Project Management for Human Resources Professionals March 2012 Facilitated by Bill Mugavin, CPLP, SPHR Consultant, FlashPoint bill@flashpointhr.com 317.735.3875 0
Session Overview Project Management for Human Resource Professionals Project management is the allocation, tracking, and utilization of resources to achieve a particular objective within a specified period of time. Thanks to rapid changes and the pressures of intense competition, more and more organizational work has become project work. As such, it is more important than ever for HR professionals to strengthen their project management skills. The benefits of strengthening your project management skills include the ability to: Achieve crucial results You will be able to ensure that results meet team, department, and strategic objectives. Get things done on time, within budget, and according to quality standards. Minimize development time By finding ways to deliver on your objectives within reasonable time horizons, you will help your organization avoid business cycle risks. Use resources effectively Sound project management saves money and helps employees make the best use of their valuable time. Session Purpose The purpose of this session is to provide you with the skills, knowledge, and tools to efficiently and effectively define, organize, plan, manage, and close human resource related projects. Session Goals After this workshop you ll be able to: Explain the four phases of a project Identify key project stakeholders and their roles Describe the characteristics of an effective HR project manager Establish a project s scope and define the project s deliverables Break down project work into manageable tasks and schedule the timing and sequencing of project tasks Identify project team members and assign tasks to team members Develop a project communication plan Evaluate project team performance and outcomes and document lessons learned 1
Before We Get Started... Work with a partner to answer either questions 1 or 2 (your facilitator will assign the question you are to answer). 1. Think about a current or past project you have worked on that went well. What made the project successful? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 2. Think about a current or past project you have worked on that did not end well. What made the project unsuccessful? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 2
Project Management and the HR Professional The Importance of Developing Project Management Skills Developing strong project management skills goes hand in hand with several other fundamental HR competencies you must possess in order to support your organization s goals. When you know how to manage projects successfully, you strengthen the following four core competencies: Strategic Contribution Making a strategic contribution means helping position your company ahead of its rivals and meeting its stakeholder demands. It also means providing your organization with a sustainable competitive advantage, as well as ensuring that the various parts of the company are all pulling in the same direction defined by the executive team. Personal Credibility Establishing your personal credibility is another key HR competency that you can strengthen through successful project management. When you build your personal credibility, you re seen as competent, trustworthy, and valuable in the eyes of your fellow executives and the line managers and other internal customers you serve. HR Delivery As an HR professional, it is vital that you effectively carry out a specific set of activities to serve your internal customers. For each of these HR deliverables, you can initiate and manage numerous projects. HR Technology Technology is playing an increasingly prominent role in today s workplace and has become an important vehicle through which you and other HR professionals deliver value. A wide range of technology-related projects, when properly managed, can help you seize advantage of the benefits that technology has to offer. Common HR Project Opportunities Starting an HR department Conducting a legal compliance audit Developing an employee handbook Developing an employee orientation or mentoring program Implementing a HR information system (HRIS) Developing an employee expatriation program Outsourcing HR activities Assisting with a merger or acquisition Managing a downsizing initiative, reduction in force, or restructuring Facilitating organization-wide cultural change Creating a crisis management or disaster recovery program Developing a strategy-related organizational performance appraisal system Other: Other: 3
Challenges in Managing HR Projects Working with your assigned team, read through each of the challenges in managing HR projects and discuss strategies you can apply to overcome each challenge. Responsibility versus Authority The responsibility you have been given isn t commensurate with the formal authority you need in order to accomplish the mission. What strategy can you apply to overcome this challenge? Unrealistic Goals Your boss insists on a project deadline that you know is unrealistic and impossible to achieve. Territorial Team Members Cross-functional project team members show more allegiance to their function than the project. Serving Multiple Bosses Someone other than your boss asks you to lead a project that falls outside of your usual job duties. You report to the project leader and your boss. Juggling Multiple Projects You are managing several important projects at once. Uncertainty You have limited information on the details, available resources, and requirements of a project. 4
Characteristics of an Effective HR Project Manager Read the characteristics of an effective HR Project manager below and rate your proficiency for each characteristic. Project Management Process Skills You will need to be familiar with and know how to use project management tools, techniques, and process technologies to create project schedules, plans, and budgets and to maintain control while the project is being executed. On a scale of one to five (five being highly proficient) I would rate myself a for this characteristic. Interpersonal Skills Because managing projects requires you to get things done through other people, you need to know how to lead and motivate teams and individuals; how to communicate clearly and concisely through one-on-one conversations and meetings; and how to influence, negotiate, and delegate. On a scale of one to five (five being highly proficient) I would rate myself a for this characteristic. Technology Management Skills Many projects have imbedded technologies processes or technologies inherent to the project (e.g. software or HRIS project). With such projects you will have to demonstrate proficiency in the embedded technology as well as the supporting technologies. On a scale of one to five (five being highly proficient) I would rate myself a for this characteristic. Personal Qualities To successfully manage a project, you must be able to think like a generalist that is, to always keep the big picture in mind. The big picture includes the original purpose of the project, the diverse array of individuals who are contributing to and affected by the effort, and the ultimate desired outcome. In addition, you will need a high tolerance for ambiguity, complexity, and uncertainty, as well as unassailable honesty and integrity and a willingness to be a doer, not a bystander. On a scale of one to five (five being highly proficient) I would rate myself a for this characteristic. 5
The Four Phases of a Project While there are a number of project management methodologies, most project management professionals agree that every project is comprised of four general phases: Phase 1 Project Definition Phase 2 Project Planning Phase 3 Project Management Phase 4 Project Close An important foundation of effective projects is that team members have a strong understanding of the project purpose and the expected outcomes of each project phase. Understanding the purpose and outcomes of each project phase helps the team gauge when the project is proceeding as planned and when there are variances from the project plan. Knowing the purpose and outcomes of each project phase also helps team members identify the resources they need and the dependencies that impact their project responsibilities and goals. Below is a brief description of the four phases of a project and the outcomes for each phase. Project Phase Description Outcomes Definition Planning In this first stage, the scope of the project is defined along with the approach to be taken to deliver the desired outputs. The project leader is appointed, and in turn he or she selects the team members based on their skills and experience. The second phase should include a detailed identification and assignment of each task through the end of the project. It should also include a risk analysis and a definition of criteria for the successful completion of each deliverable. The governance process is defined, stakeholders are identified, and reporting frequency and channels are agreed upon. Clearly define the project s scope Define the project s length (desired start and end dates) Clearly define the project s deliverables Determine the project s budget Identify project dependencies Validate the above with all project stakeholders Break down the project into manageable tasks Schedule the timing and sequencing of project tasks Identify project team members Assign tasks to team members Identify and plan for project risks Develop a project communication and change management plan 6
Project Phase Description Outcomes Management Close The most important issue in this phase is to ensure project activities are properly executed and controlled. During the implementation phase, the planned solution is executed to solve the problem specified in the project's requirements. As the implementation phase progresses, groups across the organization become more deeply involved and integrated. In this last stage, the project is brought to its proper completion. The closing phase is characterized by a written formal project review containing the following components: a formal acceptance of the final product by the business partner, weighted critical measurements (matching the initial requirements specified by the business partner with the final delivered product), rewards for the team, a list of lessons learned, a release of project resources, and a formal project closure notification to higher management. Achieve the milestone objectives Plan revisions as needed Shift resources as needed Evaluate the project team performance and outcomes Identify and document lessons learned Celebrate successes 7
Project Management Roles Title Project Manager Role The person responsible for developing, in conjunction with the project sponsor, a definition of the project. The project manager then ensures that the project is delivered on time, to budget, and to the required quality standard (within agreed specifications). He or she ensures the project is effectively resourced and manages relationships with a wide range of groups (including all project contributors). The project manager is also responsible for managing the work of consultants, allocating and utilizing resources in an efficient manner, and maintaining a cooperative, motivated, and successful team. Responsibilities Managing and leading the project team Recruiting project staff and consultants Managing coordination of the partners and working groups engaged in project work Developing and maintaining a detailed project plan Managing project deliverables in line with the project plan Recording and managing project issues and escalating where necessary Resolving cross-functional issues at project level Managing project scope and change control and escalating issues where necessary Monitoring project progress and performance Providing status reports to the project sponsor Managing project training within the defined budget Serving as a liaison with and providing progress updates to the project steering board/senior management Managing project evaluation and dissemination activities Managing consultancy input within the defined budget Obtaining final approval of the design specification Working closely with users to ensure the project meets business needs Identifying user training needs and devising and managing user training programs 8
Title Project Sponsor Role The person who commissions others to deliver the project and champions the cause throughout the project. He or she will normally be a senior member of staff with a relevant area of responsibility that will be affected by the outcome of the project. The project sponsor is involved from the start of the project, including defining the project in conjunction with the project manager. Once the project has been launched the project sponsor should ensure that it is actively reviewed. He or she is usually the one who has to negotiate a path through the tricky diplomatic areas of the project! Responsibilities Acting as champion of the project Being accountable for the delivery of planned benefits associated with the project Ensuring resolution of issues escalated by the project manager or the project board Sponsoring the communications program; communicating the program s goals to the organization as a whole Making key organization/commercial decisions for the project Ensuring availability of essential project resources Approving the budget and decides tolerances Providing ultimate authority and responsibility for the project Title Role Title Project Team Members Role The staff who actively work on the project, at some stage, during the lifetime of the project. Responsibilities Team member roles will vary depending on the type of project. Typically team members: Provide functional expertise in an administrative process Work with users to ensure the project meets business needs Document and analyze current and future processes/systems Identify and map information needs 9
The Project Definition Phase Outputs of the Definition Stage Include: Clearly define the project s scope Define the project s length (desired start and end dates) Clearly define the project s deliverables Determine the project s budget Identify project dependencies Validate the above with all project stakeholders Project Definition Template Project Definition Questions 1. Date of request 2. Business partner name 3. Business partner title 4. Business partner department 5. Business partner telephone number 6. Business partner e-mail address 7. What is the project request? 8. Why is there a business need? 9. What are the specific goals and objectives of the project? 10. Who are the stakeholders that will be impacted by this project? 11. When does the project need to be completed? 10
Project Definition Questions 12. What is the priority of the project compared to other organizational projects? 13. What are the important tasks and events (milestones) of the project, and how should they be scheduled? 14. What resources (money, equipment, materials, and facilities) are required? 15. How will key elements of the project cost, performance, and schedule be estimated and controlled? What management tools will be used? 16. What dependencies exist that could impact the start of progress of this project (completion of projects in progress, funding approval, hiring project team members, etc.)? 17. What stakeholders need to participate in approving the project plan? 11
Outputs of The Planning Stage Include: The Project Planning Phase Break down the project into manageable tasks Schedule the timing and sequencing of project tasks Identify project team members Assign tasks to team members Identify and plan for project risks Develop a project communication plan Project Planning Template Project Planning Questions 1. What are the major phases of the project? 2. What needs to be accomplished in each phase? 3. What is the time schedule and sequence for performing the tasks? 4. Who should be on the project team? 5. Who is responsible for completing each task? 6. What training, skills, or background is needed to complete each task? 7. What policies, procedures, or predetermined client parameters are governing this project? 8. What are the project risks and what contingencies need to be considered to mitigate the risks? 9. What key messages need to be communicated throughout the project and when does each need to be communicated? 12
Project Overview for Stakeholder Approval Example ACME Company Global Recruiting and Employer of Choice Project Project Overview Building a winning team is crucial to organizational success. However, hiring managers are often unsure about the most effective selection techniques. Sometimes the selection process itself can actually prevent organizations from choosing the best employees for new positions or promotional opportunities. Acme Company s HR team believes that it has solid talent acquisition services in place today, but it also wants to ensure that it is meeting managers needs, that it has in place the right process to ensure efficiency, and that it is providing the right tools to ensure effectiveness. To help Acme Company s HR team realize these goals, The Acme HR project team will review and improve the existing selection processes and tools, determine what managers need most in training, design a bank of cultural interview questions for different levels of positions across the organization, design training content (incorporating the technology vendor as appropriate), facilitate to a pilot group two half days of training using a train-the-trainer model, make revisions to the content, and finally deliver this content to managers throughout the organization. ACME Company Global Recruiting and Employer of Choice Project Project Plan Project Team Name Location Role Wayne Smith North America Project Sponsor Jeff Jones North America Project Lead, North America Romina Smith Europe Project Lead, Europe Sunny Jones Asia Project Lead, Asia Jane Smith Europe Senior Project Coordinator Bill Jones North America Project Coordinator Phase Phase Outcomes Timeline Conduct a Needs Analysis with Either a Focus Group or through a Survey to Managers Implement a data collection plan, including: An organization-wide survey to hiring managers Individual interviews with one manager from each country (approximately 25) Two focus groups with select groups (one of them consisting of company executives from Asia and Europe) Collection and review of background documents, including competencies, service-level agreements, processes, strategic plan/business plans, ATS system documents (where applicable), and other relevant materials The interviews/focus groups/survey/documentation review will collect information on what managers believe are the key challenges in the interview and hiring process and determine what tools would be most helpful to them. Survey administration has already begun. We will use the survey data to further define the content for the interviews and then conduct focus group sessions based on ideas discussed during interview sessions. Document collection and review will be concurrent with survey administration, interviews, and focus groups. Combine the data collected in the previous step, including: Identifying the key themes from the data collection Analyzing/interpreting the information Deliver an integrated report of key findings and recommendations. Deliverables include: Integrated report of key findings and recommendations February 1 May 31 13
ACME Company Global Recruiting and Employer of Choice Project Project Plan Revise the Recruiting Process and Build Supporting Tools Work with the ATS vendors in each region (where applicable) to determine system capabilities and how they can be used in the process. (Note: We will reach out to the vendor as early as possible to maximize our opportunities.) Through a series of meetings/working sessions with the project team: Verify the existing recruiting process documentation Examine the current workflow of recruiting and hiring-related processes between HR and the manager; look for opportunities to streamline them for a more efficient process and to ensure appropriateness for the organization Based on this analysis, create a revised recruiting process and supporting tools, a bank of behavior-based interview questions, and a first draft of interview guides. Present the revised process, supporting tools, interview questions, and interview guides to the project team and the design team for review. Incorporate any changes and create a final draft of the process, supporting tools, interview questions, and interview guides. Deliverables include: Revised recruiting process outline/flow chart, resource manual with supporting tools, behavior-based interview guides (provided in electronic format) June 1 August 31 Design the Training Content Using the information obtained in the data collection phase, develop the training content, including the participant materials; when designing the training content, integrate internal facilitators to execute a train-the-trainer model. Interface with the ATS vendor to incorporate technology elements. Review the draft participant materials and facilitator guides with the project team and design team; collect the revisions and incorporate them into the final documents. Deliverables include: Training materials, including participant handouts and facilitator guides September 1 30 Facilitate the Training to a Pilot Group and Evaluate Facilitate two half-day sessions (four hours each) for 20 participants in the pilot group; invite the HR team/recruiters to observe and/or facilitate key sections as part of the train-the-trainer efforts. Conduct an evaluation with participants following each session. Deliverables include: Two half-day training sessions October 1 15 Revise the Training Content Following the Pilot Evaluation Compile notes from the evaluation responses. Meet with the project team to debrief, discuss any issues uncovered during the sessions, and explore opportunities to deliver the training to other hiring managers. Using the feedback obtained from the debriefing session, update the training content or delivery model. Conduct a three-hour train-the-trainer review session with the HR team/recruiters to further familiarize them with the participant materials and facilitator guides and to prepare them to facilitate future sessions. Deliverables include: Training feedback summary, updated content October 16 31 14
ACME Company Global Recruiting and Employer of Choice Project Project Plan Facilitate All- Manager Training (until internal trainers are prepared) Facilitate two half-day sessions (four hours each) for managers. We estimate delivering the training to 400 managers; class size will be limited to approximately 15 18 participants per session, so we anticipate repeating the series nine times. Conduct an evaluation with participants following each session; summarize the feedback and provide it to the project team. Deliverables include: Two half-day training sessions, repeated nine times; training feedback summary November 1 January 31, 2013 Detailed Project Plan Example Phase: Conduct a needs analysis with either a focus group or through a survey to managers. Task: Implement data collection. Sub-Task: Send an organization-wide survey to hiring managers. Phase Task Sub-Task Responsible Start Date End Date Notes Needs Analysis Needs Analysis Data Collection Data Collection Design survey Bill 2/1/2012 2/3/2012 Designed 30 question survey Validate survey Jane 2/4/2012 2/5/2012 Survey validated and looks good! Needs Analysis Data Collection Get stakeholder approval for survey Wayne 2/6/2012 2/15/2012 All stakeholders approved survey Needs Analysis Data Collection Identify survey participants Bill 2/16/2012 2/16/2012 Identified 160 participants Needs Analysis Data Collection Develop introductory e-mail,including purpose of survey and deadline for completion Bill 2/16/2012 2/16/2012 Deadline to complete is 3/1/2012 Needs Analysis Data Collection Send e-mail and survey link to all participants Sunny 2/17/2012 2/17/2012 Survey sent to 160 participants Needs Analysis Data Collection Determine survey participation and send reminder e-mail to managers who have not participated Bill 2/27/2012 2/28/2012 Sent reminder notice to 57 participants Needs Analysis Data Collection Close survey Bill 3/1/2012 3/1/2012 Survey closed Needs Analysis Data Collection Tabulate survey responses and develop report Bill 3/2/2012 3/3/2012 Complete Needs Analysis Data Collection Share report with project team Bill 3/4/2012 3/4/2012 Meeting pending 15
Project Timeline Example (Gantt Chart) Phase: Conduct a needs analysis with either a focus group or through a survey to managers. Task: Implement data collection. Sub-Task: Send an organization-wide survey to hiring managers. Sub-Task February 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 March Design survey Validate survey Get stakeholder approval for survey Identify survey participants Develop introductory e-mail, including purpose of survey and deadline for completion Send e-mail and survey link to all participants Determine survey participation and send reminder e-mail to managers who have not participated Close survey Tabulate survey responses and develop report Share report with project team 16
Project Communication Plan Example Phase: Conduct a needs analysis with either a focus group or through a survey to managers. Task: Implement data collection. Sub-Task: Send an organization-wide survey to hiring managers. ACME Company Global Recruiting Project Communication Plan Date Audience Message Delivery Method Responsible 2/6/2012 All project stakeholders Review the organizational survey and respond by 2/15/2012 E-mail Wayne 2/17/2012 Survey participants Welcome to the survey; please follow the survey link and complete it by 2/29. E-mail Sunny 2/27/2012 Survey participants who haven t yet taken it Please remember to complete the survey by 2/29 E-mail Bill 3/5/2012 Project team Review survey results Face-to-face meeting Bill 17
The Project Implementation Phase Outputs of the Implementation Stage Include: Achieve the milestone objectives Plan revisions as needed Shift resources as needed Project Implementation Template Project Implementation Questions 1. Have any project parameters or requirements changed since implementation commenced? 2. What unforeseen risks are materializing? 3. Is the project sponsor still engaged in the project? 4. What organizational politics are negatively affecting implementation (resistance, hidden agendas, etc.)? 5. Is the project still aligned with organizational business objectives (have objectives changed during project implementation)? 6. Where interdependencies can impact my project tasks, are my team members on track to complete their tasks on time? Tips for Successful Project Implementation Tips for Monitoring Budgets When monitoring actual costs against your budget, watch out for these common factors; they can send your project over budget: Inflation during long-term projects. Unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. Failing to get firm prices from suppliers and contractors. Unplanned personnel costs, including overtime, incurred in keeping the project on schedule. Unanticipated training costs and consulting fees. 18
Tips for Making the Most of People Be selective in recruiting. Bring in people who view the project s goal as important. Engage members in activities they find interesting and valuable. Publicly recognize the contributions of individual members. Recognize the value of differences and how they serve the common goal. Create opportunities for members to know each other. Get people working together to build team spirit. Address and manage conflict between team members immediately. Tips for Keeping the Project Focused Build in regularly schedule quality check points. Consistently call attention to upcoming project milestone dates. Celebrate the successful achievement of each milestone. Develop a systematic reporting system to ensure various tasks are completed in a timely manner. Always be sensitive to scope creep. Maintain regular communication with all project stakeholders. Make them aware of successes and obstacles encountered throughout the project. 19
The Project Close Phase Outputs of the Implementation Stage Include: Evaluate the project team performance and outcomes Identify and document lessons learned Celebrate successes Project Close Template Project Close Questions 1. What aspects of the project went well? Why did they go well? 2. What errors were made on the project that should be avoided on the next project? Why did they occur? 3. How did documented plan assumptions compare with reality? 4. What environmental factors impacted the project positively? Negatively? 5. How accurate was the breakdown of tasks and sub-tasks? 6. How accurate were timing estimates of the project (tasks and phases)? 7. What recommendations can be made for future projects? 8. What final information do I need to share in order for us to close the project? 20
Project Summary Report Sample Outline 1 PROJECT OVERVIEW 2 PROJECT CLOSURE REPORT GOALS 3 PROJECT CLOSURE REPORT SUMMARY 3.1 Project Background Overview 3.2 Project Highlights and Best Practices 3.3 Project Closure Synopsis 4 PROJECT METRICS PERFORMANCE 4.1 Goals and Objectives Performance 4.2 Success Criteria Performance 4.3 Milestone and Deliverables Performance 4.4 Schedule Performance 4.5 Budget Performance 4.6 Metrics Performance Recommendations 5 PROJECT CLOSURE TASKS 5.1 Resource Management 5.2 Issue Management 5.3 Risk Management 5.4 Quality Management 5.5 Communication Management 5.6 Customer Expectation Management 5.7 Asset Management 5.8 Lessons Learned 5.9 Postproject Tasks 5.10 Project Closure Recommendations 6 PROJECT CLOSURE REPORT APPROVALS 7 APPENDICES 21
Action Planning Refer back to pages where you noted thoughts, ideas, actions, etc. Use the information you generated on these pages to create an action plan below. What specific actions will you take following today s session? (Make sure to write your actions in a SMART way!) Action What/Who Is Involved Timeframe On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being greatest), what is your level of willingness to follow through with these actions? What key messages/ideas did you gain from this workshop? 22