Art of the Project Start

Eddie Merla, PMP

eddiemerla@duendepm.com

Duende Project Management Services

Presented at PMI South Florida Professional Development Day,

May 1, 2009
 Objectives

• U
Understand
d t d th the ffactors
t ffor a successful
f l
project start.
• Understand the hard and soft skills
required for more effective project
starts.
• Learn to develop pp powerful p presentations
to get your project off to the right start.
 Topics

• Faulty starts
• Successful starts
• Art of the hard skills
• Art of the soft skills
• Art of the presentation
• Seven-step approach
 What Makes a Start Faulty?
• Failure to obtain executive approval
• Failure to obtain funding
• Missed vision or objectives
• Faulty expectations
• Unrealistic objectives
• Loss
oss oof bus
business
ess
• Damaged relationship
 Why Do Project Starts Fail?
• Poor conceptp
• Weak justification
• Poor presentation
• Lack of financial understanding
• Lack of communications
• Lack of understandingg the business
• Lack of understanding project
management
 Powerful Starts
• Obtain approval
• Secure executive support
• Define clear expectations
• Lead to successful projects
• L d tto repeatt b
Lead business
i
• Strengthen relationships
 Art of the Hard Skills
• Project Management Knowledge
• Knowledge collection and integration
• Stakeholder analysis
• Clarification of triple constraints
• SWOT analysis
• ROI analysis
• y of assumptions,
Analysis p constraints and risks
• Templates and toolkits
 Project Management
Knowledge
• Knows how to “Begin g at the Ending” g
• Sells that “Failing to Plan is planning to
Fail
Fail”
• Emphasizes scope and scope control
• Enlists
E li t client
li t iin b
building
ildi a realistic
li ti plan
l
• Introduces concept of risks and risk
impacts
j
• Introduces a project methodologygy and
controls
 “They
They call it coaching but it is
teaching.” Vince Lombardi

9
 Knowledge Collection and
Integration
• Environment
• Organization
• Industry
• Clients of the client
• Product
• Politics
• Getting things done
 Stakeholder Analysis
• Identify all stakeholders
• Identify champions, advocates,
supporters critics
supporters, critics, doubters
doubters, saboteurs
saboteurs,
non-committed
• Prioritize
P i iti stakeholders
t k h ld
• Evaluate motives & plan responses
“Keep your ffriends
“K i d close,
l and
d your
enemies closer.” Sun-Tzu
 Clarification of Triple
Constraints
• Start with and communicate the
basics:
– Scope
– Time
– Cost
• The project start is where control begins
“Everything
“E thi should
h ld b
be maded as simple
i l as possible,
ibl
but not simpler.” Albert Einstein
 SWOT Analysis

Strengths
g Weaknesses

Opportunities Threats
 SAMPLE - SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths Weaknesses
Management Support Inconsistent approval process
Sufficient Funding Language issues on the team
Expert Engineering Skills Lack of a consistent methodology
Advanced Technologygy Constrained resources
Advanced Project Management skills
Experienced Staff
Knowledge of the client

Opportunities Threats
Market Demand continues to increase Harsh Climate
Opportunity to promote company Stiff competition
Opportunity
pp y for add-on business Risingg cost of fuel
 ROI Analysis
• Return on Investment with purpose
• Understand the system to justify projects
• Ai ffor completeness
Aim l t nott exactness
t
• Understand the Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO)
• Understand how best to p present the
numbers
• Don
Don’tt forget the non-financial
non financial benefits
 Assumptions, Constraints &
Risks
• Assumptions
– If you assume, write it down
– Every assumption has an element of risk
• Constraints – understand what’s
negotiable
ti bl andd what’s
h t’ nott ((may nott b
be a
constraint)
• Risks – identify major risks upfront and
potential impacts
 Templates and Toolkits
• Start with what’s
what s worked before
• Consider if you need new tools or
techniques
• Templates/tools for:
Proposal document, project charter, funding,
stakeholder analysis, Cost/benefit analysis,
scope, schedule, costs, executive
summary…more
 Art of the Soft Skills
• Sponsor’s champion
• Extension of sponsor
sponsor’s
s
organization
• Gets things done
• Solves problems
• Delivers
• Takes the heat
• Builds relationships

18
 • Develop Vision
• Communicate
Vision
Initiating • Interview
I t i
• Facilitate
meetings
 • Negotiate
• Write
• Make
Initiating D i i
Decisions
• Persuade
 • Present
• Sell
• Actively
y Listen
Initiating • Actively
Question
 Vision

“Before beginning
g g a hunt, it is wise to ask
someone what you are looking for
before you begin looking for it.”

– Winnie the Pooh

 Vision
• Keep Vision clear and simple
• Less is more powerful
• Powerful visions provide leadership
• Well constructed vision statements lead
to:
– More effective p
project
j starts
– Controlling project themes
– Opportunities to close effectively
“I believe that this nation should
commit itself to achieving the goal,
before this decade is out, of
landing a man on the Moon and
returning him safely to the Earth.”
John F. Kennedy, May 25, 1961

Neil Armstrong steps onto the lunar

surface on July 20, 1969.
 SMARTER VISION
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-bound
• Explosive
p os e
• Responsive
 Barriers to Effective Soft Skills
• Listening skills • Emotional status
• Culture • Authority or position
• Intelligence • Common sense
• Knowledge base • Gender
• Language • Attraction/Repulsion
• Situational status
 Art of the Presentation

Great Project Proposal + Poor Presentation =

Lost opportunity
pp y
Poor Project Proposal + Great Presentation =
A Chance
Great Project Proposal + Great Presentation =
A “Win”
 The 4PM Formula
• 4 strategies to overcome anxiety
• 4 P’s
– Purpose
– Preparation
– Passion
– Perseverance
• Magic
 4 Strategies
• Understand the fear
• Visualize
• R
Rememberb th
the message
• Prepare
 The First “P”:
P : Purpose
• General Purpose
– Inform
– Persuade
– Inspire
• Specific
S ifi PPurpose (Vi
(Vision)
i )
 The Second “P”:
P : Preparation

• Know your audience

• Content
• Organization
• Delivery
– Gestures
– Vocal Variety
– Pauses
 The Third “P”:
P : Passion

“When you set

yourself on fire,
people love to
come and see you
burn.” - John
Wesley
The Fourth “P”:
P : Perseverance
 Perseverance
• Process
• Continuous improvement
• F db k & E
Feedback Evaluation
l ti
• Observation
• Learn from your failures
 The “M”:
M : Magic
• Lead your project …
– Find your voice.
• Find your voice …
– Serve your project.
• The “Magic Zone”
 A Seven Step Approach
1) Capture the vision
2) Define scope, schedule and budget
3) Define the approach (how)
4) Enroll key stakeholders
5) P k
Package th
the proposall
6) Prepare to deliver
7) Win the business
 Closing Thoughts
• Keep it Simple
• Have a Vision
• “Bli k” - Malcolm
“Blink” M l l GlGladwell
d ll
• Basics – Lou Holtz
• Continue to learn
 Contact Information
Eddie Merla, PMP
Duende Project Management Services

www.duendepm.com
+1 713 408 6751
+1-713-408-6751
eddiemerla@duendepm.com