Designed for non-profit use, particularly for individuals who may find themselves in a planning role for the first time.

1. Introduction to Project
Management
November 2012

2. Goals for the Session
By the end of this discussion, you should be able to answer the following
questions:
• What is project management and why would I use it?
• What makes a good project manager?
• How is a project structured and organized?
• How can I use project management in the League?
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3. Introduction
So really, what is project management?
• Defining what to do and how to do it
• Managing the work to stay on time, on budget, and within scope
• Delivering a high quality event or increased performance
A good project manager also understands their stakeholders and knows
how to prepare people for change.
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4. Why Use Project Management?
Project management enables an organization to deliver successful
projects. Strong project management, coupled with a sharp focus on
process improvement, leads to the following benefits:
• Achievement of desired outcomes
• Reduced cost and a higher quality end product
• Greater predictability & timeliness
• Improved teamwork
• Higher customer satisfaction
• Greater use of services
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5. Role of the Project Manager
Leader
• Create a vision that demonstrates clear understanding of the
direction and purpose of the project
Manager
• Control time, budget, scope, and quality / performance
• Ensure the team has the resources needed to complete the project
• Balance structure and flexibility in the project's best interest
Facilitator
• Create a supportive work environment that encourages open
communication and conflict resolution
Mentor
• Provide guidance to others and share your experience and
knowledge to help with their professional development
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6. Activity
GOAL: Understand some behaviors a project manager should emulate or
avoid.
• Think about behaviors that you admire from someone in a leadership
position.
• Think about behaviors that you wished someone in a leadership
position would have changed.
• Be prepared to share your thoughts.
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7. Management Skills
Project managers don't just manage time, schedules, and budgets, they
manage people. Good project managers also develop solid management
skills allowing them to:
• Encourage and facilitate cooperation
• Influence, motivate, and develop their teams
• Be sensitive to individual differences
• Develop and maintain relationships with people from varied
backgrounds
• Express information effectively
• Anticipate and resolve problems
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8. Project Structure
There are a number of methodologies for project management, but we
are going to focus on one tailored for the Junior League of Wilmington.
Our toolkit covers four basic areas for delivering projects:
• Initiate: Understand what you are trying to accomplish and, at a high
level, how you are going to accomplish it.
• Plan: Determine the activities that need to be done, then determine
how much money, how many people, and how much time you need
to complete the project.
• Deliver: Manage the scope, schedule, budget, and quality of the
project and ensure that stakeholders are engaged and ready to
support any changes. Each team focuses on the delivery of their
activities, tasks, and objectives.
• Close: Complete project deliverables, transition to a supporting
organization, and pass on the experience and knowledge gained or
the lessons learned from doing the project.
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9. Project Management Toolkit: Initiate
INITIATE PLAN DELIVER CLOSE
• Clarify Purpose: Who is the end user or beneficiary? What specific needs
does the project address? How important is this project?
• Define Outcomes: What are the objectives of the project and how will we
measure its success?
• Identify Restrictions: What limitations do we have in implementing the
project? What uncertainties might impact a successful completion?
• Identify Needs: What outside resources do we need to complete the
project?
• Identify Stakeholder Expectations: Who are the major stakeholders?
What expectations do they have for the project?
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10. Project Management Toolkit: Plan
INITIATE PLAN DELIVER CLOSE
• Define Activities: What do I have to do? In what order do I have to do it?
• Estimate Resources: How many people do we need for each activity?
• Estimate Effort: How much effort do I think it will take to complete each
activity?
• Develop the Schedule: Based on the estimated resources and effort, and
the required delivery date, what are the due dates and major milestones?
• Estimate Costs: How much money should be allocated for each activity?
• Define Stakeholders: Who are our stakeholders? What motivates them?
• Assess Change Impact: What changes are coming as a result of our
project? How will that impact our stakeholders?
• Clarify Roles and Responsibilities: How should tasks be allocated among
teams to manage the work?
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11. Activity
GOAL: Plan out a project for changing a flat tire.
• Produce a list of tasks needed to change a flat tire.
• Sequence the tasks appropriately and estimate the effort (time) for one
person to complete each task.
• Summarize your work by documenting the total number of tasks and total
effort on your flipchart.
• Be prepared to share your tasks and estimates.
– How did you break this activity into tasks?
– What are the problems caused by too much or too little detail in your task
breakdown?
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12. Project Management Toolkit: Deliver
INITIATE PLAN DELIVER CLOSE
• Monitor Delivery: Are tasks being completed on time and on budget? Are
we on track to complete our activities? Are we addressing the objectives laid
out in the project goals? How are we managing risks and issues?
• Develop Communications: What communications need to be sent to our
stakeholders? What additional interventions are needed to ensure a
successful project?
• Develop Learning Materials: What training or support materials will help
develop the behaviors, skills, and knowledge that we are targeting?
• Manage Stakeholders: How do our stakeholders view the project’s efforts?
What needs to be done to increase their commitment?
• Support Transition: What knowledge transfer needs to be done to
successfully prepare the organization that will support the work long-term?
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13. Project Management Toolkit: Close
INITIATE PLAN DELIVER CLOSE
• Improve Learning Materials: What additional material or learning can we
provide to enable people to sustain their new or improved behaviors, skills,
and knowledge?
• Prepare Closure Presentation: Were our target objectives met? How did
the project impact our stakeholders? Is the impact sustainable long-term?
Has the sponsor / impacted organization validated closure of the project?
• Record Experience and Knowledge: What worked well and what could be
improved for next time? What “next steps” could be taken for more positive
impact?
• Celebrate: How can we celebrate the project's completion? In what ways
should we recognize and reward team and individual achievements?
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14. Project Mgmt in the League
The Junior League of Wilmington raises money to support our community
programs and mission to:
• Promote volunteerism;
• Develop the potential of women; and
• Improve communities through the effective action and leadership of
trained volunteers
Project management skills are applicable to many of the roles that you
may fill during your League career, from planning a community project to
coordinating training events to organizing a contribution or recruiting
campaign.
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