Where do I begin?!

Structuring the Project? That sounds good!

YOU plus Planning Teamwork Responsiveness Creativity Flexibility Communication The Best Start-Off

YOU plus

Planning

Teamwork

Responsiveness

Creativity

Flexibility

Communication

The Project Life Cycle Business details Full specifications Development Testing Implementation plans

Business details

Full specifications

Development

Testing

Implementation plans

The Usual Project Life Cycle Sleepless nights Not sure what to do Problems and issues Not enough help More sleepless nights

Sleepless nights

Not sure what to do

Problems and issues

Not enough help

More sleepless nights

Know your Allies Know who is affected. Know who is supportive. Know who isn’t supportive. Start to “win over” resistance. Build Brownie points.

Know who is affected.

Know who is supportive.

Know who isn’t supportive.

Start to “win over” resistance.

Build Brownie points.

Defin e the Project Ask the business “What are you trying the achieve? Don’t assume you know what they mean – they may not know what they mean themselves. Make sure your understanding is correct by reconfirming with the business.

Ask the business “What are you trying the achieve?

Don’t assume you know what they mean – they may not know what they mean themselves.

Make sure your understanding is correct by reconfirming with the business.

The Budget Little extras add up Keep an eye on it

Little extras add up

Keep an eye on it

Be Aware of Project Constraints Budget Expertise Politics Third Party Suppliers Communication & Relationships

Budget

Expertise

Politics

Third Party Suppliers

Communication & Relationships

Drill-Down Methods Start with the Objectives and work down Keep walking through it, so you know you understand each part. Delegate – you don’t need to know the technical details inside and out.

Start with the Objectives and work down

Keep walking through it, so you know you understand each part.

Delegate – you don’t need to know the technical details inside and out.

Have a Plan, but be flexible To fail to plan is to plan to fail Keep in mind possible “Plan B” Better to deliver something than nothing

To fail to plan is to plan to fail

Keep in mind possible “Plan B”

Better to deliver something than nothing

Example Tools Don’t spend more time on the plan than the project Gantt Charts MSProject

Don’t spend more time on the plan than the project

Gantt Charts

MSProject

Identifying Milestones Are there any points that I can easily monitor progress by? These are the points to take another look at budgets.

Are there any points that I can easily monitor progress by?

These are the points to take another look at budgets.

Keep Communicating! Communicate as much as possible. Communicate what you need to.

Communicate as much as possible.

Communicate what you need to.