1. How to do Successful Project Management in a Competitive Industry
J. Mauricio Najarro
Technical Director
IT Sponsored & Infrastructure PMO
SBC Services

2. Agenda Does Project Management add value to the bottom line?
Setting clear business and IT objectives (Project Requirements)
Dealing with project creep (project refresh)
Managing challenging projects through virtual teams
Methodology or Tools, which one should first to make project management successful
A case study: Reasons for a successful implementation of a Billing Project
Measurements
The Importance of a Project Champion
Other processes that support a successful project management:
Portfolio Management/Governance
Governance Process Goals
Business Case Guidelines

3. Does Project Management add value to the bottom line?
Organizations can make considerable gains by planning and instituting formal project management practices
Organizations without formal project management practices will be at a competitive disadvantage
Investment in project management gives an overall return on investment of 27.9%, according to the Center for Business Practices
Maturity in project management is considered the single most important factor in project management performance and ROI
To measure the value of project management you can utilized a balanced scorecard that includes qualitative and quantitative measures

4. Setting clear business and IT objectives
Make sure that business objectives are clearly stated, understood and documented
Communicate IT objectives and verify that alignment with business objectives exists
Clear set of requirements needs to be documented and signed-off at a walk thru
Do not move ahead to next phase until:
Sign-off has been obtained by both parties Business (Client) and Applications (IT) or
A plan to get there has been established to be completed not far from the beginning of the next phase with deliverables (action items), due dates and responsible persons assigned to each action item

5. Dealing with project creep (project refresh)
Diligently invest time in project scope planning and then manage scope change control
Once business requirements are signed off, any changes to them need to be assessed for impacts to cost, resources, and timeline
A formal Change Management process needs to be in place
Change Request forms need to be filled out and discussed at the next project team meeting after a change is introduced
Alternatives should be included
Decision on which alternative needs to be taken and implemented with everyone in agreement
If no agreement can be obtained, escalation to the next level of management needs to follow

6. Managing challenging projects through virtual teams
Clear definition of roles and responsibilities
Establishment of communication guidelines, patterns, and state shared objectives
Address conflict resolution, either privately or with the entire team, but head on
Effective use of People, Process, and Technology
Make sure common understanding of terminology exist
Clear set of engagement rules need to be established

7. Methodology or Tools, which one should first?
Are you following an established project management methodology? Usually the answer to this question is “NO’
This is the first step. Define, Establish, Understand, and practice throughout the organization
Develop a solid methodology and approach for managing projects first and then find the tool to support and increase the efficiency of the methodology

8. A case study: Internet Billing
Reasons for a successful project implementation:
Maintaining a dialogue between Marketing, Network, IT, IP on content and business functions
Keep in mind job mandates and personalities are different between Marketing and IT
Marketing thinks about opportunities, raking in revenue , promising new and more exciting services and IT deals with limitations, lack of resources, and financial barriers
If you are having problems with the dialogue, get everyone in person if necessary and work out a plan with inputs from both sides
Have IT speak the Marketing language. Instead of talking technology, talk cost and profitability
Keep having a walkthrough at the end of every phase of the lifecycle to ensure you are still on track
Whenever there is questions on content or business function go back to the original requirements
Working with 3rd parties from day one to ensure that their requirements are integrated into the plan
Engage 3rd parties and keep them engage to make sure their requirements are integrated into the plan
Develop a complete set of data requirements, which includes documenting data fields and their ownership
Study and utilize key learning points to help make your implementation subsequent projects run more smoothly
Develop a solid methodology and approach for managing projects and then focus on finding a tool to help support and increase efficiency of the methodology

9. Measurements Metrics in place
To be able to better estimate projects
Establish data points at every SDLC phase
Utilize metrics to improve performance
Make sure metrics are utilize consistently across organizations
On schedule means the same in multiple organizations
Measure against self and other organizations
Start to benchmark within the industry
Understand metrics within the process and business
Projects improve business, business improves projects

10. The Importance of a Project Champion
Every medium to large size project needs an identified champion
Provide executive sponsorship
Scope
Budget
Able to endorse recommendations for the various projects
Final authority on “impasses”
Instrumental in defending the project if budget cuts occur
The role of the project sponsor is critical
Define
Defend
If personnel change, priorities change
Often a factor in supplier relationships
May be contracts with outsourcers
Implementing technology
Mature processes help make decisions more scientific and less political

11. Portfolio Management/Governance
Step 1: Gather: Do a Project Inventory
This is about creating ONE list of projects that are underway with basic data like project title, length, estimated cost, ROI, business benefit, etc.
Step 2: Evaluate: Identify Projects That Match Strategic Objectives
Establish the portfolio process. Who will serve on the steering committee? When will the committee meet? How will the initial “first cut” list be defined, ensuring a match between projects and the companies objectives, etc.
Step 3: Prioritize: Score and Categorize Your Projects
From the “first cut” list, how will we finalize the portfolio and determine objectively, which projects are the “best” from a holistic, corporate perspective.
Step 4: Review: Actively Manage Your Portfolio
How often will the committee meet? How often are projects reviewed or new projects considered? What will cause us to “kill” a project? How will we know the health of a project underway? Etc.

12. Governance Process Goals
Ensure that the organization’s financial and personnel resources are aligned with the corporate strategy and business needs
Provide clients, the corporation and IT leadership with insight into utilization of IT financial and personnel resources
Provide information necessary to prioritize limited IT resources and identify potential gaps in resources
Ensure IT meets financial and personnel commitments
Provide on-going review of the IT program portfolio and identify the need or opportunity for budget and portfolio adjustments
Coordinate with other business units to deliver the total enterprise solution for corporate initiatives
Enable cost, resource and program management tracking and reporting capabilities

13. Business Case Guidelines
Thresholds to determine the need for a business case
Project > $350,000 total cost - requires a business case
Project < $350,000 total cost – part of the general business case
Business Case Approval For Project Authorization
IT must receive validated business case from the
Business Case Group
IT Governance will validate the following from an
IT perspective
Architectural compliance has been met
Any hardware requests processed & approved
Expense and Headcount coverage determined
Governance coordinates with IT Leadership and IT Finance sign off