PowerPoint Presentation LEADING MORE SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS A LEARNING LAB APPROACH

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1 PowerPoint Presentation LEADING MORE SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS A LEARNING LAB APPROACH Shawn D. Belling VP, Development and Support CloudCraze Software LLC of Chicago Fitchburg, Wisconsin sdbelling@gmail.com August 10 & 11, 2017

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3 Project Management Building Blocks Lab Shawn Belling, M.S., PMI-ACP, PMP, CSP Cell: Shawn Belling, M.S., PMI-ACP, PMP, CSP, is a Senior Consultant for Farwell Project Advisors and an adjunct instructor of project management for the University of Wisconsin. In addition to 20+ years of project management work experience, Shawn has done project management teaching, speaking and consulting for businesses, universities and professional organizations. Shawn has presented at several PMI Global Congresses and local chapter events. Shawn was a visiting professor in October 2010 in Taiwan for International University of Monaco. Shawn is certified as a Agile Certified Practitioner and Project Management Professional, and has a Master of Science in Project Management degree from University of Wisconsin Platteville. Shawn was awarded a PMI Kerzner Scholarship in Shawn is also a Certified Scrum Professional. Shawn is a member of PMI at the national level, a member of Wisconsin s South-Central (Madison) PMI chapter, and was a founding officer of NEW PMI. When not practicing, teaching or researching project management, Shawn loves spending time with his wife and five kids, working out, cooking and reading. As a life-long resident of Wisconsin, he will debate beer, cheese and happy cows with any and all comers. Contact Shawn: sdbelling@gmail.com

4 At the end of Session 1, you will: Identify issues common to medium large projects Know some basic ways to avoid common project pitfalls Identify the classic constraints in projects: Schedule, Budget, Performance and Scope. Understand basics and importance of managing resources Know some techniques to help ID key business requirements Know some techniques to evaluate new technology projects and ID best methods to manage 3 A CRM project Sponsored by CEO and VP Marketing No project launch basics done New CRM Manager put in charge What has to happen for the project to have a chance of success? 10 Minutes to discuss answer the 3 questions for each finding Share your findings 4 2

5 Traditional Lifecycle Initiating Planning Executing and Controlling Closing Hybrid approaches may mix these with Agile lifecycle. 5 Edwards, Tina

6 Constraints: Cost/Resources Schedule/Time Performance/Quality Scope The classic decision with regard to cost, time and quality is pick two. Scope may flex to accommodate other constraints. 7 For success, the CRM Project needs: A clear, defined objective Metrics to determine ROI a business case Scope definition Assessment of resources (people, money, other) Performance requirements Schedule date or performance driven 8 4

7 Project definition enables development of project charter. Project charter formally authorizes a project. It documents: Justification Returns/Benefits business case Objectives Deliverables Sponsor(s) Stakeholders Project Manager Known Constraints It is a critical document Foundation of the project In future phases, reminds people what they originally set out to do. Documents the business case. Gives project manager authority to manage project. Documents sponsor approval and support of the project. Get it signed! 5

8 From Agile a great way to capture business requirements Useful for projects involving new technology Can be building blocks for requirements and use cases As a, I want, so that I can. User story/requirements workshops great way to capture key business requirements 11 As a I want to so that I can Log into my account Pay my babysitter Check my loan balance Send money to my college student Activate a credit card Easy, right? Map your way to stories and requirements 6

9 Story Mapping Anyone, anything needed to complete the project: People Money Materials Facilities Equipment Access to environments, laboratories, hardware, etc. Information and decisions Influence 7

10 Requirements, deliverables drive resource requirements. Planning, scheduling, budgeting, quality drive resource requirements and vice versa. Examples: House = location/lot, building materials and builders. Budget influences selection/quality of lot and building materials. Software development = programmers, business analyst, testers, project manager, hardware. Budget influences selection of project team, but availability or requirement for certain people or hardware may influence budget. Video production = script writer, producer/pm, director, cameraman, talent, crew, PA, editor. Budget, quality requirements influence selection of all, but availability may influence selection and budget. Resources are tied to priorities highest priority tasks/projects usually get constrained resources. Resource management key to setting & meeting realistic due dates. Project scheduling is a basic function of combining resource information with effort estimates, dependencies and other factors. Task duration is a function of estimated effort, availability, and other calendar functions. Resource availability is a key input, driver to detailed schedule development. Duration of each task is determined by effort estimate and resource availability (40 hr task + 50% availability = 2 week duration). Project network dependencies, parallel/sequential tasks determines total project duration. 8

11 Environment is predictable; stability is norm; concrete/steel/glass same for decades Stationary targets Change is bad; allowing it is damaging Work directable, like a bullet aim, aim, fire Strategic input needed at start Detailed plan stationary target Gain economies of scale with size Emphasis on control to achieve goals *Reference: Collyer, Simon, et al; Pg 108 Environment difficult to predict; rapid change is norm. High tech weekly change Moving targets Change is good, resisting change is damaging Work is guidable like a missile in flight course corrections, aim, fire, aim Strategic input needed throughout Rapid feedback moving target Achieve relevance with quick iterative releases Emphasis on adaptation to achieve goals give up some control See my article in CEO World: waterfallunderstanding best project management approachbusiness Waterfall Low risk tolerance Need economies of scale Long service life Less need for innovation Hierarchical culture Hybrids AgileFall ScrumBan Wagile LeanBan ScrumBut?? Waterfall or Agile? Hybrid Approach most likely Assess: Economies of scale Level of risk/tolerance Need for innovation Organizational culture Agile Higher risk tolerance Less need for economies of scale Shorter service life Need for innovation Non hierarchical culture 9

12 This project needs: Business Case Objective(s) Scope Resources Basic Project Charter Initial set of user stories/business requirements 19 As teams, you will create the charter for the CRM project: Simple business case: why this project could benefit the bank Objectives (limit to 3) High level scope (keep it simple) Initial guess at required resources Any risks associated with the new technology 20 min see the example Charter template 20 10

13 Teams share: How will you use the charter to plan the project? When might the charter prove useful throughout the project lifecycle? How could the charter help the organization to reduce risk and avoid issues? How could the charter help if the project encounters issues? 21 Recap Issues common to medium large projects Basic ways to avoid common project pitfalls The classic constraints in projects: Schedule, Budget, Performance and Scope. The basics and importance of managing resources Techniques to help ID key business requirements Techniques to evaluate new technology projects and ID best methods to manage them Questions? 22 11

14 At the end of Session 2, you will: Know the signs of a troubled project Know basic steps to assess a project Know the top project success factors Know why smaller, shorter projects pose less risk than large, long projects Know some tips to avoid project issues 23 Scope Creep Sponsor dissatisfaction or non participation Metrics: Schedule Cost Value of completed work Estimate to complete/at completion way off Anecdotal feedback from colleagues: I hear your project is in trouble. Team dissent or unrest, lack of motivation. No metrics but tasks are not getting done. Missing resources don t have who or what you need. Chronic missing of milestones Lack of executive direction Tinkering 24 12

15 Look at each phase, look at lifecycle stages regardless of where you are in the project. Consider the approach waterfall, Agile, other? Assess each phase of the project to identify problems, gather data and develop corrective action. Start with the concept and initiation and assess through to the current state. 25 Executive Support top factor Stakeholder/Customer Involvement Experienced Project Manager Clear Business Objectives Robust, supported methodology Assessment does the project have these things? If not can you get them? 26 13

16 and how to avoid them Taking too big of a bite: Many projects fail because they are just too big. Many reasons for this fear of never a Phase 2, desire for customizations versus getting iterative feedback, not recognizing incremental value realization, and many others. 27 Analysis and anecdotes 2007 assessed all past IT projects Results showed shorter, smaller projects more likely to be successful than larger, longer projects 5 yrs in ecommerce the longer the project, the less likely the go live 3 4 months is a sweet spot Some projects take 12+ months, but add risk Lots of hours, resources, moving parts add risk 28 14

17 Prioritization is critical! Too many projects or tasks and no priority Lack of a functioning governance/prioritization process Not communicating to team on task and project priorities Failure of sponsors and senior leaders to own and set priorities 29 failure to communicate Communication is the lifeblood of projects Effective PMs spend vast percentage of time communicating Yet PMs, project teams, organizations sometimes miss on this basic element Build effective communications processes have a plan! Focus here in case of troubled projects 30 15

18 Interdependencies resources and deliverables accounted for? (schedules often developed in a vacuum) Resource availability plan accounted for actual availability of resources? Milestones and completions based on resource availability? (People, $, facilities, etc.) Analyze the resource pool Sub plans (risk, communication, vendor, change, budget) developed and used? 31 Metrics data collection performance tracking Resource performance actual vs. estimated effort in hours What type of data should be collected and used? Schedule performance Velocity and Burndown Defects Budget performance Scope management Staffing and resources (do you have who and what you were supposed to have) Contracts external sourcing performing per agreements Risk status 32 16

19 Stakeholders helping or hindering? Sponsor/Product owner performance present, engaged? Competing projects drawing away resources and attention, at cross purposes? Company strategy changes new shiny things? Change management functioning? 33 Timeboxed and iterative nature of Agile 2 4 week sprints or iterations = less time between course corrections, less chance of trouble (?) Tighter collaboration between project team, stakeholders = better communication (?) Constant monitoring of team performance (velocity), grooming of scope Team retrospectives after each iteration/sprint Key metric team velocity 34 17

20 Potential problems: Lack of buy in or support Agile lip service Silo d understanding of Agile sponsors not educated Lack of discipline more than others, Agile requires discipline in execution Metrics Agile requires good metrics Overall failure to adhere to the pillars of Agile 35 Executive Support Evangelists Common basis in training Technical debt Ruthless prioritization 36 18

21 Teams: 1. Review your project charters from Session 1 2. Review the Debrief Case Study Scenario 3. Develop 3 5 steps to assess and recover the project 4. Answer the 3 questions about each step you identify 5. We will review your findings 20 min to work 37 Initiating foundation in place? Planning account for resources, risks, communications? Priorities Size Executing and Controlling Communication, Metrics, Plans Agile projects what to watch for 38 19

22 Questions? Discussion? Thanks! 39 20