Project Management

Foundations
Course 101 Introduction, Lifecycle &
Presented By: Think For A Change
Organization
Think For A Change, LLC.

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LLC.

Target Student Audience

Little to no experience with:
Formal Project Management Concepts
Project Management Body of Knowledge
Project Management Institute

Program or Portfolio Management

Concepts
Role of a Project Manager

Frustrated with:
Failed Projects
Poorly Organized Work Efforts
Lack of Leadership in Project Efforts
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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle &

Organization

Course Syllabus:
Segme
nt One

Segme
nt Two

Segme
nt
Three

Quiz

Introduction to Project
Management

Project Management Lifecycle

Project Organization & Key Roles

Review What Youve Learned!

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Segme
nt One

Introduction to
Project Management

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What is a Project?
Definition:
A project is a temporary endeavor
undertaken to create a unique product,
service or result.
The temporary nature of a project means
that it has a definite beginning and ending
Efforts that have no defined end date or
definition of done are not projects, they are
on-going operations!

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More About Projects

Every project creates a unique
product, service or result
Projects end in only one of two ways:
1. The projects objectives have been
reached
2. The project is terminated because its
objectives will not or cannot be met, or
when the need for the project no
longer exists.

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How Are Projects Organized?

Individual Project:
A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a
unique product, service or result

Program:
A collection of projects, sub-programs or other
work that are managed in a coordinated fashion
in support of a portfolio

Portfolio:
A collection of projects, programs, sub-portfolios
and operations managed as a group to achieve
strategic benefits
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What is Project Management?

Definition:
The application of knowledge, skills,
tools and techniques to project activities
in order to meet the defined project
requirements.

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What is Project Management?

The Project Management Process:

- OR -

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How is a Project Managed?

Documenting the definition of done
Identifying requirements needed to get to
done
Addressing the various needs, concerns and
expectations of the stakeholders in planning
and executing
Setting up, maintaining and carrying out
communications among stakeholders
Managing stakeholders towards meeting project
requirements and creating project deliverables
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Balancing Competing Project

Constraints

Scope
Quality
Schedule
Budget
Resources
Risks/Issues

Changing any one factor will also change at

least one other factor
For example, shortening the Schedule will
likely increase cost or reduce scope/quality

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Project Management and

Strategy
Strategic plans are often drafted by organizations to respond to
threats and/or opportunities that may occur today, tomorrow or
farther into the future
Based on these plans, individual projects are typically formed to
address one or more of the following considerations:

Market demand
Strategic opportunity or business need
Societal need
Environmental considerations
Customer demand
Technological advances
Legal or regulatory requirements

Projects and project management discipline are typically the tools

of choice leveraged by organizational leaders to deliver on strategic
direction
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Project Management and

Execution
Project Management provides:
The ability to apply knowledge, processes,
skills, tools and techniques that enhance the
likelihood of success over a wide range of
projects
A focus on the successful delivery of products,
services or results
A means of achieving organizational strategy
and objectives

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Segme
nt Two

Project Management
Lifecycle

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Project Management Lifecycle

Starting the Project Organizing and Preparing Carrying Out The Work Closing the Project

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Project Management Lifecycle

Projects are normally broken down into
phases
A project phase is a collection of logically-related project
activities that culminate in the completion of one or
more deliverables.
These phases are also commonly called work streams

Project phases are typically completed sequentially

(waterfall) but will overlap in may project situations
Project phasing allows the project to be segmented
into logical sub-sets for ease of management,
planning and control.
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Project Management Lifecycle

Common Trends Along The PM Lifecycle
The cost of changing the project scope or final project
outcome increase significantly over time
Costs and staffing levels start low during initiation,
increase rapidly during planning and execution and tail
off as the project draws to a close
The amount of risk and uncertainty will decrease over
time
The acceptable range of budgetary uncertainty should
decrease over time

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Project Management Lifecycle

Predictive Lifecycles (Plan Driven Project Mgmt)
The project scope, time and cost are determined early in the
project

Iterative and Incremental Lifecycles ( Iterative Project

Mgmt)
Project phases intentionally repeat one or more project
activities
Iterations develop the final deliverable through a series of
repeated cycles
Increments successively add to the functionality of the final
deliverable

Adaptive Lifecycles (Agile Project Mgmt)

Intended to identify, and rapidly respond to, high levels of
change and ongoing stakeholder involvement
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Segme
nt
Three

Project Organization
& Key Roles

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Project Organization
Organizational Influences on Project
Management:

Vision, mission, values, belief and expectations

Regulations, policies, methods and procedures
Motivation, performance and reward systems
Risk tolerance
Failure tolerance
Operating environment
Leadership style
Workplace culture

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Project Organization
Common Project Organizational Structures
Functional
Most of the organizations resources are focused on individual business
functions
Each employee has one clear superior
Employees are grouped by specialty or function

Projectized
Most of the organizations resources are involved in project-based work
Each employee reports to a Project Manager
Employees are grouped by project or portfolio (co-located)

Matrix
Organizational resources are split between normal business operations and
project-based work
Employees typically report to a business manager but also receive work
direction from the Project Manager
Matrix structures are commonly classified as either Strong, Balanced or
Weak, depending on how resources are aligned
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Project Organization
Organizational Process-Based Assets
Processes and Procedures

Templates
Document Artifacts
Knowledgebase
Practice Guides
Guidelines
Work Instructions

Organizational Knowledgebase

Configuration Management
Financial Databases
Historical Information (Lessons Learned Documentation)
Issue and Defect Databases
Project Files
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What is the Role of a Project

Manager?
Definition:
The Project Manager is the person
assigned by the performing organization
to lead the team that is responsible for
achieving the project objectives.

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Project Manager Responsibilities &

Competencies
Project Managers accomplish work through the project
team and key stakeholders
Successful Project Managers balance knowledge,
experience, ethics and a number of interpersonal skills:

Leadership
Team Building
Motivation
Communication
Influencing
Decision Making

Political and Culture

Awareness
Negotiation
Trust Building
Conflict Management
Coaching
Leading Without Direct
Authority

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Project Resources and

Stakeholders
Project Stakeholders
Individuals, groups or organizations who may affect, be
affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision,
activity or outcome of a project
Stakeholders can take an active or passive role in guiding or
influencing the scope and outcome of the project effort
Examples of Stakeholders:

Project Team Resources (including leadership)

Project Sponsor
Customers/Users (internal and/or external)
Business Partners
Organizational Groups
Functional Managers
Government Regulators
Consultants
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Project Teams
Project Teams
The Project Team typically includes the project manager and
the group of individuals who act together in performing the
work of the project to achieve its objectives
Traditional Project Team Roles:
Project Management Staff
Project Manager, Project Coordinator, PMO Staff, etc.

Project Staff
Tactical resources who identify and execute upon the tasks to be completed

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Finance, Legal, HR, etc.

Business Partners
Line of business managers or individual contributors

Project team members can either be dedicated or

shared to the Project
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Project Governance
Project Governance
The oversight function aligned with the organizations
governance model and the project life cycle and/or
process methodology
This framework provides the Project Team:

Success and deliverable acceptance criteria

Issue management and escalation protocols
Communications management protocols
Project decision-making processes
Alignment of projects with corresponding programs or portfolios
Stage-gate or phased review process management
Change management review and approval protocols
Internal stakeholder alignment

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What is a Project Management

Office (PMO)?
Definition:
A management structure that
standardizes the project-related
governance processes and facilitates
the sharing of resources, methodologies,
tools and techniques

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The Project Management Office

(PMO)
The primary function of a PMO is to support
project managers:
Managing shared resources across all projects
Identifying and developing project management
methodology, best practices and standards
Coaching, mentoring, training and oversight
Developing, managing and monitoring usage of
policies, procedures and templates
Coordinating communication across the
organization regarding project management
discipline
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Final Thoughts
Projects are temporary initiatives that have a
defined beginning and ending
Project outcomes are directly affected by the
Triple Constraint of Time, Scope and Cost
Project Management is a formal discipline that
applies knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to
project activities in order to meet the defined
project requirements
Successful projects rely on people, processes,
tools, techniques, oversight, structure, leadership
and organization
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QUIZ

Review What
Youve Learned!

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 1:

How are projects

traditionally
organized?

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 1:
How are projects
traditionally
organized?

Answer:
Individual Projects
Programs
Portfolios

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 2:
What are the three
(3) common project
organizational
structures?

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 2:
What are the three
(3) common project
organizational
structures?

Answer:
Functional
Projectized
Matrix

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 3:
Project team
members can
either be ______ or
__________ to the
project?

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 3:
Project team
members can
either be ______ or
__________ to the
project?

Answer:

Project team
members can either
be DEDICATED or
SHARED to the
project?

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 4:

True or False? Projects end

in only one of two ways:
1. The projects
objectives have been
reached
2. The project is
terminated because
its objectives will not
or cannot be met, or
when the need for the
project no longer
exists.
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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 4:

True or False? Projects end

in only one of two ways:
1. The projects
objectives have been
reached
2. The project is
terminated because
its objectives will not
or cannot be met, or
when the need for the
project no longer
exists.

Answer:
TRUE

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 5:
The primary
function of a PMO
is to support
_______________?

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Course PM 101 Introduction, Lifecycle & Organization

QUIZ

Question 5:

Answer:
Project Managers

The primary
function of a PMO
is to support
_______________?

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CONGRATULATIONS!
You have successfully completed:
Project Management Foundations
Course 101 Project Management Introduction, Lifecycle and
Organization
PRESENTED BY:
Think For A Change, LLC.

Think For A Change,

LLC.

For more information on best/next

practices, educational training, tools,
techniques and process models for:
Project Management
Innovation Management
Product Management
Leadership

Please visit: http://www.thinkforachange.com

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