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Fundamental

Project Management

Fasset: July/August 2013

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Fasset Welcome Note

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• Welcome to this learning programme in which you

will be introduced to the fundamentals of managing

a project in the workplace.

• You will be taken through the basic terminology

and then introduced to the project life cycle and

details about each phase of the cycle.

Fundamental Project

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Project Selection for Exercises

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• Please identify either a project that you are

currently busy with or one that is going to take

place in the next six months.

• Should you not have a specific workplace-based

project, please make use of the case study

contained in the workbook.

Fundamental Project

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Glossary of Terms

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Work through the glossary

of terms to familiarise

yourself with the basic

terminology of project

management.

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Learning Unit 1: Introduction

to Project Management

Fundamental Project

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Learning Map

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Introduction

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The most common definition of a project is:

• A sequence of activities,

• Connected over a period of time,

• With a unique and defined outcome.

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1.1. Characteristics of a Project

• Differs from the normal, run-of-the-mill activities of

the workplace,

• Has a clear scope,

• Has the purpose of bringing about a change,

• Has clearly defined goals which have to be

achieved within the set timeframe.


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Which of the following characteristics of a project as

identified in 1.1, could also be aligned to routine tasks

completed in the workplace?

Activity 1:

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1.2. Project Goals

Goals need to be :

• Specific,

• Measurable,

• Achievable,

• Realistic,

• Time-bound.

Goals need to be :

• Put in writing,

• Personal,

• Positive.


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What are the goals for your project?

Activity 2:


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1.3. Project V’s Operational Management

Due to the nature of a project, there is a distinct

difference between managing a project and managing

operations in a workplace.


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Given the three elements described, list the

characteristics of project management for a project in

your environment:

Project management is…

Activity 3:


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1.4. PMBOK

Project Management Body of Knowledge:

• As from 2013, PMI has identified general areas of

knowledge, which are briefly described in your

workbook.

• Further information can be obtained from PMI’s

website.


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Overview of Knowledge Areas and Processes

Source: www.pmi.org.za


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1.5. Project Stakeholders and Role-players

The sponsor’s responsibilities can include:

• Representing the interests of the organisation,

• Ensuring goals, objectives, and the project itself

has benefit,

• Providing resources,

• Making the project team aware of constraints,

• Helping to inspire and motivate the team.


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The Sponsor

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Stakeholders can be mapped and classified in terms

of the level of Interest and Power they may have on

a project – and therefore the potential Impact.


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Project Stakeholders

LEVEL OF INTEREST

LOW HIGH

LE

VE

L

OF

PO

WE

R LOW Minimal Effort

A

Keep Informed

B

HIGH Keep Satisfied

C

Key Players

D

These people are the people who do the actual work

during the execution of the project.

Members focuses on a few tasks (or perhaps only one

task), as assigned by the project manager.


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Project Team Members

Those people who have expertise in a particular area

and are used only for their expertise are termed key

team members.

They typically assist the project manager directly,

acting in a consultative capacity when their expertise

is required.


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Key team members

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These are the people who provide the resources for a

project and are crucial to the success of the project.

Their sole responsibility is to work with the project

manager to deliver the promised items or services on

time and at the agreed cost.


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Suppliers

This is the team leader who is responsible for making

sure the project is completed and the goals and

objectives are achieved.


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The Project Manager

Using the table provided, identify the stakeholders

and role-players in your project and provide the

details of their responsibility.

Activity 4:


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Project management requires resources. These

may be physical, financial or human resources,

depending on the project.

Physical resources are generally of two types:

• Direct resources

• Indirect resources


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1.6. Project Resources

Physical resources which will be needed by the

project team members themselves for use during the

project, e.g. laptops, telephones.


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Direct resources


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Indirect resources

Physical resources which suppliers or specialists

might require to complete their tasks as part of the

project execution and which they will access

themselves, e.g. equipment

needed to complete a

work package in the project.

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Using the table provided, identify both the direct and

indirect resources your project will require and where

these will be sourced from.

Activity 5:


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1.7. Project Success Factors

In his book, Project Management: A Systems

Approach to Planning, Scheduling, and Controlling,

Harold Kerzner writes about the Project Triangle.

He explains that a project is like a triangle that

balances time, cost and scope.


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Cost Time

Scope

Quality

Changes in any one of the three elements will affect the

other two elements.

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Project Triangle

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1.8. Best Practices

• Clear, concise project definition and project plan.

• Clear outline of role players.

• A clear risk management strategy.

• Financial resources clearly outlined.

• A strategy for scope creep and change.

• Clear reporting mechanisms.

• Clear evaluation and close out strategy.


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1.9. Project Life Cycle

The cycle can be categorised into the following

phases, sometimes given different names:

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Fundamental Project

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1.10. The Project Manager’s Role

• Producing project management documents.

• Keeping an eye on the big picture.

• Motivating the project team and assisting them.

• Communicating with all role players.

• Acting as representative for the customers of the

project.


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Read the short case study provided and then answer

the questions which follow.

Activity 6:


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1.11. The Dreaded Scope Creep

Scope creep can come about from:

• Inadequate project monitoring,

• Poor change control,

• Weak project manager,

• Demanding sponsor.


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1.12. Project Failure

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Fail Succeed

Poor planning Thorough planning

No communication Good time management

Lack of resources Clear goals

Lack of commitment/Team

Etc…

Available resources

Etc…

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SELF-EVALUATION


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Learning Unit 2:

Project Initiation

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Learning Map


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Introduction

In today’s world, many of us are accidental project

managers: people who never intended to lead

projects until suddenly we find ourselves heading up

one at the request of a line manager or top

management.


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2.1. Initiating a Project

These are some of the key questions to answer when

initially considering the feasibility of a project:

• Background information about your company or

organisation?

• Name of your project?

• Why you are doing it (the purpose)?


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• Who will be involved?

• Whether this is a project you have asked to do or if

it has been assigned to you?

• How it will benefit you, your department, a specific

group of individuals, or your organisation as a

whole?


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Initiating a Project

• How much time you expect it to take?

• Whether you have identified any costs?

• What planning and tracking tools you will use?


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Initiating a Project

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2.2. Project Scoping

Effective scope management requires good

communication to ensure that everyone understands

the scope of the project and agrees upon exactly how

the project's goals will be met.


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2.3. Project Deliverables

A deliverable is the end product of the objective, and

must reflect the quantifiable, measurable state of the

objective.

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Objective Deliverable

Outline a QMS Model for

the organization

QMS Scope document

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Identify the objectives and deliverables for your

project, by populating the table provided.

Activity 7:


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2.4. The Most Suitable Project Team

Ask yourself:

• Can general experience be sufficient?

• Does the individual need specific experience?

• What interpersonal skills are required?

• How many skilled people will be needed?

• What level of supervision will be required?

• Not everyone is a team player. Is this important?


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Issues critical to the success of a project team:

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• Accountability

• Leadership

• Resources

• Responsibility

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Identify possible team members for your project, and

populate the table provided.

Activity 8:


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2.5. Risk and Constraints

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MURPHY’S LAW

Anything that can possibly go wrong – will.

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Risks categories to be considered include:

• Funding

• Time

• Staff

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• Customer Relations

• Project size or complexity

• External factors

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Risk Categories

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Risk has two characteristics:

• Uncertainty: it may or may not happen.

• Loss: the event has unwanted consequences.


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Risk Characteristics

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• Identify the risks,

• Determine the probability,

• Identify the impact,

• Determine the priority,

• Determine the Response,

• Decide on the action plan.

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Planning for Possible Risks

Using the risk categories listed in the table provided,

identify and rate potential risks to your project.

Activity 9:


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2.6.The Project Charter/ SOW

The Project Charter is the documented outline of the

project, and includes –

• Purpose

• Scope

• Objectives


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Complete a Project charter for your identified project.

Activity 10:


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Documents for Use in the Initiation Phase:

• Project Charter

• Project Team Charter

• Team Member Responsibilities

• Stakeholder Analysis


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SELF-EVALUATION


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Learning Unit 3:

Project Scheduling

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Learning Map


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Introduction

• New project managers often attempt to schedule

activities in sequence, one after the other.

• However, much time and money can be saved by

creating a plan that has several activities

happening simultaneously.


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3.1. Work Packages

Work packages can be on any level in the work

breakdown structure and are characterised by:

• Clear timeframes,

• Clear description of the work to be performed,

• Costing,

• Responsible parties.


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3.2. Work Breakdown Structure

The Work Breakdown Structure or WBS is the

baseline tool which will help to ensure that the rest of

the project monitoring tools are effective.

The more precise the WBS is, the better you will be

able to monitor other areas of the project in relation to

the WBS.


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Work Breakdown Structure

Compile a basic WBS for you project, using the space

provided.

Activity 11:


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3.3. Milestones & Milestone Charts

Milestones are the major elements or steps of a

project and milestone chart is a chart, showing all the

milestones to be reached during the project.


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3.4. Project Timelines

• In setting timelines, don't forget to consider how

much time you'll need to gather resources and do

the work.

• It is also a wise practice to allow extra time for the

unexpected.

• The timeframes need to be included in the WBS

document – after careful consideration!


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Write in the timelines for your project, using the WBS

you completed in the previous activity.

Activity 12:


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3.5. The Network Diagram

A network diagram is a sequence of steps (activities),

commonly represented by blocks, that are linked

together in the logical sequence they need to be

carried out.


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The Network Diagram

Source: www.cnx.org

Using your WBS, compile a network diagram for at

least two work packages in your project.

You may use the space provided for this activity.

Activity 13:


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3.7. The Critical Path of a Project

The critical path shows the longest necessary path

and therefore the longest time needed to complete a

project.

Any delay of an activity on the critical path directly

impacts on the planned project completion date and

indicates scope creep.


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The Critical Path

Source: www.cnx.org

Mark off the critical path on the network diagram you

compiled in the previous activity.

Activity 14:


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SELF-EVALUATION


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Documents for Use in the Scheduling Phase:

• Work Breakdown Structure in a Spreadsheet

• Risk Analysis


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Learning Unit 4:

Project Planning

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Learning Map


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Introduction

Once the scheduling and the WBS have been

finalised, it is an easy task to finalise the actual,

detailed planning.

The most common method of doing this is to use a

Gantt Chart.


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4.1. The Gantt Chart

Gantt chart consists of a horizontal scale divided into

time units (days, weeks, months) and a vertical scale

showing the work packages and sub activities.

The work packages, tasks and sub tasks are then

listed in sequence of time, taking into account task

dependency or which tasks occur simultaneously.


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The Gantt Chart

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Compile the Gantt Chart for two of your work

packages identified in the previous activity. You may

use the grid provided for this purpose.

Activity 15:


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4.2. Project Costing and the Budget

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Any Project Budget should be made up out of the

following costs:

• Direct

• Indirect

• Contingency Costs

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Compile a basic budget/costing for your project. You

may use the template provided for this purpose.

Activity 16:


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4.3. The Communication Plan

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Prior to the execution phase, it is necessary to identify

how each of the stakeholders will be kept informed of

the progress of the project.

For this purpose one uses a communication plan.

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SELF-EVALUATION


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Documents for Use in the Planning Phase:

• Budgeting Worksheet

• Gantt Chart

• Communication Plan


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Learning Unit 5:

Project Execution and

Monitoring

Fundamental Project

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Learning Map


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Introduction

The execution phase is normally the longest phase of

the project It is the phase within which the activities

and tasks are undertaken and the deliverables are

achieved.

It is also the phase where the project manager does

the most quality assurance.


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List the five most important tasks that you see for

yourself as manager of your project.

Activity 17:


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5.1. Implementing and Monitoring a Project

Of course, no project ever proceeds entirely as it was

estimated and planned.

The team’s challenge is having the determination and

discipline needed to apply the general project

management skills correctly and proactively.


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The objectives of project monitoring are to:

• Identify the current status of the project;

• Identify the potential for project failure; and

• Identify the need to change the way the project is

being managed or planned.


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Project Monitoring Objectives


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5.2. Change Control

Uncontrolled change is one of the biggest headaches

of a project manager.

Even a minor change made to the design of one of

the project components could affect whether or not

the project comes in on time, on schedule, or whether

it meets its objectives.


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1. Submission and receipt of change a request,

2. Review and logging of change requests,

3. Determination of the feasibility of change requests.

4. Approval of change requests,

5. Dissemination of information regarding the change.

6. Implementation and closure of change.


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Change Control Process

5.3. Budget Control

Even if the project objectives are met and the

deliverables are of an excellent quality, the fact that

more money was spent than originally anticipated

causes questions to be asked, explanations to given

and, very often, conflict.


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5.4. Progress Meetings

Before you begin executing the project, you should

schedule status meetings.

These meetings are typically held once a week,

although they can be less frequent, depending on the

project.


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5.5. Project Reports

There are a number of different reports that need to

be compiled at various intervals and the project

manager will have to identify the type of the report

needed and the frequencies of each report.


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Progress reports must be generated on a regular

basis, and in order for them to be effective, they need

to be:

• Easily understood,

• Easy to read,

• Concise,


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Progress Reports

• Based on facts,

• Clearly structured,

• Well prepared documents.

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5.6. Delegating During a Project

It is essential that the Project Manager understands

the process of delegation in the execution phase.

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You can do anything, but not everything.

-David Allen

Fundamental Project

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List those tasks in your project that could possibly be

delegated by you at any given point in the project.

Activity 18:


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5.7. Monitoring Team Performance

Through the monitoring and review of employee

performance the manager is able to establish if the

human resource of the project is in fact on track and

in line with the proposed project plan and scope.


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Actions which assist in monitoring project team

performance include:

• Set standards for team performance,

• Meet with the team,

• Communicate project information,

• Acknowledge achievements,

• Conduct team performance reviews.


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Effective Performance Monitoring

SELF-EVALUATION


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Documents for Use in the Execution Phase:

• Progress Report

• Milestone Report

• Change Control Request

• Change Control Log

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• Scope Control

• Progress Meeting

Agenda

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Learning Unit 6:

Project Closure

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Learning Map

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Fundamental Project

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Introduction

Following the completion of all project deliverables

and acceptance by the customer, a successful project

will have met its objectives and be ready for formal

closure.


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Number Area of project closure

1 Contract management

2 Stakeholder management

3 Project Administration

4 Project Evaluation

5 Close Out Report

Project Closure always includes at least 5 areas,

regardless of the type of project or intervention:

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Project Closure Areas


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6.1. The Close Out Report

Broad categories of a close out report include:

1. Project Purpose & Deliverables

2. Project Outputs (targets, budgets, time-frames)

3. Financials

4. Evaluation5. Risks and Challenges

6. Lessons Learnt

7. Recommendations for future interventions


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List those heading and sub headings you would

include in your project’s close out report.

Activity 19:


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6.2. Project Handover

Here are a few guidelines on effective project

handover, specifically for the project manager:

• Don’t rush it

• Get the right signoff

• Document everything


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6.2. Project Review

Reviewing the project as a whole is an important

aspect of the project processes.

Although it reflects on the history of the project, its

benefit is future focussed.


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List those tasks in your project that would need to be

reviewed.

Activity 20:


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SELF-EVALUATION


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Documents for Use in the Close Out Phase:

• Project Close Out Checklist

• Project Management Check Sheet


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Projects are not always easy – but then they’re not

always difficult either!.

Like every major event in life, what transpires (and

how it takes place) in a project depends very much on

how the planning and preparation is undertaken.

Fundamental Project

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CONCLUSION


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Thank You

For more information

please contact the

Fasset Call Centre

on 086 101 0001

or visit www.fasset.org.za

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