Project Management

Planning Misconceptions Planning Stakeholders The Project Life Cycle Initiation Planning Project Management Tools Gantt Chart Plan Executing Monitoring and Controlling Closing

Project Management Planning, organizing, and managing resources to successfully complete a project –Achieve all project goals –Comply with all project constraints Resources Scope Time Budget

Planning Misconceptions It’s boring It takes too long It’s too difficult

Planning “The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry.” Robert Burns, 1785 – Scottish Poet

Planning Planning Questions Where When What Whom How and Why

“Zombie stakeholders” keep coming back again and again asking for changes. How can this be avoided? Stakeholders Stakeholders are those who are involved in, interested in, or affected by the project.

The Project Life Cycle Planning, Executing, and Controlling tasks form a loop Initiating Closing

Project Life Cycle Initiation Phase Client analysis Stakeholder input analysis Financial analysis and budget Constraints Program

Project Life Cycle Planning Communications Quality control Human resource management Procurement Cost management Schedule

Project Management Tools Project Organization Chart: Organizes everyone involved in the project.

Project Management Tools Gantt Chart: A bar chart representation of a project schedule

Gantt Chart Plan Choose Phases Option 1– Rule of Thirds –Research and Exploration –Design and Construction –Testing, Documentation, and Presentation Option 2 –Research and Exploration –Design –Construction –Testing –Documentation –Presentation Other Options

Gantt Chart Plan Choose Tasks Example Research and Exploration – Choose a topic – Research topic – Write Problem statement – Research past and present solutions – Write Statement of purpose – Conduct Market Research – Write Problem Proposal

Gantt Chart Plan Choose Tasks Example – Research past and present solutions Evaluate competition Patent research – Conduct market research Write market survey Administer market survey Analyze market survey results

Project Tasks... Should have value rather than be pointless. Should be important to the entire team, not just one member. Are more powerful and achievable if they are tied to deliverables. Be prepared to articulate the value of any task to team members.

Gantt Chart Plan Indicate Milestones Example Research and Exploration – Choose a topic – Research topic – Write Problem statement – Research past and present solutions – Write Statement of purpose – Conduct Market Research – Write Problem Proposal Milestone: Problem Proposal

Gantt Chart Plan Timeline When is the presentation date? When will milestones be delivered? What time will you spend? Time spent during and outside of class Cushion What will you need? Acquiring materials Scheduling facilities Expert feedback Permission

Gantt Chart Plan Personnel Who will help with the project? Team members Experts Instructor Remember, this is an evolving process! Things will change. Be flexible and keep your schedule updated, at least weekly.

Rule of Thirds Research and Exploration Design and Construction Testing, Documentation, and Presentation Problem SelectionDesign SpecificationTesting Criteria Topic BackgroundDecision MatrixTesting Procedure Problem StatementConcept TestingPhysical Testing Statement of PurposeDesign ProposalRecord Data Cited ValidationGantt Chart (timeline)Critical Design Review Cited JustificationSketching RefinementRedesign and Refine Past & Present Solutions Technical DrawingsRe-test Market ResearchMaterial ListDetermine Conclusion Project ProposalCostRecommendations Tool SelectionMultimedia Display Tool SafetyWeb Page Mock Up & ModelingResearch Paper Prototype Build ProcedureElectronic Portfolio Prototype Construction Design Proposal Prototype Build Procedure Technical Drawings Prototype Complete POSSILBE MILESTONES

Project Life Cycle Execution Completing project tasks Producing deliverables

Project Life Cycle Monitoring and Controlling Measuring project activities Monitoring project variables Cost Effort Scope Scope Creep Implementing corrective action when needed

Project Life Cycle Closing Finalizing all project activities Archiving files Documenting lessons learned

Project Management Planning Misconceptions Planning Stakeholders The Project Life Cycle Initiation Planning Project Management Tools Gantt Chart Plan Executing Monitoring and Controlling Closing

Image Resources Microsoft, Inc. (n.d.). Clip art. Retrieved September 30, 2009, from us/clipart/default.aspx