Project:

Projects are not ongoing operations in a company.

Projects are not routine activities
Projects are
o Temporary
o Defined purpose
o Defined Beginning and End
o Human and other resources

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product,

service, or result.
The temporary nature of projects indicates that a project has a definite beginning
and end. The end is reached when the projects objectives have been achieved or
when the project is terminated because its objectives will not or cannot be met, or
when the need for the project no longer exists.

Project Management:
Planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of resources for a specific time
period to meet a specific set of one-time objective.
Project management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and
techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.
Application of skills and methods to deliver projects
1. On time
2. On budget
3. Up to specification
We manage projects on daily basis
For Example: Getting to University on time.
6:00 alarm
6:05 washroom
6:15 prayer
6:25 shave
6:35 shower
6:50 Dressing
7:00 Breakfast
7:20 Drive to work
8:00 on time
So we all have inherent knowledge of skills and methods of project management.
Difference is in the magnitude

Project management versus Crisis management?

Criteria for a successful project:
Well defined scope: must be clearly defined

Sponsor: must have a sponsor with the need, authority and budget
Will: will to succeed. The sponsor must have some need which is being

fulfilled by the project.

Approval: formal approval
Though following factors are important but not mandatory for a successful project
Technical skills
Special equipment
Detail team knowledge
PMI = Project management institute, it is an International, non-profit group of
volunteers focused on project management best practices
PMBoK = Project management body of knowledge
PMP = Project management professional
How does PMBoK define PM?
1. Scope
2. Time
3. Cost
4. Quality
5. Human resources
6. Communication
7. Risk
8. Procurement
9. Stakeholder
10.Integration of all above areas

Project, Program, Portfolio and Operational Management

Program: Collection of projects
Portfolio Management: deals with a Suite of programs which fulfills an organizational
requirement. It is about long term vision of an organization.
Operational Management: Day to day execution of business.
Portfolio Management:
Large focus
Could be several programs
Program Management:
Related projects having a common theme
May have a business unit focus
Co-ordinates resources and dependencies across Projects

Project Management Process Groups:

Initiating: Project validation

o Project/phase definition
o Preliminary budget approved
o Project charter is created (with initial scope)
o Stakeholders registry is started
o Project manager is assigned.
o Project validation and approval
Planning: covers all knowledge areas
o On-going activity.
o Project management plan is created which addresses all knowledge
o

areas
Separate management plans may be created for large complex

o
o

projects
Secret to success lies in good planning
For example: good scope we have good WBS. Good WBS we have good

schedule, good scope good budget,

Executing: actual work
o Actual work is done (least management activity)
o PM focuses on supporting the team i.e. removing the road blocks. Help
the team to work in an effective and efficient manner for example:

provide training if required, etc.

Monitoring & Controlling: facilitate the team by removing road blocks, project
tracking etc.
o Tracking progress: track actuals for example: amount of work done vs
amount of work expected to be done

o
o

Updating plan: update plan with respect to the performance

Reporting performance: report back to stake holders and actions taken

to keep your plan on track

Closing: returning resources back to the pool
o Ending a project
o Gaining final acceptance
o Lessons learned: what worked and what didnt. Information should be
o

shared across the organization by publishing

Reusable material

Project Management Process Groups Explained

Project Initiation:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Definition of project or phase

Initial scope defined (high level)
Assign a project manager.
Develop project charter
Includes business vision,
timeline,
budget and
cost benefit analysis
identification of possible risks
5. Identify stakeholders
Create stakeholder register
After getting approval to proceed PM will move on to planning phase

Project Planning:

Knowledge
Area

Planning Process

Output

Project integration mgt

Develop project mgt plan

Project management
plan

Project scope
management

Plan scope management

Collect requirements
Define scope
Create WBS

Scope management
plan
Requirements Doc and
RTM
Project scope statement
Scope baseline

Project time
management

Plan schedule management

Define activities
Sequence activities
Estimate activity resources
Estimate activity durations
Develop schedule

Project cost management

Plan for cost management

Estimate cost
Determine budget
Project quality
management

Plan for quality management

Perform quality assurance
(doing right things)
Control quality (doing things
right)

Project human resource

mgt

Plan for human resource

management
Acquire project team
Develop project team
Manage project team

Project communications
mgt

Plan for communications

Manage communications
Control communications

Project risk management

Plan for risks

Identify risks
Perform analysis
Plan risk responses
Control risks

Project procurement mgt

Plan for procurement

Conduct procurements
Control procurements
Close procurements

Project stakeholder mgt

Identify stake holders

Plan for stakeholder mgt
Manage stakeholder mgt
Control stakeholder
engagement

PM Processes VS Project Life cycle:

Analysis: what are the expectations of stake holders and business?

Design
Execution / actual construction
Finalization

Project Management, stake holders and governance

Project Manager:

100% responsible for successful delivery of the project i.e. on time, on

budget, up to the specification and quality. PM achieves this target with the

help of a team
Neither a business expert nor an IT expert of current technologies!

 PM knowledge: PMBok guide

PM performance: Application of PM knowledge
Skills Required by a PM:
1. Leadership
2. Team building
3. Motivation
4. Communication (introvert versus extrovert)
5. Influencing
6. Decision maker
7. Political awareness
8. Negotiation (with team, business, etc.)
9. Trust building
10.Conflict management
11.Coach

Stakeholders:
Anyone with an interest in the project
Senior management, middle management, operational staff.
Affected department
Interested department
Others (pros or cons)
Internal and External (suppliers, customers etc.)
Key stakeholders: sponsor, acceptor, Subject matter expert (SME) and users
Stake holder Analysis includes a chart having following data items
1. Name
2. Department
3. Position
4. Representation
5. Objectives
6. Objective priority
7. Role in project

Governance:
From senior management view point
Project oversight: Is it achieving business plan expectations?
Project acceptance: initial approval after initiation.
Project guidance: ongoing support i.e. framework for making project decisions

PMI Code of Ethics

Responsibility
Respect
Fairness
Honesty

Project Organizational Structures

Organizational Environmental Factors:
Culture. Is it a risk-taking or risk-adverse organization?
Government regulations
Geographic distribution.

 Infrastructure. Access to tools/resources?

Human resources?
Market conditions. Sellers market or buyers market
Political climate with-in an organization, our ability to make decisions etc.
Organizational structures:
Functional Organization
o Big Boss
Functional Managers (HR, Marketing, Sales, Operations, Finance,
IT)

part-time PM
Project team is built from a functional area
Part-time team members
Little PM control on team members
Low subject matter expertise (in some areas)
Matrix (weak, balance and strong)
o Weak Matrix:
Project team is built from multiple functions
Part time team members
Un skilled + Part-time PM
Low PM control on team members
High subject matter expertise
o Balanced Matrix:
Project team is built from multiple functions
Part-time team members
Skilled + Full-time PM
Low PM control on team members
High subject matter expertise
o Strong Matrix:
Project team is built from multiple functions
Part-time team members
Dedicated project management group (PMO) having skilled full

Functional manager designates someone i.e. unskilled +

time PMs
Better PM control on team members
High subject matter expertise

Project
o Dedicated skilled PMs
o Dedicated skilled staff
o Full control on team members
o High subject matter expertise by hiring part-time subject matter
experts (cannot affect more than 25% of the total project)

Project Integration Management

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Develop project charter

Develop project management plan
Direct and manage project work
Monitor and control project work
Perform integrated change control
Close project or phase

Project Scope Management

1. Plan scope management (new process introduced in scope management in

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

PMBoK Guide 5)
Collect Requirements: what and why the business wants?
Define scope: define what project will do.
Create WBS: decomposition of scope into work packages.
Validate Scope
Control Scope
Plan Scope Management:
Input:
1. Project management plan
2. Project charter: high level scope.
Tools & Techniques:
1. Meetings
Output:
Scope management plan (change control, process of approval etc)
Requirements management plan (how will we track and manage

changes. RTM required)

Collect Requirements:
o Input:
Project Charter
Scope Management Plan
o Tools and Techniques:
Interviews, focus groups, surveys, etc (PMI mentions many
more)
Output:
Requirements documentation
Requirements traceability matrix
Define scope:
o Input:
Project charter
Requirements document
o

Tools & Techniques:

Product analysis: mentions all deliverables, alternative
evaluation
Output:
Project scope statement: includes what is in scope and what is
not in scope as well as acceptance criteria i.e. everything we
need to do and provide as a result of this project. It must be
comprehensive and unambiguous.

Create WBS:
o Input:
Project scope statement
o Tools & Techniques:
Decomposition

Output:
Scope baseline: this is the document through which we can

measure the change and progress of our project

WBS: manageable work packages
WBS dictionary: document that provides more details about work
package. E.g. accounting info, assumptions, constraints,

schedule requirement etc.

Validate Scope: gaining acceptance from the business about the deliverables.
Bear in mind that Inspection and validation of deliverables occurs in quality
management not in scope validation. You have to define timeline, turn around
process (one set of comments required from multiple reviewers), interim
acceptance process for scope validation.
o Input:
Requirement Document and RTM
Verified deliverables, work performance data
o Tools and Techniques:
Inspection, group decision making i.e. working with the acceptor
o Output:
Accepted deliverables, reworked deliverables, change requests
and defect reports
Try to get personal acceptance document from the acceptor.
Control Scope: Manage change and integrate change. Impact on schedule,
cost, risk, team etc.
o Input:
Requirements document, RTM, work performance data / team
o

status reports and time sheets

Tools and Techniques:
Variance analysis (e.g. why team members work on
unauthorized work etc.)
Output:
Work performance information (Tracking the scope/time/budget)
Change requests (check change request form. All changes must

be formally approved)/ Corrective actions

Report on change which includes updated plan, schedule,
budget, etc. Update the baseline.

Project Time Management:

1. Schedule management plan: plan how we are going to manage our
schedule. How we are going to track our progress weekly and report
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

our progress weekly

Define activities: (WBS, Activities, Work packages)
Sequence activities
Estimate activity resources
Estimate activity durations
Develop schedule
Control schedule

a) Plan schedule management:

Input:
1. Project charter
2. Project management plan
3. Project assets
Tools & Techniques:
1. Analytical techniques
2. Meetings
Output:
1. Schedule management plan (process for planning).
a. Upfront planning
b. Rolling wave planning

b) Define activities:
Input:
1. Scope base line
2. WBS
3. WBS dictionary
Tools & Techniques:
Decomposition: eg WBS: scope -> deliverable -> activities/work
package (assignable level. Must not be given to more than one
person for 2 weeks)
Outputs:

1. Activity list
2. Activity attributes
3. Mile stones (combination of activities for reporting)

c) Sequence Activities:
Input:
Activity list, milestone list, activity attributes
Tools & Techniques:
Precedence diagramming method e.g.
o Finish-to-finish, finish-to-start, start to start, start to finish.
o Mandatory, discretionary, external, internal
Output:
Project schedule network diagrams

d) Estimate activity resources:

Input: Activity list, resource calendar (human, supplies, equipment) e.g.
who is available?
Tools & Techniques: Bottom up estimating e.g. each task is broken down
into smaller steps and estimate about each step
Output: Activity resource requirement, resource break-down structure.

e) Estimate activity duration:

Input: Activity list
Tools and Techniques: Estimating techniques e.g. analogous, parametric,
three point (optimistic, pessimistic and most likely)
Output: Activity duration estimation.

f) Develop schedule:
Input: Activity list, resources, estimates, dependencies
Tools & Techniques: Critical path method, resource optimization
techniques, schedule compression
Output: project schedule

g) Control Schedule:
Input:
Project/schedule management plan
Work performance data: time sheets (accurate and timely), status
reports
Tools and techniques:
Performance reviews :
o detailed and accurate time sheets
o Trend analysis (for all team members)
o Critical path analysis (a sequence of tasks that impact the end-

date)
o Crashing / fast tracking
Resource optimization: Adjusting resources/Estimates/Assignments.
Initial planning and resource leveling= adjust over and under
allocation. might need rescheduling

Out puts:
Schedule forecast: on schedule, ahead or behind etc. corrective actions

Project Cost Management:

Plan Cost Management: develop plan for Cost management
Input: Project management plan, project charter and organizational process
assets
Tools & Techniques: Analytical methods, meetings
Outputs: Cost management plan.
Estimate Costs:
Input: Project schedule, scope baseline, risk register
Tools & Techniques: Estimating Techniques, Risk analysis (learning costs,
delays, I dont know! etc.), Cost of quality
Outputs: Activity cost estimates
Determine Budget: project cost spread over time
Input: Activity cost management, cost management plan
Tools & Techniques: cost aggregation
Output: cost baseline, project funding requirement.
Control Costs:
Input: cost management plan, work performance data
Tools & Techniques: performance reviews, forecasting, earned value
management
Output: cost forecasts, change requests.
Performance Reviews:
On time, on budget
Ahead of time, below budget
Ahead of time, over budget
On time, above budget
On time, below budget
Late, over budget
Late below budget
Earned value management:
Combines scope, schedule and budget
Provides a true project health indicator
Uses past to predict the future
As reliable as the FACTS
EV Basics:
Planned value: base line
Actual cost: cost incurred
Earned value: cost of value delivered

Project Human Resource Management

1. Plan human resource management
Input:
Project management plan
Activity resource requirements
Tools & Techniques:
Project organization charts (who reports to whom), RACI chart
(responsible, accountable, consulted and informed), 7 to 10
members would make an optimal team
Networking (the ability to deal with human resources and with other
managers)
Output:
Human resource management plan
2. Acquire project team
Input:
HR Plan
Organizational process assets
Tools & Techniques:
Pre assignment
Negotiation (re-planning required)
Acquisitions
Virtual teams (required more efforts from PM side)
Output:
Project staff assignment
Resource calendars (availability and vacations )
3. Develop project team
Input:
HR plan
Staff assignments
Tools & Techniques:
Interpersonal skills

Training
Ground rules
Team building
Tuckman Model:
Forming
Storming
Norming
Performing
Adjourning
Recognition & rewards
Assessments
Output:
Team performance assessments
4. Manage project team
Input:
HR plan
Staff assignments
Assessments
Performance
Reports
Tools & Techniques:
Observation and conversation
Interpersonal skills
Performance appraisals
Conflict management
o Withdraw / avoid
o Smooth / accommodate : find a way that makes everyone
happy
o Compromise / reconcile: mediate at greater level of detail to
get a common approach
o Force / direct:
o Collaborate / solve problem
Output:
Change request and other planning document updates

Project Quality Management

Plan quality management

Perform quality assurance (inspections, reviews, doing the right

thing)
Control quality (doing things right)
Plan Quality Management:
Input: Project Management Plan, Stakeholders, Risks, Requirements
documentation
Tools & Techniques: 7 quality tools, benchmarking, experiments,
sampling, cost benefit analysis.
7 Quality Tools:
cause and effect diagrams
flow charts
check sheets (whatever has done or left with comments,

documents review check sheets)

pareto diagrams (x: cause, y: occurrence)
histograms
control charts (upper and lower limits of weekly timesheets)
scatter diagrams

Output: quality management plan (stake holders quality

expectations?)
Perform Quality Assurance: (following standards)
Inputs: Quality Plan, Quality Metrics, Quality Control Measurement
Tools & Techniques: Quality Audits, Process Analysis (Right Things)
Outputs: Change requests, Project deliverable updates
Control Quality:
Inputs: Quality management plan, quality metrics, deliverables
Tools & Techniques: Sampling, inspections, walk-throughs, peer reviews
Outputs: deliverables updates, verified deliverables
Quality?
Quality versus grade
Customer satisfaction
Prevention over inspection
Continuous improvement
Management responsibility
Cost of quality
Project Communications Management:
Plan communications management: planning upfront
o Inputs: PM plan and stake holder register (who, what and when)
o Tools and techniques (How): Communications requirements
analysis, communication technology, Models and methods.

Outputs: communication management plan i.e. this kind of

information would be produced on daily/weekly/monthly bases
and who is getting what kind of information among stakeholders.
Communication channels if everyone can communicated to
everyone else in the team: n (n-1)/2. Decision about
communications technology i.e. urgency, availability, ease of
use and security/privacy issues. Style for personal, formal,

informal communications etc.

Manage communications: actual delivery (sharing project details with
stakeholders)
o Inputs: communications management plan, work performance
o

reports
Tools and techniques: communications, performance reporting

status reports on weekly bases etc.

o Outputs: project communications.
Control communications (ensure it happens in an organized fashion)
o Inputs: Project and communications management plan, Project
o

communications, issue logs

Tools & Techniques: Information Management system/Project

communications tool
Outputs: Work performance information.

Project Monthly status reports:

Project Name:
Reporting period:
Prepared by:

Major accomplishment this month:

Accomplishment 01
Accomplishment 02

Financial status: (graph representation would be great)

Total Budget:
Spending to date:
Estimate to complete:
Variance

Project schedule:
Efforts invested to date
Remaining efforts
%age completion
Snap shot of Gant Chart with only milestones visible would be great.

Major Issues:

Issue one

Issue two

Meetings:

Critical
Managed
Scheduled
Managed attendees
Managed agenda
minutes

Issue Management Log

Project Name:
Issue Name

Date

Due Date

Opened

Current
Status

Warning Signs:
1. un skilled project manager
2. key stake holders disagree with project priorities and dont engage in
appropriate debate to solve their issues
3. senior leaders dont make decisions in time or stop showing their
presence in meeting when required
4. customer representatives starts changing their minds / retract
statements made during earlier discussions
5. key members working on critical path tasks start missing deadlines in
order to juggle with priorities
6. Team members regularly use extra time defined in the project without
any apparent reason
7. Inadequate time and resources have been placed in order to
understand current business processes completely

8. Project manager is unaware of the project goals / senior leadership has

not shared its vision with the lower staff. No one is willing to take the
ownership of the product being produced.
9. Lack of enthusiasm of senior management
10.Placing too heavy a focus on project management
11.Sponsor doesnt give appropriate time to the project

Project Integration Management

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Develop project charter

Develop project management plan
Direct and manage project work
Monitor and control project work
Perform integrated change control
Close project or phase
Integrate all knowledge areas.