Project Management for Non Project Managers - PMPPMI by Chris Croft

• This course is designed for individuals who manage projects, irrespective of their official job title.
• Practical techniques and the Project Management Professional (PMP) framework are emphasized in the course.
• Participants will learn to avoid common project management mistakes.

Course Objectives and Benefits

• Equips individuals with the skills to manage projects successfully, even without prior industry experience.
• Participants will be able to avoid the ten most common project management mistakes.
• Real-life examples and practical techniques are the focus.
• Improving project management skills can lead to career advancement and cost savings for companies.
• Aims to instill calmness, preparedness, and confidence in leading projects to success.
• The course equips individuals with the skills to be in the top 10% of successful projects.

Target Audience

• Suitable for anyone managing projects, whether large or small.
• Helpful for those finding project management stressful or experiencing projects running late or over budget.
• Designed for individuals looking to enhance their career by managing projects effectively.
• Also for those who want to pursue project management as a future career.

Key Concepts

• What is a Project?: Projects have a defined start and finish, involve related tasks, and are typically new or not recently done.
• Projects are different from ongoing processes.
• Why Projects are Difficult: Projects often involve the "triple constraint" of cost, quality, and time, making them challenging.

Project Management Methodologies

• PRINCE2: A control system for large, complex public sector projects which focuses on detailed planning and control.
• It can be complicated and does not specify how to execute the project.
• Agile: A flexible approach for smaller, IT projects, which emphasizes adapting to changes.
• It involves communication, teamwork, and is not locked into a rigid plan.
• APM (Association for Project Management) / PMI (Project Management Institute): A 12-step method refined over 150 years.
• It is the preferred approach for most projects and involves using Gantt charts.
• Sometimes called the "waterfall process" or PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge).
• This course focuses on the APM/PMI methodology.

The 12-Step APM Process

• The APM methodology is simplified into a 12-step process within four sections: defining, planning, monitoring, and reviewing:
• Define the Project: Clearly define the project's scope, cost, quality, and timeline, which is the most critical step.
• List All Tasks: Create a comprehensive list of all project tasks.
• Estimate Tasks: Estimate the time and money required for each task.
• Work Out Running Order: Determine the sequence of tasks using a network diagram (PERT chart or critical path diagram).
• Speed Up Diagram: Identify ways to accelerate the project timeline, if needed.
• Create Gantt Chart: Develop a visual timeline of the project.
• This Gantt chart will show each task as a bar with its start and end dates.
• Think About Resources: Assess the resources needed and ensure they are available.
• Risk: Identify potential risks, their likelihood, and how to mitigate them.
• Monitor Progress: Track progress by updating the Gantt chart.
• Monitor Money: Track expenses and compare them to the budget.
• Adjust Plan: Adapt the project plan as needed.
• Review Project: Evaluate the project at its conclusion to learn and improve.

Common Mistakes

• The course is structured around the top ten most common mistakes:
• Having a Plan Only in Mind: It's essential to draw out a plan for clarity and communication with stakeholders.
• Use a network diagram and a Gantt chart.
• Saying "Maybe" or "I'll Try": Commit to "yes" or "no" after planning and use a Gantt chart for feasibility.
• Answering the Killer Question: Avoid answering "What's the best you can do?"
• Instead, provide a range or an average, plus a safety margin.
• Not Involving Teams Enough: Team involvement improves the plan and increases motivation.
• List of Tasks vs. Gantt Chart: A Gantt chart shows critical paths and floating tasks, which makes dependencies visible
• Not Planning Across Projects: Not planning for the resources required for all projects at the same time.
• This can be rectified by creating a Gantt of Gantts.
• Stories vs. Gantt: Accept seeing a colored-in Gantt chart, instead of hearing stories about progress.
• Thinking Underspend is OK: Underspending suggests the project is behind schedule.
• Rescheduling Too Late: Address issues promptly and don't delay rescheduling the project.
• Not Reviewing: Review the project after completion to learn and improve.

Gantt Charts and Network Diagrams

• A network diagram (PERT chart) is used to determine task order, dependencies, and the critical path.
• Post-it notes can be used to help create a low-tech but collaborative diagram.
• After the post-it note diagram is complete, then a Gantt chart needs to be drawn.
• A Gantt chart is a visual timeline that shows the tasks, their start and end dates, and the critical path.
• Gantt charts can be created in Excel and include resource allocation and cost tracking.

Project Management Qualifications

• The PMP (Project Management Professional) certification is highly recommended.
• It is a transferable skill that leads to well paid and interesting work.
• Prince is not an official qualification, just that you've taken a course.

Key Takeaways

• The course emphasizes that projects are often poorly managed due to a lack of training.
• Planning in one's head without a proper documented plan happens, giving the impression that they are simple.
• It's never too late to start planning a project, even if it is already underway.
• Project planning reduces stress, time, costs, and avoids mistakes.
• Every project needs a single accountable project manager.

What is a Project?

• A project has a defined start and finish.
• A process on the other hand continues.
• It consists of related tasks, not just a single task.
• The project is also something new or something you haven't done before.
• It needs to be big enough to be difficult, such as involving more than one person or more than ten tasks.

Why are Projects Difficult?

• Projects involve doing something new, which means entering the unknown.
• They often have the triple constraint of cost, quality, and time.
• There can also be difficult customers or stakeholders involved.

What are the Main Project Management Methodologies?

• PRINCE2: A control system for big, complicated public sector projects.
• The focus is on having a good plan before starting, though it is complex and doesn't specify how to execute the project.
• Agile: More suitable for smaller, IT projects and is very flexible, adapting to changes as the project progresses.
• It involves communication and teamwork, and is not locked into a rigid plan.
• APM/PMI: This is the preferred approach of the course for most projects and is based on 150 years of project management.
• Based on using Gantt charts and is sometimes called the "waterfall process" or PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge).

What is the APM 12-Step Process?

• The APM process involves four sections: defining, planning, monitoring, and reviewing.
• Define the project: Be really clear about what the project is, its scope, cost, quality, and timeline.
• This stage is the most important step.
• List all tasks: Make a list of all the tasks involved in the project.
• Estimate tasks: Estimate the time and money required for each task.
• Work out running order: Determine the order of tasks using a network diagram, also called a PERT chart or critical path diagram.
• Speed up diagram: Determine if accelerating the project is needed.
• Create Gantt chart: Draw out the project as a series of bars with the right length on a timescale.
• Think about resources: Determine if the necessary resources are available for the project.
• Risk: Identify potential risks and how to mitigate them.
• Monitor progress: Keep track of project progress, typically by coloring in the Gantt chart.
• Monitor money: Keep track of expenses and compare them to the budget.
• Adjust plan: Adjust the plan if necessary due to falling behind or overspending.
• Review project: Review the project at the end and learn from what happened.

What are Network Diagrams and Gantt Charts?

• A network diagram (or PERT chart) is used to figure out the order of tasks and dependencies, and identify the critical path.
• Post-it notes can be used to make these diagrams.
• A Gantt chart is a visual timeline showing tasks, start and end dates, and the critical path.
• Gantt charts are made after you create the post-it note diagram.
• The Gantt chart can be created in Excel.

What are the Benefits of Using a Gantt Chart?

• Communication: It helps to communicate the plan to the boss, the team, and the customer.
• Visualization: It gives a visual overview of the project's timescale.
• Resource planning: It enables you to view the project vertically to see what resources are required and when.
• Monitoring progress: You can color in the chart to see if the project is on track.

What is a Gantt of Gantts?

• A Gantt of Gantts is a way to plan resources for multiple projects at the same time.
• It shows all the projects and if there are enough resources for all of them.
• It also enables you to see if there are any resource conflicts in the future.

Why do Projects Often Go Wrong?

• People haven't been told how to plan a project.
• Projects seduce you in and you plan them in your head, without making a proper plan.
• People think that they don't have time to plan effectively.
• There is nobody in charge of the project leading to a lack of accountability.

This course is designed for individuals managing projects, emphasizing practical techniques and the PMP framework. Participants will learn to avoid common project management mistakes. Improve project management skills, career advancement, and save costs for companies.