This document discusses keys to successful project management. It outlines common project challenges like unrealistic deadlines, scope creep, and lack of communication. Good project managers are described as enthusiastic leaders who can plan, adapt, and motivate teams. The importance of understanding stakeholders and managing expectations is emphasized to ensure the project satisfies the customer. Risk management, change management, and linking projects to corporate strategy are identified as critical factors for optimizing project success in an organization.

1. Project Success Carolyn Reid, PMP, MBA January 15, 2004

2. You are an overworked Project Manager What to say when you get caught sleeping at your desk:

3. What to say when caught sleeping at your desk 10. They told me at the blood bank this might happen. 9. This is a 15 min. power nap they taught me about in that time mgt course you sent me to. 8. Guess I left the top off the Wite-out. You got here just in time! 7. I was meditating on the mission statement envisioning a new paradigm. 6. I was testing my keyboard for drool resistance.

4. What to say when caught sleeping at your desk 5. I was doing a highly specific Yoga exercise to relieve work-related stress. Do you discriminate against people who practice Yoga? 4. You interrupted when I had almost figured out a solution to our biggest problem. 3. The coffee machine is broken… 2. Someone must have put decaf in the wrong pot. 1. Amen!

5. “ All work can be converted into a project…. WITH SIGNIFICANT VALUE-ADDED POTENTIAL.” Tom Peters

6. Contents A Piece of Cake The Glass is Half Full The People The Process Optimizing Project Management

7. Project: Cake! Or was it the Nightmare project! The following is a description of a project that Management continuously said would be “a piece of cake”

8. Piece of Cake Started Late Management Support: Labeled Piece of cake Even though it wasn’t our area of Expertise Management style: constant threat of shutting down the division SOW not matching Client contract App Engineer quits a few weeks into the 3 month project Holidays, weekends, nights…. The Good News Fantastic Teamwork Achieved Goals

9. The Glass is Half Full Learning from obstacles

10. Top 10 Reasons Projects Fail 10. Lack of Executive Sponsorship 9. Poor Planning 8. Poor Communication 7. Lack of objectives 6. No Stakeholder analysis

11. Top 10 Reasons Projects Fail 5. Lack of good Leadership 4. No Ownership/ Teamwork 3. Unrealistic expectations 2. Poor Change Management 1. Poor Risk Management

12. Examples of Failure Poor Stakeholder analysis: Designing airbags for one size of person Unrealistic Expectations: Budget: What the customer can pay Schedule: When the customer needs it If Sales can sell it, you can design and build it! Poor Planning Titanic voyage

13. Scenario of Good Intensions gone wrong PM effort to please customer – changes are freebies Schedule slips Budget is blown Doesn’t produce what Customer wants Changes not discussed, documented and agreed to

14. Common Project Complaints Unrealistic completion dates Scope Creep Finger Pointing Fire Fighting Running on Overload No time for Communication Meetings all Day, work all night

15. The People The Project Manager The Team The Customer Customers and Stakeholders “ People are strange when you’re a stranger…”

16. “ Project managers were put on this earth to wander purposefully around The office, not to be stuck in offices dealing with spreadsheets.” Tom Peters

17. What makes up a Good Project Manager? Enthusiastic Ownership of the Project Focus on both the forest and the Trees Able to plan but also adapt as needed Leader Manager

18. What makes up a Good Project Manager? Analytical but also able to make quick decisions when needed Action Oriented/ Patient Negotiator Motivator Developer of People

19. The Team Owners They care They succeed Cooperation Collaboration Communication People skills

20. Poor Project Management Culture The procrastinators on your team have a deadline for building a piece of equipment by January 28 Therefore, they pull an all-nighter on the 27 th What does this do to quality?

21. Marketing in the past: “You can have any color you want as long as it is black.” Marketing today: Customization rules, the customer is king.

22. What the Customer Ordered

23. The Customer and Stakeholders Key to Project Success: What does the Customer want? You can come in on budget and on time but the project failed if it did not satisfy the customer. What do stakeholders expect? Distinguish between the different types of customer – buyer, end user…

24. Examples of incorrect Stakeholder analysis End user is Taiwanese, product is designed per American buyer Didn’t meet needs of end user Leap several maturity levels in a process improvement project Insufficient resources to manage Process isn’t understood by people, so isn’t used

25. Another Failure to communicate Example The companies: Tier 3 supplier, Tier 2 supplier, Big 3 customer Scenario: Mgt of tiers 2 and 3 fly cross country to customer Presents improved design Customer response: “Great idea! Except that all changes are on hold indefinitely”

26. The Process Time keeps on slipping into the future…….

27. Starting up Clear Scope Tie to Corporate Strategy If not, why are we doing this? Adds Value! Motivated Team Clear, Agreed upon Deliverables Customer Focus

28. In the Planning Budget Schedule Risk Planning Follow through Resource Plan Match resources to plan Communication Stakeholder analysis Customer agreement to plan “ Predictions are hard, Especially about the future.” Yogi Berra

29. During the Project Team Building Monitor and Control On Schedule? In Budget? Achieving expected results? Managing Risk? Change Management Maintain customer focus

30. After the Project What went right? What went wrong and how do we do better next time? Celebrate Success Rewards

31. Project Risk Factors Sloppy requirements Schedule slippage Budget overrun Scope creep Poor planning and estimation Poor documentation

32. Summarizing: Optimizing Project Management in the Organization “ Project = Stuff Done = …Most (or A-L-L) economic value added in the modern/ emerging economy” Tom Peters

33. Optimizing the Project Management Organization Good Risk Planning Excellent Change Management Capacity planning Projects tied to Corporate Strategy Teamwork Culture

34. The Organization that supports Project Management Best Practices Quality Control Knowledge management Well defined processes Proactive culture Customer Driven Top Management understanding of PM Innovative

35. “ O ne hundred percent of everyone’s time should be taken up by PROJECTS.” -Tom Peters.