norm smith
TRANSCRIPT
Managing Projects Without Being Buried
In Schedules
Norm SmithVice President, SmithOps
how did we get here?
High Costs – Can’t Keep Up with Changes – Frequent Project Surprises
we want “balance”
Team Conduit
Schedule
PM
≥ Cost
Utility
1,000+ lines
But we overdo detail
Team Conduit
Schedule
PM
Cost
Utility
10,000+ lines
=
Change happens
Team Conduit
Schedule
PM
Cost
Utility
✗
To
From
≈
Plus maintenance
Team Conduit
Schedule
PM
Cost
Utility
✗
New %
Old %
<
We Get buried
Team Conduit
Schedule
PM
Cost
Utility
✗
+ Details+ Change+ Maintenance
<<
New
Old
✗
We Get Schedule Divergence
The gap formed when your people and your plan head in different directions.
how do we prevent this?
(Now that we know how it happens)
High Costs – Can’t Keep Up with Changes – Frequent Project Surprises
1. Control the Detail2. Control the Detail3. Control the Detail
Variables Are Details, Changes, and Maintenance
Electron Microscope Detail
What’s the right amount of detail?
The minimum amount of detail required to successfully manage the project at a given
point in time.
Diminishing granularityFine details near term. Coarse details
far term.Also known as Agile Scheduling.
Rolling Wave Moving Focus – 6 Week Forward
Shuttle Tile Repair KitSTS-114
Return to Flight
Flat schedulesEach level adds an order of magnitude
of detail.Learn to capture projects with fewer
levels.
Use metricsDefine
ProgressTABLE B
Requirements
5 % Started
20 % Per Assignee
40 % Per Assignee
50 % From/To Language Delivered
60 % From/To Language Approved
75 % Submitted to SEIWG
85 % SEIWG Approved
90 % (Kickback for MOD)
100 % SCB Approved
ExampleRequirements Development
With right-sized schedulesWE ARE FREE TO FLY
Reduced Costs – Fewer Surprises – More Success
Why is this all so important?
SituationalAwareness
Enfranchisement
Boundary Maintenance
Schedules
About the authorMr. Smith has over 20 years experience managing complex projects with geographically dispersed teams. Norm Smith is Founder and Vice President of SmithOps, a consulting firm providing progress management services, products, and training to government (NASA) and commercial clients in industry (Power and Construction). Mr. Smith authored the book “Got Progress? Managing Projects with Ease, Results, and Style” now available on Amazon. Prior to founding SmithOps, Mr. Smith served as a civil servant at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center involved in management of such projects as the US Propulsion Module for Space Station and the X34 Rocket Plane. Mr. Smith holds US patents in rocketry and robotics and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
713.929.3920