Project Management:Project Management: A Critical Skill for OrganizationsA Critical Skill for Organizations
Presented by Hetty Baiz
Project Office
Princeton University
BackgroundBackground
Princeton replaces administrative systems multiple projects cross-functional mutually Interdependent multi-million dollar investment
Success and failure is no longer within the total control of a given project.
What’s A Project?What’s A Project?
A “project”
Will deliver – Business and/or technical objectives
Is made up of– Defined processes & tasks
Will run for– Set period of time
Has a budget– Resources and $’s
What is Project Success?What is Project Success?
The 'Golden Triangle' of
Objectives
Time Cost
Project Success
Project success occurs when we have:
A delighted client (expectations met)Delivered the agreed objectivesMet an agreed budget - $, resources etc.Within an agreed time frame
and
Done it all professionally &without killing the team
Why Do Projects Fail?Why Do Projects Fail?
Changing scope Insufficient planning No risk or issues management Poor communication Lack of commitment and responsibility by stakeholders
ProjectBusiness Units
Who Are Stakeholders?
Outside Groups(Vendors)
TeamMembers
InformationTechnology
Steering Committee
Clients & Users Senior Mgmt
InterdependentProjects
Project ManagementA Maturity Model
seatseatof theof thepantspants
Success rate lessthan 30%
awaree
Success rate of 30to 45%
Success rate of 45to 75%
Success rate betterthan 75%
best practicebest practicebest practicebest practice
competentcompetent
seatseatofof
pantspants
awareawareaware
CompetentCompetent
Methodology and standards are well established and supported Stakeholders understand and accept roles Discrete measures support good management Projects are set up and managed end-to-end Risks are clearly defined and controlled
Why Should We Care?Why Should We Care?
To Increase the likelihood that projects will :
– be done on time and within budget– meet people’s expectations– be done well
What Is Princeton Doing?What Is Princeton Doing?
Established a project management organization
– monitor, assess, manage, support
Developed and supports a Princeton project management methodology
Princeton University IT Governance Model
Provost
Senior AdvisoryGroup for IT
Administrative SystemsPlanning Group
Committee on Academic Technology
Project ManagersTeam
Project Office MissionProject Office Mission
To enable the successful implementation of IT initiatives in a way that establishes a project management culture so that we deliver projects on time, within budget and with expected results.
How?How?
Define a Princeton Project Management Methodology (PPMM)
Support and Mentor Offer Training Facilitation, Audit, Review
Princeton Project Office
Methodology
Consulting/Mentoring Education/Training
ContinuousImprovement
Project Management ProcessProject Management Process
Initiation
Complete&
Assess
Tracking& Control
Reporting
Review
Planning
Initiation Plan
DetailPlan
Status Report
PostProjectReviewReport
Definition
Management TechniquesManagement Techniques
To increase the likelihood of project success you must manage:
Stakeholders Risks Issues Change
Manage StakeholdersManage Stakeholders
A stakeholder is any person or group who, if their support were to be withdrawn, could cause the project to fail.
- Get them involved- Keep them informed- Gain their endorsement
How to Manage StakeholdersHow to Manage Stakeholders
Identify stakeholders Involve in planning Establish expectations / accountabilities Formal communication Gain sign-off Change and issues resolution Project reviews Define project completion
Risk ManagementRisk Management
What is “risk”?
Any factor capable of causing the project to go off track.
Develop, monitor, implement Risk Plan
Issues ManagementIssues Management
Unresolved issues will drive a project towards failure and consume a significant part of a project manager’s time.
Stakeholders play key role in issues management and resolution
Establish Issues log, review, escalation process
Change ManagementChange Management
Uncontrolled changes to a project will probably account for up to 30% of a project’s total effort.
If these changes are not managed, the project will be viewed to be over time and over budget.
Establish a Change Management Process
PPMM Summary OverviewPPMM Summary Overview
PPMM Summary OverviewPPMM Summary Overview
Planning
Tracking &
Control
Reporting
Review
Complete & Aon
& Assess Initiation
Initiation Plan
Status Report
Post project review report
Detail Plan
PPMM ToolsPPMM Tools
Office 2000– Word– Excel
MS Project 2000
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best Practices
Project Planning and Management
Follow proven methodologies Active Executive/Project Sponsor Identify / revisit “critical success” factors Document assumptions
– Business process change vs. customization
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best Practices
Project Planning and Management
Have technical staff in place at start-up Plan for backfill Involve Steering Committee early Plan production support in central offices Plan for applying fixes Plan for “end of project” Plan for vacation time
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best Practices
Scheduling, Tracking and Control
Break large projects into phases (no > 18 - 24 months total)
Control phase “bleed over” Post phase assessments “Go/No Go” decision points Sponsor sign-off Review Scope periodically
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best Practices
Scheduling, Tracking and Control
Building learning curve into plans Weekly team meetings Detail planning in 1-2 month segments Define and manage to “critical path”
– What’s important– Prioritize– Who, what, when
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best Practices
Reporting
Establish monthly status reporting Hold monthly status reviews with key stakeholders
– Oral status reports are effective Keep users of system (middle managers) informed
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best PracticesResourcing
Resource Plan Cross functional teams work Co-locate teams Projects are full time job Complete training before prototyping Have full team train together Leverage investment Build team spirit
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best Practices
Managing Expectations
Communication Plan Make major policy decisions up front Don’t make promises to users up front Monthly status report and review Monthly / bi-monthly presentations Articles, web pages, newsletters Special communications from sponsor Focus groups, demos, town meetings
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best Practices
Promoting the Project
Focus Groups during gap analysis Demos for every user after first release Executive Sponsor showed support Town meetings to endorse system Major presentation to users
Recommended Best PracticesRecommended Best PracticesMethodology
Follow proven methodologies Consolidate methodology ( pre-kick off ) Functional reps go to all prototyping Use standard report formats Co-locate developer with tester (short term)
For more information…...For more information…...
Call the Princeton Project Office at (609) 258-6335
Send e-mail to [email protected]
Visit our web site at…www.princeton.edu/ppo