Project Management

Project Management
An Overview By Sheila Newby 27th January 2012

Project Management – an overview Introduction What is a project? Project methodologies What do Project Managers do? Starting a project: Identifying what is going to happen Monitoring the project Closing the project Summary Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Introduction About me Today's talk - overview of Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd Started off in finance Took part in a technology project and got hooked Re-trained in IT 7 years as Systems and IT Consultant Managed technical teams Moved into Project Management Projects & Project Management From a technology services perspective But can apply to all projects Practical approach

Goal oriented - achieves defined output or outcome Clear beginning and end Set of constraints that limit or define the process Output can be measured in terms of performance against agreed indicators Maylor (1996) What is a project? A one-off, non-repeated activity or set of tasks, which achieves stated objectives within a time limit Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Project Methodologies – part 1 Prince 2 PRojectsINControlled Environments Development started in 1989 Methodology for defining the project and how it is run Used in many government projects - but widely popular in the UK APMG Association of Project Managers Group Accreditation and qualification services to organisations Cover many management development courses as part of Project manager development Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Project Methodologies – part 2 PMI Project Management Institute Similar to APMG - includes general management development More popular in America Don't have to do the development to join Ad hoc Many organisations develop their own methodologies Checkpoints to ensure that the outputs are defined Processes and procedures to define how the work is done Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Leads the project The right people are in place They know what they are doing Everyone starts at the same time Everyone ends at the same time Manages the stakeholders Effective communication Appropriate for the audience What do Project Managers do? Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

What do Project Managers do? General management skills Specific functional skills Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd People management Supplier management Financial management Quality management and process improvement Planning Issues management Risk management

Handling large documents – word processing Spreadsheets Diagrams - Visio and similar freeware tools (e.g. Dia) Presentations – PowerPoint Scheduling software Microsoft Project Open Project Mind mapping Freemind What do Project Managers do? General functional skills Handy to master Use online help tutorials and plan in time to learn Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Starting a project: Identifying what is going to happen Defining the project - 5 W's and an H What Why Where How Who When Define how the project will be run Identify how success will be measured Put the plan together Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Specifications are used in different industries to document the outputs Architecture plans for building projects User Requirements Documents and Software Functional Specifications for software development Software systems for capturing software features and design Prince2 uses a Product Planning approach to identify what will be produced Hierarchical Start at the top level and add detail during iterations of planning Can be used for any type of project In practice, use the Prince2 products and reference out to the sector specific documents In many organisations it is common to use the term 'deliverable' for 'product - or to use both terms interchangeably Starting a project Defining the project - 5 W's and an H What Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Exercise – Product Planning Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

In Prince2 terms, this equates to the Business Case. Examples include: Create a new product for a customer which will increase market share Create a new system for managing the organisation processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs Comply with government legislation to manage data (e.g. staff or customers) This identifies the benefits anticipated and can be used to plan the measurement of success criteria If the project is not meeting these criteria then it should be stopped Starting a project Defining the project - 5 W's and an H Why Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Where are the outputs to be delivered? Does anything need to be put in place for them to be delivered or accepted How will they get there? Where are the outputs being created? This may depend on the how and who Starting a project Defining the project - 5 W's and an H Where Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Are there any constraints restricting how it will be done The software design must conform to the customers architecture The software must be coded using a specific language Are there assumptions on how the outputs will be achieved? Can use existing staff who will do the work around existing duties Can re-use existing software components with minimal re-work Starting a project Defining the project - 5 W's and an H How Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

What skills are needed? What roles are needed? Starting a project Defining the project - 5 W's and an H Who Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Are there any constraints of when the work can be done? For technology projects, month ends are usually avoided for implementation For retail organisations, busy periods such as the lead up to Christmas are avoided for implementation Starting a project Defining the project - 5 W's and an H When Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

the temporary organisation structure Project team Stakeholders Any procedures and tools needed Communications Tracking progress Storage of work in progress and end products Location Naming conventions Configuration management Tracking changes Release Management Starting a project Define how the project will be run Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

The project output Does it do what it is meant to do? Is it the right quality? The management of the project Time – budget (or cost) - quality triangle Starting a project Identify how success will be measured Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Document the above - written description and assumptions Prince2 Product planning List of products/outputs with their definitions Product Breakdown Structure Product Flow Diagram Similar to PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique), but without the effort estimates. Identifies the overall sequence Put the plan together Consists of a number of documents Not just a schedule In Prince2 these are grouped together in the Project initiation Document Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Scheduling Steps Work breakdown structure - identifies all tasks needed to create the products Define dependencies Identify effort estimates - work in Microsoft Project Plan terminology Allocate resources (either named or categorised) Identify the elapsed time to be taken for the tasks A person working for 50% of the time on a task will take 4 days to complete a task which takes 2 days effort Tools Microsoft Project Open Project and other freeware Spreadsheets or task lists - for small projects or stages of a project Put the plan together Consists of a number of documents Not just a schedule In Prince2 these are grouped together in the Project initiation Document Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Identify Risks Review the assumptions made during the planning exercise and identify the impact of them being wrong Review the schedule and identify weak points Critical path analysis Dependencies Resource/people skills and availability Put the plan together Consists of a number of documents Not just a schedule In Prince2 these are grouped together in the Project initiation Document Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Set up the tracking tools for capturing data Issues log Risks log Data collection for time sheets and delivery of products Lessons Learnt log Capture feedback as you go along as people often appear for short periods on projects Put the plan together Consists of a number of documents Not just a schedule In Prince2 these are grouped together in the Project initiation Document Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Monitor and track the progress of outputs (or Products) Completed in a timely manner Are of the right quality And that Cost or effort is as expected Keeping track of issues actively resolving them Delegate if possible Look forward and re-confirm that the plan will still work Identify risks Contingency planning if needed Monitoring the project Collect data Review and analyse Progress reports Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Confirm completion Sign offs from users Handover outputs Finalise costs Analyse quality and schedule data Disband team Release any tools or software used Archive materials Record lessons learnt for re-use by the organisation Closing the project Capture Lessons Learnt as you go along Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Define the project - 5 W's and an H Be aware of the context or environment you are working in How is the project being organised and run Don't lose sight of why you are doing it Keep track of what is happening Communicate, communicate, communicate Tidy up at the end Reflect on the experience Identify what could be done better & how Celebrate what went well Summary Projects - a practical approach Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

You have your own projects or goals A structured approach gives a sense of control Planning helps to break down the work into manageable tasks which can be tackled more easily Planning helps to anticipate scheduling problems and aid prioritisation. Issues and risks can be flagged early. You will be assigned tasks as a student or at work Use the project definition to confirm clarity and understanding What are you expected to do How are you expected to do it Track your own progress and anticipate any issues which will impeded progress Use the Lessons Learnt approach to help you identify areas which you could improve An approach for Life long learning Can be used as part of a Learning Development Plan Summary How it affects you Sheila Newby | Yelrad Ltd

Project Management