Creating A Project Management Plan

GOAL: With a Good Plan, the Proof is in the Results

As you know, homeowners convey their vision to architects to design their dream homes. Architects then draw up “schematic designs” or blueprints that translate homeowner aspirations for builders to estimate construction costs.

In construction, two important elements figure for implementing successful projects—time and money. As the trade saying goes, “time is money and schedule is budget.” That’s why construction plans are essential in nailing down costs to the exact penny.

And, how other professional fields can learn from the building industry to make smart adaptations unique to their own needs. At the heart of this management process is getting a firm handle on the project plan itself.

There are many components to a project plan; here are some.

1. Basic components of a solid project plan
2. Background or rationale for the project (as in drawing up blueprints to build an energy-saving house using green technology)
3. Scope outlining the extent of the project—indoor footprint of the house not exceeding 1500-square feet, indoor rooms and outdoor spatial requirements such as patio and courtyard
4. Stakeholders or sponsors—or homeowners
5. Project manager—or lead contractor
6. Project goal and objectives—where time is money and schedule is budget
7. Project timelines—when specific tasks start and end
8. Work to be performed—detailed breakdowns of specific tasks
9. Risks and assumptions—anticipate bottlenecks before they occur
10. Project cost—in a previous blog, I identified 5 tips for arriving at a budget
11. Agreement and authorization to commence the project

It’s important to know that plans are subject to changes and revisions as projects proceed, with each change noted as it impacts both plan and budget.

What’s the utility of a plan? It helps project managers complete jobs on time and within budget—and a sure way to build solid professional reputations.

BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit http://www.projectmanageit.com/ for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com/.





 

Project Management Skills to Develop

GOAL: How Do You Set the Stage?

As project managers know, it’s important to set the stage from the get-go. As I mention in my book, it’s like producing a movie without setting the stage first—no script, cast, production staff nor stage.

As project manager, you’re the movie producer. Would you want to start a project without a plan? With a practical plan in hand, you’ll also need to grasp these other skills to continue managing your project for solid results.

Seeing the Potential for Success
Sigmund Freud noted, “We are who we imagine others believe we are.” If we believe what we perceive, and then achieve, we’ll definitely see successful results with our impassioned endeavors. We’ll never let roadblocks keep us from detouring safely on to our destination.

Assessing Team Member Skills
An effective project manager is able to size up their own and team members’ talents and skills in contributing optimally to getting tasks done. Most of all, you as team leader, must have the gumption and resilience to bounce back from hitting road bumps—of which there will be quite a few. Don’t even think of failure to dilute your positive energies!

The Tool is Only as Good as the Owner
There are numerous software tools for project planning—such as Microsoft Project, for example. But until you’ve mastered the software, it’s a waste of resources, time and emotional energy to get up to speed it to use it, while trying to manage a project, as well.

Instead, I suggest using what works to track:

1. Project status
2. Tasks (deliverables)
3. Key dates (milestones)
4. Decision makers (stakeholders)
5. Risk or issues

Establishing Resources
And, it’s time for the cameras to roll! This stage is called, “PMO” or project management office. That’s when you gather people, equipment, facilities and every item needed to implement your project—from the very start.

And, as project manager, you need to instill confidence in every team member.

BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit http://www.projectmanageit.com/ for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com/.





 

Project Management Demystifies by De-stressing You

GOAL: Code Blue Managers Plan for Contingencies & Don’t Panic

When you watch ABC-TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy” hospital series, it’s common to see the ER or emergency room alert on “Code Blue” to signal a case of dire patient distress—with the need to resuscitate them from cardiac arrest or heart attack.

Well, Code Blue is an apt analogy for rescuing projects when they go astray, too. That’s when a project management professional needs to be even more adept in preventing the team process from hemorrhaging further.

Understandably, it’s not easy when emotions all around are flying high for the person in charge to calmly assess what needs doing, in order to save the life of the project.

Code Blue Strategy
But, this is the ultimate test of a project manager’s skills. The ability to take stock of the problem situation as soon as it arises and ably turning it around again— without other people realizing that a problem had occurred.

I recommend crafting a few contingency plans before they’re needed. That is, imagine challenges and emergencies that could foil your plan—before they happen. Brainstorm for ideas from stakeholders such as team members and even clients for suggestions on, “what if situations.” (As an aside, when clients are involved, it helps them segue into Plan B if the need arises.)

Over time, I’ve learned not to panic in dealing with emergencies. For example, I’d arranged for a local DJ to emcee a class reunion. He was to show up 30 minutes prior to the reunion. But, he didn’t, nor answer my phone calls.

Taking a deep breath, I went to the hotel reception to see if they had speakers or a radio. Luckily, they had a radio I could hook up my iPod to for background music. Then, the DJ arrived, late. (BTW, he’s not been re-hired.) I extended the cocktail hour another 30 minutes. Incredibly, no one was any wiser.

Be Prepared
Project planning can throw you curves—and the need to think on your feet, without high drama nor being stressed out by it.

BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit http://www.projectmanageit.com/ for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com/.

How to Become a Project Management Professional

GOAL: Why The Buck Must Stop With Me

Throw out the blame game. That’s what I’ve learned from managing projects. As project manager, you shoulder the entire responsibility of getting the job done—and well.

President Harry Truman coined the phrase, “The buck stops here.” He bravely faced up to ownership, both good and bad. Ownership is the open secret that gets everyone over the fence—by being determined to face up to what needs fixing and the temerity to proceed, even when all heck breaks lose.

Here are my tips gleaned from first-hand experiences on what it takes to become a top-notch project management professional.

1) Anticipate Problems
After a few projects, the astute manager will have developed the ability to anticipate problems before they happen. It may not be easy in the beginning, but experience and tuning in to intuition will help to sniff out, and to be prepared for, snafus.

2) Never Lose Your Cool
What good would it do to blow up, especially when your project needs positive energy and efforts to get back on track?

3) Learn from Missteps
Never ever take making mistakes as the end of the world. With each calamity, tip it around by learning what to avoid in future, similar situations. Modify, adapt and innovate.

4) Recognize When You Need a Manager
It speaks volumes when the person in charge realizes they need someone else to manage a plan’s actual operations. Own up to your limitations, even if it means getting someone else to steer the project towards positive outcomes.

5) Self-examination
Never beat yourself up when things go awry. Instead, ask:

• What can I do to make the situation better?
• How can I learn from this situation?
• What could I have done to prevent it?

Bottom-line goal? Being honest with self and one’s actions are vital to becoming a successful pro in any endeavor.

BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit http://www.projectmanageit.com/ for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com/.

Project Management Methodologies: How to Create Yours

GOAL: Task-oriented Procedures Versus Timelines and Deadlines

As you may notice, the majority of project management books break up the planning process into chunks of time in meeting deadlines. Granted events move in a linear fashion time-wise, but there are also other ways to skin a cat.

Especially since every project is different in terms of goals, scope and team members carrying out various activities, I’m suggesting other creative ways to eat an elephant. Such as, planning activities along task-oriented procedures.

This way, you can envision eating an elephant in bite-sized morsels that you can digest, at your own pace, as you face different tasks and derive fulfillment in accomplishing them. Taken as a whole, a task-oriented methodology is more easily accommodated and accountable to complete.

By definition, the term “methodology” insists that you lay out a plan to accomplish your project goals—from thinking through actions and steps with a clear order, and how precisely scarce resources (human and capital) will be utilized to realize bottom line value.

This is at the very heart of project management—the ability to devise a workable plan that defines project goals while specifying exactly (with what activities) how these goals will be met, and who would be involved with each task, and within a particular time frame.

There are many approaches managers use—project-based management, critical chain project management (CCPM) or extreme project management (XPM), to name a few.

However, determining which approach to use will always cover five basic stages of any project management:

1. Define
2. Plan
3. Execute
4. Monitor
5. Closure or completion

That’s why I encourage you to create your own methodologies in working through these five stages, with each requiring different scenarios and tasks.

I fully believe success is leveraged through individual initiative—by taking innovative steps outside the box, and beyond. (BTW, this is how trailblazers and pioneers accomplish breakout innovations and achievements.)

BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit http://www.projectmanageit.com/ for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com/.

A Project Management Process with Brainstorming

GOAL: 5 Tips for Productive Brainstorming

Tell me and I'll forget, show me and I may remember, involve me and I'll understand. ~ Chinese Proverb

One of the most challenging, yet fun, parts of project management is starting the process itself—with team members to define their tasks and assigning responsibilities to those with relevant skills.

This comes after you’ve identified the PMO (project management office). In a previous blog, I wrote about setting the stage with the PMO. This is where you organize your passel of team members and gather tools such as location and equipment to begin production.

The Cycle of Decision-Making
With your PMO in place, the next step involves the cycle of decision-making; this sets the tone, pace and eventual results of your project.

There are three steps to group decision-making:

• Brainstorming
• Research
• Resolution

 5 Tips for Productive Brainstorming

1. Let ideas roll and pop—but do not compliment or downgrade comments. Why? Because no judgment enters at this stage, even as no idea is a bad idea. Preface every session with this statement. And, take notes.
2. Encourage wild and outrageous ideas to spark and foment more ideas.
3. Quantity counts (not quality), at this stage. The more ideas emerge, the more likely good ideas are to be found.
4. Build on ideas. Encourage fast ideas and keep expanding on them to widen your repertoire. Adapt and improve on ideas.
5. Encourage everyone to participate—including you, as you keep up taking down notes.

Emphasize that each idea produced belongs to the group, not to the person who said it. This way, group ownership by team members makes it easy for everyone to buy into the ideas generated.

Good ideas produce strategic outcomes. Sun Tzu, a Chinese military strategist, cautioned, “Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.”

BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit http://www.projectmanageit.com/ for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com/.

 

What Are Successful Project Management Skills?

GOAL: Discovering Your Inner Manager

As a career manager, I’m often asked what skills are needed for successful project management. My answer? Your confidence in pulling off successful projects—every time. That’s how you build a solid reputation, too.

Being a successful manager is not in the genes. Rather, it’s most encouraging to know that anyone can learn and master the basic concepts of planning, executing and completing a project on time and within budget.

It’s no mystery too, that everyone is faced with having to manage life projects on a daily basis. Say you’re growing an indoor potted herb garden.

You’re involved in project planning “how to” steps when you:

1.  Think through how to get started with the necessary equipment—what kinds of herbs to grow, getting the seeds, new pots and/or pretty recycled containers, and where to place them in your home or office windowsill.
2. Implement your plan by potting the seeds, watering them and rotating them around to catch either sunlight or artificial light.
3. Harvest the results to savor fresh basil in your salad and soup with gusto.

As you can see, project planning and management have been going on for as long as human beings have had to chow down elephant-sized plans into bite-sized morsels to get the job done.

In other words, deftly chewing through an assignment from beginning to end with productive results is project management in a nutshell.

Three Skill Secrets
Three skills are essential for productive project planning:

• Focus
• Planning
• Patience

When you’re focused on writing that research paper well, you give it your all—with due diligence, thereby inspiring excellence.

You’ll also plan your research strategy with online and offline academic, trade and/or professional sources for the most reliable and respected sources.

Patience with self and others is crucial—to avoid jobs done hurriedly with little traction for results.

Tell us what your tips for successful project management are.

BIO: A corporate executive and entrepreneur, Angela Brister is the author of When Life Hands You A Project, Manage It! Visit http://www.projectmanageit.com/ for more online project management ideas. You're welcome to quote from this article and credit the source to Angela Brister at: http://projectmanageit.blogspot.com/.