How I plan projects
I am the head of the Project Office. My responsibilities include planning all projects that are initiated in the company. Now we have about fifteen projects, but the approach, which will be discussed below, I use almost without changes. It is also important to say that I am not an expert in the subject areas of our projects - for these purposes we have a project manager who understands well: how to make the right product from the requirements of the Customer and the Sponsor's resources. But our RPs are not well versed in project management processes. And therefore the help of the Project Office is required here.
')
Logistics company plans to open a new warehouse. The project implementation will allow to fulfill the conditions set by a large client to the geography of its presence, as well as reduce the logistics costs of the company for the delivery and storage of goods in neighboring regions. It is the beginning of June. The project should be completed by mid-September. It is necessary for 2 weeks to describe the content of the project, develop a schedule, determine the budget and all the necessary resources to carry out the project. All documents must be agreed by the project participants, as well as resource managers.
needed for planning all project parameters. Of course, the main participants are the project manager and the customer. Often these people are highly paid top managers (the so-called “Generals”), who are able to think abstractly and in a complex way, but they don’t really like to dive into the details. I usually do not invite the “generals” to the starting meeting, but I only get around their deputies (the so-called “adjutants”).
I also always ask myself: who is the source of information for our future project? It is more difficult. The list of persons who may provide information for a project at different times can be quite large and vague. Therefore, I define only those employees who will provide me with information sufficient to describe the content of the project. Later, when developing a project plan, I will be able to more fully identify the resources and their need for information.
In the project of opening a warehouse, the key issue of the functioning of the warehouse is the personnel that must be selected and hired in a new region. How long this process takes and what conditions must be fulfilled, the personnel department will determine. So, we write his head. Also in the project should be moved vehicles from the neighboring region. How many units of transport, under what conditions and how they will be moved, must be determined by the head of the transport department. It means that we add it to the list of planning participants. And so on. I have
get the following list:
Who decided not to invite:
Determining the content of the project is not an easy task. Documenting all the parameters of the future project requires painstaking and meticulousness. Get ready for the conversation with your counterpart to take the form of interrogation. I do not use any automation equipment for a simple reason - they delay the work during brainstorming. And I have little time. I use only paper and pen.
Group in the collection. I explain to the group the purpose of my presence - to help plan the future project. I explain that I do not have such experience as my interlocutors and therefore I will need their help. We are starting to build up a hierarchical structure of work (SRI, aka SDR, aka WBS). Of course, my members do not know about these things, but this is not necessary. I ask my questions:
etc.
It is obvious that many questions are of the same type and ask about the same thing. This is normal. Probably, this is how a good investigator conducts an interrogation of a witness. I summarize the results into large and clear objects for me. It is important that I understand how the project will be carried out in the future and be able to convey this to the participants. Drawing large blocks on a sheet, I constantly supplement them with the second and third levels of decomposition, but not particularly bothering about the structure.
I constantly say out loud the keywords that I display on the chart so that all participants follow my thoughts. I encourage new ideas and, most importantly, new objects in the diagram. Cross out - easy. But projects in my practice “fall down” due to insufficient elaboration of the framework. Total, in the top level of decomposition are:
I do not forget to write questions to the customer. Threw a leaf, so from memory:
Etc.
In professional language, these are the “assumptions” of the project, i.e. the factors that we have taken true when planning. If any of these conditions change, the project will not be completed within the prescribed period.
I show the IMR to our group: “This is the content of our project. We must establish the relationships between the blocks, assign resources and determine the duration of the tasks. Then we will know the deadlines for each job. You can go for a 15-minute break. ”
During the break, I promptly submit all tasks to MS Project in the form of tasks whose structure coincides with the diagram (slightly corrected). At the same time we check all formulations: the task should sound like a task, not a process; The result should be clear to the project manager and the contractor.
The project team (and in fact this is it) is again assembled. I turn on the projector and explain what happened in the last 15 minutes. And then simple questions to the group:
Etc.
In professional language this is called setting “followers” ​​for tasks. This is a very uninteresting job. But there's nothing to be done.
We define “predecessors” of tasks in a similar way. Methodism in this work is a guarantee of your health in the future. Skillfully use the types of connections between tasks to correctly interpret the statements of the participants: “Yes, it can even be done at any time!”. Or "It is done in parallel with the whole project!". By the way, I can get tasks that do not affect the completion of the project. Demonstratively delete them.
Parallel to the definition of relationships, we assign responsibility for execution. It is important for me to see a real performer, not a switchman and a router. I also do not like being offered a “virtual” employee of the “Developer” type. Each task in the project must have a surname, first name, middle name and home address!
Small technical nuance. There are always two milestones in my networks: “The beginning of the project” (it has no predecessors) and “The project is completed” (it has no followers). Such an organization of the network schedule allows you to move the project start date at any time and predict the completion of all work. I postpone the “Project start” two weeks in advance after the project’s formal approval. This will protect me from bureaucratic delays.
And further. There is such a buzzword "risk." Usually, I don’t fool people with these words - the staff is already worried at the sight of a manager who records their every word and quickly distributes tasks and deadlines. I am a little softer the situation, introducing reserves in those tasks where there will definitely be "brakes". For example, when transmitting information or approval. The visual display of reserves near their tasks reassures participants. Of course, it is wrong that employees see deadlines with reserves. But, firstly, they will not see the final list of reserves, and secondly, each is interested only in its composition of tasks and the timing of their implementation. And the trust of the team in this case is more important to me.
Our first version of the schedule did not fit in 2 months. In other words, if we wanted to complete the project on time, then it was necessary to begin in April. The last metaphor works particularly well on the team. They are smiling. We start moving tasks:
Of course, it is not always possible to optimize. But we did it. A week before the scheduled opening of the branch, all the "mandatory work" is completed (taking into account the reserves of course). Fine. Happened.
In my project, the Customer was close and we invited him to answer the accumulated questions. But this could not do, and communicate in correspondence. Lucky. Of course, we did not receive much benefit from personal presence, but the team had the feeling of completing something meaningful.
There are only formal procedures that are defined by the Project Office (i.e., me). I develop the Articles of Association (I have plenty of information), send mailing to resource managers, collect confirmations and make minor corrections to the titles of works, to their sequence, sometimes to the structure. There are not many changes, because we have taken into account the principal things, but the divisions still want to “insure” their responsibility.
All the work on the development of the project took me a week. There were 3 meetings with a total duration of 10 hours. Approval of the project will take place tomorrow. They say that we have “new introductory”. But this is "Change Management." More on that later.
PS Written by a friend, his name is Alexander Koltsov. If anyone does not mind, they can share an invite with him.
Link to his blog
Input task and project information
')
Logistics company plans to open a new warehouse. The project implementation will allow to fulfill the conditions set by a large client to the geography of its presence, as well as reduce the logistics costs of the company for the delivery and storage of goods in neighboring regions. It is the beginning of June. The project should be completed by mid-September. It is necessary for 2 weeks to describe the content of the project, develop a schedule, determine the budget and all the necessary resources to carry out the project. All documents must be agreed by the project participants, as well as resource managers.
Preparing for planning. Project Team Definition
needed for planning all project parameters. Of course, the main participants are the project manager and the customer. Often these people are highly paid top managers (the so-called “Generals”), who are able to think abstractly and in a complex way, but they don’t really like to dive into the details. I usually do not invite the “generals” to the starting meeting, but I only get around their deputies (the so-called “adjutants”).
I also always ask myself: who is the source of information for our future project? It is more difficult. The list of persons who may provide information for a project at different times can be quite large and vague. Therefore, I define only those employees who will provide me with information sufficient to describe the content of the project. Later, when developing a project plan, I will be able to more fully identify the resources and their need for information.
In the project of opening a warehouse, the key issue of the functioning of the warehouse is the personnel that must be selected and hired in a new region. How long this process takes and what conditions must be fulfilled, the personnel department will determine. So, we write his head. Also in the project should be moved vehicles from the neighboring region. How many units of transport, under what conditions and how they will be moved, must be determined by the head of the transport department. It means that we add it to the list of planning participants. And so on. I have
get the following list:
- project manager (possesses customer requirements for a new warehouse, performed similar work in the past)
- Head of Human Resources Department (recruitment and hiring of employees, office security)
- Lawyer (issue of licenses, stamps, changes in the Charter)
- Head of the transport department (relocation and clearance of transport).
Who decided not to invite:
- financiers (they do not have much work, and in the project they do not have any "specific" tasks)
- IT managers (similarly to the financiers. We know their requirements: if you want a server - an application, you want office equipment - a staffing plan)
- Customer. Why? Firstly, he is the “General” (see above). Secondly, I formulated my expectations enough so that planning could begin. Thirdly, it is more convenient for such a category to ask separate questions and receive answers than to carry them to meetings. I write all the questions to him on a separate sheet.
Project planning. Part 1. Definition of content
Determining the content of the project is not an easy task. Documenting all the parameters of the future project requires painstaking and meticulousness. Get ready for the conversation with your counterpart to take the form of interrogation. I do not use any automation equipment for a simple reason - they delay the work during brainstorming. And I have little time. I use only paper and pen.
Group in the collection. I explain to the group the purpose of my presence - to help plan the future project. I explain that I do not have such experience as my interlocutors and therefore I will need their help. We are starting to build up a hierarchical structure of work (SRI, aka SDR, aka WBS). Of course, my members do not know about these things, but this is not necessary. I ask my questions:
- What are the results of our project?
- What conditions will allow us to say that the project is completed?
- What key results does the Customer want to see after the completion of the project?
- What are the 3-5 most important project outcomes?
- What objects (documents, equipment, employees) will be transferred to the Customer after the completion of the project?
etc.
It is obvious that many questions are of the same type and ask about the same thing. This is normal. Probably, this is how a good investigator conducts an interrogation of a witness. I summarize the results into large and clear objects for me. It is important that I understand how the project will be carried out in the future and be able to convey this to the participants. Drawing large blocks on a sheet, I constantly supplement them with the second and third levels of decomposition, but not particularly bothering about the structure.
I constantly say out loud the keywords that I display on the chart so that all participants follow my thoughts. I encourage new ideas and, most importantly, new objects in the diagram. Cross out - easy. But projects in my practice “fall down” due to insufficient elaboration of the framework. Total, in the top level of decomposition are:
- Building
- Staff
- Branch legalization
- Warehouse equipment
- Office equipment
- Automation
- Transport
- Business processes
- Security warehouse and office
- Budget changes
I do not forget to write questions to the customer. Threw a leaf, so from memory:
- We believe that the new facility of the warehouse building should have the following properties (we list). Right?
- As automation, only the current 1C configuration will be used.
- Moving goods from other warehouses within the project?
- Conclusion of a contract with a major supplier in the project?
Etc.
In professional language, these are the “assumptions” of the project, i.e. the factors that we have taken true when planning. If any of these conditions change, the project will not be completed within the prescribed period.
I show the IMR to our group: “This is the content of our project. We must establish the relationships between the blocks, assign resources and determine the duration of the tasks. Then we will know the deadlines for each job. You can go for a 15-minute break. ”
During the break, I promptly submit all tasks to MS Project in the form of tasks whose structure coincides with the diagram (slightly corrected). At the same time we check all formulations: the task should sound like a task, not a process; The result should be clear to the project manager and the contractor.
Project planning. Part 2. Identifying the followers and predecessors of the tasks
The project team (and in fact this is it) is again assembled. I turn on the projector and explain what happened in the last 15 minutes. And then simple questions to the group:
- Task code x.x. What tasks can not be performed until it is completed?
- For what tasks does the task with code xx provide information?
- For what tasks is the task with the code .. is the "entrance"?
Etc.
In professional language this is called setting “followers” ​​for tasks. This is a very uninteresting job. But there's nothing to be done.
We define “predecessors” of tasks in a similar way. Methodism in this work is a guarantee of your health in the future. Skillfully use the types of connections between tasks to correctly interpret the statements of the participants: “Yes, it can even be done at any time!”. Or "It is done in parallel with the whole project!". By the way, I can get tasks that do not affect the completion of the project. Demonstratively delete them.
Parallel to the definition of relationships, we assign responsibility for execution. It is important for me to see a real performer, not a switchman and a router. I also do not like being offered a “virtual” employee of the “Developer” type. Each task in the project must have a surname, first name, middle name and home address!
Small technical nuance. There are always two milestones in my networks: “The beginning of the project” (it has no predecessors) and “The project is completed” (it has no followers). Such an organization of the network schedule allows you to move the project start date at any time and predict the completion of all work. I postpone the “Project start” two weeks in advance after the project’s formal approval. This will protect me from bureaucratic delays.
And further. There is such a buzzword "risk." Usually, I don’t fool people with these words - the staff is already worried at the sight of a manager who records their every word and quickly distributes tasks and deadlines. I am a little softer the situation, introducing reserves in those tasks where there will definitely be "brakes". For example, when transmitting information or approval. The visual display of reserves near their tasks reassures participants. Of course, it is wrong that employees see deadlines with reserves. But, firstly, they will not see the final list of reserves, and secondly, each is interested only in its composition of tasks and the timing of their implementation. And the trust of the team in this case is more important to me.
Project planning. Part 3. Schedule optimization
Our first version of the schedule did not fit in 2 months. In other words, if we wanted to complete the project on time, then it was necessary to begin in April. The last metaphor works particularly well on the team. They are smiling. We start moving tasks:
- 2 months to search for staff - a lot! It is not necessary to search all employees consistently. "Parallel" work without any particular risk for the project;
- We select 2 milestones in the project: the warehouse is ready for customer service (“mandatory” work) and the project is completed (“optional” work that can be done later). We will be able to explain to the Customer that it is more important to open a warehouse for the customer and part of the results will be obtained a month later.
- Remove some unnecessary relationships, etc.
Of course, it is not always possible to optimize. But we did it. A week before the scheduled opening of the branch, all the "mandatory work" is completed (taking into account the reserves of course). Fine. Happened.
In my project, the Customer was close and we invited him to answer the accumulated questions. But this could not do, and communicate in correspondence. Lucky. Of course, we did not receive much benefit from personal presence, but the team had the feeling of completing something meaningful.
Project planning. Completion
There are only formal procedures that are defined by the Project Office (i.e., me). I develop the Articles of Association (I have plenty of information), send mailing to resource managers, collect confirmations and make minor corrections to the titles of works, to their sequence, sometimes to the structure. There are not many changes, because we have taken into account the principal things, but the divisions still want to “insure” their responsibility.
All the work on the development of the project took me a week. There were 3 meetings with a total duration of 10 hours. Approval of the project will take place tomorrow. They say that we have “new introductory”. But this is "Change Management." More on that later.
PS Written by a friend, his name is Alexander Koltsov. If anyone does not mind, they can share an invite with him.
Link to his blog
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/96363/
All Articles