Improve Your Library

Improve Your LibraryUsing The 5 Phases of Project Management

IntroductionExperience with PM in my workGoals for today:Identify the 5 phases of project managementUse brainstorming techniques to break down a large project into smaller components and using those to create a master planUnderstand and use basic planning documentation from project management toolkitsArticulate why planning is so important for successful projects

Today We Will...Get comfortable with Project ManagementAll 5 phasesFocus on planningLearn how to construct a Charter that prevents scope creep while identifying risks and satisfying stakeholdersAnd maybe identify what all these jargon-y words really meanBrainstorm our way into an excellent WBSThen use that to create a killer Gantt ChartBe comfortable with planning. And planning to plan.

Project ManagementThe art and science of managing people, money and time to produce a specific service or product.Basic, common sense best practices for getting stuff done that is all wrapped up in specialized jargon and specific tools.The best way to make sure you produce something that makes everyone happy - but not a guarantee that this will happen.

Wikipedia's definition of PMMy definition of PMThe odds will ever be in your favor should you choose to use the tools/techniques of project management in your future projects.

Project ManagementPhases"Project Management (phases)" by Alphamu57 - Own work. Licensed under GFDL via Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Project_Management_(phases).png#/media/File:Project_Management_(phases).png

Project Management Institute produces the PMBOK (bible!). This is traditional, also have Agile PM just released a few years ago.

JargonProjectScopeScope creepStakeholdersMilestoneRiskIssueDeliverableDependenciesConstraintsPERTGanttProject: Activities with defined outcome and resources, more than 50 or so hours (official PM definition)Scope: The size of the project, what is applicable and what isntScope Creep: The addition of activities to the project that are out of scopeStakeholders: People affected by the projectMilestone: A deliverable that helps to show that schedules are being kept - hit milestones, make the projectRisk: Something that could happen to the project and should be mitigatedIssue: Something that has happened and needs to be dealt withDeliverable: Something that has been created/altered as a result of project processes - documents, websites, reports, etc.Constraints: A limit that you need to keep in mind - time, money, people are most common, with rules/regs of industry also being popular (library privacy rules, etc.)PERT: Program Evaluation Review Technique - helps to schedule activities in a project (mathematically)Gantt: Helps to schedule activities in a project (visually)

Activities with defined outcome and resources, more than 50 or so hours (official PM definition)The size of the project, what is applicable and what isntThe addition of activities to the project that are out of scopePeople affected by the projectSomething that has to be done before other activities can be doneA deliverable that helps to show that schedules are being kept - hit milestones, make the projectSomething that could happen to the project and should be mitigatedSomething that has happened and needs to be dealt withSomething that has been created/altered as a result of project processes - documents, websites, reports, etc.Something that must be done before other project activities can be startedA limit that you need to keep in mind - time, money, people are most common, with rules/regs of industry also being popular (library privacy rules, etc.)Program Evaluation Review Technique - helps to schedule activities in a project (mathematically)Helps to schedule activities in a project (visually)

BrainstormingRules:No judgement zoneEveryone gets a voiceHave a recorderMake sure all ideas are visibleDistribute ideas as soon as possibleTake time between brainstorming and idea deciding

Techniques:Mind mapping techniquesStart with a few starter ideasBuild on associationsButcher block paper and/or post itsLots and lots of people in a room doing this all at once!

Some people arent comfortable yelling out ideas, give out post-its so they can write down their thoughts and post them on the paper

Project Management - PlanningFirst 2 phasesInitiationPlan to planPlanning and DesignDocument the planThe rest of the phases execute, monitor and close out the plan

Inputs and outputs - the Charter is both an input to the Planning and Design phase (you start it in the Initiation phase) and an output to the Execute phase which helps you do the work you've spent so much time planning.

Initiation - Planning to Plan

Gather needs/assess current environmentDetermine total budgetDetermine total human resourcesDetermine time availableIdentify StakeholdersRun through project initiation checklisthttps://www.dropbox.com/s/5d11kruoiazl05d/Project%20Initiation%20Checklist%20Template.dot?dl=0Create Project Charter (output)

Environmental ScanWhat problem is the project solving?What options are available as solutions?What resources are available to help solve the problem?Time, People, MoneyWhat constraints are in place?Where is the library *now* - how far do you have to go to get to done?

There is no way to create a route to get somewhere if you don't know where you are to begin with!

ConstraintsBudgetHow much money will each solution require?How much money is available?Will fundraising need to happen?What stakeholders can you approach to get funding increases?PeopleWhat staff skills are in place right now?What skills are needed?How many people are available for the work?TimeWhat deadlines are externally imposed?How long will each solution take to put into place?

StakeholdersWho is affected by the project?Affected by the work being done?Affected by the solution chosen?Affected by the budget, time, people requirements?Affected by the end result?SponsorsWorkers/Project TeamFinal users

image credit: https://openclipart.org/detail/35563/abstract-people

The Charter - RequirementsWhatever you need to make your project a successScope statementStatement of ConditionsAssumptions, Risks, Constraints, etc.Project StructureWaterfall? Agile? begin thinking about how to planCommunication planTeam OrganizationWhos on the project teamWho are the projects sponsors?Who are the stakeholders that need to be considered during the work?

The Charter - ResourcesSimple Charter - One Pagehttps://www.dropbox.com/s/fw4jruu6eqlrgbd/Project-Charter-Simple.doc?dl=0Full Charter - with Table of Contents and more than you probably needhttps://www.dropbox.com/s/qa37ylgt1hbkuwa/ProjectCharter.docx?dl=0

Planning/DesignFigure out planning methodWaterfall? Agile?Get planning team togetherFigure out scope of projectWork out deliverables needed for projectCreate WBS from deliverables listProject estimatesBudget, people, timePM estimating tricksRisk identificationGet approval of plans to start work

Use Project Charter information as input into this phase - you will continue to fill it out and expand on the project plans. The finished, signed charter will be the output of this phase and the document you use to move into the Execution phase.

Planning MethodWaterfallPlan at the beginning through to the end (traditional)AgilePlan for 2 weeks, meet again at the end of those weeks to reassess and plan for next two weeksRinse, repeatAgile software developmentRolling WaveCross between Waterfall and AgilePlan to end, but revisit occasionally to assess and change as needed

Planning TeamMore brains is more betterGet as wide a cross-section of the organization as possibleHave a defined goal for each meetingRun an effective meeting Agenda!Action Items!Use brainstorming techniques as well as discussions

ScopeWhat *isnt* appropriate for this project?What *exactly* are we doing here?Scope change forms - keep them handy for use during the execution stageBe ruthless!

Another use for scope change forms - Project #2 - they can be put off. Sometimes political issues make saying no impossible - make sure the person asking understands how they will be affecting the project via the change form.

DeliverablesWhat will be produced as a result of this project?Not just end-stage results - internal project docs, tooPlan ahead for what needs to be produced before other project activities can go aheadKnow what dependencies are in your projectCritical Path Planning (helpful in project time estimates)Match skills to required deliverablesPeople management - the hardest part of project management

WBS?

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/WBS_Painting_Exampl.png - By Arithmandar (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Super task-chart. For larger projects, each activity in the box should be about 8 hours of work. For smaller projects, those activities can be broken down more, into smaller chunks.

Project EstimationGeneral Estimation TipsFigure the resource needed, double itWith more experience, that formula can be tweakedEstimating people neededEstimating time neededThat Critical Path Planning thing againEstimating money needed

Gantt Chart Fever

https://www.flickr.com/photos/perhapstoopink/467087455

Visual way to identify who does what and when its supposed to be done.X-Axis - Each line is an activity (from WBS)Each color is a resource (person, department, outside vendor, etc.)Y-Axis timeline lets you know when the resource should be working on the activityVisualize dependencies, constraints, resource allocation, schedule and milestone achievements

Risk identificationProject AssumptionsWhat if you are wrong?Past projectsDocumentation is vital hereExperienced staffPick their brains!Brainstorming

ApprovalsSponsor feedbackAdministrations signaturesProject teams buy-inStart work!

The rest of the processExecutionDo the work laid out in the WBS/Gantt ChartMonitoring and ControllingUse the charter and other planning documents to make sure you are on time, budget and scheduleClose OutFinalize documentation and file it for use in future projects (reinventing the wheel is time-consuming!!)Have a party!

Questions?

Image Credit: https://openclipart.org/detail/231627/prismatic-3d-question-mark

Thank You!Robin HastingsDirector of Technology Services and Technology Consultant Northeast Kansas Library Systemrobin.hastings@gmail.com