Project Management
- See Project Manager for the position.
- Glossaries
Basics
Project Management
The application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to meet the project requirements and meet the desired outcome.
Project management is valuable, as it ensures tasks are done on time and in budget.
What is project?
- A unique endeavor, and usually includes a set of unique deliverables.
- A temporary pursuit; it has a defined beginning and end.
- Daily Job
- Planning and organizing
- Managing tasks
- Budgeting and controlling costs and other factors
- Career path of project management
- Project Management is not only a title, but also a skill.
- Teachers are Project Managers!
- When searching for positions, use buzzwords!
- Project/Program/Portfolio
- Project = single endeavor
- Program = collection of projects, long-term and ongoing business objective
- Portfolio = collection of projects and program
- Triple Constrains — The Iron Triangle
- Scope
- Cost
- Schedule
- Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), developed at CMU Software Engineering Institute
- Initial: Initial Processes
- Repeatable: Managed processes and standards
- Defined: Organizational standards & institutionalized processes
- Managed: Quantitatively managed processes
- Optimized: Continuous improvement
Life Cycle
Life Cycle of Projects
- Initiate the project
- Define project goals
- Determine resources, people, and other project details
- Get project approval
- Make a plan
- Create the budget
- Set the schedule
- Establish your team
- Determine roles and responsibilities
- Plan for risk and change
- Establish communications
- Execute & complete tasks
- Manage the progress
- Communicate
- Make adjustments
- Close the project
- Ensure all tasks have been completed
- Confirm acceptance of project outcome
- Reflect on lessons learned
- Communicate results with stakeholders
- Celebrate completing the project
- Formally move on from the project
- Monitor & Control
- An additional phase, runs in parallel with execution.
- Utilize effective and efficient monitoring system
- Implement leadership operating cadence
- Implement communication strategy
- Implement change control procedures.
Methodology
Project Management Methodologies | teamwork.com
- Linear vs. Iterative
- Waterfall vs Agile
- Lean Six Sigma = Six Sigma + Lean, best used in improving an existing product or process. Lean streamlines the process, Six Sigma reduces variations.
Organizational Structure
- Reporting Chart or Org Chart
- Two structures:
- Classical Structure: traditional top-down reporting
- Matrix Structure: direct higher-ups and stakeholders from other departments and programs.
- The Matrix Organization | PMI
- During the interview, you can ask about the org structure.
- Organization structure’s impact to project manager
- Authority
- Resource availability
- Project Management Office (PMO): defines, sets, and helps maintain project management standards and processes throughout that organization
Change Management
Pitfalls
- Vague set of objectives
- Key stakeholders overlooked
- Lack of team-member commitment
- Failure to hold people accountable
- Failure to define and sustain a team identity
- Insufficient project monitoring
- No formal risk identification and management
- Poor communication
- No organized approach to change management
- Ignoring lessons learned from previous projects