Lesson 10: Project Tools and Documentation
KPI examples
- Project costs must not exceed more than 5 percent of the budgeted cost baseline. - Quality standards will meet or exceed industry standards by no more than +/- .03 standard deviations. - Increase the number of page visits to the new website by 10 percent over 6 months. - Increase shared links on social media sites by 15 percent over the next 12 months. - Increase the number of bookings using self-service check-in to 70 percent over the next two years.
Formal project ending types
- addition - starvation - integration - extinction
lessons learned review areas
- each process group (initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing) - performance of the project team - document vendor performance - examine sponsor and key-stakeholder involvement - the risks that occurred and the effectiveness of the risk response plans - document risks that occurred that were not identified during the project - evaluate the estimating techniques used for costs and resources - evaluate the project budget vs. actual performance - the schedule performance, critical path, and schedule control - review the effectiveness of the change management process
Balanced score card elements
- financial goals - business processes - innovation - the customer experience - customer satisfaction
action item log elements
- identification number - date the action was recorded - action item description - action item owner - progress or resolution to the action item - closed date
issue log elements
- identification number for tracking - date the issue was recorded - description of the issue - name of the person who reported the issue - name of the person who owns the issue and will follow through to resolution - impact rating of the issue usually expressed as high-medium-low - action plan to resolve issue - status of the issue - closed date
knowledge management tools
- intranet sites - internet sites - wiki pages - vendor knowledge bases - collaboration toold
closing steps
- obtaining formal sign-off and acceptance of the project - transferring the results of the project to operations and maintenance - releasing project resources - closing out contracts - performing administrative closure - documenting historical information for future projects - conducting lessons learned - preparing the project close report
Starvation reasons
- other projects come about and take precedence over the current project, thereby cutting the funding or resources for your project - the customer curtails an order - the project budget is reduced - a key resource quits
Agenda items
- overall project status - schedule updates, including changes - milestone achievements - budget status - change requests this period - major issues that could impede progress of the project - major risks - action items
project management charts
- process diagram - histogram - fishbone - pareto chart - run chart - scatter diagram - gantt chart
status report items
- progress since last reporting period - progress expected this reporting period - progress expected next reporting period - obstacles preventing work from being completed
status report elements for stakeholders
- progress since last reporting period - progress expected this reporting period - progress expected next reporting period - review of the project schedule including scheduled and actual completion dates - budget review - risk review - schedule updates or changes - resource updates or changes - change requests - review of issues with high or medium impact - notes/comments/announcements
Project manager tools
- project scheduling software - charts - dashboards and status reports - knowledge management tools - performance measurement tools - SWOT analysis - RACI matrix
Project close report elements
- recap of the original goals and objectives of the project - statement of project acceptance or rejection (and the reasons for rejection) - summary of project costs - summary of project schedule - lessons learned and historical data
Reasons for project endings
- they are completed successfully - they evolve into ongoing operations and no longer exist as projects - their budgets are slashed - the project resources are redirected to other activities or projects - the customer goes out of business or is merged with another entity - they are cancelled prior to completion
Administrative Closure
A process that involves gathering and disseminating information to formalize project closure. The completion of each project phase requires _______________ also. The primary purpose of this process is to gather lessons learned and distribute the notice of acceptance.
Addition
A type of project ending that occurs when projects evolve into ongoing operations.
Starvation
A type of project ending where resources are cut off from the project.
Integration
A type of project ending where the resources of the project are reassigned or redeployed to other projects or other activities within the organization.
Making a fishbone diagram
Brainstorming sessions are great ways to do this
A
Calculates the individual value and the cumulative total with the help of bar and line graphs A. Pareto Chart B. Run Chart C. Histogram Chart D. Fishbone Diagram E. Scatter Diagram
B
Displays data observed or collected over time as plots on a line A. Pareto Chart B. Run Chart C. Histogram Chart D. Fishbone Diagram E. Scatter Diagram
C
Displays the frequency distributions of variable data A. Pareto Chart B. Run Chart C. Histogram Chart D. Fishbone Diagram E. Scatter Diagram
E
Displays the relationship between two numerical variables on a chart A. Pareto Chart B. Run Chart C. Histogram Chart D. Fishbone Diagram E. Scatter Diagram
D
Distributes resources of the project to the other areas of an organization A. Starvation B. Addition C. Extinction D. Integration
A, B, E, F
Elements of action item logs A. Date the action was recorded B. Action item owner C. Budget review D. Progress expected next reporting period E. Closed date F. Identification number
A
Includes cutting back human resources, equipment, and supplies, or money on the project A. Starvation B. Addition C. Extinction D. Integration
C
Indicates the project has been completed and accepted by the stakeholders
Lessons Learned
Information gathered throughout the project (and again at the end of a project phase or the end of the project) that documents the successes and failures of the project. This information is used to benefit the current project and future projects.
B
Is represented as the minimum acceptable value for the system
A, B, C, D, F
Project centric documentation includes the issues log, status report, dashboard information, action items, and meeting agenda/meeting minutes. Project managers are often faced with issues and challenges, especially in managing stakeholder expectations. Sue, a project manager for the Best Builder's Blocks corporation, is working on a new design of bricks that she hopes will result in a reduction of cost and materials yet maintain the standard of quality Best Builder's Blocks is known for. She understands that stakeholder expectations are important to manage, and has decided to use an issue log to document, monitor, and track issues that will inevitably arise during the project. Which of the following elements would you recommend she include in her issue log?Each correct answer represents a complete solution. Choose all that apply. A. When the issue was reported B. A description of the issue C. An issue ID number D. Impact/priority rating E. The names of the individuals who will be working on resolving the issue F. The name of the person who reported the issue
B
Project managers have many tools available to help analyze project work and report on progress. This is something you feel is one of your strengths. On one of your current projects, you're at the point where you need to determine where the root of the problem is and obtain ideas and suggestions on how to fix the problem. What tool should you use in this situation? A. SWOT analysis B. Fishbone diagram C. Pareto chart D. Develop KPIs
A
Provides communication mechanisms among employees as well as external to the organization
B
Sets operational goals or performance levels for systems A. KPI B. KPP
D
Shows the relationship between the effects of problems and their causes A. Pareto Chart B. Run Chart C. Histogram Chart D. Fishbone Diagram E. Scatter Diagram
A
Shows whether the project is reaching its intended goals A. KPI B. KPP
obtaining sign-off
The primary focus of the closing phase. Project closeout involves accepting the final product or service of the project and then turning it over to the organization.
B
They are documented events or tasks usually arise during a status meeting. They concern the project but do not generally impact the project work directly. They are assigned an identification number, a description, and an owner, and their status is recorded and reviewed at status meetings. A. Issues B. Action items C. Status reports D. Meeting minutes
C
This document is produced at the end of the project and reports the final project outcomes. A. Lessons learned B. Dashboard C. Project close report D. Status report
Extinction
This is a type of project ending that occurs when the project is completed and accepted by the stakeholders
B
Transforms an ongoing project transition into an existing business unit A. Starvation B. Addition C. Extinction D. Integration
B
What is the focus of the lessons learned report? A. The report should cover what went well during the project and should determine which team member or business unit was responsible for failures or issues. B. The report should cover both the positive and negative aspects of the project, with suggestions for improvement. C. The report should primarily summarize the results of the project schedule, the budget, and any approved scope changes. D. The report should focus on the project deliverables and any issues that were created by the customer.
A
What is the primary purpose of a formal sign-off at the conclusion of the project work? A. The sign-off indicates that the project meets the documented requirements and the customer has accepted the project deliverables. B. The sign-off allows the project manager to start a new assignment. C. The sign-off means the project team is no longer accountable for the product of the project. D. The sign-off is the trigger for releasing team members back to their functional organization.
After the lessons learned review meeting
When is the project close report completed?
D
Which of the following are measurement tools used to measure operational or performance goals for systems? A. Balanced score card B. Run chart C. KPIs D. KPPs
B, D
Which of the following charts are cause-and-effect diagrams or used to determine if there is a cause-and-effect correlation between two numerical variables? Choose two. A. Pareto chart B. Fishbone C. Run chart D. Scatter diagram E. Histogram
C
Which of the following charts is a type of histogram? A. Scatter diagram B. Ishikawa C. Pareto chart D. Fishbone
C
Who is responsible for authorizing the closure of the project? A. Project manager B. Executive team members C. Sponsor D. Stakeholders
C
Works on the same documents while maintaining version control A. Intranet Site B. Vendor Knowledge Base C. Collaboration
C
You have just left a meeting with the project sponsor where you were advised that your project has been cancelled because of budget cuts. You have called the project team together to fill them in and to review the remaining activities to close out the project. Several of your team members question the benefit of doing a lessons learned review on a project that has been cancelled. What should your response be? A. Tell the team they need to do this to be able to stay on the project payroll another week while they look for a new assignment. B. Advise the team that part of the review time will be spent on documenting the failure of the lack of clear requirements from the customer. C. Explain that there is value both to the team and for future projects in analyzing the phases of the project that have been completed to date to document what went right, what went wrong, and what you would change. D. Inform the team that a final report is a requirement from the PMO, regardless of how the project ends.
D
You have just left a meeting with the project sponsor where you were advised that your project has been cancelled because of budget cuts. You have called the project team together to fill them in and to review the remaining activities to close out the project. Which of the following describes the type of project ending this project experienced? A. Extinction B. Integration C. Addition D. Starvation
A
You want to assure version control of project documents and provide a collaborative platform for team members and stakeholders to review and update certain documents. You could use all of the following knowledge management tools to accomplish this except which one? A. Dashboards B. Intranet site C. Wiki pages D. Collaboration software
D, E
You're a project manager for a large project. You're in the middle of the Executing phase. The project sponsor has decided to cancel the project because of unexpected cost overruns and resource shortages. What are your next steps? Choose two. A. Ask the sponsor to allow you to redesign the project with fewer deliverables. B. Ask the stakeholders to speak to the sponsor. C. Change vendors to obtain a lower bid for hardware and software components. D. Prepare project closure documents. E Perform a lessons learned analysis and release resources.
D
Your project evolved over time into an ongoing operation. What type of project ending is this? A. Integration B. Extinction C. Starvation D. Addition
D
Your project is too slow paced and your executive stakeholders want more up-to-date information available to them in an easy-to-use format. They are monitoring the project to determine whether it should be cancelled or further actions taken to get it back on track. Which of the following is the best option for you to implement? A. Invite the stakeholders to the daily stand up meetings so they can hear up-to-date status for themselves. B. A daily email with status C. More frequent status reports D. Dashboards
A
Your project is winding down, and some of your team members are anxious about their status. What is the best way to deal with their concerns? A. Review the team member release plans with the functional managers. Keep team members and functional managers informed based on the status of the project schedule. B. Explain to the team members that they will be released when the project is done. C. Let the team members know that you can only discuss their release date with the functional managers. D. Establish the same release date for all the team members, even if their work is not completed.
fishbone diagram
a cause-and-effect diagram that shows the relationship between the effects of problems and their causes. It depicts every potential cause of a problem and the effect that each proposed solution will have on the problem.
knowledge base
a collection of information about a product or process that is continually kept up to date.
Key Performance Indicators
a measurable value that shows whether the project is reaching its intended goals
balanced score card
a strategic management tool used to measure the activities and processes a business uses to meet its strategic goals
dashboards
a way to visually depict the progress of the project and are often used by executives in the organization
status reports
a written summary of the progress of the project and are much more detailed than dashboards. Status reports should be distributed according to the communications plan and a copy retained with the project records.
collaboration tools
allow project team members to work on the same documents while maintaining version control so only the most recent document is available for review. Allows check-in and check-out process so that team members are always reviewing and updating the latest version of the document
internet sites
are external to the organization and are accessed from the intranet via a firewall. They provide a wealth of information, collaboration tools, and other useful items for managing your project.
intranet sites
are internal to the organization and can be accessed only by employees (or authorized personnel) within the organization. They can provide communication mechanisms among and between employees as well as host collaboration sites where project documents can be stored.
vendor knowledge bases
contains information about their products or services.
Pareto Chart
displayed as histograms that rank-order the most important factors - such as delays, costs, and defects - by their frequency over time. The theory is that you get the most benefit if you spend the majority of time fixing the most important problems
Run Chart
displays data observed or collected over time as plots on a line
histogram
displays the frequency distributions of variable data. May include temperature, length, time, mileage, weight, distance, and so on
Transition training
document special skills, training, maintenance issues and costs, licensing costs, warranty periods, and so on. Make certain the new manager understands any special requirements for maintaining the product as well.
dashboard properties
easy to read and usually updated with real-time information so they are always up to date. Typically displays the most important project elements such as cost, time, and deliverables
KPP Primary use
government entities such as the Department of Defense and the U.S. Army in regard to military systems and equipment.
ways to display dashboards
graphs or charts, numbers, and/or status-level indicators such as red-yellow-green
Documenting lessons learned
include any key project team members, the project sponsor, and the key stakeholders at a minimum. The purpose for this review is to assess the good and the not-so-good aspects of the project. During this meeting, you'll evaluate each phase of the project in order to determine the things that went right and the things that could be improved.
Administrative closure
involves gathering and centralizing project documents, performing a lessons learned review, and writing the final project close report. This is where project records and files are collected and archived, including the project-planning documents, change records and logs, issue logs, lessons learned, and more. You'll also collect and archive documentation showing that the project is completed and that the transfer of the product of the project to the organization (or department responsible for ongoing maintenance and support) has occurred
Documenting formal acceptance
it signals the official closure of the project, and it is your proof that the project was completed satisfactorily.
issues list
items that arise that could impact the project, bring about a risk, or delay or prevent the completion of deliverables
Transferring the product of the project
kicks off the beginning of the warranty period and/or the transfer of the product to maintenance and operations. Sometimes project managers or vendors will warranty their work for a certain time period after completing the project. Projects that produce software programs, for example, might be warranted from bugs for a 60- or 90-day time frame from the date of implementation or the date of acceptance.
Run chart benefilts
observable trends and patterns such as improvements (or lack thereof); you can observe positive (or negative) change as well.
Scatter Diagram
plots 2 numerical variables on a chart to determine whether there is a correlation between them. The closer the variables are, the closer they are related. This relationship is typically analyzed to prove or disprove cause-and-effect relationships
issue status
should always include both a plan for resolution and a target date to resolve the issue.
meeting agenda
should be sent out a day or 2 before each meeting. it should state each topic for discussion, who will present the topic, and a time frame for each topic.
meeting minutes
should be taken during the meeting so that discussion items and any decisions made are documented. These should be distributed to attendees within a day or two of the meeting and a copy filed in the project documents
status meeting people
should include stakeholders, sponsor, project team members, and customers
status meetings
should occur regularly during the project in order to exchange information and provide updated information regarding the project progress
action items
tasks that come about, usually at a project status meeting, that require follow-up or resolution. Typically about the project but don't have a direct impact on the work of the project
Closing out the contract
the process of completing and settling the terms of the contract and documenting acceptance. This process determines whether the work described in the procurement documentation or contract was completed accurately and satisfactorily.
red on dashboard
the project element being reported is in trouble (i.e. over budget, behind schedule, etc.)
green on dashboard
the project element is going according to plan
yellow on dashboard
the project element is moving toward trouble
extinction
the project has been completed and accepted by the stakeholders
addition
they become their own ongoing business unit or the product or result of the project transitions into an existing business unit before the project is completed.
wiki pages
typically internal to the organization. Project documents, change control documents, and general information about the project can be posted to them. It is generally dedicated to a specific topic or project. Stakeholders, team members, and the project manager should be granted access to review content. Some team members, depending on their roles, may also have the ability to update documents and post new information.
Charts
used in project management to depict the schedule, visually display a process flow, display quality values, and determine performance issues
key performance parameters (KPPs)
used to set operational goals or performance levels for systems. Represented as the minimum acceptable levels or values
starvation
when resources are cut off from the project or are no longer provided to the project, it's ______ prior to completing all the requirements, and you're left with an unfinished project on your hands.
integration
when the resources of the project - people, equipment, and supplies - are distributed to other areas in the organization or are assigned to other projects
monitoring and controlling phase tasks
you will collect project data, analyze it, and report on it. Information should include project quality, costs, scope, project schedules, procurement, and risk, and can be presented as status reports, progress measurements such as KPI or forecasts
B
A collection of information about a product that is continually kept up to date.
