Project Management . The Change Agent

Vijay Prasad M.Tech, PMP

Visiting Ukraine in partnership with SoftServe

4 March, 2011

Some Good practices in Project Management

Strategic: Projects steer the global economy

• More than 20% of gross global product is spent on fixed capital projects

• Add projects in IT, new product and service development, and other knowledge work

• 20 million people worldwide work on project teams full-time or part-time

Source: PMI

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The Word Is Out • 50% of project failure

traceable to poor (or no) project management:– Bad estimates/deadlines– Scope changes– Poor resource planning

• “80% of higher-performing projects use a certified project manager

• More innovative organizations extend project thinking to program and portfoliomanagement

PricewaterhouseCoopers survey, 2007

Source: PMI

In General

3 out of 10 satisfied customers will tell others how good we are

…6 out of 10 dissatisfied customers will tell

others how bad we are...

Reality…

Project Management Competencies

Project Management

PMI identifies 5 competencies for effective Project Management

Project Management Knowledge

Personal Competency

Performance Competency

Industry /Domain Functional Competency

Organization practices &Knowledge

PMI Competency Development Framework

Project ecosystem

Other

Project Manager

Performing Organization Management

Project Team

Account ManagerSolution Partner

Business Partner

HR

Finance

Quality

PMO

The Project ecosystem

External Customer

Other

Project Manager

Performing Organization Management

Project Team

Solution Partner

HR

Finance

Quality

PMO

The Project ecosystem

Internal Customer

Some suggestions for Project Managers for driving projects to success

Project ManagerUnderstand Big PictureUnderstand clearly the requirements, objectives, functions, scope, quality standards, timelines, budgetUnderstand clearly all risksUnderstand Stakeholders ‘ requirements and their positionUnderstand clearly contractual obligationsUnderstand clearly constraintsRecord any assumptionsUnderstand deliverables acceptance & project success criteria.Understand the methodologyDevelop Project Charter and conduct Kick-off meeting

Project Manager

Develop WBS ACCURATELY Re-plan if taking over a previously planned project Establish/seek escalation path in your organization as well as in customer’ organization Establish effective Change Control ProceduresIdentify Team Members and clearly communicate Project requirements, objectives, functions, scope, quality standards, timelines, budget, risks, Contractual obligations, Stakeholders ‘ requirements & their position, methodology, deliverables acceptance & project success criteria. and project ecosystem

Project Manager

Visualize upfront deliverables and “changed state” after project completionUnderstand the change management requiredPLAN, PLAN, PLANPlan for training needs ESTIMATE ACCURATELY CONSIDERING ALL CONTINGENCIESCOMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATECommunicate upfront and seek agreement on Plan, methodology, all communications, report formats, frequency, distribution list, Change Control procedures

Project Manager

Assign Team roles and responsibilitiesInspire Team, explain your style, and seek commitmentEmphasis and follow on Professionalism, ethical behavior

Project Manager

Establish SLAs with all participants in Project ecosystemCommunicate plan to relevant participants in ecosystem and seek their commitmentEncourage peer-reviews Establish and communicate Customer QA and QC and audit processesEstablish, communicate, and enforce monitor and control processesEstablish, communicate and enforce governanceEstablish frequency of reviews

Project Manager

Monitor, measure progress accuratelyCommunicate progress timely and TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONSESCALATE judiciously and timely, and seek required help Create Knowledge Repository and record Lessons learned and best practices from Day 1

Project Manager

Ensure all deliverables developed to scope, QC all deliverablesSeek acceptance from customer of all deliverables Start each phase with approval and Close each phase with sign-off Close project with customer sign-off and as per legal RequirementsCreate excitement Celebrate each win with team and ecosystem playersRecognize performance in public and reprimand, mentor in private

Project Manager

Effective Project Managers understand that projects are born Red, and they have to constantly bring them into GreenIt is not Project Management, it is Project Management & LeadershipLead with motto of Prevention is better than cureAnd “like an apple a day keeps the doctor away”, project review and action a day keeps the project problems awayLead to make this project a case study for your Organization

Project Manager

Lead as if this the last project, and last opportunity to demonstrate your ability to drive the project to success

Project Manager

Project Manager’s Daily Check list:

1. Are we on target to deliver next deliverables to the scope and quality?

2. Are we exceeding customer expectations?3. Are we under budget? 4. Is the team motivated?

Project Manager

Project Manager’s Daily Check list:

5. What problems we foresee?o Customer satisfactiono Scopeo Scheduleo Costo Qualityo Teamo Riskso Process/Methodology

Project Manager

Project Manager’s Daily Check list:

5. What actions I have to take today?

Project Manager

Seek support from:

Your managementYour teamYour support teams – PMO, Quality, HR, Finance, and othersYour Solution PartnerYour Account ManagerYour Business Partner

And although Customer is the King, seek support from them to serve them better

I congratulate SoftServe and local Project Managers in Ukraine for starting theProject Management Community

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Thank you

My Contact Details

Vijay Prasad

vijayprasad001@gmail.com

Mobile: +91-98490-06070