1	Project Management Skills Logistics Network Inc.
2	What is a project? A project is a one-time job that has defined start and end dates, a clearly specified objective, or scope of work to be performed, a pre-defined budget, and usually a temporary organization that is dismantled once the project is complete. A project is a problem scheduled for solution. - J.M. Juran
3	What is project management? Project management is the planning, scheduling, and controlling of project activities to achieve project objectives.
4	The Primary Objectives of All Projects. Performance Cost Time Scope
5	Some Cautionary Notes… You cannot tie down all four objectives simultaneously. If three of them are specified, the fourth must be allowed to vary. All four of these variables - performance, cost, time and scope - are interdependent. They all cannot be dictated at once!
6	"You must control" You must control scope creep!
7	The Project Life-Cycle Concept Definition Design Development Application Post-Completion
8	"The way a problem is..." The way a problem is defined determines the solution.
9	"Beware of" Beware of “Analysis Paralysis!”
10	Essential Elements of a Project Plan A problem statement Project mission statement Project strategy, together with a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis supporting it Project objectives Develop means of translating customer needs into solutions Statement of project scope A list of deliverables Work Breakdown Structure Schedules Required resources - people, equipment, etc. Control system Major contributors
11	"Once the project plan is..." Once the project plan is developed, it should be submitted to the stakeholders for their signatures.
12	Who is a stakeholder? Anyone who has a vested interest in the project. These include contributors, customers, managers, financial people, etc.
13	"Changing the Plan" Changing the Plan
14	"Make changes in an orderly..." Make changes in an orderly way, following a standard change procedure.
15	"The first rule of planning..." The first rule of planning is to be prepared to re-plan.
16	"What is planning" What is planning?
17	Planning is the answering of the following questions: What must be done? How should it be done? Who will do it? By when must it be done? How much will it cost? How good does it have to be?
18	Cardinal Rule of Planning The people who must implement a plan should participate in preparing it.
19	Project Planning Steps Define the problem to be solved. Develop a mission statement followed by statements of major objectives. Develop a project strategy. Write a scope statement to define project boundaries. Develop a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) Using the WBS, estimate activity durations, resource requirements, and costs. Prepare the project master schedule and budget. Set up the project notebook. Get the plan signed off by all project stakeholders.
20	The Mission Statement A mission statement provides the basis for which goals and objectives can be set and for making decisions, taking actions, etc.
21	A mission statement should answer these three questions What do we do? For whom do we do it? How do we go about it?
22	Objectives Should be specific Should be measurable Must be verifiable Fit higher level organization objectives Should be stated in terms of deliverable items Must be comprehensible Should be time-limited Should be attainable Should specify a single end result
23	Don’t confuse tasks with objectives! An objective is a desired end-state. Tasks are those actions taken to arrive at the final destination.
24	Developing Project Strategy What are we going to do? How are we going to do it?
25	SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats
26	SWOT Analysis What Strengths do we have? How can we take advantage of them? What Weaknesses do we have? How can we minimize their impact? What Opportunities are there? How can we capitalize on them? What Threats might prevent us from getting there? For every obstacle identified, what can we do to overcome or get around it?
27	Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) provides a tool for planning the what, including estimates of resource requirements, activity durations and costs.
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29	"The objective of all project..." The objective of all project planning should be to develop a plan that is realistic, so that managers can make decisions as to whether to do the work.
30	"A Work Breakdown Structure does..." A Work Breakdown Structure does not show the sequence in which work is performed! Such sequencing is determined when a schedule is developed.
31	10 Project Management Factors Project Mission Top Management Support Project Schedule/Plan Client Consultation Personnel Technical Tasks Client Acceptance Monitoring and Feedback Communication Troubleshooting
32	Four Stages of the Project Life-Cycle Conceptualization Planning Execution Termination
33	"Project mission and client consultation..." Project mission and client consultation should be the most important predictors of project performance.
34	What determines project success? Did the project attain its goals? Was it done on time? Was it done within budget? Was the client satisfied?
35	Causes of project failure. Failure to properly define the problem. Planning was based on insufficient data. The people who must do the job are not involved in planning it. No one is in charge. Project estimates are best guesses, made without consulting historical data. Resource planning was inadequate. People don’t see themselves as working on one team. People are constantly pulled off the project or reassigned with no regard for impact. The project plan lacks detail. The project is not tracked against the plan. People lose sight of the original goal. Senior managers refuse to accept reality. Ballpark estimates become official targets.