“How to fail in project management without really trying” – J.K. Pinto and O.P Kharbanda

1. “How to fail in project management without really trying” –J.K. Pinto and O.P Kharbanda • Ignore the project environment—including the stakeholders • Push a new technology to market too quickly • Don’t bother building in fallback options • When problems occur, shoot the one most visible • Let new ideas starve to death from inertia—Xerox example • Don’t bother conducting feasibility studies—ready, fire, aim • Never admit a project is a failure • Over-manage project managers and their teams • Never conduct post-failure reviews—insanity= doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different result • Never bother to understand project trade-offs • Allow political expediency and infighting to dictate crucial project decisions • Make sure the project is run by a weak leader

2. What is a project? • A sequence of tasks with a beginning and end • Bounded by time, resources, and desired results • Has a specific desired outcome • Must be done by a deadline • Has a budget that limits amount of people, supplies, and money that can be used

3. What is project success? • Balance among: • Time • Resources • Results • Perceptions (customer satisfaction)

4. What is project management? • The discipline of combining systems, techniques, and people to complete a project within established goals of time, budget, and quality

5. Good project goals • Specific • Realistic • Have a time component • Measurable • Agreed upon • Responsibility for achievement identified

6. Project scope • Size of the project • Avoid “scope creep” • Statement of work—formal project management document • Purpose statement • Scope statement • Project deliverables • Goals and objectives (Criteria for success) • Cost and schedule estimates • List of stakeholders • Chain of command • Assumptions and agreements • Communication plan

7. Risk • Known risks • Predictable risks • Unpredictable risks • Need for contingency plans

8. Constraints • The budget • The schedule • The people • The real world • Facilities and equipment

9. terminology • Task—cohesive unit of work on a project • Milestone—completion of an important set of tasks or completion of an important event in a project • Deliverables—clearly defined results, goods, or services produced during the project or at its outcome

10. Work plan • Work breakdown structure (WBS) • A hierarchical chart used to organize tasks of a project into related areas • Tree diagram or outline • Milestones and tasks clearly defined • Tree method or outline method • WBS organization based on functional disciplines, or on organizational structure of the company, or on physical location, or on systems and subsystems • WBS should at each level provide measurable deliverables

11. Project diagram • Logical representation of tasks that defines the sequence of work in a project • List tasks • Establish relationship between tasks • Identify milestones • Lay out the tasks and milestones as a network • Review logic of network • Identify critical path through project network

12. Potential problems • Floating start date • There’s not enough time for everything • Too many reports, not enough communication • They always need it faster—desires to shorten the schedule • 90% done syndrome • Moving target objectives • The key person always quits • Costs spiral out of control • The staff has more enthusiasm than talent • The impossible remains impossible

13. Lessons to be learned • Projects often involve risk and always upset the organizational status quo • Past failures should not discourage future efforts

14. Project failure • Not enough resources • Not enough time • Unclear expectations • Necessary changes are not understood or agreed upon by the stakeholders • Disagreements among stakeholders

15. The 12 rules of project management from “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Project Management” • Thou shalt gain consensus on project outcomes • Thou shalt build the best team you can • Thou shalt develop a comprehensive, viable plan and keep it up to date • Thou shalt determine how much stuff you really need to get things done • Thou shalt have a realistic schedule • Thou won’t try to do more than can be done • Thou will remember that people count • Thou will gain the formal and ongoing support of management and stakeholders • Thou must be willing to change • Thou must keep others informed of what you’re up to • Thou must be willing to try new things • Thou must become a leader

16. Five processes of project managementfrom “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Project Management” • Project initiating • Project planning • Project executing • Project controlling • Project closing • These embody the three general functions of project management: definition, planning, and control

17. Project initiating process • Recognize that a project needs to be done • Determine what the project should accomplish • Define the overall project goals • Define general expectations of all stakeholders • Define the general project scope • Select initial members of the project team • Write and agree on a statement of work or contract of the project • Establish the rules for the project—levels of authority, communication channels, chain of command

18. Project planning process • Refine the project scope (balance required among results, time, and resources) • List tasks and activities that will lead to achieving the project goals • Sequence activities in most efficient way • Develop a workable schedule and budget • Get the plan agreed to and approved by the stakeholders

19. Project executing process • Procure necessary resources (money, people, equipment, time) • Lead the team • Meet with team members • Secure the special talent and expertise needed • Communicate with stakeholders (ongoing process)

20. Project controlling process • Monitoring deviation from the plan • Take corrective action • Receive and evaluate project change requests from stakeholders and team members • Reschedule project as needed • Adapt resource levels as necessary • Change the project scope • Return to planning stage when necessary to make adjustments to goals and get them approved by stakeholders • Fire-fighting (conflict resolution) to resolve problems

21. Project closing process • Acknowledgement of achievements and results • Shutting down the operation and disbanding the team • Learning from the project experience • Reviewing the project process and its outcomes with team members and stakeholders • Writing a final project report