The Simple Matter of Project Management

The Simple Matter of Project Management 30 th October 2011 Julian Hensman vision, clarity, focus vision, clarity, focus

The Simple Matter of Project Management - Contents
What is Project Management?
What is Methodology?
Why is everything so complicated?
How can we gain control?
Hints and Tips
Questions
SeOrb – Encouraging Quality through Intellectual Investment

The Simple Matter of Project Management - What is Project Management?
… but first, what is a project? And for that matter, what is a programme?
Project: Specific defined products (scope), with a start and a finish
Programme: Variable outcome focussed on benefit
Key Factors:
Scope
Schedule
Budget
Quality
OK, so what is Project Management?
Planning and Dependency Management
Risk and Issue Management
Change Management
Time Management
Resource Management
Financial Management
Communication and Stakeholder Management
Organisation
Process Management
etc, etc, etc…
SeOrb – Exceeding Expectation through Service Excellence

The Simple Matter of Project Management - Methodology
What is it?
PMI (CAPM / PMP)
MPMM
AMP PMBOK
PRINCE II
Sprint
Agile
Waterfall
Interactive
Incremental
Phased
RUP (Rationalised Unified Process)
CCPM (Critical Chain)
Scrum
Extreme Programming
Ten Step
MSP
ITIL
CMMI
…
SeOrb – Keeping it Simple Methodology is the study of methods . When we talk about using a methodology, we usually mean using a set of proven methods As a project manager, the chances are, you will be told which method to use! Project methods vs. Project Management methods … be careful!
What isn’t it?
Guarantee of success!
Always right! (MSP confuses issues and changes)
Useful, if nobody follows it, or it is only followed loosely or inconsistently
A replacement for common sense or core techniques.

The Simple Matter of Project Management - Why is everything so complicated?!!! SeOrb – Empowerment through Agility
Plans
Tasks, parent tasks
Fixed duration, fixed units, fixed work?
Dependencies and resource allocations
Schedule contingency and review periods
PBS/WBS?
Spreadsheet?!!!
Factors
Assumptions and dependencies
Risks and Issues
Changes and Deliverables
Actions
Budget: top down / bottom up / utilisation
Quality control vs. quality assurance
What is Quality?
Budget
Top down vs. bottom up?
How much will my project cost really?
Budget contingency?
All these things are linked and can be simplified!!!
Human Factors
Matrix reporting lines
Outsourced delivery
“ Experience”
Democracy

The Simple Matter of Project Management - How can we gain control? SeOrb – Common Sense Paradigm Project Work Items: PBS Risks Issues Changes Work: Activities Actions Milestones Resources Assignment Work Type Time: Planned Actual

The Simple Matter of Project Management - How can we gain control? SeOrb – The Art of the Possible
Project Linkages:- Examples
Assumptions vs Dependencies
Risks vs Issues
Defects vs Changes vs Deliverables
Actions vs Tasks
Project Linkages:- Show them in a dashboard
Gently Forcing Control
Project process: no need for extensive training, directives, influencing or persuasion, just a good “system”
Everything goes in the system, keep it centrally
If team members do not use the system, they have no information
By using the “system”, team members are, by definition, following the process
When everything is on the system, everything can be linked, coordinated and reportable
Simple but sensible process, coupled with meaningful reporting, provides total knowledge, enabling full control
Incorporate workflow, for management as well as delivery, to embed guidance and obviate training
The Simple Matter of Project Management - How can we gain control?

The Simple Matter of Project Management – Starter for 10
Standish Group 2006 CHAOS Survey: 67% of all IT projects fail
Use a “system” that promotes simple process and take time to set it up properly!
Is a project a democracy? Reporting line: Army & General
As simple as possible
Review time – plan it (fixed duration)!
Contingency – schedule vs. budget – keep them separate
Plan Activities – between 2 and 20 days
100 Lessons Learned by Jerry Madden, Goddard Space Flight Center http://askmagazine.nasa.gov/issues/14/practices/ask14_lessons_madden.htm
Objective based rewards. If you reward for delivering on time, do not expect Quality
Keep your Stakeholders interested
Communication, communication, communication
SeOrb – Vision. Clarity. Focus

http://www.seorb.com vision, clarity, focus Julian Hensman m: +44 (0)7818 060101 e: [email_address]

The Simple Matter of Project Management

by Iosif Itkin on Nov 13, 2011

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The Simple Matter of Project Management — Presentation Transcript