PM Revision.

Section B
Chapter 1: Project life cycle. There are four stages in the Project Life Cycle.

1. Defining stage. 2. Planning stage. 3. Executing stage. 4. Closing stage.

Chapter 4: Draw the WBS. Defining the Project There are five steps: Step 1: Defining the Project Scope Project Scope Checklist 1. Project objective 2. Deliverables 3. Milestones 4. Technical requirements 5. Limits and exclusions 6. Reviews with customer

Step 2: Establishing Project Priorities Step 3: Creating the Work Breakdown Structure Step 4: Integrating the WBS with the Organization Step 5: Coding the WBS for the information system

Chapter 5: Factors influencing the Quality of Estimation. Quality of Estimates 1. Planning Horizon 2. Project Duration 3. People 4. Project Structure and Organization 5. Padding Estimates 6. Organization Culture

7. Other (Non-project) Factors Chapter 6: How to draw Network diagram & Gantt chart Draw Network diagram. ( See 162, 163, 166, 169, and 170 in textbook) Gantt chart. ( See 175, and 176 in textbook)

Chapter 9: Ways can reduce project duration. Reducing Project Duration to Reduce Project Cost Identifying direct costs to reduce project time Gather information about direct and indirect costs of specific project durations. Search critical activities for lowest direct-cost activities to shorten project duration. Compute total costs for specific durations and compare to benefits of reducing project time. Chapter 13: Earn value cost schedule cost system. EV: Earned value for a task is simply the percent complete time its original budget. Stated differently, EV is the percent of the original budget that has been earned by actual work completed. [The older acronym for this value was BCWPbudgeted cost of the work performed.] PV: The planned time-phased baseline of the value of the work scheduled. An approved cost estimate of the resources scheduled in a time-phased cumulative baseline [BCWSbudgeted cost of the work scheduled]. AC: Actual cost of the work completed. The sum of the costs incurred in accomplishing work. [ACWPactual cost of the work performed]. CV: Cost variance is the difference between the earned value and the actual costs for the work completed to date where CV = EV - AC. SV: Schedule variance is the difference between the earned value and the baseline line to date where SV = EV - PV.

Cost/Schedule Graph (Example)

Earned-Value Review Exercise

Section A
Chapter 3: Organization and Culture. Functional Organization of Projects Advantages 1. No Structural Change 2. Flexibility 3. In-Depth Expertise 4. Easy Post-Project Transition Disadvantages 1. Lack of Focus 2. Poor Integration 3. Slow 4. Lack of Ownership Project Organization: Dedicated Team Advantages 1. Simple 2. Fast 3. Cohesive 4. Cross-Functional Integration Disadvantages 1. Expensive 2. Internal Strife 3. Limited Technological Expertise 4. Difficult Post-Project Transition Project Organization: Matrix Form Advantages 1. Efficient 2. Strong Project Focus 3. Easier Post-Project Transition 4. Flexible

 Disadvantages 1. Dysfunctional Conflict 2. Infighting 3. Stressful 4. Slow Organizational Culture Organizational Culture Defined 1. A system of shared norms, beliefs, values, and assumptions which bind people together, thereby creating shared meanings. 2. The personality of the organization that sets it apart from other organizations. Provides a sense of identity to its members. Helps legitimize the management system of the organization. Clarifies and reinforces standards of behavior. Identifying Cultural Characteristics Study the physical characteristics of an organization. Read about the organization. Observe how people interact within the organization. Interpret stories and folklore surrounding the organization.

Chapter 10: Leadership: Being an Effective Project Manager Characteristics of Effective Project Managers 1. Initiate contact with key players. 2. Anticipate potential problems. 3. Provide encouragement. 4. Reinforce the objectives and vision of the project. 5. Intervene to resolve conflicts and prevent stalemates. Qualities of an Effective Project Manager 1. Systems thinker 2. Personal integrity 3. Proactive 4. High emotional intelligence (EQ). 5. General business perspective 6. Effective time management 7. Skillful politician 8. Optimist Suggestions for Project Managers 1. Build relationships before you need them. 2. Trust is sustained through frequent face-to-face contact. 3. Realize that what goes around comes around.

Chapter 11: Managing project team. High-Performing Teams Synergy 1+1+1= 1+1+1= 10 (positive synergy) 2 (negative synergy)

Characteristics of High-performing Teams 1. Share a sense of common purpose 2. Make effective use of individual talents and expertise 3. Have balanced and shared roles 4. Maintain a problem solving focus 5. Accept differences of opinion and expression 6. Encourage risk taking and creativity 7. Sets high personal performance standards 8. Identify with the team Conditions Favoring Development of High Performance Project Teams 1. Ten or fewer team members 2. Voluntary team membership 3. Continuous service on the team 4. Full-time assignment to the team 5. An organization culture of cooperation and trust 6. Members report only to the project manager 7. All relevant functional areas are represented on the team 8. The project has a compelling objective 9. Members are in speaking distance of each other Building High-Performance Project Teams Recruiting Project Members Factors affecting recruiting Importance of the project Management structure used to complete the project

How to recruit? Ask for volunteers

Who to recruit? Problem-solving ability Availability Technological expertise Credibility Political connections Ambition, initiative, and energy

Project Team Meetings 1. Establishing Ground Rules 2. Planning Decisions 3. Tracking Decisions 4. Managing Change Decisions 5. Relationship Decisions 6. Managing Subsequent Meetings Establishing a Team Identity 1. Effective Use of Meetings 2. Co-location of team members 3. Creation of project team name 4. Team rituals Orchestrating the Decision-Making Process Problem Identification

Generating Alternatives

Reaching a Decision

Follow-up

 Managing Conflict within the Project Team Encouraging Functional Conflict o Encourage dissent by asking tough questions. o Bring in people with different points of view. o Designate someone to be a devils advocate. o Ask the team to consider an unthinkable alternative Managing Dysfunctional Conflict o Mediate the conflict. o Arbitrate the conflict. o Control the conflict. o Accept the conflict. o Eliminate the conflict. Managing Virtual Project Teams Challenges: Developing trust Exchange of social information. Set clear roles for each team member.

Developing effective patterns of communication. Keep team members informed on how the overall project is going. Dont let team members vanish. Establish a code of conduct to avoid delays. Establish clear norms and protocols for surfacing assumptions and conflicts. Share the pain.

 Project Team Pitfalls 1. Groupthink 2. Going Native 3. Bureaucratic Bypass Syndrome 4. Team Spirit Becomes Team Infatuation Chapter 15: Project Closure Project Closure Types of Project Closure o Normal o Premature o Perpetual o Failed Project o Changed Priority Close-out Plan: Questions to be Asked o What tasks are required to close the project? o Who will be responsible for these tasks? o When will closure begin and end? o How will the project be delivered? Implementing Closedown 1. Getting delivery acceptance from the customer. 2. Shutting down resources and releasing to new uses. 3. Reassigning project team members. 4. Closing accounts and paying all bills. 5. Evaluating the project team, project team members, and the project manager.

 Creating the Final Report Executive Summary o Project goals met/unmet o Stakeholder satisfaction with project o User reactions to quality of deliverables Analysis o Project mission and objective o Procedures and systems used o Organization resources used Recommendations o Technical improvements o Corrective actions Lessons Learned o Reminders o Retrospectives Appendix o Backup data o Critical information