1. MIS5102: Process Improvement and Innovation Project Planning

2. “Magical”(?) Interdisciplinary View
Business
Technology
Customer
How does this view positively affect the project portfolio management process?
How does this view positively affect the project planning process?
How do organizational dynamics play a role?
(Berkun, Chapter 3.3)

3. What do you do? When do you do it? Who does what?
Recall our party planning exercise from the beginning of the semester…
What do you do?
When do you do it?
Who does what?

4. Elements of a Project Plan
What do you do?
When do you do it?
Who does what?
Process decomposition
Swim lane diagrams
RACI charts
We already have some tools we can use
You wouldn’t always use these specific tools, but many of the concepts are the same!

5. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Aircraft System
Air Vehicle
Receiver
Fire Control
Communication
Training
Equipment
Services
Peculiar Support Equipment
Depot
How is this like process decomposition?
How is it different?
What do you learn from this?

6. Design principles 100% rule Mutual exclusivity Outcomes, not actions
Level of detail
Why is each important in building a useful WBS?
How far should you break down a project?
What is the “problem” with estimation?

7. Understanding Dependencies
What are task dependencies?
Why is it important to understand them?
How are they used to turn a WBS into a project plan?

8. What does it mean for the task to be on the critical path?
Critical Path Analysis using PERT (Program Evaluation and Review Technique)
10 days
36 days
Create module 1
Software Unit Testing
15 days
15 days
15 days
15 days
System Test
Design
Create module 2
Software Unit Testing
7 days
5 days
3 days
Buy hardware
Hardware Config.
Hardware Testing
30 days
Write Manual
The work units on the longest path through the diagram are on the critical path.
What does it mean for the task to be on the critical path?

9. Allocating Work Assigning people to tasks
Build off of the work breakdown structure
What can a RACI chart tell you about allocation?
What can a Swim Lane Diagram tell you about allocation?

10. Allocating Work and the Critical Path
10 days
36 days
Create module 1
Software Unit Testing
15 days
15 days
15 days
15 days
System Test
Design
Create module 2
Software Unit Testing
7 days
5 days
3 days
Buy hardware
Hardware Config.
Hardware Testing
30 days
Entire Team
How does adding this information help the planning process?
Write Manual
Software Team 1
Software Team 2
Hardware Team
Communications

11. Key Considerations about Estimating
“Few people enjoy estimating complex things that they will be accountable for.” (Berkun, Chapter )
What is the result of that?
What can go wrong with estimation?
Two scenarios where we build a 95% confidence interval
10 days
Create module 1
-2 standard deviations from the mean
+2 standard deviations from the mean
Explain the difference between the scenarios
What are the implications for project planning?
For the triple constraint?
For allocating resources?
9  10  11
-2 standard deviations from the mean
+2 standard deviations from the mean
6  10  14