Understanding Project Management Processes

It might seem daunting when you realize that, as a project manager, you're responsible for such a tremendous balancing act. However, this responsibility can be broken down into four manageable processes:

1. Initiating and planning the project

2. Executing the project

3. Controlling the project

4. Closing the project

Most of the chapters in this book are structured with these four processes in mind. For each process, you use Microsoft Project in specific ways. There are also standard project management practices related to planning, executing, controlling, and closing the project. Throughout this book, the Microsoft Project procedures and project management practices are described in the context of the relevant project process.

Project Management Processes

These are the four processes of project management, as well as the key elements within each process:

• Initiating and planning the project:
  Examine the big picture
  Identify the project's milestones, deliverables, and tasks
  Develop and refine the project schedule
  Identify skills, equipment, and materials needed

• Executing the project:
  Have assigned resources execute the project
  Save a baseline plan for comparison
  Track progress on tasks

• Controlling the project:
  Analyze project information
  Communicate and report

• Closing the project:
  Identify lessons learned
  Create a project template

 

Planning the Project

You're ready to begin the planning process after an authoritative stakeholder has decided to implement this project with you as the project manager. The outcome of this planning process will be a workable project plan and a team ready to start working the project. When planning the project, do the following:

Look at the big picture.       Before you get too far into the nuts and bolts of planning, you need a comprehensive vision of where you're going with your project. You shape this vision by first identifying the project goals and objectives. This practice helps you set the scope of the project. You learn the expectations, limitations, and assumptions for this project, and they all go into the mix. You also identify possible risks and contingency plans for the project.

Identify the project's milestones, deliverables, and tasks.       Subdivide the project into its component tasks and then organize and sequence the tasks to accurately reflect the project scope.

Develop and refine the project schedule.       To turn the task list into a workable project schedule, specify task durations and relate tasks to each other. You can create task dependencies, that is, a model of how the start of one task depends on the completion of another task, for example. If you have any specific dates for deliverables, you can enter them as deadlines, or if really necessary, task constraints. At that point, Microsoft Project can start to calculate a realistic schedule for tasks in particular and the project as a whole. With this plan, you can accurately forecast the scope, schedule, and budget for the project. You can also determine which resources are needed, how many, and at what time.

Identify skills, equipment, and materials needed.       After the tasks are identified, you can determine the skills, equipment, and materials needed to carry out the work for those tasks. You obtain the needed resources and assign them to the appropriate tasks. You can now calculate when the project can be completed and how much it will cost. If it looks like you're exceeding the allowable deadline or budget, you can make the necessary adjustments.

Cross-References  

For more detailed information about planning the project, see the chapters in Part 2, "Developing the Project Plan."

Executing the Project

The second project management process is execution. At this point, you have your project plan in hand. The tasks are scheduled and the resources are assigned. Everyone's at the starting gate waiting for you to say "Go!"

You give the word, and the project moves from planning to the execution and controlling process. In the course of executing the project, you perform the following:

Save a baseline plan for comparison.       To get good tracking information, keep a copy of certain project plan information on hand so you can compare your plan to actual progress as the project moves along.

Monitor the resources as they carry out their assigned tasks.       As the project manager, you keep an eye on their progress in completing their tasks.

Track task progress.       You can track progress in terms of percent complete, how long a task takes from beginning to end, or how many hours a resource spends on a task. As you gather this information, you can see whether tasks and milestones will finish on time. You can also gather information about costs of resources, tasks, and the project as a whole.

Cross-References  

For more information about tracking progress, see Chapter 10, "Saving a Baseline and Updating Progress."

Controlling the Project

While your project team is executing the tasks, you're making sure that the project stays within the prescribed deadline and budget while maintaining the scope outlined in the project goals. In project management, this process is referred to as "controlling the project." In the controlling process, you monitor all task activities, compare the plan to actual progress, and make adjustments as needed. To control the project, you do the following:

Analyze project information.       Analyze the information you're gathering and use this analysis to solve problems and make decisions. Often, you need to decide how to recover a slipped schedule or a budget overrun . Sometimes, you're in the happy position of deciding what to do with extra time or money.

Cross-References  

For more information about controlling the project, see Chapter 11.

Communicate and report.       Throughout the execution of the project, you will be in constant communication with your team members and other stakeholders. You need to keep upper management, customers, and other stakeholders informed of any potential problems, new decisions, and your overall progress.

Cross-References  

For more informaiton about views and reports , see Chapter 12, "Reporting Project Information."

Closing the Project

In the final process of the project, you have successfully fulfilled the goals of the project and it's now complete. Before you move on to the next project, it's a good idea to capture the knowledge you gained from this one. When closing the project, you do the following:

Identify lessons learned.       Work with your project team and conduct a "postmortem" meeting to learn what went well and what could be improved.

Create a project template.       Save the project plan along with tasks, duration metrics, task relationships, resource skills, and the like, so the next time you or someone else manages a similar project, your wheel will not need to be reinvented.

Cross-References  

For more information about closing the project, see Chapter 28, "Standardizing Projects Using Templates."