Managing the Geek: Project Management for the Non- Technical Manager

Transcription

1 Managing the Geek: Project Management for the Non- Technical Manager June 7, :45-5:00 p.m. Content Leader: Kimberly Mosley, CAE, VP & CIO, American College of Healthcare Executives All contents copyright 2012, ASAE: The Center for Association Leadership, except noted selections which have been reprinted with permission of the copyright owner.

2 Project Name: A brief, succinct name of the project Expected Completion Date: XX/XX/XXXX Project Scope: A one or two sentence statement that succinctly identifies the expected deliverable Project Definition: One or two paragraphs that clearly describe the project requirements. This section will also indicate known stakeholders which are anyone who will affect or is affected by the project. The project team should fine-tune and gain consensus on this definition before moving forward. Not in Scope: During the requirements gathering phase of the project, some aspects of the project are considered for future consideration. Those ideas should be recording here. Project Team: This includes the project requestor and/or project champions Approval: Name and date of approval Budget: Monies flowing out of the organization related to the project

3 Project Task List: Task: Assigned To: Due Date: Status: Task A task refers to the project activities. The length of any one task should be short and the number of resources assigned should be few. For the most part, project team members associate the term tasks with things they are individually responsible for. The deliverables from the tasks ultimately combine to form the deliverable of the project. Assigned To The person, persons or department responsible for completion of the task. Due Date Expected completion date of the task. This date is subject to change as the project moves forward and tasks deadlines are missed. Status An indication of the current state of the task. Expected states are: Blank(Not yet started) In Progress Done Removed Every project task list should include at least: Requirements meeting Requirements review Project approval(s) Final deliverable handover/final implementation

4 Member Application Update: Campaign Codes Expected Completion Date: 01/05/2012 Project Scope: Update the Home page of the Member application to add a section to capture campaign information from the applicant. Project Definition: The campaign codes were part of the old application pages in a section called question #2 which asked What influenced you to join We decided to add question #2 from the old application to the Home page of the new Member application. We also decided to remove the prorated pricing information and put it behind a More Information button. Lastly, we decided to change question #2 from a series of radio buttons to a drop list to preserve space. We decided to remove the word optional from the Who influenced you to join.. question. In addition, we will make sure the revised home page makes it obvious that these questions are part of the application. To do this, we should add the statement: Begin Here in the same font style as: Home. Begin Here should be placed right above the first question: Who encouraged you to join?. Project Stakeholders: Membership Department Members This project is help membership department make the membership application process easier to use and make it easier for them to collect campaign codes. Not in Scope: In the future, Membership will solicit an annual review process of all online and hard copy applications to make sure they are meeting needs. We considered, but decided against making the: Who influenced you to join.. and What influenced you to join.. options mandatory. Task: Assigned To: Due date: Status: Requirements meeting Project Team 12/22 DONE (12/23) Requirements Review Project Team 12/22 DONE (12/23) Project Approvals Heidi 12/22 DONE (12/26) Update Campaign Codes Scott/Terra 12/30 In Progress Create More Info button w/popup Heidi 1/02 Create Drop Down Kim 1/02 User acceptance testing Michelle 1/02 Implement New Web pages MIS 1/05 Project Team: Michelle Abelson Heidi Carlson Scott Grant Kimberly Mosley Project Approval: Cynthia Abrams 12/26/11

5 Managing the Geek: Project Management for the Non Technical Manager June :45 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Kimberly Mosley, CAE VP & CIO, American CollegeofHealthcareof Executives 2012 Finance, HR & Business Operations Conference Washington, DC June 7 8, 2012 Introduction Managers role in project management? Look at some project management tools and you will learn some techniques for better managing project leaders (the geeks!) 1

6 Agenda Learn a simple project management methodology Learn about the managers role in launching a project Importance of milestones Learn a communications technique Closing the project Why is Project Management Important? Better communication Enhance product quality Better financial control Strategic goals Plan Repeatable Review Assess Control Improve 2

7 KISS PM Methodology Initializing Initiating checklist Identify stakeholder Define project and budget Managing expectations Developing Define action plan Complete template Managing Initializing Project name Expected completion date Project scope and definition Not in scope Project team Approval Budget 3

8 Developing Develop an action plan What needs to be done, by whom and when Cost and quantity Milestones Develop a communication plan Who How Frequency Do away with meetings not needed Read This Before Our Next Meeting by Al Pittampali Managing Stay the course! Assess progress on project Communicate with stakeholders Change Management Communicating Approvals Scope creep Well defined project definition Quality Review Managers Role in Initializing Identifying the best project manager/leader Defining the best team members/resources Establishing ownership, motivation and commitment Defining clear project objectives, deliverables, timeline and budget Gaining buy in from stakeholders 4

9 Managers Role in Developing Determining and clarifying the goals Review the proposed project workload Assist with producing better time estimates Define your communication expectations Review proposed financials Managers Role in Managing Monitoring project progress Correcting the project Take care of the Project Leader Scope creep Ask the right questions! The Wrong Questions! How s it going? Does it look like you will finish on time? Anything unusual going on? Is everything on track? Looks like things are going okay then? Tell me if you have any problems If I don t hear from you, I ll assume everything is okay. I have to trust you. I can t tell if you are on track or not. 5

10 Focus on the Processes Is there a project plan Is it up to date Is it approved Does the plan clearly l show the state tt of the project today Are activities broken down into small enough chunks Assess the overall health of the project The Right Questions Do you have a project plan? (show me) Is it up to date? Is it on budget? (show me) Does it show work remaining? Does it indicate the project will complete on time? More of the Right Questions Does each team member know their assigned work? (show me) Have you had any issues or major changes? (how was it addressed) What are the milestones? (show me) 6

11 Milestones Milestones A significant or key event in the project, usually completion of a major piece of the deliverable. Action itemsversus milestones Usually there are a number of steps to achieve the milestone Correcting the Project Assess Understanding of objective Understanding of roles and responsibilities Understanding of budgetary constraints Team dynamics or new members Change management Arrest scope creep Don t be afraid; be ready!!! Principles of Crucial Conversations Start with heart Learn to look Make it safe Master your story State your path Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes are High by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler 7

12 Managing Multiple Projects Communication techniques Weekly status report E mail summary If more than a paragraph a face to face is needed Vendor Management Ask the same types of questions Vendor should have defined the work and should have a schedule. Ask the same questions (show me) Up to date? Remaining work defined? Ask how they are managing issues, scope, risk, quality, etc. (show me) Validate that appropriate deliverables are being reviewed and approved (show me) Win Win Closing the Project Communicating the projects implementation Celebrate (should celebrate all along) Post implementation review Documenting project and personal lessons learned Identify opportunities for improvement 8

13 What did we talk about? KISS Project Management Initializing, Developing and Managing Managers role champion and question Milestones Communication is key Closing the project Be Prepared! Questions 9

14 Contact Information Kimberly Mosely, CAE VP & CIO American College of Healthcare Executives (312)