projectPrimer

A Project ManagementPrimer

or“aguidetomakingprojectswork(v2.0)”byNickJenkins

©NickJenkins,2006

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Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................3BASIC PRINCIPLES..........................................................................................................................4Ten Axioms for Success....................................................................................................................4Scope Triangle...................................................................................................................................6The Critical Path................................................................................................................................7The Mythical Man Month...................................................................................................................7SCOPE ............................................................................................................................................10Scope, Visions and Goals...............................................................................................................10Requirements..................................................................................................................................15Requirements capture.....................................................................................................................17Documenting Requirements............................................................................................................19Traceability......................................................................................................................................22PLANNING.......................................................................................................................................23The Purpose of a Project Plan........................................................................................................23The Fine Art of Scheduling..............................................................................................................24Costing and Budgeting....................................................................................................................29Risk Management............................................................................................................................31Change Management .....................................................................................................................33EXECUTION....................................................................................................................................35Staying on track...............................................................................................................................35Managing People.............................................................................................................................36IMPLEMENTATION.........................................................................................................................39REVIEW...........................................................................................................................................42GLOSSARY.....................................................................................................................................43

AProjectManagementPrimer(©NickJenkins2006)2-43

Introduction

Manyprojectsfailbecauseofthesimplestofcauses.Youdon’thavetobeageniustodeliveraprojectontime,nordoyouhavetobesteepedinamysticalprojectmanagementmethodologytobeaprojectmanager.Ifanaveragelycompetentpersoncan’tdeliveraprojectsuccessfullyafterreadingthisprimerthenIwillrunbucknakedthroughTimesSquareonmy75

th

birthday.SeeifIdon’t!Nick

Thatremindsmeofajoke…Atouristwalkedintoapetshopandwaslookingattheanimalsondisplay.Whilehewasthere,anothercustomerwalkedinandsaidtotheshopkeeper,"I'llhaveaCmonkeyplease."Theshopkeepernodded,wentovertoacageatthesideoftheshopandtookoutamonkey.Hefittedacollarandleash,handedittothecustomer,saying,"That'llbe£5,000."Thecustomerpaidandwalkedoutwithhismonkey.Startled,thetouristwentovertotheshopkeeperandsaid,"Thatwasaveryexpensivemonkey.Mostofthemareonlyafewhundredpounds.Whydiditcostsomuch?"Theshopkeeperanswered,"Ah,thatmonkeycanprograminC-veryfast,tightcode,nobugs,wellworththemoney."Thetouristlookedatamonkeyinanothercage."Hey,thatone'sevenmoreexpensive!£10,000!Whatdoesitdo?""Oh,thatone'saC++monkey;itcanmanageobject-orientedprogramming,VisualC++,evensomeJava.Allthereallyusefulstuff,"saidtheshopkeeper.Thetouristlookedaroundforalittlelongerandsawathirdmonkeyinacageofitsown.Thepricetagarounditsneckread£50,000.Thetouristgaspedtotheshopkeeper,"Thatonecostsmorethanalltheothersputtogether!Whatonearthdoesitdo?"Theshopkeeperreplied,"Well,Ihaven'tactuallyseenitdoanything,butitsaysit'saprojectmanager".AProjectManagementPrimer(©NickJenkins2006)3-43