University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business Consulting Training September 13, 2005.

University of Colorado at Boulder Leeds School of Business

Consulting Training

September 13, 2005

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Agenda

Logistics 5:00 - 5:05

Introductions 5:05 - 5:20

Project Planning 5:20 - 5:50

Break/Dinner 5:50 - 6:20

Effective Meetings 6:20 - 7:00

Status Reporting 7:00 - 7:30

Q&A 7:30 - 7:50

Wrap-up 7:50 - 8:00

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Logistics

Agenda

Activities

Dinner

Facilities

Follow-up

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Introductions

Instructor introductions• Name

• One expectation I have for the participants during these sessions

• The project I am involved in is…

Participant introductions• Name

• One expectation I have for these sessions

• The project I am involved in is…

Project Planning

Presenter - Jim Marlatt

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Objectives

Teach you how to plan for success• How do you adequately plan for a project, regardless of its size or

complexity?

After completing this section you should be able to• Apply a framework for project planning to your own project, including:

• Project Charter• Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)• Risk Management

• Understand how to reference your plan throughout your project, while keeping it up to date.

ProjectPlanning

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What is a project?

Projects are created as the direct result of opportunities or problems within an organization, which are due to competitive, economic or regulatory issues.

A project maintains the following characteristics. A project:• has a clear purpose

• is defined using measurable objectives

• has a beginning and an end

• requires resources from multiple sources

• should have a primary sponsor (champion)

• requires changes to the way the organization operates

• involves uncertainty

• should maximize business value for the organization relative to other project opportunities

• is subject to constraints

ProjectPlanning

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Project Charter

A project charter, or something comparable, must be prepared at the beginning of a project. This document is then used throughout the project as a reference to help keep the team focused on the project objectives.

A typical charter includes the following elements:• Project Background

• Business Case

• Project Scope

• Measurable Objectives

• Project Manager Authority

• Project Deliverables

• Approval Signature

ProjectPlanning

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Project CharterProject

Planning

Background: The project is developing a Point of Sale (POS) system for a retail chain. The chain sells up-scale furniture and home accessories, meaning there are both big ticket, made to order (or ship to order) items and small cash-and-carry items. Each store has a “back of the store”, where some big ticket items are actually available, but most of the big ticket items have to be ordered for later delivery. Items may be ordered from a couple of large central warehouses or directly from manufacturers. Sales people are paid chiefly on commission. Customer service representatives deal with payment for smaller cash and carry items and also answer customer inquiries on the status of their orders when the sales person is not available.

Business Case:Because accurate promise-dates cannot be provided for big ticket items, sales people are currently selling them with higher discounts than authorized in order to close the deal. This is estimated to cost the company more than $2 million per year in lost revenue. In addition, it is estimated that more than 40% of all customers who start the order process cancel them because they are unable to get an accurate promise date for the items being purchased. If this was reduced to 20% this is estimated to increase revenue by an additional $15 million per year.

Project Manager Authority:• The project manager has been given authority to select project team members, determine the project budget, timeline and priorities.

Measurable Objectives:• Provide real-time promise dates for big ticket items• Customers questions can be answered within 15 seconds using the new POS• System automatically calculates discounts allowed, and requires manager approval to override discounts• System can process an order within 20 seconds

In Scope:• Develop POS system• Convert orders-in-process data to new system• Train users• Interface to inventory management system

Deliverables: • POS requirements• POS prototype• POS pilot in two stores• Working POS in all stores

Out-of-Scope:• Inventory management system• Discount program

Authorization:

John O’ConnorCEO Fancy Furniture Shops

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Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

When all of the activities listed in the WBS are completed, the project is done. By displaying these activities in a hierarchical format, it is easier for the project team to identify missing tasks.

The WBS is created by the project team and reviewed by other key stakeholders for missing activities. This is an iterative process during project planning.

As with the charter, the WBS is reviewed regularly throughout project planning and execution to make sure the work is being done according to plan.

ProjectPlanning

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Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)Project

Planning

Point of Sale SystemFancy Furniture

ShopsVersion 1.0

Deploy1.4

Define1.1

Design1.2

Develop1.3

Establish Design Environment 1.2.1

User Interface Design 1.2.2

Architecture Design 1.2.3

Database Design 1.2.4

Systems Interface Design 1.2.5

Sign-Off 1.2.6

Charter 1.1.1

Work Breakdown Structure 1.1.2

Project Team 1.1.3

Cost Plan 1.1.4

Risk Management 1.1.5

Communications Plan 1.1.6

Initial Requirements 1.1.7

Sign-Off 1.1.8

Establish Development Environment 1.3.1

Develop POS Software 1.3.2

Implement Database 1.3.3

Develop Conversion Programs 1.3.4

Develop Training Materials 1.3.5

Develop Interfaces 1.3.6

Integration Testing 1.3.7

Pilot Testing 1.3.8

User Acceptance Testing 1.3.9

Sign-Off 1.3.10

Data Conversion 1.4.1

User Training 1.4.2

Sign-Off 1.4.3

Post-Deployment Support 1.4.4

Lessons Learned 1.4.5

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Risk ManagementProject

Planning

Projects are undertaken to provide a solution to a problem or an opportunity.• Success is defined as achieving the project objectives established up

front during the planning phase.

• Projects fail when they don’t achieve these objectives.

Risk management is an important step to identify anything that might keep the project from achieving success.• The best way to identify project risks is to bring the team together to

discuss problems they have encountered on projects in the past and how they have resolved these.

• It is also important to get people who have done a similar project to participate in the risk management process.

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What is Risk?

Risk is simply anything that can (and usually does) go wrong that keeps you from achieving project success.

Anticipate anything that might go wrong and develop a risk management plan for either avoiding these risks or being able to deal with them when they do occur.

ProjectPlanning

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Common Project Risks

Project has no measurable objectives.

No project champion committed to keeping the project moving forward.

Lack of user involvement, which will result in incomplete business requirements.

Project is being led by the IT department not the process owners.

Project team is unsure about how decisions will be made.

Project team has no authority to make decisions.

Executive management is not kept informed of project status at key points (milestones).

Project status is not being monitored, including budget, timeline and deliverables with regular status meetings.

ProjectPlanning

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Developing the Risk Management PlanProject

Planning

Brainstorm a list of project risks, including what might cause them to occur.

Organize this list into several categories of similar risk.

Determine the likelihood of it occurring, and the impact it would have on the project.

Identify how to minimize the cause of the risk (including action to take if it occurs), current status, and who from the project team is responsible for monitoring and addressing the risk.

Update this risk management plan throughout the life of the project.

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Risk Management PlanProject

Planning

Risk/Cause Like- Impact How to Minimize Cause Current Status Action Items Responsible Personlihood

Requirements

Key Requirements are identified after the design freeze due to lack of involvement of users

H H Perform a Stakeholder analysis to identify key stakeholders. Develop a communications plan to keep them involved in the project. Identify process owners and make them responsible for delivering value

A key process owner has been identified who is not interested in participating in the project.

Include this in the next status meeting with the project sponsor and other stakeholders. Brainstorm ways to get this individual involved.

Project Manager

Keep team focused on key project objectives (80/20 rule)

Have had to enforce no going back to change things that were already decided. Team needs to be periodically reminded of areas of focus (value)

Use iterative prototyping approach and involve all key users in the process. Get sign-off on requirements and enforce no going back.

80/20 rule

Stakeholders’ expectations are different than project teams due to lack of clear on-going communications

H H Stay in constant communications with stakeholders to first understand their expectations and then work to help them understand the project teams

Currently one key stakeholder is not willing to participate in the project.

If this isn’t resolved within the next week, escalate to the project champion.

Project Manager

Resource

Key resources dedicated to the project don’t materialize due to other higher priority projects

M H Make sure to have a project champion who can help free up these resources

A key process owner is not participating as planned

Generate interest in the project through some quick wins to get people more involved.

Project Champion

Project ManagerRequirements keep changing because no clear project objectives were identified up front

H H Need to get process owners to sign-off on second iteration prototype

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Dinner Break

Effective Meetings

Presenter – Joe Remington

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Objectives

Teach you how to play your role in a variety of meetings• How do you prepare for, participate in, and conduct a meeting?

After completing this section you should be able to• Apply a framework for planning and conducting meetings:

• Plan• Meeting Process• Review

• Understand and be able to leverage the qualities, skills and responsibilities of meeting roles:

• Facilitator• Recorder• Leader• Participant

EffectiveMeetings

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Benefits of Effective Meetings

Achieving the desired objectives and outcomes

Sharing responsibility for results

Allowing everyone to participate appropriately

Gaining more focused participation

Empowering people to take ownership for implementing the results

EffectiveMeetings

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PlanningPlanning

Meeting ProcessMeeting Process

ReviewReview

Effective Meetings Follow a Three Step CycleEffectiveMeetings

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Planning Meeting Process

Review

Effective Meetings – Step 1

• Determine objectives and agenda

• Plan content AND process

• Determine appropriate players

• Define roles and responsibilities

• Pre-position key contributors

• Arrange logistics

EffectiveMeetings

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A Complete Agenda Can Be Your Most Powerful Tool

Helps YOU prepare

Communicates your expectations

Provides a mechanism for order and control• Limits the tasks

• Limits the participants

Helps to measure success / failure of a meeting

Describe your objective(s), or goal, for the meeting and create the agenda outlining the steps to get to the goal• Assign time buckets and set time limits

• Schedule items in order of importance

EffectiveMeetings

Agenda

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Enhanced Meeting Agenda (Example)

Meeting Called By: John Doe

Meeting Place: Training Conference Room

Please Bring: Calendar

Attendees: John Doe, Sally Smith, Mike Wood, Susan Wilson

Date: 03/21/04

Starting Time: 8:00 am

Ending Time: 10:15 am

Purpose of Meeting: Project X DecisionDiscuss Report on Conferences

Desired Outcome: Project X DecisionList of Potential Conferences to Attend

Agenda Items Person Responsible To Be Accomplished Time Allotted

Agenda Review John Doe 8:00 am (5 Min.)

Meeting Expectations John Doe 8:05 am (10 Min.)

Project X(Budget Included) Sally Smith Decision/Budget Approval 8:15 am (1 Hour)

Report onConferences Mike Wood Discussion 9:15 am (45 Min.)

10:00 am (15 Min.)John DoeBenefits/Concerns/Next Steps

EffectiveMeetings

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Variety of Potential Roles

Facilitator

RecorderLeader

Participant

Facilitator / Leader Facilitator / Recorder

EffectiveMeetings

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Meeting Roles: Leader

“Owns” the meeting — sets the objective

Determines the team members / meeting participants

Provides support, information, and resources

Sets the tone, is the role model

Makes decisions (with respect to the meeting, not the outcome)

May sometimes assume the role of facilitator

EffectiveMeetings

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Meeting Roles: Facilitator

Encourages creativity

Guides the process

Makes it “safe” for everyone to participate

Harnesses group activity

Records group ideas and decisions

Acts as timekeeper

Brings team back on-track when needed

EffectiveMeetings

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Body Language Influences Meeting Flow

Accentuating your presence enables you to better control, change, re-focus the flow• Standing Up

• Speaking

• Moving towards the group

Diminishing your presence encourages the group to converse, exchange ideas, flow more freely, perhaps focus deeply on a single topic, express feelings• Stand apart from the group

• Sit down

• Listen

• Move away from group

• Maintain neutral or inquisitive facial expression

EffectiveMeetings

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Language Can Make a Significant Difference...

What I hear you saying is...

What I like about that is...

Let me build on that...

Can you say more about...?

Help me to understand...

How to...

I wish I knew...

What’s behind that?

EffectiveMeetings

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Meeting Roles: Participants

All participants take personal responsibility in decision quality and group process —• Contribute ideas

• Adhere to the agenda

• Practice good meeting behaviors

A team member may sometimes assume the role of facilitator

EffectiveMeetings

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Meeting Roles: Recorder

Recorder takes notes on points discussed, open questions, decisions, action items, and next steps

Recorder sends these notes to all meeting participants plus any other individuals identified as recipients

Failure to take notes almost ensures that the topics discussed in the meeting will have to be re-visited

EffectiveMeetings

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What about meeting logistics?

Confirm that key meeting participants are available at the scheduled time (use client scheduling tools if available)

Send out an invitation to the meeting participants with the meeting agenda, objectives and additional materials as appropriate

Reserve the meeting room and projector (if necessary)• Allow time before meeting start for room set-up

Set up a call-in number (if necessary)

Make copies of the meeting agenda and any additional handouts (email ahead of time if possible)• You may want to make paper copies and/or email the file even if using

a projector or webinar in case of technology problems

Get food, toys, etc., to keep people energized

EffectiveMeetings

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Creating a Meeting Agenda

Goal: To develop an agenda for a meeting based on a business scenario

Instructions• Read the exercise instructions and develop a detailed agenda for

the proposed session

• Working in your group, develop a detailed agenda for the proposed session.

• Outline your meeting objectives, participants to be included, total meeting time, role assignments, and any deliverables to be created in the meeting.

• You have 15 minutes to create a flipchart of your proposed objectives, agenda and supporting assumptions.

• Plan to present your solution to the class. – Objectives– Agenda– Assumptions Activity

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Planning Meeting Process

Review

Effective Meetings

• Carry out the agenda

• Ensure effective facilitation

• Ensure all resources contribute

• Bring to closure with next steps, accountabilities and timetables

• Identify benefits & concerns

EffectiveMeetings

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The Meeting Process

Be prepared

Follow the Agenda

Record ideas

Encourage good meeting behaviors

EffectiveMeetings

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How Do I Start the Meeting?

You should always:• Validate meeting agenda and objectives

• Review deliverables, goals, and scope

• Review operating agreement & ground rules

• Review next steps

You may want to:• Make sure all cell phones are muted

• Use icebreakers or games

• Tell stories or introduce analogies

• Create a Parking Lot for open issues

• Assign a time keeper

• Close with Benefits and Concerns

EffectiveMeetings

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Monitor the Meeting

Be mindful of your pacing

Conduct process checks

Draw to sub-conclusions

Make smooth transitions

EffectiveMeetings

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How Do I End the Meeting?

Recap

Did we meet our objective?

B’s & C’s (Benefits and Concerns)

Next Steps & Owners

EffectiveMeetings

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Planning MeetingProcess

Review

Effective Meetings

• Debrief immediately

• Publish minutes

• Follow up on next steps

• Incorporate benefits and concerns in next meeting plan

EffectiveMeetings

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A Checklist: After the Meeting

Compare your meeting results with your original goal

Circulate meeting notes/next steps in a timely fashion

Follow up quickly on assignments

EffectiveMeetings

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Planning Meeting Process

Review

In Summary: Effective Meetings Cycle

• Determine objectives and agenda

• Plan content AND process

• Determine appropriate players

• Define roles and responsibilities

• Preposition key contributors

• Arrange logistics

• Carry out the agenda

• Ensure effective facilitation

• Ensure all resources contribute

• Bring to closure with next steps, accountabilities and timetables

• Identify benefits & concerns

• Debrief immediately

• Publish minutes

• Follow up on next steps

• Incorporate benefits and concerns in next meeting plan

EffectiveMeetings

Status Reporting Fundamentals

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Why Status Reports?

Status reports communicate project progress and performance to project management and client management.

Frequency and format of individual or sub-team status reports differ by project management requirements and style.

StatusReporting

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Status reports serve several purposes

Standard vehicle for raising issues to the next level of attention (project management, project steering committee, client management, management)

Force everyone on the project team to reflect on their work – see their forest as well as their trees

Provide a documentation trail for issues, concerns, problems, etc.

“Why are you surprised? We said the same thing in the last three

status reports.”

StatusReporting

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Status reports usually contain three types of information

Project progress and performance against schedule and budget

Highlights of activity currently taking place – What have we recently completed? What are we working on right now? What’s coming up in the near term?

Topics or issues that require management attention now

StatusReporting

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Status reports often contain the following data, for an individual, a team, or an entire project

Status Date

Reporting Period

Overall status • Assessment of whether project is on schedule (in text)

• Other statistics that could indicate status, such as open issues

• High level status narrative

List of tasks or deliverables completed since last status report

Status changes on high priority issues logged in previous reporting periods

Tasks or deliverables planned for the next period

The amount of detail depends on the audience!

StatusReporting

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Status Report Examples

StatusReporting

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Example 1

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Example 2

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Example 3

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Creating a Status Report

Goal: To develop a status report for the PMO

Instructions• Working in your group, develop a status report to present to the

Program Management Organization.

• Review the status report examples to determine the status categories you want to address and the manner in which you want to present the information.

• Read through the materials below to create the content of your status report.

• You have 15 minutes to create a flipchart of your proposed status report.

• Plan to present your solution to the class.

Activity

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Issues are frequently topics in status meetings

Issues are included in status reports and status meetings in several ways:• Counts of open issues and issues resolved to date may be included in

written status reports. These counts indicate progress in both opening and closing issues. (No issues on a project is a bad sign!)

• New issues may be individually listed in status reports

• Specific issues may be included as discussion topics for a status meeting

• Disagreements about what is in scope or out of scope• Individual tasks or deliverables falling behind schedule• Team members who don’t have time to participate as planned• Process or system requirements that appear to oppose each other• Incorrect assumptions • Required tasks that weren’t identified and now must be completed

StatusReporting

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Issues are frequently topics in status meetings

Most frequent reason for not resolving an issue is failure to have both the individuals who have the necessary information and the individuals with the authority to make a decision in the same place at the same time.

“Where’s Joe? He knows why we have to run these reports every

quarter.”

StatusReporting

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Why are we discussing issues with you?

The individuals doing the detailed work on a project are often the first to find new issues. They pop out in seemingly insignificant conversations, meetings, and documents. You will usually see them before project management does.

You need to be actively listening to your client – be on the lookout for issues. Use deductive reasoning to recognize what was implied or what wasn’t said and dig for it.

Less experienced individuals may be asked to review the open issues log and call the individual assigned with an old issue to see what’s happening – lingering issues can come back and bite us.

StatusReporting

When in doubt, log it!

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In Summary

Status reporting is the primary communication tool used to inform the Project Management team and helps to ensure project control

Be concise – brief but complete and know your audience when preparing status reports

Issue identification must happen on a timely basis to allow the Project Management team to take corrective action

StatusReporting

Question and Answer Session

Hitachi Consulting Panel

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Some Things to Think About…

What is the role of the consultant?

What should you be doing?

How should you act?

How do you want to be perceived?

How do others (really) perceive you?

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Food for Thought

Mr. Social

Explanation Rationale

In every meeting I attend I consciously make the effort to introduce myself to everyone in the room – AND STAND UP

Gives you a presence in the room – shows that you are engaged regardless of whether you have content expertise

Pencil Stupid

SpongeBob SquarePants

It Ain’t Free Suga

Roll With It

Consultant Guard

When I have to visually present something in PPT or Visio it ALWAYS helps me to sketch it out on paper first

If I try to start the drawing in software I get caught up in the appearance and I start editing too early – also helps me get something going/ take a step off the curb

When you roll onto something new take in as much as you can – use basic memorization techniques – and begin to open your mouth only when you know the call

When you roll onto a project you're not supposed to know anything – practice active listening not active speaking – 2 ears one mouth

You cost $1200-$1400 A DAY Ask yourself on a daily basis – Did my client(s) get what they paid for?

BE FLEXIBLE You signed up for a dynamic environment when you became a consultant. Don’t be surprised when you get it. –Flexibility ALWAYS matters

ALWAYS keep up a professional front with your clients – the one time you let it down you may permanently regret it

Never become too comfortable with your clients –remember, you are always on stage

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Food for Thought (cont.)

First Impressions

Last

Explanation Rationale

True to life, an impression stays with people…especially clients and co-workers

In our business, we are judged quickly and often by our initial interactions. Sometimes, clients and co-workers only see you so often. Reversing a bad impression can be difficult

Devil Is In the Details

Urgency - Look Busy!

The Sky is Falling!! Get a Net

Attitude Adjustment

Dress for Success

Always be detailed oriented, even with what seem to be mundane or routine tasks.

As a new consultant, or new team member, often you will be given tasks to gauge your style and ability…make an effort to be polished, even in your emails…people notice and may tailor future assignments according to this

People equate value with intensity and effort. Walk the halls with a purpose…do not “hang out”

Clients expect you to be busy for the hours you are charging. There will be down time, but stay active and intensify your “busy look” when clients are observing…posture and body language contribute to this

Recognizing and communicating risk is important. Equally important is providing mitigation ideas or solutions

A good consultant will recognize and communicate risk. A great consultant will also suggest how to deal with it. Know how to gauge risk and when possible, provide suggestions for dealing with it

Your attitude is visible. Be aware of how you “wear your attitude”

Most of us provide visual indicators regarding our attitude toward something. Many co-workers and clients will perceive you based on these visual indicators. Know how to send the right message

Look good, feel good, do good. Like it or not, your dress code can influence how you are treated by clients & peers

Dress code is critical. Learn to match your client environment. Always dress professionally; clients and VPs especially notice this

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Benefits & Concerns

What was done well?

What could have been done better?

What hopes or suggestions do you have for the next session?

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WRAP-UP