Managing Projects - A Guide For Social Entrepreneurs

Managing Projects:An Outline for Social Entrepreneurs

Rizwan Tayabali. 2009.

http://www.socialeffect.org | [email protected] | http://twitter.com/rizwantayabali

London +44 7932 884788

http://www.socialeffect.org/

mailto:[email protected]

http://twitter.com/rizwantayabali

This session covers a broad view of the different aspects of managing projects

There are 2 basic approaches

Waterfall & Agile

Waterfall = Step by step to create one final delivery

Agile = Short cycles with lots of deliveries

You might find it easier to start with the Waterfall approach

The Project Life-Cycle

Project Elements

Managing Projects

Pitching / BriefGo/No Go Decision

Deliverables & Expectations

Estimation & Contingency

Resourcing & Structure

Costing & Budgeting

Team Management

Stakeholder Management

Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes

Learning / Evaluating

Project Elements

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Winning Pitches = Be selective. Don’t mass apply.

Do your research. Provide what’s asked for and not just what you have.

Project Brief = Summary of Key Information

Aims | Budget | Timeframe | Deliverables

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Deciding to Proceed = Be strategic. Don’t just chase money.

Use your mission and goals to see if the project fits.

Project Elements

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Deliverables = Agree outputs. Set expectations.

Produce sensible contracts.

Be realistic. Impress but don’t over-commit.

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Estimation = Figure out the tasks, roles, materials, and

timeframes.

Estimation is guesswork. Plan to be wrong.

Contingency = Build in buffers

Estimate in real working hours i.e. 5 a day. & add 20% to your overall timeframe.

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Structure = Assign the right team.

Define the roles needed, and clarify the hierarchy.

Resourcing = Involve the right people.

Avoid taking on projects you can’t deliver. Outsource for skills you don’t have.

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Costing & Budgeting = Estimation + Expenses + Overheads.

Involve an accountant to ensure you’re getting it right.

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Managing Teams =Have faith in others’ abilities.

Inspire. Communicate. Collaborate.

There are 4 types of teams, and each needs different forms of leadership.

Unwilling & Unable

Willing & Able

Unwilling & Unable

Willing & Able

Novice Teams need direction and telling

Experienced Teams can manage themselves

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Stakeholders = Any individual or group that impacts or is

impacted by your project.

For each one, identify 1) what you need from them

2) how important they are, and 3) what they need from you.

Create a schedule (communications plan) for engaging with your stakeholders.

It will help you manage expectations.

Finally, take time to build strong relationships with clients and funders.

Trust and goodwill make all the difference when things go wrong

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Managing Time = Break activity into tasks, and projects into

small milestones.

You can manage time through Gantt charts, but Microsoft Excel is

probably the easiest option.

Try and capture actual time spent on a task vs. the budgeted time for it.

It will help you get better at estimation.

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Managing Profits = Track profit & loss on an ongoing basis.

Compare against estimated profits.

Avoid accommodating new outputs and activities without costing or charging for them.

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Monitoring Outcomes = Set targets (KPIs). Track them faithfully.

Target outcomes that achieve both the client’s aims and also your long term

social strategy.

In the long run it is the overall social outcomes that will define the success of

your venture.

Managing Projects





Costing & Budgeting

Team Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


Project Elements

Evaluating Projects = Run team and project reviews.

Be critical, but don’t point fingers.

Document what you’ve learnt and write up case studies. Get references if you can.

So to summarise…

Managing Projects

Pitching / Brief Go/No Go Decision




Costing & BudgetingTeam

Management


Time Management

Profit Margins

Monitoring Outcomes


ResearchMission & Strategy

Contracts

Buffers

3rd Parties / Outsourcing

Accounting

Leadership Theory

Comms Planning

Milestones & Feedback Cycles

Saying No

KPIs

Reviews

For more info…

Download this at http://www.slideshare.net/rizwantayabali

Visit my blog at http://www.socialeffect.orgor

Mail me at [email protected] or

Connect with me at http://twitter.com/rizwantayabali

Managing Projects:An Outline for Social Entrepreneurs

Rizwan Tayabali. 2009.

http://www.socialeffect.org | [email protected] | http://twitter.com/rizwantayabali

London +44 7932 884788

http://www.socialeffect.org/

mailto:[email protected]

http://twitter.com/rizwantayabali

Business

Managing Projects - A Guide For Social Entrepreneurs