Effective Project Change Management

INCREASING PROJECT SUCCESS THROUGH

EFFECTIVE PROJECT CHANGE

MANAGEMENTProject Management Workshop

Brandon Olson, PhD

Purpose•Define projects and project management•Describe change and its influence on projects•Determine the best practices for managing change

•Develop a plan to create a formalized project change management practice

Agenda•Definitions•Project Failures•Project Management Variables•Project Change Issues•Project CM Best Practices•Project Change Management Process

Agenda•Definitions•Project Failures•Project Management Variables•Project Change Issues•Project CM Best Practices•Project Change Management Process

Definitions of Project Management• "...a complex, non-routine, one-time effort limited by time, budget,

resources, and performance specifications designed to meet customer needs(Gray & Larson, 2008)

• "...a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product, service, or result.“ (PMI, 2013)

UniqueTemporary

One-Time

Project Characteristics

Kerzner, 2009

PROJECTSpecific Objective withDefined Specifications

Defined Startand End Dates

Funding Limitations

Consume Human andNonhuman Resources

Multiple Disciplines

Purpose of Project Management

Project ManagementA BChang

e

Operations vs. ProjectsOperations Projects

Taking notes in class Writing a research paperRecording sales into ledger Setting up sales kiosk for conventionPracticing a musical instrument Writing a new piece of musicManufacturing the iPhone Designing the new OSAttaching sales tags to merchandise Implementing a new RFID system

Adapted from Gray & Larson, 2008

Agenda•Definitions•Project Failures•Project Management Variables•Project Change Issues•Project CM Best Practices•Project Change Management Process

Project Success Rates

Successful Challenged Failed0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

199419961998200420092011

Gale, S. (2011). Failure rates finally drop. PM Network, 25(8), 10-11.

Sources of Project Failures1. No project champion2. Process shortcuts3. Unable to manage

expectations4. Variable lock-in5. Poor estimating

techniques

6. Over optimism7. Resource assumptions8. Inadequate people

management skills9. Unable to adapt to

change10.Insufficient resources

Adapted from Whitten & Bentley, 2007

Agenda•Definitions•Project Failures•Project Management Variables•Project Change Issues•Project CM Best Practices•Project Change Management Process

Project ManagementScope

ScheduleBudget

ProjectManager

Project Management Variables / Constraints

Project Failure Project Failure

Schedule Compression

Project Failure Project Failure

Budget or Staff Cuts

Project Failure Project Failure

Scope Change

Project Failure Project Failure

Agenda•Definitions•Project Failures•Project Management Variables•Project Change Issues•Project CM Best Practices•Project Change Management Process

Additional / Revised Scope•New functions•Increased scale of functionality•Increased quality of functionality

Scope Creep•Functional Stakeholders•“Wouldn’t it be cool if…”•Small changes•Each change does not influence budget or schedule•Over time accumulated changes influence budgetand schedule

•Example:•Add sound to submit button•Change color of submit button•Confirmation screen•Cancel option

Feature Creep•Project Team Members•“I can improve it by adding this…”•Project team builds in unrequested features•Each change does not influence budget or schedule•Over time accumulated changesinfluence budget and schedule

•Example:•Add sound to submit button•Change color of submit button•Confirmation screen•Easter egg (Google Images – Atari Breakout)

Business Change•New strategies•New external environment•Project deliverables no longer needed•Project deliverables no longer effective

Agenda•Definitions•Project Failures•Project Management Variables•Project Change Issues•Project CM Best Practices•Project Change Management Process

Expectations Management MatrixMeasures of Success

Max / Min

Constrain

Accept

Cost

Schedule

Scope

Adapted from Whitten & Bentley, 2007

Expectations – Moon LandingMeasures of Success

Max / Min

Constrain

Accept

Cost

Schedule

Scope

Expectations – Change in Speed to MarketMeasures of Success

Max / Min

Constrain

Accept

Cost

Schedule

Scope

Stakeholder EducationScope

ScheduleBudget

ProjectManager

ClientStakeholder

Enforce Change Management Process

Change Management

ProcessNew

ChangeProject

Plan

Agenda•Definitions•Project Failures•Project Management Variables•Project Change Issues•Project CM Best Practices•Project Change Management Process

Change Management ProcessRequest

edChange

ChangeRequest

ReviewReques

t

Approved? AdjustPlan

ExecuteNew Plan

Informand

Continue

ProjectPlanDocs

ChangeProposa

l

Change RequestTracking Data•Changer Order ID•Request Date•Project Name•Requester Name•Requester Phone/Email

Specifications•Change Description•Anticipated Benefits

•Anticipated Goals

Change Proposal•Summarize Project Change•Project Scope Implications•New Project Deliverables or Design•Change Budget•Change Schedule•New Project Budget•New Project Schedule

References• Gale, S. (2011). Failure rates finally drop. PM Network, 25(8), 10-

11.• Gray, C.F., & Larson, E.W. (2008). Project management: The

managerial process (4th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.• Kerzner, H. (2009). Project management: A systems approach to

planning, scheduling, and controlling. New York, NY: Wiley.• Project Management Institute (2013). A guide to the project

management body of knowledge (5th ed.). Newtown Square: PA: Author.

• Whitten, J.L. & Bentley, L.D. (2007). Systems analysis and design methods (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irvin.