1. University of Alberta Technology Training Center
Developed by Priscilla Bahrey, PMP
Project Management
Principles and Practices
2. Overview
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of
Project Management – the principles and practices to
help you to manage a project or to participate more
effectively as part of a project team.
This training guide covers related Project Management
principles related to planning and executing a project,
managing people and resources, connecting with
stakeholders, maintaining and managing scope,
budget and timelines.
3. By the end of this Project Management Practices and
Principles course, you will have an understanding of how to:
• plan and execute a project
• manage people and resources
• connect with stakeholders
• maintain and manage scope, budget and timelines
Training Objectives:
5. • What is your Project Management Experience?
• What types of projects will you be involved in?
• What would you like to get out of the course?
Introductions
7. This unit will cover:
•Project Successes/Failures
•What is Project Management?
•Project Management Knowledge Areas
•Project Life Cycle
Unit 1: Introduction
8. What is a Project?
Project
• A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product,
service, or result
—PMBOK®
“PMBOK” is a trademark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.
9. Why do projects fail?
(Discuss what you have seen in your assigned teams)
Activity
10. 1. Poor project and program management discipline
2. Lack of executive-level support
3. No linkage to the business strategy
4. Wrong team members
5. No measures for evaluating the success of the project
6. No risk management
7. Inability to manage change
Reasons for Project Failure
11. Project management
•The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to
project activities to meet the project requirements
—PMBOK®
Project Management
12. 1. Integration Management
2. Scope Management
3. Time Management
4. Cost Management
5. Quality Management
6. Human Resource Management
7. Communication Management
8. Risk Management
9. Procurement Management
10. Stakeholder Management
PM Knowledge Areas
13. • On time
• Within budget
• Satisfied Stakeholders
Project Success Criteria
18. • Initiate the Project
• Identify the Project Manager
• Develop the Project Charter
• Identify the Stakeholders
• Define Planning Phase
• Sign off on the Project Charter
Initiating Phase
19. • Develop a Project Plan (work plan)
• Organize and staff the project
• Sign off on the Project Plan
Planning Phase
20. • Execute the Project Plan
• Manage the Project Plan
• Implement the project’s results
• Sign off on project’s completion
Executing, Monitoring and Controlling Phase
21. • Document the Lessons Learned during the project
• Post-implementation review
• Provide performance feedback
• Close-out contracts
• Complete administrative close-out
• Final project report
Closing Phase
22. Discuss the rationale for the Phases of a Project and
the consequence of rushing into the Planning phase
too soon
Discussion
23. What is Project Management?
Key Functional Areas
Project life cycle
Unit 1 Review
24. This unit will cover:
•How Projects are selected
•How Projects are defined and approved
•How to identify and manage Stakeholders
Unit 2: Initiating (Definition)
26. Business Case:
•Reasons why the project is undertaken
•Options that were considered
•Benefits that are hoped to be realized
•High-level risks
•High-level costs & schedule
•Cost/benefit analysis
Feasibility Study:
•A general estimate used to determine whether a particular project should
be pursued
27. The Project Manager must understand:
• Goals (the need for the project and the measurable benefits)
• Scope
• Time to complete
• Estimates of timeline, resource requirements and costs
Business Goals & Objectives
28. S – Specific
M – Measurable
A – Agreed upon
R – Realistic
T – Time-bound
SMART objectives
29. Using the Case Study:
1) Define a Service that you will showcase
2) Create a SMART Project Objective for the project
- S – Specific
- M – Measurable
- A – Agreed upon
- R – Realistic
- T – Time-bound
Activity
30. • Purpose statement (Project Objectives)
• Scope statement (In/Out)
• Project approval requirements
• Benefits and risks
• High-level cost and schedule estimates
• Sign-off (approval to move to planning)
Project Charter
31. • Purpose statement
• Project scope
• Project deliverables
• Goals & objectives
• High-level cost and schedule estimates
• Stakeholders
• Benefits and risks
• Assumptions and constraints
• User acceptance criteria
Statement of Work (SOW)
32. What is the rationale for getting Approval or sign-off on
the project and what are the consequences of not
getting approval to proceed?
Discussion
34. • Create a Project Charter for the case study
• Scope (in/out)
• Project Deliverables
• Success Criteria
• Assumptions and Constraints
• High-level Cost and Schedule and Risks
• Determine who would sign-off
Activity
35. PMI defines Stakeholders as: “An individual, group or
organization who may affect, be affected by,
or perceive itself to be affected by a decision, activity
or outcome of the project”.
Stakeholder Management
36. Step 1) Identify Stakeholders
Step 2) Determine Key Stakeholders
Step 3) Determine how to Communicate (and manage
conflicts) with Stakeholders
Stakeholder Management
37. • Shares responsibility for project success
• Has authority to make decisions and may provide
funding
• Overcomes political and organizational obstacles
Project Sponsor
38. • Uses the product or services
• May be internal or external
• Provides requirements
• May have multiple categories or roles
The Customer/User
39. • Group of stakeholders who approve and agree on:
• Project scope
• Schedule
• Budgets
• Plans
• Changes
Steering Committee
40. • Line managers who are responsible for delivering
business results once the project is completed
Working Committee
41. • May manage or supply people that work on the team
• Need to be communicated with
• Need their commitment to the project
Functional Managers
43. Identify Stakeholders from the Case Study
Determine who are the Key Stakeholders
Define the Key Stakeholders’
responsibilities/goals/concerns/success criteria
Activity
44. Discuss the importance of knowing who the Key
Stakeholders are and the consequence of not
communicating with them effectively
Discussion
45. • Ultimately responsible for project success
• Plans the project
• Maintains focus on the project’s objective
• Leads and manages the Project Team
What is the role of the Project Manager?
47. Trait 1: Enthusiasm for the project
Trait 2: Ability to manage change effectively
Trait 3: A tolerant attitude toward ambiguity
Trait 4: Team building and negotiating skills
Trait 5: A customer-first orientation
Trait 6: Adherence to the priorities of business
Trait 7: Knowledge of the industry or technology
Seven Traits of Good Project Managers
48. Gain consensus on Project Outcomes
Build the best team you can
Develop a plan and keep it up to date
Remember that people count
Gain the support of Management and Key Stakeholders
Keep others informed of what you are doing
Project Leadership
49. What can the Project Manager do to gain consensus
and buy-in on project objectives?
How can you build synergy on the project team?
(What is your team is a virtual team?)
Discussion
50. Establish Ground Rules for a Project Team
(Brainstorm Ground Rules that would be appropriate for this 3-Day
Project Management Course)
Activity
51. • Project definition
• Business case
• Project Charter
• Stakeholder identification
• Project Leadership
Unit 2 Review
52. This unit will cover planning:
• Scope (WBS)
• Schedule (Network Diagram)
• Cost (Project Budget)
• Responsibility Allocation (RAM)
Unit 3: Planning
54. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
The WBS is defined by PMI as, "a deliverable-oriented grouping of project
elements that organizes and defines the total work scope of the project….”
55. • Breaks the large project into manageable units
• Defines the total scope of the project
• Starts with the deliverables
• Shows work packages (tasks or activities)
• Allows you to organize work to then be scheduled
• Allows you to be able to assign work to team members and
identify resources needed
• Communicates all the work that needs to be done
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
56. 1. Break work into independent work packages that can be
sequenced, assigned, scheduled and monitored
2. Define the work package at the appropriate level of detail
3. Integrate the work packages into a total system
4. Present in a format easily communicated to people
5. Verify that the work packages will meet the goals and objectives
of the project
To create a WBS
57. • Way of managing the project by breaking it down
• Help determine skills required and amount of
resources needed
• Communicate work that needs to be done
• Work sequences are identified and understood
Work Packages
58. Create a WBS (Work Breakdown Structure)
List all work packages required for the Case Study on yellow sticky
notes
(Start with Deliverables)
Activity
59. Discuss the importance of defining the “what” we will
do in the WBS before moving to the “how” in building
the schedule?
Discussion
61. WBS: what needs to be done
Network Diagram: how the work will be done (the
workflow)
WBS and Network Diagram
62. 1. Establish scheduling assumptions
2. Estimate the resources, effort and duration
• Effort – time that it takes to work on the activity
• Duration – the time to complete the activity
3. Determine calendar dates for activities
4. Adjust individual resource assignments
5. Chart final schedule
Scheduling
63. • Have the people who are doing the work provide the
estimates
• Get an expert’s estimate
• Find a similar task
• Look for relationship between activity and time
(parametric estimate)
• Educated guess
Estimating Time
64. PERT – Program Evaluation Review Technique
(Uses 3 time estimates to determine most probable)
Optimistic estimate (O)
Most likely (ML)
Pessimistic estimate (P)
PERT = [O + 4(ML) +P] / 6
PERT Estimating
65. Padding Estimates = Poor Estimates
•Add contingency as an activity
•(Contingency is typically 10-15% of the base budget)
Contingency
66. List all Activities on Network Diagram Sticky Notes
and determine their Duration
(Start with Work Packages)
Activity
67. • Logical representations of scheduled project
activities
• Define the sequence of work in a project
• Drawn from left to right
• Reflect the chronological order of the activities
Network Diagrams
68. • Precedence defines the sequencing order
• How work elements are related to one another in the
plan
• Many activities can be done in parallel or at the
same time (if resources are available)
Precedence
69. • Create an Activity for each task
• Lines connect activities to one another
• Activities are laid out horizontal from left to right
• Parallel activities are in the same column
• Precedence is shown by drawing lines from activity to activity
• One activity may depend on the completion of multiple other
activities
How to create a Network Diagram:
71. • Lead – amount of time that precedes the start of
work on another activity
• Lag – amount of time after one activity is started or
finished before the next activity can be started or
finished
Lead and Lag
72. Critical Path
•The longest path (the sequence of tasks that forms the longest duration)
•The shortest time that you can complete your project
Float
• Amount of time that an activity may be delayed from its earliest possible
start date without delaying the project finish date
• Latest possible finish date – earliest possible start – duration = total float
74. • Assign people to the schedule
• Start with the critical path first
• Non-critical tasks second
Normalizing the Schedule
75. Resource Load – the amount of work that is assigned
to a resource
Resource Leveling – redistribution to even out the
distribution of work across all resources
Loading and Leveling
76. • Ensure that learning time is identified
• Ensure that administration time is included
• Be aware that resources seldom work 100% of the
time on one project
Scheduling Tips
77. Create a Network Diagram for the Case Study
• Order all Activities on Network Diagram (relationships and
dependencies)
• Do a forward pass to determine the project length
• (Input + Duration = Output)
• Mark the Critical Path in red
Activity
78. Discuss the importance of knowing the critical path
and how that helps the project manager make
decisions
Discussion
80. • Giving a number too soon
• Before WBS
• Not considering risk
• Not evaluating experience and skill of resources
Classic Budgeting Mistakes
81. • Rough Order of Magnitude
• Definitive Estimate
Budgeting Levels
82. Direct costs (Directly attributed to the project)
• Labor
• Supplies & raw materials
• Equipment
• Travel
• Legal Fees
• Training
• Marketing/advertising
Direct & Indirect Costs
85. • 10-15% of budget is normal
• Don’t pad but manage the contingency
PMI Library article “Change Budget- One Key to Never Padding Estimates Again” by Neal S. Gray, Keane Inc.
Contingency Reserve
86. Create a Budget for the Case Study
Direct and Indirect costs
(Materials, Supplies, Labour costs, Marketing,
Printing etc.)
Activity
87. • Review the plan with key stakeholders
• Project Plan must be approved
• Must get Sign-off to get from Plan to Action
Getting the Project Plan Approved
88. Project risk is defined by PMI as, "an uncertain event
or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative
effect on a project's objectives."
Risk Management
93. Risk Register
• Review and update regularly
• Assign ownership to risk
Risk Track and Control
94. 1) Identify 10 Risks for Case Study Project
7 threats/3 opportunities
2) Rank the Risks (PxI)
3) Develop Risk Response Strategies
3 threats and 3 opportunities
(for highest ranked risks from PxI)
Activity
95. Discuss the value of Risk Management and the
consequence of not identifying risks
Discussion
96. Need to let the team members know:
• The reason they are on the team, and what they have to
offer
• Their Roles and Responsibilities
• Standards that they will be held accountable to
Project Team
97. R – Responsible
A – Approves
S – Supports
I – Inform
C – Consult
RASIC Chart
Activity PS PM BA Tech Test User
SOW A R S I I I
Scope Doc A A R C C S
Design Doc A A S R C I
Test Plan A S C R C
Training Plan A R C S
Responsibility Assignment Matrix
98. • What kinds of experience do you need?
• What kind of competency do they have?
• What is their availability?
• Do they have a personal interest in the outcome of the
project?
• Will they work well in a team environment?
Building a team
99. • Use your own staff & people from your department
• Staff from other departments
• Contract with consultants, outside agencies, or temporary
agencies
• Hire and train new staff
Staffing Alternatives
100. • Do the best you can with the people you have, and
document problems and results.
• If they do not have enough skills, and training takes
too long, consider contracting.
• Compromise and negotiate for the team members
you really need.
Dealing with Staffing Challenges
101. Using the Case Study, create a RAM (Responsibility
Assignment Matrix) using any legend you wish (e.g.
RACI, RASCI, RASIC, PBRIS)
Activity
Deliverable Person/Role Person/Role Person/Role
Activity 1 R A C
Activity 2 R I
108. Who? Right point of contact
What? Information to be communicated
How? Method of communication (Format)
How Often? Frequency of communication
Communication Plan
109. Develop a communication plan from the case study
Sample Communication Plan
Stakeholder
Information
Required
From
Whom
(Sender)
Schedule
of Delivery
Means of
Delivery
Format Start Date End Date Comments
This person
or group
needs this
information
from this
person or
group
on this
schedule
delivered by
in this
format
starting this
date
and
ending
this date
Enter additional
information here
Project
Sponsor
Status Report
Project
Manager
Bi-weekly E-mail Report Jan. 15 June 31
Summary of
accomplishments for
this period, plans for
next period, issues
barriers, overall
project status
110. • Macro and Micro Barriers
• Geography, language, culture
• Attitudes
• Jargon and Acronyms
• Stakeholder preferences
Adapt your communication style based on:
111. • Draft the message and edit
• Consider audience’s expectations, actions required, and your
expectations after the message is delivered
• Justify the choice of delivery method
• Identify the issue, context or opportunity of interest first
• Make required actions clear and specific
• Be concise
Effective Messages
112. Create a Communication Plan for the Case Study
•Choose 4 Stakeholders (from Stakeholder Identification Activity)
•What do they need to know (Nature of Communication)
•How will you will communicate with them (Method)
•How often you will need to communicate with them (Frequency)
Activity
From To Nature of
Communication
Method Frequency
113. What is the value of a Communication Plan and what
are the consequences of not communicating
effectively with Stakeholders?
Discussion
117. What does it mean to Monitor and Control the project?
Discussion
118. • Completion of work packages compared to plan
• Scope of work
• Quality of work
• Costs and expenditures
• Attitudes and cohesiveness of team
What to Monitor?
119. • Communicate project status and changes to Project Team
• Manage expectations of Stakeholders
• Provide justification for project adjustments
• Document current project plans compared to original
Purpose of Monitoring
121. Earned Value
EV= Earned Value (Value of work completed)
PV= Planned Value (Value of work as planned)
AC= Actual Costs (Costs billed to the project)
Reporting on Variances:
• Schedule Variance (SV=EV-PV)
• Schedule Performance Index (SPI=EV/PV)
• Cost Variance (CV=EV-AC)
• Cost Performance Index (CPI=EV/AC)
126. • Use the project plan as a guide
• Monitor and update plan regularly
• Adapt project schedule, budget and work plan as needed
• Document progress and changes, communicate them to
the team
• Communicate actions taken to Key Stakeholders
Controlling
127. Techniques to compress the schedule:
Crashing
• Focused on critical path
• Generate multiple alternatives
• Add additional resources to the project
Fast tracking
• Overlap sequential activities
How to Control?
128. How will the Case Study project be monitored?
• What will be reviewed and how often?
Activity
129. The only way to maintain and manage scope!
•Roles involved in managing change
• Change Authority (Sponsor, Change Control Board, PM)
•Process flow diagram for change management
•All changes are documented and communicated (both
approved and rejected changes)
•Control documents
• Change Control Log
• Issues Log
Change Management Plan
130. Sample Change Control Process
Change?
Good
idea?
To issues
list
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
No
Impact
plan or
risk?
Define
impact
Prepare
change order
Change
approved?
Amend
plan
Make the
change
3-20
132. • Update the original baseline for approved Project Scope
changes to continue to report Project Status
(Scope/Time/Cost)
• Update the original plan to reflect the approved change
• Communicate the change to all Stakeholders to manage
stakeholder expectations (no surprises)
How to respond to Approved Change
3-22
133. A change is requested by the Project Sponsor. What is
the impact of delivering the event 2 weeks sooner to
coincide with another similar event?
• In your groups, perform a Change Impact
Assessment in the Change Request Form
(Tip: Consider the impact of making the change in
terms of time/cost/scope and the impact of not making
the change as well as any additional risks)
Activity
134. Project quality is defined by PMI as the “degree to
which a set of inherent characteristics (of the finished
product) fulfills requirements."
Quality Management
135. • Quality Planning
• Development of criteria or metrics
• Quality Control:
• Measuring results
• Quality Assurance:
• Assuring conformance to requirements
Quality
3-22
136. What activities would you do on the Case Study
Project to verify and validate Quality?
Discussion
137. What to Monitor
How to Control
Earned Value Analysis
Change Management
Managing Stakeholder Expectations
Quality
Unit 5 Review
138. This unit will cover:
•Closing the project
•Lessons learned
•Post-Implementation Review
•Final Report
Unit 6: Closing
140. • Final approval from stakeholders
• Finalize contractual commitments
• Transfer responsibilities to others
• Reassign people in the project
• Release non-human resources
• Complete final accounting
• Document results and recommendations for the future
Closing the Project
141. • Meeting with Project Team and Sponsor
• (After celebration but before forgotten)
• Did the Project accomplish the Objective as stated in the
Charter?
Post-Implementation Review
142. How would the Case Study project be closed out?
What type of post-implementation review would you do
and when?
Activity
143. Celebrate the success of the Project
•Why is celebrating success and acknowledging
people’s performance on the Project so important?
Discussion
144. • Overview of project
• Major accomplishments
• Achievements compared to Business Case objectives
• Final Financial accounting
• Analysis of Quality against expectations/requirements
• Evaluation of administration and management performance
• Team’s Performance/Special acknowledgments
• Changes (approved and impact of changes)
• Issues or tasks of further investigation
• Recommendations for future projects
• Post-implementation date
Final Report
145. Focus areas
• Project Management, Communications, Schedule &
Budget, Training, Quality, Issues, Human Resources,
Administration
•What went well?
•What didn’t?
•What should be improved?
•How?
•Anything else?
Lessons Learned
147. • In your teams, conduct a Lessons Learned
based on your team performance over the past
3 days:
• What did you do well in your teams?
• What could you have done better?
• What advice would you give to a team about to embark on
a similar project (planning an event)?
Activity
148. Common Problems on Projects
•Start date moves but end date doesn’t
•Not enough time
•Changes, changes, changes
•Key person quits or is unavailable
•Team has more enthusiasm than talent
•People are always 90% done
•Politics
149. Put Learning into Action:
Each team identifies Strategies (to address the reasons
that projects fail)
Activity
