The following are some examples of projects:
►Developing and introducing a new product
►Designing and implementing an information technology (IT) system
►Modernizing a factory
►Consolidating two manufacturing plants
►Designing and producing a brochure
►Executing an environmental clean-up of a contaminated site
►Building a shopping mall
►Rebuilding a town after a natural disaster
►Designing a business internship program for high school students
►Building a Wi-Fi system.
CHAPTER 2Planning and Controlling Projects
The purpose of the project should be clearly defined. The management of a project requires proper planning and control of a project’s completion time, budgetary resources, and desired results. Without proper planning and control, it is highly unlikely that the project will be completed within the deadline or with limited resources, or that the desired results will be achieved.
Key Questions to be Asked
In planning and controlling a project, the following questions should be asked:
Project Objective
►What are the desired results?
►What do we expect to achieve by undertaking this project?
►What problems are likely to be encountered?
►How will those problems be solved?
Time Considerations
►What is the magnitude of the project?
►Is it a large project or a small project?
►If it is a large project, how can it be divided into a series of shorter tasks?
►How long will it take to complete the project?
►What is the project’s deadline?
►What are the consequences of not meeting the deadline or postponing the deadline?
►For longer projects, when should each phase of the project be completed?
Financial Considerations
►What is the project’s budget?
►What are the major expense categories?
►Will capital expenditures be undertaken?
►How much of the budget should be allocated to planned expenses?
►How much of the budget should be allocated to unexpected expenses and contingency planning?
►What are the consequences of going over or under budget?
►What resources, including human resources, are needed to complete the project?
►What tools and methods will be used to ensure that the project is within budget?
Management
►What is my responsibility?
►Who will be on my project team?
►What is the responsibility of each team member?
►Who will manage and coordinate the various activities in a project and ensure that they are proceeding as planned and that the project will be completed before the deadline?
►Who will monitor that the project is proceeding as planned and within budget?
►How will deviations be identified and corrected for?
►Interim Analysis
►Are the intermediate results consistent with the final desired results?
►Is the project arriving at the desired results for each major step along its completion path?
►How will the pace be accelerated if your team falls behind schedule?
►How will costs be reduced if actual costs begin exceeding the budget?
►If problems are developing, what actions will be taken to correct them?
Final Report
►How will the results of the project be documented?
►What type of final report will be prepared and by whom? For whom?
To successfully complete the project, the project manager must have a clear understanding of the desired results and how these results will satisfy the needs of the end-user.
To successfully complete the project, the project manager must have a clear understanding of the answers to these questions and of how the desired results satisfy the needs of the end-user.
Project managers should assume a leadership position. Their aim should be not only to supervise but more importantly to coordinate the efforts of the team members. This often requires direct involvement in the major phases of the task so that the team works together, budgets do not show significant variances, schedules are kept, and deadlines are met.
A schedule of work should be prepared for outlining responsibilities. Everything should be written down. Checklists should be used to ensure that all team members know their responsibilities and deadlines. Team members sometimes work on several projects simultaneously. Under these conditions, there may be conflicts among priorities, especially if’ they are working under different project managers. To minimize such conflicts, team members should be asked to let project managers know in advance about scheduling conflicts. Team members may then be reassigned to different tasks.
Team members should be given detailed instructions, and participation should be encouraged from the beginning. Their input should be solicited. Let the members propose solutions and assist in implementation. Active participation will motivate the project team, and when the ideas are good, the entire project benefits.
Conducting the Initial Meeting
Before starting the project, the project manager should meet with the team to set a positive tone and define the project’s purpose. The meeting can help avoid misunderstandings and save time and effort later. It also clarifies the nature of the assignment, as well as the authority and responsibility of each individual.
Meetings should then be scheduled at regular intervals, but limited in time and frequency. If the project team spends all its time in meetings, not much else will be accomplished. At the same time, it is important to get together to review progress, resolve problems, and ensure adherence to budgets and schedules.
At the initial meeting, each team member should identify the problems he or she anticipates in working on the project. A list should of anticipated problems should be prepared and team members should generate solutions. If additional data is needed, a discussion should be started regarding who will research the data and from what sources. How will this information be verified? What if the data are inaccurate, obsolete, or misinterpreted? Be sure to consider how much time it will take to gather and check additional data or to conduct research.
A list of initial tasks should be prepared and assigned to appropriate individuals. Whenever possible, let the team members volunteer; they are likely to be more motivated if they define their own roles. The entire team should gain an understanding of the scope of the entire project at the initial meeting.
For all major phases of the project, prepare an initial schedule.