Your Project Management Coach
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Introduction xxix
Part I Understanding Projects and Project Management 1
Chapter 1 Getting to Know Projects 3
What Is a Project? 3
A Project Is a Unique Endeavor 5
A Project Has Clearly Defined Objectives and Deliverables 5
A Project Has a Beginning and an End 7
A Project Usually Has a Budget 8
How Do Projects Differ from Other Work? 9
Summary 10
Coach's Review 10
Test Your Knowledge 10
Project Challenge 10
Chapter 2 Getting to Know Project Management 11
What Is Project Management? 12
Project Management Processes: Start to Finish 13
Initiating a Project 14
Planning a Project 15
Executing a Project 17
Monitoring and Controlling a Project 18
Closing a Project 19
Balancing Scope, Time, Cost, and Quality 20
Project Management Methodologies 21
Traditional Waterfall Project Management 21
Iterative and Agile Project Management 22
Project Management Knowledge Areas 23
Scope Management 24
Time Management 25
Cost Management 25
Human Resource Management 25
Procurement Management 26
Communication Management 26
Quality Management 26
Risk Management 27
Integration Management 27
Who Makes a Good Project Manager? 28
Business Savvy 28
Technical Skills 28
Soft Skills 29
Varying Viewpoints 29
Delegating 30
Leadership and Interpersonal Skills 30
Flexibility 30
Doing the Right Things for the Project 30
Summary 30
Coach's Review 31
Test Your Knowledge 31
Project Challenge 31
Part II Planning a Project 33
Chapter 3 Getting a Project off the Ground 35
From Idea to Project: An Overview of Project Initiation 36
Defining a Project 37
Discovering the Problem or Opportunity 40
Articulating the Project Goal and Objectives 44
Developing the Project Goal 44
Creating the Project Objectives 45
Deciding on the Project Strategy 46
Brainstorming Possibilities 46
Identifying Constraints 47
Choosing the Right Strategy 48
Gathering Requirements 49
Starting with Broad Requirements 49
Mining for Requirements 49
Differentiating and Prioritizing Requirements 50
What Constitutes Success? 51
Documenting Project Scope 52
Elements of the Scope Statement 53
Controlling Scope Creep 55
Specifying the Deliverables 57
Identifying Risks, Assumptions, and Constraints 58
Working with Risks 58
Working with Assumptions 59
Working with Constraints 59
Identifying the Project Stakeholders 60
Preparing the Project Proposal 62
Getting Approval or Sign-Off 65
Publicizing the Project Charter 66
Preparing a Project Charter 67
Distributing the Project Charter 68
Assembling the Project Notebook 68
Using the Project Notebook for Approved Projects 69
Using the Project Notebook for Tabled or
Denied Projects 69
Choosing the Form of the Project Notebook 69
Summary 71
Coach's Review 71
Test Your Knowledge 71
Project Challenge 72
Chapter 4 Getting to Know a Project Plan 73
What Work Has to Be Done? 74
Identifying Work 74
Organizing Work into Major Categories 74
How Much Will the Project Cost? 75
Obtaining Early Cost Estimates 75
Building a Budget 75
Who Will Do the Work? 76
An Introduction to Project Resources 76
Identifying Resources 77
When Will the Project Be Done? 77
What You Need to Build a Schedule 78
Brick Wall Deadlines versus Soft Date Targets 80
How Will the Project Be Managed? 80
The Project Manager and Managing Stakeholders 81
Setting Ground Rules 81
Defining Management Processes 81
Remembrance of Projects Past 82
Summary 83
Coach's Review 83
Test Your Knowledge 83
Project Challenge 84
Chapter 5 Identifying the Work to Be Completed 85
Understanding the Work Breakdown Structure 86
What Is a Work Breakdown Structure? 86
Why Is the WBS Essential? 87
Identifying Work 88
Who Helps Identify Work? 88
Jump-Starting with Other Sources 88
Planning as a Group 89
Identifying Work from the Top Down 90
Identifying Work from the Bottom Up 92
How Much Is Enough? 93
Validating the WBS 95
Organizing Work in the WBS 96
Calling Out Deliverables 97
Formatting Your WBS 97
Naming Your WBS 99
Numbering Your WBS 99
Specifying Task Details 101
Summary 102
Coach's Review 102
Test Your Knowledge 102
Project Challenge 103
Chapter 6 Estimating Work and Cost 105
Who Should Estimate a Project? 106
Using a Core Planning Team 106
Obtaining Estimates from Team Members 107
Managing the Uncertainty of Estimates 107
When to Use Different Levels of Estimates 108
Preventing Problems from Padded Estimates 109
Preparing Estimates 110
The Difference between Duration and Effort 110
Estimating Methods 111
Reusing Existing Information 112
Engaging Experts 112
Using a Parametric Model or Estimating Tool 112
Applying the Delphi Technique 113
Using Optimistic, Pessimistic, and Most Likely Estimates 114
Estimating from the Top Down 115
Estimating from the Bottom Up 115
Estimating Project Costs 115
What Goes into Labor Costs? 116
Material, Equipment, and Facility Costs 116
Estimating Other Costs 117
Building a Budget 117
Summary 118
Coach's Review 118
Test Your Knowledge 118
Project Challenge 118
Chapter 7 Planning Project Resources 121
Documenting Roles and Responsibilities 122
Who's Involved with What 123
Levels of Involvement 124
Identifying Resource Needs 125
Types of Resources 125
Breaking Down Resource Needs 126
Building a Project Organization Chart 127
Preparing a Resource Plan 127
Summary 128
Coach's Review 128
Test Your Knowledge 129
Project Challenge 129
Chapter 8 Building a Schedule 131
Tools for Building a Schedule 132
Sequencing with Dependencies 135
Setting Up Predecessors and Successors 135
Understanding the Dependency Types 136
Starting to Schedule 137
Understanding the Critical Path 138
Scheduling with Lead and Lag Time 139
Applying Date Constraints 140
Keeping Date Constraints Flexible 141
Scheduling Specific Dates 142
Marking Deadlines 142
Indicating Milestones 142
Assigning Resources to Tasks 143
Adding Generic Resources 143
Adding Specific Resources 144
Assigning Multiple Resources to One Task 144
Modeling a Realistic Schedule 145
Scheduling around Nonworking Time 146
Defining Non-Project Time 146
Adjusting Tasks for Resource Productivity 147
Managing Part-Timers and Multitaskers 147
Scheduling with the Critical Chain Method 148
Working Back from the Finish Date 148
Balancing Constrained Resources 149
Adding Buffers 149
Optimizing the Schedule 149
Shortening the Schedule 150
Reducing Project Costs 151
Balancing Resource Assignments 152
Summary 153
Coach's Review 154
Test Your Knowledge 154
Project Challenge 154
Chapter 9 Planning for Quality 155
Defining Quality 156
Quality and the Requirements Document 157
Constraints on Quality 158
Quality Standards and Methods 158
Developing the Quality Plan 159
Elements of the Quality Management Plan 160
Understanding the Cost of Quality 161
Integrating the Quality Management Plan 161
Taking Responsibility for Quality 161
Building in Excellence with QA 162
Evaluating Quality Results 162
Implementing Corrective Actions 163
Verifying the Standards with QC 164
Measuring and Recording Quality 165
Finding Causes of Quality Problems 166
Summary 166
Coach's Review 167
Test Your Knowledge 167
Project Challenge 167
Chapter 10 Setting up a Communication Plan 169
Guidelines for Good Communication 170
What Is Communication? 170
How to Get Your Message Across 172
The Importance of Listening 174
The Components of a Communication Plan 175
Who Are the Audiences? 176
The Project Sponsor 177
Management Stakeholders 177
Team Members 177
External Audiences 177
What Do You Communicate? 178
What Information Do Audiences Need? 178
Information for Management Stakeholders 178
Functional Managers 180
Team Members 180
Status Reporting 180
Status from and to Team Members 181
Status for Management 183
What's the Best Communication Method? 184
In-Person Meetings 184
Videoconferencing and Conference Calls 184
Email 185
Telephone 187
Written Documentation 187
Who's Responsible? 187
Frequency and Timing 188
Summary 188
Coach's Review 189
Test Your Knowledge 189
Project Challenge 189
Chapter 11 Setting up a Change Management Plan 191
When to Manage Changes 192
When You Don't Manage Changes 192
When You Do Manage Changes 193
Who Sits on a Change Review Board 193
The Anatomy of a Change Management Process 194
Defining the Baseline Documents 195
Documenting a Change Request 195
Using a Change Request Form 195
Tracking a Change Request 197
Evaluating a Change Request 198
Making Decisions about Change Requests 199
Updating the Baseline Documents 200
Monitoring Change Requests 201
Summary 201
Coach's Review 201
Test Your Knowledge 201
Project Challenge 202
Chapter 12 Managing Risk 203
Identifying Risks to a Project 204
Analyzing the Risks 208
Rating Risks as Low, Medium, or High 208
Rating Risks Numerically 209
Recording the Risk Ratings and Scores 210
Choosing the Risks to Manage 210
Planning Risk Responses 211
Planning Responses to Negative Risks 212
Planning Responses to Positive Risks 214
Compiling the Risk Management Plan 215
Establishing Contingencies 216
Building in a Schedule Buffer 217
Setting Up Contingency Funds 218
Tracking Risks 218
When a Risk Becomes Reality 220
Tracking Issues 221
Summary 222
Coach's Review 222
Test Your Knowledge 222
Project Challenge 223
Part III Executing a Project 225
Chapter 13 Kicking Off a Project 227
Preparing to Execute the Project 228
Obtaining Approval 228
Saving Project Baselines 229
Updating the Project Notebook 230
Obtaining Resources 231
Obtaining In-House Resources 231
Procuring Resources from Vendors 232
Soliciting Vendors 232
Selecting Vendors 233
Contracting 233
Next Steps 234
Holding a Kickoff Meeting 235
Implementing Your Plans 235
Summary 236
Coach's Review 236
Test Your Knowledge 236
Project Challenge 237
Chapter 14 Taming Processes, Problems, and Conflicts 239
Defining Project Processes 240
What Makes a Good Process? 240
Making Processes a Success 241
Defeating Poor Processes 243
Guidelines for Effectiveness 244
Making Decisions and Solving Problems 244
Focus on what's Important 244
Define the Problem 246
Prioritize 246
Consider Your Options 246
Ask for Help 247
Making Things Happen 247
How to Resolve Conflicts 248
Summary 250
Coach's Review 250
Test Your Knowledge 250
Project Challenge 250
Chapter 15 The Keys to Successful Meetings 251
Running Effective Meetings 252
Planning a Meeting 252
Setting the Agenda 253
Inviting Participants 254
Preparing for the Meeting 255
Starting on Time 256
Setting Expectations 256
Facilitating the Meeting 257
Ending on Time 258
Types of Project Meetings 258
Kickoff Meetings 258
Project Status Meetings 259
Management Meetings 260
Brainstorming Meetings 261
Planning Meetings 262
Following Up after Meetings 263
Documenting Decisions and Action Items 264
Adjusting the Project Plan 264
Summary 264
Coach's Review 265
Test Your Knowledge 265
Project Challenge 265
Chapter 16 Transforming People into a Team 267
Developing a Team 267
Turning Individuals into a Team 268
Building Relationships with Your People 269
Increasing Your Infl uence 272
Evaluating People's Performance 273
Finding Out What's Going On 273
Working with Line Managers 274
Handling People Problems 275
Summary 275
Coach's Review 276
Test Your Knowledge 276
Project Challenge 276
Part IV Monitoring and Controlling 277
Chapter 17 Gathering Progress Information 279
Choosing the Data to Collect 280
Schedule and Cost Data 280
Quality Data 282
Issues and Risks 282
Determining the Level of Detail 283
Obtaining Time and Status 283
Choosing the Frequency 283
Sources of Data 284
Summary 286
Coach's Review 287
Test Your Knowledge 287
Project Challenge 287
Chapter 18 Evaluating Progress and Performance 289
Evaluating Progress and Variance 290
Reviewing Milestones 290
Evaluating Variances 291
Earned Value Analysis 293
Understanding Earned Value Measures 293
Planned Value 293
Earned Value 294
Actual Cost 294
Analyzing Performance with Earned Value 295
Evaluating Earned Value Measures in a Graph 295
Using Additional Earned Value Indicators 296
Evaluating Financials 297
Determining the Payback Period 297
Identifying the Net Present Value 298
Calculating the Internal Rate of Return 300
Summary 300
Coach's Review 301
Test Your Knowledge 301
Project Challenge 301
Chapter 19 Getting a Plan Back on Track 303
Ways to Correct Course 304
Fast-Tracking a Project Schedule 304
Which Tasks Should You Fast-Track? 304
Fast-Tracking Options 305
Crashing a Schedule 305
Which Tasks Should You Crash? 306
Other Crashing Considerations 307
Using Different Resources 308
Asking People to Work Overtime 308
Reducing Scope 309
Who Approves Course Corrections 310
Getting a Project Out of Trouble 311
Recognizing the Problem 311
Evaluating the Situation 312
Preparing a Recovery Plan 312
Monitoring the Recovery 313
Summary 313
Coach's Review 314
Test Your Knowledge 314
Project Challenge 314
Part V Closing the Project 315
Chapter 20 Obtaining Acceptance and Other Wrap-Up Tasks 317
Determining Whether the Project Is a Success 318
Developing Acceptance Tests 318
Running Acceptance Tests 319
Obtaining Sign-Off 320
Documenting the Project: The Project Closeout Report 320
Summarizing the Project 321
Quantifying Results 321
Financial, Legal, and Administrative Closeout 323
Project Transitions 324
Handing Off Information 324
Transitioning Resources 325
Summary 325
Coach's Review 326
Test Your Knowledge 326
Project Challenge 326
Chapter 21 Documenting a Project for Posterity 327
Gathering Information 328
Organizing the Project Archives 330
Beware of Too Much Information 331
Categorize Wisely 331
Do It Today 331
Offer a Roadmap 332
Storing the Project Archives 333
Summary 334
Coach's Review 334
Test Your Knowledge 334
Project Challenge 335
Chapter 22 Don't Forget Lessons Learned 337
How Lessons Learned Help 338
Gathering Lessons Learned 340
Collecting Feedback 341
Preparing for Lessons Learned Meetings 342
Conducting Lessons Learned Meetings 344
Minimizing the Fear of Lessons Learned 346
Documenting Lessons Learned 348
Deciding on the Information to Include 349
Presenting Lessons Learned 350
Disseminating Lessons Learned 352
Using Past Lessons Learned 352
Summary 353
Coach's Review 353
Test Your Knowledge 353
Project Challenge 354
Part VI Taking the Next Steps in Project Management 355
Chapter 23 Running a Project Management Office 357
Defining PMO Functions 357
Facilitating Standards and Best Practices 358
Ensuring Compliance Requirements 360
Supporting Project Methodologies 360
Providing Project Management Tools 360
Managing Resources and Communication 361
Mentoring and Training Project Managers 362
Setting Up a PMO 362
When Do You Need a PMO? 363
Understanding PMO Types 364
Specifying PMO Objectives and Services 365
Summary 366
Coach's Review 367
Test Your Knowledge 367
Project Challenge 367
Chapter 24 Managing a Portfolio of Projects 369
What Is Project Portfolio Management? 370
Evaluating and Prioritizing Projects for the Portfolio 372
Tracking and Managing the Project Portfolio 374
Tracking Portfolio Projects 375
Conducting Checkpoint Evaluations 375
Reporting on Portfolio Projects 377
Managing Portfolio Details 377
Summary 378
Coach's Review 378
Test Your Knowledge 378
Project Challenge 378
Chapter 25 Selecting the Right Projects 379
Capturing Ideas for Projects 380
Mining the Organization's Strategic Goals 380
Documenting a Project Idea 382
Tracking Project Ideas 384
Selecting Projects 385
Developing a Selection Process 385
Criteria for Selecting Projects 386
What Benefits? 387
What Cost? 387
Can It Be Done? 388
Scoring and Prioritizing Project Ideas 389
Exceptions to Selection Criteria 390
Succeeding with a Project Review Board 391
Summary 392
Coach's Review 392
Test Your Knowledge 393
Project Challenge 393
Part VII Reference 395
Appendix A Answers 397
Appendix B Forms 423
Glossary 439
Index 451
