Stage 1: Project Conceptualization and Definition James R. Burns

Stage 1: Project Conceptualization and Definition James R. Burns

Recitation Name the core knowledge areas Name the facilitating knowledge areas Name the five stages of the lifecycle How does PMBOK handle processes? Name some processes associated with cost management Name some processes associated with quality management

Recitation What is the most important stage of PM? Which project team member is busiest during the 1st Stage? What is the most important concern of the PM in this stage? Name some deliverables of the 1st stage?

Management Lifecycle STAGE 1: Conceptualizingand-Defining STAGE 2: Planning-andBudgeting STAGE 3: Executing STAGE 5: Terminating-andClosing STAGE 4: Monitoring-and-Controlling

Outline The First Stage Using a SOW Defining Project Boundaries/Scope Why getting this right is so important The use of surveys and interviews Definition of Deliverables and Due Dates Managing stakeholder expectations

More outline What the deliverables of this stage are Why this has to be done expeditiously Why iterations between this and the next stage may be necessary How this stage gets done Using Goldratt’s Thinking Process Defining team roles and determining the organization Assess Feasibility

Conceptualization and Definition Determine Construct Define Statement Requirements of Work Ensure fit with business strategy and priorities Identify dependencies with other projects Assess technology consistency Assess overall risk Organizati on Assess Feasibility Define scope, size and resource requirements Test alignment with strategies Planning and Budgeting Test resource availability Make GO/NO GO Decision

Processes--Scope management Initiation—defining a project charter Scope planning—scope statement Scope definition—defining a work breakdown structure Scope verification— formalizing acceptance Scope change control

The First Stage Analogous to a missile or rocket If the launch is “bad,” the project may have to be killed Just as a rocket that misfires must be detonated

Deliverables of this stage Project stakeholders Consensus --vision Requirements document Project charter What the Project deliverables are Project team members?

Project stakeholders This group must be molded into one in which there is a lot of cohesion and consensus If you can’t get cohesion, then you may have to settle for a plurality or majority rule It is most important that everyone knows up front what this project is about Stakeholders who won’t get what they want from the project need to know this up front

Cohesion, Consensus and Commitment You’ve got to get these prior to execution or you’ll never get them later on

Requirements document—CONTENTS What the problem is What functionality is needed What inputs What outputs »Write this section first What performance What reliability

What kind of meeting is appropriate to begin discussions? A Joint Requirements Definition Session (JRDS) To create a strongly held shared vision of what the project is all about

Managing Different Views The problem of ends vs. means values This is relative to getting consensus Stakeholder analysis

JIM JACK JOE JOHN ORGANIZATIO N Customer Project team member Hardware vendor Project sponsor Personal traits Not very computer literate, doesn’t know what he wants Terrific developer; lots of experience on similar projects Good sense of humor; a little lax on delivery due dates Very diluted; not convinced project is needed; doesn’t like Jill Relation project to Works for the marketing dept. Will do the database definitions of the product Provides both client and server hardware components Provides funds for project; can kill the project if he deems necessary Level interest of Moderate; is the end user of the deliverable High Moderate Moderate Level influence of None Moderate None High; can kill the project Involve her heavily in the user interface and database development Don’t’ distract him; keep him happy Stay after him, make certain he knows you absolutely have to have it on 3/3/3 Keep him informed; do as he says, now Suggestions for managing the relationship

Project Charter Advantage here is that the rules are made explicit from the outset Helps remind the PM and team what the goals/objectives are ANNOUNCES THE PROJECT ANNOUNCES THE PROJECT MANAGER

What else does the Project Charter announce? Project stakeholders Project scope Project deliverables Project assumptions Project rules/processes Project governance

NAME: OBJECTIVES: STAKEHOLDERS: PROJECT MANAGER: SCOPE: DELIVERABLES: ASSUMPTIONS: RULES/PROCESSES: GOVERNANCE: COMMENTS: SIGNATURES/SIGN OFFS:

Methodology for Facilitation of JRDS Goldratt Thinking Process Senge’s Systems Thinking and System Dynamics SWOT Methodology

Goldratt Thinking Process What to Change What to Change to How to Cause the Change

What to Change We talked previously about the problems with mainframe/glass house architecture Data were isolated/non integrated Centralized MIS shop had long lead times MIPS on mainframes were expensive and very much in demand MIPS in PC were dirt cheap and idle most of the time No WINDOWS/GUI Internet Interface

Data from different applications cannot be easily shared Each application was required to have its own data management component The technology of relational database engines as data management components was undeveloped The data management components of the various applications were completely unique; there was no reuse Each application had to reside entirely on the mainframe The technology of reuse was in its infancy

What to Change to Modern distributed computing architectures

How to Cause the Change Perhaps the most important part

Feasibility Assessment Process Identify Dependencies with other projects Assess overall risk Test alignment with/impact on strategies and plans Test resource availability Submit deliverables for a quality gate inspection

MAKE GO/NO GO Decision

More process steps Obtain funding Review alternative approaches Obtain necessary signoff signatures Move to next stage

A Caveat As Project Manager, you should avoid making quick and dirty estimates of duration and cost in this stage {You may be forced to abide by your first rough estimates which are usually way off} Instead, quote ranges that err on the up side, if your superiors insist on estimates as to duration and cost

Summary This is the most important stage There is a lot of PM involvement PM must be courageous: Communicate Lead Negotiate Decide A most important focus: Build Consensus