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THIS IS ProjectManagementAn introductory guide to the world of Project ManagementAgile Management OfficeFatimah AbbouchiTools & Templates

Table of ContentsIntroduction1The Importance of Project Management2The Basics of Project Management3What is Project Management3This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.comThe Key Components of Project Management3Planning & Scheduling3Personnel & Resource Management7Project Finance Management11Benefits Management14Risk Management & Mitigation15Reporting17Stakeholder Management & Communication17Governance & Control22Popular Project Management Methodologies24Agile24Waterfall26Lean27Project Lifecycle281.Initiation292. Planning293. Execution, Monitoring, & Control334. Closure or Completion34

Table of Contents Continued3. Create a Schedule & Timelines374. Allocate Funds & Lay Down the Ground Rules375. Build a Fail-Safe386. Finalise the Plan38The Best Tools for Project Management39Project Tools Monopoly39Considerations when Introducing New Tools40Which Tool is the Best?40Commonly Used Tools & Possible Uses41Rollout Considerations41Top Tips for Introducing Project Managementin your Business42Measuring Success & Failure44Common Reasons for the Failure of a Project45Glossary46A Language all on its own51About the Author52How to Prepare a Project Plan in 6 Steps351.Pre-Planning352. Project Breakdown36This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

The basics of project managementThe importance of project managementThe key components of project managementProject management lifecycleThe three most popular frameworks of project managementHow to prepare a project plan in 6 easy stepsIdentifying and selecting project management toolsProject management languageTop tips for introducing project management in your organisationHow to gain more skills as a beginner in project management The words “project” and “management” when put together either invoke asense of frenzied excitement or a bout of nervous apprehension. Projectmanagement is very much a game of chess with many possible moves but onlytwo possible outcomes—a win or a stalemate.The mere thought of managing a project can send someone’s mindsomersaulting. It’s even worse if that person has never managed a projectbefore or been a part of a project team. It's a lot more common than you wouldthink, which is why we have put together this handy guide to get you startedwith project management.This book will cover:Managing and finishing a project on time and within budget is not simple,whether you are just starting out in project management or have years ofexperience under your belt. Each undertaking presents its own unique set ofproject management difficulties. Regardless of the type of project you'reworking on, you likely have to meet numerous deadlines and requirements. IntroductionPage 1This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

Without having a common language andunderstanding of Project Management. Itcan be hard to meet your organisationsand your teams' strategic objectives. It'simportant to understand the essentialsof project management so teams canbetter engage with project deliveryteams.There are probably several functions inyour organisation that you know arecritical to success, but that you don’treally understand. IT is a common one.Project management is another. Butwhile IT is largely about keeping yourinternal tech running, projectmanagement is a hands-on, boots on theground situation.Project managers help to ensure theprofitability of your whole company byensuring that work, often in the format ofmany finite projects, is delivered ontime, under budget, and correctly. So,it’s probably a good idea to understandwhat they do and how they can do itbetter. For seasoned project managers, this canbe a quick and dirty refresher on thesubject. Either way, we hope you willfind this book to be an easy, fast, andinformative read.TheImportanceof ProjectManagementIf you aresomeone whohas never had abrush withprojectmanagement,this guide willarm you withsome usefulinformation andprepare you forwhat’s to come.Let's get into it! Page 2This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

The Basics of ProjectManagementWhat is Project Management?The project is completed at the given time.The project was completed within the allocated budget.The completed project meets the quality criteria.Project management is a lot like driving; it's not about just getting to thedestination but doing it as efficiently and safely as possible. Project managementis the process of managing any given project from start to finish. It is a complexprocess that requires a team of people with different skill sets and expertise towork together. The three main objectives of project management are to ensurethat:The Key Components of Project Management For a project to succeed, there are several cogs in the wheel that have to work intandem. We've all heard the phrase "a chain is only as strong as its weakest link."This metaphor is often used to describe how a project can only be successful ifeach of the cogs in the wheel is doing its part. These cogs represent the keycomponents of project management.The success or failure of your project depends on some key componentsincluding:Planning & SchedulingIdentify and follow the timeline for a project, including deadlines andmilestones.Identify the most appropriate tasks for a project.Stay within the budget and complete tasks on time.Ensures that deliverables are sent out on time.Successful project management depends on a reliable, efficient, and well-plannedschedule. Proper planning and scheduling ensure that all the steps are taken tocomplete the project on time and within budget. Planning and scheduling help:Page 3This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

It’s important to understand that time is money. You’ve heard it so much that it’sbecome a cliché. However, in the project management world, this is not justanother business buzzword or hustle catchphrase. When it comes to projectmanagement, time really is money. When you’re ahead of schedule, you’reprobably making more money. When you’re behind, you’re probably losing money. IDEA BACKLOG PRIORITISE RUN PROJECTEverything that happens to your projecttimeline has a profound effect on everythingelse. This includes milestones anddeliverables. You don’t have to understand allthe finer details. But if there’s only one thingyou take away from this, it should be that ifyour project manager says you’re behindschedule, you’re also losing money. One way to use time to your advantage is toprioritise your work. A good project managerwill know how to do this so that resources arenot wasted.Every project starts as an idea. Those ideas need to be captured, sorted, andprioritised against an organisation’s strategic objectives. Ideas should only bepromoted to projects if they help the organisation reach its strategic objectives.Sometime not aligned to an organisation’s strategic objectives but a mandatedregulatory / compliance requirement which requires the project to be run.This could have any name, buta backlog just means anaccumulation of uncompletedwork or matters needing to bedealt with.After work has been prioritisedit's about execution to deliverthe project outcomes. Watchout for changes along the way,that's normal in projects.Page 4This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

Task ManagementTask management is the process of organising, prioritising, and scheduling tasks,projects, and activities. It is an important part of project management that helps tokeep track of the progress on tasks and projects and to prevent bottlenecks inthe work.SCHEDULE DOELIMINATE DELEGATENot urgent UrgentImportantNot importantEisenhower MatrixMonitoring further ensures that the project remains on track. Tools like Ganttcharts, PERT charts, and other monitoring tools make sure that all tasks aremoving along as planned and that nothing goes off track.It is not always easy to discern what needs to be done and when, as everyonewants their priorities to be number one! The Eisenhower Matrix above is aprioritisation tool above that differentiates between importance and urgency tohelp put the small tasks into perspective with the bigger picture. This matrix canbe used at both a high and a low/individual level of work and can help keep youfocused on what's most important and urgent.One other point we would add to this matrix is whether there are anydependencies that have not been fulfilled. These may relate to your projects thatyou are waiting on, or others' projects that you need to contribute too. Make sureto collaborate with your team to include these in the matrix when undertakingplanning activities.Page 5This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

In the 1940s, Toyota pioneered a production method called Just in Timemanufacturing, or JIT. Just-in-time (JIT) manufacturing is a production model inwhich items are created to meet demand, not created in surplus or in advance ofneed. This is now more commonly known as Kanban (Japanese for ‘Sign’), an inventorycontrol system to track production and order new shipments of parts andmaterials. It uses visual cues to prompt the action needed to keep a processflowing. The benefits so great, its’ now seen as a useful method for Agile projectmanagement method because in the same way, it is based on visual tasks,usually posted on a ‘Kanban’ board, to manage projects. Kanban Planning Every project is broken down into tasks thatcan be arranged on the board in the orderthat they need to be completed in. Those tasks are then assigned to individualteam members, and usually, team membersfocus predominantly on their assigned tasks(although of course, with any project, thereis always collaboration).Kanban is based around the concept that projects will change and evolve overtime, so there is flexibility built into the system. It is also very visual, so anyonecan look at the Kanban board and see who is taking care of which aspects of theproject. It is a forgiving project management system that is also easy toimplement and does not necessarily derail all your existing processes.The main downside of Kanban is that it is built around the idea of one personcompleting one task, so there is not too much room for inter-task dependencies. Many people choose to use theKanban approach for their own'task management' and thereare many digital tools thatsupport this approach.Page 6This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

Ensuring that there is enough people power to complete a project. They makesure that the team has enough people to work on it.Establishing a team and delegating roles and responsibilities.Assuring that all the necessary resources are available for a project; thisincludes computers, tools, materials, etc.Managing personnel so that they remain motivated and productive whileworking on the project and making optimum use of supplemental resources.Every project needs efficient personnel and resource management to besuccessful. Without it, the project could not be successfully completed.Personnel that are needed for the project should be identified and managed andtheir performance continually monitored. Personnel and resource management involves:When your project managers are creating project plans, they will also assigndifferent resources to each task and milestone. Resources can be somethingphysical, like a machine on a construction site, or they could be digital, like aparticular kind of software. They can even refer to people. In the constructionworld, for instance, different construction teams are designated as resources, soyou can assign them to projects and make sure they aren’t “double booked” fortwo jobs at the same time. To be successful, every project needs to have enough resources assigned to getthe job done on time and correctly. You might find that if your project falls behind,or there are problems getting the work done, you have to assign differentresources. Remember that resources also have costs associated to using them. So, if yourestimating team has only allowed to have one construction crew and onemachine on site, and you have two crews and an additional machine, you eitherneed to accelerate the work to cut the costs, or you will have to make up thedifference in cost somewhere else. Personnel & Resource ManagementCostsBudgetingBudget you haveBudget you needDuration x units3-point estimation(pessimistic, mostlikely & optimistictechnique)FinancialSkills & experienceTime & availabilityTraining needsNegotiate withfunctionalmanagersDevelop org chartsReview historicalinformationHumanSoftwarePrivatetechnologyContactsBusinessinformationSensitivityIntellectualProperty, plant& equipment(PPE)MaterialsPhysicalPage 7This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

Projects demand teamwork. Project management is more than just schedulingand managing resources. There is a lot that goes on under the hood. Let’s look atthe key roles and responsibilities.Four Key Roles and Responsibilities in Project ManagementA project manager is the captain of the proverbial ship. The bulk of theresponsibility rests on their shoulders, and they are largely responsible for theoutcome of the project. They need to foster a sense of shared responsibilityamong team members, which can be difficult when people are working ondifferent tasks with various skill sets. To see a project through to its successfulcompletion, project managers have to be at the top of their games.Project ManagerA project team member is someone who is responsible for executing the projectand producing the deliverables. They are skilled in their specific profession andhave experience in that field. Team members are also people with different skillsets that work together to produce a project.For a project to be successful, it is not enough to have the right team members.The team should also have the right skills and personalities. An analytical thinker,such as an accountant, can make sure that all the numbers add up beforehanding off their work to others. Someone who is creative will be able to come upwith a unique idea that makes the project stand out from others.A process or procedure should be developed before starting a project. This willhelp everyone know what is expected of them and what their role will bethroughout the project. It also allows for greater collaboration by everyone on theproject.Project Team MembersDeveloping the project plan and creating a soundroadmapPutting together the team by selecting the right teammembersDeciding the right project management methodologySetting up a scheduleEnsuring timely supply of deliverablesA project manager is responsible for:A project manager with strong leadership skills can lead a team effectively andmake sure they are on the same page.Page 8This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

Checks in on the progress of the project and provides updates to theclient/executives.It helps with concerns that come up during the course of a project and helpsremove blockers.Approves the project budget and advises in the instances where a projectovershoots its allocated budget.Ensures that all necessary resources are available to the project managementteam.Project sponsors are the link between clients/executives and the team. They’reresponsible for making sure that all project-related decisions made by their teamare in line with their clients’ expectations. They are given the authority to makeany decisions on behalf of the client in order to meet deadlines.A project sponsor:Project SponsorExternal teams can be hired to help with skills that are not internally available. Ifthe project is too large for an internal team to complete, then the team will scaleup to hire external help, this may be in the form of a consultancy or individualcontractors. The project manager will work with the external team to completeany tasks or execute any phases.The goal is always to reduce expenses when possible and scale up whennecessary. Once the project has been completed and all tasks checked off, theproject manager will deliver a full debrief on what was done (including anylessons learned), how long the process took, and what the final cost was. Theywill take all the lessons learned from the project and apply them to futureprojects and tasks.External TeamsWhat makes a goodproject manager?Page 9This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com

The team structure depends on the scale of the business and the size of theproject. For a small project, it's possible to set up a team with only one person.But for bigger projects, companies should have a more robust structure withmore people.Large and complicated projects usually need a project team that is set upaccording to how the project will be done.The Different Project Management Team StructuresThese are project-based teams thatare made up of individuals that worktogether to achieve common goalspertaining to a project. These teamsare usually led by a project manager.In order to maintain the focus onprojects, these teams have a finite lifespan and can be disbanded once theirgoal is achieved.Project-Based TeamsMatrix-based team structures are ahybrid combination of project-basedand functional team structures.Matrix-based teams combine the bestfeatures of both projectized andfunctional teams. The authority of thefunctional manager flows downvertically towards project managers,and a project manager’s authorityflows laterally through their teams.Matrix teams consist of regularemployees in addition to project ortemporary staff.Matrix-Based TeamsA function-based project teamstructure separates the team intosubgroups based on their function.Teams and sub-teams are set upbased on what they do, and each sub-team reports to a manager in charge ofthat function. This type of teamstructure is commonly used in theservice industry, where differentdepartments are given a set of toolsand a specific set of tasks to perform.Functional TeamsWhy choose onestructure over theother?Page 10What type of structuredoes your organisationuse today?This is Project Management - Volume 1 | | agilemanagementoffice.com