1. Project rules are the foundation
a) Agreement on the goals of the project among all parties involved
b) Control over the scope of the project
c) Management support
2. Publish a project charter
Because projects are unique and temporary, a project manager’s position and authority are temporary. The charter clearly establishes the project manager’s right to make decisions and lead the project. A charter is powerful, but it is not necessarily complex.
3. Statement of work (SOW)
A SOW answers many questions about a project, including the purpose, scope, deliverables, and chain of command. Clearly documented and accepted expectations begin with the statement of work. It lists the goals, constraints, and success criteria for the project—the rules of the game.
SOW is for members of the same organization. Contract might be needed if the team is consists of multiple organization. Although it is used to manage expectations and establish agreements, much like a contract, the SOW as it is described here is not meant as a substitute for a contract.
4. Responsibility matrix
A responsibility matrix lays out the major activities in the project and the key stakeholder groups. Using this matrix can help avoid communication breakdowns between departments and organizations because everyone involved can see clearly who to contact for each activity. The steps involved:
a) List the major activities of the project.
b) List the stakeholder groups.
c) Code the responsibility matrix - RACI
d) Incorporate the responsibility matrix into the project rules
Even though there are a lot of paper works on project management but these papers track the project well and ensure the success of the project. Update those forms whenever changes happen to the project.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
BUS 528 - Chapter 3 Ideas
1. Stakeholders are the heart of a successful project
Although a project can contain many stakeholders, most of them fall into a predictable set of roles. By understanding the classic roles, it will be easier to seek out stakeholders and understand their stake in the project.
2. It is clear that we need to know who our stakeholders are. It is also true that many projects fail to involve one or more critically important problems are easily predictable: requirements conflicts and rework, at a minimum: and sometimes more dire consequences, including lawsuits or hefty fines.
3. Stakeholder Roles can be: project manager, project team member, management, the customer and the representatives of external constraints.
4. Project manager to lead the stakeholders
To control who is allowed to influence the project and manage upward. Many of the stakeholders need you to ask the hard questions, provide reasonable alternatives, confront them with facts, and continually motivate them toward action by your own persistence and enthusiasm.
Have a good communication plan with stakeholders can help the project runs with less problem. With the support from the stakeholders will have less chance to get it to be on the 'cutting board'.
Although a project can contain many stakeholders, most of them fall into a predictable set of roles. By understanding the classic roles, it will be easier to seek out stakeholders and understand their stake in the project.
2. It is clear that we need to know who our stakeholders are. It is also true that many projects fail to involve one or more critically important problems are easily predictable: requirements conflicts and rework, at a minimum: and sometimes more dire consequences, including lawsuits or hefty fines.
3. Stakeholder Roles can be: project manager, project team member, management, the customer and the representatives of external constraints.
4. Project manager to lead the stakeholders
To control who is allowed to influence the project and manage upward. Many of the stakeholders need you to ask the hard questions, provide reasonable alternatives, confront them with facts, and continually motivate them toward action by your own persistence and enthusiasm.
Have a good communication plan with stakeholders can help the project runs with less problem. With the support from the stakeholders will have less chance to get it to be on the 'cutting board'.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
BUS 528 - Chapter 2 Ideas
1. Projects Require Project Management
The range of activities in any workplace can be broken down into two groups: projects and ongoing operations. Projects are all the work that’s done one time, and ongoing operations represent the work we perform over and over. Every project has a beginning and an end; and also every project produces a unique product. Projects are unique and temporary.
2. The Challenge of Managing Projects
Because projects have different characteristics than ongoing operations, they pose a brand-new set of challenges. Challenges include – Personnel, Estimating, Authority and Controls – managing projects presents a different set of challenges.
3. Project Management is Industry-Independent – Project Manager Are Not
From Silicon Valley to Broadway, projects of every size are becoming more efficient, and their products are improving in quality, thanks to the use of solid project management methods. This industry independence has been a major factor in the development of project management as a discipline, but that independence doesn’t extend to the people practicing the discipline. Project managers must not only know how to operate in business and project environments, they must also be well acquainted with the focus of the project.
Managing projects are challenging. Projects are usually unique and temporary, the group members already have their other work to do; to get a project done on time involves a lot of plannings and disciplines.
The range of activities in any workplace can be broken down into two groups: projects and ongoing operations. Projects are all the work that’s done one time, and ongoing operations represent the work we perform over and over. Every project has a beginning and an end; and also every project produces a unique product. Projects are unique and temporary.
2. The Challenge of Managing Projects
Because projects have different characteristics than ongoing operations, they pose a brand-new set of challenges. Challenges include – Personnel, Estimating, Authority and Controls – managing projects presents a different set of challenges.
3. Project Management is Industry-Independent – Project Manager Are Not
From Silicon Valley to Broadway, projects of every size are becoming more efficient, and their products are improving in quality, thanks to the use of solid project management methods. This industry independence has been a major factor in the development of project management as a discipline, but that independence doesn’t extend to the people practicing the discipline. Project managers must not only know how to operate in business and project environments, they must also be well acquainted with the focus of the project.
Managing projects are challenging. Projects are usually unique and temporary, the group members already have their other work to do; to get a project done on time involves a lot of plannings and disciplines.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
BUS 528 - Chapter 1 Project Management Is the New Critical Leadership Skill – Ideas
1) Project Management is the essential skill set for twenty-first century leaders
Projects are all the work we don one time. Fundamental to understanding the importance of projects is realizing that each one produces something unique. Project management is a discipline – a set of methods, theories and techniques that have evolved to manage the complexities of work that is unique and temporary. Even as the discipline continues to evolve, it can claim a proven track record.
2) Project Management as a strategic strength
Strategic strength refers to a competitive edge that influences the strategy of the firm. At best, it is such a dominant strength that it keeps competitors from entering the marketplace, shaking their heads, and exclaiming “I can’t compete with that!” Project management is not a strategic strength for every firm, because not every firm is project-based.
3) The art and science of project leadership
There is no question that the best project managers are also outstanding leaders. They have vision, they motivate, they bring people together, and, most of all, they accomplish great things.
The five project success factors:
a) Agreement among the project team, customers, and management on the goals of the project
b) A plan that shows an overall path and clear responsibilities and that can be used to measure progress during the project.
c) Constant, effective communication among everyone involved in the project.
d) A controlled scope.
e) Management support
The art of leadership embodies skills that are gained through experience, sensitivity, and a thorough knowledge of the basic science of management.
These are the skills that a leader should have. In real life, in order to have a project to be successful, the effectiveness of communication among the team members involved in the project is very important.
Projects are all the work we don one time. Fundamental to understanding the importance of projects is realizing that each one produces something unique. Project management is a discipline – a set of methods, theories and techniques that have evolved to manage the complexities of work that is unique and temporary. Even as the discipline continues to evolve, it can claim a proven track record.
2) Project Management as a strategic strength
Strategic strength refers to a competitive edge that influences the strategy of the firm. At best, it is such a dominant strength that it keeps competitors from entering the marketplace, shaking their heads, and exclaiming “I can’t compete with that!” Project management is not a strategic strength for every firm, because not every firm is project-based.
3) The art and science of project leadership
There is no question that the best project managers are also outstanding leaders. They have vision, they motivate, they bring people together, and, most of all, they accomplish great things.
The five project success factors:
a) Agreement among the project team, customers, and management on the goals of the project
b) A plan that shows an overall path and clear responsibilities and that can be used to measure progress during the project.
c) Constant, effective communication among everyone involved in the project.
d) A controlled scope.
e) Management support
The art of leadership embodies skills that are gained through experience, sensitivity, and a thorough knowledge of the basic science of management.
These are the skills that a leader should have. In real life, in order to have a project to be successful, the effectiveness of communication among the team members involved in the project is very important.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
BUS 528 - Preparation - 'SMART' Project
The project I am going to work on will be my Capstone project. My goal of this project is to finish my project on time. I will work on a business plan for my future eCommerce business.
“SMART” goal is ‘S’pecific, ‘M’easurable, ‘Agreed Upon’, ‘R’ealistic and ‘T’ime-Framed. The goal of the project is to make sure I complete the project on time. First of all, I will find a Specific title of the project which will be a business plan of my future eCommerce business. This business plan will be a summary of what I have learnt from CALMAT. The length of the project will be 2 months. After I choose the title I will talk with my professor to make sure he’s ok with it before I start writing on the project. I will use MS Project software to do my time frame to manage the project from start to end.
“SMART” goal is ‘S’pecific, ‘M’easurable, ‘Agreed Upon’, ‘R’ealistic and ‘T’ime-Framed. The goal of the project is to make sure I complete the project on time. First of all, I will find a Specific title of the project which will be a business plan of my future eCommerce business. This business plan will be a summary of what I have learnt from CALMAT. The length of the project will be 2 months. After I choose the title I will talk with my professor to make sure he’s ok with it before I start writing on the project. I will use MS Project software to do my time frame to manage the project from start to end.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
BUS 528 - Preparation
A. Create a blog, upload a link to the blog to the project management blog forum. You can use any blog system, but I would recommend blogger.com. The first posting in your blog should be a short introduction to yourself, why did you choose this class and what do you expect to learn from this course. (30 min, upload link to your blog to project management blog forum at the top of this page)
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A. My name is Yoke Hew (you can call me Joyce). This is my last semester with CALMAT. Before I leave CALMAT with the MBA degree, I think this Project Management class is important for my future projects. The knowledge from the class will help me to manage my projects well and efficient.
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