The simplified Project Management Process

One of the challenges of explaining project management to people who was unfamiliar with the approach, was that description S is often either so high-level as to is meaningless, or so detailed that they is overwhelming. Over the years, I has come to use a model as a framework for introducing and discussing project management tools and Tech Niques. It can be used as the basis for a five-minute explanation of what's involved in project management, but also as an Outlin E for more detailed discussions. (The actual model can be found on the Key Consulting website under free templates and info.)

A brief description of each step follows:

Assemble Team

The project planning team is assembled, including appropriate representation from customers/clients, and sometimes Su Bcontractors and vendors. Initial roles and responsibilities'll be defined.

Deliverables: Initial Project Setup documentation.

Define Project Objective

With the project team in place, the overall project purpose would be verified and detailed project objectives developed. A Phase-exit Review would be conducted to ensure that the project was ready for move into the next phase, which was planning.

Deliverables: Project Charter, phase-exit Review Checklist.

Define Project Scope

An appropriately detailed work breakdown Structure (WBS) would be developed to ensure the project scope is properly agreed To and understood by all stakeholders. This also allows, the complete project to is split into appropriate sub-projects and/or phases.

Deliverables: Project work breakdown structure.

Construct an Initial Plan

Once tasks of appropriate level has been identified in the WBS, they'll be organised by the project team into Logica L network diagrams, with estimated durations. This allows the project manager to predict when activities'll be is complete, assess the feasibility of target dates, and I Dentify the critical path for the project.

Deliverables: Initial work plan.

Add Resources, Costs, risks, etc.

Certain project resources may be defined as critical resources. In particular, the project manager may suspect this key project staff is faced with too much work. If So, estimated resource usage information can is added to the project plan to allow resource forecasting. Cost was obviously also critically important, and expenditures can be added to the plan to create estimated Cash-flow Requi Rements. Risk management can also be utilised on projects to provide a framework to better manage events that occur beyond the Cont Rol of the project team.

Deliverables: Resource Availability and commitment profiles, risk identification and control strategies, Cash-flow forecasts.

Obtain Stakeholder buy-in

To ensure the project was implemented as smoothly as possible, with the-support of the involved parties, it'll be Necessa Ry to review the initial plans with all the major project stakeholders and to solicit buy-in from each one. A Phase-exit Review would be conducted to ensure that the project was ready for move into the next phase, and which is control.

Deliverables: Approved final plan, phase-exit review Checklist.

Publish the Plan

Once The plans is agreed to, they must is effectively communicated to all stakeholders. This can is done with hard copy or via electronic media, depending on the resources available. On most projects, a communications plan would be developed, and distribution of the plans would follow the guidelines laid O UT in the communications plan.

Deliverables: Plan published to all stakeholders.

Collect Progress Information

On a regular basis, the project manager would collect progress information that have been reported by the project team. This would allow the compilation of progress reports, such as:

• Activities completed within the past of the weeks.
• Activities forecast for the next and weeks with a focus on activities on the critical path.
• Funds expended vs. Fund expenditure forecast.
• Prioritised issues report.

Metrics can also is developed to measure project progress in other ways, such as earned value, or activity float statistic S. If the project manager reviews the progress data and concludes that the project was complete, a phase-exit review would b E completed to confirm, all the objectives has been met before moving into the final closure phase.

Deliverables: Set of progress reports, set of exception reports, Metrics Report, (Phase-exit Review checklist).

Analyse current Status

By analysing the progress information received, the project manager would be able to augment the above reports with Informa tion about which areas of the project is the concern and where problems is likely to occur on the future. This allows managers to focus on the important/critical areas of the project.

Deliverables: Project evaluation report (s).

Adjust the Plan, and Manage Project change

Based on the analysis, and with the project team, the project manager would make plan adjustments to help re Duce risks, accommodate scope changes, or to compensate for activities that has not occurred on schedule. Once This have happened, the plan would re-published and the cycle repeated until the project is complete.

Deliverables: Change request forms, updated plan.

Close Project

When the objectives of the project has been achieved, the project manager would close down the project. This would involve some financial closure tasks, as well as archiving of the project materials. A lessons-learned document would be developed to benefit the future projects, and if possible a project team celebration would b E held.

Deliverables: Final Project report including lessons learned.

The simplified Project Management Process