Session 1Project Management Concepts

Learning Objectives Definition of a project and its attributes Key constraints within which a project must be

managed How a project is “born” Life of a project Steps involved in the project management process Benefits of project management

Real World Example Vignette: Beach Town Cleanup – Avila Beach in

California

The popular beach and the town’s business district had been contaminated by underground pipes from a petroleum facility.

Project management techniques were used to restore the streets, all major utilities, and the beach itself.

The remediation project was completed five months ahead of schedule!

Real World Example Vignette: The Department of Energy

Project – build the world’s largest laser to monitor and maintain nuclear warheads

Project costs soar $350 million above original estimates

Project completion delayed by two years

“Clearly we had a major project management surprise!”

Project, Defined A project is an endeavor to accomplish a specific

objective through a unique set of interrelated tasks and the effective utilization of resources.

Attributes of a Project

Has a well-defined objective Composed of a series of interdependent tasks Utilizes various resources May be a unique or one-time endeavor Has a specific time frame Has a customer Involves a degree of uncertainty

Examples of Projects

Planning a wedding

Designing and implementing a computer system

Hosting a holiday party

Designing and producing a brochure

Executing an environmental clean-up of a contaminated site

Holding a high school reunion

Performing a series of surgeries on an accident victim

Constraints

Scope: All the works that must be done in order to produce all the project deliverables

Budget: The amount the sponsor or customer has agreed to pay for acceptable project deliverables

Schedule: The timetable that specifies when each task or activity should start and finish

Customer satisfaction: Beyond meeting customer’s expectations Developing and maintaining an excellent

working relationship throughout the project Requires ongoing communication with

customers and sponsors

Constraints (Cont)

Quality expectations must be defined from the onset of the project Mechanisms must be in place to assure quality

expectations are being met throughout the project Various resources are needed to perform the project

tasks and accomplish the project objective Must be aligned with the types and quantities of

resources available at the time periods when they are required

Risks may adversely affect accomplishing the project objectives A risk management plan must be developed

Unforeseen Circumstances

Unforeseen circumstances may jeopardize achievement of the project objective.

The challenge facing the project manager is to prevent, anticipate, and/or overcome such circumstances with good planning and communication

The Project Life Cycle

Projects are “born” when a need is identified by the customer.

Project life cycles vary in length, from a few weeks to several years.

Not all projects formally go through all four phases of the project life cycle.

The Project Life Cycle

Project Charter

Baseline Plan

Accepted Deliverables

Archived Project

Documents

Initiating Planning Performing Closing

Phases of the Project Life Cycle 1

The first phase involves the identification of a need, problem, or opportunity. The need and requirements are usually written by

the customer into a document called a request for proposal (RFP).

The second phase is the development of a proposed solution to the need or problem. This phase results in the submission of a

proposal. The customer and the winning contractor

negotiate and sign a contract (agreement).

Phases of the Project Life Cycle 2

Phases of the Project Life Cycle 3

The third phase is performing the project. Different types of resources are utilized Results in the accomplishment of the project

objective

Phases of the Project Life Cycle 4 The final phase is terminating the project.

Perform close-out activities Evaluate performance Invite customer feedback

The Project Management Process The project management process means planning the

work and then working the plan.

The Project Management Process (Cont.)

Clearly define the project objective. Prepare a project scope document. Divide and subdivide the project using work

breakdown structure. Assign responsibility to appropriate person or

organisation. Define the specific activities that need to be

performed Sequence the activities by graphically portray them

in a network diagram.

The Project Management Process (Cont.)

Estimate activity resources, considering the availability.

Make a time estimate for how long it will take to complete each activity.

Develop project schedule. Make a cost estimate.

Calculate a project budget.

Controlling Projects

Establish a baseline plan. Monitor progress. Measure actual progress and compare it to planned

progress. Take corrective action if the project is behind

schedule, overrunning the budget, or not meeting technical specifications.

Benefits of Project Management

Satisfied customers Additional business Expansion of career opportunities Satisfaction of being on a winning team Improved knowledge and skills

When projects are successful, everybody WINS