Project management involves defining goals, planning, implementing, and evaluating a project. It typically involves short-term projects with specific outcomes and allocated resources. Planning is the most important step and involves assessing time, cost, and scope. Two case studies are described: an executive dashboard project completed on time and budget through defining roles and milestones, and a class agent portal rebuild that met its goals through careful project management. Tools and models for prioritizing projects include matrices and Venn diagrams.

1. Project Management:
a Best Practice
Monica M. Keith
Director of Advancement Operations

2. Learning Outcomes
• Define project management
• Breaking down the process
• Case studies: small and large-scale
• Review of tools for project management
• Applying project management to your work

3. Defined…
Project management is the application of
processes, methods, knowledge, skills and
experience to achieve the project objectives.
-The Association of Project Management

4. Project management typically involves:
• A short-term project
• A specific outcome
• Resources – human and capital

5. The Process
1. Define
goal/outcome
2. Plan
– Time
– Cost
– Scope
3. Implement
4. Evaluate

6. 1. Define
The outcome/goal(s)
typically predetermined, and initiates and
drives the project.

7. 2. Plan
Planning is the most important step in the
process – and most complicated.
Planning involves
assessing 3 key elements:

8. • Time – deadline, milestones,
allocation of work between team
members and business as usual.
• Cost – the project budget,
additional/unexpected costs, staff
time, comparable value.
• Scope – directly effected by time
and cost, and vice versa.

9. Time, Cost and Roles –
clearly defined roles are
required to move a project
through stages:
• Project Manager
• Product Owner
• Team Members
• Stakeholders
• Users

10. Implementation
• Strategy
• Milestones
• Resource allocation
• Adjustments
• Documentation
• Communication

11. Evaluation
• Result
• Process
• Budget
• Lessons learned
• Documentation

12. Project management as a [best]
practice is a method of planning and
guiding a project from start to finish.

13. Small Scale Case Study
• New president
• Interim vice president for Advancement
• Request for Executive dashboard
– Educational and actionable
– Current year and comparative historical data
– Data visualization
– Representative of broad division goals

14. Executive Dashboard
• Project management process
– A clearly defined outcome
– Plan
• Time: 8 weeks
• Cost: time, collaborative opportunity (no budget)
• Scope: superior executive style report
• Roles: project manager, developers/programmers,
stakeholders (internal and external) and partners

15. Executive Dashboard
• Implementation
– Review sample dashboards from other institutions
– Drafted sample dashboards, secure approval
– Assess data in new data warehouse
– Assess visualization tools with reporting tool
(Microsoft Reporting Services)
– Evaluate ability to publish online and schedule
delivery

16. Executive Dashboard

17. Executive Dashboard
• Evaluation
– Outcome was met on time/budget
– Stakeholder feedback was positive
– Options to schedule delivery and publish online
and in real time met
– Reporting tool was flexible to accommodate
reporting changes and enhancements over time

19. Large scale Case Study
• Disastrous database conversion
• Many applications tied to old db in shambles
• Rebuild Class Agent Portal
– Re-engineer back end data with new database
– Evaluate volunteer and login structure
– Enhance front end user interface

20. Class Agent Portal
• Project management process
– Clearly defined goal
– Scope: rebuild to function in time for vol training
– Time: 5-6 months
– Cost: time/labor intensive
– Roles: assigned a project manager, multiple staff
member roles, stakeholders (Annual Giving staff
and volunteers) and partners (ITS)

21. Class Agent Portal
• Process steps
– Review former class agent portal
– Evaluate all tables, rules, logic for logins
– Assess best way to rebuild tables and add
enhancements
– Carefully stage the tasks and timelines
– Assign project milestones and regular
communication

22. Class Agent Portal
Colby.edu/mvp

23. Class Agent Portal

24. Class Agent Portal

25. Class Agent Portal
Class Statistics

26. Class Agent Portal
• Evaluation
– Project completed on time/budget
– Stakeholder feedback was positive
– Better team approach and cross training
– Increased usage each year
– Flexibility for enhancements in data or design
added each year since

27. Time + Cost => Scope

29. Project Management tools
- MS software and web version
- online project management w/ app
• https://basecamp.com/tour
- an online project management app
• https://www.zoho.com/projects/features.html

30. Project Prioritization Models

31. Project Prioritization Models: 4 Quadrants
The Four Quadrants time matrix comes from a book by Stephen
Covey, First Things First. By using this approach, activities are
categorized to fit in one out of four quadrants for time management.

32. Project Prioritization Models: Matrix
A matrix provides a compact way of conveying results, the quality of the tool
depends on the quality of the multi-criteria method used to produce the
results, including the logic for defining the criteria and the processes used to
evaluate projects and assign weights.
Project Priority Matrix - Sample
Project
Budget
Time
sensitivtiy
# Staff
Technical
complexity
Scope
Mission
Priority
Project
Rank
Project A - Executive Dashboard 0 1 1 1 3 1 4
Project B - Class Agent Portal rebuild 0 2 4 1 7 1 8
Project C - Profile report 0 3 2 2 7 4 11
Project D - alumni app 1 4 4 2 11 4 15
Scores 1-5 (0= n/a; 1 very important - 5 least important)
Scope = B+C+D+E
Project Rank = Scope + Mission priority

33. Project Prioritization Models: Venn
Venn diagrams are used to compare and contrast sets of data or ideas. They
can be used to classify and/or show relationships between sets – and
therefore contribute to planning and prioritizing.
Project Alignment
Resources
Client(s) or
constituencies
Mission/
Business

34. Project Management
Define
Plan
Implement
Evaluate
Project management is the application of
processes, methods, knowledge, skills and
experience to achieve the project objectives.
-The Association of Project Management

35. Questions?
Project Management