Week 3 - Project Planning PDF

3️⃣ Week 3 - Project Planning Created @October 18, 2024 1:50 PM Class Project management 1. Planning Planning is something you do before you do it so that when you do it, you don't mess up. Plann...

3️⃣ Week 3 - Project Planning Created @October 18, 2024 1:50 PM Class Project management 1. Planning Planning is something you do before you do it so that when you do it, you don't mess up. Planning determines what: 1. needs to be done 2. who will do it 3. how long it will take 4. how much it will cost Planning objectives: the expected result or the end product Objectives and goals are operationalized as specific requirements: Key stakeholder functional requirements Other non-functional requirements (such as performance, reliability, usability, and flexibility, depending on the project's nature) Concrete versions of these requirements Week 3 - Project Planning 1  Definition: Scope, schedule, quality, resource and cost (within budget by a certain time) Requirements: clear and concise Pitfalls: constraints are not objectives constraints include: corporate limitations deadlines & time-frames; budget and resources technology; policy Watch out Good project management procedures can still face risks, including systematically analyzing project context, incorporating stakeholder interests, aiming for ambitious objectives and results, not executing the planning process by the same partners, and underestimating unexpected events, which can limit flexibility and create a lack of flexibility in the project's execution. Work breakdown structure (WBS) breaks the project down into manageable pieces, or work items the smallest work item is called the work package the work packages are not necessarily at the same level of breakdown The level of breakdown is determined by two factors: the point at which a work package can be assigned to a single individual or organization, and the level at which you wish to control the budget and monitor cost data throughout the project. Week 3 - Project Planning 2  Uses WBS A thought process tool a process “Architecture” design tool a planning tool the basis for allocating responsibilities a project status reporting tool the direct link with the cost monitoring system WBS measurement 1. Status/completion must be measurable. 2. Start/end events must be clearly defined 3. Each activity has a deliverable. 4. time/cost can be readily estimated 5. each activity duration is within acceptable limits 6. The work assignments are independent. The amount of detail in the WBS depends on what phase of the project we are in. Approaches to developing a WBS using guidelines the analogy approach the top-down approach the bottom-up approach the mind-mapping approach The analogy approach Week 3 - Project Planning 3  use a similar WBS as a guide some organisations keep a repository of work breakdown structures on file many software tools include samples these allow you to understand different ways of creating WBS Top-down approach The top-down approach is the usual convention, starting with the largest items and breaking them down into their subordinate items. this is ideal for project managers who have a lot of technical insight for small details and a big-picture perspective and who don’t have a lot of project management experience Bottom-up approach Week 3 - Project Planning 4  identifies as many specific tasks as possible aggregate the tasks and organise them into summary activities of higher levels in the WBS can be time-consuming but can be an effective way to create a WBS Good for every system or approach to doing a job where the detailed tasks are less obvious Mind mapping uses branches radiating out from a core idea mind mapping allows people to write ideas in a nonlinear format can unlock creativity among individuals and increase participation and morale among teams. How many levels do you need? Stop adding levels when: some person or group with the required skills can take responsibility for the tasks and deliver the required quality you can get a rough estimate of the effort (person-days) needed to perform the activity Week 3 - Project Planning 5  You are ready to schedule the task (you know its duration and prerequisites) when it can be completed. you need to have a good idea of the skills required Responsibility matrix A Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RAM) is a tool used in project management to clarify and communicate roles and responsibilities within a project team. Define who has primary responsibility for each work item Show each individual’s role in supporting the overall project If more than one person is in charge of a task, assign only one person as lead or the primary person This avoids the “fall thru crack” trap of each person assuming that the other person is going to do it Role Definition conduct the actual work/owns the problem (there can be multiple R=responsible responsible group, this is called teamwork) Approves the completed work and is held fully accountable for it. There A= Accountable should be only one A. Provides additional resources to conduct the work or plays a supportive S= supportive role in implementation, P=prime Plat primary supportive role support Has the information and/or capability to complete the work. Two-way C= consulted communication (typically between R and C) is informed of progress and results. One-way communication (usually I= infromed from R to I) Checks the work to ensure that it meets all defined critieria and V=verifies standards SI=Signs signs off on the completed work Week 3 - Project Planning 6  Defining activities in the Responsibility Matrix Activity is a piece of work that consumes time Maybe one of the lowest-level items on WBS or any collection of them Activity can be defined by the project manager or the person responsible to the WBS Duration and Sequence duration: how long each activity will take sequence: the order in which activities will be performed. Turning tasks into schedule WBS can be turned into a schedule A schedule shows the order and duration of tasks Several options are available i.e Project evaluation review technique (PERT) chart (or network diagram) some show resources allocated use MS project Similarity of other Historical date Expert advice activities Some activities in the detailed When a project involves a breakthrough Work Breakdown The historical record of technology or a technology that is Structure every being used for the first time (WBS) may be project undertaken - There may be no local similar to becomes a resource for experts activities future projects - There may be no locally completed on other accessible history projects. Week 3 - Project Planning 7  Similarity of other Historical date Expert advice activities Recollections of Some organisations build these Appeal to outside sources extensive data bases of activities and their - Vendors activity duration - Similar organisations duration history give a good guide Extrapolation from The Australian Software the known Metrics Association has a activity to this one cooperatively developed when they data are somewhat the base available for members same DELPHI technique- and expert group Group Estimation Technique Briefing group on project and activity. Individuals make best guesses of activity duration. Results tabulated and presented to group. Participants with outer quartile estimates share reasoning. After arguments and discussion, each member estimates again. Repeated pass until uniform estimate reached. Week 3 - Project Planning 8  PERT Estimate for evaluation and review PERT= Program evaluation and review technique way of calculating timelines for tasks uses probabilistic time estimation PERT weighted average: PERT Formulae E = ( O+4 × M+P)/6 Two extra days (or adding 10%) over “most likely” can be critical to completing at the promised time. Week 3 - Project Planning 9