3. Project Planning Lecture Notes 1

8/9/2019 3. Project Planning Lecture Notes 1

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MSc Project Planning &Timetabling

Research Methods, Project Planning andExperimental [email protected]

Find these on VISION

Revised 2011-2013: Dr. Helen HastieOriginal version: Dr Rick Dewar

Revised 2008: Prof Rob PooleySome slides from Judy Roberston


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Learning Objective

! Apply basic project management techniques to helpplan a project

!

Apply what you have learned for your Msc project

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Why Plan?

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Why Plan?

! Deliver:

! On time

! On budget

! A good quality product

! Enable communication

! Highlight problems early

! Help manage risk

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4 Steps To a Good Plan! Step 1: Project Goals

! Step 2: Project Deliverables and Tasks

! Step 3: Project Schedule

! Step 4: Supporting Plans and Risk Management

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Step 1: Project Goals

! Who are your stakeholders?

! Who will be negatively/positively affected by the project(or whos going to get angry if it all goes wrong.

!

What are their needs?! Interviews

! Requirements analysis

! Prioritise needs

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Example of Stakeholders

! The project sponsor

! The customer who receives the deliverables

! The users of the project outputs

! Supervisor and yourself

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Activity

! Example: Government gives a contract to Heriot-Wattuniversity to design an interface for air traffic control

! List:

!

Stakeholders?

! Needs/requirements?

! Prioritise needs?

8FAA


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Step 2: Project Tasks andDeliverables,

! Deliverables: list of things the project needs to deliver

! Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)! Break down into individual tasks

! Help define a project in terms of its end objective andprimary elements

! WBS helps organise a project with respect to:

! Cost estimates

! Resources

! Schedule and dependencies

! Measure progress

! Add tasks and deliverables to a project plan with estimateddelivery date

! Templates online 9


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Step 2: Project Tasks andDeliverables, example

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1.2 Planning

1.2.1 Create Preliminary Scope Statement1.2.2 Determine Project Team

1.2.3 Project Team Kickoff Meeting1.2.4 Develop Project Plan

1.2.5 Submit Project Plan

1.2.6 Milestone:Project Plan Approval1.3 Execution

1.3.1 Project Kickoff Meeting1.3.2 Verify & Validate User Requirements1.3.3 Design System

1.3.4 Procure Hardware/Software1.3.5 Install Development System

1.3.6 Testing Phase1.3.7 Install Live System

1.3.8 User Training

1.3.9 Go Live

http://www.projectmanagementdocs.com/


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Waterfall developmentmodel

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Waterfall_model.png


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Problems with the waterfalldevelopment model?

! Requirements may change- no control over this, for example ifdesign is finalized

! Whole phases may be invalidated

! Designers may not be aware of future implementationdifficulties- may be better to revise the design than persistwith design based on faulty predictions

! Impossible to perfect one phase completely- so could nevermove on


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Iterative development

! Design is progressively refined during a series ofdevelopment cycles.

! Each iteration has the same basic steps (names of stepsmay vary):!

Examination consider what users will need, define the problem.

!

Definition specify a solution to the problem.!

Creation design and implement the solution, e.g. paper onlydesigns in early stages.

Boehm Spiral


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Step 3: Project Schedule

! For each task identified in Step 2 identify:

! The amount of effort (hours, days, weeks) required tocomplete the task

! The resource who will carryout the task

! Update your plan with more accurate delivery dates

! Create a plan (e.g. on MS Project, OmniPlan)

! Project Estimation is a fine art

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Common Problems at thisJuncture

! You realise that the delivery deadline that is notrealistic based on your estimates:

! Renegotiate the deadline (project delay)

! Employ additional resources (increased cost)

!

Reduce the scope of the project (less delivered)

! Use the project schedule to justify pursuing one ofthese options.

!

Manage expectations.

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Gantt Charts

! Named after Henry Gantt.

! Around since 1st World War.

!

Commonest graphical representation of plans.! Can show critical pathand resources.

! Easy for novices to construct and interpret.

!

Other charts/views are available in MS-Project.

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In Some Versions

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Critical Path

!

The chain of sequential activities thatdetermines the minimum time required forthe project.

! Passes through activities with least float.

! If you mess with critical tasks, you messwith the projects end date!!

! You might wish to show the critical path

on your Gantt chart.! MS-Project can help you.

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Float (Slack)!

Total Float! amount of time a task can be delayed without

affecting the enddateof the project.

! Critical path tasks have zero total float.

! Free Float

!

amount of time a task can be delayed beforeaffecting the next task.

! Used for managing resources without impacting onfuture tasks.

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26Total float: time task can be delayed without affecting the end-date

Free float: time task can be delayed without affecting the next task


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27Total float: time task can be delayed without affecting the end-date

Free float: time task can be delayed without affecting the next task


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PERT network charts

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Network diagrams/Pert! Clearer dependencies

! Critical path shown clearly (in red)

! MS Project converts Gantt to Network and vice

versa

! Event orientated rather than start-finish

! Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT)

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Gantt vs Network views

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Network diagram

Gantt chart


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Gantt! Advantages

! Illustrates sequence and timing of tasks

! Shows the steps by which tasks should be carried

out.

!

Easy to identify what should have been achieved atany point in the schedule.

! Makes it easy to ensure that the project is completedon time.

! Easy to show the importance of special checkpoints

with milestones.! Gives a good overview without too much detail

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Gantt! Disadvantages

! Does not effectively convey task dependencies inmore complex projects.

! Changes to the schedule require a redrawing of the

chart.! Several scheduling possibilities cannot be shown in

the same chart.

! Does not illustrate risk well

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Pert Chart

!

Advantages! Critical path is easy to show and manage.! Critical path allows focus of resources and

effort to reduce risk.! Excellent for projects focusing on research or

new technologies.

! Disadvantages! Can become confusing especially when projects

have complex task relationships.! If some activities take longer than expected,

the critical path originally being managed tomight end up being wrong.

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Step 4: Supporting Plans

! Human Resources

! Communication

! Meetings with supervisor (check with him/her first!)

!

Check progress

! Make decisions

! Agree changes to plan

! Risk Management Plan

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Risk Management

!

Risk: the chance of adverse consequences occurring

! We may have a plan, but there are events beyond ourcontrol, or simply unforeseen.

! Impossible to eliminate risk completely.

!

Risk taking is human nature.

! The degree of risk varies widely

! We need to know:!

what risks are there?!

how likely are they to occur?!

what will their impact be if they do?!

what can we do to minimise their occurrence?

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Activity

! Example: Government gives a contract to Heriot-Wattuniversity to design an interface for air traffic control

! what risks are there?

! how likely are they to occur?

!

what will their impact be if they do?

! what can we do to minimise their occurrence?

36FAA


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Risks to watch forcontinued

! Unclear roles and responsibilities Stakeholderinput is not sought or their needs are not properlyunderstood

! Stakeholders changing/adding requirements after

the project has started

! Poor communication resulting inmisunderstandings, quality problems and rework

! Lack of resource commitment

!

Unmanaged expectations

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Risk Map

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IMPACT

PROB

ABILITY

Eliminate

Mitigate

Recognise

Low Medium High

Low

M

edium

High


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Pragmatic Realities of PM!

All projects are unique! None will run exactly to plan

! All involve people

! Project Management involves change and

decision making - people like neither!! A structured approach & tools make things easier

! Do not be a slave to your plans! They should be living artefacts

! Change them as necessary

! All projects have an element of risk.

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Summary!

4 Steps to :! Step 1: Project Goals

! Step 2: Project Deliverables (WBS)

! Step 3: Project Schedule (Gantt, PERT, Slack/Float &Critical Path, resource planning)

!

Step 4: Supporting Plans and Risk Management

! These are just some techniques that helpmanagement of the project lifecycle.

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Neat quotes from DeMarco &Lister

!

If a project has no risks, dont do it.

! Risk management is project management foradults.

! Useful link:

http://www.projectmanagementdocs.com/

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Important: Your ProjectPlan

Produce a project plan for your chosen MS-Project

1.

This plan should include a Gantt chart.

! You can experiment with other views if you like (egPERT), but make sure you have the Gantt.

2.

You also need to provide a discussion of the planincluding consideration of risk management.

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