Fundamentals of Project Management

Project plan

Document showing necessary work, schedule and assigned resources

Project scope statement

The description of the project scope, major deliverables, assumptions and constraints Additional Information: Clarifies and expands the information in the project charter and adds: -Constraints -Assumptions -Risks -Boundaries (what will and will not be included) -User acceptance criteria

Executing process

Working on or performing the tasks that were defined during the Planning process; one of the five Process Groups

Project Procurement

-Create a plan to monitor any changes to contracts that occur during the project -The project manager will need to understand the contract requirements -All contracts are closed at project completion

Things that happen in the Initiating Process

-Determine and decide what product or service is being developed -Collaborate and clarify the project need -Assign or appoint a project manager and sponsor -Gather any information to help understand the requirements of the project by answering the what, when, who, why, where and how questions -Develop the project charter

Project Quality

-Ensure stakeholder expectations are being met by defining processes to verify and validate successful product completion. -Understanding the desired outcome allows the team to work together to build quality into the product. -Monitor quality throughout the project.

Characteristics of a Project Team

-Individuals who are appointed, selected, or volunteer to work together on a project -Individuals who have diverse skills and talents to complete tasks and will provide expertise to make project decisions -Encourage mentoring with team members during the project

Things that happen in the Closing Process

-Lessons learned -Final work -Contract closeout

Project Sponsor examples

-Member of the management team -Board of Director or association member -Client or customer

The project team roles include

-Project sponsor -Project manager -Team members -Project stakeholders

Things that happen in the Monitoring and Controlling Process

-Review and track the progress of the project -Manage project issues and change requests -Review the scope statement periodically to ensure objectives are being met -Obtain sponsor sign-off if changes are made to the project's scope

Things that happen in the Executing Process

-The planning is now complete and the team can begin working on assigned tasks. -Project status reporting will be conducted on a regular basis. -Any issues that arise will be discussed with the team and sponsor. -Some tasks may be re-assigned individuals cannot complete them on time or require extra assistance. -The project manager will need to monitor and control the tasks to ensure timely completion. -Communication is ongoing during this phase.

Things that happen in the Planning Process

-The planning process involves organizing and identifying the components of a project. -The project manager and the project team work together to develop the scope of work, create a work breakdown structure, identify resources, estimate time needed to accomplish tasks, and recommend major deliverables.

On-Going Activities that happen throughout the project

-Time Management -Communication -Managing risks -Controlling the schedule -Monitoring the budget

Responsibilities of a Project Manager

-Work with the team to develop a schedule and discuss potential risks -Communicate with all stakeholders about the status of the project -Conduct weekly or monthly meetings to discuss issues and risks

Issue

A current condition or situation that may have an impact on project objectives

Change request

A formal proposal to modify a document, deliverable or baseline

Work breakdown structure (WBS)

A hierarchical breakdown of all the work that needs to occur to create the product, service or result. It is used to organize, define and track the progress of the project tasks Additional Information: The work breakdown structure (WBS) is a checklist of all the work—the deliverables and tasks—prioritized in order of completion.

Project

A temporary endeavor with a definite beginning and end that creates or produces a unique product, service or result

Project management

An approach to be followed to ensure that all required project work undertaken to create a product, service or result is planned and completed within a specified time, schedule, cost and quality

Planning process

Determining the course of action for the project, including establishing the scope of the project, refining the objectives and deciding upon the course of action that will allow the project to be completed successfully; one of the five Process Groups

Project Communication

Develop a communication plan that answers the following questions: What, When, Who, Where and How: -What needs to be communicated? -When does the information need to be distributed? -Who should receive the information (all stakeholders)? -Where should the information be distributed? -How and in what format should the information be presented?

Project Charter

Document authorizing the initiation of the project and used as a starting point to further clarify and refine the project—documents the reason or need for the project and provides high-level answers to the Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How questions Additional Information: -Supported and approved by the sponsor -Provides the project manager authorization to start the project

Project schedule

Document showing each task with the time required to complete it, along with start and end dates Additional Information: -Good planning allows the project manager to manage and control the project tasks and resources -The project schedule is developed by determining how long each task will take and assigning a resource to be responsible for the task -The team and project manager should divide the tasks and provide an estimate of the time required to complete each task

Initiating Process

The beginning of the project, in which the project manager is assigned or selected, the project is defined, and authorization to start the project is given—one of the five process groups

Closing process

The end of the project, including acceptance of project outcomes by the appropriate people, signoff by the project sponsor, evaluating and capturing lessons learned, performing final administrative work and celebrating project success; one of the five Process Groups

Lessons learned

The knowledge gained during a project that shows how project events were addressed or should be addressed in the future for the purpose of improving future performance

Deliverable

The outcome of the project

Stakeholders

The people or organizations that are involved or have an interest, either positively or negatively, in the project and project outcome; they may include customers, clients, suppliers, vendors and contributors

Team members

The people who work on the project and contribute to its success

Project Sponsor

The person or group who provides resources and support for the project; is responsible for providing management oversight; and signs off on the project's outcome Someone who has a vested interest in the project

Project Manager

The person responsible for ensuring a project achieves its goals and objectives

The Sender-Receiver Model

The sender sends a message without interruptions or distractions. The receiver selects an approach that is acceptable to the team and is available to all members.

Critical Path Method (CPM)

The sequence of tasks that requires the longest duration to complete with no extra time; the minimum length of time required to complete the project

Process Groups

The stages, phases or steps of a project that help a project manager and team members define, organize and keep track of the work that needs to be completed for a successful project

Scope creep

The uncontrolled expansion of product or project scope without adjustments to time, cost and resources

Scope

The work that will or will not be done to create the unique product, service or result Additional Information: -Defines the project parameters and establishes the baseline for measuring success -Provides a common understanding of project expectations

Monitoring and Controlling process

Tracking and reviewing a project's progress and making changes to the plan as needed to make sure the project objectives and expected outcomes are met; one of the five Process Groups

Stakeholder examples

customers, suppliers, vendors, end-users, team members, and project sponsor