The Magnificent 7 Key Concepts in Project Management PMI Chapter Dinner May 17, 2010

Mike’s Assumptions about Project Management: It’s intuitive It’s simple It’s practical Purpose of Today’s meeting: Identify short list of key concepts in Project Management Provide simple tips/reminders for building them into your process

The Key to Success Which one is most important? Remember Epcot Center and Kentucky Fried Chicken Success Process Purpose People

Purpose

Purpose Exercise: Playing with Legos The customers desires a prototype Strong Tall Beautiful If anyone on the team does not agree that the structure meets the reqs, they must completely disassemble it and start over. You Have 10 Minutes!

And the winner is…

“Where there is no Vision, the Project will Perish” Key Concept #1 “Where there is no Vision, the Project will Perish” Mike Key Points:

#1 – Where there is no Vision, the Project will Perish Make Requirements a Requirement Create a Headline: “The purpose of this project is to <primary objective> by creating <primary deliverable>. Elevator Speech – 60 Second Project Statement

Process

“Planning Doesn’t Take Time – Key Concept #2 “Planning Doesn’t Take Time – It Makes Time.” Mike Key Points: How does planning make time?

#2 - Planning Makes Time. Remember the Lego Exercise Methodology Implementation Increased planning accuracy from 50% to 90% Reduced planning time from 25% to 15% Investing in planning improvements will give you the greatest return on PM Mike Key Points:

Measurements

“What You Measure Improves” Key Concept #3 “What You Measure Improves”

#3 – What You Measure, Improves Choose a short list of measures Measure where you’re experiencing pain Choose counter measures

“Run your project like a freight train, not an ice cream truck.” Key Concept #4 “Run your project like a freight train, not an ice cream truck.” Mike Key Points: Not everything you learn here will apply to all projects – large complex projects may required the whole toolbox, and you may have to go to other disciplines (quality & SPS) to complete the project. Some you may just need a few of the tools See page 3 of your PMBOK guide: Generally accepted… Bottom line: At no point does any methodology, process, procedure or tool relieve you of the responsibility to use your head.

#4 - Run your project like a freight train, not an ice cream truck Don’t make it too easy to get changes or they’ll nickel and dime you to death. The work of defining the change should be at least as much work as analyzing the impact. Formal request processes should inhibit trivial change requests. Mike Gold Plating is for jewelry, not projects!

People

People What Influences Behavior? Climate Politics Culture Commitment Peer Pressure Beliefs Objectives Leadership Norms Family Environment Fear “Buy-In” Values Prejudices Organizational Support Personalities Personal Initiative Anxiety Strategy Rules (written and unwritten) Behaviors Mike Truism #1: Project Management must deal with human behavior. Truism #2: Human behavior is seemingly complex, inconsistent and unpredictable.

Human Behavior Belbin Model Stephen Covey Meyers Briggs Blaine Lee The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People The 8th Habit: Find Your Voice and Inspire Others to Find Theirs Meyers Briggs Intuitive Sensing Judging Intro/Extro Belbin Model 8 Project Roles Action Oriented, People Oriented, Cerebral Blaine Lee The Power Principle Tony Robbins 7 Step Change Process Human Needs Psychology, Global Belief Systems, Metaprograms Tony Robbins Ultimate Relationships 7 Master Skills, 10 Disciplines of Love Dale Carnegie How to Win Friends & Influence People 29 Principles of Human Relations

Key Concept #6 “Be a Good Finder.” Mike Key Points:

#6 – Be a Good Finder “Positive Reinforcement” It works with dolphins, dogs, and people. Don’t motivate the team, motivate the individual.

Have you ever been pressured to… Reduce cost? Shorten your time frame? Add scope?

“Don’t negotiate the estimates, negotiate the trade-offs.” Key Concept #6 “Don’t negotiate the estimates, negotiate the trade-offs.” Mike What does this mean? Why is it so important?

Can you be… Late Over budget Deliver next to nothing …and still lay claim to successful project?

meets all stakeholder expectations to their full satisfaction. Key Concept #7 A successful project… meets all stakeholder expectations to their full satisfaction. Tim You can be over budget, late and deliver next to nothing and lay claim to a successful project. How?

#7 - Meet all stakeholder expectations to their full satisfaction. Meeting Stakeholder expectations does not mean giving them everything they want. The Project Manager is fully responsible for Stakeholder Expectations

The Magnificent 7 Purpose Where there is no Vision, the Project will Perish. Process Planning Makes Time What you Measure Improves Run your project like a Freight Train, not an Ice Cream truck People Be a Good Finder Don’t negotiate the estimates, negotiate the tradeoffs A successful project meets all stakeholder expectations to their full satisfaction