1. Project Management What is Project Management?
Tracking project timing and cost.
What is a project?
a “temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service.”
(A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide). Newton Square, PA: Project Management Institute (PMI), 2000.)
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2. Project Management Why do Project Management?
To effectively plan a project in order to maximize the probability of successful completion – on time and within budget.
To monitor if your project is staying on time and is within budget.
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3. Project Management
What questions might project managers be interested in?
How long will the project take?
Can I add manpower or tools to reduce the overall project length?
To which tasks should I add manpower?
What tasks are on the critical path?
Is the project on schedule?
When should materials and personnel be in place to begin a task?
Am I within budget?
Should I transfer funds between line items?
Other?…
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4. Project Management - Examples
University Center
Other major construction projects
Large defense contracts
NASA projects (space shuttle)
Product development
Global product development
Senior Design projects
Other…
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5. Project Management - Timing
A project consists of a series of tasks with estimated durations.
Consider building a house:
Step A: Prepare site (5 days)
Step B: Build foundation (8 days)
Step C: Frame walls and roof (15 days)
Step D: Rough in plumbing (12 days)
Step E: Rough in electrical (10 days)
Step F: HVAC venting (8 days)
Step G: Drywall (11 days)
Step H: Finish electrical (5 days)
Step I: Finish plumbing (4 days) Step M: Paint (5 days)
Step J: Finish HVAC (2 days) Step N: Landscape (5 days)
Step K: Install kitchen (8 days)
Step L: Install baths (14 days)
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6. Project Management - Timing
Timing – Gantt Chart
Tasks and task durations are often represented as Gantt Charts.
Provides good visual feedback regarding tasks, timing, what is on time & what is late, etc.
No consideration for task precedence.
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7. Project Management - Timing
Timing – Network Diagram
Tasks must sometimes be performed in series, or may at times be performed in parallel.
For the house example, let each arc represent a project task/job.
Each arc is identified by a job letter and duration. Note the
dummy jobs indicating precedence that jobs H and I must complete before K or L begins. 2
A,5 1 3 4 5 6 9 10 7 8 11
B,8
C,15
D,12
F,8
E,10
G,11
H,5
I,4
J,2
K,8
L,14
M,5
N,5
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8. Project Management - Timing
Critical Path
Why is knowing the critical path important? 2
A,5 1 3 4 5 6 9 10 7 8 11
B,8
C,15
D,12
F,8
E,10
G,11
H,5
I,4
J,2
K,8
L,14
M,5
N,5
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9. Project Management - Cost
Costs
Estimate your costs by task (add a safety factor, 20-50%?)
Also called itemizing
Track your costs by item
Formally transfer/track transfer of budget between line items.
Stay within budget!!
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10. Project Management - Resources
How do resources affect project management?
Add workers to reduce task time.
Remove workers if a task is not on critical path.
Ensure tools and supplies are available at start of each task.
Other?
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11. Project Management - Tools
Software
Most Popular (Listed by Yahoo.com)
Blue Angel Technologies, Inc. - provider of metadata management tools.
Niku Corporation (Nasdaq:NIKU) - develops enterprise application software that cuts costs and
increases productivity by automating the work of internal service organizations.
eRoom Technology, Inc. - makers of a browser-based product used to manage projects,
collaborate on documents, share information, and hold discussions. Formerly Instinctive Technology.
Mindjet - developers of software to help business people organize information into visual maps
which display relationships among diverse information.
eProject - specializes in web-based project management and team collaboration software that
includes integration with WAP and palm-held devices. Available on-site or as a hosted service.
Primavera Systems, Inc - Software tools for managing both small and large projects.
Elite.com - offers web-based project management and time and billing software.
Welcom Software Technology - provides project management, collaboration, and cost management
solutions.
Scitor Corporation Business Solutions Group - provides project and process management software
solutions and services.
FreeTaskManager.com - offers free web-based bug tracking and project management software
designed for business managers and developers.
116 additional sites listed in alphabetical order (did not include MicroSoft Project)
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12. Project Management - Tools
Manual Method
Can you manage projects manually?
Absolutely! (Who managed the building of the Egyptian pyramids and what software did they use?)
Excel is a common tool used to “manually” track projects.
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13. Applying Project Management
Initial Setup
Identify task and task precedence
Estimate task cost and timing
Identify critical path
Modify resource allocation to adjust task timing and costs
Continuous Monitoring
Update if timing has changed
Identify if still on time
Identify if critical path has shifted
Modify costs as “real” costs are realized
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14. Applying Project Management
Project: A cookout for the ISE 312 class. The grill, tables, and chairs will be borrowed from the university, but all food, condiments, plates, etc., as well as cooking and cleanup, are the responsibility of the class.
Steps:
Identify task and task precedence
Estimate task cost and timing
Identify critical path
Modify resource allocation to adjust task timing and costs
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15. Applying Project Management
Tasks, task precedence, cost, and timing.
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16. Applying Project Management
Network diagram …
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17. Real World Examples
Project: development of the Whirlpool Duet® washer/dryer pair
Global project
European front-loader platform, North American design group, manufactured and sold in both North America and Europe.
Short development time (<3 years, compared to 5+ for major platform development.)
Challenges centered around distance between design and development groups, differences in manufacturing processes and materials, etc.
Success of the project attributed to strong project management, communication, and cooperation among the team.
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18. Real World Examples
Project: design and manufacture of a new private jet for Gulfstream
Global project
Parts manufactured in 5 different countries around the world.
Engine manufacturer a newly merged corporation in Germany.
Key to success – mitigation plans (‘what happens if something goes wrong?’)
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