What is ITIL? The Info rmati on Techn olog y Infra structure Libra ry (ITI L) is a glob ally recog nize d collection of best practices for information technology (IT) service management. ITIL is a doc umente d set of pro ces ses desi gne d to def ine how a compan y’s IT functions can operate. It contains a series of statements defining the procedures, controls and resources that should be applied to a variety of IT related processes. To put it simply, ITIL can be thought of ISO 9000 for the IT department. IT infrastructure consists of the equipment, systems, software, and services used in common across an org anization, regardless of missio n/p rog ram/pr oje ct. IT Infrastructure also serves as the foundation upon which mission/program/project- specific systems and capabilities are built. There are more methodologies and frameworks out there and the correct one for a given IT infrastructure project will depend on the size, scope and complexity of the project itself. What is the project life cycle of IT infrastructure? 1. Concept Phase: the problem to be solved is identified. 2. Development and Planning Phase: what needs to be done is identified. 3. Implementation and Execution Phase): actual work of the project is carried out. 4. Termination and Close Phase): the product is finalized, evaluated and rejected or accepted. A typical project life cycle may contain the following four phases, 1. Starting the Project (Concept Phase): the problem to be solved is identified. Deliverab les from this phase could be: • Feasibility studies that clarify the problem to be solved • Order of magnitude forecasts of cost • A project charter to grant permission for the project to proceed 2. Organization and Preparing (Development and Planning Phase): what needs to be done is identified. Deliverable s created here include: • The scope statement • A work breakdown structure (WBS) • A schedule baseline • A determination of budgetary costs and a develope d budget • Identificatio n of resources and team members with levels of responsibil ity • A risk assessment • A communications management plan • The project management plan • Control systems and methods for handling change control 3. Carrying out the Work (Implementation and Execution Phase): actual work of the project is carried out. Deliverables include: • Execution results for work packages • Status reports and performance reporting • Procurement of goods and services
What is ITIL? The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is a globally recognizedcollection of best practices for information technology (IT) service management.
ITIL is a documented set of processes designed to define how a company’s ITfunctions can operate. It contains a series of statements defining the procedures,
controls and resources that should be applied to a variety of IT related processes. To put it simply, ITIL can be thought of ISO 9000 for the IT department.
IT infrastructure consists of the equipment, systems, software, and services used
in common across an organization, regardless of mission/program/project. IT
Infrastructure also serves as the foundation upon which mission/program/project-
specific systems and capabilities are built.
There are more methodologies and frameworks out there and the correct one for a
given IT infrastructure project will depend on the size, scope and complexity of the
project itself.
What is the project life cycle of IT infrastructure?1. Concept Phase: the problem to be solved is identified.
2. Development and Planning Phase: what needs to be done is identified.
3. Implementation and Execution Phase): actual work of the project is carriedout.
4. Termination and Close Phase): the product is finalized, evaluated andrejected or accepted.
A typical project life cycle may contain the following four phases,
1. Starting the Project (Concept Phase): the problem to be solved is identified. Deliverables from
this phase could be:• Feasibility studies that clarify the problem to be solved
• Order of magnitude forecasts of cost
• A project charter to grant permission for the project to proceed
2. Organization and Preparing (Development and Planning Phase): what needs to be done isidentified. Deliverables created here include:
• The scope statement
• A work breakdown structure (WBS)
• A schedule baseline
• A determination of budgetary costs and a developed budget
• Identification of resources and team members with levels of responsibility
• A risk assessment
• A communications management plan• The project management plan
• Control systems and methods for handling change control
3. Carrying out the Work (Implementation and Execution Phase): actual work of the project iscarried out. Deliverables include:
• Managing, controlling and redirecting (if needed) of scope, quality, schedule and cost
• Resolution of problems
• Integration of the product into operations and the transferal of responsibility
4. Closing the Project (Termination and Close Phase): the product is finalized, evaluated andrejected or accepted. Deliverables include:
•
Formal acceptance• Documented results and lessons learned
• Reassignment or release of resources
How would you start a project?Some basic starting points to start of a project are:1. Create a Charter: A charter is a good way to define the boundaries of the
project. The charter should include the background and history, the mission andobjectives, the approach to run the project, the key team members and theirroles, the communication plan and other key project approaches (issuemanagement, escalation, change management, etc).Spending the time creating the charter will help you to think through these key
components and then provide a clear direction for the team and stakeholders.2. Create the Project Deliverables: Once the charter has laid out the high level
scope, next are the project plan, resource plan and budget. The plan should becreated by facilitating from the team members the specific deliverables neededto meet the objectives and then the specific activities to create the deliverables.
The resource plan and estimate should align to these activities based on who isneeded, for how long and what their costs are. To accompany the plans, theproject should have an action item log, risk log, issue log (I keep all three in thesame place) and a central team site to store project documents.
3. Create a Roadmap: Lastly once the project plan has been created it will showthe key capabilities and the dependencies between them. Therefore a roadmapshould be easy to develop which is a visual representation of the capabilities and
their order. This is very useful in managing expectations of delivery andcapabilities.
This is just my short list. There are logistical items like team meetings, kickoffs andstakeholder sessions but I would propose those come after these key planningdocuments.
What metrics would you expect to use to determine the success of yourproject?
To determine the success of the project there are two things that you need1. Make sure you have an agreement with the client on the set of metrics used to
declare success.
2. Secondly, make sure the metrics are balanced and broad enough to representthe reality of the project experience.
Getting back to the point you need a set of rounded metrics that covered cost,schedule, performance of the solution, and performance of the team to determinethe success of your project. For example
Actual costs expended vs. the original budget and actual delivery date vs. the
Quantitative metrics that describe the solution's performance, including
response time and defects.
Qualitative metrics that describe client satisfaction with the solution,including ease of use, look and feel, etc.
Satisfaction feedback that describes the client's satisfaction with how the
project team performed, including how quickly the team responded to problems,how well they communicated, how well they partnered, etc.
What are the project management skills you apply to handle changes?Changes are inevitable in projects but an uncontrolled change is the biggest threatfor the project. That's why a solid change management process can be a projectmanager's best friend. Putting this kind of process in place enables you to deliverwhat the customer has requested, in the timeline required, and within the agreed-upon budget.
A good project manager can easily recognize change, knows how to react
to change, and knows how to recognize new opportunities.
First we need to analyze the change and get the approval of the change from allrequired stake holders, then need to document the change and maintain integralchange management process, change management process like how do you acceptthe change, what is the threshold amount of effort you will consider to call a changein request as change, then manage and control the change, like applying thechange to sizing, scheduling, communicating the change, documenting the impactof the change.
You have a team member who is not meeting his commitments, what doyou do?
Do you know about escalation management? Yes, and I think that it is useful to get the job done. However one should be able to
persuade the people working in the projects or let them have their space forcompleting their tasks.
Are you ok with high levels of stress?
There are always ways of managing stress and projects about services are notsubject of a lot of stress if you have been involved in previous engagementswith higher levels of risks. SO it is every day concern and it is part of theworkload.
When risk is identified in a project life cycle?Risks can be identified right from the Inception stage. Even when the project charter
E m a i l1 0 / 0 6 / 0 61 0 / 0 8 / 0 61 0 / 1 2 / 0 61 0 / 0 8 / 0 6
3S h o r t d e s c ri p t i
# 0 0 0 3N e w L o w 1 9 1 7
L o n g d e s c
f o r I s s u e
B o b
S t r o pM e e t i n g1 0 / 1 2 / 0 61 0 / 1 2 / 0 61 1 / 3 0 / 0 6
“Tell me about a time when a project went off track and what you did toget it back on track.”
I brought everyone together, focused on the issues and not the people, gathered
the necessary information to put it back on track, and planned for more timecommunication.
What is the most important thing you have learned about ProjectManagement?
Communication is very important.
How do you handle projects that did not meet expectations?If you are communicating well during the project development, documenting
changes to scope, schedule and cost, there should be little surprises in theproject outcome. If a project needs to be killed, then kill it or re-scope it.
How will you work as a PM in completely different domain where you donot have domain knowledge?
Mention the transferable and soft skills.. not easy to convince though
What type of baseline estimating do you prefer?Bottom up estimates are the most accurate one’s, so if I am given a choice I would
create and rely on bottom up estimates to manage expectations of thestakeholders.
How would you handle change management on a project? To handle change management on any project you need support from top down
which is most critical. Another thing that you would require is buy in fromindividuals who would be affected by change so it is important theyunderstand what is in it for them.
What if you had to get something done (in an undisclosed foreign country)but could not because someone was not allowing?
It depends on the laws and the reach of my authority; there are usually options onsome level, people to talk to. What is my authority? (My question was notanswered)
What are the biggest mistakes that new project managers make?In my opinion following are the mistakes that new project managers usually make:Not managing project: Your job as a project manager is to lead the people who
do the actual work (of course this depends on the size of the project, in smallprojects you will have a technical role too).Underestimate the importance of communication: You can have as many
technical tools as you like - in the end project management is peoplebusiness!
Reinventing the Wheel: Most problems have previously been solved before byother people in your organization. If you are new, you need help. Findsomeone you can meet with to spend 10 minutes every few days discussingthe most critical problems you are facing.
Pick the right tools: You need to pick the correct tool for the project you areworking on. Not to be blindly led by the methodology that you have justlearned/is flavor of the month.
Not nailing down the scope: Make sure that you nail down the scope of theProject at the very beginning. Get confirmation from the key stakeholdersthat their view of the scope is in line with yours. Get early sign off to yourProject Management Plan and draft your stakeholder plan (including a RACI)as a first priority. Thereafter stakeholder management (and henceengagement) should be straightforward.
Earned Value is an approach to measure project performance. It compares theamount of work that was planned with what was actually accomplished todetermine if cost and schedule performance is as planned.
EVM simply asks the question if we had planned to spend an amount of money to
produce an outcome, did we spend this money at the planned time for theplanned outcomes. And if so did this outcome fulfill the plannedrequirements? That is was the outcome 100% complete on the planned dayfor the planned amount?
Risk PMBOK Guide Fourth Edition is an uncertain event or condition that, if it
occurs, has an effect on at least one project objective. Objectives can include scope,
schedule, cost, and quality. A risk may have one or more causes and, if it occurs, itmay have one or more impacts. A cause may be a requirement, assumption,constraint, or condition that creates the possibility of negative or positive outcomes.
Risk response strategies for negative risks (Threats)1. Avoid – Completely irradiate the risk from the system.
2. Transfer – This strategy doesn’t take away risk from the system but it justtransfers the ownership from one organization to another by paying certain cost.E.g. Outsourcing is the classic example of transferring the risk.
3. Mitigate – Mitigation (alleviate or become milder) is to be done on probabilityand impact.Mitigate probability – Lower down the chance of occurring the risk. Projectmanager should try to mitigate the probability of risk if it can’t be completelyavoided.Mitigate impact – Assuming risk still occurs, project manager should look forwardto lower the impact of risk on the project.
Risk response strategies for positive risks (Opportunities)1. Exploit – Once positive risk is identified, make sure the risk occurs and project
and/or organization gains out of it.2. Share – After opportunity is identified, join hands with peers to make most out
of it.3. Enhance – Increase the likelihood of risk occurring.
Risk response strategies for positive and negative risks (Opportunities)1. Accept – Yes you read it correct! Accept the risk. This is one of the perfectly
acceptable risk response strategy. There are few risks which are out of control of project organization and project manager has no other option but to accept themand still continue running the project by finding alternate ways to tackle theissues arising from these risks.
Risk Triggers are indications that a risk has occurred or about to occur. We canthink of them as events, conditions, early warning signs that trigger the contingencyresponse.
Residual Risks are:
Risks that remain after applying risk response strategies have been
implemented.
Risks that are not worth dealing with upfront (probably the cost involved in
dealing with them is less than the cost to address their outcome). We simplyaccept them.
Secondary Risks are the risks that emerge as a result of applying risk responsestrategies.
Contingency Reserves are time and cost reserves that account for "known-unknowns" or simply "knowns". They cover the "Residual Risks" on the project.
Management Reserves are time and cost reserves that account for "unknown-unknowns" or simply "unknowns". What if something unforeseen happens, that Icannot think of right now? Usually the management reserves a certain amount (say5% of the project cost baseline) for such unforeseen events. The Project Manager isNOT authorized to approve the use of management reserves. "Management"approval is required to use such funds.
Contingency Plans are plans specifying the action to be taken when the risk event(positive or negative) occurs. These plans are specifically for the Residual Risks.
Workaround are "corrective actions" taken to deal with a risk event that hasoccurred. Unlike contingency plans, these are "unplanned responses" to a risk.
Original Plan + All Approved Changes.Schedule baseline
Cost baseline
Scope baseline
Quality baseline
Change Control is the process of identifying, documenting, approving or rejecting,and controlling changes to the project baselines (including scope baselines,schedule baselines, cost baselines, etc.). In other words, it is used to controlchanges to all aspects of an approved project plan. An effective Change Control
system ensures that :Proposed changes are reviewed and their impact is analyzed, prior to approving
or rejecting them.
All requests and changes are properly documented to provide a clear audit trail.
Configuration Control is the activity of managing the product (or project'sdeliverables) and related documents, throughout the lifecycle of the product. Aneffective Configuration Control system ensures that:
• The latest approved version of the product and its components are used at alltimes.
• No change is made to the product baselines without authorization.
• A clear audit trail of all proposed, approved or implemented changes exists.
Difference between Configuration Control and Change Control1. Configuration Control addresses the management of the product (or project's
deliverables), whereas Change Control addresses the management of theproject.
2. Configuration Control manages changes to the product baseline, whereasChange Control manages changes to the project baseline.
3. Configuration Control is applied throughout the lifecycle of the product (concept->design->develop/manufacture->service->dispose), whereas Change Control isapplied during the lifecycle of the project subsequent to establishing the projectbaselines.
5 Basic Forms of Power of a Project Manager
Legitimate (or Formal): The formal authority or power derived from the
position. It is also known as Formal power.
Reward: The power of directly or indirectly rewarding the team member.
Rewards may be in the form of salary, promotion, bonus or better workassignments.
Penalty (or Coercive / Punishment): The power of directly or indirectly
penalizing the team members. Penalty may be in the form of suspension,reprimand, unpleasant assignments etc. It is also known as Coercive power andPunishment power.
Expert: The power derived from special knowledge or expertise.
Referent (or Charisma): The power derived from personality traits orcharisma. It is also known as Charisma power.
Positional Powers vs. Personal Powers
Positional powers are derived from the position of the project manager.
Legitimate, Reward and Penalty powers are positional powers.
Personal powers are derived from the knowledge, expertise or personalitytraits of the project manager. Expert and Referent powers are personalpowers.
Which is the best form of power for a Project Manager? The best form of power depends upon the situation and the maturity level of theproject manager. Generally speaking, personal powers (Expert and Referent) arebetter than positional powers (Legitimate, Reward and Penalty).
Critical Path MethodCritical path determines the shortest time to complete the project and it is thelongest duration path through a network of tasks. Critical tasks (activities) are tasks(activities) on the critical path.
CPM is helpful in:• Project Planning and control.• Time-cost trade-offs.• Cost-benefit analysis.• Contingency planning.• Reducing risk.
• CPM assumes low uncertainty in schedule dates.• Does not consider resource dependencies.• Less efficient use of buffer time.• Less focus on non-critical tasks that can cause risk.• Based on only deterministic task duration.• Critical Path can change during execution.
Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM):According to PMBOK Critical chain method is a schedule network analysis techniquethat modifies the project schedule to account for limited resources. It mixesdeterministic and probabilistic approaches to schedule network analysis.
CCPM takes advantage of the best practices of:
PMBOK: Planning and control processes.
TOC (Theory of Constraints): Remove bottleneck to resolve constraints.
Lean: Eliminate waste.
Six Sigma: Reduce Variations.
CCPM helps to overcome following phenomenon.
Parkinson’s Law: Work expands to fill the available time.
Student Syndrome: People start to work in full fledge only when deadline is near.
Murphy's Law: What can go wrong will go wrong.
Bad Multi-Tasking: Bad multitasking can delay start of the successor tasks.
CCPM is based on:•
Resource constrained situations.• Optimum use of Buffer (amount of time added to any task to prevent slippage of
schedule)
Project Buffers (PB): Amount of buffer time at the end of the project.
Feeding Buffers (FB): Amount of buffer time at the end of a sequenceof tasks.
Resource Buffers (RB): It is an alert that is used to indicate that
resource is needed to perform a task. This alert can be set few daysbefore a resource is actually needed.
Comparison of CPM and CCPM:Using CCPM:• Project Duration can be reduced by 25-40%.• Resources can be utilized effectively.• Project is fully focused on both critical and non-critical tasks
How would you resolve a timeline constraint mandated by SeniorManagement at short notice?
Q. How to deal with conflicts among stakeholders?Ans. The first rule before you start resolving these conflicts is to remember that these
conflicts are often bigger than you as a person, and you should accept that. The second ruleis to never take sides. You will experience the wrath of any stakeholder you will alignyourself against, and it won't be beautiful.
Now as a project manager, you must have some negotiation skills (either innate oracquired). So here's what you should do:
The first thing to do is to try to understand what the problem is: why there is a conflict in thefirst place.
The second thing to do is to identify the impact of the conflict on the project, if the impact isminimal, then let the stakeholders sort it out together, if the impact is heavy, then move onto the next step.
The third thing to do is to find a compromise between the stakeholders, the compromiseshould satisfy all parties, and you must ensure that no stakeholder feels that anotherstakeholder "got more" with this compromise. Make sure that your compromise does notaffect the interests of other stakeholders.
In case you are unable to resolve the conflicts then alert the affected stakeholders of theimpact of this conflict on the project. This will urge them into finding a solution themselves.
Q. Strategies for resolving team conflictsWhat are some of the efficient strategies for resolving team conflicts (please
don't give me a cliché answer such as "communicate, communicate, andcommunicate")?
I am currently in a dilemma as there are many team conflicts on my project whichis leading to very low productivity and I can't seem to find a way to resolve them.
Ans. Often you may find the team tries to draw you into the conflict. My strategy is to firstpush it back on them to resolve their own issues. If that doesn't work (I find it often doessince I appear to be not taking side and getting drawn in) and they return to me forresolution, I patiently listen to both sides and then facilitate developing a plan they canagree on to resolve the problem. Mediation is very similar to negotiation in this respect.Unlike either, I have a vested interest in getting this resolved, so if they can't agree, we willagree to disagree and set some boundaries on what appropriate behaviors will be going
forward.
Q. Whose responsibility is it to resolve conflicts between teammembers?
When there are two team members having a conflict/disagreement witheach other, whose responsibility is it to resolve the conflict between thetwo? Is it always the project manager? Or should the team members
resolve the conflict by themselves without the intervention of a thirdparty?
Ans. The two best people to resolve a disagreement are the people with the disagreement.So if someone approaches me with a disagreement with someone else, I usually ask themto go to the person they disagree with and try to settle it. If they cannot, then I ask them to
return to me where I will listen to the sides and suggest an equitable resolution.
Give examples of conflicts a project manager has
to deal with?Project managers often have to deal with conflicts, which strategy implementationthrows up. Name five types of conflict that a project manager is likely to have todeal with.
Ans. Not my job - an uncooperative team member doesn't want to performI can't work with him/her - people that can't get along
I'm overloaded - so I'll do nothing until you help me sort this outGotcha - I sat silently during the project meeting so everyone could hang themselvesI don't have to listen to you - you're not my boss, so I don't have to do what you ask, even if you say please and ask nicely ... I'll just ignore you
These are all illustrations of conflicts which have a variety of root causes:
- differences in education, background, and/or gender- differences in style (doing things differently than we are used to)- differences in leadership style- interdependence conflicts (we depend on each other and others)- personality clashes
How do you establish & keep good customerrelationships throughout the project, so as tominimize conflict?
Maintaining an open dialog and showing flexible and adaptable responses will be the bestway to maintain the relationship. Also provide regular status reporting on items that mattermost to the client. Finally, it is always best to define up front the "rules of engagement". Ialways set the expectation that changes will be managed (and proceed to explain HOW theywill be managed).
Remember, change requests can represent financial opportunity, so I wouldn't necessarilyshut them down or consider them evil. When I was a PM for imaging projects, at the
implementation meeting after the signing of the contract, I would explain the major optionsto the client and listen to their requirements. I would often come back with defined changesthat were up to 25-50% of the contract value, based on new requirements which were notknown at the time the contract was signed.
Each change was represented by a change request which documented the change, the costand schedule for the change, and other pertinent information. I would review these withclients and they liked the opportunity to be involved. Sometimes they would authorize allthe changes or they would pick and choose -- some changes were made immediately andthen some were deferred to a subsequent implementation phase. This provided an opening
to continue the project when the main work had ended.
As I reported status, I tracked their initial contract requirements separately from thechanges. A mini Earned Value Report showed them where we stood each week. Once theyunderstood the report, I never had an issue collecting on an invoice.
How to deal with difficult team members?In every project I manage, I always run into difficult team members, you known, theknow-it-all and don't-want-to-listen-to-any-word-you-say kind of team member.Managing these difficult people takes a lot my time and energy. I'm sure that otherproject managers also face the same problem, so how do they usually deal with it?
Ans. Here are some tips that you need to do. I've listed them in order, so if one fails, youmove to the next...
Talk to the team member: Try to understand why he's behaving this way, if doesn't
want to say why, then you should tell him that his negative behavior is affecting theproject and you need him to work on his attitude a bit. You should be careful and softwhen you talk to him.
Talk to his functional manager: Sometimes team members become "difficult"
because they just don't want to accept that you are telling them what to do and/or theythink that you don't have technical leadership. If you talk to that team members'functional manager then the latter might rectify the situation.
Ask to get him out of the project: If the previous step fails, then you should ask for a
replacement resource, as the difficult team member is becoming an unproductive anddisruptive team member, and is harming the project.
Reduce his tasks to almost a null level: This is a last resort, if the person is doing
nothing and management is OK, then give him nothing: reduce his tasks and give himvery stupid and tedious tasks.
How does a project manager handle conflictssuccessfully?
What are the best practices that the project manager has to follow in order tohandle/manage conflicts successfully? Is there a certain process that he has tofollow or should he just rely on his best judgment when resolving conflicts?
Ans. In order for the project manager to handle conflicts successfully, he must following thebelow steps (in order):
Understand the root cause of the conflict: Most of the times, the cause of the
conflict is not what it appears to be. Often the real cause has to do with ego, envy,personal issues between team members.
Distinguish if it's a positive conflict or a negative conflict. Positive conflicts are
good and need to be addressed, and they result in higher productivity, negative conflictsaffect the performance of both members and potentially the whole team. Negativeconflicts should be addressed.
Identify the type of each individual in the conflict, is he the predator or the prey?
Now use one of the following approaches to resolve the conflict:
Make both parties confront each other: This is where both parties air their concerns
to each other under the supervision of the project manager. Both parties try to find acommon ground and try to resolve their conflicts without the interference of anyone else.
Bridge the gap between the conflicting parties: If the previous step fails, then get
involved personally and try to bridge the gap between the conflicting parties. Your role
at this point is a mediator. You have to ensure that both parties offer a compromise andboth parties are satisfied with the compromise they offer and they receive.
Force the conflict resolution: If you feel there is no way for a compromise between
the two parties, you have to force a resolution. Forcing means that the two parties haveto work with each other, whether they like it or not, and the compromises that youdecide should be offered by both parties.
You may also avoid the conflict altogether, and pretend it doesn't even exist, but beware,leaving things like this to foster can cost you dearly even on the short term (resourcesquitting, very low productivity, sour work environment, etc...)
Whatever you do, just ensure you don't pick a side against the other, or else you will lose
both persons' respect.
How to deal with romance in your project team?Here's the situation:
We started a large web project in the beginning of the year (2010), I picked the bestemployees in the company to be on the project team. Few months into the project, Ihave discovered that two team members have fell in love. I was happy on theoutside, yet deep down inside I knew it was going to be trouble. After that, theystarted taking their personal problems to work, what makes the problem evenworse that they do have to work together a lot...
It seems that now every week we have at least a problem in the schedule becauseof these 2 people. When their relationship is OK, their interconnected tasks aredone on time and on schedule, but when it's not, they start blaming each other forthe delays in front of the team, while the real reason that when they are fighting,they just refuse to work with each other or be helpful to each other.
Clearly, the situation is becoming unacceptable at this point and I need to dosomething without interfering in their personal lives. I just don't think that standardconflict management is the solution in this situation...
Any suggestions on how to deal with romance when it comes to managing projects?
Ans
.Option 1. This is an extremely delicate situation and interfering in any way may put you introuble. I would say stay clear from this until the end of the project, and make sure you don'tput them on the same team in your next project.
Option 2. I think there is a way to talk to them without interfering in their personal lives. Just call them for a meeting, and then start explaining that the intermittent bickeringhappening between them is adversely affecting the flow of the project, and they need to bemore professional. I'm sure this will change things for the better, because they will realize
that their fighting in the company may jeopardize their involvement in the project, and tosome extent, their jobs.
How do you manage and resolve conflicting scope
requirements between stakeholders?As we all know, scope requirements coming from different stakeholders can easily
be conflicting, how do you manage that, while making sure that not a single
stakeholder feels ignored?
Ans. Communication, communication, communication. That's how you resolve these conflicting requirements. As a project manager, you are constantly faced with this situation,and you need to communicate with each and every stakeholder in order to reach a balance.
The best way to handle this is to hold a meeting that all the stakeholders will attend, anddiscuss each and every person's requirements in the meeting, and point out with whomrequirements that stakeholder's requirements conflict with. At this point, stakeholders willdo an extra effort to resolve the conflicts themselves, either by concessions or compromises.
What types of conflicts can occur among project
managers, line managers, and functional
managers?What are the conflicts that usually occur among project managers, line managers,
and functional managers? Are these conflicts restricted to conflicts over resources
and authority?
Ans. Conflicts among these types of managers are often triggered by different perspectives.Functional and line managers perceive that there is specific work to be accomplished in adefined timeframe. They may view projects as "endless activities" with deadlines thatfrequently move. Also, functional and line managers need to be assured that projects thatrequire their direct reports will actually benefit them and/or their groups.
The conflicts may occur over the actual work to be performed on a project as well as timingand priorities.
What are some of the best practices that project
managers can follow when they develop the
project schedule?
Ans. Here's some that I know of:
Involve team members. Let the team participate in creating the plan and schedule.
Once you have agreed on an effort estimate, don't change it (you don't need to
accept it point blank -- it needs to be reasonable). Plan on changing the duration ornumber of resources instead. Changing the effort dishonors the estimate the teamprovided.
Don't regularly load resources more than 85% give or take. There are always
interruptions, time off, meetings, etc. that fill in the remainder and you don't want toforce the team to regularly work overtime. Overtime is expected however whendeliverables are not being met.
Be sure to include contingency in time as well as budget.
Use dependencies to manage how tasks link together, not dates. Then when
something changes, you will not have to update every task.
How to know that a project schedule is realistic?I always shoot myself in the foot when I schedule a project, as all my projectschedules so far are unrealistic (I'm still an inexperienced project manager). Somy question is to the experienced project managers out there, how do you know(prior to executing the project) that your project schedule is realistic? Do you useany metrics to determine this or do you just follow your hunch?
Ans. The key to a great schedule, besides really understanding the requirements andbreaking them down into smaller work packages, is to have really good estimates. Theestimates are better if:
- there are multiple estimators- estimates are done bottom up (detailed) and top down (metrics and rules of thumb)- the estimates are independently checked
I do use metrics, however am only familiar with those of software projects. If these are yourprojects, look for books by Fred Brooks (The Mythical Man Month), Gerald Weinberg (ThePsychology of Computer Programming) and Ben Shneiderman (I believe the title is SoftwareMetrics - he published studies at the University of Maryland) for some great tips. Themetrics and rules of thumb will vary by industry.
How to optimize the project schedule?What are the things that a project manager can do to optimize his project
schedule? I know that resource leveling and resource smoothing are two ways of
doing this, but are there other ways to optimize schedules?
Ans. Here are some tips to optimize your project schedule:
Check the load on each and every resource, ensure no one is over-allocated or under-
allocated. Create an ideal allocation percentage (I like to go for 70%). If someone isbelow or above the ideal allocation percentage, then use resource leveling.
Ensure the right resource is working on the right task. Don't allocate a task that is about
cutting the PSD into HTML to your top programmer (even if he knows how to do it).
Ensure that each resource's work is evenly spread across the project schedule. This is
called resource smoothing (see:http://www.projectmanagementquestions.com/2880/resource-smoothing )
Ensure that your resources are not reserved by the project while doing nothing (other
Other than that, there's not much that you can do to optimize the schedule once the projectstarts. In any case, I think the project schedule should be optimized from the get-go(correctly estimating tasks, delicately assigning resources to tasks, etc...)
What is the difference between schedule baselineand performance measurement baseline?
Ans. A schedule baseline only considers the project timeline.
By one definition, a performance measurement baseline (PMB) is a time-phased budgetplan. By another commonly used definition, it involves all key measurements includingschedule, budget, and operating performance/quality.
What is a project schedule contingency?I am confused to what a schedule contingency is when planning for the project. Is
it just a fancy term that means padding the project schedule? Or is it somethingelse? Is there a "scientific" way to handle contingency scheduling?
Ans. Project Schedule Contingency is really just a fancy term for adding someextra time to the schedule to handle risk. Schedule contingency can be donein 2 ways:
Explicitly adding slack to the project scheduleReducing the resource utilization: For example, instead of allocating a resource
for a 100% of his time, then allocate him for 70 or 80% of his time
I usually use the two above methods simultaneously. There is no scientific way tohandle schedule contingency.
What type of information can be learned about a
project by viewing the project schedule?Let's say you're a stakeholder, what is the information that you expect to learn byviewing the project schedule?Ans. Some of the things that you can find out looking at the project schedule are:
Is the project on schedule?
Are some of the resources over-allocated?
Are some of the resources under-allocated?
Is there a lot of slack (or is there little slack) in the schedule?
What is the critical path?
Who are the resources allocated on the critical path?
Will there be a hiccup in the project if resource X gets sick (resource X has a lot of tasks
Is it OK to pad the project schedule?We all know that project managers are often accused of "padding" the project schedule, andrightly so. So my question is, is it OK to pad the project schedule, and to what extent? Howmuch padding, in percentage, should I add to the project schedule?
How to deal with the customer when the project is
delayed?I am currently working on a project that is behind schedule. I am sure that if I tellthe customer he will get very pissed. How can I tell him about the situation (thatthe end date is pushed) in a way where he won't overreact?
Or should I just not tell him?Ans. Communicate!
The customer will be definitely pissed but at least he'll respect your honesty. If you withholdthis information from your customer, it can eventually come to haunt you back.
Projects experience delays, and this is very normal. Most (if not all) customers know that,but they always want their projects to be finished "yesterday".
Again, honesty is the best policy in your situation. You may want to ask for an advice fromyour project sponsor. He'll most likely help you in this case (it is his job!).
Here's an example on how to do this:
- Approach the customer gently, ask for a meeting, do not tell him this over the phone or byemail (email is really bad in this case).- Try to have this over lunch, usually when people are eating they are less aggressive andcan tolerate these bad news. Not to mention that people are usually friendlier and more
casual.- Tell him why exactly the project was late, be straight to the point.- Tell him when you expect the project to be finished- Tell him what you are going to do in the future to avoid the re-occurrence of this situation.
The last step is very important as it will increase the customer's trust in you, because bysaying so you made yourself look proactive, you are ensuring that this will never happen inthe future.
Doing the above steps not only will buy you time with the customer, but will increase yourstanding as a professional project manager with him.
Try it!
How to deal with an unrealistic project schedule?I am always faced with a situation where an unrealistic project schedule isimposed on me. How can I deal with that? Should I just go with the flow (while of course mentioning that the schedule is impossible to the stakeholders) andproceed with the project execution, or should I just refuse to work on the projectuntil a better schedule is agreed upon...Ans. This is a two edge sword:
- Refusing to work on the project will label you as a "chicken"- Working on the project (as is) will almost certainly label you as someone who can't get the
job done
I'd say negotiate the best you can, and try to remove some requirements while making
every one signoff to the new scope. If this is not possible, then I'm sorry to say that thecompany your work for isn't the best company in the world, and you should probably seekyour fortune somewhere else.
What is a level 1 project schedule?I'm hearing of 3 levels of project schedules: Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3. Whatare they? Is project level 1 a non-detailed project schedule, while level 3 is themost detailed?Ans. The level 1 project schedule is the very top level of the WBS, which the most breakabletasks, for example, in a website development project, a level 1 project schedule may consistof the following:
1- Design2- Development3- Integration4- Testing
All of the above are level 1 tasks.
Level 2 for design will include the following:1.1 - PSD Design1.2 - HTML Mockup
Level 3 is usually the most granular task (that cannot be broken further), and is assigned toa resource.
How can a project manager plan for unforeseen
risks?How should the project manager plan to handle unforeseen risks? Is the only wayto do so is to add contingency to both his project schedule and his project budget,or are there other, better ways to do so?
Is it possible to have zero unforeseen risks in a project, or are all projects"plagued" with such risks and there is no way to avoid them, regardless of howgood the risk management plan is?Ans. Planning for unforeseen risks mainly means adding contingency (padding the projectschedule and increasing the project budget) to deal with these risks.
Naturally, unforeseen risks catch the project manager by surprise, so what should he do(other than adding contingency) to deal with them? Well, one thing that he can do is to add,in the risk management plan, a clause that addresses the unforeseen risks and have theclient sign on it. The clause should clearly state that if the project faces a risk that is notlisted in the RMP, then here's what should happen... (the three dots should be replaced bysomething like the "client should accept the extra delays and costs incurred by these risks"or something similar).
Note that another good way to plan for unforeseen risks is to compare your project to similarprojects in the past and to see what unforeseen risks these projects faced, and what wasdone (or should have been done) to handle these risks.
What is risk exposure?I was reading an article on project risk management and I read something about"risk exposure". The article stated that risk exposure is one the most importantmetrics for assessing risks. Please explain what risk exposure is and what itmeans to risk assessment. Also, since it's a metric, then this means that it’s anumber that can be calculated. So how do you calculate risk exposure?Ans. Risk exposure is the same thing as Risk score, so it is calculated this way:
RE = RP + RI - (RP x RI)
Where:RE = Risk ExposureRP = Risk Probability (which is a number from 0 to 1, 0 means that the risk has noprobability of occurring and 1 means that the risk will definitely occur)RI = Risk Impact (which is the impact of the risk, also from 0 to 1, 0 means that the risk hasno impact on the project whatsoever and 1 means that the risk has the highest impact onthe project).
For example, if a risk has a 50% probability of occurring and has an impact of 0.3 over theproject, then the Risk Exposure will be:
RE = 0.5 + 0.3 - 0.5 x 0.3 = 0.65
Note that RE also ranges between 0 and 1. 0 means that the risk is not critical at all anddoes not need to be managed, while 1 means that the risk is very critical.
Known unknowns in project managementI want someone to explain to me the concept of known unknowns in project risk management. What are they? Are they just another type of risk? Can you also giveme an example of known unknowns?
I have read that the first person who came up with the concept of knownunknowns was Donald Rumsfield (ex-secretary of defense), am I right?Ans. A known unknown, in project management, is related to contingency planning. Forexample, in a software project, we know before we start the project that we will miss somerequirements which can lead to extra costs (this is the known part), but we don't know howmuch these costs will be (this is the unknown part), we also know that these requirementswill take some extra time to get done (known) but we don't know how much time they will
take (unknown).
So the amount and the time allocated for these known unknowns is the contingency reserve.
How often would the risk register be reviewed?I can find many answers on how to create the risk register, and how to update it,but I can't find any answer on when to review and update the risk register. Should
the risk register be reviewed (and probably updated) every day? Every week?Every month?Ans. The risk register, in my opinion, should be updated "as-it-happens". So, whenever youhave a risk that has newly materialized, a risk that changed in status (open/closed), or a riskthat has changed in importance (low, medium, high) you need to update the risk register.Further during course of the project qualitative, quantitative risk analysis, planning the risk
response for each risk, the risk register gets updated.
Can project risk be eliminated?Is there a way to eliminate some risks on the project so that we won't have toaccount for them in the risk management plan? What I would like to know if thereis something, in project management, called risk elimination process? And if thereis such a process, then how is it done?Ans. At least in theory, it is never possible to remove ALL risks from projects. This is due tothe fact that some risks will never be identified and will be what we refer to as the "unknownunknowns". There are risk management methodologies that can assist in identifying someof the "known unknowns" and developing strategies to minimize their probability of occurrence and impact on the project if they do occur.
It is possible that there are some risks which are so low in probability that we may notconsider them. For example, the probability that snow will hold up construction in southernCalifornia in July is a pretty low risk, unless you are in the mountains (and even there, theprobability is extremely low). Often we eliminate them from our attention because they arenot worth considering.
How to monitor risks?Please explain the process of monitoring risks. Please also discuss all the risk monitoring techniques, and tell me which technique is better to follow, and why.
Finally, I want to ask, when should risks be monitored in the project? Is it only
during the executing phase?Ans. Risks can be monitored at scheduled status meetings of the project or it can be done ina separate meeting specifically for risk monitoring.
This is called as Risk audits which will examine the identified risks, their causes, & theeffectiveness of the risk responses.
Variance analysis can also be used to monitor risk. Any deviation from the planned resultmay lead to a potential risk.
What is proactive project risk management?Is proactive project risk management a concept or a process? If it's concept, canyou please explain it, and if it's a process, can you please define all the steps that
should be done in this process to ensure proactive management of the risks?Ans. Proactive risk management is a concept, and not a process. In my opinion, all riskmanagement done by the PM should be proactive. If due diligence is properly done on theproject risks, then no risks will suddenly materialize, and all risks will be accounted for. So,you might want to ask, how to do "proactive" risk management? Here are a few steps that Irecommend:
• Be thorough in your risk identification: Don't leave any stone unturned, talk toeveryone involved in the project (team members, stakeholders, vendors, etc...), learn
from previous projects (see what kind of risks they faced), learn from other projectmanagers, etc...
• Analyze each and every risk: Each risk should be thoroughly analyzed. You shouldknow its probability, its impact, and its WRF (weighted risk factor, see:http://www.projectmanagementquestions.com/2000/weighted-risk-factor-analysis) withrespect to your project's constraints.
• Account for secondary risks: Secondary risks happen when risks are mitigated(contingencies applied). As a proactive risk manager, you should take into considerationsecondary risks in your RMP. You can read more about secondary risks here:http://www.projectmanagementquestions.com/3858/what-is-a-secondary-risk
• Calculate the proximity of each and every risk: Calculating risk proximity is tedious(and sometimes very hard), but doing so will allow you to expect at which period a riskwill materialize, and after which date a risk will no longer be a threat (here's someinformation about risk proximity if you don't know what it is:http://www.projectmanagementquestions.com/2281/what-is-risk-proximity)
• Create and maintain a risk log: Creating and maintaining a risk log means that youare serious about your project's risks and you are closely tracking them.
Risk identification techniquesI would like a comprehensive list of all the techniques that can be applied for risk identification. Can you also please tell me which technique is the best to use (Iknow that the answer is probably subjective, but I like to know your opinionanyway), and why?Ans. There are many ways that the project manager uses to identify risks, including:
• Researching similar projects: Maybe get the lessons learned of previous similarprojects from the PMO to know what kind of risks and challenges they have faced.Additionally, digging into risk management plans of previous projects is also a good idea.
• Talk to project managers who managed similar projects: Sometimes a projectmanager might tell you about risks that he did not account for and he did not eveninclude in the lessons learned.
• Talk to your project sponsor: Understand what may be the high level challenges thatwill be faced by the project.
• Talk to your suppliers: Suppliers can be a source of risks (especially if the projectdepends on materials). See if there's any chance that your suppliers will have a problemdelivering the necessary materials for your project.
• Talk to your project team: Talking to your project team is critical to understand theirskills and their expertise. Try to determine if they actually have the necessary knowledgeto perform the tasks (there will be some people lying of course, but one of your skillsshould be "Human Lie Detector"!). Team members can be a great source of risk if theylie about their skills or if they under-estimate the time it will take them to finish a task.
• Brainstorm: Usually done with stakeholders, brainstorming is a good idea to determinewhat will be the risks that may threaten the project.
• Go on-site: If the project is executed outdoors, such in the case of a constructionproject, then you should go on site, maybe you'll be able to see some risks there (forexample, potential challenges in the excavation because of the proximity to the ocean orthe nature of the soil).
I would say that reviewing past similar projects is the most important thing that a projectmanager can do to identify risks.
How are risks minimized?We all know that managing risks is defined in the risk management plan, wherewe identify the risks, analyze them (weigh their impact and assess theirprobability on the project), plan for response and contingencies, etc... But wedon't say anything about minimizing risks, minimizing their impact on the projectshould they occur. How do we do that?Ans. We minimize risks through a variety of mitigation strategies. For example, we take outan insurance policy which transfers some of the risk to the insurance company or we find abusiness partner to share the risks (and the rewards, if any). We may also put contingencyand management reserves into our budgets and schedules. You mention planning forresponse and the possibility of minimization should be included in that plan.
What are the types of cost risks?Please list all the types of cost risks that are common to all industries andprojects.Ans. Any increase in the cost of anything related to the project is a cost risk, this includes:
• SUBSTANTIAL SALARY INCREASES: Sometimes companies are forced to substantially
increase the salaries of their employees across the board to prevent them from movingto another competitor company. Salary increases will increase the indirect costs of theproject.
• CONTRACTUAL PENALTIES: In some projects, there are terms in the contract thatforce the vendor (the company developing the project) to a pay a certain amount for theclient for every day after the project was supposed to be finished.
• NON-ACCOUNTED FOR COSTS: Sometimes project managers do not include someexpenditures (including material costs, service costs, etc...) in their project budget. Thisis a potential cost risk in every project.
• EXCEEDING/UNDERSHOOTING BUDGET - seriously missing the budget by coming inlow is a risk since those $ could be more effectively spent on another project, rather thanreserved for yours
•
FRAUD/THEFT, particularly if cash or cash equivalents are involved, or expensivecomponents/materials
• CHANGES IN THE ECONOMY (driving up or down prices of goods and services)
• CHANGES IN LEGISLATION (changing tax structures, requiring more red tape)
• COMPETITION (by the time your project is complete, the competition has cornered themarket and there is now a limited sales base for your new product/service)
Other cost risks include: New taxes, new regulations, inflation, increase in transportationcosts, etc...
Who should own the risks on a project?Generally, who is the stakeholder that should own the risks on a project? Is it theproject sponsor? (I'm sure that the project manager should NOT own the risks).Ans. You're right, the project manager does not own the risks, but it is the responsibility of the project manager to know who owns each risk.
Now the question is, who should own the risks? There are three ways for doing this:
• Throwing all the risk ownership on the project sponsor (since his role is instrumental inapproving/disapproving all the critical decisions that are related to the project).
• Throwing ownership of all the project risks on the project board.
• Allocating the ownership of each and every risk to a specific stakeholder. For example,stakeholder A will own Risk 1, stakeholder B will own Risk 2, etc... In this case it is a goodidea to create a risk ownership matrix in your risk management plan, which lists all therisks, as well as the owner of each and every risk.
Risk ownership doesn't mean that the person is merely responsible/accountable for the
outcome of the risk if it materializes, but it also means that he risk owner should ensure (byconsulting with/advising the project manager) that the risk is properly managed and thatcontingencies (for that risk) are in place.
When in the project lifecycle should risk
management be done?During which stage in the project lifecycle should we manage the risks? Is it onlyduring the executing stage?Ans. You start managing risks during the project initiation when you create the projectcharter and list the main risks (even at this point it’s called risk management). You thencontinue your risk management work in the planning phase, by creating the RMP (Risk
Management Plan), and of course, you manage/mitigate risks and apply contingencies formaterialized risks during the executing phase. Risk management work will be very minimalpast this stage, and it is reduced only to crisis management (for example, a war has eruptedand you cannot deliver the project...).
What is a compound risk?In project management, what is a compound risk? Is it a group of similar riskscompounded into one? How do we deal with compound risks in our risk management plan?Ans. Unfortunately, many project managers misunderstand what compound risks really are.Some think that a compound risk is one big risk (like a flood) with sub-risks falling under it(offices closed, data center flooded, hardware damaged, etc...). Others believe that it's a
collection of related risks.
Here's the real definition of what a compound risk is, it's a risk that will result in creatingother risks. A flood risk can be considered a compound risk, but the way it is explainedabove is wrong, because the other risks are not sub-risks, they're just risks that were ensuedby the flood risk.
Let me give you another example, suppose near the middle of your IT project, the mostimportant and knowledgeable resource decided to quit (that's a resource risk), whathappened is that you were forced to hire another person, who may or may not be as skilledas your previous employee (Lack of experience risk), and who may ask for more (Cost risk).Not only that, other employees may sympathize with the employee who quit and maydecide to do the same (lack of resource risk), and the whole project will be delayed. You see,
when that key resource quit, he created a myriad of other risks that may result in gettingyour project killed, or at best, increasing its costs and the schedule. Hence "key resourceleaving" is a compound risk.
b) Maintain Clear Functional and Technical Documentation
c) Arrange Brainstorming session within the team to deliver best quality of services
d) Improve Technical competency in team thru different approach
e) Maintain Team Morale with Creative and fun activities
f) Appropriate resource backup and risk plan
What was the most stressful aspect of your last
project and how did you deal with it?Very few projects stay on schedule, under budget and with no major problems. The ability tohandle stressful situations is key to successful project management. Limited resources andtime, changing demands and new circumstances all result in stress on the project manager.
Show how you are able to stay calm under pressure and plan to reduce stress focusing onaspects such as your people management, technology management, risk management andexpectation management.
Risk treatment in project managementHow do you treat risks in your project? Do you treat them by executing thecontingency plan (which is located in the risk management plan) or is thereanother way?Ans. The first thing is to profile the risks; identify them, think through the odds they willhappen and the consequences if they do, what would trigger them, what actions would needto happen if they were indeed triggered, and who "owns" tracking them and triggering aresponse. That gives you a risk and mitigation plan.
Once you have your plan, you track your risks routinely. Remember risks haven't happened.Risks that have been triggered are no longer risks; they're issues. If there is a risk of a
hurricane, you would want to have a plan ready in case one hits. If one hits, you no longerhave a risk of a hurricane; you have a hurricane and it's an issue and you'd take themitigating actions.
For projects of any real consequence, I keep a risk register and keep it updated at all times.It takes very little time to track risks using it, if you make it part of a routine, such as atrecurring Core Team meetings.
Risk identification processHow does the risk identification process work? What are the steps involved? Andwhat is the difference between risk identification and risk analysis?Ans. The simplest way to identify project risks is to hold a facilitated session, such asbrainstorming. Identifying risks will also involve professional judgment and expertise,interviews of stakeholders, research into historical projects (what risks did they encounter),and other types of facilitated sessions (e.g. Delphi).
Project risk categoriesWhat are project risk categories? Are they the same for all the projects, or dothey differ from one project to the other? If they are different then can you please
give me the risk categories for the most important industries (software industry,construction industry, etc...)Ans. There are two major categories of risks, but within these two major categories thereare sub-categories:Internal Risks: These include risks internal to the organization, and they are:
• Project management risks: Using the wrong methodology, bad requirements,
scope creep, bad leadership, etc...• Resource risks: Risks related to resources, such as conflicts, resignation, etc..
• Technical risks: Using the wrong software for development, usingoutdated/bad/inadequate code/material, etc...
• Financial risks: Project funding getting cut off, project going over budget, increasein the costs
• Organizational risk: Company politics (including hidden agendas), change of theorganization's direction (project is no longer aligned)
External Risks: All risks that do not stem from within the organization, and that usually theorganization cannot control:
• Vendor risks: Vendor no longer willing/able to supply the project with necessarymaterial, vendor breaking the contract or not respecting it, vendor delaying shipmentof material
• Country risks: Country at war, acts of nature, etc...
• Competition risks: Another company coming up with a similar product (at acheaper price), another company entering the market, etc...
What are resource risks?What exactly are resource risks? Are they risks associated with team members(such as people getting sick, quitting, etc...)?Ans. Resource risks are risks related to project team members. Resource risks include, butare not limited to:
Absenteeism: A resource is absent for an extended period of time (for valid or invalidreasons, including sickness, personal issues, vacation).Resignation/dismissal: Any resource can resign or be dismissed at any time (In NorthAmerica, most areas are "work at will", means that the employer can fire the employee atany time and the employee can resign at any time, without prior notice). The decrease inthe size of the project team is rarely good news to the project.Demotivation: A resource is completely demotivated it's affecting his productivity.Demotivation can happen because of personal issues, bad leadership, bad pay, etc...Inexperience: A resource has no experience with the technology used, and the learningcurve is hard.Gold plating: A resource is wasting the company's time by giving the client more than whathe asked for (adding features that are not in the scope, etc...), usually this is a sign of a verymotivated resource, but can delay the project and can cause problems with the client (as
well as lifting the latter's expectations).
What are residual risks?What exactly are residual risks? And what's the difference between residual risksand other kinds of risks?Do project managers have to account for residual risks as well in their risk management plan?
Ans. Residual risks, also known as secondary risks, are risks stemming from trying tomanage a "primary risk", or a risk that is already accounted for in the risk managementplan.
Planning for residual risks is a very complicated and time consuming process, and mostproject managers don't include residual risks in their plan.
What are project reserves?What exactly are project reserves, are they the same thing as projectcontingencies? And if no, what is the difference?Ans. Ideally a project has both contingency dollars and reserve dollars. The contingencydollars are there solely to cover planned risks. In construction, this might mean plannedfunds to cover the extra resources or work required in the event of bad weather. Reservesare there to cover the "unknown unknowns" or unplanned risks. These funds should only bebrought into play in the event of an unplanned risk.
How is earned value management used to measure
project performance?I want to know how project managers use EVM (Earned Value Management) tomeasure project performance.One the same note, how accurate is the EVM data pertaining to projectperformance? For example, if according to our EVM calculation, the project is late,does this mean that the project is definitely late?Ans. The performance of the project is mainly measured against the time and the costs.
There are two EVM variables that will tell you how the project is faring against these twoconstraints: the CPI and the SPI.
CPI is the Cost Performance Index, and it will tell us whether the project is on budget (CPI =1), over budget (CPI < 1), under budget (or sending less money than we actually planned to
spend, which is a good thing - CPI > 1)
SPI is the Schedule Performance Index, and it will tell us whether the project is on schedule(SPI = 1), behind schedule (SPI < 1), ahead of schedule (SPI > 1).
You can find out how to calculate the SPI and CPI here:http://www.projectmanagementquestions.com/3280/how-to-calculate-cpi-and-spi
Note that there other EVM values that can tell us about the project's performance, but SPIand CPI are the ones that are most commonly used.
7.5 years’ experience in operational and tactical layers of IT ServiceManagement, Remote Infrastructure Management services, Client
relationship, Account farming and Solution design activities for toptelecommunication, manufacturing and Information technology companies
In my previous position with Wachovia Bank, I was promoted rapidly, achieving a
position as Assistant Vice President after only 33 months. I began with thecompany as a Credit Analyst and was promoted to Commercial RelationshipManager at the end of seven months of service. In this position, I actively
recruited new commercial accounts and serviced existing accounts. During mytenure, my commercial accounts portfolio grew from $15 million to $25 million,and I doubled non-interest (fee-based) income from $20,000 per year to $40,000per year.
I have earned Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degrees from Idaho StateUniversity.
Extremely Process Oriented with extensive background for maximizing efficiency
by instituting standards, reusable artifacts/templates and thoroughlydocumenting processes and issues to reduce/eliminate rework
Techno-Functional IT Professional with proven track record to transform complex
business and technical requirements to functional and technical artifacts anddesign/engineer perfect solutions
Of the many to respond, few will be as qualified as I am, having 12 years of in-depth, bonafide industry experience.
Over the years, I have performed in a variety of environments. As a result, I have
been exposed to diverse people, work styles, standards of measurement,corporate cultures, and demands. What has remained consistent throughout ismy ability to produce results in a range of business climates.
When we meet, you’ll find me to be a person with a positive outlook who enjoys
identifying ways to make something work rather than reasons not to try. Thisperspective is invaluable in setting an example for employees who are called
upon to assume numerous responsibilities -- of particular merit in this era of unavoidable downsizing and cost cutting.
ability of your staff to grasp a problem, evaluate the best way to solve it, and
then work until the solution is in hand. This is precisely the process I followed allfour years to graduate with a 3.80 average.
Highly effective communications skills, which I used to sell a range of electronicproducts and train customers in using them.
The communication and presentation skills critical to articulating these benefits
clearly and accurately to co-workers, sales representatives, creative staff, seniormanagement, and prospective customers.
Proven ability to initiate, maintain, and build ongoing relationships withkey accounts in academia and corporate markets: to help maximizeopportunities for revenue growth.
I am a Strategic Marketing Planning/Program Manager with 20+ years’experience in services marketing—the most recent 8 years intelecommunications, and prior to that, in international transportation.
Commercially astute IT Service delivery leader with strong projectmanagement background and proven ability to develop and improve businessthrough relationship management ,stakeholder engagement , strategydevelopment and ensuring best use of investment through effective budgetingand business case realization.
ITIL certified IT professional having more than 14.6 years of experience in IT
industry with last 4 years focused on Project Management. Rich accomplishmentin PM Competency, Technical Services and Infrastructure Management withexpertise in managing & overseeing successful initiation, execution & delivery of the projects.
Grant Rauch has more than 17 years of experience in IT InfrastructureManagement both as a consultant and project manager. He is a seasoned
professional with demonstrated leadership, talent and knowledge in successfullyimplementing complex IT infrastructure projects. Grant’s key strengths are in thefull life cycle of Data Center Management including design, build and operations.He possesses a deep and broad technical skill set combined with strongmanagement skills and a focus on quality and continuous improvement.
Overall 11 years of rich experience in IT Infrastructure Project Management,Operations Management, Process Management, Team Management and ServiceDelivery.
14 years of experience in IT Infrastructure Project Management and Service
delivery in enterprise environment.
I have held a variety of positions in retail management with a
particular emphasis in buying, having served as a Buyer for Bloomingdale’s withresponsibility for purchasing in both domestic and international markets. In thisposition, I acquired a profound understanding of the unique preferences of theupscale consumer, which could help you avoid costly experiments (not tomention embarrassing failures) with this demanding market segment.
Capability to lay down business processes & procedures tocreate value through Intellectual Property and sustained value enhancement.
Can you walk me through your resume?
Good Organizational SkillsGood organizational skills, I think, is summed up in a quote attributed to LloydDobens and Clare Crawford: It is not a question of how well each process works, the
question is how well they all work together. Good organizational skills means beingable to see the whole picture - how everything needs to work together to completea project, or organize an office, or manage a group of employees. A person withgood organizational skills can walk into a situation and immediately see what couldbe done to improve a situation, a setting, or a project.
•
Interview Question: Why do you feel you can be successful in this position?
Winner Answer: I have the skills necessary to succeed in this position (tell a brief story to prove
it). I consider myself energetic and willing to learn. Previous employers will attest to the fact that
I am a very hard worker.
• Interview Question:Why should I hire you?
Winner Answer: I am a go-getter. I believe in setting goals to achieve success. I am willing tolearn new ideas and sales concepts. Previous employers will tell you that I am organized, self
motivated, and result oriented. *Refer to the Employment Seminar Book.
• Interview Question:What is your greatest strength and weakness, and howwill these affect your performance here?
Winner Answer: I believe my greatest asset is that I am organized and am capable of creatingorder out of confusion. My greatest weakness is that I have little patience for people who don't
value the same sense of order that I do. I believe my organizational skills will help thisorganization achieve its goals more quickly.
Communication Skills
The only way to increase your effectiveness in this area is to practice. Career Servicesrecommends practicing with a friend or a parent who won't laugh at you, or using a tape recorder
to rehearse/review your prepared interview responses. Warning: At first, this will be very
uncomfortable, but with practice it will become easier. Practicing interviewing skills will make
you feel more at ease during an actual interview.
• Interview Question:How do you go about influencing someone to accept yourideas?
Winner Answer: That's something I've worked very hard on over the years. At some point I
realized that good ideas, even great ideas, sometimes aren't received that way. The way you present an idea is just as important as the idea itself. When trying to influence people, I usually
try to put myself in their position and think about their perspective. I'm then able to present
thoughts to them in a way more likely to end in success.
• Interview Question:What experience have you had in making oralpresentations? How do you rate your skills in this area?
Winner Answer: I read somewhere that public speaking was the number one fear of people in
this country. After I read that, I figured that if most people are scared of it, addressing my own
fear and mastering the skill of oral presentation would probably make me more competitive inthe job market. So I do presentations every chance I get and find the more I do them, the more
comfortable I am -- and the better I get.
• Interview Question:How would you compare your verbal skills to your writingskills?
Winner Answer: It seems as if organizations are more dependent than ever on the ability of
employees to be articulate both orally and in writing. I am constantly taking advantage of opportunities to develop my oral and written communication skills.
• Interview Question:How should superiors and subordinates interact?
Winner Answer: I believe that clear communication throughout the hierarchy of an organization
is critical to the organization's success. I'd like to think I've developed good strong skills in thatarea. I am always trying to increase my skills in that area. In terms of superior-subordinate
relationships, I think it's most important to realize that each person and each relationship is
different. The best approach for me is to begin without assumptions and see how the relationship
develops over time, always keeping a positive attitude.
• Interview Question:How do you get along with your co-workers?
Winner Answer: I generally get along very well with coworkers Occasionally I might run into aconflict with someone. When this happens, I usually focus on what the conflict is about rather
than on personalities. I find that approach helps me to maintain a successful relationship with
anyone -- and often leads to resolution and strengthened relationships.
Record of Success
Your record of success is your most important credential for gaining access to the bestcompanies. Effectively conveying a view of yourself as a person with an impressive track record
will do more for your chances than any other single tactic.
There are two tracks you can take here, depending on the material you have to work with and the
job you're applying for. If your background vividly illustrates your ability to do the job inquestion, you merely need to choose the best examples and present them.
You should specifically point out how your past relates to what the company needs. This will
demonstrate the skills you've used in the past are directly transferable and applicable to the tasks
required on the job in question. For example: In my previous position, high sales were veryimportant. My first year working with ABC Company, I averaged top sales in the department,
because I was focused on reaching my goals. In summary, if I worked for your organization, I
would apply that dedication to your company by focusing on higher productivity and
professional development.
• Interview Question: What do you consider to be your most significantaccomplishment and why?
Winner Answer: Rather than give you a specific line of thought to work with, I suggest you think
of something you've done that highlights your uniqueness. Some examples: Won first prize in amath competition, I was elected class officer, managed a family crisis, rebuilt a car engine from
scratch, reorganized a department. If at all possible, give a work-related example.
• Interview Question: Under what conditions have you been most successful in
any undertaking?
Winner Answer: My approach to problem solving involves a systematic process of gathering
relevant information about a problem, clearly identifying the problem, setting a strategy, and
then implementing it. As long as I have enough information and a clear view of the problem, I
can tackle anything.
• Interview Question: How hard do you work to achieve your objectives?
Winner Answer: For me, the question is not how hard I work. It's a given that if I've set an
objective or if I've been given an important assignment I work as hard as necessary to achieve
the desired results. The question for me is how smart do I work -- in other words, what can I doto make the completion of the task come as easily and smoothly as possible so I can move on to
other things.
• Interview Question: Has the competition had any positive or negative impacton your accomplishments? How?
Winner Answer: If I were afraid of competition, I wouldn't be applying for a job in an
organization like yours. The most important thing to me is knowing the competition and being
clear about what it is we're competing for. When I'm in a competitive situation I like to make
sure I understand what's at stake. Once I understand the game plan, I enjoy competing
wholeheartedly.
• Interview Question: What do you consider your earning potential to be five
years from now?
Winner Answer: I believe my talents can earn a decent living; that's why I'm applying to a prestigious company such as yours. I plan to make enough money to live comfortable and am
willing to do what it takes to ensure that I am well paid throughout my career.
Rational Thought Process
Rational thought process refers to the capability and tendency for a person to think and act in a
careful and somewhat predictable fashion.
Rational thought process is one of those categories that could make the difference in a closeinterview. If two equally qualified candidates give acceptable performances in an interview,the
job would probably go to the one who seemed most rational. To the interviewer, a rational
thought process translates to a higher level of productivity and fewer mistakes on the job.
• Interview Question: What are the most important characteristics you arelooking for in a job and why?
Winner Answer: I'm looking for a job that utilizes my strongest skills, such as [name specific
skills]. I think it's also important that my role in the organization be clearly tied to the goals in
the organization. I'm working for an entry-level position within a company with opportunities for
advancement. Ultimately, it would also be great to have a job that is at times challenging, onethat stretches me beyond my current abilities.
• Interview Question: How do you think our company determines success?
Winner Answer: I've watched the growth of Baker College over the past few years. It seems to
me that you would measure success by the extent of new programs being offered, meeting the
needs of potential students, and by the enthusiasm and desire to produce results relating to
individuals working for the college.
• Interview Question: How did you determine your career choice?
Winner Answer: The summer before my senior year, I decided it was time to focus on a specificdirection. Even though I was a business major, I wasn't sure which business I would end up in. Ispent some time thinking about my goals, what I was good at, and what I really wanted out of
work, and decided that the __________ industry would fit my interests. I also met with a variety
of business professionals to discuss career information.
• Interview Question: What do you consider most valuable: a high salary, or jobrecognition and advancement?
Winner Answer: For me, those things are inseparable. Although I am not obsessive about money,
I assume that with success and advancement and recognition it brings will come greater financial
rewards.
• Interview Question: What qualities are most important to determine whomyou would hire for this position?
Winner Answer: I think the 1990's offer real challenges for corporations. If I were doing the
hiring, regardless of the position, I would look for several things. I'd want somebody who wasn't
afraid to make decisions, yet was a team player. Excellent written and verbal communicationskills are important also. Finally, I'd want someone who realized that quality and service are the
keys to a company's success.
•
Interview Question: Do you agree that grade point average is an indication of how successful you would be in this company?
Winner Answer: (for someone with poor grades) I think it's important that someone show the
ability to get good grades. If a person has a poor track record in every subject it might make me
nervous. The important thing from my perspective is that there should be some highlights in an
individual's academic career that point to potential.
Winner Answer: (for someone with good grades) While managing an academic career is less
complex than a demanding job, I do believe there is a correlation. To me, the most important
thing about a strong academic record is that is reflects a commitment to excellence.
Maturity
Applicants confronted with the maturity issue must be able to convey their capacity to think andact in a highly responsible fashion. The key here is convincing the interviewer of your ability to
see the whole picture and make judgments that reflect sound thinking.
• Interview Question: In what ways have you been a leader?
Advanced Response: I've had several jobs where I've played a leadership role, responsible for
seeing that jobs get done, and I've always had successful outcomes. Most important though, I
feel in the past few years that I've developed an ability to spot potential in others and have beenable to foster their development. For me, that's the real challenge of leadership -- helping others
meet their potential.
Winner Answer: In my classes, I have often volunteered to do extra work or be group facilitator.
Also, at work I have had leadership experience. I am a waitress in charge of training new staff.Generally, many of my coworkers come to me for assistance with work-related questions and
with difficult customers. I enjoy being in a leadership role. I thrive on the challenge.
• Interview Question: In your adult life, what accomplishment has given you themost satisfaction?
Advanced Response: In my last job, I took over my boss' responsibilities for two months while
he was ill. Although I was relatively new to my position, I was able to pick up the additional
responsibilities and effectively meet the demands of both positions. It really felt satisfying to beable to respond to a crisis like that and deliver. (Provide a personal example)
Winner Answer: Completing my education has been my number one goal. It has been difficult
working full time and going to school full time. If I can do that, I know I can do anything.
1.Tell me about the latest infrastructure project you have done?
2.Vlan and configuration (my proj was based on vlan)
3. What is project baseline?
4. Milestone?
5. Methods to calculate risk?
6. If Client doesn't agree with your deliverd product..steps?
