Project Management: An Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction to Project Management

What Is a Project?

• Projects are unique and time-bound with a defined start and end.
• Projects deliver a unique product or service that adds business value.
• Stakeholders can influence or be influenced by the project.
• Project management involves using knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to achieve project goals.

History of Project Management

• Project management has existed since the beginning of history.
• Formal project management began in the 1950s with a focus on scheduling and control.
• In the 1990s and 2000s, the IT and telecom industries accelerated the growth of project management.
• More recent trends include a focus on communication, leadership, teamwork, and Agile methodologies.

How Can Project Work Be Described?

• Projects are temporary, whereas operations are ongoing.
• Project skills can be divided into hard (technical) and soft (leadership, communication) skills.
• The project life cycle includes initiating, planning, executing, and closing.
• The Agile approach is iterative, adaptive, and flexible.

Understanding Projects

• PMI is the Project Management Institute.
• PMBOK® is the Project Management Body of Knowledge.
• The PMI Talent Triangle includes technical, leadership, and strategic skills.
• Project selection involves goals, constraints, and success criteria.
• Project types are based on industry, size, and scope.
• The scalability of project tools means tailoring tools to project complexity.

Project Roles

• Traditional project roles include executive, managerial, and associate roles.
• Traditional executive roles are Sponsor, Customer, Steering Team, and PMO.
• Traditional managerial roles are Project Manager, Functional Manager, and Facilitator.
• Traditional associate roles are Core Team Member and SME (Subject Matter Expert).
• Agile project roles include executive, managerial, and associate roles. Agile executive roles are Customer (Product Owner), Sponsor, and Portfolio Team.
• Agile managerial roles are Scrum Master, Functional Manager, and Coach.
• The agile associate role is Team Member.

PMBOK 7e Guide

• The ANSI/PMI 99-001-2021 Standard covers updated principles and guidelines for project management.

Agile

• Agile is iterative, while traditional project management is sequential.
• Agile Manifesto Principles are used.
• Agile terminology is common in project management.

Chapter 3: Project Charter

What is a Project Charter?

• A project charter is an informal contract between the project team and the sponsor.

Why Is a Project Charter Used?

• The project charter authorizes the project manager, ensures common understanding, helps commitment, and screens out weak projects.

When Is a Charter Needed?

• The decision to use a charter depends on the project size and complexity.

Typical Elements in a Project Charter

• Typical elements include:
• Title
• Scope Overview, describing what needs to be delivered
• Business Case, explaining why the project is important
• Background, providing an optional detailed justification
• Milestone Schedule, outlining a high-level timeline and acceptance criteria
• Risks, Assumptions, and Constraints
• Resource Estimates, including budget and staffing needs
• Stakeholder List
• Team Operating Principles, describing how the team will work together
• Lessons Learned from past projects
• Signatures and Commitment, indicating approval and commitment

Constructing a Project Charter

• Charter construction involves collaboration, ideally with the team drafting and the sponsor approving.
• The Scope Overview and Business Case should be concise and clear.
• The Milestone Schedule can be a table with key dates and evaluation criteria.
• Risk Analysis involves identifying and planning for risks.
• Resource Needs should estimate budget and staffing.
• The Stakeholder List should prioritize key stakeholders.
• Team Principles & Lessons contribute learned guidelines for team collaboration.
• Signatures indicate formal approval.

Ratifying the Project Charter

• Ratification involves discussion and approval, reviewing the charter with the sponsor and team before finalizing.

PMBOK Guide 7e

• The PMBOK Guide 7e focuses on Stakeholders, Team, Development, Planning, Measurement, and Uncertainty.

Agile Projects and Charters

• Agile terminology is used in agile project chartering.

Chapter 7: Scope Management & WBS

Plan Scope Management

• Defines how the Project scope is managed.
• Product Scope refers to features and functions.
• Project Scope details what work is required.

Collect Requirements

• Understand Objectives to ensure clarity.
• Gather Stakeholder Needs using various methods.
• Define Needs as Requirements, in which traceability is key.

Define Scope

• Defining scope establishes a foundation for planning and prevents scope creep.
• Steps include: listing deliverables and acceptance criteria, and establishing project boundaries.

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

• A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) is a hierarchical breakdown of project deliverables.
• Using a WBS ensures completeness and aids planning.
• WBS formats include indented outline, org chart, and free form.
• Work Packages are the lowest level and are used for planning.
• The steps to construct a WBS are to identify deliverables, decompose, and review for completeness.

Establish Change Control

• Establishes change control to manage and evaluate changes effectively.

PMBOK Guide 7e Domains

• PMBOK Guide 7e Domains consists of Team, Planning, Delivery, Measurement, and Uncertainty.

Agile Projects

• Agile handles scope flexibly through prioritized backlogs.

Using MS Project for WBS

• It's possible to set up a WBS using software tools like MS Project.

Chapter 8: Project Scheduling

Plan Schedule Management

• PMI’s 7 time management processes include defining, sequencing, and controlling activities.

Purposes of a Project Schedule

• Determines the project completion date and tracks progress.

Historical Development

• PERT and CPM were developed in the 1950s, leading to modern software tools.

How Schedules Are Created

• Creating schedules considers logical order, duration, resources, and constraints.

Define Activities

• Activities are derived from WBS work packages.

Sequence Activities

• Sequencing activities involves leads & lags, and dependency types (FF, SS, SF).

Estimate Activity Duration

• Estimation considers uncertainty, learning curves, and scheduling risks.

Develop Project Schedules

• Developing project schedules Identifies the Critical Path using forward/backward pass and Gantt Charts for visual representation.

Uncertainty in Schedules

• PERT & Monte Carlo Simulations help with uncertain estimates.

Agile Scheduling

• Agile scheduling uses rolling wave planning and backlog prioritization.

Chapter 9: Resourcing and Scheduling Adjustments

Resourcing Skills

• Resourcing involves both technical & behavioral skills.
• Effective resource management balances science and art.

Estimating Resource Needs

• Estimating resource needs consists of identifying resource availability and constraints.

Plan Resource Management

• Planning resource management utilizes the Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS).

Team Composition Issues

• Teams can be cross-functional, co-located, virtual, or outsourced.

Assigning Resources

• Resource assignment uses the RACI Chart and Gantt Chart.

Resolving Resource Overloads

• Resolution methods include reassigning work, delaying non-critical activities, or adding resources.

Compressing Schedules

• Compressing schedules by Crashing means trading cost for time and Fast-Tracking involves trading risk for time.

Alternative Scheduling Methods

• Alternative scheduling methods are Critical Chain Project Management (CCPM), Reverse Phase Scheduling, and Rolling Wave Planning.