Project Management: Still More Art Than Science Presented By Donald W. Larson AC Bronze, CL June 6, 2007

Click mouse to continue

Original Whitepaper Source Click mouse to continue  Author: Kate Belzer - Copyright © 2001  ers/2001/0102papers.htm#01 ers/2001/0102papers.htm#01  Used here by Don Larson for Technical Presentations Manual Project #4, “Presenting a Technical Paper”

Change is Here to Stay Click mouse to continue  Organizations change at breakneck speed to satisfy customers and maintain competitive  To thrive in this environment, project managers must meet the needs of the organization and assist businesses in delivering value to customers

Understanding Business Value 1 Click mouse to continue  Who are our customers?  What value do we provide to them? (GAP Analysis)GAP Analysis  Who will be our customers in the future?  How will we satisfy their needs?

Delivering Business Value 2 Click mouse to continue  Strategic planning, through thoughtful consideration of these questions, leads to the creation of an organization that satisfies customer needs and provides an acceptable benefit to stakeholders  Strategic planning also provides a framework that stimulates projects to introduce new products and improve processes

Strategies Beget Projects 3 Click mouse to continue  Projects are implemented to advance organizational goals  Potential projects must be aligned with your company's mission and strategic direction  Project must be a strategic fit

What Makes a Project Successful? Click mouse to continue  Plan-Do-Check-Act [PDCA] (Walter Shewhart) Plan-Do-Check-Act -Limited knowledge, improving as we go -Velocity of change through iterations  Use processes, tools, and techniques  Soft skills -Working within the organization  Hard Skills (Supplemental Information) -Project Management Institute’s (PMI):Project Management Institute’s -Five Process Groups -Nine Knowledge Areas

Project Approaches Click mouse to continue  Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)  Unified Software Development Process  Critical Chain Project Management  Experience

PMBOK Tools, Processes, and Techniques Click mouse to continue  What is required by the process: -Inputs  What occurs during the process  What are the deliverables of the process: -Outputs

Using Only Hard Skills Click mouse to continue  No clear communication means unclear deliverables, requirements, and dissatisfied customer  Lack of open communication can lead to issues reaching a critical point  Developing a plan in isolation can cause team instability  Lack of leadership results in failure

Missing Link: The Appropriate Application of Soft Skills Click mouse to continue  A clear understanding and effective application of soft skills enhance the success of a project exponentially : -A project manager must communicate effectively, work within the organization’s culture, motivate the team, manage stakeholder expectations, understand business objectives, solve problems effectively, and make clear and knowledgeable decisions

Soft Skills: Communication Click mouse to continue  The most important skill: -Convey complex ideas easily -Clearly articulate what must be accomplished -Keep team moving toward a common goal -Foster an environment that allows team members to communicate openly and honestly -Admit own mistakes without losing respect -Negotiate, listen, and facilitate

Holistic View of Organization Click mouse to continue

Grow with Today’s Business Click mouse to continue  It is inherently complex  Constantly changing  Focused on customer satisfaction

Master the Challenge Click mouse to continue  Delivering business value on time, within budget, and to the customers' satisfaction is both science and art  Master the timeless soft skills to supplement the hard skills for success

Supplemental Information Click mouse to continue  Five PM Process Groups  Nine PM Knowledge Areas  20 Key Project Manager Actions and Results 20 Key Project Manager Actions and Results  Management By Objective Management By Objective  The Center for Collaborative Organizations The Center for Collaborative Organizations  Managing Team Conflict Managing Team Conflict

Five PM Process Groups Click mouse to continue 1.Initiating -Defines and authorizes the project or a project phase 2.Planning -Defines and refines objectives -Plans course of action 3.Executing -Integrates people and/or other resources

Five PM Process Groups Click mouse to continue 4.Monitoring and Controlling -Measure and monitors progress -Identifies variances -Takes corrective actions 5.Closing -Formalizes acceptance of deliverables -Brings project or phase to an orderly end

Nine PM Knowledge Areas Click mouse to continue 1.Project Management Integration - Identify processes and activities within the groups 2.Project Scope Management -Insure all the work required -Only the work required 3.Project Time Management -Accomplish timely completion

Nine PM Knowledge Areas Click mouse to continue 4.Project Cost Management -Planning -Estimating -Budgeting -Controlling 5.Project Quality Management -Satisfy needs of stakeholders

Nine PM Knowledge Areas Click mouse to continue 6.Project Human Resources Management -Organize and manage team 7.Project Communications Management -Ensure timely and appropriate: - generation, collection, distribution, storage, retrieval, and ultimate disposition of project information

Nine PM Knowledge Areas Click mouse to continue 8.Project Risk Management - Planning, identification, analysis, and appropriate responses for positive project outcome 9.Project Procurement Management - Purchase external products, services, or results

Title Footnotes Click mouse to continue  1; 2; and 3  Source: Project Management Fundamentals - Tony SwaimProject Management Fundamentals