VAN SHEETS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EDUCATIONAL FIRST STEPS PROJECT MANAGEMENT VAN SHEETS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, EDUCATIONAL FIRST STEPS

Why are projects hard? Not routine It’s extra work. The Planning Fallacy “Strategic misrepresentation” Interdependent roles and complex timelines Unfamiliar tasks Procrastination

Unknown Knowns Known unknowns

What can we do about the challenges? Break down the project. Know how you learn. Use “reference class forecasting.” Involve experts! Use project management methods.

Project steps Conceive the project. Design it. Kick off. Do it. Complete it.

Break it down. (from the Project Management Institute)

The critical path (from the Project Management Institute)

The critical path

Planning the project

Project vulnerabilities Manage known unknowns. Manage the unknown knowns. (And the less you know about an activity, the more contingency is appropriate.) Trade-offs between cost and completion date. You can reduce risks at no cost, by reallocating existing resources to fast track the activities on the critical path.

A Gantt Chart may help.

Let’s work on your projects.