© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Project Management Bytes Making WBS work for you! 1

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Agenda Review Project Management components Review WBS Review Critical Path Methodology 5 Easy Steps to Paradise (slide 25) Final Thoughts – Work Packages Q&A 2

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. People ProcessTechnology “Most projects fail due to a lack of discipline in managing the work required to yield results.” Don Jackson 3

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 4 Project Management Components PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES Planning Executing Controlling MS Project MS Project Server PM Office Primavera P3 Excel Work Products Business Requirements STAGES Initiate Plan Execute Control Close is a process of consists of people to complete to facilitate completion Project Management Methodology New business opportunities/problems Business Goals and Objectives

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 5 Executing is the process of assigning and tracking weekly work assignments Risks Issues Day 2 Day 3 Day 4Day 5 Day 1 Task 1 Task 5 Task 4 Task 3 Task 2

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 6 Controlling is the process of identifying the Critical Path and resolving blocking issues Project baselines Plan vs. actual Product completion Quality Risks Issues

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Project Manager Roles: Firefighter Diplomat Mediator Negotiator Decision Maker Planning Manager Workflow Manager 7

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 8 Planning Manager: Understands the project Plans the project Estimates the project Schedules the project

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 9 Workflow Manager: Create/Assigns work packages Tracks deliverables Tracks project financials Resolves issues Manages changes requests

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Execution secret! “The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.” …Mark Twain 10

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 11 Work Breakdown Structure... all tasks necessary to complete the project Stage Step Task

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. WBS Benefits Defines all project tasks Defines total project effort Confirms project goals and requirements Serves as basis for negotiating project variables Serves as basis for estimating Stage Step Task 12

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. WBS Free Tips! Ask the question, “what work must I do in order to…?” Answer the question with a single action verb and a non- plural object; 1.Code java program, 2.Decorate reception hall. –Use verb and object format for labels. –Bottom level tasks should be product oriented, i.e., completion is marked by some deliverable. –Bottom level tasks should take no longer than one status report period. –Bottom level tasks should be assignable as “work packages” such that responsibility for each work package can be turned over to a team member, client, subcontractor, etc. 13

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Control secrets! Learn to use the critical path method. The Critical Path provides the map that determines what work needs to be complete this week! Wherever you go…There you are! 14

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Developing the critical path Once the WBS has been developed, and your estimates are reliable, develop the critical path: Create the activity list Determining the order Draw the network Create the network hierarchy A C B D 15

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Determine the Order Successor Predecessor an activity that must be completed before another activity can begin an activity that follows the predecessor Successor Predecessor 16

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Draw the Network A 8 hours K 16 hours J 24 hours I 24 hours H 16 hours E 16 hours D 16 hours F 16 hours C 16 hours B 40 hours G 24 hours 17

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Create Network Hierarchy Task Step S 5 hours U 12 hours T 10 hours V 8 hours R 9 hours R.1 2 hours R.3 3 hours R.5 3 hours R.6 1 hours R.4 3 hours R.2 2 hours 18

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Determine Critical Path How many paths are there? Which is the critical path? A 8 hours K 16 hours J 24 hours I 24 hours H 16 hours E 16 hours D 16 hours F 16 hours C 16 hours B 40 hours G 24 hours Four Paths: A-B-E-J-K A-B-D-H-I-J-K A-C-F-H-I-J-K A-C-G-K 19

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. PERT/CPM Critical Path Method (CPM) determines the length of all paths and identifies the longest path. AKJ G E IH F D C B Four Paths: A-B-E-J-K 104 hrs. A-B-D-H-I-J-K 144 hrs. A-C-F-H-I-J-K 120 hrs. A-C-G-K 64 hrs. 20

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Network Activity list 10 TASKS! 21

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Network Analysis - Weekly worksheet tells you what you should worry about! ID ABCDEFGHIJKABCDEFGHIJK Critical Path Early Start No. of Hours Early Finish Late Start Late Finish Slack Time

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Things to know about the Critical Path Method Any activities starting late on the critical path will delay the project. Shortening activities on the critical path can reduce the overall project duration. Shortening activities not on the critical path will not impact project duration. The Critical Path is the baseline you should use when negotiating scope, resources or date changes. Build small CPM networks rather than one comprehensive one 23

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. The BIG Finish! 5 Easy Steps to Paradise

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Execution & Control - 5 Easy Steps… 1. Create work package 2. Assign work package to team member 3. Track completion of each work package 4. Assess the impact of any variance 5. Report the impact to the team & executive sponsor Repeat these activities every week! 25

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 1. Create a work packages 26

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 2. Assign work package to a team member. 27

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 3. Track the completion of each work package. Binary completion status: 0% or 100% 28

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 4. Assess the impact of any variance. 29

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Phase: Analysis & Design Week:12 of 14 Total no. of programs 596 Analysis & Design Development complete 553 Analysis & Design QA complete Report the impact to the team & executive sponsor. 30

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Execution and Control is a hands-on activity: 1.Create weekly work packages 2.Assign the work packages to a team member 3.Track the completion of each work package 4.Assess the impact of any variances 5.Report the impact to your team and the executive sponsor 31

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. 32 Final Thoughts! You must create work packages to assign work You must complete the work on the critical path this week to remain on schedule

© Copyright 2008, Information Control Corporation. All rights reserved. Thank You! Donald Jackson Director, Business Intelligence – cell 33