PLANNING BEST PRACTICES

Transcription

1 PLANNING BEST PRACTICES Planning Basics + Planning Best Practices John H. Cable, R.A., PMP Copyright 2017, All rights reserved

2 Isn t this a great day to study Project Management!

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4 Webster Plan A method or scheme for achieving or doing something. Planning To formulate a way to achieve or do. Devising and maintaining a workable scheme to accomplish the business need that the project was undertaken to address.

5 Process Groups* * PMBOK Guide, 5th Edition

6 Planning Attributes Occurs throughout ongoing process Uses multiple time horizons Detail varies ~ uncertainty and phase Provides the foundation: Performance measurement Communication

7 Good Planning Establishes direction for team Defines: What must be done When it must be done Resources required Deliverables Risks Coordinates the work of all parties Provides the central communication system

8 Without a Plan Control (steering the course) is impossible! You must plan in order to accomplish goals and objectives. Planning nurtures the opportunity to ANTICIPATE!

9 Avoid the Two Extremes Ready, Fire, Aim Paralysis by analysis

10 What about fire drills?

11 Isn t it Obvious! Planning Scheduling Cost estimating / budgeting Resource allocation All integrally intertwined. Not separate / independent functions but are totally interdependent.

12 Potential Problems i.e. Risk Long lead delivery items Technical breakthroughs required Resource limitations (the market) Critical task timing /sequences International support / shipping Complex coordination requirements Regulatory approvals

13 Initial Planning is More Efficient Delayed or reactive planning will increase the total time, effort and cost of: Discovery Planning Project work Do it once! Do it right! Only possible through successive iteration planning Project Work Re - Planning Discovery Discovery Project Work Project Work Response Response Planning Planning Discovery Discovery Project Work Project Work Poor Planning Project Work Project Work Re-Planning Discovery Re - Planning Discovery Project Work Project Work Initial Planning Initial Planning Effective Planning Total Project Overhead Total Project Overhead

14 Key Thoughts Successive elaboration! Multiple time horizons Include key team & downfield reps in planning process Identify what you do know and what you don t know and take action to stabilize uncertainty! Manage to milestones

15 Why do Projects Fail?

16 Project Management Problems Insufficient planning Poor Communication Inadequate resources Meeting deadlines Unclear goals / directions Changes in goals & resources Uncommitted team members Conflicts between departments / functions

17 Failing to Plan!

18 Old Perceptions / The New Reality!

19 Planning Best Practices 1. Systematic and Integrative Planning 2. Timely Decisions Adjusted to Uncertainty 3. Isolation and Absorption

20 1. Systematic and Integrative Planning Start planning as early as possible. Set project objectives and employ a diverging/converging, multiphase process. At each phase, prepare all functional plans simultaneously and interdependently.

21 Systematic and Integrative Planning Advocates a systematic, formal, and disciplined approach to planning Not new - is historical approach Key to project success invest quality time in systematic planning at early stage

22 Some Key Ideas in S&IP Focus on Customer s needs Understand business objective Early interaction / all players Clearly articulate undefined needs Review must-halves w/ desires Develop a clear vision Begin with the end in mind

23 Five Major Elements 1. Set project objectives 2. Employ a multiphase planning process 3. Start planning as early as possible 4. Adopt a diverging/converging planning process 5. Prepare integrated functional plans

24 a. Focus on Customer s Needs Translate undefined needs into clear, precise requirements and objectives. In setting objectives, each major activity begins with end in mind.

25 Key Effect Early interaction of problem setters & problem solvers: Project team focuses on customer s needs Sets tone for customer team communication throughout project Team understands more about context

26 Definition of Requirements Primarily customers responsibility Does customer have capability to define? Designers often involved? Maybe! Poor scope definition is source of: Changes, Rework, & Schedule delays Cost overruns Unhappy customers & unhappy service providers Unprofitable project for everyone

27 Problems w/ Definitions Customer frequently doesn t have expertise Prescriptive vs. performance based Needs vs. desires Unstated assumptions Unstated constraints Dynamic nature of the market

28 Requirements Walk-Through Customer & contractor go through requirements line by line Yes, it is onerous! MISTAKE don t have the right people participate See Notes!

29 The Right Business Focus Cleveland Plant Consolidation Project

30 2. Timely Decisions Adjusted to Uncertainty Adjust the timing of decisions and their degree of detail to the completeness and stability of information. Plan for multiple time horizons and selectively accelerate implementation to obtain fast feedback for further planning.

31 1 st Principle Problem: Systematic and Integrative Planning ignores / underestimates project: 1. Uncertainty, 2. Speed, and 3. Manager s scarcity of attention.

32 2. Timely Decisions Adjusted to Uncertainty Focus of 2 nd principle ~ factors of uncertainty, speed, and scarcity of attention

33 1. Uncertainty Information Required Information Possessed = Uncertainty

34 Opportunity to Influence PMBOK 5th Edition

35 2. Speed Speed is the single most significant basis for competitive advantage.

36 Why Speed is Key? Dramatic increase in global competition. Accelerated pace of technological development Market share and profit margins are increased by being first to market

37 3. Scarcity of Attention Manager s activities are typified by: Brevity, Variety, and Fragmentation.

38 Executives ½ of their activities last < 9 minutes Only 10% > 1 hour Leaves little time for analysis and reflection!

39 2.1 Postpone Planning Details By postponing details of uncertain tasks, teams can proceed with only partial information.

40 Defining the Problem by Exploring the Solutions

41 3. Isolation & Absorption Isolate tasks plagued by very high uncertainty and loosen connections between uncertain tasks. In both cases you absorb uncertainty by selectively employing redundant resources. Divide large projects into independent subprojects and group tasks within projects according to uncertainty. Consists of 3 major steps: 1. Isolate highly uncertain tasks, 2. Loosen connections between uncertain tasks, and 3. Divide project according to uncertainty

42 3.1 Isolate Highly Uncertain Tasks Isolating tasks is NEVER w/o cost Redundancy can provide reliability Counter to concept of efficiency Most effective = most efficient

43 Title by Author May 26, 2016 Slide 43 Overhead is Not Evil

44 Key Principles Plan before starting work Use multiple time horizons Subdivide when appropriate Involve people/skills who will actually do the work Include all aspects of project Build flexibility into the plan Manage to milestones Keep the plan simple Communicate the plan

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46 Discussion?

47 Customers Are Loyal to Quality Performance... Not the Organization!

48 Planning Phase Sequence 1 1. Create scope and scope management plan 2. Determine project team 3. Create work breakdown structure 4. Create resource management plan 5. Create WBS dictionaries 6. Create network diagram PMP Exam Prep, by Rita Mulcahy, PMP

49 Planning Phase Sequence 2 7. Estimate time and cost 8. Determine critical path 9. Develop schedule and schedule management plan 10. Develop budget 11. Create communications plan 12. Create quality management plan PMP Exam Prep, by Rita Mulcahy, PMP

50 Planning Phase Sequence Develop risk management plan 14. Create procurement management plan 15. Create stakeholder management plan 16. Create project control plan 17. Develop a formal project plan 18. Gain formal acceptance and approval 19. Hold kickoff meeting PMP Exam Prep, by Rita Mulcahy, PMP

51 1. Project Charter Formally authorizes project Issued by external manager Authority for resources Business need project undertaken to address & product description Assigns project manager Identifies constraints + assumptions

52 2. General Approach Managerial approach Note deviation from standard Team structure In-house vs via contract Technical approach Relationship to available technologies Critical assumptions

53 Contractual Aspects Procurement strategy Reporting requirements Customer-supplied resources Liaison arrangements Advisory committees Review & cancellation procedures Proprietary requirements Management agreements

54 3. Scope Statement Documented basis for making future project decisions Projects: Justification Deliverables Objectives Profit target Competitive aims (market goals) Technical goals

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56 Project Plan Development Scope Time Cost Project Management Plan Quality Risk Commun ica tions Procurement Resource

57 Project Plan Used to coordinate among internal & external participants Basis for signoff and approval internally & with client Dynamic should be current, record of key assumptions and decisions

58 Project Plan Contents 1 1. Project charter 2. Approach or strategy 3. Scope statement 4. Work breakdown structure 5. Estimates, schedules, & responsibility 6. Measurement baselines

59 Project Plan Contents 2 7. Milestones / target dates 8. Staff required + key 9. Key risks, constraints, responses 10. Subsidiary management plans 11. Open + pending issues 12. Supporting details

60 Work Breakdown Structure A deliverable-oriented grouping of project components that organizes and defines total project scope. Subdivides project work into smaller, more manageable pieces. Work not in the WBS is outside the scope of the project. See Notes!

61 W B S Concept: A larger complicated task is subdivided into smaller tasks. Hierarchical task and subtask listing organized into work packages. Fundamental tool for project planning. Foundation of a project management system. See Notes!

62 WBS Sequence List tasks and subtasks in sequence. Continue until all meaningful tasks or work packages are identified. Prepare responsibility matrix. Review with people doing the work. Refine even as project is underway. Move into scheduling / budgeting. See Notes!

63 Even Planning Process* *Figure 3-2, page 86 Project Management in Practice

64 Even Planning Process List activities in general order (2-20) Break each level 1 into (2-20) Break each level 2 into (2-20) Roughly same level of task generality Discipline keeps plan focused on deliverables Maintain uniform level of detail

65 Key Question When to stop breaking down the work into subunits? Stop when you can estimate to the desired degree of accuracy. WBS does not have to be symmetrical. See Notes!

66 WBS Concept

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