Project Management Cookbook Part 2 (ARA) Feb16

Project Mgt – Part 2

ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 1

ARA TRAINING

ARA TRAINING

PDCA Project ManagementCookbookA.R. Alvarez


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 2

ARA TRAINING Preamble Objective:

Provide a Practical and Straightforward Approach to Project Mgt Emphasis on New Product Development; But Methodology Covered Can Be Applied to Pretty Much Any Type of Project

Included: Best Practices in Scheduling, Resourcing, Uncertainty & Risk Mgt with Special Emphasis on Resolving Schedule Conflicts Introduction to Problem Solving (Separate Workshop Available) Phase Gate Architecture Incorporation of Agile/Scrum Concepts In General Project Mgt Review Meeting Templates

Excluded: New Product Portfolio Management (Separate Workshop) Detailed Project Phase Gate Meeting Templates


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ARA TRAINING Project Management Outline Part 1: Project Management Set-Up(Plan)

Project Management Principles Goals & Objectives Risk Management High Level Scheduling Concepts The Market Window- Development Team Capability Conundrum

Part 2: Project Management Execution (Do) Detailed Project Scheduling & Schedule Uncertainty Project Team Meetings Project Management Toolkit

Part 3: Project Management Oversight (Check & Act) Project Phase Gate Reviews Project Management Reviews Project Feedback & Response Appendix


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ARA TRAINING What You Need to KnowYou Need to Know Where You’re Going

You Need to Know Where You Are

You Need to Know if You’re Off Track


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ARA TRAINING What You Need to DoStart With The End in Mind:Define Success Criteria / Vital Signs

(If Project is Long, > 30 Days, …)Develop a Roadmap:Breakdown Success Criteria into GatesTrack The Path:Develop Leading Indicators for Critical Steps & Tasks


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ARA TRAINING

WhatWe

WantTo

Achieve

HowWe

IntendTo

Achieve It

HowWe

WorkTo

Achieve It

“Customer”Inputs ProjectPlan ProjectExecution


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ARA TRAINING PDCA: Project Mgt

1 After 1st Cycle Replace “Set” With “Adjust”

Plan(Set Goals, Resources & High Level Schedule)

Do(Detailed Schedule, Daily /Weekly Checks & Pull-in)

Check(Mgt & Milestone Reviews)

Act(Adjust Resources, Goals, & Schedule)


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ARA TRAININGRecap: Project Planning Time Horizons High Level (Macro) Schedule Milestones

Provide General Direction; Can Be Fairly Generic Provide Touch Points for Mgt and Sales (or Customers) Enable Organizational Prioritization: Revenue & Strategic Impact But … Breaking Down Long Term Plan Into Finer & Finer Detail (At Some Point) Doesn’t Provide Greater Certainty; Quickly Get to Diminishing Return

Working Level (Micro) Project Schedule Deliverables Provide Detailed Direction For Near Term Tasks to Keep Prj on Track Critical Alignment Tool for Project Team Focus Specific to Project; Identify Key Tasks That Need Completion Enable Team Prioritization: Time, Risk, Uncertainty

Balance Macro & Micro to Minimize Administrative OverheadWhile Keeping Project on Track


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ARA TRAINING Project Management Tactics Micro-Managing vs. Abdication

Micro-Managing: Specifying “How” Rather Then “What”, Over-Monitoring Abdication: No Follow-up, No Measures, No Help

Schedules Commitment vs. “Best Effort” vs. “Try” Ownership Speed vs. Quality vs. Cost

Costs Know The Total Project Costs; Nothing Hidden Know The Cost Per Day; Buy Time Cost Questions Only Gets Asked if You Miss Your Goals

Risks Launch With Best Possible Understanding of Main Risk Points Plan Contingencies Accordingly Communicate Risks on On-Going Basis FMEA Can Be Useful to Highlight Risks & Mitigation Plans

Time

Quality

CostPerformance


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ARA TRAINING

ARA TRAINING

Project Detailed Scheduling


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ARA TRAINING Project SchedulingWhat are The Biggest Challenges in

Project Scheduling? Managing Critical Path / Slack ? Balancing Priorities? Access to Resources / Budget? Driving Near Term Detail? Uncertainty / Variation? Other?


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ARA TRAININGProject Scheduling & UncertaintyProject Scheduling Often Treated as If It is Deterministic*

That is Fundamentally WrongWhy?

* From Books, Blogs, Consultants, Friends & Family, . . .


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ARA TRAINING

How Do You Schedule Invention? (In a Non-Deterministic World)


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ARA TRAINING

Triangulation (BC, MLC, WC)?Monte Carlo?Fuzzy Logic?

Bayesian Estimates?Systematic Wild Guesses?

Do as You’re Told?


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ARA TRAININGSchedules & The Knowledge “Gap”

Baseline vs. Goal:The Larger The Gap, The Less You KnowGoal “Gap” = Knowledge “Gap”To Close the Knowledge “Gap” Need Cycles of Learning (COL)

Beware of Overconfidence(How Much Do You Really Know?)

Baseline

Goal 1

Goal 2

KnowledgeGap

Time

Goal


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ARA TRAININGKnowledge Gap and Cycles of Learning

Easy# COLs ?Time/Cycle

Medium# COLs ?Time/Cycle

Hard# COLs ?Time/Cycle

Define Your ProblemWhich Bucket ?

What’s Your Batting Average ?What Did You Learn ?


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ARA TRAINING What is a Cycle of Learning?1. Problem Identification/Hypothesis2. Specify Desired Outcome

3. Prioritized Input / Output4. Data Collection & Analysis5. Perform Work/Experiment

5. Confirmation of Effects

6. Process Standardization (if Done)7. Planning Next Step (Learning Cycle)

Plan

Do

Check

Act

Deming’s PDCA Cycle


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ARA TRAINING Scheduling Invention Point 1: Complexity is Not Your Friend

Save Invention For Where it Adds Value Eliminate/Minimize it Everywhere Else “Buy” Knowledge

Point 2: Identify & Isolate Uncertainty Easier Said Then Done Prioritize Time-to-Information on High Uncertainty Paths Problem Solving Techniques Can Be Effectively Applied

Point 3: Estimate ‘Learning’ Required Two Parts: 1) How Many (PDCA) Cycles?, 2) Time Per Cycle What Impacts # of Cycles? What Impacts Time Per Cycle?


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ARA TRAINING Handling Multiple Tasks

Temporal Budget Per Task

02468

L H M M M H L L H MT1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 T8 T9 T10

05

101520


020406080


Ten Tasks – Ten COLs Days Per Cycle Per Task

10 Sub-Tasks (or Threads) Require Resolution to Complete Task

BattingAverage?


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ARA TRAINING Multi-Level Problem

Two Tasks in Final Level

Six Tasks in 1st Level Four Tasks in 2nd Level

Three Level Problem, Multiple Tasks Per Level

05

1015

L H M M M LT1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

COLDays/CycleTotal Days

02468

10

M L H MT1 T2 T3 T4

COLDays/CycleTotal Days

024681012

M LT1 T2

COLDays/CycleTotal Days‘Knowledge Gap’

Reduced Incrementally at Each level


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ARA TRAINING“Solution” to Prj Uncertainty SchedulingUse COL Methodology to Forecast Non-Deterministic Steps

Decide on Approach (One vs. Multiple Levels) Budget Your Cycles If Complete Budget, But No Solution Then Need to Reset

Mis-Scoped? Right Resources? Right Frame or Approach? Other?

Use PERT (or Favorite Method) to Keep Track of TasksApply Best Practices (Scrubbing, Schedule Monitoring, etc.) to Minimize Deviations

Combine COL ForecastingWith Conventional Scheduling Methods


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ARA TRAININGProject Scheduling Tactics Summary Minimize Complexity Up Front at Project Start Focus on Learning to Reduce Areas of Greatest Uncertainty Drive Near Term Detail

Back 1 - 2 Weeks, Forward 2 – 4 Weeks Update/Scrub Weekly (More on This Later)

Manage Critical Path / Slack Keep All Tasks on Critical Path (Opposite of What Normally Taught) Finish Tasks as Soon as Possible; i.e. Don’t Make Non-Critical Items Critical Plan, Then “Break” Plan

Buffers: Should You? Fit Tool to Problem (Don’t Over Do It)?

Simple (Most) Projects = Simple Scheduling Tool Complex Project = Sophisticated Scheduling ToolIf You Can't Make a Plan, How Can You Manage a Project?


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ARA TRAINING

Scheduling Tool: Schedule for Completion of Complex Task & Related Sub-Tasks Projects Completion Time, Monitors Task Schedule Adherence

Various Types: PERT = Program /Project Evaluation & Review Technique (US Navy) CPM = Critical Path Method (du Pont/Remington-Univac) Gantt Chart = Time Line or Bar Chart "Ideal" Chart = Combination PERT/Timeline Many Software Pgms Available: Loading, Cost, Leveling, Etc.

Project Scheduling Tools

IdentifyVariables ScreenVariables

RifleshotExperiments

StatisticalDOEs

SolutionConvergence SolutionRelease

WW1 WW6 – WW12 WW15WW3 WW16


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ARA TRAININGSimplified Project Plan Construction Breakdown Project into Activities to Be Scheduled in Period

Create Work Breakdown (Tree Diagram Useful) Identify Tasks With Greatest Degrees of Uncertainty (Quality Tools Useful) Prioritize Tasks WRT Degree of Uncertainty, Criticality, etc.

Estimate COL & Time / COL for Activities With Learning Gaps Estimate Operating Time for ‘Deterministic’ Activities Place Activities in Time Sequence

What Has To Be Done Sequentially What Can Be Done Simultaneously

If Completion Date Specified Start With Completion Date, Work Backwards If Date Can’t Be Met, Can Project Scope Be Modified? What Activities Can Be Eliminated or Made Optional What Activities Can Be Adjusted to Make Date Can a Revised Date Be Negotiated?


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ARA TRAINING Gantt Charts Advantages:

Plan, Schedule, & Progress All Shown If Duration Unsure: Keeps "All" Tasks Moving, “Nothing” Missed Useful When: Project has Unrelated Legs, Events Sequence Variable, a Lot of Overlap Time Exists Between Events Easy to Do With Excel or Just About Any Graphics SW

Disadvantages: Simplicity can Preclude Showing Detail to Detect Slips Dependencies Not Shown Explicitly Awkward to Maintain For Large Projects Disadvantages Led to Network-Based Project Management Tools

Optional

Task

Time

Gantt Chart


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ARA TRAINING

Like Gantt Charts, PERT Charts Involves Identifying Tasks Required to Complete Project, Time Needed to Complete Each Task, and Attempts to Identify the Minimum Time Required to Complete Project Unlike Gantt Charts PERT Chart Explicitly Make Visible Dependencies Most SW Packages for PERT; Allow Probabilities & Perform “What Ifs”

Can Drive Yourself Crazy Doing Multiple Estimates, Probabilities, & “What Ifs” Can Be Overkill For Many (Most?) Projects

PERT Charts Optional


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ARA TRAINING PERT ConstructionI. Right Team: Managers, Team Members, Experts, …II. Generate & Record Tasks / Duration (WBS & Similar Tools)III. Sequence Activities: Sequential & Simultaneous Flow

1) I.D. Longest Sequential Path: Implementation Path (IP)2) I.D. 2nd Longest Sequence That Support Main IP & Can be Done in Parallel3) Identify Places Where There are Necessary Connections; i.e. What Tasks in IP Can't Start Until Parallel Paths are Complete?

IV. Give Time Duration (Cycles-of-Learning)V. Calculate Shortest Implementation

Identify Critical Path (CP) Identify No Slack (And Nearly No Slack) Paths

VI. Calculate Earliest Start, Earliest Finish, Latest Start & Latest Finish TimesVII. Locate Jobs with Slack TimeVIII. Review & Revise (Scrub)

Meet Schedule? What are the Risk Points? More Parallelism Possible? Multiple Critical Paths? What Can be Sped Up?

Optional


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ARA TRAINING

Problems & Delays are InevitableGood Planning Leads to Smaller ProblemsSmaller Problems Give You Opportunity to Recover

Project Schedule Example


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ARA TRAINING

ARA TRAINING

Project TeamMeetings


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ARA TRAININGProject Management HierarchyPhase Gate

Review

Bi-Monthly orMonthly Review

Weekly PrjTeam Meeting

Team WorkingMeetings

EyesSpeedometer

Odometer

Map

After Agile Game Development With Scrum, C. Keith 2010

Different Measures & Monitors Keep You On Track When Driving Same Applies to Projects


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ARA TRAINING Types of Project Meetings Team Working / Ad Hoc Problem Solving Meetings

Purpose: Team Problem Solving Type of Meeting: Working Meeting Outcome: Varies, But Typically an Action or Solution Plan (Experimental, Information Gathering, …) Outlining the Next Few Steps

Weekly Team Project Review Meetings Purpose: Team Coordination Type of Meeting: Coordination and Working Meeting Outcome: Varies as Required to Keep Project on Track

Bi-Monthly or Monthly Management Review Meetings Purpose: Management Review Meeting & Problem Escalation Type of Meeting: Status Update Outcome: Varies, Resource Re-allocation, Priority Shift, …

Phase Gate Review Meetings Purpose: Decide Whether Project Meets Phase Gate Criteria Type of Meeting: Decision Meeting Outcome: Pass / Fail & Appropriate Action Items


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ARA TRAINING Team Working Meetings What are You Looking For?

Clarity on the Problem Topic: Is There a Clear Problem Definition? Is There Clear Separation Between Fact, Conjecture, and Hypothesis? Hidden Biases

Potential Solution Paths What to Do:

Utilize Good Problem Solving Tools Balance Being ‘Loose’ Enough to Capture Contributing Ideas, But Not so ‘Loose’ That Dissolve into Entropy – Stay on a Convergent Path Decide if Escalation Required – Get Help (Do it Earlier Rather Than Later) Establish Recovery Plans and/or Contingency Plans as Required Insure Required Cross-Functional Coordination Summarize, Issue Minutes and Update Action Items

How Long Should it Take: 30 – 60 Minutes Who Should Be There: The Best People to Contribute to Solution Who Should Run It?Drive Toward Convergence


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ARA TRAINING Weekly Team Prj Meeting What are You Looking For?

Are You on Schedule? That Day? Looking Forward? Barriers to Meeting Commitments That Need Team’s or Exec Mgt’s Attention Opportunities to Pull in Schedule (To Make Up for Inevitable Unforeseen Problems) Highlight Risk Items, White Spaces, Resource Gaps, Skill Set Holes, etc.

What to Do: Focus on Deliverables, Highlight Key Decisions That Need to Be Made Focus and Drive Decision or Path Closure; Which Ones are Not Closing? Decide if Escalation Required – Get Help (Do it Earlier Rather Than Later) Establish Recovery, Pull-In or Contingency Plans as Appropriate/Required Insure Required Cross-Functional Coordination Track Action Items, Make Sure Checklists Exist and Are Being Used Summarize, Issue Minutes and Update Action Items

How Long Should it Take: 30 – 60 Minutes Who Should Be There: Design, PE, TE; Apps, Yield, Marketing, ... (As Required) Who Should Run It?Keep Your Schedule Current!


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ARA TRAININGWeekly Project Meeting: Schedule Be Rigorous: Drive Near Term Detail

At Weekly Team Meeting: What Happened Last Week? What Should Happen Next Week? The Week After That? After That?, … What Are The Tasks Ahead With Greatest Degree of Variability/Uncertainty? Keep Schedule Up-to-Date

Be Schizophrenic: Plan, Break Plan, Re-Plan Pull in One Day at a Time; Start The Day After You Make Your Schedule “Pay for a Day” (What is the Cost of a One Day Delay in The Project?)

Be Proactive – Always Be Looking Ahead “Only The Paranoid Project Schedulers Survive” Expect “Surprises”, Be Prepared Look For and Eliminate “White Spaces” and Uncertainty Scrub Periodically (1 – 4 Times / Month) Depending on Project Duration

Common Scheduling Problem: Ignoring Obvious Problem Have a Recovery Plan if (When?) Get Behind


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ARA TRAINING Be Proactive

Always Be Looking Ahead


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ARA TRAINING Project Scrubbing Purpose: Provide “Outsider’s” Perspective in How to Pull-in Schedule Form of Knowledge (Experience) - Based Problem Solving Solicited Critique

Non-Defensive Open

Who Does it: 1 - 3 Peers; Peer + 1 Recommended What Can You Scrub?

Schedule Resources Risks Technical Hypothesis / Proposed Solutions What Else?

Keep Sessions Short (15 - 20’)


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ARA TRAININGSample Schedule Pull-in QuestionsUp Front:

Do We Have To Make “It”? Can We Buy “It” Instead? Would a Development Partner Enable Us to Go Faster? Can The Product Definition Be Modified to Reduce Risk and/or Allow Us to Go Faster? Are We Re-Using Common Blocks (Design, Test, Technology, etc.) to The Maximum? Are We Inventing Only Where We Need to & Where Value is Added?

At Any Point: What (Low-Value) Activities Can Be Eliminated or Reduced in Scope? Could More Activities Take Place Concurrently? (i.e. C.O.L in Parallel) How Can We Reduce The Time for Each C.O.L.?

Resources: Would More Resources Help? Are They Available Internally? If Not, Could We Find Contract Resources Outside? Is There a Skill Set Missing That Would Enable Us to Go Faster?


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ARA TRAINING Burndown Chart"SampleBurndownChart" by Pablo Straub

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SampleBurndownChart.png#/media/File:SampleBurndownChart.png

Provides Simple Visual Overview of Task Rate of Completion & Whether on Track Aims to Track Progress on Daily Basis; Popularized by Scrum Prj Mgt Shows Remaining Effort to Complete Iteration/Work Quantum – Typically 20 to 30 Days Tasks Broken Down in ¼ to ½ Day Increments for Granularity/Tracking

Pros?Cons?

Ref: J. Wenzel provides a good tutorial in “Burn Down Chart Tutorial: Simple Agile Task Tracking”, & also spreadsheet templates for creating Burndown Chartsg http://joel.inpointform.net/software-development/burn-down-charts-tutorial-simple-agile-project-tracking/


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ARA TRAINING Monitoring Progress

After K.G. Cooper EMR Fall 1993 & SCRUM Burn Down Tutorial 2010

RealProgress

PerfectMonitoring

The Better Your Metrics/Vital Signs The Better Your MonitoringHow Much Can Granularity Help?

Remaining Effort

Time


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ARA TRAINING ReworkWork To Be Done Work Done

•• Rework ••KnownUndiscovered

WorkBeing Done X

After K.G. Cooper, EMR Fall 93

The Better Your Metrics/Vital SignsThe Better You Can Manage Rework


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ARA TRAININGYour Personal Weekly Check-In Types of Weekly Meetings

Weekly Team Meeting: High Level Coordination & Help; Not Problem Solving Ad Hoc Problem Solving Meetings Weekly Personal Project Planning Meeting (For Yourself)

Personal Weekly Project Planning Meeting What are You Looking For?

Are You on Schedule? That Day? Looking Forward? Highlight Risk Items, White Spaces, Resource Gaps, Skill Set Holes, etc.

What to Do: Track Action Items, Make Sure an Appropriate Checklists Exist and You’re Using It Focus on Decision or Path Closure; Which Ones are Not Closing Decide if Escalation Required – Get Help (Do it Earlier Rather Than Later) Establish Recovery Plans and/or Contingency Plans as Required Are You Getting Required Cross-Functional Coordination? Summarize and Update Action Items

How Long Should it Take: 30 – 60 MinutesKeep Your Schedule Current!


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ARA TRAINING Project Management Tools Goal Setting Your Weekly Check-In Meeting Work Breakdown Studies & W3s Checklists Problem Solving Decision Making


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ARA TRAINING Work Breakdown Studies

Breaks Down Project Deliverables into Manageable Units / Tasks ‘Best Granularity’: Tasks Reflect 1 – 10 Days of Effort (< ~ 80 Hrs) Can Effectively Support Organizational Learning & Memory

Milestone

Days

TasksGoals

Sequence

Deliverables

Who


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ARA TRAINING “Smart” Goals “Smart”: Specific, Measurable, Attainable & Agreed Upon, Relevant, Time Specific Clear Goals Have Much Greater Chance of Being Accomplished To Set a Specific Goal Need 3 To 6 “Ws”

Who: Who Is Responsible? What: What Needs to Be Done? When: When Does it Need to Be Done By Why: Reasons, Purpose or Benefits Of Goal Which: Identify Requirements and Constraints Where: Identify Location (If Applicable)

Minimum

Optional


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 45

ARA TRAINING Project Checklists Why Use Checklists?

Help Manage Complexity: How Many Activities Comprise a Project? How Many Different Parallel Paths Have to Come Together? How Can You Make Sure That Something Isn’t Being Missed?

Vehicle to Capture Learning From Experience (Yours and/or Someone Else’s)? Memory Management Device Can Limit Mistakes Regarding What is Known

Why Not Use Checklists? In a Culture of Weak Accountability, Responsibility Shifts From Individual to The Checklist ( “It Wasn’t on The Checklist” Excuse); Don’t Let This Happen to You! Can Get Too Long (Items Keep Getting Added, No Priorities); Obscures Rather Than Illuminates Can Overwhelm Main Objective

Poor Checklists: Long, Vague, Hard to Use Effective Checklists: Precise, To The Point, Easy to Use, Brief, Simple

Checklists Manage Activities, Not Projects!


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 46

ARA TRAINING Problem De-BugHow Do You Get Started?

How Do You Organize the Team?How Do You Track Progress?


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 47

ARA TRAINING Problem Bug MatrixResponsible: Name Fix Schedule

Problem Type(E / M / H) Hypothesis COL

(Act/Fcst) Confirm Contain Root Cause Doc12345

Example of Work Breakdown Simple Way of:

Assigning Ownership Defining Issue Clarifying Hypothesis Tracking Schedule Efficient Communication

How to Generate Hypothesis? How to Prioritize Which to Pursue?


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ARA TRAINING Integrated Problem Solving

Data Driven Knowledge Driven

Question Driven

Integrate


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 49

ARA TRAINING Utilize Simple Tools


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ARA TRAININGAsk & Answer Simple Questions What is The Problem? Why is it a Problem? What Are The Goals? How Long Will it Take to Solve? How Much Will it Cost to Solve?


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ARA TRAINING Avoid Artificial Constraints

Constraints Will Always Exist Real Constraints Need to Be Respected, But Also Challenged Where Can Constraints Appear During Problem Solving? How Do You Become Aware & Overcome Constraints?

Sub-Conscious Assumed Very RealConstraints


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 52

ARA TRAINING Fit Method to ProblemDifferent Problems May Require Different Approaches

Use as Simple an Approach as Possible

Be Adaptive


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ARA TRAININGBest Practices in Problem Solving(Don’t Over-Complicate) Clear, Concise Problem Definition Starts With Broad Perspective Gets Alignment Across Organizations Breaks Down Problem Questions Data, Knowledge Base, Assumptions Critically Focuses Data Eliminates Artificial Constraints Drives Convergence & Critical Path Is Self-Correcting Balances Planning & Doing Balances Root Cause Fix & Containment Is Properly Tracked & Progress Communicated Appropriately Documented

Describe Problem(With Data)ProposeHypotheses

Test Hypotheses(With Data)

Implement Appropriate Fix


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ARA TRAINING

Low KnowledgeLevel High KnowledgeLevel

Screening Factorials RSM

Statistical DOE Framework

The Knowledge Line

DuPont


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ARA TRAINING Data Driven: Good Data When is Data Bad ? Under- vs. Over- Standing Causality vs. Correlation Data (Sample) Bias Sufficiency . . .

Don’t Take “Data” at Face Value


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ARA TRAININGKnowledge Driven: Good Knowledge When is Knowledge Bad ? Under- vs. Over- Standing Applicability Capturing & Using Knowledge . . .

Don’t Take “Knowledge” at Face Value


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 57

ARA TRAINING Question Driven:The Basic Critical Question(s) How do You Know This to Be True?

Response to Information or Descriptive Claim

Why Should I (We/They) Do This? Response to Action, Suggestion, Recommendation . . .

What is it About ____ That Makes it Good (Bad/OK)? Response to Value Judgment

After Dennis MatthiesGet Good at Asking Insightful Questions


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ARA TRAININGQuestion Driven: More Good Questions When (History) ? Where ? Why ? How ? Does it Interact ? What is Being Assumed? “Solved” Before ? “5 Whys = How” Who Can Help? . . .


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ARA TRAININGQuestion Driven: Assumptions You Seem to Be Assuming ______. Do I Understand You Correctly? Your Reasoning Depends on The Assumption That ________. Why Have You Based Your Reasoning on ______ Instead of ______? What Background Information or Data Are Your Assumptions Based On? Would Knowing ________ Change Your Assumption in Some Fashion?

Reference ??


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ARA TRAININGPrioritizing Assumption Evaluation

Consequence of Assumption

AssumptionValidity

Low High

High

Low

Verify / Double-Check Underlying SupportAccept

Investigate & ReframeReframe


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ARA TRAINING Assumptions: Constraints Assumptions About Constraints Common Sometimes They are Unconscious Sometimes They are a Conscious Assumption How Do You Uncover Them?


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 62

ARA TRAINING Project Management Outline Part 1: Project Management Set-Up(Plan)

Project Management Principles Goals & Objectives Risk Management High Level Scheduling Concepts The Market Window- Development Team Capability Conundrum

Part 2: Project Management Execution (Do) Detailed Project Scheduling & Schedule Uncertainty Project Team Meetings Project Management Toolkit

Part 3: Project Management Oversight (Check & Act) Project Phase Gate Reviews Project Management Reviews Project Feedback & Response Appendix

Part 3Next


ARA (Feb’16)- © 2016 - 63

ARA TRAINING PDCA Project ManagementPlan

(Set Goals, Resources & High Level Schedule)

Do(Detailed Schedule, Daily /Weekly Checks & Pull-in)

Check(Mgt & Milestone Reviews)

Act(Adjust Resources, Goals, & Schedule)

Engineering

Project Management Cookbook Part 2 (ARA) Feb16