three fundamental questions on project management
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Three fundamental questions on project management. What are characteristics of a project? What are the key qualities of a project manager? What makes projects so difficult to manage? Source: Fiona Newton. Three big questions around project management. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Three fundamental questions on Three fundamental questions on project managementproject management
What are characteristics of a project?What are characteristics of a project?
What are the key qualities of a project manager? What are the key qualities of a project manager?
What makes projects so difficult to manage?What makes projects so difficult to manage?
Source: Fiona NewtonSource: Fiona Newton
Three big questions around project managementThree big questions around project management
How will this project make a difference to How will this project make a difference to
the organisation?the organisation?
How will we know that this project has been How will we know that this project has been
highly successful?highly successful?
What, in our wildest dreams would we want What, in our wildest dreams would we want
this project to achieve?this project to achieve?
Source: Christenson and WalkerSource: Christenson and Walker
Three questions to ask at the end of a Three questions to ask at the end of a projectproject
What did we do well?What did we do well?
What did we do wrong?What did we do wrong?
What will we do differently and better next time? What will we do differently and better next time?
Four ways projects are ‘different’Four ways projects are ‘different’
They bring about changeThey bring about change
Projects may offer investment opportunitiesProjects may offer investment opportunities
They have unknown elementsThey have unknown elements
The unknown elements create riskThe unknown elements create risk
Source: Oxford Brookes UniversitySource: Oxford Brookes University
Four questions when planning projectsFour questions when planning projects
Why do projects succeed?Why do projects succeed?
Why do projects fail?Why do projects fail?
What success criteria for a project?What success criteria for a project?
What must project managers do well?What must project managers do well?
Four essentials for a projectFour essentials for a project
Sponsorship and governanceSponsorship and governance
Defining scope and success criteriaDefining scope and success criteria
Power and authorityPower and authority
Positive and effective partneringPositive and effective partnering
Source: IvesSource: Ives
Four things a project must be:Four things a project must be:
UnderstoodUnderstood
Motivational and inspirationalMotivational and inspirational
CredibleCredible
Demanding and ChallengingDemanding and Challenging
Source: Christenson and WalkerSource: Christenson and Walker
Four signs of a successful projectFour signs of a successful project
On timeOn time
On budgetOn budget
On strategyOn strategy
On qualityOn quality
Source: NorrieSource: Norrie
Four stages to a projectFour stages to a project
DefinitionDefinition
StrategyStrategy
PlanningPlanning
Execution and controlExecution and control
Source: GehringSource: Gehring
Five options for managing project riskFive options for managing project risk
AvoidAvoid
Reduce (the likelihood of the risk occurring)Reduce (the likelihood of the risk occurring)
Transfer (to a third party)Transfer (to a third party)
Protect (from the impact of the risk occurring)Protect (from the impact of the risk occurring)
Mitigate (reduce the severity of the impacts)Mitigate (reduce the severity of the impacts)
Source: Oxford Brookes UniversitySource: Oxford Brookes University
Five key issues on milestonesFive key issues on milestones
Specify when measurable achievements are dueSpecify when measurable achievements are due
Must be tangible, deliverable outputs Must be tangible, deliverable outputs
Too many and they become millstones!Too many and they become millstones!
Too few and the project plan becomes worthlessToo few and the project plan becomes worthless
Be pragmatic – balance optimism with realism Be pragmatic – balance optimism with realism
Five processes to project managementFive processes to project management
InitiatingInitiating
PlanningPlanning
ExecutingExecuting
ControllingControlling
ClosingClosing
Source: PMBOKSource: PMBOK
The The spicespice project management model project management model SS pecification pecification
PP lanning lanning
I I mplementation mplementation
C C ompletionompletion
E E valuationvaluation
Six signs of a skilled project managerSix signs of a skilled project manager
Focuses on resultsFocuses on results
Leadership skillsLeadership skills
Provides single point of management contactProvides single point of management contact
Fosters a synergistic atmosphereFosters a synergistic atmosphere
Promotes strong teambuildingPromotes strong teambuilding
Encourages cross-discipline co-operationEncourages cross-discipline co-operation
Source: IvesSource: Ives
Six skill sets for project managersSix skill sets for project managers
Ethics – doing things the right wayEthics – doing things the right way
Respect and trust for othersRespect and trust for others
Honesty – creating trust and integrityHonesty – creating trust and integrity
Prudence and pragmatismPrudence and pragmatism
Courage and acceptance of responsibilityCourage and acceptance of responsibility
Wise use of power and influence Wise use of power and influence
Source: Kloppenborg and PatrickSource: Kloppenborg and Patrick
Six essentials of a project planSix essentials of a project plan
Key deliverablesKey deliverables
Resource requirementsResource requirements
Total costs Total costs
Pre-requisites Pre-requisites
External dependenciesExternal dependencies
Assumptions Assumptions
Six realities of project managementSix realities of project management
All projects are uniqueAll projects are unique
None run exactly to planNone run exactly to plan
All involve and depend upon people!All involve and depend upon people!
A structured approach is essentialA structured approach is essential
All require change and decisions – never popular!All require change and decisions – never popular!
Never be a slave to a rigid plan – be flexibleNever be a slave to a rigid plan – be flexible
Six stages in the project life cycleSix stages in the project life cycle
Initial idea and feasibility studyInitial idea and feasibility study
Evaluating riskEvaluating risk
Estimating task sequence and durationsEstimating task sequence and durations
Justifying and resourcing the projectJustifying and resourcing the project
ImplementationImplementation
Winding upWinding up
Supporting the deliverablesSupporting the deliverables
Source: Butz & GoodsteinSource: Butz & Goodstein
Seven reasons projects succeedSeven reasons projects succeed
Planned in manageable chunksPlanned in manageable chunks
Objectives clarified and agreed with stakeholdersObjectives clarified and agreed with stakeholders
Reasonable expectations set Reasonable expectations set
Constant dialogue and flexibility as implementedConstant dialogue and flexibility as implemented
Learning from experienceLearning from experience
The right people giving enough of their timeThe right people giving enough of their time
Sufficient resources allocated and committed Sufficient resources allocated and committed
ProjectProject managers must be… managers must be… PP ersistent ersistent
RR apport builderapport builder
O O rganisedrganised
J J udiciousudicious
E E nthusiasticnthusiastic
C C ommunicatorommunicator
TT ime and team focusedime and team focused
Seven stages of project managementSeven stages of project management
Initial Initial ENTHUSIASMENTHUSIASMFollowed by Followed by GLOOMGLOOM and and DESPONDENCYDESPONDENCYRequest for Request for MORE TIMEMORE TIMERequest Request REJECTEDREJECTEDSearch for the Search for the GUILTYGUILTY parties partiesSLAUGHTERSLAUGHTER of the innocents of the innocentsHonours and awards for the Honours and awards for the NON –NON –
PARTICIPANTSPARTICIPANTS
Source: Paul BrennanSource: Paul Brennan
Seven skills of a project manager
Analysis
Communication
Budgeting
Teamwork
Intelligence
Calmness
Time
Nine threats to project successNine threats to project success
HumanHuman
OperationalOperational
ReputationalReputational
ProceduralProcedural
ProjectProject
FinancialFinancial
TechnicalTechnical
NaturalNatural
PoliticalPolitical
Source: Mind toolsSource: Mind tools