Project Management

Project Management

•Planning Misconceptions•Planning•Stakeholders•The Project Life Cycle

•Initiation•Planning

•Project Management Tools•Gantt Chart Plan

•Executing•Monitoring and Controlling•Closing

Project Management

• Planning, organizing, and managing resources to successfully complete a project– Achieve all project goals– Comply with all project constraints

• Resources• Scope • Time• Budget

Planning Misconceptions

It’s boring

It takes too long

It’s too difficult

Planning

“The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry.”

Robert Burns, 1785 – Scottish Poet

Planning

Planning QuestionsWhereWhenWhatWhomHow and Why

“Zombie stakeholders” keep coming back again and again asking for changes.

How can this be avoided?

Stakeholders

Stakeholders are those who are involved in, interested in, or affected by the project.

The Project Life Cycle

Planning, Executing, and Controlling tasks form a loop

Planning

ExecutingControlling

Initiating

Closing

Project Life Cycle

Initiation PhaseClient analysisStakeholder input analysisFinancial analysis and budgetConstraintsProgram

Planning

ExecutingControlling

Initiating

Closing

Project Life Cycle

PlanningCommunicationsQuality controlHuman resource managementProcurementCost managementSchedule

Planning

ExecutingControlling

Initiating

Closing

Project Management Tools

Project Organization Chart: Organizes everyone involved in the project.

Project Management Tools

Gantt Chart: A bar chart representation of a project schedule

Gantt Chart Plan

Choose Phases• Option 1– Rule of Thirds

–Research and Exploration–Design and Construction–Testing, Documentation, and Presentation

• Option 2–Research and Exploration–Design–Construction–Testing–Documentation–Presentation

• Other Options

Gantt Chart Plan

Choose Tasks

Example•Research and Exploration

– Choose a topic– Research topic– Write Problem statement– Research past and present solutions– Write Statement of purpose– Conduct Market Research– Write Problem Proposal

Gantt Chart Plan

Choose Tasks

Example– Research past and present solutions

• Evaluate competition• Patent research

– Conduct market research• Write market survey• Administer market survey• Analyze market survey results

Project Tasks . . .

Should have value rather than be pointless.

Should be important to the entire team, not just one member.

Are more powerful and achievable if they are tied to deliverables.

Be prepared to articulate the value of any task to team members.

Gantt Chart Plan

Indicate Milestones

Example•Research and Exploration

– Choose a topic– Research topic– Write Problem statement– Research past and present solutions– Write Statement of purpose– Conduct Market Research– Write Problem Proposal

Milestone: Problem Proposal

Gantt Chart Plan

Timeline• When is the presentation date?• When will milestones be delivered?• What time will you spend?

• Time spent during and outside of class• Cushion

•What will you need?• Acquiring materials• Scheduling facilities• Expert feedback• Permission

Gantt Chart Plan

Personnel• Who will help with the project?

• Team members• Experts• Instructor

Remember, this is an evolving process!

Things will change.

Be flexible and keep your schedule updated, at least weekly.

Rule of Thirds

Research and Exploration

Design and Construction

Testing, Documentation, and

PresentationProblem Selection Design Specification Testing CriteriaTopic Background Decision Matrix Testing ProcedureProblem Statement Concept Testing Physical TestingStatement of Purpose Design Proposal Record DataCited Validation Gantt Chart (timeline) Critical Design ReviewCited Justification Sketching Refinement Redesign and RefinePast & Present Solutions

Technical Drawings Re-test

Market Research Material List Determine ConclusionProject Proposal Cost Recommendations

Tool Selection Multimedia DisplayTool Safety Web PageMock Up & Modeling Research PaperPrototype Build Procedure Electronic PortfolioPrototype Construction

Design Proposal

Prototype Build Procedure

Technical Drawings

Prototype Complete

POSSILBE MILESTONES

Project Life CycleExecution

Completing project tasksProducing deliverables

Planning

ExecutingControlling

Initiating

Closing

Project Life CycleMonitoring and Controlling

Measuring project activitiesMonitoring project variables

• Cost• Effort• Scope

• Scope CreepImplementing corrective action when needed

Planning

ExecutingControlling

Initiating

Closing

Project Life CycleClosing

Finalizing all project activitiesArchiving filesDocumenting lessons learned

Planning

ExecutingControlling

Initiating

Closing

Project Management

•Planning Misconceptions•Planning•Stakeholders•The Project Life Cycle

•Initiation•Planning

•Project Management Tools•Gantt Chart Plan

•Executing•Monitoring and Controlling•Closing

Image Resources

Microsoft, Inc. (n.d.). Clip art. Retrieved September 30, 2009, from http://office.microsoft.com/en-

us/clipart/default.aspx