Project Management Skills & Tools Michelle Sced Research Development Coordinator Division Research Skills Day – 9 March 2007

Overview What is project management? What is project management? The phases of project management The phases of project management Tools of project management Tools of project management Tips to better manage your project Tips to better manage your project

Phases of a Project ENTHUSIASM DISILLUSIONMENT PANIC EXHAUSTION EUPHORIA

What is Project Management? The planning, organising, monitoring and controlling of all aspects of a project in a continuous process to achieve its objectives, both internal and external. It is a discipline requiring the application of skills, tools and techniques and the balancing of competing demands, time and cost.

Phases of Project Management Scoping Planning Implementing Finalising

Scoping the Project Scoping is the process through which the desired outcome of the project is agreed, once all factors impacting on the project have been identified. Scoping is the process through which the desired outcome of the project is agreed, once all factors impacting on the project have been identified. Scoping provides the opportunity to clarify and define the boundaries of the project, its objectives and benefits. Scoping provides the opportunity to clarify and define the boundaries of the project, its objectives and benefits.

Scoping Checklist Related projects (Literature review) Related projects (Literature review) Objectives Objectives Benefits and outcomes Benefits and outcomes Constraints: Time, budget, resources Constraints: Time, budget, resources Assumptions, exclusions Assumptions, exclusions Skills required Skills required Required facilities, access, travel, equipment Required facilities, access, travel, equipment Critical success factors (targets that must be achieved) Critical success factors (targets that must be achieved) Supervision arrangements Supervision arrangements

Planning the Project Planning involves producing a prioritised list (schedule) of what needs to be done to complete the project. Planning involves producing a prioritised list (schedule) of what needs to be done to complete the project. The project plan will assist you and your supervisor to understand the project, the strategy for completing the project, and will act as the baseline against which progress and achievement can be measured. The project plan will assist you and your supervisor to understand the project, the strategy for completing the project, and will act as the baseline against which progress and achievement can be measured.

Why Plan? Project plans: Project plans: Provide direction and focus Provide direction and focus Give order Give order Minimise the risk of error Minimise the risk of error Facilitate the identification of problems before they occur Facilitate the identification of problems before they occur Allow the monitoring of progress Allow the monitoring of progress Provide motivation and satisfaction Provide motivation and satisfaction The ability to plan a complex project and manage this plan is a transferable skill that is attractive to future employers!

The Planning Process Identify the phases of your project Identify the phases of your project Design, data collection, data analysis, write-up Design, data collection, data analysis, write-up Know your milestones (targets) & their due dates Know your milestones (targets) & their due dates Project plan, ethics proposal, performance review etc. Project plan, ethics proposal, performance review etc. Why? - Dictate your planning priorities and timeline Why? - Dictate your planning priorities and timeline Conduct a work breakdown for each milestone Conduct a work breakdown for each milestone Understand the requirements of the milestone = goals Understand the requirements of the milestone = goals List the associated tasks (in completion order) for each goal List the associated tasks (in completion order) for each goal

Work Breakdown - Example PhaseTargetGoalsTasks Time Requirement Design Ethics proposal Brief literature review Conduct literature search Identify key publications Read publications Summarise publications Proposed methodology Etc Etc DUE DATE ?? / ?? / 2007

Work Breakdown - Example PhaseTargetGoalsTasks Time Requirement Design Ethics proposal Brief literature review Conduct literature search 1 day Identify key publications 2 days Read publications 10 days Summarise publications 10 days Proposed methodology Etc Etc DUE DATE ?? / ?? / 2007

Implementing the Project Implementing the project involves: Implementing the project involves: 1) Undertaking the identified tasks to achieve the goals and milestones; 2) Regularly monitoring your progress against the plan 3) Reviewing the plan if necessary It is not enough to plan a project – you also have to stick to it! It is not enough to plan a project – you also have to stick to it!

Finalising the Project The finalisation phase of a project entails considering what has to be done to hand over the ‘deliverable’ (i.e., thesis) and how you will disengage from the project. The finalisation phase of a project entails considering what has to be done to hand over the ‘deliverable’ (i.e., thesis) and how you will disengage from the project.

Project Management Tools

Gantt Charts A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of the duration of tasks against the progression of time. A Gantt chart is a graphical representation of the duration of tasks against the progression of time. It allows you to: It allows you to: 1) assess how long a project should take; 2) lay out the order in which tasks need to be carried out; 3) manage the dependencies between tasks; 3) manage the dependencies between tasks; 4) see immediately what should have been achieved at a point in time; 4) see immediately what should have been achieved at a point in time; 5) see how remedial action may bring the project back on course.

MS Project Pros: Allows the detailed planning and monitoring of projects Allows the detailed planning and monitoring of projectsCons: Not included in standard Microsoft Office package Not included in standard Microsoft Office package Time consuming to learn Time consuming to learn Designed to assist the management of large- scale projects with multiple resource requirements and budgets Designed to assist the management of large- scale projects with multiple resource requirements and budgets

MS Project Gantt Chart Example

Gantt Charts in Excel Pros Accessible Accessible Easy to use Easy to use Less time consuming Less time consumingCons Not designed for project management so doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of MS Not designed for project management so doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of MS

Excel Gantt Chart Example

Tips to better manage your project Get into a routine Get into a routine Set ‘stretch’ goals Set ‘stretch’ goals Think realistically Think realistically Don’t procrastinate! Don’t procrastinate! Know your procrastination behaviours Know your procrastination behaviours Beware of busy work Beware of busy work Limit interruptions Limit interruptions Organise your work space Organise your work space Document, document, document Document, document, document Don’t second guess your judgement Don’t second guess your judgement Tackle your weaknesses Tackle your weaknesses