Excellent Governance through Professional Project Management

Transcription

1 Excellent Governance through Professional Project Management AstroWix Corporation USA 2010 Corporate Ridge Drive Mclean, VA Phone: India Offices Delhi NCR Office Mumbai Office Bangalore Office A-57 Sector - 16 Noida Phone: Fax: A-208, Anjani Complex, Pereira Hill Road, Chakala Andheri (E) Mumbai Phone: , II Cross, 25th Main, BTM Layout II Stage, Bangalore , INDIA Phone:

2 Table of Contents Executive Summary... 3 Introduction... 4 What is Project Management?... 5 Project Management Institute, USA... 6 Project Management Office ( PMO ) Conclusion

3 Executive Summary The Government plays many roles in a democracy. The Roles are managing the economy, infrastructure, empowering the citizens, providing basic education and health services etc. While some the roles are regulatory in nature, other roles demand that the Government be proactive in managing its objectives optimally. The stake holders in a government have vastly different expectations from the Government. One of the key projects of the government is poverty alleviation. While there is urban poverty, the rural poverty alleviation is a monumental challenge for the Government. The Government attempts to address these problems through centrally sponsored project plans. Study of the history reflects government s inability to implement the schemes effectively and ensure that the benefits reach the intended audience. With the advent of modern technology and e government initiatives, government agencies today are pushing to manage their organizations more like a private- sector business. In their move to more streamlined practices, they should consider the importance of good project management techniques for successfully completing projects, particularly the numerous IT initiatives various government agencies are executing or planning. Top-level managers in these organizations need to be well informed regarding current and potential value that project management practices bring to their endeavors. Although projects often represent a large part of a manager s area of responsibility, the full value of a comprehensive project management practice and its recognition as a management solution is not always easily communicated and understood by these senior-level managers. This lack of understanding usually occurs because most senior managers defer to traditional government practices and don t always recognize how proper application of modern business project management concepts can be used to manage government projects, from e-government initiatives to organizing and implementing new departments. 3

4 Introduction Project Management, in the recent years, has emerged as a discipline critical to the success of both Private and Public Sector projects in India. Project Management, although in its nascent stage in the country, has been able to create a remarkable need for itself in the business scenario. The nature of public sector projects in India and the fashion in which they are managed is undergoing radical changes in this decade. E-governance agenda, the PFI/PPP expansion and the ambitious investments in schools, hospitals and public transport all being closely monitored by the media and the taxpayers means there has never been a greater demand for effective project management within the public sector. But throughout history, government projects have faced tremendous criticisms for delays in implementing the public sector projects for reasons like; time consuming and hierarchical decision making procedures, lengthy procurement approvals and ineffective contract supervision. Consequently, managers and service professionals will need to adopt new processes of functioning and continuously acquire skills as well as technologies that will help them control projects through its various stages. But since the public sector can't be seen to be maintaining an unnecessarily high head count and yet the projects and programmes are vast and vital, professionals need to be formally trained and certified to deliver project results. Professionally managed projects ensure that outcomes match outlays. Professional Project Management calls for application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to all activities and milestones associated with projects and ensure optimum resource deployment for successful culmination of projects as conceived. Successful Project Managers or CEOs in the government sector need to mix professionalism with skills relevant to project management to achieve their objectives in the best possible manner. 4

5 What is Project Management? Project management is a structured discipline that combines the knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques required to deliver projects successfully. For customer-driven organizations, sound project management is critical for delivering high-quality products and services consistently and efficiently. Projects undergo progressive elaboration by developing in steps and predictable increments that are tied to benchmarks, milestones and completion dates. This finite characteristic of projects stands in sharp contrast to processes, or operations, which are permanent or semi-permanent functional work to repetitively produce the same product or service. In practice, the management of these two systems is often found to be quite different, and as such requires the development of distinct technical skills and the adoption of a separate management philosophy. The primary challenge of Project Management is to achieve all of the goals of the project charter while adhering to three out of the four classic project constraints sometimes referred to as the "triple constraints." The four constraints are defined as scope, time, cost and quality. The more ambitious goal of Project Management is to carry the project through the entire Project Management life cycle. The Project Management lifecycle consists of five phases called Project Management Process Groups: Project Initiation, Project Planning, Project Execution, Project Monitoring and Control and Project Closeout. Each Project Management Process Group utilizes nine Knowledge Areas which are: integration management, scope management, time management, cost management, quality management, human resource management, communications management, risk management and procurement management. 5

6 Standards and Governing Bodies in Project Management As a discipline, Project Management developed from different fields of application including construction, engineering and defense. In 1969, the Project Management Institute (PMI ) was formed to serve the interests of the project management industry. The premise of PMI is that the tools and techniques of project management are common even among the widespread application of projects from the software industry to the construction industry. In 1981, the PMI Board of Directors authorized the development of what has become A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), containing the standards and guidelines of practice that are widely used throughout the profession. The International Project Management Association (IPMA), founded in Europe in 1967, has undergone a similar development and instituted the IPMA Competence Baseline (ICB). The focus of the ICB also begins with knowledge as a foundation, and adds considerations about relevant experience, interpersonal skills, and competence. Both organizations are now participating in the development of an ISO project management standard. Project Management Institute, USA With presence in over 160 countries, PMI is the leading Project Management organization for a project management profession. PMI is actively engaged in advocacy for the profession, setting professional standards, conducting research and providing access to a wealth of information and resources. PMI also promotes career and professional development and offers certification, networking and community involvement opportunities. For more than 36 years, PMI has advanced the careers of practitioners who have made project management indispensable in achieving business results. PMI is recognized for 6

7 the advocacy programs conducted with governments, organizations and industries around the world as they recognize and embrace project management to achieve business results. PMI conducts project management certification programs, the purpose and goal of which is the development, maintenance, evaluation, promotion and administration of a rigorous, examination based, professional certification credentials of the highest caliber. Beyond academic credentials, certification by the Project Management Institute (PMI ) as a project management professional (PMP ) shows the world that you ve mastered essential project management skills and knowledge. What is PMBOK? Considered as a bible for the project management professionals around the world, PMBOK III rd Edition from Project Management Institute USA, recognizes 5 basic process groups and 9 knowledge areas typical of almost all projects. The five process groups are: Initiating Planning Executing Controlling Monitoring and Closing rd Project Management Body of Knowledge III rd Edition As an internationally recognized standard (IEEE Std ) it provides the fundamentals of project management, irrespective of the type of project be it construction, software, engineering, automotive etc. 7

8 The Project Management Institute (PMI ) published the first Project Management Body of Knowledge Guide as a white paper in 1987 in an attempt to document and standardize generally accepted project management information and practices. The first edition was published in 1996 followed by the second edition in In 2004 the third edition was published including major changes from the first edition. Recently the international panels of experts have released the fourth edition for the public. The Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK ) is a collection of processes and knowledge areas generally accepted as best practices within the project management discipline. Certifications from PMI PMI provides three levels of certifications for project management professionals working at different capacities within an organization. They are Program Management Professionals (PgMP ) certification for Program Managers, Project Management Professional (PMP ) certification for Project Managers and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM ) certification for Team members and junior project managers. Different Levels of Certifications from PMI 8

9 Benefits of the Certifications Guides professionals through the practical applications of the Best Practices in Project management and provides a model to allow participants to develop project management skills. Helps them get more productivity from Project Managers by introducing them to the Best practices in project management. Fosters continuous improvement in project performance. Provides professional/personal recognition and expedites professional advancement. Provides framework for standardized project management requirements. Increases employee's value to the organization. Offers opportunities to facilitate better communication among stake holders and increases corporate bottom line and Provides framework for standardized project management requirements as well as improves project risk. Improves project quality management process and decision making as well as reduces number of re-planning cycles. 9

10 Project Management Office ( PMO ) 90% of projects do not meet time/cost/quality targets. Only 9% of large, 16% of medium and 28% of small company projects are completed on time, within budget and delivered measurable business and stakeholder benefits. [Standish Group Chaos Report]. The PMO, a relatively flat and agile organizational structure creates a project-centric mindset, using methodologies and tools, within the organization in order to increase successful delivery through accountability and empowerment. It performs two different kinds of functions: those that are project focused, short term, and remedial; and those that are enterprise oriented, long term and visionary. Responsibilities of the PMO include: Educate about and drive process change in project management methodology Develop repeatable project management methodologies that are applicable to a wide range of projects Create initiation and project selection practices, including meaningful metrics to pick and manage the best possible project to return the most value Provide internal consultants for troubled projects Provide resource capacity and skills management Offer mentoring and career development to create professional project managers Select tools for project and resource management Obtain and monitor project funding, as well as ongoing monitoring for adherence to budgets and estimates to sustain ongoing funding KEY ROLE of a PMO in an organization Advocate the PM culture by way of showing the tangible benefits of a corporate strategy 10

11 Serve as clearinghouse for project performance data Disseminate best practices for more effective project execution Provide ongoing training on various facets of PM KEY BENEFITS Portfolio Management Gain consolidated view of activities to evaluate and prioritize Ensure activities stay aligned with strategic objectives Maximize profits by effectively managing costs across activities Manage schedules and resources to maximize productivity Gain flexibility to optimized resources Enterprise Resource Management Maximize resource utilization Align human capital with strategic initiatives and profitable lines of business Gain flexibility to optimized resources Project Collaboration Improve communications and decision making Eliminate redundancies and rework Enhance sense of ownership through involvement 11

12 Enterprise Project Management Solution Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution is an end-to-end collaborative project and portfolio environment. The Office EPM Solution helps organizations gain visibility, insight, and control across all work, enhancing decision-making, improving alignment with business strategy, maximizing resource utilization, and measuring and helping to increase operational efficiency. It aligns people and systems, drawing business operations closer together. This new approach provides visibility into all facets of your business by providing the project collaboration and analysis tools you need to make informed and proactive decisions. With the Enterprise Project Management solution, your business can answer the following questions: How do we prioritize projects across our organization? What is the status of our top five projects? Do we have the right people working on the right projects? Do we capitalize on our knowledge and best practices? The Enterprise Project Management solution helps answer these questions by providing tools for: Portfolio Management: Making decisions on key initiatives can be challenging. By providing a centralized and consolidated view of programs and projects, the Enterprise Project Management solution helps you evaluate and prioritize activities. This makes it possible for you to maximize productivity, minimize costs, and keep activities aligned with strategic objectives. Resource Management: Maximizing human resources is often the key to minimizing project costs. The Enterprise Project Management solution enables you to maximize resource use across your organization. It provides the tools and 12

13 centralized resource information to help you effectively plan and manage your workforce. Project Collaboration: Sharing project information is often a haphazard endeavor. The Enterprise Project Management solution enables your organization to immediately and consistently share knowledge to improve communications and decision making, eliminate redundancies, and take advantage of best practices for project management. Key Benefits of EPM Solution Manage and control all types of work Standardize and communicate a governance framework across the organization. Consolidate essential data for all business and IT investments in a centralized repository. Effectively deliver project and program portfolios that help maximize return on investment. Gain transparency and control across your existing application portfolios. Manage work from simple proposals to complex programs of projects 13

14 Improve visibility and insight to enhance decision-making Objectively prioritize, optimize, and select the project portfolio that aligns with your business strategy and maximizes return on investment. Proactively predict cost, resource, and schedule overruns through key performance indicators (KPIs). Create custom views (such as Dashboards or Scorecards) and reports to gain transparency across all projects, programs, and application portfolios. Analyze information, and then use predefined reports or create a custom report to expose project-related information. Effectively communicate and collaborate with all stakeholders Effortlessly collaborate and share essential information through team project workspaces that use Windows SharePoint Services. Keep teams aligned through task assignments and timesheet reporting. Confidently initiate, plan, and track projects whether in or out of the office. Use built-in integration to communicate project-related information through Microsoft Office system applications. 14

15 15

16 Conclusion Effective enterprise-wide project management is becoming more and more important in today s modern projects. Good project management bridges the gap between a government s project plans and schemes and its implementation. Proper project management can lead organizations into becoming more competitive in international market. But this can only be achieved through strong initiatives from top management in taking their organizations from departmentalized to fully projectized. The objective can only be accomplished with cultural change. Changes are required in organizational structure, managerial style and information flow for enterprise project management to be effective. Enterprise Project Management solution provides executives leadership with a strategic view of all programs, which helps them manage an enterprise portfolio of programs and projects which can help them boost productivity, increase effectiveness, and improve customer satisfaction. 16