Institute of Business Management

of Southern Africa

Established 1973

Project Management Study Guide

Module 1

Fundamentals of Project Management

©Institute of Business Management of SA – IBM of SA

https://www.institutebm.org.za

info@institutebm.org.za

Project Management Fundamentals

© Copyright IBM

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Published by

The Institute of Business Management of Southern Africa

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Institute of Business Management - IBM

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: Overview

Chapter 2: Defining Projects and Project Management

Chapter 3: The Role of a Project Manager

Chapter 4: Aspects of a project

Chapter 5: How Can Projects Help Me?

The Benefits of Projects

Case Study

Chapter 6: A Project’s Life Cycle

Chapter 7: Selling a Project

The Priority Matrix

Chapter 8: Creating a Vision

Chapter 9: Project Goals

SMART Goals

Your Project’s Goals

Chapter 10: Using a Target Chart

Chapter 11: Preparing Your Project

Chapter 12: Laying Out the Project

The SOW

Individual SOW

Project Planning Worksheet

A Personal Action Plan

Recommended Reading List

OUR ANSWERS

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Chapter 1: Overview

Project management isn’t just for construction engineers and military logistics experts anymore.

Today, in addition to the regular duties of your job, you are often expected to take on extra

assignments - and to get that additional job done well, done under budget, and done on time.

This module is not intended to take you from a supervisory or administrative position to that of

a project manager, but will familiarise you with the most common terms and the most current

thinking about projects.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

Understand what is meant by a project

Understand what project management means

Identify benefits of projects

Identify the phases of a project’s life cycle

Enhance your ability to sell ideas and make presentations

Prioritise projects

Begin conceptualising your project, including goals and vision statements

Use a target chart and other planning tools

Complete a Statement of Work

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Chapter 2: Defining Projects and Project

Management

2.1 What is a Project?

If we understand what projects are, hopefully we will be more successful. Projects differ from

other kinds of work. How do they differ?

One important distinction is that they have a beginning and an end. They require a budget of

their own, separate from or as a separate part of, operating expenses. They may demand some

new or different skills from those you use in your regular job.

Projects differ from ordinary work and thus need special management techniques to

make them successful.

The factors of time, resources, results, and customer satisfaction are interrelated. If you

change one of these, you must change the others to keep things in balance.

Even though projects share attributes, they are still unique because of their different

contexts and their particular use of resources, time, and results.

All projects are work but not all work is a project.

Think of your own definition or words that might describe what a project is or is not.

(DO NOT SUBMIT)

A project is… A project is not…

REVEAL OUR ANSWER

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Conclusion

A project is:

A unique venture that has a start and an end and that is conducted by people to meet

established goals within parameters of cost, schedule, and quality.

A unique venture that has a start and an end, with its own budget, perhaps intended to

create something new, to meet established goals within parameters of cost, schedule

and quality.

2.2 What is Project Management?

The following definitions describe what project management is:

A set of tools, techniques, and knowledge that helps you produce better results for your

project, so it can be successfully completed within established goals.

A set of tools, techniques, and knowledge that when applied, helps you produce better

results for your project.

The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a broad range of activities

in order to meet the requirements of the particular project.

Project management knowledge and practices are best described in terms of their component

processes. These processes can be placed into five process groups:

Initiating

Planning

Executing

Controlling

Closing

Processes can also be placed into nine knowledge areas:

Integration Management

Scope Management

Time Management

Cost Management

Quality Management

Human Resource Management

Communications Management

Risk Management

Procurement Management

2.2.1 Project management requires resources. What are some examples?

Examples are:

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Materials

Technology

Inflation

Staff

Funding

Management

2.3. Who Are the Key Players?

There are typically seven key players in a project, although the roles may overlap.

There are typically seven key players in a project, although the roles may overlap.

2.3.1 The Sponsor

This person is the most senior team member. They typically initiate the project

and provide the authority within the organisation.

Their responsibilities can include:

Representing the interests of the organisation, ensuring goals, objectives, and the

project itself benefits the company as a whole.

Providing resources.

Making the team aware of constraints. (Constraints are factors that may interfere with

things getting done on time, such as other projects, construction, labour disputes,

budgets, etc.)

Helping to inspire and motivate the team.

2.3.2 The Project Manager

This is the team leader who is responsible for making sure the project is

completed and the goals and objectives are achieved.

This team member has some of the more hands-on responsibilities, including:

Producing documents such as the plan of action, vision statement, target chart, planning

tools. Some of these projects will be done by the manager; others will be done by the

team and led by the manager.

Keeping an eye on the big picture to ensure the progress is on track.

Motivating the project team and helping them grow.

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Communicating with sponsors, stakeholders, and team members to ensure everyone is

on the same page.

Acting as representative for the customers of the project.

2.3.3 Stakeholders

The name says it all: this team member is someone who has a stake in the

project. They may be affected by the outcome of the project, or they may

simply have an interest in the project. This person is often involved only at

particular stages. Their main responsibilities include providing feedback and

guidance.

2.3.4 Key Team Member

This is a team member who has expertise in a particular area. They typically

assist the project manager directly, contributing their expertise when necessary.

Their responsibilities include:

Helping to determine whether or not the project is feasible

Helping to plan the project

Ensuring that the project comes in on time and on budget

2.3.5 Team Member

These people are the workhorses of the team. Typically, each member focuses

on a few tasks (or perhaps just even one task), as assigned by the project

manager. They may also act in a consulting capacity if specialized expertise is

needed.

The major responsibilities include completing the task(s) as laid out in the project plan.

2.3.6 Customers

Believe it or not, customers are a part of your project plan, too. These are the

people internal or external to your company who are affected by the project.

Although the customer may not have a direct role on the project team, the

customer should influence some decisions made by the project manager,

including the objectives, how success is measured, and the direction for the

project.

2.3.7 Suppliers

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These are the people who provide the resources for your project. These

resources can include services, materials, or products. These people are crucial

to the success of the project.

Their sole responsibility is to work with the project manager to deliver the promised items or

services on time and at the agreed cost.

2.4. Example

Top Products Inc. has just received a contract to build 10,000 special widgets for Smith

Manufacturing. However, they need to build a separate area in the factory for this new product.

This has been assigned to Adrian Kronsky as a project.

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Chapter 3: The Role of a Project Manager However it happens, doing a project can be extremely rewarding work. Because projects are

usually set up to accomplish an important purpose, the success of a project can do wonders for

a supervisor’s career aspirations.

As a project manager, you need a clear idea of what you are to accomplish. So what do you do?

First of all, sit down with your supervisor to discuss in some detail his or her expectations. Try to

get down on paper exactly what your goal is, what the project is to accomplish, how long you

have to complete it, how many staff members are to be involved, to whom you must report, and

so forth. (See the following sample.)

3.1. Improvement Proposal

Part 1 – To Be Completed By Proposer

From (proposer): Date:

To (manager): Department:

Idea/Problem/Opportunity for Improvement: Measure(s) of Success:

Anticipated Benefits of Tackling this Project:

Part 2 – To Be Completed By Your Manager

Yes No If No, provide details.

This proposal is within my authority:

This proposal is approved:

Agreed sponsor:

Agreed team leader:

Agreed facilitator:

Signed:

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If the project team is to be members of your department, hold a meeting to discuss the

upcoming effort and define the objectives. Give project assignments based on what your staff

members are capable of handling. If you are charged with the task of selecting a project team,

you should consider exactly what skills will be needed before making any team assignments. We

discuss selecting the team in detail in a later module.

Some of the most important skills a project manager needs are:

All encompassing

Goals met as soon as possible (product, time, and money)

Applies knowledge, skills, and techniques

Balance competing demands

Work with a mixture of people/technology

Multi-task

Define the scope of the project

Define goals you can meet and keep them

Time management

Management identity clusters

Strong project management identity

Good at documenting steps

Self-confidence

Flexibility

Here is a look at some of the key skill areas a project manager should have.

Problem Solving Achievement Time Management Influence

Diagnostic thinking Concern for

achievement

Time Management Team building

Systematic Results orientation Cost management Developing others

Conceptual Initiative HR Management Client/user

orientation

Monitoring

Info gathering

Business orientation Risk Management

Quality Management

Self-control

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Chapter 4: Aspects of a Project

In today’s world, many of us are accidental project managers: people who never intended to

lead projects until suddenly we found ourselves heading up one at the request of our manager.

Think of a project you would like to do or a project you have just been assigned to do. Use it to

see how what we talk about applies to your specific project.

Some key questions to answer when planning include:

Background information about your company or organisation

Name of your project

Why you are doing it (the purpose)

Who will be involved

Whether this is a project you have asked to do or if it has been assigned to you

How it will benefit you, your department, a specific group of individuals, or your

organisation as a whole

How much time you expect it to take

Whether you have identified any costs or not (remember time is a cost)

What planning and tracking tools you will use

4.1 Eight Aspects of a Project

Scope

Clearly define what the project will and will not encompass. What is the expected outcome and

final product?

Time

Time required seeing this project through to completion.

Money

Costs: equipment, materials, labour or staffing needs, financing, or real estate.

Quality

Is there a need as outlined by the organization or the clients for the outcomes to meet certain

standards?

Communication

Who needs to be told of project progress? Why must they be told? What should they be told?

How or what medium will be used to communicate?

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Human Resources

Who will be involved? Why those individuals? Is there a need on the project for special

skills/needs or qualifications? How will they be motivated?

Contracts

Are there contracts? With whom? Are they third party (outside of the supplier and customer,

such as subcontractors)? Is there a requirement for training and development?

Risk

How much risk is associated with the project? How much can be risked? Who decides the level

of risk?

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Chapter 5: How Can Projects Help Me?

5.1 The Benefits of Projects

There are really two types of projects: those that have been assigned to you (usually by your

boss) and those you want to take on because they interest you or because you see a special

need for them.

The first type of project is often a project that your boss has been given, or they want to take it

on, and they look to you for help. You are the de facto project manager. Your supervisor may

have little or no understanding of what it is they are trying to achieve, and usually no

understanding of the components involved. Therefore it is vital to set the stage by identifying

some benefits of taking on a project.

What is the advantage to you or to me to take on an extra project when we feel already

worked to the max?

Possibilities are:

Builds a relationship with your boss. You work closely together and can showcase your

own skills.

A project could establish your reputation within the department or the company as

somebody to go to when there are things that need to be done.

You learn new skills, perhaps by working outside your comfort zone. These skills can

make you more marketable.

This may be an opportunity to showcase skills that do not come to the fore during an

ordinary day of work.

You may be able to demonstrate your skills to your manager and stand out from the

pack.

Can have more opportunities to network. You never know who you may connect with

while doing a project.

However, sometimes we feel overwhelmed by the thought of taking on one more project and

we feel like we are sinking. What do you do when that happens? The following case study is

about that very thing: learning how to handle another project when you are already carrying

more work than you can do.

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5.2 Case Study: Mary Marvellous

One day, Mary Marvellous was seated at her desk working on a project when her boss, Dianne

Delegator, requested a couple of minutes of her time. Dianne began the conversation by

congratulating her for being selected as the person who had been chosen to develop the new

health insurance policy. She explained that she was giving Mary this opportunity because of her

extensive experience and management skills.

Dianne continued to explain, "We require a new health insurance policy for retiring employees

who qualify for the special pension fund. A recent change in government policy requires

immediate action. Normally, this type of change would require approximately 8 months, but we

have to have our policies in place in 4 months. We may also require a preliminary report within

3 weeks in order to update our new government." After a brief pause Dianne said, "Get back to

me if you have any questions on what has to be done."

On the way back to her office Mary felt proud and enthusiastic. She was happy that the boss

was finally beginning to recognise her skills and abilities. When she arrived back at her desk and

had a moment to reflection this new assignment, reality hit. She remembered the large number

of projects already in progress. She sat down and wrote down a list of existing projects. Then

she added "Employees’ Health Insurance Policy" at the.

She realises that if she drops everything else to work on this Employee Health Insurance Policy,

Dianne will be pleased. But sooner or later, she is going to want results from these other

projects. Not only that, there are a couple of projects here that have high profile because of

agreements with other departments and it would look bad if they fell behind. She realises she

can't let them slide very long. She thinks to herself, "I'm already working two evenings a week at

home on office work and my family doesn't appreciate that."

Something is definitely not right here, Mary Marvellous tells herself. This is an interesting job,

but Dianne doesn't realize that I can't do everything at once. There is no use telling her that I am

overloaded, because she always says, “So is everybody. We've just got to do the best we can!”

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Consider the case study and answer the following:

(DO NOT SUBMIT)

What should Mary do?

REVEAL OUR ANSWER

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Chapter 6: A Project’s Life Cycle

The sequence of activities from the beginning of a project to its completion is essentially the

same, whether we are talking about a small two or three day project or a large project that will

span several months. These activities can be grouped into four different phases. (A phase of a

project is a major set of activities that must be performed within the project management

process.)

6.1 Phases

Phase One

The first phase is Initiation, sometimes called the Concept or Create phase. This phase shapes

the project. It often begins after the project has been selected. The purpose of this phase is to

provide direction to the team, to decide what is to be accomplished, and to identify constraints

and risks.

Basic tasks include:

Establishing a need

Determining feasibility

Searching for alternatives

Preparing proposals

Developing basic budgets and schedules

Naming the starting project team

Once the team has been formed, they must:

Study, discuss, and analyse

Write the project definition

Conceptual

Phase

Planning

Phase

Execution

Phase Termination

Phase

Time

Pro

ject

Act

ivit

y

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Set an end-results objective

List imperatives and desirables

Generate alternative strategies

Evaluate alternatives

Choose a course of action

The output for this stage is the Project Charter or Statement of Work.

Phase Two

The next phase is the Planning phase, sometimes called the Sell stage. This is where the project

team identifies the steps and develops the plan for how and when the project will be

accomplished. This is the most critical and most often neglected phase of the project. Poor

planning or lack of planning here can have consequences all down the line. If everybody knows

what is to be done, and they are all on the same page, the project will go much more smoothly.

Tasks to be done include:

Setting goals

Listing tasks to be done

Developing schedules in a sequence and a budget

Getting your plans approved by stakeholders

Conducting studies and analyses

Designing systems

Building and testing prototypes

Analysing results

Obtaining approval for production

Planning usually includes the following steps:

Establish the project objective

Choose a basic strategy for achieving the objective

Break the project down into subunits or steps

Determine the performance standards for each subunit

Determine how much time is required to complete each subunit

Determine the proper sequence for completing the subunits and aggregate this

information into a schedule for the total project

Determine the cost of each subunit and aggregate costs into the project budget

Design the necessary staff organisation, including the number and kind of positions, and

the duties and responsibilities of each

Determine what training, if any, is required for project team members

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Develop the necessary policies and procedures

Market study

Pilot test

Computer simulation

The output for the planning phase is a project plan document, a complete plan for how the

project will be executed. The sponsor and other key shareholders should all approve this

document.

Phase Three

After the project plan is approved, we move into the Execution phase, where the plan must then

be executed or put into action. Here is where you get down to working on the project and

creating the deliverables. To make sure the work is on track, the team (or the project manager)

must monitor progress, and if required, recommend changes. Progress reports go to the

stakeholders.

Tasks include:

Finding the time

Obtaining money

Recruiting people

Getting equipment

Meeting and leading the team

Communication with all stakeholders as you plan and complete tasks

Controlling the work in progress means:

Establishing standards

Monitoring performance

Inspection

Interim progress reviews

Testing

Auditing

Taking corrective action

o Renegotiate

o Recover

o Narrow Project Scope

o Deploy More Resources

o Accept Substitution

o Seek Alternative Sources

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o Accept Partial Delivery

o Offer Incentives

o Demand Compliance

At the end of the execution phase, the final deliverable is delivered to the project customer or

sponsor.

Phase Four

Close out or Termination is the final phase in a project. The customer decides whether he or she

is satisfied with the project. The sponsor assesses the project in terms of goals met and costs

incurred. The team discusses lessons learned and ways the next project can be improved upon.

A final status report is issued and sent to all key stakeholders. This is also the time to celebrate

success and thank everyone involved with the project.

Tasks can include:

Project completion checklist

Test project output to see that if it works

Write operations manual

Complete final drawings

Deliver project output to client

Train client's personnel to operate project output

Reassign project personnel

Dispose of surplus equipment, materials, and supplies

Release facilities

Summarise major problems encountered and their solution

Document technological advances made

Summarise recommendations for future research and development

Summarise lessons learned in dealing with interfaces

6.2 Milestones

Milestones are the major elements or steps of a project. The first three milestones in every

project are the “go or no go” phase gates. For example, after all the preliminary work has been done to shape what the project will look like, a critical decision has to be made. Is this project

worth doing? Shall we move forward with it?

If the answer is yes, you move into the planning phase. When all the plans have been made, you

once again stand at the edge of the cliff and decide, “Go or no go?” Has all the planning been

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done? No? Go back and finish it. Is this project still something we want to do? In that case, let’s move forward.

The third phase gate is at the end of execution. Have all the deliverables been given to the

customer? If no, then back you go to finish the job. If the final deliverable has been completed,

then you can move to the final phase.

6.3 Why do Projects Fail?

A project’s failure is usually due to several key factors, one of which is the manager or team is not involved in the conceptualisation stage. The further down the organisational hierarchy the

manager is, the less information they are privy to, the more likely they are to fail or be less

successful in their projects, and the more stressed they will be as a result.

A coping technique should include asking for more information, or after having been briefed,

summarising their understanding of what took place. This can be followed by a statement such

as, “This is my understanding of the project; if I do not hear differently, I will assume that this is

as it should be.”

Here is a brief list comparing why projects succeed and why they fail.

Fail Succeed

Poor planning Good Planning

No communication Communication plan

Lack of resources/Rand Enough resources

Lack of commitment/Team Committed team

Poor choice of leader Good leader

Setting unrealistic goals Clear, realistic goals

Lack of experience Experienced team

Unclear objectives Clear objectives

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6.4 Three Ways to End a Project

Extinction

The end of all activity on a project, usually before meeting its stated objectives. The end results

of a project terminated by extinction are terminated by neither inclusion nor integration.

Inclusion

A way of terminating a project by incorporating the project operations and team into the

organisation as an ongoing entity. The project work still exists, but the project is no longer

separate from the business operations.

Integration

A way of terminating a project by bringing project team members back into the organisation and

distributing project results and outcomes among existing functions. The project as an entity no

longer exists after integration.

The following activities can be categorised under the different stages of a project:

i) Conceptualisation Phase

Getting an idea

Establishing a need

Determining feasibility

Searching for alternatives

Preparing proposals

Finding support for the idea

Finding a sponsor

Developing a basic budget with ballpark figures

Drafting a tentative schedule

Naming the project team

ii) Planning Phase

Setting goals

Listing tasks to be done

Developing a project plan

Preparing schedules in a sequence

Drawing up a budget

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Getting your plans approved

Conducting studies and analyses

Designing systems

Building and testing prototypes

Analysing results

Obtaining approval for implementation

iii) Execution Phase

Complete tasks

Hold team meetings on progress

Track expenditures

Have resources available when needed

Keep stakeholders informed

Keep communication about the project flowing

Do any training that may be required

Make decisions as a team

Celebrate milestones

iv) Termination Phase

Thank team members

Celebrate success

Evaluate the project results

Release resources

Prepare others to maintain the system

Let go of the project

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Chapter 7: Selling a Project

7.1 Tom Peters

Tom Peters, one of the darlings of the business world, has written a lot about projects. He says

that if you get assigned a project, get excited about it, not defeated. In fact, he suggests we take

any project that is given us, and figure out a way to make it even better; not necessarily bigger,

but better.

“Never, ever, accept a project or assignment as it is given. Resist the status quo.”

Peters also says that if you haven’t been assigned a project, but you can see the possibilities, go out and find a project to tackle. Perhaps you got an idea as to how you could redesign your

boss’s office for increased efficiency, or you were walking through the mall and saw a wellness program advertised that you thought would work in your office. Maybe you heard of something

another organisation or department is doing that you think would work well in your own.

Project ideas are all around us and if you feel ready to tackle them don’t wait for someone to notice you. Bring your idea forward.

The question you have to ask yourself is, “How will I sell it to my manager, or to the powers that

be?”

It’s pretty clear you must have the ongoing support of management and key stakeholders before you initiate any project. This will involve both communication and negotiation skills.

Start by determining why the project is worth doing. How do you believe it will benefit the

organisation? Can you justify how the cost of the project (in time, money or other resources)

will be justified by the outcomes? Ask yourself:

Is there a need or an opportunity for this project?

What is the relative cost in time and money for this project?

Is there any risk of failure? What would this mean to me?

Can I get support for my project?

Will this project impact the bottom line profitability of my organisation?

Remember, pet projects that are personally interesting but which will not benefit the company

or have a low priority for other people can negatively affect business.

Identify the stakeholders (all the people you have to get on board if this project is going to be

successful). What role will each stakeholder take in the project?

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Can you find a project sponsor (someone willing to give you the resources you need to move the

project forward) for your idea?

7.2 The Priority Matrix

How do you get your own ideas accepted? How can you be sure these ideas are good enough to

push for? There are a number of ways you might do this but one of the most useful is to create a

visual reference to demonstrate our priorities.

For example, we might create a matrix to identify priority criteria for projects. I have chosen

three criteria to consider but there are other things you might want to consider as well, such as

“Will my manager support this project?” If your manager does not support your project it is usually dead in the water.

Project

Benefit

A

Easy to do

B

Contribution to

priority area

C

Total

A+B+C

A

B

C

D

You can make this work by assigning points to each criterion, say on a scale of 1-10, or you may

assign points depending on their overall value. For example, contribution to priority area may

rate 15 points, while benefit rates 10 points, and easy to do rates 5 points.

For project A for example, you may feel the benefit rates 7/10 points, it is very easy to do so you

give it 5/5, but the contribution it would make is not really a priority in your department so it

gets no points there. It would only get perhaps 15 out of twenty points.

On the other hand, Project B would be quite beneficial, so you will give it another 7/10, but it

isn’t so easy to do, so it gets 3/10. Nevertheless, it is in a priority area so it earns a 10/15. Thus

its total score is 20.

Now, deciding between the two projects is easy; the one that scored 20 should be the project to

do.

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There is another matrix we can use. Draw two bisecting lines; one is for a high payoff vs. a low

payoff. The second bisecting line is for difficulty vs. ease of doing a project. Mark each project in

the appropriate quadrant.

Which would you consider a priority? A is 1st

; C is 2nd

; B a low 3rd

; and D 4th.

These are simple matrices, but they are graphic and they can sometimes help you make a

decision you have been wrestling with.

Difficult to

do

Easy to do

High pay-off

Low pay-off

1 2 3 4 5 6

1

2

3

5

6 A

B

D

C

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Chapter 8: Creating a Vision

At this stage you’ve chosen a project. But do you really know what you’re trying to achieve?

Try this exercise: Sit at your desk with a sheet of blank paper in front of you. In an ideal world,

what would your project do? Don’t think about what it can’t do, or why certain things aren’t possible. List all ideas and goals, no matter how lofty.

8.1 Example:

You will agree that it’s pretty unlikely for NASA to express interest in our new sales system and project us to worldwide fame, but what if…

Say you have an idea to implement a new sales computer program in a small chain of retail

stores. What objectives can you envision for the project?

Some likely objectives would be:

Our sales will likely increase, making employees happier.

Our customer service should get better, resulting in happier customers, and hopefully

contributing to more sales.

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This may eventually give us the ability to expand.

Create a vision statement. This statement should explain what will change and how it will

change as a result of your project. It should also be attainable and worthwhile.

8.2 Example:

“As a result of the new sales computer program, our staff will be able to service customers 40% faster, resulting in a 75% sales increase within one year.”

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Chapter 9: Project Goals

9.1 SMART Goals

Goals and objectives are important to project success. They are the heart and purpose for

creating a project. Any project you undertake must make sense in terms of an overall goal that

benefits people in some way. You should be able to clearly describe the outcomes, deliverables,

and benefits to stakeholders and end users. You must make certain your manager has described

those goals to you in very clear terms, or if that hasn’t happened, that you go back to him/her for clarification.

Project goals should provide the criteria you need to evaluate your success in completing the

project. These criteria include measure of the time, costs, and resources to achieve your desired

outcomes.

An easy way to remember the elements of a good goal is the SMART acronym.

Specific

Measurable

Action-Oriented / Attainable

Realistic

Time-limited

You also need to remember the three P’s:

Goals need to be put in writing.

Goals need to be personal; that is, every team member must have buy-in.

Goals must positive. It’s easier to achieve something than to not do something.

(Example: “We will reduce turnover by 25%,” or “We’ll stop our employees from quitting.”)

However, when we are working on projects, we have other criteria to remember, particularly

that goals must be agreed upon and come with clear responsibility.

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Therefore, there are actually six parts to any good project goal:

Some tips about project goals:

Project goals need to be reviewed periodically to make sure you have consensus, and as

you move from stage to stage in a project.

All members of a team must be involved in goal setting and kept up to date on goal

progress.

Set goals high but make sure they are achievable.

It might be useful to keep a goal chart on the wall.

Celebrate when you accomplish a goal.

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9.2 Your Project’s Goals

Set some goals for a project of your choice. Some points to remember:

Do they follow the six points of project goals?

Are the three P’s addressed?

Would all team members agree on this goal?

Is the goal attainable?

Own answers – DO NOT SUBMIT

Goal 1

Goal 2

Goal 3

Goal 4

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Chapter 10: Using a Target Chart

A target chart can help you identify the biggest priorities in your project and help you see how

to achieve your goals. It looks like this:

Objective Indicator Priority Current Level Target Level

First, we’ll list our objectives. These are the items that, if achieved, will mean the project has been successful. Let’s look at our new sales system project as an example.

Objective Indicator Priority Current Level Target Level

Better customer service

Happier employees

Improve sales

These are all good objectives, but the first two are pretty vague. That’s where the next column (Indicator) comes in. How will we tell if we’ve been successful or not?

Objective Indicator Priority Current Level Target Level

Better customer service Less hotline traffic

Happier employees Turnover reduced

Improve sales More add-ons sold

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Now let’s identify where these objectives fall in terms of priority on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1

being minimally important to the project’s success and 10 being crucial.

Objective Indicator Priority Current Level Target Level

Better customer service Less hotline traffic 6

Happier employees Turnover reduced 2

Improve up-selling More add-ons sold 10

Once you’ve identified priorities, review your objectives. Are there any that we may want to drop? In the example above, making employees happier is minimally important to the success of

the project. If this can be achieved with a small amount of work (or as the result of another

objective being completed), that’s fine. However, if this objective will take a significant amount of time and/or resources, we may want to save it for another project.

Now we should note the current level of performance for each objective and where we would

like to be.

Objective Indicator Priority Current Level Target Level

Better customer service Less hotline traffic 6 10 per week 2 per week

Happier employees Turnover reduced 2 Averaging 3 per

month

Less than 1 per

month

Improve sales More add-ons sold 10 R40,000 per

month

R100,000 per

month

This chart should be posted where all project members can see it, to keep everyone on track.

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Chapter 11: Preparing Your Project

Once you have decided which project to promote to others and identified your vision and goals,

there are some considerations you want to be prepared for.

See if you can arrive at a response to each consideration.

DO NOT SUMBIT.

Anticipation

How might I anticipate objections to my idea and thus be better prepared to overcome them?

Assistance

In what ways might other persons or groups be of help to me in applying my idea?

Location

What places or locations might be advantageous for putting my idea into practice?

Timing

In what ways might I take advantage of special times, days, dates, etc. for implementing my

idea?

Precautions

What ways might I use to pre-test my chosen idea? In what ways might I safeguard or fortify it

to insure its effectiveness?

Rewards

In what ways might I reward others for helping me implement my idea? Rewards are not

necessarily money, but perhaps recognition like a creative gift. How might these others benefit

from implementation of my ideas?

REVEAL OUR ANSWER

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Chapter 12: Laying Out the Project

12.1 The SOW

The terms Project Charter and Project Statement of Work (SOW) are often used

interchangeably. Many companies use the word Charter to refer to the document that is

actually the SOW.

The Project Management Institute (PMI) uses the term Charter to refer to the announcement

that recognises the authority of the project manager. The SOW, on the other hand, is the formal

project definition document. This is an important distinction between the two.

The Statement of Work is a formal project management document that establishes expectations

and agreements about the project. It is not a contract but a tool for clarifying responsibilities

and working relationships among project stakeholders.

As they work on their Statement of Work, this becomes an opportunity for individual members

of the group to see if they truly understand their project. A SOW can be anything from a one-

two page document to a 100-page document. The usual minimum of a SOW includes the

following elements.

12.1.1 The Purpose Statement

Why are we doing this? The answer to this question should be clearly

spelled out in this section. In addition, the business case for the project

is referenced but not necessarily detailed. (If you need a business case

for a project it is typically done in a separate document, often called a

cost-benefit analysis.)

12.1.2 The Scope Statement

What is included in this project? The scope statement clearly defines what the

project will and will not do. The relationship of the project to other priorities or

business endeavours should be mentioned here as well, especially if this is a

sub-project of a much larger project.

How big is this project? Sometimes little projects like cleaning off a desk lead to

big projects like reorganizing an office. Be prepared for “project creep.” Any of

you who have ever done a home renovation project knows about project creep.

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(You wanted a new railing on the back steps but before you could put on the

railing, the step had to be repaired and painted. Then when you started to

repair the step you realised it would be better to use cedar rather than spruce,

so the whole step had to be torn apart. Once the step had been rebuilt, and you

got the railing on, you realised the whole thing needed a coat of paint, and since

you were going to paint the step and the railing, you might as well do the whole

deck, and…)

12.1.3 The Project Deliverables

What results are we to achieve or what are we to produce? This helps focus the

team on outcomes. The intermediate as well as the final deliverables should be

mentioned by name. Even regular status reports, change requests, and other

reports should be specified as part of the deliverables.

12.1.4 The Goals and Objectives

Outline specific goals to be met. This section defines the criteria for success. Not

only will the on-time and within-budget criteria be specified, all the other goals

should be listed here as well. (Example: New customer sales will increase by

25% within four months of introducing the new Web site.)

12.1.5 SWOT

The SOW should also briefly review the big picture in terms of the organisation’s

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT).

The rationale for this is that projects, just as regular work, flow back into the

organisation in terms of what business we are in, where we are going and how

we are going, to get there from here.

Make sure you include all aspects:

Big Picture - Little Picture

Corporate Goals - Departmental Goals

Long Term Goals - Short Term Goals

If your team does not know what the project will ultimately do, how do they know what impact

it will have in terms of scheduling, budgets, outcomes, and how the termination/ roll-over will

impact their department?

Another way to think of this is the “Snapshot of Success.” What will this project look like when it

is completed to your satisfaction?

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12.1.6 Cost and Schedule Estimates

Prepare a draft budget. This section provides rough but well researched

estimates of both the costs and the schedule for the project. You should be able

to answer the questions, “How did you arrive at that figure for the budget?” and “How was the deadline determined?” in this section of the SOW.

(Projects are usually done in addition to regular work, so having an idea of how much time,

materials, and other resources are required can be a very smart move. A fairly simple way of

getting an idea of costs is to figure out how much time will be required and how much that

person’s time costs per hour.)

12.1.7 List of Stakeholders

Who will be involved? Here is where you identify all the key influencers such as

managers, sponsors, etc. At a minimum you should include the names and roles

of the project manager, key project team members, the sponsor, managers with

an interest in the project, and the customer contacts.

12.1.8 The Chain of Command

The section defines who reports to whom on this project. A project organisation

chart would be useful here. Another useful tool is a responsibility matrix (a table

that defines the important roles and responsibilities on the project). Such a

matrix is important because projects often cross departmental and even

organisational boundaries. If this isn’t spelled out, conflicts about decision-

making and who does what can derail a project.

12.1.9 Assumptions and Agreements

What prior assumptions and agreements are in place? Any assumptions that

limit the project or agreements that form the basis for interaction should be

detailed here. Don’t leave anything out that could affect the future

management of the project. If you want the project to be a success, all side

agreements must be agreed to in the SOW.

12.1.10 The Communication Plan

Who will we communicate to? What basic reports will be produced and how

often? What meetings will be held, particularly during the planning phase?

Specify frequency, audience of all meetings and status reports. Large projects

may require more detailed communication plans.

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You will likely be in charge of the formal communication. Who needs to know and who should

be kept informed periodically? While you don’t want to send info to people who won’t know what you are talking about, omitting someone from the information loop is a great way to ruffle

feathers unintentionally. Try not to do this.

Individual SOW (Use own example)

Purpose Statement

Scope Statement

Project Deliverables

My project has these goals:

My project has these tasks: Cost Schedule

Stakeholders will include:

The chain of command will look

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like this:

Assumptions and agreements

that have already been made:

My communication plan:

12.2 Project Planning Worksheet

Once the SOW has been completed, the Project Planning form doesn’t pose much of a problem.

Following is a sample form with additional information. See if you can complete this.

DO NOT SUBMIT.

Name of Project: _______________________________

Brief description and overall benefits:

Project Number ________ Priority rating __________

Request Date ________ Other Reference dates __________

Time Management

Time targets: Start ________ Finish _________ Accuracy ________

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What are the primary objectives?

What are the secondary objectives?

Milestone descriptions and dates:

Plan for Time Control:

Cost Controls

Budget or Estimate __________ Accuracy __________

Cost (Budget) milestones and dates

#1 _____________________________________________

#2 _____________________________________________

#3 _____________________________________________

Financial Benefits to be obtained

Target product cost _________ Cost per day of delay __________

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Costs include: All external? Y/N All internal? Y/N

Other?________________________________

Plan for Cost Control:

Results Expected

Specific objectives/results expected in order of importance

For further details, refer to documents:

Constraints on Solutions

Plan for Control of Results

Trade-off guidelines

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Approvals

Project Manager

Project Manager's Supervisor

REVEAL OUR ANSWER

40 | P a g e

A Personal Action Plan

I know where I’m starting from. I know I am already good at these things, and I can do them more

often:

I can learn this, I am learning this, and I am doing what I can at this stage as well. I have already

learned:

I will start with small steps, especially in areas that are difficult for me. My short –term goals for

improvement are:

I promise to congratulate and reward myself every time I do something, no matter how small, to

maintain and improve my skills. My rewards will be:

I’m setting myself up for success by choosing long-range goals to work for gradually. My long-term

goals for success are as follows:

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Recommended Reading List

Baca, Claudia M. Project Management for Mere Mortals. Pearson Education,

2007.

Baker, Kim, and Sunny Baker. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Project Management. Alpha Publishing, 2003.

Bates, Jefferson D. Writing with Precision. Penguin, 2000.

Bennis, Warren, and Burt Nanus. Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge. Collins,

2007.

Blanchard, Ken, and Sheldon Bowles. High Five! The Magic of Working Together.

William Morrow, 2000.

Bruce, Andy, and Ken Langdon. Essential Managers: Project Management. DK

Adult, 2000.

Carnegie, Dale. How to Win Friends and Influence People. Pocket Books, 1998

(Reprint).

Covey, Stephen. The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Free Press, 2004.

Guffey, Mary Ellen. Essentials of Business Communication . South-Western

College Pub, 2006.

Hamilton, Cheryl, and Cordell Parker. Communicating for Results. Wadsworth

Publishing, 2007.

Haynes, Marion E. Project Management: Practical Tools for Success (Crisp Fifty-

Minute Series). Thomson Learning, 2002.

MacKenzie, Kyle. Making It Happen: A Non-Technical Guide to Project

Management. Wiley, 1998.

Martin, Paula, and Karen Tate. Getting Started in Project Management. Wiley,

2001.

Mintzer, Richard. The Everything Project Management Book. Adams Media

Corporation, 2002.

Murphy, Kevin J. Effective Listening. Bantam Publishers, 1988.

Project Management Institute. A Guide to the Project Management Body of

Knowledge, Third Edition. Project Management Institute, 2004.

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Project Management

Module 1 ANSWERS

Fundamentals of Project Management

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Chapter 2

Ask participants to give a definition or words that might describe what a project is or

isn’t. Responses may include: Unique and singular task

Has a beginning, middle, and end

Has an objective

Dedication of resources

Different types of skills coming together

Temporary endeavor to achieve a particular aim

Not an ongoing operation

Constraints and risks relating to cost, schedule or performance outcomes

Projects have limited resources that are planned, executed, and controlled

Chapter 5: Case Study – Mary Marvellous

A written complaint of a heavy workload is more effective than a verbal complaint.

Likewise, providing written evidence of a heavy workload is more effective than a verbal

report of a heavy workload.

Rather than just say “no,” which may mean you won’t get other projects to do, work collaboratively with your manager to solve the problem.

Discuss priorities with Dianne to determine which projects need to be done first.

Ask for assistance; perhaps you can delegate some minor tasks to someone else on the

team.

Schedule regular update sessions with Dianne to help prevent that sinking feeling

Chapter 11: Considerations

Anticipation

Brainstorm objections, either solo or within your team, and identify appropriate responses that

negate or overcome these objections.

Assistance

Look for ambassadors and supporters: people who have something to gain from seeing your

project completed or who can see the benefits of your project.

Location

Think of the person or persons you want to persuade. Would your pitch work better in the

person’s space or in some neutral location like the cafeteria or the board room?

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Timing

If you know your person well, would they prefer to discuss a project over lunch or at the end of

the day? Fridays are often more open and informal. Just before a holiday might get you a

hearing but will it then be forgotten?

Precautions

Remember the old proverb, “A stitch in time saves nine.” One possibility is to run it by an external contact or someone from another department. Perhaps you know somebody who can

be counted on to spot the flaws in any argument. Their black hat thinking could be useful here.

Rewards

Don’t forget the magic of a simple thank you or of public recognition in front of peers. Hand-

written notes of thanks are appreciated. And of course if the project pays off handsomely, then

a more substantial financial reward might be appropriate.

Chapter 12: Project Planning Worksheet

Basics

Name of Project: For some reason, it really helps to give a project a name. It sets it apart

from regular work and creates positive energy.

Brief description and overall benefits: If you can describe your project and how it will

benefit the department, or office, you are well on your way to a successful project. If

you can’t describe it, you need to think it through further or find more information. Project Number: Not always applicable

Priority rating: Not always applicable

Request Date: When were you tasked with this project?

Time Management

Time targets: When are you or did you start? When are you expected to finish?

What are the primary objectives of the project? Refer to our discussion on the Scope of

Work.

What are the secondary objectives that may be accomplished if all goes well? These may

not have been identified by your manager but you can see them as benefits. They are

not the main reasons for doing this project but they are still worth mentioning

Milestone descriptions and dates (short-term goals along the way to completion). For

example, when you are preparing for your parent’s anniversary, you may have several milestones, such as putting together the invitation list, sending the invitations,

completing the menu plan, and decorating the hall.

How will you plan your time so you can still get your other work done? Only you can

answer this one, but you should have an answer and a plan in place.

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Cost Controls

Budget or Estimate (estimate in terms of dollars or hours): We discussed this under

scope of work. You are more valuable to your manager when you are aware of what

projects cost.

Cost milestones and dates: You may decide to divide the money/budget up on a

monthly basis or on a resource basis, but having some milestones in place can help you

determine how well you are doing. For example, if you’ve spent most of your Christmas gift budget and you still have most of your people to still buy for, you’re in trouble.

Financial benefits to be obtained: Are there any? Don’t say no too hastily. Costs include: All external? All internal? (Are external resources required?)

How do you plan to keep time or dollar costs under control? What can you do to make

certain the budget stays within its bounds? This is like going grocery shopping with a list.

Results Expected

Specific objectives/results expected in order of importance: Already discussed in the

SOW.

Are there any constraints you are aware of? Already discussed in the SOW.

Plan for Control of Results: Probably not in your hands, but try to answer anyway.

Plan to minimize risks: Again, some risks will be beyond your control. Others you may be

able to keep in control if you know about them.

Approvals

Project Manager

Project Manager's Supervisor

If possible, get your project plans approved by your manager. This not only protects you,

but it helps clarify exactly what you are expected to do. Sometimes this helps you

manager too, who has not yet taken time to think through a project he/she has just

passed off to you.