The Art of Project Management

The Art of Project ManagementPMI Montreal - Mentoring program

Abderrahman NADIR, PMP, ITIL

March 30, 2011

AgendaIntroductionThe Shock Wave ScenarioThe Art of Project ManagementConclusionThe Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRPage 2 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRPart IIntroductionPage 3 of 31

The Art of Project ManagementWhat does it mean?How could it help? 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementPage 4 of 31

According to Wikipedia The definition of artArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items (often with symbolic significance) in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect.

Traditionally, the term art was used to refer to any skill or mastery. 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementPage 5 of 31

Lart (du latin Ars, artis habilet, mtier, connaissance technique

Les dfinitions de ce concept varient largement selon les poques et les lieux, et aucune d'entre elles n'est universellement accepte.

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The Turmoil Level Tracking ApproachProjects introduce changes to existing organizations.Human nature does not accept changes easily

Tip! Track and control the turmoil level introduced by projects to existing organizations 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementProjects introduce a kind of turmoil level to the existing organizationsPage 6 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRPart IIThe Shock Wave ScenarioPage 7 of 31

The Shock Wave Scenario 2011 Abderrahman NADIR

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What Happens When a Shock Wave Occurs? 1/2The stakeholders and the project teams reactions:Its a big problem if we dont deliver on timeWell definitely lose moneyIts not my faultWhy did not we know of that issue beforehand?We dont know where we go with this project 2011 Abderrahman NADIR

The turmoil level will jump to a high level The confidence level will drop significantlyThe Art of Project ManagementPage 9 of 31

What would the project manager do?Determine how long it would take to fix the issueCut from the scope if feasibleAsk to delay the milestone 2011 Abderrahman NADIR

The project manager will need:Time Strong leadership skillsWhat Happens When a Shock Wave Occurs? 2/2The Art of Project ManagementPage 10 of 31

What would be the main reason of a Shock Wave? Complexity of the projectLack of expertisePolitical issues within the organizationA key stakeholder not involved from the beginning of the projectAn issue identified beforehand but underestimated or not well assessed 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementQuestion: Why those issues were not identified beforehand? Page 11 of 31

2011 Abderrahman NADIR

2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Science of Project Management The Art of Project ManagementThe issues or additional risks should be identified at the Verification and Control step.Although the verification and control is the fifth step in the project life cycle,it should have been considered and addressed on the beginning of the project.Page 12 of 31

How to capture the issues and risks as early as possible? 2011 Abderrahman NADIR

Tactic: Consider the following risk from the beginning of the project:The issues or risks are not identified as early as possible.The Art of Project ManagementPage 13 of 31

Three tips to mitigate that risk (1/3) 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementRisk: The issues or risks were not identified as early as possible. Tip 1/3: Since the beginning of the project, consider both formal and informal approaches to capture and track the risks as well as the issues encountered during the project.Page 14 of 31

Three tips to mitigate that risk (2/3) 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementRisk: The issues or risks were not identified as early as possible. Tip 2/3: Manage time, along with the stakeholders expectations. In other words, for each issue or risk identified during the project, the project manager should set up the best strategy for handling it with the involved stakeholders, taking into account the upcoming milestones.Page 15 of 31

Three tips to mitigate that risk (3/3) 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementRisk: The issues or risks were not identified as early as possible. Tip 3/3: Make sure there is no vision gap between the project team, the steering committee, and the other stockholders. All the people involved and impacted by the project should have the same understanding of where do we stand and where do we go?Page 16 of 31

What is required to practice those three tips to mitigate that risk? 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementRisk: The issues or risks were not identified as early as possible.

The project manager must demonstrate certain skills and abilities, the Art of Project ManagementPage 17 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRPart IIIThe Art of Project ManagementPage 18 of 31

2011 Abderrahman NADIR 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementWhat is the Art of Project Management? The art of project management is the ability to leverage the science of project management with the leadership skills in order to make the right decisions throughout the project life cycle. Page 19 of 31

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2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementThe Leadership skills (1/4) Communication: be the most accurate and avoid confusion as much as possible.This can be achieved by paying attention to the following: What information to communicate, to whom, and in what format (meeting, e-mail, telephone, or fax) and how often.How the information is communicated: How is it written (e-mail, status report, project charter? How is it said (during a lunch, in a corridor)? And, most importantly, how is it presented (at a formal presentation)?Listen and look for the feedback to verify what the target audience understood from the message. Also, there could be other concerns expressed within this feedback. Page 20 of 31

2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementThe Leadership skills (2/4) Strategic thinking: Prepare and be mindful of the steps ahead. Its like a chess game. Have the whole vision of the projectUnderstand the direction of the organization, and the interaction with the departments within and outside the organization. Page 21 of 31

2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementThe Leadership skills (3/4) Problem solving: analyze, proceed with elimination, eventually involve external experts, consider Workarounds and then come up with options to overcome the problem.Page 22 of 31

2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementThe Leadership skills (4/4) Negotiation: think of what we must ask for, along with what we can give, because the win-win solution is the best solution for the short, medium, and long term. Page 23 of 31

2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe Art of Project ManagementThe right decisions (1/6) Examples of decisionsOrganize a meeting to discuss a specific issueDiscuss an issue with stakeholder A before stakeholder BDo nothingWaitPage 24 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe right decisions (2/6) Situation: a major issue was identified earlier and the project manager had to make a decision. Page 25 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRDecision A: As soon as the issue was identified, the project manager organized a meeting to which he invited two key stakeholders and two key project team members. The project manager didnt consider the bad relationship between the two stakeholders. During the meeting, the major issue was linked and mixed with another issue and the meeting was difficult to control.The right decisions (3/6) Page 26 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe right decisions (4/6)

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The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe right decisions (5/6) Decision B: The project manager first discussed the issue in depth with two key project team members and developed a draft action plan with two potential options, then he discussed it separately with two key stakeholders, who both agreed to go ahead with option 2. Then, the project manager organized a meeting with the steering committee, during which he presented the issue along with the draft action plan. Then, it was easy for the steering committee to reach the consensus to go ahead with option 2.Page 28 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRThe right decisions (6/6)

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Part IVConclusionThe Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIRPage 30 of 31

The Art of Project Management 2011 Abderrahman NADIR

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