Project Time Management – Part 1 Activity Definition
By Raymond Keckler | January 31, 2008
Now that you have your work breakdown structure, what do you do? This is when you get into Project Time Management. Project Time Management includes the processes required to accomplish timely completion of the project (PMBOK 123). There is a flow that should be followed to help you figure out what and when you should do the activities. The following are the 6 processes that need to be done in the Project Time Management Knowledge area.
- Activity Definition
- Activity Sequencing
- Activity Resource Estimating
- Activity Duration Estimating
- Schedule Development
- Schedule Control
The Activity Definition process will identify the deliverables at the lowest level in the work breakdown structure called the work package (PMBOK 127). This work package is used to provide the estimations made in the project work. The inputs needed to do this are:
- Enterprise environmental factors
- Organizational process assets
- Project scope statement
- Work breakdown structure
- WBS dictionary
- Project management plan
Topics: Project Management | No Comments »
Developing the Work Breakdown Structure
By Raymond Keckler | January 19, 2008
The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) gives us a description of what work needs to be done to complete the project. The WBS is in the form of a hierarchical diagram. As you traverse down the levels, more detail is provided on the work. In the WBS you have two types of work items called an activity and a task. An activity is a piece of work. A task is a smaller piece of work. Activities turn into tasks in the WBS. The last term you need to know is the work package. The work package guides us in how the tasks that make up the activity will be done.
Breaking down the work into different levels in the hierarchy is called decomposition. We take each activity and break it down into steps. These steps will be the next activities a level down in the hierarchy. By decomposing the project you can get an estimate on the duration of the project. Required resources will come to light as well as the schedule for the work. There are two main approaches to decomposing a project plan, the top-down approach and the bottom-up approach.
Topics: Project Management | No Comments »
New Site Design
By Raymond Keckler | January 18, 2008
I decided to redo the site design. I found this template at Duct Tape Business Blog Theme Designed by Cory Miller in collaboration with Duct Tape Marketing. It has the three column layout and still kept the site simple.
Topics: Chatter | No Comments »
Fundamental Principles of Project Management
By Raymond Keckler | January 15, 2008
R. Max Wideman wrote an article, Fundamental Principles of Project Management. It is interesting because he shows how fundamentals and practices differ. The article tells us that there is a lot of literature on how to do project management better but hardly any on the fundamental principles. He defines what a principle is and what a practice is. Knowing the definitions helps in understanding the difference between the two.
Wildeman describes what a principle in project management should contain. The criteria are as follows:
- Express a basic concept or idea.
- Be universally applicable if a successful project result is to be achieved.
- Be capable of straight forward expression in one or two sentences.
- Be self-evident to project management personnel with considerable experienced of practical project work.
- Be capable of self-evident naming with one or two words.
- Provide the basis for research, practical testing as to value, and the development of supporting ‘Practices’.
Wildeman goes on to give 7 Fundamentals Principles of Project Management.
- The Success Principle
- The goal of project management is to produce a successful product.
- The Commitment Principle
- A mutually acceptable commitment between a project sponsor and a project team must exist before a viable project exists.
- The Tetrad-Tradeoff Principle
- The core variables of the project management process, namely: product scope, quality grade, time-to-produce and cost-to-complete must all be mutually consistent.
- The Primary Communication Channel (or Unity-of-Command) Principle
- A single channel of communication must exist between the project sponsor and the project team leader for all decisions affecting the product of the project.
- The Cultural Environment (or Suitability) Principle
- An informed management must provide a supportive cultural environment to enable the project team to produce its best work.
- The Process Principle
- Effective and efficient policies and procedures must be in place for the conduct of the project commitment.
- The Life-Cycle Principle
- Plan first, then do.
To read more go here - http://www.pmforum.org/library/papers/1999/pmprin.pdf
Topics: Project Management | No Comments »
Ready, Fire, Aim review
By Raymond Keckler | January 11, 2008
I was looking for some interesting reading so I went to Barnes and Noble the other day. I saw this book, Ready, Fire, Aim. It is written by Michael Masterson. I had not heard of him but when I brought the book home my wife said she gets his newsletter, Early to Rise. Masterson writes extremely well. He captures your interest and does not seem to let it go. This books is suppose to tell you how to develop the essential entrepreneurial skills to improve your business. Once I have read it through I will let you know. So far it is very intriguing.
Topics: Business, Chatter | No Comments »