The document discusses essential planning steps for small projects with limited budgets. It recommends thoroughly planning work at the lowest level using a work breakdown structure to capture all technical scope, resources, milestones, and descriptions. Automated tools should be used to consolidate this planning data and enable analysis of things like what work is being done at each organization. Maintaining accurate and up-to-date planning data is important for project management and cross-checks between elements like budget and schedule. Communication is also key when changes are made to planning processes or formats.

1. Simple Planning Essentials
for Projects
2009 NASA PM Challenge
Maura Fujieh, PMP
NASA Ames Research Center

2. Outline
Introduction
In the Beginning
Love Your Planning Data
Lessons Learned
2

3. Introduction
Small budget
for project
support
Milestones 4 new projects
due Year1
NRA Work at 4
solicitations Centers
New work Integrated 3-4
agreements levels below
project
3

4. Outline
Introduction
In the Beginning
Ghost of Projects Past
Love Your Planning Data
Lessons Learned
4

5. Common Project Scenarios
Another call for project data
Why don’t your numbers
match?
Who’s really responsible for the
work?
5

6. How can we do this better?
Better Planning
… but isn’t this a lot of work?
6

7. Pay now or pay later …
Who’s got that data?
Using outdated information
Errors in translating project
data to another format
Great results, wrong
deliverable
7

8. Outline
Introduction
In the Beginning
Love Your Planning Data
Overview
Key Planning Steps
Tool Examples
Lessons Learned
8

9. Today’s discussion focuses on:
Requirements Schedule
Facility
Usage
Work Scope
Tasks
Descriptions
Project
Work Scope
(WBS)
Resources Milestones
Contracts &
Agreements
N2 Budget Risk
9

10. Key planning steps
1. Is the entire project there?
Include technical scope, resources, milestones and
work descriptions for each WBS element
2. Plan low
Identify work done at the lowest work group
Assign resources in “categories”
Use identifier fields to add more definition
3. Automate analysis
Consolidate all planning detail
Use automation to summarize and cross-check
10

11. Step 1 – Plan to your WBS
11

12. Step 2: Plan low
12

13. Step 2: Add assignments/resources
13

14. Step 2: Add identifier fields
14

15. Step 2: and populate
15

16. Step 3 – Consolidate data
WARNING
16

17. Analysis Example 1
17

18. Analysis Example 2
18

19. Analysis Example 3
What kind of
work is being
done at each
Center?
19

20. Analysis Example 4
Who should be
charging to my
project?
20

21. Put your data in the center
Authorization
Documents
Tasks for Project
Schedule Plan
Project
Planning
Data
Milestone Phasing
Tracking Plan
Reports Support
Performing
Org
Reports
21

22. Staying ahead of the data
Data systems keep Data systems can
the connections require support
between planning and tool-specific
elements processes
Allow information to No tool replaces
be utilized in good people
multiple ways Accurate data
Provides single requires project
repository for data support
What
What
makes
makes
sense
sense
22

23. Outline
Introduction
In the Beginning
Love Your Planning Data
Lessons Learned
23

24. Lessons Learned – Process
Communication is critical when
formats or processes change
Be sure to include rational explanations
and “big picture”
Remember to include EVERYONE who
uses project data, especially those
“outside” the project
Change takes time. Consider
incremental changes or a phased
approach.
24

25. Questions
Thank you very much
Maura.Fujieh@NASA.gov 25

26. Back-up Material
26

27. Results of planning - data
Schedule
Requirements Facility
Usage
Work Scope
Tasks
Descriptions
Project
Work Scope
(WBS)
Resources Milestones
Contracts &
N2 Budget Agreements Risk
27

28. …structured around a WBS
Schedule
Requirements Facility
Usage
Work Scope
Tasks
Descriptions
Project
Work Scope
(WBS)
Resources Milestones
Contracts &
N2 Budget Agreements Risk
28

29. … linked to project documents
Schedule
Requirements Facility
Usage
Work Scope
Tasks
Descriptions
Project
Work Scope
(WBS)
Resources Milestones
Contracts &
N2 Budget Agreements Risk
29

30. For example: project schedule
Schedule
Requirements Facility
Usage
Work Scope
Tasks
Descriptions
Project
Work Scope
(WBS)
Resources Milestones
Contracts &
N2 Budget Agreements Risk
30

31. For example: budget breakdown
Schedule
Requirements Facility
Usage
Work Scope
Tasks
Descriptions
Project
Work Scope
(WBS)
Resources Milestones
Contracts &
N2 Budget Agreements Risk
31

32. Today’s discussion focuses on:
Schedule
Requirements Facility
Usage
Work Scope
Tasks
Descriptions
Project
Work Scope
(WBS)
Resources Milestones
Contracts &
N2 Budget Agreements Risk
32