Leadership/Management Development Program The Fundamentals of Project Management

Transcription

1 Leadership/Management Development Program The Fundamentals of Project Management Learning the Essential Elements for Effective Project Management at UW-Stout

2 Jeffrey L. Russell Jeff Russell, co-director of Russell Consulting, Inc. (RCI) with his wife Linda, specializes in helping leaders build productive, supportive, and motivating work environments. RCI helps companies develop their leadership and strengthen team performance to achieve their great performance goals and outcomes. By guiding the exploration of key values held in common by organizational members and developing strategies and actions to express these values-in-action, RCI helps organizations achieve their strategic vision. Through processes that include "visioning" retreats, Future Search conferences, process redesigns, improving decision making processes, implementing quality improvement strategies, and providing a variety of skill-building seminars, RCI enhances longterm organizational effectiveness and performance. Consulting Expertise Jeff consults with public and private organizations in the areas of: balanced scorecards/dashboards customer and employee focus groups developing leadership employee job engagement surveys employee retention programs Future Search conferences leading and implementing change organizational design self-managed teams systems thinking applications for business team assessment and intervention total quality management training needs assessment visioning and strategic planning Training Expertise Jeff conducts an array of leadership and team development seminars on such topics as: difficult conversations decision making and problem solving employee-centered performance reviews leadership and strategic thinking/planning leading change managing conflict and win/win negotiations performance management and coaching skills team building fundamentals team leadership and facilitation skills total quality tools and techniques train the trainer world-class customer service Professional Background Jeff serves as an adjunct faculty member at UW- Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and UW-Green Bay. He is also on the teaching faculty of the UW-Madison, UW- Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay Small Business Development Centers. Jeff has a bachelor's in Humanism and Cultural Change and a Masters of Science degree in Industrial Relations from UW-Madison. Before forming RCI, Jeff served as human resource coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA). At DOA, Jeff developed and coordinated their employee assistance, leadership and employee development, and equal employment opportunity/affirmative action programs. Conference Presenter and Author Jeff is a sought-after speaker at state, national and international conferences. Recent presentations include: ASTD International Conferences 2001 through 2011 Jamaica Employer s Federation Conference, Ocho Rios, Jamaica, 2004, 2006, 2007, and Minnesota Quality Conference Minnesota Project Management Institute, PDD 2007, 2008, and 2009 Wisconsin SHRM Annual Conference, 2004 through 2007, 2010 American Society for Public Administration Annual Conference, 2005 Leading Change, Shanghai, China, 2005 Jeff and his wife Linda have co-authored a number of management books including Leading Change Training, Strategic Planning Training, Change Basics, Strategic Planning 101, and Ultimate Performance Management (ASTD Press, 2009). Helping You Create and Sustain a GREAT Organization 1134 Winston Drive tel (608) Madison, Wisconsin fax (608) RCI Online: Jeff@RussellConsultingInc.com

3 The Fundamentals of Project Management Seminar Learning Objectives Upon successful completion of this seminar, you will be able to: 1. Describe how a project is different from other work tasks. 2. Define what project management is and the various competencies of the project manager. 3. Identify the key stakeholders in every project. 4. Describe the four phases of project management and the key activities within each phase. 5. Develop a personal plan for enhancing your project management skills. Your Learning Objective What do you hope to learn from this seminar? What project management related question would you like to have answered by the end of the session? Rev , Russell Consulting, Inc. 1

4 What is a Project? Review the list of projects below. Which is a true project (appropriate for project management) and which is a business task or process? Project? Yes No 1. Improve the efficiency of a specific production line. 2. Organize the annual staff conference. 3. Develop a plan for communicating UW System policy changes to all employees. 4. Revise the University s contracting and purchasing processes. 5. Implement a major upgrade to Stout s website to support a feature-rich, interactive, and customer friendly user interface. 6. Reduce substantial backlog of student housing complaints from 200 to less than 10 by November 1 st. 7. Redesign the new employee onboarding process. What makes a task a Project? How is it different from other work? 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 2

5 A Project Is... Here are some of the key differences between a true project and other work tasks or processes both of which may require a team of individuals to complete a task: Project Temporary, short-lived Specific beginning and end Unique output No pre-defined work assignments or tasks Something new is created Frequently requires a cross-divisional or cross-work unit team Need to acquire resources Other Work Tasks Ongoing, over the long-term No end a repeating cycle or task Same output Pre-defined work assignments Something is managed or improved Typically is completed by a team within a single work unit or division Resources already assigned/available Definition: A project is typically a temporary work effort with a specific beginning and end date and which has a unique, clearly defined, and measurable outcome. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 3

6 What is Project Management? Project management is a set of tools, skills, techniques, and knowledge that enable you to successfully complete a project (achieve desired results) on time and at or under budget. The purpose of project management is to organize, plan, staff, schedule, and control the energy and resources of an organization to achieve a desired objective. Project management provides an organization with a systematic process for completing a project that doesn t leave success to chance. Some key reasons for using project management are that It provides a for ensuring that you address some basic questions and issues before you jump into beginning the work. 2. It provides a method for your results both your progress along the way and your desired outcomes. 3. It provides a thoughtful, careful method for solving that arise during project. 4. It provides a formal mechanism for managing to the project as new issues, outcomes, and needs arise. 5. It provides for a method of the results from the project to key stakeholders. 6. It provides a mechanism for evaluating the used to accomplish the project and to make improvements in the project management process itself. 7. It provides a vehicle for project level activities within departments and across the campus. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 4

7 Project Management Body of Knowledge Effective project management requires that the project leader and team members learn certain competencies. These competencies, called the project management body of knowledge, enable a project management team to accomplish its objectives. 1. Integration Management The processes that coordinate the various elements of a project: project plan development, project plan implementation, and coordinating changes to the project. 2. Scope Management The processes used to ensure that the right work is done and only the right work to accomplish the desired task. These processes include initiating the project; defining, planning, and verifying the project scope; and controlling changes to the scope. 3. Time Management The processes that ensure that the project is completed on or before the desired deadline: activity definition, activity sequencing, activity duration estimation, schedule development, and schedule control. 4. Cost Management The processes that ensure that the project is completed within the approved budget: resource planning, cost estimating, cost budgeting, and cost control. 5. Quality Management The processes that ensure that the project meets or exceeds the needs and expectations of key stakeholders (e.g., customer, sponsor, resource managers, etc.). This knowledge area includes quality planning, quality assurance, and quality control. 6. Human Resource Management The processes required to best utilize the people assigned to the project. This includes organizational planning, acquiring and assigning staff, and developing teamwork within the project team. 7. Communications Management The processes used to ensure the timely and appropriate creation, collection, distribution, and archiving of important project information. This knowledge area includes communications planning, information distribution/sharing, progress reporting, and summarizing/concluding the project. 8. Risk Management The process of identifying, analyzing, and responding to possible project risks. It includes working to maximize the likelihood of success and minimizing the possibility of failure/mistakes. Aspects include risk management planning, risk identification, qualitative and quantitative risk management analysis, risk response planning, and risk monitoring and control. 9. Procurement Management The processes required to acquire appropriate materials and services to achieve the project objectives. These include procurement planning, request for goods/services, selecting the vendor/source, and contract administration. Adapted from A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge Project Management Institute, , Russell Consulting, Inc. 5

8 Project Stakeholders These are the key people who have a stake in the project. They support the project team, lead the project team, do the work, are impacted by it, or benefit directly from the project s success: Customer The person or group within UW-Stout who has requested the project and receives the final project deliverable. The customer s needs and requirements define the project scope, timeline, and cost. End User The individual or group (e.g., frontline employees, customers, suppliers, etc.) who ends up using or applying the deliverable requested by the customer. The end user s needs/requirements can sometimes be different from the project s customer both needs should be considered by the project team. Project Sponsor The person from an executive leadership level who approves the project scope, runs interference to clear the project for approval, acquires backing for allocating sufficient resources, ensures alignment between the project and UW-Stout s strategic objectives, and acts as liaison between the project team and the leadership. Project Leader The project manager or leader plays the central role of coordinating and integrating the work of the project team. Team Members Team members are the technical experts and specialists who carry out specific tasks and responsibilities of the project. They work with the project leader to manage/coordinate the project and help produce the project deliverables. Resource Managers The resource managers are the functional managers throughout the campus community who agree to provide human (team members), information, or financial resources to the project team. Resource managers give some limited authority or control over the resource to the project leader. Subject Matter Experts Individuals, typically not members of the project team, with whom the project team consults over the life of the project. SMEs bring unique experience and/or expertise in the area that is the target of the project team s work. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 6

9 Your Turn... Understanding a Project Your table group will work as a team on this assignment. To redevelop Stout s website so it is entirely centered on the needs, interests, questions, and issues of our students and their families. The renewed website should strive for a comfortable and inviting user-friendly feel, where the user s needs are anticipated on each page. The redeveloped site must provide for an interactive experience, where the user s experiences are more than just reading information, but gaining customized responses to their issues and questions. Who is this Project s Customer? Who is this Project s End User? What Problem is this Project trying to Solve? [Problem Statement] What is this Project s Desired Objectives/Outcomes? 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 7

10 The Project Sponsor and Manager Project Sponsor What is the primary function of a project sponsor? Project Manager What is the primary function of a project manager? How much authority should the project sponsor have over the direction of a project? How much authority should the project manager have over the direction of a project? What role should the project sponsor play in relation to the work of individual project team members? What role should the project manager play in relation to the work of individual team members? Describe how the project sponsor and project manager work together to support, sustain, and manage the work of the project team: 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 8

11 The Role of the Project Manager The project manager is someone who takes the lead role in actively managing the project. The project manager helps ensure that the project responds to the expectations of the customer, end user, and the needs/requirements of the campus as a whole. The project manager is the key driver of the project. He or she works with the project sponsors to ensure that the project has sufficient direction, resources, and support to achieve its desired outcomes. Specifically, the project manager: 1. Works with the sponsors in developing the project scope/charter and select project team members. [Phase I of project management] 2. Takes the lead role in guiding/directing the project team. 3. Leads project team meetings and updates. 4. Guides the project team through the four project management phases. 5. Ensures (along with the sponsor) the acceptance of the final project charter and project plan. 6. Coordinates the work of individual project members as it relates to the project. 7. Issues project s progress reports over the life of the project to share with the sponsor, customer, end users, and other key stakeholders. 8. Guides the project team in formally reviewing requested changes to the project scope, cost, or schedule and communicating these changes to stakeholders. 9. Acts as a liaison between the project team and the sponsor. 10. Acts as the key contact between the customer and the project team. 11. Manages project team dynamics by facilitating the team process ensuring balanced participation by all, dealing with counter-productive behavior, engaging team members, etc. 12. Helps remove obstacles and assist with problem solving to enable the project s success. 13. Continually evaluates the team s processes and results/outcomes. 14. Presents the final project report to the sponsor and customer. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 9

12 Expectations and Role of Project Team Members The project team is responsible for project planning and carrying out the tasks to produce the project deliverables. Guided by the project manager, the project team provides input on project scope (time, cost, and quality), how the project scope is accomplished, and who on the project team is responsible for accomplishing it. Project team members are drawn from various work areas based upon the knowledge and skills required to fulfill the project charter. Specific responsibilities of project team members include: 1. Respect the role and authority of the project manager and sponsors in shaping the project and guiding/coordinating project deliverables. 2. Commit the time required to contribute to the project s deliverables. 3. Bring specific knowledge and skills to the team. 4. Attend and actively participate in project scope development and status meetings to ensure that the team benefits from the team member s insights, experience, and knowledge. 5. Accurately assess and estimate the time required for task completion based upon past experience with doing comparable work. 6. Follow-through on commitments made to the project and to other project members. 7. Highlight risks to the project and surface these risks in status meetings as soon as they become known to the team member. 8. Discuss personal roadblocks and barriers to project participation and task completion with the PM as soon as they become known to the member. 9. Assist the project team and PM in identifying the potential impact of the project on functional areas, customers, and end users. 10. Assist the project team and PM with developing communication strategies for updating functional areas, customers, and end users on the project status. 11. Actively contribute to project evaluation at the conclusion of the project to capture lessons learned. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 10

13 Project Roles and the Project Life-Cycle Phase I Define Project Phase II Plan Development Phase III Project Implementation Phase IV Project Closure Project Manager Activity Level & Resources Required Sponsor's Level of Involvement Team Members Project Manager Team Members Project Manager Team Members Project Manager Time 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 11

14 The Phases of Project Management Phase I Initiate and Define the Project Concept Describe the problem, challenge, or issue Gather/document customer expectations for the project Define the scope Define desired outcomes Define project parameters Define resource requirements Select initial project members Key Output for Approval: Project Charter Phase II Develop the Project Plan Finalize the charter Finalize team membership, leadership, and structure Verify customer need and requirements Develop Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Assess potential risks Identify key milestones and task durations Develop activity network diagram Identify required resources Estimate costs Key Output for Approval: Project Plan Phase III Project Implementatio n Develop a communication plan Begin plan implementation Monitor/evaluate performance Manage changes to the project Take corrective action Report progress to key stakeholders Key Outputs for Approval: Change Requests and Deliverables Phase IV Project Close- Out Conduct a final project audit Obtain customer acceptance of deliverables Assess customer perceptions of the project Assess team member perceptions Identify the lessons learned Key Output for Approval: Final Project Report 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 12

15 Phase I: Develop Concept Describe the Issue Describe the problem or challenge Gather customer expectations for the project Define the scope Define desired outcomes Define project parameters Define resource requirements Select initial project members Key Output for Approval: Project Charter Develop an Initial Definition of the Problem or Challenge The first step in any project is simply getting the problem, challenge, or issue well defined. Even before talking to customers or end-users (this will come later), you must develop an initial problem statement. Rely upon the initial request from your sponsor or leadership team to explore such questions as: What have you been asked to do? What is the problem that the project is intended to address? What does the sponsor envision as the final end result? How will the customer and/or end user benefit from this project? The initial definition of the problem or challenge helps focus subsequent efforts at defining the project. It enables the project leader and team to move forward with gathering stakeholder data and defining the scope. Tools for Project Definition Brainstorming can be a useful place for the project leader and sponsor or team to begin defining the challenge ahead. When the project problem or challenge is confusing, ill defined, ambiguous, or complex, however, try using either the affinity diagram or mind mapping methods. The affinity diagram and mind mapping are powerful tools for developing a deeper understanding of the challenge and its aspects. With the initial problem better defined, the team will have a better understanding of the complexity of the challenge and the key components that make up the future project. With this definition in mind, the prospective project leader and members can begin contacting customers, end users, and other key stakeholders to gather their perspectives on the issue. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 13

16 Gathering Customer Expectations After the problem is tentatively defined, the project sponsor and leader meet with the customer to explore his or her preliminary expectations, wants, and requirements for the project s final deliverable(s). At this point, the customer s requirements are broadly defined. Expectations will be explored in greater detail later in the Plan Development phase. Explore these questions with the project customer: What do you require from the final deliverable in terms of functions or performance? A function is something that the final deliverable should be able to DO. Enable the user to receive a permit to hold a Block Party after filling out the online permit application. Enable the user to purchase a birth certificate online. What do you require from the final deliverable in terms of features? A feature is a physical characteristic of the final deliverable such as: All data fields are searchable by the user. Job applicants will complete only one application form to apply for all campus classified jobs. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 14

17 Sorting Out Needs from Wants What a customer wants is often not what they need. What is the difference between a want and a need? What role and responsibility does the project manager and project team members have in raising this issue? A want is... A need is... Why does it matter? How might project managers or team members sort out these differences? 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 15

18 Phase I: Develop Concept Define the Scope Describe the problem or challenge Gather customer expectations for the project Define the scope Define desired outcomes Define project parameters Define resource requirements Select initial project members Key Output for Approval: Project Charter Define the Scope and Desired Outcomes and Parameters The final product of Phase I is the project charter a document that integrates all the key elements of the project definition, scope, resources required, etc. A key component of the project charter is the definition of the project s scope and a listing of the desired outcomes and constraints or parameters the project must work within. Some possible charter elements include: Project Title Business Case Project Objectives Final Deliverables Key Milestones Project Customer Customer Requirements Customer Need Stakeholders In/Out of Scope Success Criteria Constraints Dependencies Assumptions The name of the project should reflect the primary objective of the project State the compelling business reasons for the project. Why is the project important to Stout? The purpose of the project. What will the project hope to accomplish? List the end products of the project. The deliverable is the product, process, service, or plan that the project intends to create for the customer. Critical benchmark events that help measure project progress. The group or groups that will receive the final project deliverables. This may include both the immediate customer and the end user (who may not be directly served by the project team). List the specific quality characteristics (functions and features) that the customer has identified as requirements or desirables that the final deliverable must meet in order for them to be fully satisfied with the result. Rank order the lists of functions and features from must haves to nice to haves. Identify the customer problem that the project (and the final deliverable) intends to solve. Identify others who will likely be affected by the project. What functions/features are included within the scope of the project and what is not included within the scope. How will, in the end, the project s success be gauged? What boundaries or limitations must the project team respect? What other processes/projects is the project dependent upon? What starting assumptions is the project team making about the project overall or any specific project elements? 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 16

19 Project Priorities: Scope/Schedule/Cost There is an interdependent relationship between the project scope, the schedule, and the project cost. This relationship within the project is called a triple constraint. Increasing the scope will likely lead to an increase in both the schedule and cost. Reducing the schedule may reduce the cost, but will very likely require a reduction in the scope Reducing the cost will likely lead to a reduction in the scope and a shorter schedule. Schedule Cost Scope As part of establishing the project s priorities (from the project charter), the project sponsor, in consultation with the customer, identifies which of these three dimensions is most important: cost, scope, or schedule. The sponsor will rank order these from most important to least important. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 17

20 Phase I: Develop Concept Initial Project Team Describe the problem or challenge Gather customer expectations for the project Define the scope Define desired outcomes Define project parameters Define project resource requirements Identify initial project members Key Output for Approval: Project Charter Identify Initial Project Team Members Shortly after the scope, outcome, parameter, and most of the resource components of the project charter are completed, the project sponsor and the project team leader develop an initial project team. While this initial team may not be the final project team, it represents the initial work group that will soon finalize the composition of the final team (in the next phase of the project). The sponsor and leader complete the Initial Project Team Membership Worksheet. Resource Area Resource Manager Skills and Knowledge Required Suggested Team Members Percent of Time Needed This column of the worksheet identifies the areas of the University that must be represented on the project because the area has a talent, expertise, or knowledge that is required to complete the project or because it is directly affected by the project outcomes/deliverables. This is the functional manager who oversees the staff in this resource area. The functional manager makes the decision about who will be assigned to the team. These are the competencies, skills, knowledge, experience, etc. that the sponsor and leader believe are essential for someone on the team to have. These should be as specific as possible to ensure that the right people are involved early on in the project s development. Names offered by the Resource Manager that represent the best match between the project s required skills and knowledge AND the staffing level, workload, schedules, etc. of his or her area. [While the sponsor/leader may have a list of whom they would like to include on the team, it s best that they focus on the key knowledge, skills, experience, etc. required by the project.] Identifies the estimated percent of the staff members time that should be dedicated exclusively to the project. After a team member has been suggested for each resource, review the list of stakeholders from the project charter. Make sure that your list of initial team members includes representation of your major stakeholders. If not, identify additional stakeholder representatives until all of the key resource areas and stakeholders are represented on the initial team. The final roster of initial project team members is then included on the charter. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 18

21 Project Team Membership Worksheet Initial Project Team Membership Worksheet A. Resource Area B. Resource Manager C. Skills/Knowledge Required D. Suggested Team Members E. Percent of Time Needed 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 19

22 Phase I: Develop Concept Charter Approved Describe the problem or challenge Gather customer expectations for the project Define the scope Define desired outcomes Define project parameters Define project resource requirements Identify initial project members Key Output for Approval: Project Charter Approving the Project Charter With the identification of the project team members, the project charter with all essential information on the project now identified is complete. The project leader and sponsor meet to review and agree upon every element of the charter. The next step involves holding a face-to-face meeting with the project customer and, once the customer agrees to the project charter, presenting the project charter to Stout s appropriate leadership or project oversight team for a final go/no go decision on the project. Obtaining approval from the customer indicates that the project scope, outcomes, deliverables, and timeline meet their expectations. This approval helps ensure that the final outcomes/deliverables will meet or exceed the customer s expectations. Obtaining approval from Stout s appropriate leadership or project oversight team indicates that Stout is prepared to authorize the time and other resources identified in the project charter. This approval helps ensure that the project will receive the resource and staff commitments spelled out in the charter. The project cannot proceed without the approval of both the customer and the leadership or project oversight team. If either of these groups suggests/requests modifications, the project leader and sponsor make the necessary revisions until approval is obtained. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 20

23 Phase II: Project Plan Verify Requirements Finalize the charter Finalize team membership, leadership, and structure Verify customer need and requirements Develop Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Assess potential risks Identify key milestones and task durations Develop the network diagram Identify required resources Estimate costs Key Output for Approval: Project Plan Verifying Customer Need and Requirements While the first step in phase II (finalize the charter) reviewed a high level presentation of the customer s need and requirements, the team must early on in its work connect with the customer again. This time, however, the exploration of the customer s need and requirements must go much deeper. Since the ability of the team to understand and address the customer s need and requirements is fundamental to the success of the project, sufficient time and energy must be dedicated to this effort. Customer Need The goal here is to affirm the need as stated in the charter. This step also involves better understanding the root cause of the problem or problems that are behind the need. Sometimes, the solution that the customer wants you to create for them isn t related to the root cause of the problem they have identified. Final Deliverables The goal here is to ensure that the charter s stated final deliverable matches your new understanding of the customer s need and the root causes behind the need. If the team envisions a better deliverable based upon a better understanding of need/root causes, it must go back to the customer and sponsor and negotiate a new desired outcome. The team should also ensure that the overall result of the project leads to measurable results: How will we know if the project has been successful? Customer Requirements The team s goal in verifying the customer s requirements is to validate the charter s statement of the customer s desired functions and features of the final product. The team is also interested in prioritizing the requirements especially important if the team is forced to make choices in the final product design. Prioritizing requirements is accomplished by asking the customer to (a) identify all of their feature and function requirements and (once listed) (b) rate each item as: must have, highly desirable, or nice to have. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 21

24 Prioritizing Functions and Features Early in Phase II of Project Plan Development you will draw upon what you ve learned through the customer needs verification process and prioritize the project deliverable s functions and features that are most important to your customer. You can also add new functions and features (but only if warranted based upon the data from the customer and/or end user) to the mix of features identified earlier. Here s the steps of prioritizing the project deliverable s functions and features: 1. Write each of the functions and features your team identified for the project deliverable on a Post-It note. 2. Based upon the data you ve gathered from the customer and/or end user, reflect on the explicit or implicit preferences suggested by the customer (and possibly end-users if doing so will better serve the customer). Which do you think are most important to the customer? Are the end-user s function/feature preferences different? [If so, how will you deal with this information?] 3. With these thoughts in mind, group the Post-It notes into the three categories: must have highly desirable nice to have Must Have Highly Desirable Nice to Have 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 22

25 Exploring and Planning for Project Implications for Customers and End Users Once the project scope is developed where functions, features, needs, and so forth are identified the implications of the project s intended changes need to be fully anticipated and explored. Some system implication issues that need to be carefully considered by the project team include: Human Resources What are the HR implications emerging from the final project deliverables? How will staffing levels, roles, functions, etc. be affected and to what degree? When will these potential implications be fully known and identified? How should Human Resources and affected business unit managers be informed about these potential implications and how will they be involved in preparing for these changes? Training and Development What core skills and knowledge will need to be developed in end users and customers? How will these skills be developed? Who will provide this training and when? IT Infrastructure What short- and long-term hardware/software needs and changes result from the project? When will these needs and changes be fully understood? How will the costs for these be determined and paid for? Mission/Vision To what extent do the project deliverables impact the core mission and vision of the business unit? While the project should reflect the mission and vision of the unit, the project itself may lead to changes in the mission/vision based upon the identification and addressing of core needs of customers and end users. How will these changes to the core mission and vision be identified and integrated into the business unit? Once the system implications of the project are identified, the project team needs to proactively engage the business unit and end users in preparing for these likely impacts. The initial project plan should identify the potential impacts of the project on these system issues and then continue monitoring the size of these implications as the project evolves. If changes in the project lead to changes in system implications, then the project team needs to communicate these changes to business unit managers and end users. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 23

26 Phase II: Project Plan Work Breakdown Structure Finalize the charter Finalize team membership, leadership, and structure Verify customer need and requirements Develop Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Assess potential risks Identify key milestones and task durations Develop the network diagram Identify required resources Estimate costs Key Output for Approval: Project Plan Developing the Work Breakdown Structure The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) translates the project scope, outcomes, customer deliverables, and parameters into an initial listing of key tasks to be completed for a successful project result. The WBS identifies the core areas for activity within the project in order to accomplish the project outcomes. The fundamental purpose of the WBS is to take a very complex project and break it down into simpler, more manageable parts. Breaking a project into smaller parts not only makes the project more doable, it also makes it easier to estimate the time/duration and resources required. Constructing a WBS There are two primary approaches for constructing the WBS: Outline Method The outline WBS organizes into major categories (subsystems) and then lists the tasks/activities that fulfill or accomplish the interim deliverable of the category. Each task can further be broken down into subtasks and, in turn, each subtask can be further broken down. 1. Major Subsystem A 1.1. Task Subtask Subtask Subtask Task 2 2. Major Subsystem B 3. Major Subsystem C Tree Diagram Method This graphical WBS method accomplishes the same result as the outline method, but may be easier for the team to use when trying to visualize the layers of work that need to occur and for explaining the project to others. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 24

27 Phase II: Project Plan Assess Risks Finalize the charter Finalize team membership, leadership, and structure Verify customer need and requirements Develop Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Assess potential risks Identify key milestones and task durations Develop the network diagram Identify required resources Estimate costs Key Output for Approval: Project Plan Assessing What Could Go Wrong and Ways to Protect the Project There are three types of risks that could jeopardize your project: scope, schedule, and cost. If your project doesn t anticipate and proactively deal with a potential risk in any or all of these areas, the project is likely to be in trouble. Planners call the risk analysis protecting the plan. By identifying potential risks and then building in steps to deal with the risk before things slip out of place, the key deliverables (in scope, schedule, and cost) are protected. The steps of risk assessment and plan protection are: 1. Brainstorm Possible Risks Your project team brainstorms a list of all of the things that could go wrong with the project (e.g., we ll never get the end users to accept the change, the budget won t be there when we need it, the policy shop won t support this approach, etc.). Once the brainstormed list of possible risks is exhausted, review each risk for clarity and uniqueness. Reduce or expand the list to ensure that each risk is separate and distinct from others. 2. Analyze the Likelihood/Impact of Each Risk Rate each risk on both a Probability Impact scale (1 = no risk to 6 = high risk) and a Severity Impact scale (1 = no probability to 6 = high probability). Based upon each risk s probability/impact rating, plot each risk on the Risk Analysis Grid. Severity Impact Low Medium High Watch List High Risks Medium Risks Low Risks Low Medium High Probability Impact 3. Overall Risk Assessment With all risks plotted on the grid, the team makes an overall assessment of the project: Is this project too risky? Is it likely to be successful? adapted from Getting Started in Project Management, Martin & Tate, John Wiley & Sons, Develop a Mitigation Strategy for Each High or Medium Risk Take each risk that falls into the high or medium risk categories and brainstorm strategies and actions to reduce impact or probability of the event happening or to prevent it from happening in the first place. 5. Build Risk Prevention Into Your WBS Based upon your strategy and actions, go back to your WBS and add additional steps and actions to mitigate the risks to the project. In some cases, your response strategy will not be part of the WBS, but an integral part of your stakeholder discussions/communication strategy. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 25

28 Phase II: Project Plan Project Plan Approval Finalize the charter Finalize team membership, leadership, and structure Verify customer need and requirements Develop Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Assess potential risks Identify key milestones and task durations Develop the network diagram Identify required resources Estimate costs Key Output for Approval: Project Plan Get Ready to Launch Project Implementation You now have a revised charter, a revised team membership roster, and a verification of the customer s need and their quality requirements. You ve developed a work breakdown structure (WBS) and a detailed network diagram that factors in all key tasks and their duration, significant milestones that can t be forgotten, and your strategy for mitigating possible risks. You have also identified key resources required to get the job done and you ve developed an estimated cost for these resources. Before project implementation, you need to meet with your sponsor and your customer to go over the revised charter and walk them through the network diagram. Finally, and most important, you need the sponsor s and customer s SIGN-OFF on the final project plan (which is the charter with the network diagram and cost estimate documents attached). Once approved by your sponsor and the customer, you are ready to actually begin work on the project! 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 26

29 Phase III: Implementation Communicate Plan Develop a communication plan Begin plan implementation Monitor/evaluate performance Manage changes to the project Take corrective action Report progress to key stakeholders Key Output for Approval: Changes/Deliverables Communicating Your Project Plan to Customer/Key Stakeholders Your project s customer/stakeholders clearly want to know: Who will be in charge of the project and who to contact if they have questions? What is your plan of action? What can they expect from the project? Why is this project a priority? When will you be involving them (if at all)? When can they expect to see interim and final results? Where can they go for more information (e.g., website, contact person, etc.)? How much will this cost them (or the University)? What is the status of the project at any given point? What the is team doing to make adjustments/improvements to the project? While not all stakeholders want all of this information, the project team needs to brainstorm who needs to know what and when they need to know it. The first step is to develop an overall communication plan. This plan will identify who needs to know what and when and the best medium to use in reaching each stakeholder. The plan should distinguish between customers, stakeholders, and end users and the strategy for each must be customized to fit their information requirements. It should also identify key people who have the power to sustain/kill the project and identify methods to ensure that they are kept informed of the project s progress. The second step for the team (as part of its overall plan) is to put together a summary document about the project and distribute this widely to the campus community even to those who may not be stakeholders, but who might simply want to know about the project. The third step (as part of its overall plan) is to develop a formal method for frequently updating key stakeholders on the status of the project. This may take the form of updates, a briefing sheet issued monthly/quarterly, or scheduled face-to-face meetings. Communication is what keeps people working with (as opposed to against) the project team. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 27

30 Phase III: Implementation Begin!! Develop a communication plan Begin plan implementation Monitor/evaluate performance Manage changes to the project Take corrective action Report progress to key stakeholders Key Output for Approval: Changes/Deliverables It s Time to Make Things Happen! Implementation of the project requires a disciplined team, strong team leadership to keep the team on task, and continuous communication within and among team members and with other key players outside of the team. Since the whole objective of project management is to manage: 1. The scope of the project to ensure that the desired target is achieved 2. The schedule of the project to ensure that it completes its work on time 3. The cost of the project to ensure that the project lives within estimated costs... the project team will need to establish a rigorous meeting schedule to stay on top of every aspect of the project. To ensure that team members calendars are cleared for the life of the project, the team is encouraged to set a tentative project meeting schedule. While this schedule can be amended later if necessary, it is essential that team members make an up-front commitment to participate in all project meetings. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 28

31 Evaluating the Team s Progress What will the project manager and team be tracking as the project moves ahead? How will the project manager and team know whether the project is on target or not? What will the project manager and team do to monitor the project s success? 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 29

32 Phase III: Implementation Monitor Progress Develop a communication plan Begin plan implementation Monitor/evaluate performance Manage changes to the project Take corrective action Report progress to key stakeholders Key Output for Approval: Changes/Deliverables Monitoring Project Implementation There are three major factors that the project team must monitor and evaluate throughout the life of the project and at its completion: 1. Schedule: Is the project on time at key milestones and at the end of the project? 2. Cost: Is the cost for each task, subsystem, and the overall project at or under projected costs? 3. Deliverables: Has the project provided key deliverables throughout the project (milestones or interim deliverables) and did the project achieve the desired benefits (meet the customer s need)? The project management activities that the team undertakes to monitor implementation include: 1. Scanning the Environment Are there new issues, expectations, needs, budget changes, circumstances, or forces that might impact the plan or that should be considered for incorporation into the plan? 2. Managing Changes Are there unexpected events, delays, problems, failures, or new ideas for work processes or methods that should be integrated into the project plan? 3. Tracking Progress Is the project staying on track? Are milestone dates and interim deliverable expectations being met? The team must develop mechanisms that track the project s schedule, costs, and deliverables (milestones) throughout project implementation. 4. Communicating with Customer/Stakeholders Is the team communicating progress to the customer and key stakeholders? What is the team hearing back from the customers and key stakeholders? The project team should meet weekly or biweekly to ensure that (a) there is communication among team members on their individual and collective progress and (b) the four project management activities (above) are routinely discussed. An issues list or parking lot should be developed to track emerging issues/questions and ensure that they are addressed. The team may need to file interim progress reports on key project deliverables to keep customers, stakeholders, and others up-to-date on the project s progress. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 30

33 Phase III: Implementation Manage Changes Develop a communication plan Begin plan implementation Monitor/evaluate performance Manage changes to the project Take corrective action Report progress to key stakeholders Key Output for Approval: Changes/Deliverables Why Allow Changes to Something that s Already Working? Every project, no matter how well conceived and developed at the outset, will require changes. The changes may be requested by the: Customer (e.g., identifying new needs, deadlines, different requirements, etc.) Sponsor (e.g., shifting of resources within the campus) Stakeholders (who may have the authority to change policies, reduce funding, etc.) Team members (e.g., discover a faster, cheaper, better way to do something). Without a formal method for reviewing and approving changes, scope creep may result along with cost and schedule complications and the project begins spiraling out of control. A formal method of evaluating proposed changes also ensures that the impact of a proposed change on the overall project is evaluated. In a complex project, changing any single task can have a significant impact on the overall outcomes of the project. The flow chart offers a process for initiating project changes that ensures that the impact of changes on the project and the customer are considered. 2011, Russell Consulting, Inc. 31