Managing Projects: Experiences from Two Non-Project Managers - Ian Ingles & Keitha Prospere

Student AffairsRyerson University

Managing Projects – Experiences from

Two Non-Project Managers

Presented by

Ian Ingles & Keitha Prospere

AGENDA

● Introductions

● Learning Objectives

● Backgrounds & Major

Projects

● What We’ve Learned?

● Your Reflection

● Summary

Please share your

● Name

● Title or Role

● Department

● One of Your Projects

Learning Objectives

● Gain useful tips and advice about how to

approach your next big project

● Enhance your knowledge of navigating

the “Ryerson” environment with its

various policies and procedures

● Gain an awareness of common pitfalls

with various types of projects so that you

can plan around them

Telling Our Stories – Major Projects of 2015-16

Major Projects of 2015-16 cont’d

Ian Ingles, Operations Manager, Ryerson Career Centre

● Building of a new employer CRM for the Career Centre

● Building a new one to one appointment booking

system for the Career Centre to support the new

(2014) faculty based model

● Construction and renovations in and around the POD

60 area

Some pictures (Ian’s Projects)

Major Projects of 2015-16 cont’d

Keitha Prospere, ISS & UHIP Administrator, Student Life

5 Student Life Offices Moved to POD60

Major Projects of 2015-16 cont’d

Student Life Hiring Carousel

Major Projects of 2015-16 cont’d

Student Life Budget

Some Tools Of The Trade

● Spreadsheets

● Asana

● Gliffy

● Jing

Networks – How They Help

● The importance of building your network

internally at Ryerson

● You probably won’t know everything but it's

important to know who to ask if you don’t

● Someone may already be doing or has done

what you are trying to achieve

● Collaboration becomes much easier when you

have a strong network!

Importance of Communication

● Share information even when you don’t think

it's necessary - get a 2nd opinion or another

pair of eyes on things

● Realize that certain items will elicit a stronger

response from your colleagues than other

things (e.g. Paint!)

● When possible, offer choices

● Stakeholders need to be aware

● Keep track of your tasks and costs

Ryerson Policies & Procedures

● Understand that the process to pay for certain things

changes depending on what it is and how much it costs -

P-cards, PO’s, cheque req’s, etc.

● The scope of your project can impact your timelines and

cost if it expands beyond what you originally thought and

involves other departments (i.e. Ryerson Projects office,

Campus Facilities, CCS, etc.)

Forming a Strong Project Team

● Important to have the right people on your team

● Do they have the skills, the time and do they have a stake in the

success of the project?

● Do the members of the team understand the full scope of the

project?

Top Lessons Learned - Ian

● Communicate regularly (weekly worked best) even if you think you

don’t have the time

● The power and importance of seeking multiple quotes

● Question your contractors & vendors vigorously

● Think beyond the project completion date - planning for the future and

for change

● Use as few different systems as possible to track your project

● Account for contingencies

● Constantly remind yourself to focus your energy on the big items

Top Lessons Learned - Keitha

● Do you know where you are going? (Vision)

● Who will lead?

● Can you work through your fears?

● Can you share responsibility or delegate tasks?

● Can you be patient and calm when things don’t

go as expected?

● Can you compromise and meet the needs of

everyone?

Project Management Life Cycle

A Moment of Reflection

Summary

● Try your best to get the project completed

● Build your Ryerson network

● Keep up the communication!

● Know the Ryerson policies & procedures relevant to your project

● Form a strong project team

● Always lessons to be learnt - not always done to perfection

● Manage and prioritize the important things while keeping an eye on

the smaller tasks