ICPM

Finding the right balance of documentation and methodology can be challenging on small projects.  Here are some tips. 

I have been managing small projects for some time now.  Some of my project are really tiny, I'm talking about 8 hours of work max.  Others can be 2 week or month-long projects.  Some span several months, and then you get up into the 6 month and year plus undertakings.

Your project is in trouble.  You know it.  Your team knows it.  But somehow you have been able to keep it from your management.  You need a quick fix.  But there aren’t any.  What can be done to get back on track?  Since yesterday's ideas didn't help, here are some suggestions that might point you in the right direction.

The issue of risks on projects is considered a critical issue for the successful completion. Often, delays, cost overruns and claims are attributed to the absence or inadequacy of a risk management exercise. In a large and complex project, a risk management exercise was run. In the process of evaluating the risks, a new dimension was proposed in order to ensure adequacy of the exercise. The exercise originally followed the well documented steps of risk management. This included:

Project managers deal with dynamic environments. Their role is not only to deliver projects on time, within budget and to the required quality, but extend to include other aspects that are equally important.

The Value of a Project Schedule: "Failing to plan means planning to fail".In my mind, that sums it up.  But this article will focus on providing some more detailed benefits.Contrary to what you might be thinking, this article is NOT some type of promotion for the use of Microsoft Project.  As a matter of fact, your schedule could be developed on a napkin, providing you (and your team) develop it, and manage with it!!

PMI defines risk identification as determining which risk events are likely to affect the project and documenting the characteristics of each. This process involves identifying three related factors: (1) potential sources of risk (schedule, cost, technical, legal, and so on), (2) possible risk events, and (3) risk symptoms.

The timing of risk identification is also of vital importance. PMI® advocates that risk identification should first be accomplished at the outset of the project and then be updated regularly throughout the project life cycle. 

PERFORMANCE REPORTING

Performance reporting involves six things:

• Status reports How’s the project right now?
• Progress reports How complete is the project? How much more work remains?
• Forecasting Will this project end on schedule? Will the project be on budget? How much longer will this project take? And how much more money will this project need to finish?
• Scope How is the project meeting the project scope?
• Quality What are the results of quality audit, testing, and analysis?
• Risks What risks have come into the project and what has been their affect on the project?

The goal of performance reporting - The purpose of reporting is to share information regarding the project performance with the appropriate stakeholders. Performance reporting is done on a regular schedule.

• Performance reports - These are the results and summation of the project performance analysis. The Communications Management Plan will detail the type of report needed based on the conditions within the project, the timing of the communication, and the demands of the project stakeholder.
• Change requests - Results of performance may prompt change requests to some area of the project. The change requests should flow into the change control system for consideration and approval or denial.

 

Forecasts - Have a basic understanding of Forecasts. Forecasts are updated and reissued based on work performance information provided as the project is executed. This information is about the project’s past performance that could impact the project in the future, for example, estimate at completion and estimate to complete.

Communicating change - Performance reports and change requests are an input to the following Change Control Processes:

• Integrated Change Control
• Scope Change Control
• Schedule Change Control
• Cost Change Control

 

Note: The project plan is one of the key inputs to performance reporting. The project plan contains the WBS, the project scope and requirements, and other documentation that can be used to measure project progress and performance. Other inputs to performance reporting are the work results. Work results can be examined and measured for quality, time spent completing the work, and the monies required to complete the work results. The work results, as progress reports or completion of work results, can be measured against the estimates and expectations to reveal variances. The Communications Management Plan will detail how values are measured, for example EVM, and at what point variances call for communications to the appropriate stakeholders. The last inputs to performance reporting are other project records, such as memos, product description, and other information relevant to the project. For example, a customer may request project status updates every quarter, regardless of where the project is in its timeline. Or a project may have multiple vendors whose contracts require differing levels and types of reporting from the project staff. This is a communication requirement that would be in the Communications Management Plan.

 

 

 

 

Project Managers have a professional obligation to conduct lessons learned sessions for all projects. An example of specific lessons learned may include:

• Update of the lessons learned knowledge base
• Input to knowledge management systems
• Updated corporate policies, procedures and processes
• Improved business skills
• Overall product and service improvements
• Updates to the risk management plan

 

Information can be distributed through the following as well as other methods, according to project demands and as technology provides:

Common sense and your own experience will play a large role in your ability to answer the questions on this topic.

Communication Processes defined: Communication is the link between people, ideas, and information. Project Communications Management includes four processes: