Project management is an art or science

1. Art and Science of Project
Management
(V1.1)
Willow Junya
November 8, 2007

2. Topics
• Science of Project Management
• Art of Project Management
• Scenarios

3. Science of Project Management
• WWPMM
• PMBOK
• Other tools
– Build activities
– Calculate schedule
– Determine Budgets
– Forecast resource requirements
– Measure performance
– Estimate risk probabilities

4. Art of Project management
Is how to use the tools and applying the
techniques to achieve project goals

5. Scenarios
• Estimating the known unknown
• Missing major milestones
• Managing unrealistic project schedule

6. Estimating the known unknown
• Develop activities in phases
• Identify tasks with the greatest
unpredictability
• Focus on the factors causing
the risk
• Develop risk management
strategy for monitoring or
controlling these factors
• Create management reserve in
the project plan. Use the
management reserve when the
unpredictable arises
• Communicate and set
expectation with stakeholders

7. Missing Major Milestones
• Review SOW and determine
current project status and
budget
• Prioritize the remaining scope
• Identify critical path
• Create a project plan with
infinite resources
• Identify and add new
resources, do not expect
immediate productivity
• Present project plan with
realistic estimated schedule
• Schedule daily project status
meetings focusing on
completing near-term tasks
"Our last Project Manager hit the ground running,
but he lacked direction."

8. Managing unrealistic project
schedule
• Ensure the scope and
deliverables are clear and
really necessary to accomplish
the purpose
• Develop project plan options
for what can be done to meet
the goal
• Perform risk assessment to
identify danger points
• Frequently reporting progress
status
• Raise the alarm on the
performance won’t match the
plan
• Do not give up on changing
project sponsor’s expectations