Session Code 907T Project Management for the Telecom Professional

Rory McKenna Telecommunications Manager

American HomePatient

My Experience

• Currently manage telecom systems for American HomePatient, Inc.• Over 200 branch offices• 6 call center sites, 13 billing centers

• Corporate offices

• 13 years of Telecom experience with Avaya and Avaya Business Partner, 8 years Project Management

Presentation Goal - Making the Project Management Process work for you

• Problem• The Project Management process described by the PMI,

taught in PM classes and presented in PM books can seem• Complicated• Overkill for the normal Telecom Project • Too general for many Telecom Projects .

• Solution• Adopt a simplified project management process more

tailored to the needs of the average Telecom Manager.• Use the PMI model as a framework• Incorporate PM best practices with reduced complexity• Tailor the process for the normal Telecom project

Presentation Overview

• What is a Project and what does a Project Manager do?

• Why is Project Management Important?• The PMI Model• Adapting the PMI Project Model for the

Telecom Project• Tools and Resources for the Telecom Project

Manager

Defining a Project and Project Management

• A Project is a temporary endeavor, having a defined beginning and end, undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, usually to bring about beneficial change or added value.

• Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives

Experience Vs. Project Process Vs. Skill

• Is Telecom Project Management a skill, a process or experience.• It is all of the above

• Knowledge of project process gives structure which can increase the chance of success.

• Project Management skill and methodology helps drive a project to successful completion.

• Telecom experience provides context and an better understanding of the risks which also contributes to success.

Why are Projects Different

• Project• Temporary endeavor• Defined start and end

dates w specific goals• No defined process• Work may cross many

business units• Divided management

responsibility• Temporary or ad hoc

workforce

• Normal Operations• Repetitive• Permanent or semi-

permanent functional work to produce products or services

• Well defined processes• Defined management• Defined workforce

In practice, the management of these two systems is often found to be quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and the adoption of separate management techniques.

Why is Project Management Needed

• Research shows 24% of projects fail, 44% fail to fulfill all expectations

• Enterprises are seeking staff with Project Management skills to improve success rates and believe enhanced Project Management skills an essential part of project success

Top 5 Reasons Projects Fail

• 1. Incomplete Requirements• 2. Lack of User/Management Involvement• 3. Unrealistic Expectations• 4. Changing Requirements & Specifications• 5. Lack of Planning

Top 5 Factors in Challenged Projects

• 1. Lack of User Involvement• 2. Incomplete Requirements & Specifications• 3. Changing Requirements & Specifications• 4. Lack of Executive Support• 5. Technical Incompetence

Projects that do not fail often fall within the category of challenged, not quite a failure but not quite a success.

Top 5 Factors For Success

• 1. User Involvement• 2. Executive Management Support

• 3. Clear Statement of Requirements

• 4. Proper Planning• 5. Realistic Expectations

Exploring the PMI Model

• Formalized Project Management process

• Specialized body of knowledge codified in “A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide)—Fourth Edition”

• Model uses a number of tools and resources for planning, risk assessment, resource allocation and more

Formalized Project Management Process

4. Project Closure

1. Definition/Initiation

2. Planning

3. Execution and Controlling

PMI Family of Credentials

Benefits of the Formalized Project Management Process

• Provides a common framework to think about projects and how we accomplish them• Even if you do not follow every formal process,

thinking about your project in the context of the process is helpful

• Provides tools and resources to assist the project management process

• Elevated the role of Project Management in the management planning

PMI Model Weakness for Telecom Projects

• Model more suited to larger, complex projects

• Assumes long lead time for planning• Assumes a full time project manager

• vs. a manager working a project

• Assumes PM skilled in project process• Down plays the role of experience in the

technical field• PMI does not require specific Telecom (Industry)

knowledge

Modifying the Model for Telecom Projects

• The reality is most Telecom Projects can be considered small or medium sized projects• Duration is less than 6 months• 10 or fewer team members and a small number of skill areas• Has a narrowly defined scope of work• Uses a Manager as the primary source of leadership• Produces straight forward deliverables with no/few political

implications

• What does this mean for the average Telecom Project• Process and planning complexity can be reduced to suit the

project• Simpler tools and processes can be used to execute the

project and deliver the correct level of documentation

Model for the Small to Medium Project

• Initiate Phase• Reduced complexity and processes as there are few significant

political issues to overcome, financial models to build or a Project Management office to establish

• Planning Phase• Use of appropriate and simpler forms and tools to build project

plans. (Playbooks, Action Plans, Task Plans)• Execute and Control phase

• Small team reduces need for lots of meetings and extensive communication tools.

• Lack of political requirements may reduce the need for extensive management communications (One Page Project Management)

• Closure Phase• Depending on your companies requirements you may bypass a

complex final documentation processes.

Initiate Phase for the Small Project

This phase is the conceptualization of the project. The purpose of this phase is to specify what the project should accomplish.• Conduct research and brainstorming sessions for

generating necessary information for management team. Vendors should be included if possible to provide their input

• (watch for vendor design lock in)

• ROI models or needs requirements will often drive the requirements.

• Often the project description does not need to be complex• This work should lead to a well defined scope of work

Planning Phase – Major Items

• Scope of Work

• Define the project and insure management, users and vendor expectations are in tune with your plan

• Resource Plan• With a small team people and resources are limited and more easily

controlled• Prepare the Work Breakdown Structure/Task List

• Define the right level of detail, does each task need to be general or specific, find the correct level of detail

• Project Schedule Development. • What’s the right level of detail, can you use a tool to combine with a task

list• Risk Plan

• Use your telecom experience to evaluate the major risks• Budget Plan

• What financial information does your organization need • Think about the closure process and how to record plan to actual expenses

Common Planning Weaknesses in Telecom Projects

• Initiation planning comes before vendor engagement and input

• The bogus RFP

• Vendor sales cycle provides a solution before project planning starts

• The insulated vendor design engineer

• Vendor Project Manager assigned after the sales team has sold the product

• Telecom Manager may not have formal training in Project Management

• Planning time is too short (see reasons for failure)

Planning -Time and Cost Estimates, a Caution

• Avoid the over ambitious plan• Plan for Slippage (and then add 20%)

• Plan an early delivery for a fixed deadline

• Understand most Projects come in late

• Resist the demand for faster, cheaper• If your time line is based on unrealistic goals you

have probably already failed

• Management may not question an ambitious plan at the start• But they will at the end

Planning - Risk Mitigation Plan

• Find the risks and work a mitigation plan at the start of the project

• Plan to reduce risk as much as possible, more moving parts mean more risk• Examples

• Network vendors can be a significant risk. Think about adding a new circuit rather then cutting an in place circuit to allow you to move back to the old system

• If moving to IP Phones plan to leave digital sets in place until after a successful cutover

• Familiarity breeds complacency

Control and Execute

• Refer to the task list and schedule often to keep track of your project

• Consider an easy to understand tracking systems (Red/Yellow/Green status)

• Address issues immediately to resolve problems before they impact the schedule

• Communicate often and effectively with your team to insure the project is on track

• Get rid of the project scheduled project meeting if it serves no purpose

• Watch for meetings where the experts talk past each other

Execute – Kickoff Meetings and Change Management

• Have all the players on hand for the first meeting, including vendors

• Prepare a project plan for the meeting and review with all players so everyone starts with the same message

• How you will handle changes• The Little Change vs. the Big Change

• Watching for scope creep• No change is too small to not document

• Have a formal process• Document and approve changes• Do changes get added to the invoice, are they invoiced

separately. How does your company manage these payments.

Closure

• When is it done• Define when the project ends

• What to do when you are the project manager and the Telecom Manager

• How do you tell yourself its done

• Is it really done when the vendor techs leave

• What? The Death March isn’t over till it’s documented

Closure -

• Complete a Cost Analysis• Compare budget to actual• Where did you go over/under budget and why• The importance of the change management process

• Laying the ground work for the next project• Is this something you will do again• Are there elements or knowledge you should preserve• Saving information for future reference

• System diagrams and configuration information• How many people have an IP Network Region

Configuration Map, COR information for their PBX• Saving information for ongoing maintenance

• Logins and passwords

Final Point – “Process vs. Delivery”

• Focus on project delivery rather than project documentation• The critical choice project managers need to

make is how much documentation is necessary? A small project can be done without creating an avalanche of paperwork

• Apply Project Management best practices• The Telecom Manager can increase their project

success rate by learning the basics of these best practices and applying them even with reduced complexity.

Finding the Right Tools• Dedicated Project Management Software

• Can be complex but adheres to the PMI model for project management

• Microsoft Project• Fairly complex software that provides many features a

full time PM would consider standard

• Web Based Tools• Range of complexity available from many vendors

• www.5pm.com

• Action Plans and Play Books• A simple solution for small projects

Resources - Web Based & Books• PMI Web site www.pmi.org

• Project Management knowledge base for those involved in

managing projects of all kinds • http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/docs/pmprocess.pdf

• Easy to Use Basic Templates• http://www.businessballs.com/project.htm

• The PM Hut • http://www.pmhut.com/

• Free Excel Templates• http://www.vertex42.com/ExcelTemplates/excel-project-management.html

• “The Art of Project Management” • by Scott Berkun

• “Project Management for Small Projects” • by Sandra Rowe

Presented by Rory McKennaConnect with me on LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/in/rorymck