Managing Project Management
Managing Project Management
Oooh project management. Everyone talks about project management but what is it? Isnt project management just organizing your little work to get the big work done? Isnt project management really just a series of events to create some thing by some point way off in some hazy future? Not really.
To define what project management is we first need to define what projects are. A project technically is a shortterm endeavor to create a unique product or service. A project in practical terms is an assignment or undertaking to create a deliverable that satisfies the mission of the project customers.
A project is a set of activities to create something that is outside of your daytoday operations. A project creates a unique deliverable. For example if your organization develops game software the actual creation and development of the code is a project. The manufacturing of the CDs the Internet delivery and the technical support you provide to your customers is part of maintenance and operations.
The difference is that one set of activities creates a unique deliverable while the other centers on organizational process daytoday business and support of the organizations mission. This is true in disciplines other than IT: consider designing a car versus manufacturing a car. Consider writing a book versus printing a book. Consider building a skyscraper versus maintaining a skyscraper.
Projects have budgets deadlines and an agreed set of requirements for the deliverable to be accepted by the customer.
The United States of Project Management
In my project management seminars I like to say that this point in the room represent our current state; this is where our organization is today. We have some opportunity that wed like to seize. We have some problem that wed like to solve. Or theres technology that has leapfrogged our current equipment so we need to improve our technical attributes. Where we are now is our current state.
Then Ill stroll to a distant part of the room. This new location represents where we want our organization to get to. This describes our desired future state. Can you imagine how great our organization would be once we reach this destination? Can you imagination the problem solved the seized opportunity or the new technology and how it makes our business better? This spot represent our desired future state.
The only way we can get from right here our current state to our desired future state which is way over there is through project management. Project management is about planning doing and ensuring that weve followed our plan. Heres a key thought: the only way we can do project management effective project management is to know where our desired future state exists.
Effective project management is built on a solid foundation of planning. Then the project team must execute the work according to plan. And the project manager must control the work to ensure that the project plan was followed. Plan. Do. Check. React. Project management quite simply is knowing where were going planning on how well get there and then delivering on the promises within the plan.
Projects all projects have constraints. Have you every inherited a project that had to be done by a given deadline? Remember the Y2K scare that turned out to be the Y2OK yawn a few years ago? It was real tough to move that deadline. January 1 2000 was coming ready or not.
Or have you ever managed a project that had a preset budget? Regardless of how long it took your project could not must not spend more than 750000. Or else. A preset budget may be calculated on how much cash is in the bank account the expected return on the project investment or some other magic formula like the time value of money. The point is a preset budget is constraint.
Finally you may have faced a project that had some very steep requirements. Are you a public company? Then youve dealt with the SarbaneOxley Act. Or if youre in health care youve dealt with HIPAA. Or the regulations you may have to follow in pharmaceutical construction manufacturing and countless other industries.
You may also have worked with a customer that said I dont care how much it costs or how long it takes. I need the product to do this. Those are my favorite kinds of customers by the way. These steep requirements are part of the project scope and in order for the project to be successful the project scope has to be met.
Youve just read about the triple constraints of project management: time cost and scope. The triple constraints of project management are collectively called The Iron Triangle. Imagine an equilateral triangle. If you dont want to imagine take a look at Figure 1. The bottom of the triangle represents scope another side represents cost and the last side represents time.
In order for the project to be successful the project must remain an equilateral triangle. In other words you can have a gigantic scope and puny budget or a weak schedule. For a project to be successful each side of the Iron Triangle must remain in proportion to the other sides. If your customer wants a scope thats so big hold your arms out real wide. And their budget is only this big now bring your arms in real close together. A big ol scope and tiny little budget means just one thing: it aint gonna happen.
The same is true with the schedule. There must be enough time to plan and execute the project in order to achieve the projects scope. Unrealistic expectations on the schedule usually leads to waste rework frustrations and a decline in morale. In some instances this may also lead to cheap tequila.
Capturing The Picture
I like photography. I like to look at pictures take pictures and mess with filters lenses and light meters. In order to really capture a good photo Ive learned you have to see the developed photo in your minds eye. You have to look at your environment and see how itd look once the films been developed or the image is printed on your color laser printer. You have to see into the future in order to capture the present in your camera. You must have vision.
Being a project manager really isnt that different. A project manager must have vision for what the project is to create. The project manager inherits the vision from the key stakeholders the project sponsor or even management. In order to plan for the project work the project manager must envision what the end result of the project will be. Like taking a photo a good photo the project manager has to study observe and see the end result of the efforts before the work begins.
Another way to look at your new friend the Iron Triangle is to imagine the photographers tripod. If youve ever worked with a tripod hopefully with a camera on top you know the secret is to have the tripod balanced and level. In fact some camera tripods have a level built into the head so you know when it is level. A level tripod ensures that the photos horizon is flat; it makes a goofy picture when the ocean is slipping down to South America.
Now imagine that one leg of the tripod equates to scope another to time and the last is cost. We agree that the tripod has to be balanced to take a good picture just like a project has to have balance to be successful. If any leg of the tripod is extended more than the others the tripod is offbalance just like your projects.
Some tripods are nice and heavy. A heavy tripod helps when youve taking a photo in the middle of a river or youre fighting a wind storm. The trouble with heavy tripods is someone has to carry them. What some photographers do is carry a light tripod and then suspend their camera bag under the tripod to fend off any shakes. A neat trick.
In project management whats keeping your project sturdy? Imagine that the area within the three legs of the tripod represents quality. If any leg of the tripod is out of balance then quality is likely to suffer. Quality is in proportion to the amount of time cost and scope available for the project deliverables. When one angle of the project suffers so does quality.
What good is a projects deliverable if the project is finished on time but the product or service doesnt work as promised? Or if the project manager has spent all of the money but didnt create all the promised deliverables? Quality is affected by the balance of time cost and scope.
Following this snappy analogy of photography what kind of camera would you like to put on top of your tripod? If youre like me I bet youd like a digital SLR capable of 12 megapixels and a few gigs of memory for your digital photos. Of you could rely on a manual 35mm camera with slide film and a nice set of filters.
But wouldnt you have better photos with the 12 megapixel digital camera? Not necessarily. Just because you have a fantastic camera doesnt mean your photos will be fantastic. Its not the camera that takes the pictures its the photographer.
The camera in our project management analogy are the mechanics of project management. The person behind the camera is the project manager. Just as the photographer has to know how to adjust the camera to capture the perfect photo so does the project manager adjust the controls within project management to deliver on the projects demands.
Good photographers and good project managers have much in common: experience a foundation in the fundamentals and a willingness to learn. At the core I believe is an ability to capture a vision and then process that vision for others to see.
Projects Tell a Story
If you dont like photography maybe youll like stories.
Projects like a good story have a beginning a middle and a satisfying end. Think back to any project youve managed or worked on. Can you recall the beginning middle and a Hollywood ending?
The story for all projects is that they move through five process groups to get from start to finish. Within each process group there are key activities which help a project move along. Figure 2 demonstrates the flow of a project through the five process groups.
Initiate a project
This process group starts all the fun. In this group the business need for the project is identified some initial solutions may be proposed and the project manager is selected.
The most important document to come out of this group is the project charter. The project charter authorizes the project work and assigns the project manager the power to complete the project on behalf of the project sponsor. The project sponsor is typically someone high enough in the organizational hierarchy to have power over the resources that need to be involved in the project. Having a weak sponsor for your project can also unfortunately lead to cheap tequila.
Planning the project
In order to plan the project manager must know what the project will create. The project manager and the project stakeholders the people that have a stake in the project outcome have to determine what the desired future state is. A dreamy wish list wont work. The project demands exact requirements. If you dont know what the project should create how will you ever get there?
Once the project requirements have been agreed upon then the project manager the project team and in some instances the project stakeholders will create a plan on how to achieve the project objectives. This isnt a onetime process. Planning is an iterative process that happens throughout the project duration. Planning is a cornerstone of project management skip planning or do it halfheartedly and the project is doomed.
Executing the Project
Ever hear the quip Plan your work and then work your plan? This is the working part. The executing process group is the project team executing the project work according to plan and the project manager working with any vendors that may be in involved in the execution or support of the deliverables needed for the project completion.
Controlling the Project
Control freaks need not apply. Controlling isnt about micromanaging its about compliance with the project plan. As you can see in Figure 2 theres balance between execution and control. The project manager works with the project team not over them to ensure that theyre doing the work as it was planned. And if not? Then the project manager makes corrective actions to get the project back in alignment with the project plan.
Controlling is also about balancing the time cost and scope constraints as the project moves along. The project manager has to measure compare and adjust controls within the project to ensure project success. If we do not measure we cannot improve.
Closing the Project
Aaah closing. This process group centers on closing out the project accounts completing final formal acceptance of the project deliverables finalizing any time cost or quality reports completing the projects lessons learned documentation and finalizing any financial or procurement audits. The project manager may have to complete a review of each team member a review of the vendors and a review of their own actions in the project.
Project closure also involves some rewards and recognition. For some this means bonuses vacation time or other rewards. If this isnt appropriate or available in your organization the project manager should at least verbally reward the project team for their hard work and a job welldone assuming the project was done well.
Putting it all Together
As you know projects are shortterm endeavors to create a unique product or service. Projects are out of the normal duties you do as part of your operations. Projects are constrained by time cost and scope and other constraints such as regulations resources or even vendors.
The Iron Triangle of project management posits that all projects are constrained by time cost and scope. If one angle of the project is out whack the whole project suffers.
Projects and technically even project phases move through five process groups: initiating planning executing controlling and closing. Each process group has key activities that lend to a successful project. I believe the most important group is planning. Without planning the project is destined for failure.
What weve discussed in this intro to project management is a good foundation for how projects are to operate their constraints and a some challenges every project manager faces. On top of this strong foundation there are nine knowledge areas which also affect a projects success:
1. Project Scope Management
2. Project Time Management
3. Project Cost Management
4. Project Quality Management
5. Human Resources Management
6. Communications Management
7. Project Risk Management
8. Project Procurement Management
9.Project Integration Management
For each of these knowledge areas Ive written an article which explains their characteristics and how they contribute to your projects.
For now know this: projects are successful based on the ability of the project manager to lead manage and motivate the project team to complete the project plan. The project plan supports the vision the project manager has inherited from the project stakeholders. If the project manager and the project stakeholder dont have the same vision of the desired future state the project is doomed.
Projects fail at the beginning not the end.
About the writer: Joseph Phillips is the author of five books on project management and is a PMI Project Management Professional a CompTIA certified Project Professional and a Certified Technical Trainer. For more information about Project Management Training please visit Project Seminars .
Related posts: