Project Management and the Project Manager

In some organizations, the role of a project manager is filled by a functional manager for the duration of the project, and is not a separate and distinct role. This is known as a __________

"Working" project manager.

Things that may be impending issues arising for the future of the project, plus recommendations for how to avoid these issues from becoming problems.

"Yellow Light" issues.

True or False: The PMBOK and PRINCE2 are best practices that can be applied to every project in every company in every industry.

False. It is up to the project manager and enterprise to make that decision. Many companies have their own project management processes and standards that a project manager needs to understand and adhere to.

True or False: project managers must not only manage people of all levels, but they must also manage costs, expectations, procurement, outside suppliers, and partners.

True. A PM is all things to all people, and managing time and money and function are the key aspects of the expectations.

Things that will immediately impact the success of the project and what decisions or resources are required. These are often potential change requests or emphasis on items planned for but not received.

"Red Light" issues.

The Project Manager should have complete knowledge of the project plan, which should include:

- Approved requirements for the product, service or process being produced. - A schedule for the project - Resource plans/requirements including people (time), money (budget), material, equipment, and facilities - A strong communications plan - A risk plan identifying risks and actions - Quality standards and directions should be stated.

What is the best way to address conflict?

- Communicating with the team. - Establish expectations for the team and what they are to do. - Address conflict immediately - Stay focused on the project and its goals. - Remember you are dealing with a team of individuals - Conflict is an opportunity

Throughout the status meetings, the project manager will express:

- Current status summary of the project's schedule, budget and functional progress. - Red Light issues - Yellow Light issues. Accomplishments for the current period. - Upcoming plans for the immediate work period. - Resource usage and near-term requirements.

Project Manager responsibilities include:

- Initiating the project with clear goals, sponsorship and a business case that aligns with the goals of the organization. - Overseeing the development and acceptance of a realistic project plan that meets the requirements approved for the project.

What are some of the problems with "working" project managers as opposed to "dedicated" project managers?

- Second to functional role. - Working manager may not have project management skills or training - People from other disciplines may not report directly to the working project manager, however the working PM is responsible for the work they perform related to project.

Stakeholders can include some or all of the following:

- Senior management of the company and organization - Management and workers of all levels who will use the system. - Management and workers of all levels who will be on the project developing its project deliverables. - Suppliers and support groups in the organization or from the outside who will work on the project and create the resulting deliverables. - Stockholders of the business - Any other partners or organizations that will be involved with the end project results.

The ___________ rule states that a project manager should avoid controlling tasks of less than eight hours or team members will feel micromanaged, and should not let more than 80 hours go by without checking in so team members don't feel isolated.

8 by 80 rule.

Serving as a joint venture between the government of the UK and Capita PLC, ________ was formed to manage and grow a number of standards and associated certifications, including ITIL (Information Technology Infrastructure Library), PRINCE2, and Managing Successful Programs (MSP).

AXELOS Ltd.

The _________ is a UK-based charter organization, a registered charity with more than 21,150 individual and 550 corporate members making it the largest professional body in Europe.

Association for Project Management (APM)

Change requests for changes in scope, schedule, or funding should be submitted to the appropriate ___________ for a decision.

Change Control Board (CCB). The CCB ensures that the change requested does not negatively impact the project triple constraints.

Submitted for changes in scope, schedule, or funding.

Change requests

An example of ________ would be when a team using several tools - such as email, instant messaging, a schedule tool, an issue tracking tool, and a threaded discussion tool - converts to a cloud-based collaboration tool that provides all of this functionality in one place.

Collaboration tools.

Originally electronic repositories where reports could be archived, these tools have now exploded in their functionality and are able to perform status reporting, task assignment, issue management, and threaded team discussions.

Collaboration tools.

Although the core tools that are used may be the same, each project needs its own stated ________. This sets the stage for what is required and guides individual expectations.

Communication plan.

Project reports also provide a _______ of the project, which can be very important in understanding the factors behind a project's successes and failures.

History.

The world's first project management association, composed of more than 55 Member Associations (MAs) that develop project management competencies in their geographic areas of influence. Acts as the leading authority on competent project, program, and portfolio management (PPPM).

International Project Management Association (IPMA).

The act of managing a project and encompasses the use of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to ensure that the project meets its goals.

Project Management

Certifications offered by the Project Management Institute (PMI)

Project Management Professional (PMP) Certified Associate in Project Management (CAMP) Program Management Professional (PgMP) Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) PMI Agile Certified professional (PMI- ACP)

The __________ is responsible for and accountable for managing the project to maximize its success.

Project Manager

What are the PMBOK and PRINCE2?

Project Manager's Book of Knowledge (PMBOK) and Projects in a Controlled Environment, version 2 (PRINCE2). Bot are considered to be professional standards developed as a way to capture, codify, and allow for the systematic growth of the knowledge base of practitioners.

A __________ should include approved requirements, schedule resource plans, and budgeting requirements.

Project Plan.

____________ should be a guide for communications and should be clear and concise regarding who is to do what and where tasks must be completed, in addition to detailing what has happened so far.

Project Reports.

The Project Manager is responsible for turning data into communicable information about the status of the project, which is then distributed in the form of a ____________.

Project report.

Tools such as Gantt charts, Microsoft Project, ProjectLibre, etc., are all examples of what?

Scheduling tools.

These are fundamental tools of the project manager because it is how the schedule commitments of the team are capture and tracked.

Scheduling tools. These tools and the data contained in them are a primary source of data that the project manager uses to communicate.

Often, decisions about the status meetings and project reports are influenced by the _____________.

Stakeholder analysis. At the beginning of the project, the project manager conducts the analysis to define the relevant stakeholders, their interests, and their communication needs.

A _______ is anyone who has an impact on or is impacted by the project.

Stakeholder.

What specifically do the PMBOK and PRINCE2 provide to projects?

Standards. The knowledge base of practitioners is captured and codified in these professional standards.

The important part of the communications plan is determining how project ___________ will be used to exchange information.

Status meetings.

With more than 400,000 members, the _______ is the largest in the world, and has member chapters on every continent (except Antarctica).

The Project Management Institute (PMI).

If the product design manager is also responsible for the overall delivery of the product, the PM is considered to be a __________ Project Manager.

Working.

The final scope, schedule and budget plans are captured as baselines for the project, which the sponsor approves before the project moves into the execution phase. Project performance is measured against these baselines and are often referred to as the _______ of a project (time, cost, and scope).

Triple constraints.

Using ______________ ensures that everyone understands what has to be delivered and who is responsible for doing what when.

Work Breakdown Structures. The WBS is a key tool so that people understand what is expected of them and how they will be held accountable.