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Inter Agency Policy and Projects Unit
Department of Premier and Cabinet
Project ManagementFact Sheet:
Managing Small Projects
Version: 1.1, June 2008
DISCLAIMER
This material has been prepared for use by Tasmanian Government agencies and Instrumentalities.It follows that this material should not be relied upon by any other person. Furthermore, to the extent
that ‘this material is relied upon’, the Crown in Right of the State of Tasmania gives no warranty as to
the accuracy or correctness of the material or for any advice given or for omissions from the material.Users rely on the material at their own risk.
 
 
Page 2 Tasmanian Government Project Management FrameworkProject Management Fact Sheet: Managing Small Projects, Version: 1.1, June 2008
This Fact Sheet has been developed toprovide additional material that isspecifically relevant to managing smallprojects to complement other projectmanagement resources.It outlines tips for managing small projects,questions you should ask yourself during aproject and lists a set of resources formanaging small projects.
What is a Project?
A change of any kind in or for anorganisation needs to be managed toensure the change process is as smoothand successful as possible.
 
Thatorganisational change process is usuallymanaged as a project.Projects involve a group of planned, inter-related activities that create a new orimproved product or service, to meet thestated project objectives. A project shouldbe achievable within a relatively fixedtimeframe and resource constraints, andthe scope of the project should take theseinto consideration.
What is an activity versus a smallproject?
An
activity
may be something thatrequires no structure or planning toexecute, or may be an ongoing orrepetitive process. In the initial stages, orthe first time an activity is performed, itmay be useful for it to be treated as aproject to allow the learnings to berecorded. This structure may assist theorganisation in ensuring that the secondand subsequent execution of the activity isefficient and effective.A
small project
on the other hand is onewhere there is a project team of 2 or less,
the project’s schedule is flexible, of 
internal interest only, has a budget of lessthan $25K, impacts a single business unit,and has no major dependencies or inter-related projects.
Why do small projects need to bemanaged?
The value of good project management isthat you have standard processes in placeto deal with all contingencies, regardlessof the project size, complexity or impact onyour organisation.Using sound project managementtechniques and processes will give you ahigher likelihood that your small projectwill be completed on time, within budget,to an acceptable level of quality, and willhave achieved its objectives.Consider all aspects of how to manage aproject, and build the right processes foryour small project.
How do I determine if my project issmall or large?
Project size can be based on the project’s
timeframe, complexity, strategic andpolitical importance, total cost, the sizeand skill levels of Project Team and thelevel of change the project will create.However in the end it is up to you as theProject Manager, and your ProjectSponsor/Line Manager to determinewhether the project is classified as small,medium or large.Knowing the project size will allow you todetermine the project managementprocesses that best suits the requirementsfor successful project completion.The
Project Sizing Calculator 
may also beused as a tool to assist you in determiningthe size of your project.
 
 
Page 3 Tasmanian Government Project Management FrameworkProject Management Fact Sheet: Managing Small Projects, Version: 1.1, June 2008
What are the main things I need toconsider in managing my smallproject?
No matter what the size and complexity ofa project, there are 11 key elements(areas) that the Project Manager needs toconsider: planning and scoping,governance, outcome realisation,stakeholder management, riskmanagement, issues management,resource management, qualitymanagement, status reporting, evaluationand closure.The extent to which these areas areaddressed depends upon the size andcomplexity of the project. It is notappropriate for all projects to do all projectmanagement activities to the same level ofdetail and with the same degree ofdiscipline. For small projects, it is veryimportant to scale down the projectmanagement processes anddocumentation to suit your needs.
Managing Small ProjectsResources:
Resources that are specifically designedto assist in managing small projects havebeen developed. These include:
Project Proposal Template 
-
is usuallythe first document outlining whatchange is proposed. It is thedocument that converts an idea orpolicy into the details of a potentialproject.
Project Business Plan Template 
-
isthe management document for theproject. It is owned, maintained andutilised by the Project Sponsor/LineManager to ensure the delivery ofproject outputs and the realisation ofproject outcomes. It is also themanagement document for theProject Manager.
Risk 
and
Issues Registers 
, and
Status Report 
Templates.
Review & Closure Report Template 
-is the final document produced for theproject and is used by seniormanagement to assess the successof the project, inform future projects,
‘tidy up’ any loose ends and formally
close the project.In addition to the above resources,
Appendix 1
contains a list ofquestions (as a checklist) that youmay find useful when you think yourplanning is complete, but before youstart your project.
Tips from Project Managers
Several Small Project ManagementForums were held in 2003. As part ofthese forums, Project Managers andparticipants were asked about theirexperiences in managing small projects.The resulting learnings have beenincluded in this fact sheet. You may findtheir advice and comments useful whenyou are managing a small project yourself.Resourcing:
o
 
Don’t be sh
y to ensure adequateresourcing
o
Resource the project through thewhole cycle
o
Determine risks for the project andprioritise the resources
o
There needs to be a commitmentfrom management to provideadequate resources
o
Need for flexibility and goodwillwhen projects are under-resourced
o
Size of budget does not alwaysdetermine the importance of theprojectDocumentation:
o
Do not write too much
 –
no-one willread it!
o
Keep documentation relevant andshort
o
Know your audience!
o
Tailor the project managementmethodology to suit your project
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