IT Project Management Foundations

This 4-hour workshop describes the fundamentals of IT project management at Harvard

Designed for all IT staff, regardless of experience with projects

Sets a ‘One-Harvard’ language and definition for what it means to manage IT projects at Harvard

Welcome to Project Management Foundations!

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…because project management affects

everyone in IT sooner or later!

Breaks and End time

Electronics – Please mute

Restrooms and Fire Exits

Administrative notes

3 3

Name

Where you work

Your experience with projects

…as a manager, team member, scrum master, support desk, infrastructure engineer, business analyst, developer, architect, other stakeholder…

Introductions

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Understand the value and benefits of IT project management at Harvard

Describe the concepts, roles and responsibilities, and phases of IT project management

Understand the essential elements of IT project management at Harvard

Know the project management tools used, and resources available at Harvard.

Course Objectives

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What do you hope to get out of this course?

Project Management & the T Shaped Professional

T-shaped Professional

The T Shaped model is about depth & breadth of expertise

₋ Keeping up with changing technologies and their impact on higher education

₋ Maintaining a service mindset and trusted advisor relationships

Project Management is a T Shape core practice

₋ Cuts across all disciplines – Impacts the “what and the how” of providing IT services

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Project Management Fundamentals ₋ What is a Project? ₋ What is Project Management? ₋ Why IT Project Management? ₋ Roles ₋ Phases

6 Essentials for Success

₋ Vision, Objectives, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) ₋ Estimating & Planning ₋ Risks ₋ Governance ₋ Communications ₋ Change Management

Agenda

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Perspectives on IT Project Management

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You and your spouse/partner are considering a major remodel to expand and modernize the kitchen in your 115 year old home. You are thinking about opening up the space, upgrading all appliances, and adding state-of-the-art wi-fi and surround-sound that ties into the existing systems -- all without disrupting the character of the historic home.

What must you do to determine:

a. whether or not to go ahead with the remodel idea?

b. a plan for the remodel, if you decide to proceed?

c. how to live in the house, while the remodel is underway?

d. how to ensure completion in time for Thanksgiving, just 3 months away, when you will host 50 guests?

In answering each of the questions above, you should also answer:

1. who is involved or affected by this project? In what way?

2. What constraints (listed or not listed) must be considered?

3. what additional concerns (listed or not listed) must be addressed?

The Kitchen Remodel

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Break

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IT Project Management Fundamentals

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A project is a temporary endeavor to deliver a unique

product or service.

₋ Temporary: has a start and an end

₋ Unique: a different, never-seen-before-thing, a change

₋ Projects are the means by which we bring new products and services to users at Harvard – projects involve change

What is a Project?

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We essentially do two things in IT: operate & maintain existing

capabilities and bring in new products and services. Projects are the

way we bring new capability into the environment. 12

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Is this a Project? Yes or No?

Develop a new software application

Fix a bug

Implement a system enhancement

Build a new website

Perform weekly backups

Install a network in a building

Select a software application

Construct a new building

Host a wedding

Upgrade servers in a data center

Increase storage capacity

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Is this a Project? Yes or No?

Develop a new software application Y

Fix a bug N

Implement a system enhancement Y

Build a new website Y

Perform weekly backups N

Install a network in a building Y

Select a software application Y

Construct a new building Y

Host a wedding Y

Upgrade servers in a data center Y

Increase storage capacity N

What is Project Management?

15 © Copyright 2015

Project Management is a disciplined approach to plan,

schedule and coordinate the work to successfully achieve

a project’s objectives.

Involves various roles and responsibilities for the project

activities

Carried out across a set of phases over a project

lifecycle.

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Yes or No?

Develop a new software application

Implement a system enhancement

Build a new website

Install a network in a building

Select a software application

Construct a new building

Host a wedding

Upgrade servers in a data center

Does Project Management Apply in every Project?

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Yes or No?

Develop a new software application Y

Implement a system enhancement Y

Build a new website Y

Install a network in a building Y

Select a software application Y

Construct a new building Y

Host a wedding Y

Upgrade servers in a data center Y

Does Project Management Apply in every project?

Why is project management so important?

The United States economy loses $50-$150 billion per

year due to failed IT projects. (2012 Gallup Business Review)

1 in 6 IT projects have an average cost overrun of 200% and a schedule overrun of 70%. (2013 Harvard Business Review)

61% of IT projects were challenged or failed (cancelled or never implemented). (2012 Chaos Report)

Why IT Project Management?

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The more complex the project, the greater the need for an experienced, skilled project manager.

The Project Manager (PM) -- leads the planning, management and execution of all aspects of a project to ensure achievement of the project’s objectives

Sets expectations on what benefits can be delivered within established timeframe and budget

Ensures the project operates within the approved budget

Identifies and manages project risks, dependencies, constraints

Reports on activities, status and results to sponsors, steering committees, and other affected stakeholders

Acts as the Chief Communicator and Change Agent

Project Manager

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Project Manager Reflection

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How often do the people running projects at Harvard

do not have the job title “project manager”?

How often are they informally assigned?

What are the benefits and dangers of either case?

What is risk of having no project manager, or having project management split among multiple roles?

Other Key Roles

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Sponsor

Steering Committee

Stakeholders

Project Team Member

• Defines the benefits desired from the project.

• Provides funding and resources to the project

• Guides the project through its phases.

• Makes decisions on significant changes (time, scope, budget)

• Eliminates any obstacles to success

• Affected by the project in some way

•Use the products or services the project delivers

•Support/operate the products or services of the project

•May be in a job that will change as a result of the project

•Can slow down or derail a project

•Performs the work of the project

All need to be champions of the project’s success

Project Phase Activities

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Project Lifecycle

More in-depth

analysis and

planning;

vendor selection;

high level design.

Do the actual

work of the

project; build and

release products

or services.

Transition to

operations.

Clarify the

feasibility of a

potential

project.

Plan Close Implement Discover

Phases define the work that occurs in

each step of a project's lifecycle.

Two Approaches to Organizing the Work

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• Products delivered in quick,

multiple, iterative releases

• Products delivered in one release

at the end of the process

IT Project Management Team Exercise

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Project Lifecycle

More in-depth

analysis and planning;

vendor selection; high

level design.

Should we

implement?

Do the actual work

of the project;

build & release

products / services.

What factors must

be addressed in

implementation?

What is the

meaning of

“done”?

Transition to

operations. What

will determine

project’s success

in operations?

Clarify the

feasibility of a

potential project.

Should we invest

in full planning?

Plan Close Implement Discover

• Form teams of 4-5 persons.

• Each team is assigned an IT project.

• What activities must the team accomplish in each phase?

• What information must the team gather in each phase?

• Who should the team engage with in each phase?

Break

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6 Essentials of IT Project Management

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Vision, Objectives, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Planning/Estimating

Risk

Governance

Communications

Change Management

6 Essentials of IT Project Management

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A well formed vision is a clear, concrete statement of what the future will look like.

Vision statements are aspirational. They inspire action and change. They define why.

₋ What are some of the benefits of having a well defined vision?

₋ Who writes the vision? Who “owns” the vision?

₋ Do all projects need a vision?

Vision

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Project Objectives

© Copyright 2015 30

Project Objectives are the goals that will be accomplished to achieve the vision.

They are the foundation for product and release planning; they define the What.

Good objectives are SMART objectives ₋ Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-

bound

KPIs are measurements to confirm that the project has achieved the objectives

If you can’t write a KPI to measure that you’ve achieved the objective, then there is something wrong with the objective.

“If you can’t measure the benefits of a project, there probably aren’t any.” - Tom DeMarco

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

© Copyright 2015 31

Match Objectives and KPIs

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Objectives Key Performance Indicators

A comprehensive professional development program of courses and activities that provides

Harvard’s IT employees with the competencies to excel as “T Shaped Professionals” to the

schools/units they support.

IT Academy Vision

1. Design and implement a T Shaped

Professional competency-based curriculum

and course catalog that staff are motivated to

participate in, starting in FY15.

2. Reinforce formal training with coaching, &

on-the-job (OJT) skills enhancement, starting

in FY16.

3. Integrate course catalog into an enterprise-

wide learning management system (LMS) that

supports individual development plans, course

registration, and badging by FY17.

1. 70% of staff complete the common, competency

based curriculum within 3 years; no open seats per

class within 60 days of program rollout.

2. All IT Academy courses receive top ratings (above

4.5 on a 5.0 scale) for meaningful, relevant content

within 3 months of each course rollout

3. 50% of all managers are leading OJT skills

enhancement to their staff within 2 years of rollout.

4. Course catalog is integrated into a corporate LMS

within 6 months of LMS implementation.

This should be a succinct statement of what the future state will look like after the project

is delivered.

The Vision for <Project Name>

Objectives Key Performance Indicators

1. List 3 – 5 objectives that will drive towards achieving the vision

2. Start with an action verb

1.For each objective describe how you will measure success? What metrics or KPIs will be used to confirm that the objective has been met?

2.Every objective should have a KPI.

Vision, Objectives, KPI Template

Refer to http://projectstandards.huit.harvard.edu/

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Why is planning and estimating important to a project’s success?

What dimensions affect how we plan and estimate projects?

What tools are used to facilitate planning and estimating?

Planning and Estimating

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- Time

- Funding

- Manpower

- Expertise

- Technical maturity

- Impact of the change

- Schedule, budget, task map, work breakdown structure … prototype

- Understand cost and schedule implications

- Manage scope; clarify what’s achievable; identify constraints

Minimize management by crisis

Minimize surprises and problems

Increase probability of project success

Prevent problems from occurring, or if occur, from escalating

Project Risk Management

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Risks must be communicated to all Project

Team Members and Stakeholders

The process of risk management planning,

identification, analysis, responses, and monitoring and

control on a project.

Benefits:

A risk is something that might happen to jeopardize the project’s success.

Project Risk

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• Risk Management is a result of

assessing the impact of the risk against

the probability of occurrence

• Risk Management starts at the

beginning of the project and follows the

entire life of the project

“Suspenders and a

belt? You must be

the guy from risk

management.”

Contractor bill rates are higher than planned …

The PM leaves the project before completion ...

The software vendor does not release the upgrade as scheduled ...

At least 20% of the data does not convert without error …

The Security project we were depending on does not deliver its User Authentication software when planned ….

More users hit the site in the first 10 days than expected….

A flu pandemic prevents the team from travelling to the planned locations to install and test the system…

What if…

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What is the Probability and Impact for each of these events . . .

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Probability

(Low, Med, High)

Impact

(Low, Med, High)

Risk Score

The lead technical developer leaves the project

team resulting in delays in delivery of critical

functionality

Increased volume of users and transactions than

expected resulting in higher help desk call

volumes

Contractor billing is higher than planned

resulting in potential budget overruns

Probability * Impact = Risk Score

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OVERALL PROJECT RISK SCORE: 6.5

Risk Category Risk

Number

Risk Name/Descriptio

n

Probability (1-5)

Impact (1-5)

Risk Score Action Plan

(what to do if risk happens)

Action By Action When

1 5 1 5

2 2 5 10

3 5 2 10

4 1 1 1

5 0

6 0

7 0

8 0

9 0

10 0

11 0

Risk Log Template

Refer to http://projectstandards.huit.harvard.edu/

Break

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Key project decisions that often need to be made include:

When does governance start? When does it end?

41 © Copyright 2015

Project Governance

• Scope

• Priority

• Budget

• Schedule

• Resources

• Acceptance/Completion

A management framework within which project

decisions are made

What are some benefits and pitfalls of project governance?

Project Governance Examples

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Executive

Sponsor

UCIO/

DCIO

Functional

VP

Acad/Admin

Dean

Executive Committee

Large

• Provides accountability -“The buck stops here”

• Streamlines decision-

making, or slows it down

• Champion change

• Can lose impact if

driven by representation -“Governance is not

government”

Project

Manager

Project

Manager

Program

Manager

School/Center

Director

IT Managing

Director

Functional

Director

Steering Committee

Medium

Small

Project

Manager

Sponsor

Project Lifecycle

Project Governance across the Phases

Request Discovery Implement

A new project

entry

Short effort to

clarify the

“foundation” of the

project, sufficiently

for the planning

phase

In-depth analysis of

scope, resources,

schedule and budget

needs

Traditional

implementation

phase where

project is

executed

Gate

Are we ready to Close

the project and release

resources?

Gate

Should we invest in a

scoping, budgeting,

planning exercise? Are

resources available?

Gate

Are we prepared to

move forward with

implementation?

Resources? Budget?

Gate

Is this project

prepared for go-live?

Is the Service Owner

ready to support

operations?

Close

Tasks that

transition the

project work to

operational

teams for

ongoing support

Project reviewed by

IT PM Governance

Board

Plan |

Scope |

Design

Governance

On Hold

Cancelled

Projects requiring or

currently under

governance review

Go Live

* The duration of each lifecycle phase, the nature of the PM review, and the extent of project artifacts

required will vary based upon the project type, size, and risk-level

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Project close-out/

de-brief

90% of a project manager’s job is communication

Effective communication with all the stakeholders is critical throughout the project lifecycle

Project communications are key for helping the affected people adapt to the changes from the project

Projects should have a communications plan that details the timing, content and audience

Project Communications

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Information/Report or Document

Purpose of message Audience Author Format/Media/Transmittal

Method/Channel When/Frequency/Distribution Frequency

Discovery Phase Results Review

Communicate results of discovery phase, recommend next steps, gain

approval to proceed or halt

Project executive

committee and sponsor(s)

project manager

Powerpoint, face to face at end of Discovery

phase

Project Kickoff Meeting

Orient project team to project; review project mechanics, roles and resp,

project goals

Project team members

project manager

Powerpoint, face to face 1x when project

starts

Project team status meetings

Update project status Project team

members project

manager

PowerPoint, issue log, face to face with virtual presence

enabled weekly

Executive Committee Meetings

Update executive committee on status, escalate issues, alert to risks, get

decisions

Project executive

committee and sponsor(s)

project manager

PowerPoint, issue log, face to face with virtual presence

enabled monthly

30 second speech on benefits of project, 1-

2 page Powerpoint

Benefits message for each stakeholder to convince them to endorse and

support project key stakeholders

project manager

face to face

Stage Gate review Review results of current phase, gain

approval to proceed

Project executive

committee and sponsor(s)

project manager

PowerPoint, issue log, face to face with virtual presence

enabled

As each phase nears completion

UAT Test Results Summary

Update stakeholders on testing results

Project executive

committee and sponsor(s)

testing manager

email to all with summary of critical defects and link to

testing log daily

Sample Communications Plan

Refer to http://projectstandards.huit.harvard.edu/

Think about a past project you were involved in ...

₋ What communications efforts were established?

₋ In what ways was the communications helpful to the project?

₋ In what ways did lack of communications derail the project?

Project Communications Reflection

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Change Management

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Project

Change

Management

Service

Change

Management

Organizational

Change

Management

Process and procedures

by which changes to

project scope are

formally introduced

and approved

.

Standardized methods &

procedures for efficient

handling of all changes

to the IT environment

to minimize the impact

on service quality

Process, tools and

techniques to manage the

people-side of change to

ensure realization of

change in order to achieve

the business outcome

Governance ITIL Leading Change

“Projects with excellent Change Management are 6x more likely to

meet their objectives.“ (2009 PROSCI benchmark report)

Build Awareness of the need to change

• Clarify the value and benefits in partnership with sponsors and stakeholders (guiding coalition)

Encourage Desire to change

₋ Recognize and address the impact of the change on the organization and individual comfort-level

Establish Knowledge of how to change

₋ Iterative releases, “quick wins”

Ensure Ability to implement the change

₋ Training, resources, additional support needed to implement the change; integrate into IT Service Management**

Foster Reinforcement to sustain the change

₋ Tie into existing systems, processes, cultural norms

Organizational Change Management Factors

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*Adapted from ADKAR model for change management, PROSCI,

Inc. 2015

**IT Service Management addressed in

the ITIL Foundations class.

*

Go back to your IT project management exercise

₋ What changes will the project introduce into the IT

environment or the organization overall?

₋ What can the project team do to ensure the individuals or organization successfully adapt to the changes?

₋ Consider the 5 factors of organizational change management

Change Management reflection

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Tools, Templates and Resources

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Tools

₋ Microsoft Project, Excel, Word

₋ SharePoint - http://huit.harvard.edu/services/sharepoint-harvard

₋ ServiceNow Project Management - https://harvard.service-now.com/navpage.do

http://wiki.servicenow.com/index.php?title=Project_Management#gsc.tab=0

₋ Harvard Google: http://g.harvard.edu/

₋ Basecamp - https://basecamp.com/

₋ JIRA - https://jira.huit.harvard.edu/secure/Dashboard.jspa

₋ Pivotal Tracker - http://www.pivotaltracker.com/

CWD courses

₋ Project Management, Building Commitment for Change, Microsoft Project, Embracing Change and Innovation, and Putting Strategy into Action

Harvard Extension School Project Management https://www.extension.harvard.edu/academics/courses/project-management/14770

On-line learning: Lynda.com, Harvard ManageMentor, Skillsoft.com

HUIT PM website, workshops, & templates - http://projectstandards.huit.harvard.edu/

Harvard Risk Management & Audit Services -http://rmas.fad.harvard.edu/audit-services

Project Management Institute (PMI) - http://www.pmi.org/

The Change Management Pocket Guide - http://www.changeguidesllc.com/

Summary

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IT project management affects everyone in IT. Projects are the way we introduce change new products and

services into the organization.

Project management is a disciplined approach to plan, schedule and coordinate the work to achieve a project’s objectives.

The more complex the project, the greater the need for an experienced, skilled project manager.

All projects involve common phases and roles.

Projects should start with a clear concise vision, SMART objectives and measurable KPIs to assess a project’s success.

Workshop Summary

52

Project planning and estimating help clarify schedule, cost, scope, and constraints before a project begins.

Project risks can jeopardize the success of a project; risk must be assessed and managed continuously.

Project governance provides a means for decision-making to guide the project toward its objectives.

Project communication is 90% of a Project Manager’s job.

Successful project management must include change management across the project lifecycle.

Numerous tools, templates & resources are available to support

IT project management at Harvard.

Workshop Summary

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