Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are characteristics of a project?
What are characteristics of a project?
A project manager needs to be able to strike a balance between being risk averse and willing to take the right risks.
A project manager needs to be able to strike a balance between being risk averse and willing to take the right risks.
True
What is the key skill emphasized for a project manager in the provided content?
What is the key skill emphasized for a project manager in the provided content?
Time management
Planning a project involves setting ____, defining tasks, and establishing milestones.
Planning a project involves setting ____, defining tasks, and establishing milestones.
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What are some characteristics of good project plans?
What are some characteristics of good project plans?
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What should every meeting with your team have?
What should every meeting with your team have?
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Scope creep refers to expanding or changing a project's scope after the project has started.
Scope creep refers to expanding or changing a project's scope after the project has started.
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_______ creep is a term used when work expands beyond the original project scope.
_______ creep is a term used when work expands beyond the original project scope.
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What is scope creep in project management?
What is scope creep in project management?
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What is the importance of regular communication in project management?
What is the importance of regular communication in project management?
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______ management involves identifying and discussing risks early on in the project.
______ management involves identifying and discussing risks early on in the project.
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Lack of communication is a common reason why projects fail.
Lack of communication is a common reason why projects fail.
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What document should you create to address and dissect the problems that arose during your project?
What document should you create to address and dissect the problems that arose during your project?
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What are some tasks involved in closing out a project? (Select all that apply)
What are some tasks involved in closing out a project? (Select all that apply)
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A thorough and honest performance review shows weakness in a project manager.
A thorough and honest performance review shows weakness in a project manager.
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To ensure you are ending your project neatly and thoroughly, work your way through a closing-out _ list.
To ensure you are ending your project neatly and thoroughly, work your way through a closing-out _ list.
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What are the 5 characteristics of S.M.A.R.T. goals?
What are the 5 characteristics of S.M.A.R.T. goals?
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What are the 3 big kinds of restraints to be worried about in a project?
What are the 3 big kinds of restraints to be worried about in a project?
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Having a project plan is essential for managing the risks in starting a new project.
Having a project plan is essential for managing the risks in starting a new project.
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The Work Breakdown Structure is a ___________ of tasks to be executed by the project team.
The Work Breakdown Structure is a ___________ of tasks to be executed by the project team.
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Match the following communication aspects to their descriptions:
Match the following communication aspects to their descriptions:
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Study Notes
What is Project Management?
- Project management is not limited to a specific job title; anyone who organizes a team, creates timelines and budgets, and oversees a project's completion is a project manager.
- A project manager leads a team towards a specific goal, is accountable to stakeholders, and oversees budgets and resources.
What is a Project?
- A project is a set of tasks grouped together with a common goal in mind.
- It has a clear start and finish, creates something new, and has someone in charge or personally invested in the outcome.
- It has boundaries, such as a scope, deadlines, and specific deliverables.
Skills Required to Succeed as a Project Manager
- Time management: create a schedule and stick to it.
- Delegation: prioritize tasks and delegate them to team members.
- Organization: use a project management tool to keep track of information.
- Risk management: balance risk aversion with taking calculated risks.
- Leadership: lead and facilitate team members, manage meetings, and handle conflicts.
- Budgeting: negotiate and manage resources to avoid going over budget.
- Flexibility: make quick and confident decisions, and adapt to changes.
- Critical thinking: think objectively and make informed decisions.
- Communication: communicate effectively with the team, stakeholders, and clients.
- Technology: use technology to communicate, lead, and manage projects efficiently.
The Phases of a Project
- Phase 1: Start (Initiation) - define the project's purpose, goals, and scope.
- Phase 2: Create a Project Plan - detail the project's scope, tasks, budget, and timeline.
- Phase 3: Execute the Plan - assign tasks, track progress, and manage the project's execution.
- Phase 4: Watch the Plan - monitor and adjust the project's progress, and handle challenges.
- Phase 5: Close the Project - complete the project, review performance, and document lessons learned.
Starting a Project
- State the project's purpose and goals (the "big why").
- Gather materials and information from stakeholders.
- Set SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely) goals.
- Address budget, resource, and time constraints.
- Ensure the project's goals are attainable with the given constraints.
Creating a Project Plan
- Encourage team members to take ownership of the project.
- Delegating tasks clearly and specifically.
- Facilitate discussion and understanding between departments.
- Make support processes clear.
- Be adaptable and provide necessary tools and resources.
- A project plan should answer questions about the project's goals, budget, tasks, timeline, and evaluation process.
- A good project plan is results-oriented, measurable, and adaptable.### Project Management Essentials
- A good project plan should be vertical, allowing multiple people to work on different tasks simultaneously.
- Project plans should last no longer than a year, or ideally 100 days or less to maintain motivation and avoid morale issues.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
- A WBS is a hierarchical decomposition of work to be executed by the project team.
- It's a list of tasks, including team member assignments, dependencies, and deliverables.
- Project management software can make creating a WBS easier.
Meetings and Communication
- Schedule all meetings at the beginning of the project, including kick-off, performance review, and check-in meetings.
- Establish open communication channels and processes for handling concerns, complaints, and new ideas.
- Ensure team members know who to contact and through which channel.
Scheduling and Resource Management
- Group tasks into milestones and set deadlines for each.
- Budget labor hours and ensure they match task duration.
- Allocate resources, including labor, time, and funds.
- Identify potential expenses and resources needed to complete the project.
Executing the Plan
- Managing a project is about managing people and leading a team.
- Set expectations and communicate regularly with the team.
- Listen to new ideas and be open to changes.
- Care about team members as humans, not just teammates.
Reporting and Meetings
- Meetings should have clear objectives, agendas, and end times.
- Use reporting to track progress and identify issues.
- Encourage open communication and address concerns promptly.
Dealing with Changes and Scope Creep
- Scope creep occurs when a project's scope expands or changes, requiring more resources.
- Avoid scope creep by having a detailed plan and contingency planning.
- Identify and address scope creep promptly to mitigate damage.
Managing the Project
- Use project management software to track progress, resource allocation, and budgets.
- Regularly communicate with the team and stakeholders.
- Watch for risks and manage them proactively.
- Manage budgets, timelines, and stakeholder expectations.
Risk Management
- Identify and discuss risks early on in the project.
- Explore pros and cons of taking risks and track outcomes.
- Use both objective and subjective thinking to evaluate risks.
- Use project management software to track risks and outcomes.
Budgets and Timelines
- Manage budgets and timelines proactively.
- Identify problems early and use objective and subjective thinking to correct course.
- Use project management software to track and adjust budgets and timelines.
Personnel and Stakeholders
- Manage stakeholder expectations and communicate regularly.
- Watch, communicate, and correct course to ensure project success.### Managing Stakeholder Expectations
- Engage stakeholders by staying in touch about project progress and listening to their concerns
- Be transparent by making the Statement of Work (SOW) and project plan easily accessible
- Address concerns politely and promptly to ensure the project aligns with stakeholders' expectations
- Avoid overhyping deliverables by under-promising and over-delivering
Team & Role Management
- Manage team members on a task-by-task scale
- Identify the project leader and executive sponsor to ensure clear decision-making authority
- Define roles and task scope to avoid confusion
- Use ongoing communication to manage risk, budget, and timeline
Closing the Project
- Close out tasks by completing deliverables, installing and testing, preparing manuals, and agreeing on follow-up support
- Address customer issues, organizational issues, personnel issues, and administrative issues
- Reflect on the project by evaluating what went right, what went wrong, and what can be improved
Creating a Review Document
- Record and track feedback to learn from the project
- Create a Project Review Document that addresses successes, challenges, and areas for improvement
- Include a review of project goals, challenges, and lessons learned
Project Management Overview
- A project has a clear goal, boundaries, and someone in charge
- A project manager needs leadership, communication, risk-savviness, organization, collaboration, and negotiation skills
- The five phases of a project are initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closure
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Description
Discover if you're a project manager at heart with this quick survey. Learn what project management is and how it applies to your job.
