1. Baselining the Schedule
What’s the Big Deal?
NASA Project Management Challenge 2010
Galveston, Texas
February 9-10, 2010
Romeo Mitchell & Dhanu Kothari
Project Reset & Recovery - PR2 Consulting Limited
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 Used with Permission 1

2. The Universe is hostile to the
success of your projects.
What are you doing about it?
Baseline Schedule ???
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 2

3. Scheduling …
It’s All About People & Process
Classic Mistakes Category % Projects
1. Poor estimation and/or scheduling (Process) 54%
2. Ineffective stakeholder management (People) 51%
3. Insufficient risk management (Process) 47%
4. Insufficient planning (Process) 39%
5. Shortchanged quality assurance (Process) 37%
6. Weak personnel and/or team issues (People) 37%
7. Insufficient project sponsorship (People) 36%
8. Poor requirements determination (Process) 31%
9. Inattention to politics (People) 29%
10. Lack of user involvement (People) 29%
11. Unrealistic expectations (People) 27%
12. Undermined motivation (People) 26%
Based on research by Prof. Ryan Nelson, McIntyre School of Commerce, Univ. of Virginia (7 years, 74 org, 99 IT projects)
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4. Scheduling …
What’s the Big Deal?
 Lack of buy-in from the key stakeholders
and the team
 Lack of full understanding of the project
 Lack of clarity of the activities
 Failure to communicate schedule information
 Schedule is too complex
 Over estimating capabilities
 Moving forward with too many assumptions
 Schedule not being followed
 Lack of progress validation from the team
 Inaccurate schedule updates

5. Causes of schedule failure!
 No confidence in the schedule
 Team members are not sure about task or action
 Team members are not sure about what to make of it
 The schedule key information is not getting through
 Too much data and too granular
 Unrealistic time and effort estimates
 Too many assumptions
 Lack of clear instructional guidance
 Team feedback not being solicited or acknowledged
 Inaccurate schedule updates

6. PM Role as a Communicator
• SOW, WBS, Milestones, Stakeholder
• Dependency, Critical Path, Schedule
• Risk Management, Expectation Mgt.
• Change Control, Communication …
Project Management Language
Walk the Talk!
Mediator
Facilitator
Implementer
Communicator
Change Agent
Project
Manager
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 6

7. Scheduling Process &
Managing Client Expectations
• Business Case Project
• Return on Investment 90% Scope
• Priorities & Risks
• Sponsorship .9x.9x.9
Project
• Budget 90% 70%
Objectives
• Formal Approval Alignment
Project The project must be aligned
90% Goals with Business Goals and
Strategies to ensure
management support
Business Project and commitment.
Goals Charter
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 7

8. Scheduling - Lesson 1… Know the Players
Mgt./ Project
Business Steering IT
Strategy Committee Strategy
Vendor
Executive Project
Sub- Sponsor Champion
Contractor
Internal
Project Client
Stake- Client
Manager Organization
holders
External
Stake-
holders Project Client
Team Team
Consultant
Team Team Solution. Team
Architect
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 8

9. Understanding
Schedule characteristics
Must be done by!
Must be done on!
 Absolute deadline schedule
Can be completed
 Relative deadline schedule between X & Y date!
 Event driven
Focus on output or
results, not
 Mission critical schedule process!
All activities are
critical!

10. Baseline Schedule: It’s a Journey!
Business Scope Sequence Integrate
Need Plan Activities Schedules
Activity
List
Scope Dependency
Initiate Statement
Project Diagram
Preliminary
Activity Schedule
Scope Definition
Project Estimate Schedule
Charter Definition
Duration Baseline
Work Negotiate and
Breakdown Critical Adjust for Time,
Structure Path Resource & Cost
Constraints
Resource
List Cost
Work Baseline
Packages
Resource
Resource Estimate & Cost
Definition Resources Estimates
The baseline schedule is a result of the planning process
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 10

11. Ten Steps to a Baseline Schedule
1. Establish the Business Need (Strategy, Goals and
Objectives)
2. Prepare a Statement of Work (SOW)
3. Define the high level solution and approach
4. Plan the work and activities (WBS, Work Packages
and Activities)
5. Sequence activities and identify dependencies
6. Establish major milestones for the project.
7. Estimate the effort and duration for each activity.
8. Integrate the schedule based on time, resource and
budget constraints (iterative planning and facilitation)
9. Estimate cost based on the schedule, prepare a
budget with run rate
10. Obtain commitments … Now you have a Baseline
Schedule.
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 11

12. Lesson 2 – Follow the Process
Business Need (Strategy, Goals, Objectives)
SOW (Statement of Work)
Solution Definition (RFP or Internal Work)
Planning
(Definition, WBS, Work Package, Activities)
Sequencing & Dependencies
(Network Diagram) Danger
Zone
Estimating (Effort & Duration) Do Not
Scheduling (Project Schedule) Rush!
Cost Estimating
*** Baseline Schedule ***
Iterative
Planning Execution & Change Mgt.
Finish
Follow the process to “Baseline” the schedule, then
Use automated tools to execute & monitor the schedule
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 12

13. Scheduling
non-technical attributes
 Persuasiveness
 Imagery A technical
 Culturally oriented schedule alone
 Communicative will not ensure
a successful
 Participative baseline and
 Opportunistic outcomes
 Deterministic
Non-Technical attributes are critical to
influencing successful scheduling!

14. Baseline Schedule - 7 Attributes
1. Persuasive: Should influence others to act and do the right
thing towards a successful project outcome!
2. Culturally Oriented: Present it so that it influences action by
triggering positive emotional responses!
3. Communicative: Getting the right message across simply and
effectively
4. Participative: Getting all critical stakeholders involved in the
scheduling decision process
5. Opportunistic: Should facilitate and influence to deal with
uncertainty, while creating a productive window!
6. Deterministic: Understand and share criteria for creating an
event-driven schedule
7. Integrated: Understanding integration points among schedule
components and developing an integrated scheduleommitments
Integrated Schedule + Resource Commitments
+ Signoffs = Baseline Schedule

15. Lesson 3 – Make it Visual
An Example of a Project Roadmap
Define XP Hardware Planning & Delivery
Security Develop User Conduct User
Template Training Training
Project Develop Project
Approval Initiate Contract for Define XP Install Complete
Hardware Acquisition User Policies Scripts Train Help Desk
Assemble Hold Gather Identify Prepare Conduct Conduct
Develop Test Conduct Conduct SW Del.
Project Kick-off Apps High Pr. Pilot User
Method for Apps App Test User Test Object
Team Meeting Inventory Apps Migration Migration
Define  Repeat process for Each App 
Conduct
COE for Post
Gather/Analyze Office, Test & Finalize SW Impln.
HW Assets Info. XP and Distribution Method Review
Upgrades, Outlook
New & Refresh
Set Up Test Lab Install & Test Define Publish
For App.Testing Data Migrn & Migration Migration
Backup Tools Process Schedule
Focus on the Critical Path, Major Milestones,
Deliverables, Dependencies and Activities

16. Lesson 4 – Make it Formal
1. Project Charter
If it’s not documented, 2. Project Organization
it doesn’t exist! 3.
4.
Work Breakdown - WBS
Major Milestones
5. PERT/ Dependency
6. Detailed Estimates/ Schedule
7. Deliverables/ Responsibility
8. Resource Plan
9. Financial Plan
10. Risk Management Plan
11. Project Quality Plan
12. Project Control Plan
13. Project Communication Plan
14. Change Management Plan
15. Acceptance Plan
16. Contract Mgt. Plan
17. Work Assignments
18. Status Reports
19. Minutes of Meetings
20. Escalations & Issue Mgt.
21. Sign-offs/ Completion Reports
22. Business Benefits Validation
23. Supporting Documentation
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17. Lesson 5 – Make It Easy
Manage Deliverables with the “RACI” Chart
Work Package/
Deliverable
Work Pkg # 1
- Deliverable 1 A R I C MM/DD $
- Deliverable N I C A R $
Work Pkg # 2
- Deliverable 1 C I R A $
- Deliverable N A C I R $
Work Pkg # N
- Deliverable 1 R A C I $
- Deliverable N R A I C $
R : Responsible for the Deliverable A : Accepts/ Approves the deliverable
C : Must be Consulted I : Needs to be Informed
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 17

18. Lesson 6 – Communicate & Sell
Communication Challenges
 5 Ps - People, Personalities, Politics,
Protocol, Perceptions
 4 Is - Inadequate (Too much, Too little),
Ineffective, Irrelevant, Instantaneous
 3 Cs – Culture, Content, Closing
Acid Test: Will the communication help
to move the project forward?
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 18

19. Communication Challenges
Shoot
the
Willful
Messenger Deception
&
Filtering Wishful
Info. Thinking
Psychology
of Denial
Org. Suppress
Culture Bad News
Failure to
Speak Up
Psychology of Denial
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 19

20. Lesson 7: Make It Work For You
How We
Communicate
Non-
Verbal Written E-Devices Visual Aids
Verbal
• Body Language • Project Kickoff • Project Documents • PDA’S • Graphs
• Expressions • Client Review Requirements thru • Data Devices • Charts
• Hand Shake • Project Review Final Assembly, • Intranet/ • Slides
• Posture • Performance Test & Operations Internet • Pictures
• Eye Contact Review • Manuals for User, • Project Servers • Posters
• Listening • Status Update Operations & Trng. • Web-based Rpt. • Video Clips
• Dress/ Attire • Presentations • Change Requests • Cell phone • Logos
• Interest/ Attention • Project Selling • E-Mail Messages • Pager
• Conference Call • Management Reports
• Phone Call • Contracts
• Interviews • Agendas
• Meeting Minutes
• Status Reports
• Newsletters
• Promotion/ Publicity
Leverage the different modes & styles

21. Lesson 8 – Integrate the Schedule
1. Business Case & Project Charter
2. Project Organization Chart
3. Work Breakdown Structure
4. Dependency Chart & Critical Path
5. Major Milestones, Work Packages,
Deliverables & Updated Schedule
6. RACI Chart (Responsibility Matrix)
7. Risk Assessment & Risk Plan (Top 3 Risks)
8. Financial Plan with the Six Measures
(TBC, CBC, CAC, CEV, ETC, VAR)
9. Change Order Requests (Most Critical)
10. Status Reports, Issues & Escalations
If you are not using these, then what exactly
are you using to manage your project?
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 21

22. Lesson 9 – Make It Personal
Insulate the Team from
Organizational Politics & Management Issues
 Client interface responsibility
 Focus on individual deliverables
 Awareness of stakeholder expectations
 Continually sell the project
 Manage internal & external politics
- Budget, Buy-in, Approvals, Resources
- Dept. Goals, Priorities, Commitment
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23. Lesson 10: Make It Fun …
Enjoy the Politics
“Having the organizational savvy
to get your ideas and
recommendations accepted”
Good politics . . . the art of meeting members’
needs, solving problems & communicating
recommendations
It’s the ability to influence project direction
towards its intended outcome.
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 23

24. Scheduling: Avoid the Ratholes
 Project Management is equated with
speed and proficiency in using a Project
Management tool
 The planning process is confused with the
“doing” activity
 Lack of time for planning is an acceptable
excuse in the organization
 There is no team or client involvement in
the planning process
 There is no consensus nor common
understanding of the requirements
Kothari@D2i.Ca NASA PM Challenge 2010 24

25. Best Practices for Baselining
 Learn and use the Business, Technology and
Project Management languages
 Follow the planning, estimating, scheduling
process – the schedule is the final product, not
the starting point!
 Get your team actively involved in planning.
There are no tools that will do the thinking for
you.
 Invite the client to participate in the process.
Participation and involvement leads to “buy-in”
 Invest time and effort into the scheduling
exercise – after all, what’s critical is how you
arrived at the schedule, not the schedule itself.
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26. “If you want to build a ship,
don’t drum up the men to
gather up the wood, divide
the work and give orders.
Instead, teach them to yearn
for the vast and endless sea.”
- Antoine De Saint-Exupery
What are you communicating?
What is your team yearning for?
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