Project Management An overview

What is a Project A temporary job to accomplish a specific task A temporary job to accomplish a specific task Attributes Attributes Unique purpose Unique purpose Involves resources Involves resources May involve uncertainty May involve uncertainty Factors influencing a project Factors influencing a project Goal Goal Time Time Cost Cost

Project management Involves applications of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholders’ expectation from a project

The process T

Who are stakeholders Are the people involved or affected by the project Are the people involved or affected by the project It may be It may be The project sponsor and the team The project sponsor and the team Support staff Support staff Customers Customers Users Users Supplier etc., Supplier etc.,

Tools and Techniques Assist the team in various functions Assist the team in various functions Some tools Some tools Scope Scope Critical path analysis, PERT and Gantt charts Critical path analysis, PERT and Gantt charts Cost estimates Cost estimates

Advantages Minimizes surprises Minimizes surprises Provides assurance and reduces risk Provides assurance and reduces risk Manages resources effectively Manages resources effectively Helps in future plans Helps in future plans Integrates activities of people from different functions – Encourages teamwork Integrates activities of people from different functions – Encourages teamwork

Risk Complexity Complexity Pace of technological change Pace of technological change Interdependency of components Interdependency of components Clarity – the ability to define the requirements clearly Clarity – the ability to define the requirements clearly Size Size

Steps Visualizing the project Visualizing the project Identifying of requirement Identifying of requirement Organizational integration Organizational integration Team management Team management Risk and opportunity management Risk and opportunity management Project control Project control Corrective action Corrective action

Project Time management

Why Time management? Delivering projects on time is high on agenda for managers Delivering projects on time is high on agenda for managers Time is not a flexible unit; It passes no matter what happens Time is not a flexible unit; It passes no matter what happens Scheduling project which involves many components is main reason for conflicts Scheduling project which involves many components is main reason for conflicts

Process Activity definition Activity definition Sequencing Sequencing Building dependencies Building dependencies Estimating duration Estimating duration Developing schedule Developing schedule Controlling schedule Controlling schedule

Project network diagram A method for showing activity sequencing A method for showing activity sequencing Portrays logical relationships among activities Portrays logical relationships among activities Schematic display of Sequencing of Project activities Schematic display of Sequencing of Project activities

Sample network diagrams Also called Activity on Arrow diagrams Activities represented by arrows Nodes or circles are starting and ending point of activities Can show only Finish-to-Start dependencies

Precedence diagram Activities represented by boxes Arrows show relationships between activities Better at displaying dependencies Used by Project management software

Duration estimating After defining the activities and determining their sequence, the next step is estimating duration After defining the activities and determining their sequence, the next step is estimating duration Duration means time worked on activity plus time elapsed Duration means time worked on activity plus time elapsed Duration estimating should be done by people doing the work and reviewed by management Duration estimating should be done by people doing the work and reviewed by management

Schedule development Determines the start and end date of project and other activities Determines the start and end date of project and other activities The goal is to create a realistic project schedule that works as the basis for monitoring project progress The goal is to create a realistic project schedule that works as the basis for monitoring project progress Important tools are Gantt charts, PERT and Critical Path analysis Important tools are Gantt charts, PERT and Critical Path analysis

Gantt charts Provides a standard format for displaying project schedule by listing activities and their corresponding start to finish dates in a calendar format Provides a standard format for displaying project schedule by listing activities and their corresponding start to finish dates in a calendar format Symbols used are Symbols used are A black diamond – milestones or events with zero duration A black diamond – milestones or events with zero duration Thick black bars – Summary tasks Thick black bars – Summary tasks Light horizontal bars – tasks Light horizontal bars – tasks Arrows – dependencies between tasks Arrows – dependencies between tasks

Sample Gantt chart

Finding the critical path for a project Develop a project network diagram Develop a project network diagram Add the durations of all activities on each path through the network diagram Add the durations of all activities on each path through the network diagram The longest path is the critical path The longest path is the critical path

Using software in time management Helps people exchange project related information Helps people exchange project related information Help analyze tradeoffs Help analyze tradeoffs

Features of Project management(MS Project) software