one-person
the
project management team
Amanda Etches-Johnson, IL2008

project
management?
what do I know about

not much

one-person
the
project management team
• one-person project management?
• project management @ my library
• the context: my project
• challenges
• tips

{one person}
the
project team?

oxymoron
it’s an

projects
fail
one person
when they depend too much on

project managers
people
develop the
not the
thing

is it even
project
management
no team ?
if there’s

project
{
management }
@ my library

lots
of projects

varying levels of
PM training

no
enterpriseproject
management
framework (yet)

project management
on the fly

me
what does that mean for
as a project manager?

{ context}
the

project
my
redesign the library website

redesign
the library website
• adopt the new campus brand
• implement a CMS
• ...just make it better!

the
timeline
• started in 2006
• really started in 2007
• really, truly started in 2008

the
timeline
go live? fall 2008

players
the
• advisory committee
• sysadmin
• co-op student
• me

{ challenges}
the

project manager
a person responsible
for planning, executing,
and closing a project

project team
...works under a project
manager and consists of
various members with
responsibility for certain
aspects of the project.

sometimes you are
both

being
manager + team is hard
plan, determine
requirements, develop,
wireframe, build, user
testing, beta, launch, fix
bugs, document,
communicate throughout

being
manager + team is hard
managing expectations

being
manager + team is hard
where does the planning stop & the doing start?

{
tips to keep you
sane}

timeline yourself
• beware over-planning!
• timeline in 1-week chunks
• deadlines are your friend

best
practices still apply
• the project charter
- title
- synopsis
- scope
- dates
- resources
- stakeholders

best
practices still apply
• version control
- keeps you on track
- especially important for tech projects

best
practices still apply
• watch for scope creep
- stick to the plan
- more features = more time OR resources
(or both)

best
practices still apply
break the project into
manageable chunks

best
practices still apply
manage expectations

best
practices still apply
document

don’t
apply
some practices
Gantt charts

don’t
apply
some practices
complex PM software

advisory
use
that
committee
• advice!
• decision-making

working
groups
assemble
• deal with a specific issue
• short, firm timeline

everyone
project
is your
team !
don’t isolate yourself, don’t
get lonely, the whole library
can be your project team!

{questions?}
advice?
experiences to share?

{thanks!}
this presentation is online at
http://blogwithoutalibrary.net/talk/il2008/pm.pdf

image credits
• bicycles http://www.flickr.com/photos/prosto/1694841563/
• trophies http://www.flickr.com/photos/opticallyactive/212340456/
• framework http://www.flickr.com/photos/sifter/292158704/
• tightrope http://flickr.com/photos/schoppik/137915309/
• question mark http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleaf/2536358399/
• snowbirds http://www.flickr.com/photos/damclean/187056021/
• stacked snowbirds http://www.flickr.com/photos/fwp/49515622/
• gantt chart http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:GanttChartAnatomy.png