ADVANCED

Multi-Project
Management
Achieving Outstanding
Speed and Results
with Predictability
Gerald I. Kendall, PMP
Kathleen M.Austin

J.ROSS.
P U B L I S H I N G
 Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii
Foreword xi
Preface .-. xiii
Biography xvii
Web Added Value™ xix

PART I-WHY MULTI-PROJECT ENVIRONMENTS ARE

SO MESSED UP 1
Chapter 1. Introduction—The Multi-Project Problem 3
Chapter 2. Resource Conflicts : 17
Chapter 3. Poorly Defined Project Networks 25
Chapter 4. The Biggest Leverage Point for Improving 31

PART II-OVERVIEW OF THE PERMANENT MULTI-PROJECT

SOLUTION 39
Chapter 5. Project Networks 41
Chapter 6. Strategic Buffering—Insulating Projects from Variability 49
Chapter 7. Controlled Project WIE—Aligning and Activating
Multiple Projects 55
Chapter 8. Fast Execution, Single Priority System, Recovery 63
Chapter 9. Enterprise Resource Planning 73
Chapter 10. Multi-Project Software Requirements 81
Chapter 11. What Is It All Worth? 95

PART III-PROJECT PLANNING, NETWORKS, AND RISK

AVOIDANCE 103
Chapter 12. Level of Detail—Not the Lowest Level 105
Chapter 13. Step 1: The Projects Measurable Goals, Tangible Scope,
and Sponsor Criteria '. Ill
Chapter 14. Step 2: The Backbone 119
Chapter 15. Step 3: The Skeleton 129
iv Advanced Multi-Project Management

Chapter 16. Step 4: Additional Dependencies—First Risk Avoidance 137

Chapter 17. Step 5: Checking against Project Goals and Scope—
Second Risk Avoidance 143
Chapter 18. Step 6: Resourcing 147
Chapter 19. Step 7: Expert Scrutiny—Third Risk Avoidance 155
Chapter 20. Step 8: Time Estimates—Fourth Risk Avoidance 159
Chapter 21. Step 9: Duration Reduction without Compromise 167
Chapter 22. Step 10: Final Project Risk Assessment—Fifth Risk
Avoidance 175

PART IV—INSULATING PROJECTS FROM VARIABILITY .: 179

Chapter 23. Three Points of Network Insulation 181
Chapter 24. Operations versus Project Responsibility—Resource
Insulation 191
\ Chapter 25. Project-to-Project Insulation f.. 197
Chapter 26. Common Cause versus Special Cause Insulation 201

PART V—ALIGNING AND ACTIVATING MULTIPLE PROJECTS 205

Chapter 27. Setting Project Priorities 207
Chapter 28. Two Different Ways to Align Multiple Projects 211
Chapter 29. "What If" Analyses on Timelines and Resources 221
Chapter 30. Finalizing the Project Schedule and Activation 225

PART VI—MULTI-PROJECT EXECUTION 229

Chapter 31. Project Manager Execution Role 231
Chapter 32. Resource Manager Execution Role 243
Chapter 33. Senior Management Execution Role—Daily Fast-Track
Meetings 253
Chapter 34. Senior Management Execution Role—Full-Kitting
Projects 257
Chapter 35. Senior Management in Stage Gate—How to Avoid the
Huge Damage 1265
Chapter 36. Senior Management Execution Role—Portfolio
Review Process 275

PART VII—ENTERPRISE PROJECT RESOURCE PLANNING 285

Chapter 37. Distinguishing between Temporary Bottlenecks and Need
to Hire/Contract 287
Chapter 38. Supervisor and Management Loads 297
 Table of Contents v

Chapter 39. Increasing Load on Operations from Project Completion 309

Chapter 40. Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Challenges 317

PART VIII-MULTI-PROJECT SOFTWARE REQUIREMENTS 325

Chapter 41. Software Planning Requirements—Buffers, Global
Resources, and Alignment 327
Chapter 42. Software Execution Requirements—Buffer Penetration,
Project, and Resource Trends 337
Chapter 43. Role-Based Software Views 347

PART IX-EXECUTIVE BUY-IN AND CONCLUSIONS* 351

Chapter 44. Executive Buy-In and Simulations 353
Chapter 45. Conclusions 363

Appendix A: Strategy and Tactics Approaclffbr Multi-Project

Management 367
Appendix B: Success Stories and Video References 381
Appendix C: Sample Enterprise Resource Categories 387
Appendix D: What about Agile? 391
Appendix E: Complete Case Study on Project Planning 395

Bibliography 415
Index I. 417