1 Project Management

2 Outline PM in today’s environment PM in today’s environment rapid change rapid change BPR BPR The project plan The project plan Management & communications Management & communications Organizational, people, political issues Organizational, people, political issues Stakeholders Stakeholders Tools & methodologies Tools & methodologies

3 Three Disciplines

4 Why Projects Succeed User involvement User involvement Exec management support Exec management support unequivocal sponsorship unequivocal sponsorship Clear understanding & statement Clear understanding & statement of requirements Effective planning Effective planning Realistic expectations Realistic expectations Standish Group survey of IT execs

5 Customers = Needs/Requirements Needs analyst traits: Needs analyst traits: strong ability to deal with customers strong ability to deal with customers political skills political skills technically competent technically competent open-minded & imaginative open-minded & imaginative high tolerance for ambiguity high tolerance for ambiguity articulate articulate Technicians tend to produce Mercedes not the Hyundai that = s wanted Technicians tend to produce Mercedes not the Hyundai that = s wanted

6 Attaining Political Credibility Establish mission Establish mission what products/services we provide what products/services we provide Identify customers Identify customers functional (direct) functional (direct) political (indirect) political (indirect) Survey customers Survey customers what expectations/perceptions exist? what expectations/perceptions exist? criteria for measuring them? criteria for measuring them? triggers for them? triggers for them?

7 Sources of Project Risk General sources environmental (largely uncontrollable) environmental (largely uncontrollable) external, e.g. government regulations external, e.g. government regulations internal, e.g. new division VP internal, e.g. new division VP technical technical market market financial financial people people

8 Realistic Estimating Lots of reasons for poor estimates Lots of reasons for poor estimates inexperience, technical problems, changes optimists, low- balling, politics inexperience, technical problems, changes optimists, low- balling, politics Bottom-up cost estimating Bottom-up cost estimating rollup the WBS packages rollup the WBS packages Top-down or Parametric estimating Top-down or Parametric estimating from experience to complex models from experience to complex models

9 Configuration Management (CM) Resist change via bureaucracy Resist change via bureaucracy Change control via CM Change control via CM Rigorously screen changes Rigorously screen changes formal process for assessing merit formal process for assessing merit major or minor impact? major or minor impact? if major goes to Change Control Board (CCB) if major goes to Change Control Board (CCB) document changes document changes update baseline update baseline

10 Earned Value Approach Developed in 1960s for large defense projects; now used in smaller projects Developed in 1960s for large defense projects; now used in smaller projects rule assumes task 50% complete when started, 100% when completed rule assumes task 50% complete when started, 100% when completed Compare earned value to planned costs Compare earned value to planned costs Collecting data Collecting data large projects employ cost account managers large projects employ cost account managers for smaller projects, use rule, take advantage of milestones, or can guess using experience for smaller projects, use rule, take advantage of milestones, or can guess using experience Limitations of earned value Limitations of earned value availability of accurate, timely data availability of accurate, timely data educational; need organizational understanding educational; need organizational understanding

11 Post-Implementation Audit Evaluate project’s achievements against plan Evaluate project’s achievements against plan budget, deadlines, specifications, quality of deliverables, client satisfaction budget, deadlines, specifications, quality of deliverables, client satisfaction Six questions: Six questions: 1. Project goal achieved? 2. On time, within budget & per specs? 3. Client (stakeholder) satisfied? 4. Business value realized? 5. PM lessons learned? 6. What worked, what didn’t?