Module 5 Session 5.2 Visual 1 Module 5 Refining Objectives, Scope, and Other Project Parameters Session 5.2 Reviewing the PAR and refining key project.

Module 5 Session 5.2 Visual 1

Module 5

Refining Objectives, Scope, and Other Project Parameters

Session 5.2 Reviewing the PAR and refining key project parameters


Instructional Objective

At the end of the session, the learner should be able to use a set of guidelines as a member of a team to review the project analysis report (PAR) and refine key project parameters.


Contents of the PAR What is to be accomplished?

Problem or need Objectives Deliverables

Process structure—What life cycle phases are recommended for the rest of the project?

Organization structure—Who are the stakeholder and team members?

Budget—What monetary and nonmonetary resources are required?

Schedule—When is the project supposed to startand finish?

Risks: What are the risks?


Reviewing the PAR

1. Analyze Review each section Look for potential problems and issues Determine where more detail is needed Read twice, preview and in-depth

2. Escalate Bring serious problems, issues, and recommended

solutions to management for resolution

3. Document Track issues Create written summary document Begin project implementation plan.


Review as a team

Schedule sufficient time and anticipate follow-up meetings

Have the right participants

Develop an agenda and distribute it before the meeting

Analyze/Escalate/Document

Structuring the review meeting for success


Review key agenda items and develop a shared understanding of the tasks:

Improve clarity and specificity of PAR Assess its practicality Develop shared understanding of deliverables,

processes, rules, etc. Identify gaps and issues for follow-up Resolve issues and problems Create foundation for more detailed implementation

planning Start project implementation document Escalate as needed

Analyze/Escalate/Document (continued)

Structuring the review meeting for success


Questioning the PAR

Preview the document, then analyze each section in detail

Start with statement of problem (need) or opportunity

What problem is the project trying to solve?

Why is this important?



Review the project objectives What results and accomplishments are

expected?

Are they clear?

Are they specific?

Are they consistent?

Are they sufficiently detailed?

What constitutes completion?

Other objectives (success factors)

Questioning the PAR




Review the scope

Scope What is part of the project and what is not?Deliverables or end items that are outcomes of the project

Component A major part of a deliverable (World Bank) a deliverable

Product structure

A hierarchical (top-down) description of a project’s deliverables and their components

Questioning the PAR


Review the scope What are the deliverables and end items that determine

the scope of the project? Are there any omissions? For example, are soft items

such as training and documentation identified as deliverables?

What are the main components for each deliverable? Are they listed in the PAR? Are any missing? Is the breakdown complete?

Where is more detail needed? What quality standards apply to each major component?


Questioning the PAR


Review the process recommendations Team must identify and sequence the broad set of actions

needed to complete the project.

Team must document the process structure it will use.

Subphase elements Milestones (accomplishments) Checkpoints (reviews)

TerminateExecuteMobilize


Questioning the PAR


Review the process structure

What is the life cycle for the project as described in the PAR? (Check the project schedule.)

Given the deliverables and end items, is this the appropriate life-cycle model? Will it result in creation of the required deliverables?

Where in the life cycle is the project now?

How should the life cycle be modified to better meet the requirements of the project?


Questioning the PAR


Review the organizational structure What organizational structure is recommended for the

project? Is the structure appropriate? What is the role, function, and authority of the project

manager? Who is represented?

As stakeholders Project team members Users Regulatory officials Contractors Government agencies

Are the appropriate organizations signed up for the project

Is anyone missing who needs to be represented?


Questioning the PAR


Review the budget What is the overall budget estimate?

How much is allocated to each deliverable?

How were the estimates derived?

Does the overall estimate seem realistic?

Do the allocations to the deliverable seem realistic? [More detailed resource modeling will occur in Step 7 (Module 7).]

Is there an allocation for contingencies?

What should be done if the budget seems inadequate?


Questioning the PAR


Review nonmonetary resource requirementsDefinition: Nonmonetary resources = Services (people),

goods, and equipment

Does the PAR provide information on the project’s nonmonetary resources?

What information is provided? How were these estimates derived? How realistic are they? What implications do they have for the project

implementation team? Are modifications needed? Is anything missing?


Questioning the PAR


Review the schedule

Definition: Master summary schedule = A timeline showing

approximate start and finish dates for subphases


Questioning the PAR


Review the schedule Is there a master summary schedule? What is the proposed duration? When is the project supposed to start? Finish? When is implementation planning supposed to start?

Finish? What is the proposed schedule for each component? How realistic are these estimates? Have any of the dates already passed?

• Will any dates need to be revised? (Note: At this point, only rough estimates of phase lengths are possible. Detailed scheduling methods are discussed in Module 7.)


Questioning the PAR


Review the risks

Definition: Risks = Things that can go wrong, cause delays, cost overruns, and failure

Types of risks: Technical (poor subsoil)

Cost (inflation)

Schedule (delays)

Resource (labor shortage)

External (floods)


Questioning the PAR


Review the risks What are the technical risks, such as poor subsoil

conditions for building foundations?

What are the cost (monetary) risks, such as inflation?

What are the schedule risks, such as delays in funding?

What are the resource risks, such as a shortages of cement or labor?

What are the external risks, such as floods?

Are there unidentified potential risks?

What can be done to reduce the risks?


Questioning the PAR


Issuenumber Date Description

Potential impact Owner

Due date

Status or resolution

Issues tracking form



Track issues Review as a project team Preview, then analyze in detail Review section by section Start with the problem that is to be solved Review the project objectives Review the scope (deliverables or end items) Review the process recommendations Assess the organizational structure Review the budget Review the nonmonetary resource assumptions Review the schedule Review the risks



Identify serious issues and problems Major inconsistencies between objectives and

budget Major unidentified risks Unrealistic schedules Shortage of resources Negative environmental impacts

Bring these to upper management with recommended solutions

Plan escalation strategy

Escalation process



Decision maker—To whom will an issuebe taken?

Positioning—How will the issues be explained?

Timing—When will an issue be taken to management?

Method—What type of communication method will be used?

Messenger—Who will present the issue?

Plan escalation strategy



Agreements

Assignments

Issues

Recommendations

Decisions

Prepare meeting summary documents



Team members prepare chapters Contents should include:

Deliverables (product structure)

Life cycle (process structure)

Revised budget

Revised master schedule

Detailed schedule (after Module 7)

Organizational arrangements

Project managers charter (authority and responsibility)

Outstanding issues

Begin project implementation plan document (PIP or PID)



Plan to revise the PIP throughout implementation

After management reviews

When detailed schedule is developed or revised

As circumstances change

View the PIP as a working document

Keep the PIP updated even during the execution subphase

Revise PIP



Review of lecture

Information in PAR must be refined for planning and controlling implementation

Project implementation team must review PAR and refine the key project parameters

Analyze/escalate/document is a 3-step process for reviewing the PAR


Review of lecture (continued)

Analyze:

Setting up review meeting

Questioning the PAR

Tracking issues


Escalate:

Identifying serious issues

Providing management with options and recommendations

Using an escalation strategy




Document:

Tracking in writing agreements, assignments, issues, recommendations, and decisions

Beginning to draft project implementation plan (PIP)

Planning to revise the PIP regularly throughout the project



A careful review of the PAR may be the most important success factor for a project


The Next Session: 5.3

An in-depth look at two important tools

The product structure — clarifying the deliverables

The process structure — clarifying the actions required to produce the deliverables


Discussion Questions

Why is it important for the project team to develop a detailed understanding of the PAR?

What process do new project teams use to develop a detailed understanding of the PAR (or its equivalent) in your organization?

How would you escalate issues in your organization?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of keeping the PIP current, even during execution?

Module 5 Session 5.2 Visual 1 Module 5 Refining Objectives, Scope, and Other Project Parameters Session 5.2 Reviewing the PAR and refining key project.

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