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Week 2Introduction to Project Management

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Processes of Project Management

1. Initiating

2. Planning

3. Executing

4. Controlling & Monitoring

5. Closing

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Project Life Cycle Review"The life cycle is the only thing

that uniquely distinguishes projects from non-projects".

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What is the Project Life Cycle?Sequence of phases through

which the project will “evolve”

Fundamental to the management of projects

“Exact wording” varies between industries and organization

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Phase 1 IntroductionInitiating

◦Getting commitment to start the project

◦Goals & objectives established◦Teams formed◦Tasks are developed

◦Answers questions: What problem is to be solved How will it be solved

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“SMART GOALS” EXAMPLES

◦“to reduce the time to process a sales order, from receipt to shipment, from ten days to two days, by September 30.” A deliverable to support that objective could

be: “an in-house application that speeds the supply-chain process.”

OR:

◦“"upgrade the helpdesk telephone system by December 31 to achieve average client wait times of no more than two minutes".

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Phase 2 IntroductionPlanning

◦Figure out how the project will perform how are you going to report—to whom, how often

◦Schedules laid out◦Budgets created◦Risks analyzed

◦Answers questions: What is the plan? How do we know when we are done?

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Phase 3 IntroductionExecuting

◦Putting the plan into action

◦Status reports generated

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Phase 4 IntroductionControlling

◦Sometimes referred to as “Monitoring”

◦Ongoing responsibility to see if the project is going according to the plan

◦QUALITY level monitored and maintained

◦Forecasts made and updated

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Phase 5 IntroductionClosing

◦Sometimes referred to as “Realizing”

◦Obtain client sign off

◦CELEBRATE!!

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PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACHES

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Project Management Approaches2 Approaches

◦Traditional◦Agile

◦Note: This course will cover the Traditional approach

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Traditional ApproachWe can complete the processes in

order of the “Project Life Cycle”

Works well when we are familiar with the project

Goal and solution are easy to identify

Scope and deliverables are clear

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Agile ApproachGoes thru iterations (LOOPS) to get

closer to and eventually reach the desired outcome

Goal can be described, however the SOLUTION IS NOT CLEAR

Completed when we don’t know what the solution looks like

Goes through “iterations” to get closer to and eventually reach a successful outcome

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Who is a Stakeholder?Includes individuals and

organizations who:

◦Are involved in the project

◦May positively or negatively affect

the project◦May exert influence over the project or results

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Who May Be a Stakeholder?

◦End users◦External (environmental, technological,

market changes, competitive initiatives)◦Internal◦Upper management◦Suppliers◦Sub contractors◦Team members◦Regulatory agencies◦Sponsors

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PHASE 1:INITIATING PROJECTS

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Initiating Projects“Initiation is successfully beginning the project to create success in the end. “-is the most CRUCIAL phase in the Project Life Cycle, as it's the phase in which you define your SCOPE and hire your team.

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Purpose of Initiation ProcessSet the overall solution direction

Define top-level project objectives◦ Broad, general objectives, some people call

them "goals", that policymakers deal with,

eg: "improve economic growth", fall into the top level and are called "policy objectives".

Secure:◦ Necessary approvals◦ Resources

Assign Project Manager

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Initiating Projects INPUT:

◦ Project description◦ Strategic plan◦ Project selection criteria◦ Historical information

PROCESS ◦ Tools & Techniques:

Project selection methods Expert judgment

OUTPUT◦ Project proposal◦ Project Manager identified/assigned

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INITIATING PROJECTSINPUT:

◦ Project Selection Criteria: done based on a panel, only some which are funded, they

have to go in and select which projects they’re going to spend their money on

◦ HISTORICAL INFO: relevant data, projects of similar nature (successes/failures),

sales, increasing in size/volume in sizes STATS

PROCESS:◦ PROJECT SELECTION METHODS:

how the COMPANY goes about selecting what projects they’ll do and not do, what their priorities are, cost etc.

◦ EXPERT JUDGMENT: subject matter expert in that field

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Group Work

SAME GROUP FOR THE ENTIRE COURSE6-7 PEOPLE PER GROUP I will not deal with group politics All GROUPS must sign up on the wiki

◦ For the PROJECT MANAGEMENT assignment, (1st Wiki sign-up), you will create a “Project Charter” and a “WBS” for a

“2 Day Camp” using MS Project 2010.

◦ For THIS week—you only have to sign up with what type of “2 Day Camp” you’ll be doing—each group has to be UNIQUE

Working with GroupsGoogle Groups

Google Hangouts

Group Work Contract

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GROUPS SHOULD HAVE: 6-7 PEOPLE.EXAMPLE OF “2 DAY CAMP” (WIKI)The following is an example of:1.      naming your “2 Day Camp”2.      giving your camp a purpose3.      listing your group members: 

◦ The name of my camp is: "CAMP TRILLIUM" camp.  The purpose is to provide a 2 day camp for children with cancer.  Our group members will be:  Tom Smith, Jill Jones, John Cramer, Lucy Luke, Bill Wyman, Cassandra Jones, and Jason Miles. 

Please note that when you input your team members, that you include both the First name, and the Last Name. 

Make sure that you are selecting the correct WIKI: “2 Day Camp Sign Up”, and NOT: “Database Sign Up”

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WIKI-SUBMITTING GROUPS NAMES

If you click on the following link, it will take you to a site which explains how to Create a Wiki:

http://ondemand.blackboard.com/r91/movies/bb91_student_creating_editing_wiki_page.htm 

Please make sure that when you put in your Camp submission, that you do not ACCIDENTALLY OVERWRITE someone else’s camp submission:◦ Click on the EDIT WIKI CONTENT button◦ Do NOT add anything in the “NAME” textbox

at the top◦ Just add your CAMP NAME, PURPOSE, and

GROUP MEMBER list to the bottom of the EXISTING list > SUBMIT

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HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DOWNLOADING: “LYNDA.COM”??Your: “Lynda.com” accounts are done

through the library at Algonquin College. If, after reading the instructions in the “Lynda.com document(click here), you are still having difficulties, please go to the LRC (library) Room C205

·         Monday to Thursday: 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.·         Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.·         Saturday: 10:00a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

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HAVING PROBLEMS WITH DOWNLOADING MS OFFICE/ACCESS & MS PROJECT??

If, after reading the instructions on how to download  MS OFFICE/ ACCESS and/or  MS PROJECT from:

BLACKBOARD > LAPTOP Setup/Info button-- you are still having difficulty

downloading them: Please go to ITS, rm. C102—as they can help

you with the technical issues. OR:◦ Contact: Ram Sabotic: sabotir@algonquincollege.com

Do NOT wait until my Office Hours, next week.  ITS are aware of any issues we’re having with MS OFFICE/ACCESS & MS PROJECT.  ◦ ITS also has a CD with both programs on it,

which you can borrow.

Hybrid / Homework cont.INTERNET RESEARCH

◦ (due midnight the night before Week 3 class)

The “Week 1  Internet Research Assignment” requires you to research, using the Internet--the different certifications offered through PMI and some of the Project Manager’s responsibilities for jobs available in Ottawa. To do the assignment, go to:◦ BLACKBOARD > WEEKLY LESSONS >  Wk#1 “Project

Management Intro” >  “Wk1 - ASSIGNMENT 1-PROJECT   MANAGEMENT ACRONYMS AND JOB DESCRIPTIONS”

This assignment is not “locked down”, so you can have “Internet Explorer” open at the same time.

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Hybrid / HomeworkPurchase eBookRead Chapter 1Complete all activities required

while reading chapter 1, including end of chapter practical assignments.

Complete the Fill in the Blank for Chapter 1

Complete the T/F for chapter 1

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MS PROJECT eText FILESIn each of the “lessons” (chapters) of your etext,

for MS PROJECT, it refers to certain MS Project FILES. You can download the files from:

http://bcs.wiley.com/he-bcs/Books?action=resource&bcsId=6629&itemId=0470638885&resourceId=25348

·         Do not bother downloading all the chapters—just download chapters, 1-4, 9, and “Circling Back 1”,