Project management Flashcards
Project planning
Define all work required so it can be readily identifiable to each participant
Business case information
Objectives e.g. strategic objectives
• Assumptions made i.e. assumptions which justifies the project
• The business or societal need
• The opportunity options
• The benefits values/benefits (cost savings, profits, opportunities…)
• Assessment
Project metrics (KPI:s/ unit of analysis) assessment of project success (lecture 8)
• Exit strategies for cancelling the project
• Project risks (lecture 6)
• Project complexity i.e. the complexity of the project and how this is managed
• Resource needed i.e. identification of human and nonhuman resources
• Timing i.e. identification of major milestones (this lecture)
• Legal requirements
Project Objectives - level
• High-level project objectives: aim or desired end of action (i.e. main project ain
or sub objectives )
• Interim-level objectives: aims to satisfy the high-level project objectives (i.e.
workpackage objectives
Assumptions
- Not under the direct control project team
* Changing the assumptions may mandate that the project will terminate
Project mangers must have knowledge about
• Environmental factors that might affect the success of the project i.e. interest,
requirements, demands
• Organizational resources/ assets
General Project planning
1. Organizational, horizontal level
Coordination of activities between functional units • Horizontal communication • Assignment and acceptance of responsibilities • Motivation and commitment to organizational goals • Pitch/ recognition of solution
General Project planning
2. Functional level
Agreement on project objectives • Assignment and acceptance of individual responsibilities • Coordination of work activities • Increased commitment to functional unit goals • Lateral communication
Planning components
- Objective; goal, target to be achieved by a certain time
- Schedule; plan showing when activities will be started/ completed
- Budget; planned expenditures required to achieve objectives
- Organization; design of number and kinds of positions along with
responsibilities and duties to achieve or exceed objectives. - Program; strategy and actions to be followed to achieve objectives
- Forecast; strategical, tactical, or operational projection what will happen by a
certain time - Policy; General guide for decision making and individual actions
- Procedure; detailed method for carrying out a project/ policy
- Standard; a level of individual or group performance defined as acceptable or
adequate
The statement of work (SOW)
Narrative description of the work required for the project and the end results to be
provided according to objectives. Complexity is determined by top management,
user groups, the customer.
Why a statement of work (SOW)
Provide extra information of detail that cost estimates and project plans usually
don’t include.
• Provide reassurance to the client as to what will be delivered and a shared
understanding on what the project will deliver and achieve
• Provide a reference point for determining what’s included within the project cost,
and what’s not.
• Prevent misunderstandings, will save money
• Identify better alternatives
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The work is structured into small elements that are:
- Manageable, in terms of authority and responsibility
- Independent, with minimum interfacing and ongoing elements
- Integrable, in terms of visualisation of the WP
- Measurable, in terms of process (deliverables)
WBS Provide a basis for:
Responsibility and Assignment Matrix (RAM) • Network scheduling • Costing and budget • Risk analysis • Organisational structure • Coordination of objectives • Control
Work Breakdown Structure levels
1. Upper levels • Level 1: authorization and release work • Level 2: preparation of budget • Level 3: preparation of schedules 2. Lower levels • Level 4 Work package • Level 5 Activity • Level 6 Subactivity
Work breakdown structure (activity/ subactivity requirements)
• Be clearly defined start and end dates
• Be usable for communication for comparison between results and
expectations
• Be estimated on a “total” time duration
• Control and documentation
Responsibility and Assignment Matrix - responsibility
- General management responsibility
- Operations management responsibility
- Specialized responsibility
RACI
• Responsible (R); Person or persons who perform the ”actual” work in order to
complete the task. At least one person normally others who had been delegated to
assist in the work required
• Accountable (or Approver) (A); The person ultimately answerable for the correct
and thorough completion of the deliverable or task, who ensures the prerequisites
of the task are met and who delegates the work to those responsible. There must
be only one accountable specified for each task or deliverable.
• Consulted (C); Persons whose opinions are sought i.e. subject matter experts; and
with whom there is two-way communication.
• Informed (I); Persons who are kept up-to-date on progress, often only on
completion of a task or deliverable; and with whom there is just one-way
communication.
RASI
• Support (S); Support resources in implementation – normally functional managers
RACIQ
• Quality Review (Q); person or persons in charge for quality control of deliverables
Primary objective to coordinate project activities to complete the
project within:
- Best time
- Least cost
- Least risk but also
- Address alternatives
- Develop an optimal schedule
- Efficient use of resources
- Refining the estimation criteria
- Communication
- Obtaining good project control
- Provide easy revisions
Project plan - purpose
Eliminates conflicts functional/ program managers • Provides a standard communication tool • Provides verification, understanding of customer objectives • Provides a mean for identification of inconsistencies in planning • Provides a mean for identification risks and problem areas • Contain all schedules needed for analysis and reporting
Project baseline - purpose
Sets out what the project manager plans to do, not necessarily what the customer asks
for
• Measurement of performance
• Used for project control
• Conducted in the end of the planning phase after requirements have been
identified, initial costs developed and approved and schedule is set.
Scheduling problems
- Unrealistic estimates for effort and timely duration
- Inability to handle employee workload
- Having to share critical resources
- Overcommitted resources
- Continuous readjustments of the WBS
Time robbers scheduling
- Incomplete work
- Lack of WBS description
- Telephone, e-mail, mail
- Lack of knowledge
- Lack of responsibility
- Lack of authorization
- Constant and too many changes of the plan
- Poor reporting and communication
- Failure to delegate
- Unreasonable time constraints
- Lack of project organization
- Lack of resources
Scheduling techniques
- GANNT (bar) charts
- Milestone charts
• Line of Balance
• Networks - Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)
• Arrow Diagram Method (ADM) or Critical Path Method (CPM)
• Precedence Diagram Method (PDM)
• Graphical Evaluation and Review Technique (GERT)
Milestone charts Network components (5)
• Events or milestone indicate when an activity start or finish
• Activity: element of work that must be finished
• Duration: The total time required to complete an activity
• Effort: The amount of work that is actually performed within the duration.
• Critical path: The longest path through the network and determines the duration
of the project.
Slack time
Slack time= T (earliest)-T(latest)
Reasons for stopping a project
• Objectives are not met (planning) • Poor initial planning and market prognosis • Allocated time is exceeded (scheduling) • Budgeted costs are exceeded • A better alternative is found (SOW) • Change of company interest and strategy • Key people leave the organization (resources) • Personal whims of management (resources) • Problem too complex for resources available
