Project Management Overview

Transcription

1 Prject Management Overview Prject = an endeavr t create a unique prduct r service Finite beginning & end Unlike an assembly line t make chain saws, which is an nging prcess Inputs & utputs Inputs = resurces: time & materials Time => cmplete tasks. Keywrd: Schedule Materials => mney. Keywrd: Budget Output = deliverables: prttype, thesis, new huse, Successful prject: Scpe, Schedule and Spend t cmplete wrk: Deliver result n time, within budget Scpe the prject: Decide what we will d, as accurately as pssible Mve steadily alng the Schedule timeline Prject divided int tasks: quanta f wrk Schedule prgress is measured in cmpletin f tasks: Milestnes Spend the Budget at the apprpriate rate Remve barriers t task cmpletin The Marching Army Effect Peple getting paid, but unable t advance schedule; waiting fr smething Why d prjects fail? They run ut f Schedule r Budget (time r mney) The death f a thusand cuts. Nt usually a single catastrphic event ( the rcket blew up ) Usually a sequence f small delays that add up, bleed prject t death Senir Design: Schedule is the big prblem Prject management elements Planning: Establish gals, tasks, budget Executin: Keep everything mving Prject management tls Graphs & tables: Gantt charts, rganizatin charts, wrk breakdwn structure, financial statements & balances Sftware tls: Micrsft Prject Engineering and R&D challenge: Manage uncertainty Nt like building a huse, where everything is fairly predictable Design is learning

2 Planning: Task scheduling Example #1: ne persn, build a bkshelf Tasks 1. Specify prblem interact w/custmer 2. Research ptins 3. Design: Make decisins 4. Order materials & wait fr delivery 5. Build Cut Assemble Finish 6. Deliver 7. Get paid! Tasks are sequential Sequence matters: sme tasks depend n thers Can estimate Schedule and Budget fr each step Dn t frget t include delivery time fr materials! Build a time line with milestnes Specify 2 wks Research 1 wk Design 1 wk Order materials: this is a milestne Wait fr delivery 3 wks Build 3 wks Deliver this is anther milestne Milestnes are check pints Easily t identify when they are dne Tracking prgress if date is passed and milestne nt met, prject is late: Behind Schedule! Example #2: Team, develp a cmputer cntrlled electrmechanical device New elements: Teamwrk and Parallelism Requires crdinatin & cmmunicatin Team: made up f peple with different skills Define tasks as befre Assign peple t tasks Nw a dependency matrix: Gantt chart Wrk Breakdwn Structure (WBS): Break prject int manageable bits Hierarchical tree listing all tasks needed t cmplete prject Each level except the lwest breaks int tw r mre entries If yu can t estimate cmplexity & time at a level, break it dwn unt subtasks Must be cmplete: have all the tasks in the prject Enugh detail t enable persnnel t understand & cmplete tasks Time estimates must add up t the next level up Smetimes number tasks

3 Task 1 Subtasks 1.1, 1.2 Sub subtasks 1.1.1, etc. Gantt Chart Visual display f tasks n a timeline Include dependencies: sequence in which tasks must be dne Milestnes: test pints t track prgress Can make by hand, r with Micrsft Prject r Excel

4 Executin & Tracking: Prject team management Team stages Orientatin (Frming) plite, tentative, excited Dissatisfactin (Strming) cnflict ver resurces, agendas, persnality differences Reslutin (Nrming) wrk ut structure & expectatins Prductin (Perfrming) cperate, get the jb dne Terminatin (Adjurning) celebrate! Cmmunicatin: can make r break a prject! Between the team and the custmer & between team members Wrking dcuments Specificatins & Requirements Design dcumentatin: cnceptual design, status reprts Meetings Synchrnus Maximum bandwidth Must be disciplined Engineers live by it! Asynchrnus Persistent recrd Fllw prtcl (handut) Blackbard mdel: prject web site, Wikis Cmmunicatins shuld be cncise but cmplete Miscmmunicatin csts time, mney, mrale Keep it prfessinal! Time management Dealing with uncertainty Causes f delay Tendency: cmpensate by increasing schedule Try t eliminate unknwns early in the game Time lst due t pr cmmunicatins Cmpeting fr resurces Machine shp r ECE Electrnics shp Delivery time n parts Can t make a decisin Custmer vacillating, unsure Prvcative Cmmunicatin (Flagple): this is what we will d unless yu say therwise Frces a decisin Yu can t decide Get ver it: learn t make executive decisins It s a critical survival skill Acquiring executive judgment takes experience Executive neglect: smetimes prblems g away r fix themselves if yu ignre them Be a pest

5 It s easy t assign smething t smene else, then frget it: it s their prblem nw If it s yur task, then it s yur prblem Be plite but persistent in getting updates, lcating and remving barriers Tracking prgress Peridic (weekly) meetings Assess prgress with respect t schedule milestnes Take crrective actins where necessary At each meeting, fr each individual What was yur assignment/gals fr this week? Is the gal met? Yes: celebrate! N: Define crrective actin Assign tasks & gals fr each team member fr next week Resurces Wikipedia: Search fr Prject management and fllw the links A Shrt Curse in Prject Management: