1. Project Management Information and Tracking Basics
Technology Services
Project Management Office

2. Course Outline Background Requirements Analysis Project Classification
VCU Project Management Methodology
Project Management Information and Tracking System
Requirements Analysis
Project Classification
PMIT System Demo
Lab
Discussion/Questions

3. Background
VCU signs Tier III Management Agreement with COVA in mid-2007
Project Management Office created in early 2008 to meet COVA requirements
TS Task Force determines PM methodology and system requirements
Project Management Information and Tracking System goes live in July 2009

4. VCU Project Management Methodology
Combination of best practices from
Project Management Institute (PMI)
VITA
Other colleges/universities
Projects are classified and managed according to four criteria
Cost
Resources
Time
Risk

5. VCU Project Management Methodology
The more complex a project:
the greater the planning requirements
the more involved the execution and control
the more advanced skills and greater experience the PM must have
All projects have a single identified Project Manager and a Project Sponsor
Anyone in Technology Services is eligible to become a Project Manager by meeting the education and experience qualifications

6. VCU Project Management Methodology
PMs are responsible for all aspects of their projects – planning, monitoring, control, budget, change management, etc., etc.
VCU’s PM Methodology is subject to both internal and State audit
JLARC did perform an audit in 2010 and found VCU in compliance with all COVA requirements

7. VCU Project Information System
Lack of funding meant a COTS system was not feasible
Evaluated freeware
Limited shareability
Linear communications
Task and schedule focused
Weak analysis and reporting capabilities
Decision was made to design and build one ourselves (within limited resources & time)

8. VCU Project Information System
System Requirements
Web-accessible w/ CAS authentication
Relational database
Data input workflows with status indicators
Lean and agile with minimal overhead on Project Managers
The amount of documentation and required project management activities scales with the level of the project
Reporting and data analysis capabilities for operational, managerial, and strategic purposes

9. Project Management Information and Tracking System
PMIT system consists of two components
Data entry
Modified version of the Change Management System application’s Web-based architecture
SQL/Server database, ASP.Net application
Reporting and analysis
SAS Enterprise Business Intelligence tool
Both use CAS/eID to authenticate

10. Project Management Information and Tracking System
PMIT’s internal role-based security authorizes users
Project Managers can enter and update data for their projects only
TS projects accessible by TS staff only
School/department projects accessible by their staff only
All TS staff can view any and all project information and access all strategic, managerial, and operational reports

11. Project Management Information and Tracking System
Purpose of PMIT is to punish you for being a Project Manager
- NOT -
PMIT is designed to serve TS needs for:
Capturing project information for tracking and analysis
Sharing best practices and lessons learned
Enhancing planning skills
Improving on-time and within-budget deliverables

12. Requirements Analysis
Critical step in any project is a complete a thorough Requirements Analysis
Document and obtain agreement from the sponsor & primary stakeholders on the project’s
Mission, goals and objectives
Deliverables and how measured
Contribution to unit and University strategic goals
Required budget
Begin-to-end time to complete
Impact on resource base
Project risk and strategies

13. Requirements Analysis
Requirements Analyses templates are available on the PMO Web site
Initially, the RA may be done by a more senior PM in your area (or by PMO)
The more accurate the analysis the greater the project’s chances of success!
Resist the temptation to skip or shorten this crucial effort!

14. Requirements Analysis
Key goal is to evaluate the project’s Return On Investment (ROI) and cost/benefit ratio
Focus on deliverables in business context:
Improve service
Reduce cost
Mitigate risk
A project can be worthwhile but not be worth doing!

15. Requirements Analysis
“We know our business and don’t need anyone to tell us how to do it”
New user technology almost always requires changes to existing business processes
A Business Process Analysis (BPA) will help insure those changes are identified and made
BPAs are the responsibility of the business owner but can be critical to TS project success

16. 1. Requirements Analysis
2. Classification Worksheet
3. Planning Templates
4. PMIT Data Entry

17. Requirements Analysis Guides
Short Form – simple projects
Long Form – more complex projects

18. Classification Worksheet
Using information from the RA, the PM completes the Classification Worksheet to arrive at the project’s complexity level
The classification is a guideline. If, for any reason, the PM feels the project to be higher in complexity than calculated, the project can always be managed at the next level
Projects are not to be managed at a lower level than calculated

19. Project Classification Criteria
Projects are classified by:
Budget
Time
Resources
Risk

20. Project Classification
Fast Track
80 hours or less
Two or less personnel from within one TS unit
Below $10,000 total cost
Low Complexity
Greater than 80 and less than 240 hours
Greater than two and less than 10 personnel
Greater than $10,000 and less than $100,000

21. Project Classification
Medium Complexity
Greater than six weeks and less than one year
Greater than 10 and less than 25 personnel
Greater than $100,000 and less than $500,000
High Complexity
Greater than one year
Greater than 25 personnel
Greater than $500,000

22. Project Classification
Complexity determines what project plan components are required
Fast Track
Fast Track Project Worksheet
Low Complexity
Project Information
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
Schedule
Communications Plan
Quality Management Test Plan

23. Project Classification
Medium Complexity
Project Information
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
Schedule
Communications Plan
Quality Management Test Plan
Quality Management IV&V Plan
Budget Plan
Spending Plan
Risk Plan

24. Project Classification
High Complexity
Project Information
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
Schedule
Communications Plan
Quality Management Test Plan
Quality Management IV&V Plan
Budget Plan
Spending Plan
Risk Plan
Procurement Plan
Change and Configuration Management Plan
Performance Plan

25. Classification Worksheet
Review PMO Web Site
Classification Worksheet

26. PMIT System
Once you authenticate with your eID and password, PMIT home page displays
You have two options:
Data Review
Data Management
In Data Review, you can review previously entered project data
In Data Management, you can enter a new project or update an existing one

27. PMIT System For existing projects, you can
Assign to another project manager
Previous PM can no longer update
Suspend a project
Retains all data entered
Removes from management reports
Can be made Active again later
Delete a project
Removes it from the database
No longer available for any future action

28. PMIT System
PMIT has workflows for each project complexity level to automatically guide you through the entry of required plans
If interrupted, PMIT records where the workflow stopped and upon signing in again displays the completion status of all forms
Once all forms are completed, the status of the project is automatically set to Active

29. PMIT System
All project information can be edited/deleted until the project is Closed
Three aspects of active project performance will be monitored by the management dashboard
Scope
Budget
Schedule
PM must update status of all three at least every two weeks!

30. PMIT Demos Create a new Fast Track project
Create a new Low Complexity project
Update the LC project’s budget, scope and schedule status
Close the LC project

31. Classify example projects #1 and #2
LAB #1
Classify example projects #1 and #2
Identify the project plan templates needed for each
Enter the plan data into PMIT for #1

32. VCU Project Workflow Review
Project proposal
Builds the business case
Requirements analysis
Budget, Time, Resources, Risk, Alternative Solutions, Recommendation
Review, approve, prioritize according to:
Contribution to department, unit, and University goals and objectives
Return On Investment (ROI)

33. VCU Project Workflow Review
Assign Project Manager
TS Management with sponsor input
Develop Project Plan, enter and update project information in PMIT
Plans, reports and analyses
Monitor project performance
Update plans, record issues
Closeout
Obtain user acceptance of all deliverables
Close project in PMIT

34. Course Take-Aways
VCU’s management agreement with COVA requires a project management methodology be followed for University IT projects
TS Task Force developed VCU’s Project Management policy, standards, best practices and established requirements for PMIT system
Project manager skills and experience and PMIT requirements scale up with project complexity

35. Course Take-Aways
As a PM you may use any other project management tools you like, but you must enter and update data in PMIT
CIO says “If it’s not in PMIT it’s not a project…”
Anyone in TS is eligible to become a PM by meeting the education and experience qualifications
Anything that doesn’t work as designed, we can change for the better

36. PMIT Basics Questions/Discussion Project Management Office