Project Management Fact Sheet:

Transcription

1 Prject Fact Sheet: Managing Small Prjects Versin: 1.2, Nvember 2008 DISCLAIMER This material has been prepared fr use by Tasmanian Gvernment agencies and Instrumentalities. It fllws that this material shuld nt be relied upn by any ther persn. Furthermre, t the extent that this material is relied upn, the Crwn in Right f the State f Tasmania gives n warranty as t the accuracy r crrectness f the material r fr any advice given r fr missins frm the material. Users rely n the material at their wn risk. Inter Agency Plicy and Prjects Unit Department f Premier and Cabinet

2 This Fact Sheet has been develped t prvide additinal material that is specifically relevant t managing small prjects t cmplement ther prject management resurces. It utlines tips fr managing small prjects, questins yu shuld ask yurself during a prject and lists a set f resurces fr managing small prjects. What is a Prject? A change f any kind in r fr an rganisatin needs t be managed t ensure the change prcess is as smth and successful as pssible. That rganisatinal change prcess is usually managed as a prject. Prjects invlve a grup f planned, interrelated activities that create a new r imprved prduct r service, t meet the stated prject bjectives. A prject shuld be achievable within a relatively fixed timeframe and resurce cnstraints, and the scpe f the prject shuld take these int cnsideratin. What is an activity versus a small prject? An activity may be smething that requires n structure r planning t execute, r may be an nging r repetitive prcess. In the initial stages, r the first time an activity is perfrmed, it may be useful fr it t be treated as a prject t allw the learnings t be recrded. This structure may assist the rganisatin in ensuring that the secnd and subsequent executin f the activity is efficient and effective. Why d small prjects need t be managed? The value f gd prject management is that yu have standard prcesses in place t deal with all cntingencies, regardless f the prject size, cmplexity r impact n yur rganisatin. Using sund prject management techniques and prcesses will give yu a higher likelihd that yur small prject will be cmpleted n time, within budget, t an acceptable level f quality, and will have achieved its bjectives. Cnsider all aspects f hw t manage a prject, and build the right prcesses fr yur small prject. Hw d I determine if my prject is small r large? Prject size can be based n the prject s timeframe, cmplexity, strategic and plitical imprtance, ttal cst, the size and skill levels f Prject Team and the level f change the prject will create. Hwever in the end it is up t yu as the Prject Manager, and yur Prject Spnsr/Line Manager t determine whether the prject is classified as small, medium r large. Knwing the prject size will allw yu t determine the prject management prcesses that best suits the requirements fr successful prject cmpletin. The Prject Sizing Calculatr may als be used as a tl t assist yu in determining the size f yur prject. A small prject n the ther hand is ne where there is a prject team f 2 r less, the prject s schedule is flexible, f internal interest nly, has a budget f less than $25K, impacts a single business unit, and has n majr dependencies r inter-related prjects. Page 2 Tasmanian Gvernment Prject Framewrk Prject Fact Sheet: Managing Small Prjects, Versin: 1.2, Nvember 2008

3 What are the main things I need t cnsider in managing my small prject? N matter what the size and cmplexity f a prject, there are 11 key elements (areas) that the Prject Manager needs t cnsider: planning and scping, gvernance, utcme realisatin, stakehlder management, risk management, issues management, resurce management, quality management, status reprting, evaluatin and clsure. The extent t which these areas are addressed depends upn the size and cmplexity f the prject. It is nt apprpriate fr all prjects t d all prject management activities t the same level f detail and with the same degree f discipline. Fr small prjects, it is very imprtant t scale dwn the prject management prcesses and dcumentatin t suit yur needs. Managing Small Prjects Resurces: Resurces that are specifically designed t assist in managing small prjects have been develped. These include: Prject Prpsal Template - is usually the first dcument utlining what change is prpsed. It is the dcument that cnverts an idea r plicy int the details f a ptential prject. Prject Business Plan Template - is the management dcument fr the prject. It is wned, maintained and utilised by the Prject Spnsr/Line Manager t ensure the delivery f prject utputs and the realisatin f prject utcmes. It is als the management dcument fr the Prject Manager. Risk and Issues Registers, and Status Reprt Templates. Review & Clsure Reprt Template - is the final dcument prduced fr the prject and is used by senir management t assess the success f the prject, infrm future prjects, tidy up any lse ends and frmally clse the prject. In additin t the abve resurces, Appendix 1 cntains a list f questins (as a checklist) that yu may find useful when yu think yur planning is cmplete, but befre yu start yur prject. Tips frm Prject Managers Several Small Prject Frums were held in As part f these frums, Prject Managers and participants were asked abut their experiences in managing small prjects. The resulting learnings have been included in this fact sheet. Yu may find their advice and cmments useful when yu are managing a small prject yurself. Resurcing: Dn t be shy t ensure adequate resurcing Resurce the prject thrugh the whle cycle Determine risks fr the prject and priritise the resurces There needs t be a cmmitment frm management t prvide adequate resurces Need fr flexibility and gdwill when prjects are under-resurced Size f budget des nt always determine the imprtance f the prject Dcumentatin: D nt write t much n-ne will read it! Keep dcumentatin relevant and shrt Knw yur audience! Tailr the prject management methdlgy t suit yur prject Page 3 Tasmanian Gvernment Prject Framewrk Prject Fact Sheet: Managing Small Prjects, Versin: 1.2, Nvember 2008

4 Use templates and delete what yu dn t want There will always be smething yu haven t thught f review and update cnstantly Size and Scpe f Prject: Stand back and judge the scpe f the prject Des nt matter what size the prject is the same key elements are present General and Team Learnings: There is n such thing as a perfect prject! Prjects can g wrng Feel reassured re shrtcmings thers experience difficulties, and face similar lack f supprt There is mre persnal interest frm the Prject Manager with small prjects Get the cmmitment f the prject team Yu need the right skill set in the prject team t deliver the prject utputs Need t have a champin f the cause (might nt be the Prject Manager) Where t get additinal help Refer t the Tasmanian Gvernment Prject Guidelines The Inter Agency Plicy and Prjects Unit ffers further advice and assistance, including a frmal Advisry and Review Service Cntact Prject Services at prject.management@dpac.tas.gv.au Reference: Mike Watsn (1998) Managing Small Prjects: a practical guide, Prject Manager Tday publicatins, GB. ISBN Further infrmatin and resurces are available frm Acknwledgements This Fact Sheet cntains elements f the Tasmanian Gvernment Prject Guidelines prepared by the Department f Premier and Cabinet. Page 4 Tasmanian Gvernment Prject Framewrk Prject Fact Sheet: Managing Small Prjects, Versin: 1.2, Nvember 2008

5 Appendix 1 Questins Yu Shuld Ask Yurself Planning & Scping Gvernance Outcme Realisatin Stakehlder Risk Issues Resurce Quality Status Reprting D yu knw why yu are ding the prject and hw yur rganisatin will gain the benefits? D yu knw what yu have t prduce, and by when? Have yu wrked ut what is included in yur prject, and what is NOT included in yur prject? Are yu dcumenting yur planning eg in a Prject Business Plan? Is it clear t whm yu will hand ver the prducts/services delivered by the prject and d yu knw wh is respnsible fr prducing each f these? Is everyne clear n their rles and respnsibilities? Have yu cnsidered hw the changes n the rganisatin that may cme abut as a result f the prject will be cmmunicated and managed? Have yu develped meaningful measures fr yur target utcmes? Have yu made a list f all f the peple wh may be affected by r may affect the prgress and successful cmpletin f the prject? Have yu decided hw yu are ging t let the stakehlders knw abut the prgress f the prject, r invlve them in the prject itself? Are there any cnditins r risks that may hld-up r adversely affect yur prject and its prgress? What are yu ging t d abut these risks t minimise their effect? Is there a way t recrd and address any issues that may be raised thrughut yur prject? Have yu determined the amunt f mney that is available fr the prject? D yu knw the resurces yu will require fr the whle f the prject including human, physical and infrmatin resurces? Hw are yu ging t make sure the prducts/services yu will prduce are t an acceptable level f quality? What prject management prgress will yu be applying? Is it clear t whm, hw and hw ften yu will reprt n prgress? Evaluatin Have yu decided hw and when the success f the prject will be measured? Clsure Have yu cnsidered hw yu will finish the prject? Have yu planned the celebratins? Page 5 Tasmanian Gvernment Prject Framewrk Prject Fact Sheet: Managing Small Prjects, Versin: 1.2, Nvember 2008