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

Nine threats to project successNine threats to project success

HumanHuman

OperationalOperational

ReputationalReputational

ProceduralProcedural

ProjectProject

FinancialFinancial

TechnicalTechnical

NaturalNatural

PoliticalPolitical

Source: Mind toolsSource: Mind tools