expected as a result of project completion

Controlling


ClosingThere are several questions that should answered as part of any closing:

Did the project do what the requestor said it would do?Did the project do what the project manger said it would do?Did the project team complete the project according to plan?What information was collected that will help with later projects?How well did the project management methodology work and how welldid the project team follow it?

Formal means of signaling the completion of project.Should evaluate what worked and what didn’t for use in laterprojects.


Causes of Project Failure:Projects that have failed generally display several of the following characteristics:The customer’s conditions of satisfaction have not been negotiated.The project no longer has a high priorityNo one seems to be in chargeThe schedule is too optimisticThe project plan is not used to manage the projectSufficient resources have not been committedProject status is not monitored against planNo formal communications plan is in placeThe project has lost sight of its original goalsThere is no change management process in place


Levels of Project Management:

Defining, planning, organizingEspecially for small projects in which one person responsible for all activities

Defining, planning, organizing, controllingTypical project management

Defining, planning, organizing, controlling, closingOften used with formal/large projects


Scope the ProjectDevelop the Detailed PlanLaunch the PlanMonitor/Control Project ProgressClose Out the Project

Project Management Life Cycle:


Begins with an exchange of info between requestor and project managerGoal is bound by a number of objective statements that clarify goal statementDocumented in form of Project Overview Statement (POS)

Scope the Project


Brief document (usually one page) that describes, in the language of business:

What problem or opportunity is addressed by the project?What are the project’s goal and objectives?How will success be measured?What assumptions, risks, and obstacles may affect the project?

The purpose of POS is to gain the approval of management to proceed to the next phase, which is the generation of the detailed project plan.

POS (Project Overview Statement)



Deliverable is Project ProposalDetailed description of each work activityResources required to complete the activityScheduled start/end date of each activityEstimated cost and completion date

Use of tools like Microsoft Project help manageinterrelationships between variables and ease management.

Develop the Detailed Plan


The Project Management Pain Curve

Proper Planning is painful but pays off in less pain later in the project


Project team is specifiedExact work schedules are determinedTeam operating rules, reporting requirements, andstatus meetings are established

Launch the Plan


Status reports are used to monitor project’s progressSome only for project team, others shared withmanagement and customer

Change Management is criticalMay require re-planning, hence, the feedback loop inlife cycle

Monitor/Control Project Progress


Customer says project is completeDeliverables get installedFinal reports and documentation filedPerform post-implementation auditCelebrate!

Close Out the Project


Project Management Life Cycle:1. Scope the project.State the problem/opportunity.Establish the project goal.Define the project objectives.Identify the success criterialist assumptions, risks, and obstacles.2. Develop the project plan.Identify the project activities.Estimate activity duration.Construct/analyze the project networkPrepare the project proposal.3. Launch the planRecruit and organize the project team.Establish team operating roles.level project resources.Schedule work packages.Document work packages.

4. Monitor/control project progressEstablish progress reporting system.Install change control tools/processDefine problem-escalation process.Monitor project progress versus plan.Revise project plans5. Close out the project.Obtain client acceptanceInstall project deliverables.Complete project documentationComplete post implementation auditIssue final project report


Project Management Life Cycle:


Defining the ProjectThe top 10 reasons why projects succeed are these:Executive management supportUser involvementExperienced project managerClear business objectivesStandard infrastructureFirm basic requirementsFormal methodologyReliable estimatesSkilled staffCommunication is the key!


Clients always seem to expect more than we are prepared todeliverMany problems result from disconnect between what clientsays they want and what they really needSometimes client does not really know what they needPM forces them into specifying what they want when that isthe absolute wrong thing to do

Managing Client Expectations

Example => Conversation between Requestor and Provider (Page: 84)


Often project runs into trouble at the very beginningFor some reason, people have a difficult time understandingwhat they are saying to one another

How often do you find yourself thinking about what you aregoing to say while the other party is talking?An essential skill that project managers need to cultivate isgood listening

Conditions of Satisfaction (COS)


Establishing Clarity of Purpose

The COS process is to negotiate to closure on exactly whatwill be done to meet the requestThis process repeats itself until there is an agreed-to requestthat is satisfied by an agreed-to responseAs part of this agreement there will be a statement, calledsuccess criteria, in the POS that specifies when and how therequest will be satisfied

The result is documented as the COS and becomes input to the POS


Conducting Milestone Reviews

The COS is a dynamic agreement that becomes part of thecontinual project monitoring processSituations change throughout the project life cycle and so willthe needs of the customer and that means that COS willchangeAt every major project status review and project milestone,review the COS


The POS is a short document (ideally one page) thatconcisely states what is to be done in the project, why it is to bedone, and what business value it will provide to the enterprisewhen completedThe main purpose of the POS is to secure seniormanagement approval and the resources needed to develop adetailed project planIt will be reviewed by the managers who are responsible forsetting priorities and deciding what projects to supportIt becomes the reference document for questions or conflictsregarding project scope and purpose

Creating the Project Overview Statement


Parts of the POS


Stating the Problem or Opportunity

The first part of the POS is a statement of the problem oropportunity that the project addressesA problem or opportunity statement that is known andaccepted by the organization is the foundation on which to builda rationale for the projectIt sets the priority with which management will view whatfollowsIf you are addressing a high-priority area or high-businessvalue area, your idea will get more attention and seniormanagement will read on


Establishing the Project GoalThe second section of the POS states the goal of the project:What you intend to do to address the problem or opportunityidentified in the problem/opportunity sectionThe purpose of the goal statement is to get seniormanagement to value the idea enough to read onA project has one goalThe goal statement will be used as a continual point ofreference for any questions that arise regarding scope orpurposeThe goal statement should not include a specific completiondate (If you expect management to ask for a date, estimate thedate to the nearest quarter, month, or week as Appropriate)


S.M.A.R.T. Characteristics of Goal StatementDoran’s S.M.A.R.T. characteristics provide the criteria for agoal statement:SpecificBe specific in targeting an objective

MeasurableEstablish measurable indicators of progress

AssignableMake the object assignable to one person for completion

RealisticState what can realistically be done with availableresources

Time-relatedState when the objective can be achieved


Defining the Project ObjectivesThe third section of the POS is the project objectivesObjective statements as a more detailed version of the goalstatementsThe purpose of objective statements is to clarify the exactboundaries of the goal statement and define the boundaries orthe scope of your projectEvery objective must be accomplished in order to reach thegoalNo objective is superfluous


An outcomeA statement of what is to be accomplishedA time frameThe expected completion dateA measureMetrics that will measure successAn actionHow the objective will be met

An objective statement should contain


Identifying Success CriteriaThe fourth section of the POS answers the question, “Why dowe want to do this project?”Represents the measurable business value that will resultfrom doing this project and sells the project to seniormanagementMust answer the question, “What must happen for us and thecustomer to say the project was a success?”State the business value to be achieved, and therefore,provide a basis for senior management to authorize theresources to do detailed planning


Success criteria all reduce to one of three types:Increased revenue

Reduced costsImproved service

Alternatively, consider quantifiable statementsabout the impact your project will have on:Efficiency and effectivenessError ratesReduced turnaround timeReduced cost of providing serviceQualityImproved customer satisfaction

Types of Success Criteria


Assumptions, Risks, and ObstaclesThe fifth section of the POS identifies any factors that canaffect the outcome of the project that you want to bring to theattention of senior management

These factors can affect:DeliverablesThe realization of the success criteriaThe ability of the project team to complete the project asplannedAny other environmental or organizational conditions thatare relevant to the project


Examples of Risk Factors

TechnologicalNew technologyRapidly changingEnvironmentalChanging management structureSkill level requiredInterpersonalPoor working relationships between teammates or stakeholdersCulturalProject inconsistent with existing corporate culture


Submitting a POS for ApprovalOnce POS is complete, it is submitted to management forapprovalAs part of the approval process, senior management asksseveral questions regarding the information presentedExpect several iterations

Approval of the POS commits the resources required tocomplete a detailed plan for the projectRough estimates of time or cost variables are oftenrequested from the project manager and the project teamIt is not unusual to have the project manager return to thedrawing board several times for more analysis and thought asa prerequisite to management approval


Participants in the Approval ProcessCore project team•May have been identified at the early stages of the project•Will be the managers, professionals, and perhaps the customer who willremain on the project team from the beginning to the very end of the project.•May participate in developing the POS and reach consensus on what itcontainsProject team•Some potential members of the project team are usually known beforehand•Their subject matter expertise and ideas should be considered as the POS isdevelopedProject manager•Ideally, the project manager will have been identified at the start and can participate in drafting the POS•Should have a major role to play in its definition and its approval


Resource managers•Those who will be asked to provide the skills needed at the times when theywill be needed are certainly important•Little point in proposing a project if the resources are not or cannot be madeavailable to the projectFunction/process managers•Several units will provide input to or receive output from the project products orservices and their advice should be soughtCustomer•PM-methodology includes a significant role for the customer•Discussed the COSSenior Management•Their support is a critical factor in successful projects

Participants in the Approval Process – continued


Using the JPP Session to Develop the POS

The Joint Project Planning (JPP) session is the tool text recommends fordeveloping the project plan.

This session will involve the customer or his or her representative, the projectmanager, and, if they have been identified, key members of the project team

It may have to be completed in two parts: First part drafts the POSSecond part completes the detailed plan after having received approval of the POS

Chapter 2-3 Traditional Project Management Defining the ...

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