How a PM Plans an Epic Adventure

Rick Mason PMP

Typical Project Management Steps

• Integration• Scope• Time• Cost• Quality• Human Resource• Communications• Risk• Procurement

Typical Project Management Steps

• Integration - Perhaps not as important• Scope - Gotta have a goal...• Time - Vacations are VERY time bound• Cost - OPM? no - My $ has an end!• Quality - What is Vacation Quality?• Human Resource - My resources are mine!• Communications - Few, but important• Risk - Lots to talk about here...• Procurement - And Here

Project Integration Management

• Develop Project Charter *

• Develop Project Management Plan *

• Direct and Manage Project Execution *• Monitor and Control Project Work

• Perform Integrated Change Control

• Close Project or Phase

Project Scope Management

• Collect Requirements *

• Define Scope *

• Create WBS

• Verify Scope

• Control Scope

Project Time Management

• Define Activities *

• Sequence Activities *

• Estimate Activity Resources *

• Estimate Activity Durations *• Develop Schedule * (High level only)

• Control Schedule - No!

Project Cost Management

• Estimate Costs *

• Determine Budget *

• Control Costs

Project Quality Management

• Plan Quality

• Perform Quality Assurance

• Perform Quality Control

Project Human Resource Management

• Develop Human Resource Plan

• Acquire Project Team

• Develop Project Team

• Manage Project Team

Project Communications Management

• Identify Stakeholders *

• Plan Communications *

• Distribute Information *

• Manage Stakeholder Expectations

• Report Performance

Project Risk Management

• Plan Risk Management

• Identify Risks *

• Perform Qualitative Analysis ~

• Perform Quantitative Analysis ~

• Plan Risk Responses *

• Monitor and Control Risks

Project Procurement Management

• Plan Procurements *

• Conduct Procurements *

• Administer Procurements

• Close Procurements

Project Integration Management

• Develop Project Charter – I am the Stakeholder - What do I expect

• Develop Project Management Plan – Pretty informal for personal projects

• Direct and Manage Project Execution– Yes, I am the resource, but I still need to

track what needs to be done, and when– But MS Project is overkill. Use a To Do list

Project Scope Management

• Collect Requirements– It's a vacation, but there are requirements

• Ride across the USA• Take lots of pictures• Don't get hurt

• Define Scope– More important is the overall scope

• Accomplish my dream

Project Time Management

• Define Activities

• Sequence Activities

• Estimate Activity Resources

• Estimate Activity Durations

• Develop Schedule

Define and Sequence Activities

• Definition can be looser since doer and specifier are the same

• Unlike a project with many people, tasks are less critical as to order

• Tasks can be executed back and forth rather than in strict sequence

Estimate Resources and Durations

• One and the same for one person tasks

• It can be hard to estimate durations for tasks someone else is doing

• But I found estimating for myself is no easier :(

Develop Schedule

• My trip has one date - 31-May = Start

• I get done, when I get done.

• But to start on time I needed a rough schedule of things to do to get ready

• Beyond that, I have a rough end goal

Project Cost Management

• Estimate Costs

• Determine Budget– Wrong order - I have limited $ - Costs must fit– This means fit features to funds

• What do I do with out• What do I buy high end, what do I buy budget• When do I keep what I have, even if old

– This all ties to Risk -- More in a minute

Project Communications Management

• Identify Stakeholders– Me... And my family and friends

• Plan Communications– What does Communications mean?

• Phone/Text• Email• Blog/Journal

• Distribute Information– Not as simple as it seems...

How do I "Distribute" Information

• Blog/Journal - crazy guy on a bike...– crazyguyonabike.com/doc/LemonadeTour

• But How do I do this on the road?– This took planning and design

• Compact Camera• Cell phone• Cables, Software, Scripts

– Result? ability to post where ever I am!

Project Risk Management

• Identify Risks• Perform Qualitative Analysis ~ Sort of• Perform Quantitative Analysis ~ Sort of• Plan Risk Responses

• This is probably the best PM value add!

Problem Likely impact score Responce

Flat Tires 5 5 25 Spare Tubes / Patches

Slashed Tires 2 5 10 Tyvek / Boot

Broken Spokes 3 3 9 Spare Spokes

Boken Cable 2 4 8 Spare Cables

Gear issues 2 3 6 Friction Mode

Bee Sting 2 3 6 Benadryl

Crash 2 3 6 First Aid Kit

Broken Frame 1 5 5 Accept (spare impracticle)

Ripped Bags 2 2 4 Duct Tape

Broken Rack 1 4 4 Wire, Duct Tape, Rope

Other big failure 1 4 4 Accept (spare impracticle)

If All else fails, use my Cell Phone, Thumb & Visa!!!

Project Procurement Management

• Plan Procurements– Make a list of what is needed– Add up all that it will cost– Prioritze– Dust off Wallet

• Conduct Procurements– Pretty simple - I only need MY approval

In summary - What's similar / What's different

• What we learned as PMs still applies

• PM and PMBOK knowledge is still useful

• Where to focus time & energy is different– When did weight ever matter on the job?

• Using PM skills here helps break rigidity– We shouldn't treat every project the same at

work, "planning" a trip help break that block.