Controlling the Project
Measuring Progress
Ch 12
Introduction:
One of the most important aspects in any kind of project management is detailed in this chapter: measuring progress. The constant and accurate measurement of progress along the entire span of a project is vital to its success in that it gives an accurate vision of where the project stands and where it ought to be. Moreover, a frequent and regular project report, a form of progress measurement, allows problems to be seen in their first stages, while a quick and easy recovery is still possible. These are just some of the reasons why the very success (or failure) of any project can be directly related to how progress was measured.
Measuring Schedule Performance
In this aspect, the work packages in a project play a vital role. Each work package can be a reference point to progress, therefore the more work packages, the more accurate progress estimates are. The smaller, detailed tasks a project can be broken down in to, the more focused one can be on their work, and therefore with more ease can achieve deadlines. However, projecting progress and actually knowing what portion of a project is complete are two different things. An accurate representation of how much of a project is actually done at any said time is difficult to conceive, because many factors are in question. This fact makes the accurate projection of progress even more important.
Escalation Thresholds
One of the most accepted truths of any project is that things rarely go according to plan. This is unavoidable as we are all humans working towards the project goal. Sometimes certain situations occur in which some authority or responsibility needs to be compensated in order to deal with this situation. Such a temporary change in previously agreed upon authority in response to arisen circumstances is called an escalation threshold. In essence, an escalation threshold is any temporary shift in assigned responsibility or authority to deal with a problem that needs special attention to be taken out of the main project focuses. The appropriate use of said thresholds allows problems to be dealt with promptly and effectively, thus enabling the project to progress with ease.
Cost and Schedule Baselines
Baselines are comparison points as to where certain parts of a project should be at a certain time. Cost and schedule baselines represent a previously projected plan as agreed to by stakeholders. In theory, any project should not prove to stray from a previously approved plan, but this is hard to achieve in real life, since there are so many varying factors. This should be kept in mind in fabricating as well as interpreting earlier baselines. Simply keeping cost and schedule plans on track can amazingly bring into line other seemingly unrelated factors of a project. A baseline should always be kept as a standard, never to be changed unless absolutely necessary, because a baseline is more than just an initial starting point; it is the representative of an entire equilibrium among all project factors.
References:
- Verzuh, Erick (2005). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. 2nd edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinesics
Monday, June 18, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Verzuh, Erick (2005), Chapters 10, 11, and 14
Verzuh, Ch. 10
High-Performance Project Team
The High-Performance Project Team chapter is rich with useful information, especially that any project can not succeed without a having a lawful enthusiastic team members.
Therefore, building high-performance teams should have a realistic strong framework including three area that should complement each other, and there is no possibility that one strong component can compensate a weak component. The framework should have an arch structure. (Verzuh 2005, p 237)
One of the components is the positive team environment; it “increases performance through more productive work habits” (Verzuh 2005, p 237). This is valuable and applicable in all kind of teams. The positive environment and the stability of a homogeneous collaborating team can be also reached after going through four development stages: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. This concept is very important that all team leaders should be aware of these stages to be able to communicate with their team members and work with them to cross the first three stages to reach the most desirable for production and accomplishment, it is the performing stage. At the DLI, the importance of this concept is reflected by one week training for the team leaders.
Understanding the importance of the team, other tips mentioned in this chapter are important to enhance the team performance, especially that teamwork includes team meeting. These tips give the guidelines for effective meetings as well making listening during these meeting active.
As I mentioned before, this chapter is rich in ideas needed for projects success.
Verzuh, Ch. 11
Communication
In this chapter we find an emphasis on the importance of communication. The project manager is selected based on certain qualifications; one of them is the possession of the communication skills. This is certain the most needed skill at the beginning of any project; good communication smooth the field when some difficulties raise up, and help in connecting the team member together and help them to go through the development stages of the team. Reaching the performance stage in any team is a result of the hard work of a project manager who is gifted in sending and receiving massages and work order. He/she is able to well communicate face-to face as well via mail, and do not tolerate any space for a misunderstanding. Any hard feeling between the team player can delay the work process and affect the results. In my project, good communication is one of the most important pieces of the project infrastructure, without a good communication between the designer, the trainer and the trainees, the project will fail and the DLI students are the one who will loose the expected benefits of the teachers training.
Verzuh, Ch. 14
Solving Common Project Problems
By reading Verzuh, Erick (2005), The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. Second edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., We learned many principles and rules to manage successfully a project. In this chapter, we find a summary of the needed rules in the project management; they were mentioned throughout the book, and it is beneficial to put them together one more time. The five factors that make a successful project:
“Agreement among the project team, customer, and management on the goals of the project
A plan that shows an overall path and clear responsibilities, which is also used to measure progress during the project
Constant, effective communication between everyone involved in the project
A controlled scope
Management support”. (Verzuh, Erick 2005, p 377)
We went trough these details earlier, but it is not bad to repeat that all projects need to include these factors for their success.
High-Performance Project Team
The High-Performance Project Team chapter is rich with useful information, especially that any project can not succeed without a having a lawful enthusiastic team members.
Therefore, building high-performance teams should have a realistic strong framework including three area that should complement each other, and there is no possibility that one strong component can compensate a weak component. The framework should have an arch structure. (Verzuh 2005, p 237)
One of the components is the positive team environment; it “increases performance through more productive work habits” (Verzuh 2005, p 237). This is valuable and applicable in all kind of teams. The positive environment and the stability of a homogeneous collaborating team can be also reached after going through four development stages: Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing. This concept is very important that all team leaders should be aware of these stages to be able to communicate with their team members and work with them to cross the first three stages to reach the most desirable for production and accomplishment, it is the performing stage. At the DLI, the importance of this concept is reflected by one week training for the team leaders.
Understanding the importance of the team, other tips mentioned in this chapter are important to enhance the team performance, especially that teamwork includes team meeting. These tips give the guidelines for effective meetings as well making listening during these meeting active.
As I mentioned before, this chapter is rich in ideas needed for projects success.
Verzuh, Ch. 11
Communication
In this chapter we find an emphasis on the importance of communication. The project manager is selected based on certain qualifications; one of them is the possession of the communication skills. This is certain the most needed skill at the beginning of any project; good communication smooth the field when some difficulties raise up, and help in connecting the team member together and help them to go through the development stages of the team. Reaching the performance stage in any team is a result of the hard work of a project manager who is gifted in sending and receiving massages and work order. He/she is able to well communicate face-to face as well via mail, and do not tolerate any space for a misunderstanding. Any hard feeling between the team player can delay the work process and affect the results. In my project, good communication is one of the most important pieces of the project infrastructure, without a good communication between the designer, the trainer and the trainees, the project will fail and the DLI students are the one who will loose the expected benefits of the teachers training.
Verzuh, Ch. 14
Solving Common Project Problems
By reading Verzuh, Erick (2005), The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. Second edition. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., We learned many principles and rules to manage successfully a project. In this chapter, we find a summary of the needed rules in the project management; they were mentioned throughout the book, and it is beneficial to put them together one more time. The five factors that make a successful project:
“Agreement among the project team, customer, and management on the goals of the project
A plan that shows an overall path and clear responsibilities, which is also used to measure progress during the project
Constant, effective communication between everyone involved in the project
A controlled scope
Management support”. (Verzuh, Erick 2005, p 377)
We went trough these details earlier, but it is not bad to repeat that all projects need to include these factors for their success.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, Verzuh (2005)
The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, Verzuh (2005)
Chapter 5, Risk Management
There is nobody who can affirm that he/she had successful projects all the time. The risk factors that lead to a project failure are not important by themselves; Risks exist and they are not avoidable sometimes. For this reason, a risk management with contingency plans is important in reducing the damages and makes them avoidable in a future project.
A project manager who design a project and put in implementation with full confidence of the success of all details of his design will make his project vulnerable to non remediable damages because he/she did not design any contingency plan that might help in absorbing the shock of the encountered problems in order to reduce the delays and damages, and continue forward in implementation.
In academic training at the DLI, delays can affect the students’ results, it does not cause a regression but it will not enhance improvement the way expected by the project designer, however, it might be an eye opener on the weaknesses sides of the project and the designer will modify his/her design, for the best of the trainees and the success of the project.
Chapter 6, Work Breakdown Structure
Organized work is the best foundation for any kind of projects; it consists on preparing a detailed list of tasks called a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). A successful project is the outcome of a WBS where tasks are detailed in a top-bottom structure with all details of the major deliverables. Well prepared WBS should reflect all stakeholders’ needs and expectations. breaking down the tasks facilitate the communication between the various groups involved in the project as well as facilitate the integration of new members who where not present at the beginning of a project; in addition to that, solving problems encountered during the project implementation can be easier.
WBS is known in the Defense programs by Product Breakdown Structure (PBS), and Bill of Materials (BOM). Different identification for one concept: listing a project tasks for a guaranteed success.
As for an academic project, a WBS will certainly be the foundation that reflects the goals and objectives of the project trough designed tasks and assignments. All stakeholders will be able to estimate the benefits of the outcomes and prepare for a contingency plan in case of unexpected problems.
Chapter 7, Realistic scheduling
Breaking down the project structure is very important for the success of a project, and it not only about listing tasks and assigning duties, it is also taking in consideration the implementation schedule. Costumers, who are one of the five stakeholders of a project, consider that “a realistic schedule” makes a project successful. According to Verzuh (2005, Ch. 7), “a realistic schedule:
· Includes a detailed knowledge of the work to be done
· Has task sequences in the correct order
· Accounts for external constraints beyond the control of the team
· Can be accomplished on time, given the availability of skilled people and enough equipment”….
These rules for a realistic schedule trace a parallel line to the Work Breakdown structure (WBS) rules. They complement each other in assuring the success of a project, regardless the nature of the project; therefore a WBS without a realistic scheduling, or vice versa, open doors for unexpected risks.
In this case, it is to be assumed that contingency plans are not available and failure of the project is the result of this lack. This apply to all kind of project
Chapter 5, Risk Management
There is nobody who can affirm that he/she had successful projects all the time. The risk factors that lead to a project failure are not important by themselves; Risks exist and they are not avoidable sometimes. For this reason, a risk management with contingency plans is important in reducing the damages and makes them avoidable in a future project.
A project manager who design a project and put in implementation with full confidence of the success of all details of his design will make his project vulnerable to non remediable damages because he/she did not design any contingency plan that might help in absorbing the shock of the encountered problems in order to reduce the delays and damages, and continue forward in implementation.
In academic training at the DLI, delays can affect the students’ results, it does not cause a regression but it will not enhance improvement the way expected by the project designer, however, it might be an eye opener on the weaknesses sides of the project and the designer will modify his/her design, for the best of the trainees and the success of the project.
Chapter 6, Work Breakdown Structure
Organized work is the best foundation for any kind of projects; it consists on preparing a detailed list of tasks called a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). A successful project is the outcome of a WBS where tasks are detailed in a top-bottom structure with all details of the major deliverables. Well prepared WBS should reflect all stakeholders’ needs and expectations. breaking down the tasks facilitate the communication between the various groups involved in the project as well as facilitate the integration of new members who where not present at the beginning of a project; in addition to that, solving problems encountered during the project implementation can be easier.
WBS is known in the Defense programs by Product Breakdown Structure (PBS), and Bill of Materials (BOM). Different identification for one concept: listing a project tasks for a guaranteed success.
As for an academic project, a WBS will certainly be the foundation that reflects the goals and objectives of the project trough designed tasks and assignments. All stakeholders will be able to estimate the benefits of the outcomes and prepare for a contingency plan in case of unexpected problems.
Chapter 7, Realistic scheduling
Breaking down the project structure is very important for the success of a project, and it not only about listing tasks and assigning duties, it is also taking in consideration the implementation schedule. Costumers, who are one of the five stakeholders of a project, consider that “a realistic schedule” makes a project successful. According to Verzuh (2005, Ch. 7), “a realistic schedule:
· Includes a detailed knowledge of the work to be done
· Has task sequences in the correct order
· Accounts for external constraints beyond the control of the team
· Can be accomplished on time, given the availability of skilled people and enough equipment”….
These rules for a realistic schedule trace a parallel line to the Work Breakdown structure (WBS) rules. They complement each other in assuring the success of a project, regardless the nature of the project; therefore a WBS without a realistic scheduling, or vice versa, open doors for unexpected risks.
In this case, it is to be assumed that contingency plans are not available and failure of the project is the result of this lack. This apply to all kind of project
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