Project management

Topic 1Project management principles

What is a project?

• PRINCE®2 definition: a management environment that is created for the

purpose of delivering one or more business products according to a specified business case

• Another definition: a temporary organisation that is needed to produce a

unique and predefined outcome or result at a pre-specified time using predetermined resources

Project characteristics

• A finite and defined life span• Defined and measurable business products• A corresponding set of activities to achieve

the business products• A defined amount of resources• An organisation structure, with defined

responsibilities to manage the project

Project life cycle

• The tasks of specifying and designing a project through to testing and hand-over into operational use

• It includes pre-project preparation

Stakeholders

Anyone with an interest in the project and its product including:– Customers – Users– Suppliers– Sub-Contractors who provide products or services

to the supplierWhatever the team composition the customer

should always participate

Feasibility study• A feasibility study might be required to

investigate a situation and determine options• A feasibility study can be conducted as a separate

project and a second project can be undertaken to implement the outcomes of the feasibility study

• A feasibility study typically consists of:– Problem definition– Investigation– Development of options– Submission of recommendations

Process based• Eight distinct management processes

– Starting up a project– Directing a project– Initiating a project– Managing stage boundaries– Controlling a stage – Managing product delivery– Closing a project– Planning

Starting up a project

Input:Project mandate that defines in high-level terms the

reason for the project and what product is requiredComponents:

– Design and appointment of project management team– Project brief– Project approach (how the solution will be provided)– Customer’s quality expectations– A risk log– Initiation stage plan

Directing a projectKey process areas:• Initiation

– Confirming the Business Case– Approving the Project Plan

• Stage boundaries – Approving the start of the next stage– Resourcing the next stage

• Ad hoc direction – Monitoring progress– Making decisions when the project goes off track

• Project closure – Confirming that the project delivered the products– Releasing the resources

Initiating a project• Objectives are to:

– Define how product quality will be achieved– Plan and cost project– Document and confirm the business case– Enable the project board to take ownership– Provide a baseline for decision making– Agree to commitment of resources for the next stage

• Key documents produced are:– Project Initiation Document– Quality Log– Issue Log– Lessons Learned Log

Managing stage boundariesObjectives:• Assure the project board that all products in the stage have been completed• Provide information to assess the continuing viability of the project• Approve current stage completion and authorise the start of the next stage• Record measurements or lessons learned

Documents produced:– End Stage Report – Current Stage Plan– Next Stage Plan or Exception plan– Revise Project Plan– Updated Risk Log– Revised Business case– Lessons Learned Log– Changes to structure or staffing or project management team

Controlling a stage• Day to day management, monitoring and control activities• Cycle of:

• Authorising work to be done• Gather progress information• Watch for changes• Review the situation• Reporting• Take corrective action

• Products (documents) produced:– Work Packages– Highlights report– Update Issue Log– Update Risk Log– Update Stage Plan– Exception Report

Managing product delivery

Objectives: ensure that planned products are created and delivered– Team manager negotiates details of work packages with Project

Manager– Ensures work is done– Assess work progress and forecasts– Ensure quality criteria met– Obtain approval for completed products

Products (documents):• Team plans• Update Quality Log• Update Issues Log• Update Risk Log• Checkpoint reports (progress reports from Team Manager to the

Project Manager)

Closing a project• Objectives: execute a controlled close to the project

– Check how well the objectives set out in the Project Initiation Document have been met

– Confirm the customers acceptance of the product– Confirm maintenance and operation arrangements are in place,

training– Recommendations for future work– Disband project organisation and release resources

• Products (Documentation)– Lessons Learned Report– End Project Report– Archive project files– Post Project Review Plan– End Project Notification

Planning• Planning is a repeatable process that plays a role in

other processes such as:– Planning an initiation stage– Planning a project– Planning a stage– Updating a Project Plan– Accepting a work package– Producing an exception plan

• Products (Documentation)– Plans– Product Checklist– Risk Log

Components

• Business Case• Organisation• Plans• Controls• Management of risk• Quality in a project environment• Configuration management• Change control

Techniques• Product-based planning

– What products are needed?– The sequence in which each product should be

produced– Defining the form and content of each product

• Change control– Assessing priority– Assessing impact

• Quality review– Examining the product for errors– Taking corrective action