Chapter 3 Planning the Project MEM 612 Project Management Two Extremes Ready Fire Aim Paralysis by Analysis MEM 612 Project Management CONTENTS OF A PROJECT PLAN MEM 612 Project Management Elements of Project Master Plan Overview brief description of project deliverables milestones expected profitability and competitive impact intended for senior management Objectives detailed description of project s deliverables project mission statement MEM 612 Project Management Elements of Project Master Plan continued General approach technical and managerial approaches relationship to other projects deviations from standard practices Contractual aspects agreements with clients and third parties reporting requirements technical specifications project review dates MEM 612 Project Management Elements of Project Master Plan continued Schedules outline of all schedules and milestones Resource requirements estimated project expenses overhead and fixed charges Personnel special skill requirements necessary training legal requirements MEM 612 Project Management Elements of Project Master Plan concluded Evaluation methods evaluation procedures and standards procedures for monitoring collecting and storing data on project performance Potential problems list of likely potential problems MEM 612 Project Management THE PLANNING PROCESS MEM 612 Project Management PM s First Job Understand the expectations that the organization has for the project Identify who among senior managers has a major interest in the project Determine if anything about the project is atypical MEM 612 Project Management Developing Invitation List At least one representative from senior management Managers from functional areas that will contribute to the project Perhaps highly specialized technical experts MEM 612 Project Management The Launch Meeting Senior management introduces PM PM chairs meeting develop general understanding of the functional inputs the project will need may brainstorm the problem may develop preliminary plan Important results scope understood and temporarily fixed functional managers understand their responsibilities and have committed to developing the initial plan MEM 612 Project Management Sorting Out the Project Hierarchical planning process begin with project s objectives list major activities needed to achieve objectives level 1 activities delegate level 1 activities to individuals or functional areas to develop list of level 2 activities degree of detail should be same within a given level MEM 612 Project Management Three Levels of Detail in Hierarchical Planning MEM 612 Project Management The Project Action Plan Project activities identified and arranged in successively finer detail by levels Type and quantity of each required resource identified for each activity Predecessors and durations estimated for each activity Milestones identified Individual or group assigned to perform the work identified for all activities MEM 612 Project Management Using the Project Action Plan Project master schedule created by combining milestones durations and predecessors used to compare actual and planned performance Use of templates MEM 612 Project Management THE WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE MEM 612 Project Management Simple Approach for Creating the WBS Gather project team Provide team members with pad of stickynotes Team members write down all tasks they can think of Sticky notes placed and arranged on wall MEM 612 Project Management A Partial WBS Gozinto Chart for an Annual Tribute Dinner Project MEM 612 Project Management A Linear Responsibility Chart MEM 612 Project Management MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS BALANCING PLEASURE AND PAIN MEM 612 Project Management Concurrent Engineering Carrying out steps concurrently rather than sequentially also referred to as simultaneous engineering Key advantages helps minimize conflict across functional groups reduces project duration MEM 612 Project Management Interface Coordination Interface Management Key challenge facing PM is coordinating work of different functional groups One approach is to identify and map the interdependencies between members of the project team MEM 612 Project Management An Interface Mapping of a Silicon Chip Design Project MEM 612 Project Management A Coordination Structure Model for Project Management MEM 612 Project Management Design Structure Matrix DSM Traditional project management tools tend to focus on which tasks have to be completed in order for other to start Another important question is what information is needed from other tasks to complete another task MEM 612 Project Management Example DSM for Project with Six Activities a a b c d e f b c d X e X X X X f X X X X X X X information flow MEM 612 Project Management Modified DSM to Show Activities to Be Completed Concurrently a a b c d e f b c d X e O X X X f O X X X X X tasks to be completed concurrently X information flow O potential rework situation MEM 612 Project Management Comments on Empowerment and Work Teams Participatory management Success of empowered teams depends heavily on how team program implemented MEM 612 Project Management Advantages of Empowerment High quality solutions Avoid micromanagement Team has accountability for part of project deliverable Synergistic solutions Tool for timely evaluation and feedback MEM 612 Project Management Copyright Copyright John Wiley Sons Inc All rights reserved Reproduction or translation of this work beyond that permitted in Section 117 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act without express permission of the copyright owner is unlawful Request for further information should be addressed to the Permissions Department John Wiley Sons Inc The purchaser may make back up copies for his her own use only and not for distribution or resale The Publisher assumes no responsibility for errors omissions or damages caused by the use of these programs or from the use of the information herein MEM 612 Project Management