Project Management – the
myths, mystery & stuff
Rebecca Davies
Aberystwyth University

• Project Management is the inevitable task for
the modern librarian – we can’t avoid it, we
can’t do without it, we have to LOVE it!
WHY?
• Speeding things up, catalyst, doing things
today that we wouldn’t have got done till next
year (or century!) trying to catch up...

The 
• To me it’s meant...
• A new building
• 25+ project staff over the years
• New skills
• RESPECT
• How to be honest when things are not working
• Big prizes...
• Speeding things up, catalyst, doing things today that
we wouldn’t have got done till next year (or century!)
trying to catch up...

The 
• Scary looming Deadlines –
• sleepless nights,
• dealing with consultants,
• Dealing with ICT!

• New Build
• DALLAS
• Switchboard Mergers
• Refurbs
• First Point of Contact Centre

The stuff
• · Ensure that the aims of the project are known and agreed.
• · Appoint the owner of the project (SRO)
• · Design an appropriate organisation structure for the project and appoint
individuals to the roles. Ensure that delegations and responsibilities are
clearly understood and do not overlap, especially where roles are
combined. Appoint role/s for the day-to-day management of the project.
For small or straightforward projects there could be a single role
combining the interfaces with the SRO and with the project team (Project
Sponsor/Project Director combined with Project Manager). For major
projects there will typically be separate roles for:
-client-side activities to manage the business requirements, providing the
interface between the SRO and the external project manager and team
(Project Sponsor/Project Director)
-supplier-side activities, with a project manager leading and managing the
project team (Project Manager)
-Form the project management team (including Project Board, if required)
• http://www.ogc.gov.uk/delivery_lifecycle_project_management.asp

& I wanted to be a princess...
• The PRINCE2 process model
• PRINCE2 is a structured approach to project management, released in 1996 as a
generic project management method.[13] It provides a method for managing
projects within a clearly defined framework. PRINCE2 describes procedures to
coordinate people and activities in a project, how to design and supervise the
project, and what to do if the project has to be adjusted if it doesn’t develop as
planned.
• In the method each process is specified with its key inputs and outputs and with
specific goals and activities to be carried out, which gives an automatic control of
any deviations from the plan. Divided into manageable stages, the method enables
an efficient control of resources. On the basis of close monitoring the project can
be carried out in a controlled and organized way.
• PRINCE2 provides a common language for all participants in the project. The
various management roles and responsibilities involved in a project are fully
described and are adaptable to suit the complexity of the project and skills of the
organization.
• Wikipedia

Agenda = \"Project Meeting\"
• 1. We got the money for the web 2 project
• 2. We've now seen the governance
information that we're expected to supply &
they're talking about Prince2 & PIDs, PRFs and
gateways.... Agghhh

Who can we include on the Project
Board & why

Stakeholder management?

Write PM Job description – who &
how?

Risks - what are they – in PM not
library language

“If you want a quality, act as
if you already had it”
• William James
• American Philosopher and Psychologist, leader of
the philosophical movement of
Pragmatism, 1842-1910
• http://thinkexist.com/quotes/william_james/