project management and financing of research activities wroclaw march 2014 solarnet, spring school...

Project management and financing of research

activities

Wroclaw

March 2014

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

your project?

A project …

SCOP

E

what?

TIME

when?

COST

how much?

What is a Project?

A temporary endeavour …

…to create a unique product, service or result.

Projects have a beginning and end date.

Projects have resources.

The end is reached when:

o the objectives have been achieved or,o the objectives will not or cannot be met,

oro the need for the project no longer

exists.

37%

42%

21%

The CHAOS Summary 2010The Standish Group Report

(IT projects)

SuccessfulChallengedfailed

How many projects are successfully completed?

Challenged: late, over budget and/or with less than the required features and functions

How many projects are successfully completed?

1. Very low participation of users

2. Incomplete specifications and requirements

3. Very frequent changes in requirements

4. Lack of executive support

5. Technological incompetence

6. Lack of resources

7. Unrealistic expectations

8. Unclear goals

9. Unrealistic schedules

10.New technologies

Main reasons for failure

Temporary in nature

o The project is completed when (1) goals have been achieved, (2) goals cannot be achieved, (3) no need to achieve goals.

o project .vs. research activity / production / …

Main characteristics

Uniqueo The result is not repeatable.o Serial production is not a project; neither the

provision of a serviceo The environment, the technology, the client, …,

can change. Never two identical situations.

Main characteristics

Fragmented natureo Results are obtained gradually; in phases

Dynamism by large!o A lot of changes and stress.

Uncertaintyo Time and cost, estimations at the

beginning.o As the project is progressing,the

uncertainty is reduced.

Main characteristics

No way backo Knock down a building, an industrial port, build

an artificial lake, a road, etc.

Risks.o Not only technical, but also economic, etc. o Economic loss, image, clients, etc.

Main characteristics

Set up to achieve some specific goals, which are unique

Time to achieve them is limited from start to the end

Done for someone – client

Resources usually diverse

o Resources in very specific quantities and very specific times.

o Optimised used tends to be a critical aspect for the project and for the entity.

In conclusion, a project …

3D in projects

Very dependent on the nature of the projecto Building a house, a marketing campaign,

pharmacy, build a telescope.

Pay attention exclusively to this technical aspect will cause failure.

o Because resources, time and costs are limited.

“Technical” dimension

Not always evident, but driving towards success or failure

Directors and governing body Project manager and Principal investigator Team project Heads of Units. Clients Providers Etc.

“Human” dimension

Profe

ssional a

nd personal r

elations

“Never send an elephant to a glassware”

It is the “catalyser” to put into operation all other components.

It is the less common ability (training welcome)

o including cultural changes are needed!

It is not just to follow a calendar!

Methodologies and tips!

“Management” dimension

Project success

Project Objectives

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

Scope, Time and Cost

OBJECTIVE

SSMART

FUNCIONAL REQUIREMENTS

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

needs

wishes

expectationsopportuniti

es

directives

Definition and concretion is not always obvious

o Objectives are not needs or wisheso A proper objectives concretion, and

agreement among parts involved, is a must! to be successful There are projects doomed to failure before

starting

Project objective is always TRIPLEo Many times this is ignored or forgotten during

the execution of the project

Project Objectives

Project objectives

QUALIT

Y

what?

TIME

when?

COST

how much?

Technical objective or expected product/result

o What we want to build, to develop, to produce

o This objective usually is the origin and justification for the project

Cost objectiveo Which is the price we would agree to pay to obtain the product?

o Product is not expected at whatever price

o Pay attention!, costs are not always evident

Time objectiveo When do we need/want the product?

o This is the objective failing first

o Project management quality is usually evaluated based on the

fulfilment of this objective

TRIPLE objective

S.M.A.R.T.o Specific, Measurable, adaptable (Agreed

upon), Realistic and Timely.

P.U.R.E.o Positively stated, Understood, Relevant,

Ethical!

C.L.E.A.R.o Challenging, legal, Environmentally sound,

Appropriate, Recorded.

Project objectivesVALIDATION criteria

The client will try to get as much as possible

o Extra features

You will never know if you have done enough

If the project is not clearly defined…

define the pro

ject objecti

ves in w

riting

Project Objectivesexample

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

The importance of the triple objective

New product for coming Christmas

A videogame about the new Disney

movie. 100,000 units on sale.

The product at all

stores for Christmas

Budget: 2 M€ (20 € price per unit put on sale)

Sales forecast: Christmas: 30,000 units.

Next year: 60,000 units.

Next Christmas : 10,000 units.

Price: 60€/unit

New product for coming Christmas

A videogame about the new Disney

movie. 100,000 units on sale.

The product at all

stores for Christmas

Budget: 2 M€ (20 € price per unit put on sale)

Sales forecast: Christmas: 30,000 units.

Next year: 60,000 units.

Next Christmas : 10,000 units.

Price: 60€/unit

We need 2 M€ more

to be on time!

Not having the

videogame for

Xmas means 20%

down of sales

forecast

A new variety of wine

The company would like to produce a new variety of wine for exclusive sale, replacing existing products.

Three years, so not to affect or reduce the

current production of wine

The expected benefits for the next two years

A project has been managed successfully once these three

objectives are successfully achieved:

finish the work according to specifications,

at expected costs,

in time

with th

e expected qualit

y level

A project has not been managed successfully if one or several of these three objectives were not successfully

achieved:

finish the work according to specifications,

at expected costs,

in time

A project has not been managed successfully if one or several of these three objectives were not successfully

achieved:

finish the work according to specifications,

at expected costs,

in time

devitatio

ns of m

ore

than 20%-3

0%

Expectations fulfilled?Success in market?Is it used?Etc.

o TITANIC movie 1997. Much more later than expected. Final cost 82% above budget (200 M€).

It was the first movie obtaining more than 1,000 M€ billing

Can be considered a failure?

Other measures of success or failure

Project Objectivesexample

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

Importance of the triple objective

o To design and build a world-class multi-sporting venue with capacity for a large number of spectators for the London 2012 Olympic Games in Stratford (East London), to be completed between 2007 and 2011, with an estimated budget of £496 million.

Building the Olympic Stadium.2012 London Olympic Games

o To design and build a world-class multi-sporting venue with capacity for 80,000 spectators for the London 2012 Olympic Games in Stratford (East London), to be completed between 2007 and 2011, with an estimated budget of £496 million.

Building the Olympic Stadium.2012 London Olympic Games

Project management

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

A management discipline oriented towards the planification, organisation and optimisation of resources …

… to successfully achieve the triple project objective.

What does project management mean?

Project managementobjectives

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

1. Put focus on project tasks

Very challenging, large-scale activity and very relevant for the

entity

o Pay special attention! - intensity and continuity.

Having responsibilities on projects and day-to-day activities: be

careful !o Time is limited and capacity too.

Very common: day-to-day activities going first than really urgent

ones TRY TO AVOID THIS PLANNING AND ORGANISING YOUR WORK

And be strict with yourself.

2. Keeping normal activities

o Nobody is waiting at the entity for something to do!

We cannot forget about normal activities o They usually constitute the main goal of our entity

and incomes.

Projects and normal activities should run in

paralello Project management cannot deteriorate the main

company activity.

To achieve these objectices

Project manager or leadero Possibly the most important aspect to be successful

in my opinion

Project teamo Diverse, adequate in number and professional

skills, and properly assigned and coordinated with

other responsibilities

Techniques and methodologieso Techniques, tools, training and experience.

To DO NOT achieve objectives

PM without time, not trained, capacity or authority

A committee instead of a project team

To create a permanent departmento e.g. New recipients’ department.

A simple agenda or post-it to manage the project

To manage the project as we manage the rest of

activities or our own life

To try to reduce planning to standards or complex

procedures

PMBOK®

The Project Management Body of Knowledge

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

The Body of Knowledge

A set of competences grouped into different “body of

knowledge” for project management

Characteristics and advantages:o Knowledge and methodologies well proof by experts

o A common lexicon

o Continuous updating

Different institutions work on their BOK: International Project Management Association - IPMA

Project Management Institute - PMI

PMBOK

Project Integration Management

Project Scope Management

Project Time Management

Project Cost Management

Project Quality Management

Project Human Resources Management

Project Communications Management

Project Risk Management

Project Procurement Management

Planning

Wroclaw

March 2014

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

Main aspects

Main objectivesScopeTasks and work packagesResourcesCostsRisks, procurements, …

o Deliverableso Milestones

Objectives

Defined and measurable (triple) Functionality and specifications Cost Schedule

o High-level requirements: Commercial requirements The expectations from our clients. Etc.

Work Breakdown Structurein project management

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

Hierarchical decomposition of the work to be done.

It is a simple and organised representation of the work to be done.

It defines the work to be done and the work NOT TO BE done.

It is the project “To Do” list.

To what level of detail? It depends.

Work breakdown structure

Work breakdown structure

o Task tree: Each descending level represents a more detailed

description of the work to be done.

Project

WP 1 WP 2 WP3

WP 1.1

WP 1...

WP 1.2

WP 3.1

WP 3...

WP 3.2

WP...

WP 3.1.1

WP 3.1.3

WP 3.1.2

Main goals

Scientific requirements, dome, optics, etc.

Primary mirror, secondary mirror, AO,

Actuators, polishing, etc.

Work breakdown structure

Coding:o Decimal system

o Easy reference

o Once it is established: Do not modify the order

Do not reuse codes

The same coding for the whole team. Avoid personal coding.

Some toolso MS Project www.microsoft.com/o Primavera www.primavera.com/o Planview www.planview.com/o Open Plan Professional www.welcom.com/o Project Scheduler www.scitor.com/o iTeamWork www.iteamwork.com/o Cost Xpert (Estimación de costes) www.costxpert.com/o Winsight (Earned Value) www.cs-solutions.com/o Simulación (Arena)

www.arenasimulation.com/o CA-SuperProject www.ca.com/o Artemis www.aisc.com/o ProChain (cadena crítica)

www.prochain.com/index.aspo Concerto (cadena crítica) www.realization.com/o Sciforma (cadena crítica) www.sciforma.com/o Project Plan Pro (cadena crítica) www.advanced-

projects.com/o CC-MPulse (cadena crítica) www.sphericalangle.com/

GANTTPROJECThttp://www.ganttproject.biz/

J. Burgos

Some referenceson project management

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

A couple of references in English

“A guide to the Project Management body of

knowledge”Project Management Institute,

(aut.)Project Management Institute

ISBN: 1933890711ISBN-13: 9781933890715

“Project Managementfor Dummies”

Stanley E. PortnyHUNGRY MINDS

ISBN: 1118497236

Associations, etc.Project Management Institute

www.pmi.org

International Project Management Association www.ipma.ch

Am. Association for the Advance of PM www.asapm.org

UK - Association for Project Management www.apm.org.uk

Australian Institute for Project Manag. www.aipm.com.au

Instituto Goldratt www.goldratt.com

Some methodologiesCadena crítica

www.focusedperformance.com/

Earned Value PM, Uso y Beneficios www.acq.osd.mil/pm/

Function Point (Software) www.ifpug.org/

Prince 2 (software) www.prince2.com/

Rational Unified Process (software) www-306.ibm.com/software/sw-bycategory/

Some methodologies

Dynamic System Development Method (software principalmente) www.dsdm.org/en/

Structured Project Management (10 pasos. Silver Bullet)

www.etpint.com/index.htm

Extreme Programming XP.org XP.com (software)

www.extremeprogramming.org/

Scrum (software) www.controlchaos.com/

Financing research activities

Wroclaw

March 2014

SOLARNET, Spring School “Introduction to Solar Physics”

The best instrument fitting to your needs (never 100%)

The best possible consortium

The more you work on “defining” the project, the easier will be to complete the details.

Put first others to work, before you start

Financing RTD activities

Try to harmonize inputs before they are providedo Templates

Complete the proposal working on all sections simultaneously

Time to deadline will force you to adopt not the best solution, but the best for the situation

Use some tools to manage all inputs.

Financing RTD activities

Think as a consortium, decide as a leader.

The train never stops, never wait. Build on available information.

Do not spend too much time on the proposal you could draft with time, but on the one you are drafting.

Take decisions!o Fair decisions for the consortium should be fair for each

partner involved; the contrary does not work.

Financing RTD activities

Feasible and innovative enough when drafting the scope, but economic and very realistic when drafting the budget and the consortium

Financing RTD activities

Come to you advisor to know better about the project in which you are involved

Try to draft a proposal

Present your project to non-specialised people under the triple objective

There is always an associated cost

And learning form the past.

Final remarks