Effective Project and Planning Managements Skills.

Some of Dr. Syed’s life tips and tricks in 30 minutes
For participants of PETRONAS CoP 21st January 2009


A project at any cost is still a project. Managing a 1 million dollar or a 100 million dollar projects will still have the same sets of problems. Only the scale or magnitude of the headache differs.

One thing that I ALWAYS adheres to is keep the work to its elemental. Sophistication will breed confusion.

A project runs on resources, everybody in the field knows that. You need the 4M features (Manpower, Machinery, Materials and Money), these need to be done it a set time frame. OK, that is simple enough. Managing it is actually simple too.
*if you want your solution to be simple, keep your tool simple too*

I have always relied on simple tools of the trade to assist me. In 1983 when I first came into the rat-race, I relied on massive amounts of paper to put things in order and at the same time allows me access to any information that I need, fast. These are some of my methods that I adopted thru the years.

When I get a project to run, manage and complete, I will look at it in 3 areas.
1. The Resources that I need and have
2. The interfacing that need to be done and
3. The financial issues that it will have.

The Resources that I need and have
This is a case of needs and availabilities. Most of the time the person who created a work implementation program is NOT the person doing the job, thus the “feel” of the job requirements is not there. The amount in the submitted workforce histogram is for most of the time inaccurate. (Further explanations and examples in forum)
The interfacing that needs to be done
This is the most important link in Project Management – The human interfacing. The catalyst to the implementation of 4M is Human. Know your team, and know them well. (Further explanations and examples in forum)

The financial issues that will happen
My initial habit is to do a financial analysis of the project before it starts. I will load my Implementation program with the 4M and then do a Resource versus financial comparison; this will give me a feel of the work contribution to the cash flow. I will next do a Financial versus time, which will assist me for payments and claim by the time intervals I set (Further explanations and examples in forum)

One important format I used is putting information that can be read by ALL, from the Planner Up AND Down.

The situation today is quite scaring, the Planner creates a very detailed looking program and upon completion, the program is distributed to all parties in the project.

The problem here is the tool of the planner is very sophisticated software and beyond a planner, not many understand these data. The Management just asks the planner the overall status and standard questions in the areas of progress, delays etc.

The missing link here is the ones implementing the work physically. Some are tradesmen who IT knowledge is quite minimal (or none at all). Are these implementers briefed on what is expected from them daily?

Information not understood by ALL in the team is not worth churning out.

The simple facts
a) The Management needs the important gist only. When they ask for a progress report give them what they really need to see to know the problems. Their report therefore must be summarized to these data.
b) The Implementers needs to be given the daily TO DO list, based on their individual skills and trade. Filter out the relevant details, distribute.
c) The Consultants, in most cases the consultants work progress is minimally monitored. There is very rarely any Progress monitoring works program for Consultants
d) Authorities (if ever) should be given their required involvement time frame tables or List.

Pre-Implementation
I had always looked at a Development/Construction program as a “Diary that has yet to happen”. This made me put things in perspective to get it done, Period.

I adopted a reality check mindset
-Weekly values
-Big Job Bigger Detailing
-Downsize in documents, upgrade in field
-Resource list is always first before program

Weekly values
Rethink to add in reality. I week is 5 Working days (or 5.5 or 6 in some cases), NEVER 7 days

Bigger Jobs Bigger Detailing
For a $1,000,000 job, you could be happy with a proposed implementation plan of 500 activities but with a $100,000,000 job, it would be safer to detail out as much as possible in order to really have a good feel and better zeroing to the area of delays etc.
The rest will be explained in the forum

I identified the Productivity of each resource; I had the foresight then to keep in a data base. With such productivity Index, I was able to make a fairly accurate time frame requirement to do a particular work. I always use FOS on my targeted time frame values. Nothing in reality is sure. Follow this simple rule. New People- Low Productivity, Old (experienced) People better productivity. New Machineries – Higher Productivity, Old ones – Low.
(Some “elderly” people can behave worse then some new ones.)

I use the FOS on each of the resource available for me
Say a 5 year old excavator whose productivity of work is 20m3/hour, due to its age I will devalue the 20m3/hour by say 20% and use a value of 16m3/hour

Pre-Implementation requirements always involves 3rd party. However this is rarely addressed to effectively

In most project Plans, most activities identified for Pre-Implementations are never thought out carefully. In most case, their durations are impossible to be done in real life. (Examples in the forum)

Areas of shortfalls
Understating duration of approval,
Can the allocated resources do it in that duration? We need to really know the output of each of the resources we are inputting into the works program. Don’t assume.

Human and work environment interfacing allowances not given, especially across different regions
- Example given in Forum

Availability of authorities in the set timeframe
Can the authorities concerned come and attend at the time you set in your implementation plan?
Failure to identify and inform external parties/authorities, Utilities providers

Lead time should never be assumed
Lead time estimates are one of the common contributors to project progress delays
- Explained in forum
Implementation Stage
a) Observe the progress at the ground; always audit 3rd party information gathering (if possible)
b) When you track progress, keep the tracking to a reasonable duration interval.
c) Audit the targeted (proposed) workforce

Item (a) bring your laptop or PDA (it must have at least Pocket Excel), collect it yourself (if you have a progress reported submitted by your team/implementers (soft copy is better), use it as a point of reference but never final, you decide.

Item (b) tracking a project progress must be done a regularly as possible; a delay event noted early gets rectified or addressed to earlier. A week’s delay can be addressed to on the weekend. Too long a delay and the float time of weekends and public holidays will never be enough.
Note.
Productivity during Overtime works (after the normal 8hours output) is only at 75% efficiency. You will be paying more for less. (See attached Productivity Data Analysis char above)

Item I when you do your walk-about, talk with the implementers. Ask them and visually check if possible, the quantum available. Simple logic will show you that if there are not enough resources, then progress too will be less. Use your tools of PM (Software- MS Project or Primavera), list out/filter the following –
I. What work is on-going today
II. Who is doing what (and quantum)

*try this tip*
Using PM software, do a system projections or update of the progress by a certain date, then filter the program for works or activities on-going items
That will be your look-ahead program.

Post Implementation
Close project documentation as fast as possible. This will free up management and administrative resources. One thing I observe, site documentation is for most of the time badly stored.
Instruction, Correspondences, Addendums etc are always kept in the legacy format. Adapt a better or simple filing system. This will help in many issues e.g. Extension of time claims, Litigation, financial variations etc. For the last 15 years I utilized Microsoft ODBC and the Microsoft Office family to do this for me. I get a scanner and convert all relevant documents into JPEG format and cross link these document to Activities in my Project Plan document, upon completion, I will burn the entire works program and its related scanned documents into a CD (JPEG documents will degrade in quality if left in a magnetic media for a long time)

This is only some of the approached that I have been doing in my 20plus years in the field of Project Management, in the event that you might like some second opinion on some of your daily work issues related to PM and planning, do pop by and participate in my Project Management web blog

New Syllabus available on Cost Control from ASYNC

Project Cost Controls Solutions via Microsoft Project Professional

Basic Requirement

This syllabus is a specializing field which a participant can precede upon completion of the Intermediate Level Project Management and Microsoft Project Professional and or Streetwise Project Management Intermediate level syllabus as it will require an extensive level of understanding in the software usage since the syllabus will include hands-on application and real life test cases.

This course is an intensive 2-day event requiring the skilled use of both software and analytical mindset. The participants will need to go through at least a total of 8 hours hands-on software use and completing the course with an individual presentation and defense of his/her project on audit by facilitator and peers

Syllabus content

Day 1
1. Material and Resource Costing
2. Productivity and cost controls
3. Cash Flow and Budget requirements
4. Resource costing by use and trade
5. Resource sharing and Resource Pooling
6. Project 1 (Individual)

Day 2
1. Multiple Project Management and Cost compilation
2. Progress Payments processing
3. Cost Price fluctuations and adapting to it
4. Cost and Project Acceleration
5. Project Costing and Behavioral pattern analysis (requires good spreadsheet understanding)
6. Project 2 (Final Evaluation for certification)

What if your project is late because some managers or seniors fail to cooperate?

Without encouraging "future career prospects" I can only make suggestions about what you as a project manager can do the next time to cover your own posterior. (None of these suggestions address the behavior of the managers since this appears to be outside the scope of your authority and control as the project manager. Without the organizational authority to affect their behavior, there is little point in trying to impact them. You probably won't succeed and it may have serious repercussions for you personally.)

1. Don't take the situation too personally. There is a real danger in getting too emotionally "involved" in your projects. When this happens, anything that negatively impacts the project - whether you can do anything about it or not - takes on a sinister aspect. You must accept that there will always be things that will impact your projects over which you have little or no control. When these occur, you can only react as best you can with the good of the project as your primary aim.

2. Make sure that the impact of withheld information, resources, work output, etc., is clear. A good change-control process is helpful here. It allows you to describe the change being made as well as the impact of that change on the project. Document this and be sure that everyone who should be informed is informed.

3. Realize that shifting priorities are a fact of organizational life. Priorities change constantly in any organization. New challenges arise that require a response from the organization and that response requires that resources be moved from one activity to another. In most instances, those resources come from projects that are as a result of the shift in emphasis no longer as important as they were yesterday. Unfortunately, many times, the project manager is not told the reason they've lost their resources.

4. Document what happens. Always document the things that happen during a project. Never assume that "everyone knows why this happened." They may, but, then again, they may not, or they may have a completely different understanding of the situation. Try to document the occurrence in a factual way. Try to avoid accusations and conjecture about "why" the thing happened. Document what happened and the impact it had on the project. A good change-control system can help with this. This documentation should become part of the total project documentation and can be included as part of the final project report. A good, carefully worded narrative about why the project was delivered late can reference this documentation.
5. Use your sponsor or product champion. A sponsor is someone in a position of authority in the organization who has agreed to act on behalf of you and the project when an issue is outside your scope of authority and control. If you do not normally identify a sponsor for your projects, seriously consider doing so. One of the functions of a sponsor is to intercede in situations like the one described. When a conflict occurs, the sponsor should be informed and asked for both advice and for direct assistance in resolving the conflict. The most common conflicts are over needed resources but they can also occur over issues of cooperation and delivery of work or information.

Project Management Software Versions

At the recent Petronas Project Management CoP, a participant asked about the latest Project Management software available.

These are the most popular and the latest versions

Microsoft Project 2007
Primavera Project Management P6
Artemis 9000
Project Kickstart
Project Insight 2007
MacProject OSX


Others (but not so popular)
AMS REALTIME 7
Collanos Workplace
Contactizer
FastTrack Schedule
InLoox
LisaProject
MicroPlanner X-Pert
O3spaces
OmniPlan
OpenMind Business
Planner Suite
Planisware 5
Primavera Project Planner
Project KickStart
RationalPlan
RiskyProject
Teamcenter
Tracker Suite

Effective Project and Planning Managements Skills.

This article was presented in Petronas PoC Forum held at Malacca, Malaysia on the 22nd January 2009 The examples was shown in the forum but due to their size, it was not posted here. Should you need to see these examples, send me an e-mail.

The article proper -
A project at any cost is still a project. Managing a 1 million dollar or a 100 million dollar projects will still have the same sets of problems. Only the scale or magnitude of the headache differs.

One thing that I ALWAYS adheres to is keep the work to its elemental. Sophistication will breed confusion.

A project runs on resources, everybody in the field knows that. You need the 4M features (Manpower, Machinery, Materials and Money), these need to be done it a set time frame. OK, that is simple enough. Managing it is actually simple too.
*if you want your solution to be simple, keep your tool simple too*

I have always relied on simple tools of the trade to assist me. In 1983 when I first came into the rat-race, I relied on massive amounts of paper to put things in order and at the same time allows me access to any information that I need, fast. These are some of my methods that I adopted thru the years.

When I get a project to run, manage and complete, I will look at it in 3 areas.
1. The Resources that I need and have
2. The interfacing that need to be done and
3. The financial issues that it will have.

The Resources that I need and have
This is a case of needs and availabilities. Most of the time the person who created a work implementation program is NOT the person doing the job, thus the “feel” of the job requirements is not there. The amount in the submitted workforce histogram is for most of the time inaccurate.

The interfacing that needs to be done
This is the most important link in Project Management – The human interfacing. The catalyst to the implementation of 4M is Human. Know your team, and know them well.


The financial issues that will happen
My initial habit is to do a financial analysis of the project before it starts. I will load my Implementation program with the 4M and then do a Resource versus financial comparison; this will give me a feel of the work contribution to the cash flow. I will next do a Financial versus time, which will assist me for payments and claim by the time intervals I set

One important format I used is putting information that can be read by ALL, from the Planner Up AND Down. (See Chart on left) The situation today is quite scaring, the Planner creates a very detailed looking program and upon completion, the program is distributed to all parties in the project.

The problem here is the tool of the planner is very sophisticated software and beyond a planner, not many understand these data. The Management just asks the planner the overall status and standard questions in the areas of progress, delays etc.

The missing link here is the ones implementing the work physically. Some are tradesmen who IT knowledge is quite minimal (or none at all). Are these implementers briefed on what is expected from them daily?

Information not understood by ALL in the team is not worth churning out.




The simple facts
a) The Management needs the important gist only. When they ask for a progress report give them what they really need to see to know the problems. Their report therefore must be summarized to these data.
b) The Implementers needs to be given the daily TO DO list, based on their individual skills and trade. Filter out the relevant details, distribute.
c) The Consultants, in most cases the consultants work progress is minimally monitored. There is very rarely any Progress monitoring works program for Consultants
d) Authorities (if ever) should be given their required involvement time frame tables or List.

Pre-Implementation
I had always looked at a Development/Construction program as a “Diary that has yet to happen”. This made me put things in perspective to get it done, Period.

I adopted a reality check mindset
-Weekly values
-Big Job Bigger Detailing
-Downsize in documents, upgrade in field
-Resource list is always first before program

Weekly values
Rethink to add in reality. I week is 5 Working days (or 5.5 or 6 in some cases), NEVER 7 days

Bigger Jobs Bigger Detailing
For a $1,000,000 job, you could be happy with a proposed implementation plan of 500 activities but with a $100,000,000 job, it would be safer to detail out as much as possible in order to really have a good feel and better zeroing to the area of delays etc.
The rest will be explained in the forum

I identified the Productivity of each resource; I had the foresight then to keep in a data base. With such productivity Index, I was able to make a fairly accurate time frame requirement to do a particular work. I always use FOS on my targeted time frame values. Nothing in reality is sure. Follow this simple rule. New People- Low Productivity, Old (experienced) People better productivity. New Machinery – Higher Productivity, Old ones – Low.
(Some “elderly” people can behave worse then some new ones.)

I use the FOS on each of the resource available for me
Say a 5 year old excavator whose productivity of work is 20m3/hour, due to its age I will devalue the 20m3/hour by say 20% and use a value of 16m3/hour

Pre-Implementation requirements always involves 3rd party. However this is rarely addressed to effectively

In most project Plans, most activities identified for Pre-Implementations are never thought out carefully. In most case, their durations are impossible to be done in real life.

Areas of shortfalls
Understating duration of approval,
Can the allocated resources do it in that duration? We need to really know the output of each of the resources we are inputting into the works program. Don’t assume.

Human and work environment interfacing allowances not given, especially across different regions


Availability of authorities in the set time frame
Can the authorities concerned come and attend at the time you set in your implementation plan?
Failure to identify and inform external parties/authorities, Utilities providers

Lead time should never be assumed
Lead time estimates are one of the common contributors to project progress delays
- Explained in forum
Implementation Stage
a) Observe the progress at the ground; always audit 3rd party information gathering (if possible)
b) When you track progress, keep the tracking to a reasonable duration interval.
c) Audit the targeted (proposed) workforce

Item (a) bring your laptop or PDA (it must have at least Pocket Excel), collect it yourself (if you have a progress reported submitted by your team/implementers (soft copy is better), use it as a point of reference but never final, you decide.

Item (b) tracking a project progress must be done a regularly as possible; a delay event noted early gets rectified or addressed to earlier. A week’s delay can be addressed to on the weekend. Too long a delay and the float time of weekends and public holidays will never be enough.
Note.
Productivity during Overtime works (after the normal 8hours output) is only at 75% efficiency. You will be paying more for less. (See attached Productivity Data Analysis char above)

Item I when you do your walk-about, talk with the implementers. Ask them and visually check if possible, the quantum available. Simple logic will show you that if there are not enough resources, then progress too will be less. Use your tools of PM (Software- MS Project or Primavera), list out/filter the following –
I. What work is on-going today
II. Who is doing what (and quantum)

*try this tip*
Using PM software, do a system projections or update of the progress by a certain date, then filter the program for works or activities on-going items
That will be your look-ahead program.

Post Implementation
Close project documentation as fast as possible. This will free up management and administrative resources. One thing I observe, site documentation is for most of the time badly stored.
Instruction, Correspondences, Addendum etc are always kept in the legacy format. Adapt a better or simple filing system. This will help in many issues e.g. Extension of time claims, Litigation, financial variations etc. For the last 15 years I utilized Microsoft ODBC and the Microsoft Office family to do this for me. I get a scanner and convert all relevant documents into JPEG format and cross link these document to Activities in my Project Plan document, upon completion, I will burn the entire works program and its related scanned documents into a CD (JPEG documents will degrade in quality if left in a magnetic media for a long time)

Productivity Rates - What is it?

The time required to do a job = Duration
Material Quantity divided by Productivity Index = Duration (E.g. 3000 pcs of Bricks/ Bricklayer of Productivity 300 piece day = 10 days duration)
A resource loaded work program, enables the SO to check the Practicality of the duration by allowing the SO to ask STRUCTURED question & get the person who made the work program to Expose the situation.

Example. PILING WORK, Duration Suggested 12 days, SO asks - How many Piling Rigs? How many pile points? How many Pile points can be complete by 1 Rig in a day?

PI is not a fixed value
PI changes with Distance, Height, Locality, Work Culture, Race etc
Distance Increase Productivity Drops, Similarly Height increase Productivity Drops
Compensations will be needed to maximize PI with Height or Distance increase. Compensation – Usage of Machines etc

Happy New Year 2009

When times are hard, good project planning always helps saves the day. Proper control of resources (Manpower, Machinery, Materials) will help save Money.

No solution is hard, everything has its simplicity and Microsoft Project 200X via my method of approach is the best there is (10,486 participants as of ending 2008) can't be wrong.

So in ending the year of 2008, here's wishing all my followers and fellow planners ...

HAPPY NEW YEAR and may all your Project Plans be planned to perfection!

Charts and Reports (Part 1)

I had a discussion with Brother Alex of Petronas, Malaysia and the topic we dwelled on was the difference in the types of charts that will/can be derived from project data.

Different data will produce different charts and of course, with different data type, the chart pattern will differ. The simple explanation here is the data and its scale.

In some cases, the pattern might be almost similar to each other (see chart above) but with different scales of reference, the values might not be similar.

In some other cases, the chart can produce different pattern, say an s-curve versus an X=Y curve.

The good thing about using Microsoft Project is, the software's ability to plot many different types of chart from one project plan, like - Resource Loaded Progress Curve, Cumulative Financial Curves, Targeted Percentage Curves and many more.

Wait for my next input

How to track Progress (VIDEO)

How to track progress. This is one of the many other videos available on my SWPM module

Stay tuned for more or call/e-mail me

Microsoft Project 2007

I am still getting questions from my PM Blog followers on Microsoft's Project 2007 and whether it is a good buy or not?

Actually I have put in an article on the issue some time back (see Archive) and frankly, I am not for the use of Project 2007 at all.

My main grouse is Project 2007 can't plot charts when compared with ALL Microsoft Project since Project 199x (even before the Y2K)

Secondly, it is full of calculation errors

and thirdly, it uses up too much memory.

Yes, Project 2007 does have its good points, which says it can do multiple UNDO .... I guess that is its only good point

Microsoft ends VISTA

Microsoft Corp finally decided to stop production of its very problematic VISTA and will be replacing it with WINDOWS 7.

So far I can vouch that Microsoft Project 2003 Professional is still compatible with Windows 7 but I will be doing more beta testing on the compatibility and most important, its stability.

Stay tuned

Read more on www.microsoft.com

Microsoft Project Basics (Getting Started)

Open Microsoft Project 200X (Double Click the program icon or click at START and go to PROGRAM and scroll to MICROSOFT PROJECT and let go of the mouse.

Click inside a cell in the TASK NAME column, Type in START, Click in the next cell (DURATION) and type in 0 (zero), press enter.

You should by now see the change of the blue box into a black diamond, indication the presence of a milestone.

Click the cell below START and type in Activity 1, repeat again for Activity 2.3 and 4. Type in after that FINISH with a duration value of zero. For Activity 1 type in 3 days duration. Activity 2, Duration of 4 days and Activity 3 , duration 3 days and Activity 4, Duration of 5 days.


Linking the ACTIVITIES
Click the START milestone (don’t let go of the mouse) drag the arrow to ACTIVITY 1, release the mouse button.
You will see a black line joining START to ACTIVITY 1.
Repeat the following:

Link ACTIVITY 1 to ACTIVITY 2

Link ACTIVITY 2 to FINISH

Link START to ACTIVITY 3

Link ACTIVITY 3 to ACTIVITY 4

Link ACTIVITY 5 to FINISH

You should get the chart o your left.

If you do, then congratulations, it’s your first work flow diagram. If you don’t, Close the screen and repeat step 1 all over again.

Click the WIZARD icon (it’s is a picture of a Magician’s wand against a bar chart diagram)
The following message box will appear, click NEXT

Select CRITICAL PATH
Click FINISH click FORMAT IT and click EXIT WIZARD. The program will display your work program with blue and red bars.
Blue bars are activities that are not critical, i.e. will not contribute to any delay against your project should it not be complete within the duration set (but if you really delay it seriously bad, it can become red). A red bar is indicating a critical activity namely so if you don’t finish the work within it’s stated duration, then the whole project gets delayed big time.


* Still not sure how to do it?

Call me at
+60122312037

NEW 2008 Streetwise Project Management Syllanus

Streetwise Project Management

Intermediate level module

Course Content

Introduction to Project Management principals

Setting realistic timelines, objectives, and expectations

Walkthrough to features in Project Management tools

Understanding Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)

Hands on sessions to GANTT, PERT and CPM

Determining the best approach for accomplishing project goals

Time line management

Human Resource and Equipments management

Progress Tracking

Progress reporting including Target or Scheduled Progress versus Actual Progress

S-Curves and Resource driven Charts

Automating your software for reports

8 hours of Hands-On training included in this training module

Course Peripherals

Legal Microsoft Project Professional Training Software

Compact Disk containing Real-Life working programs

Leatherette Organizer

Certificate awarded upon completion

Streetwise Project Management

Advance level module

Note – Entry to the Advanced Level is only upon completion of the Streetwise Project Management Intermediate Level program or from an equivalent course conducted from an approved project management program such as PMI. Candidate must furnish proof of such attendance.

Course Content

Material Management

Project Budget versus Actual Expenses

Facilitating communication among project participants, including outside vendors

Monitoring production, quality, and costs

Multiple Project Management

Document and data management within your project Plan

Resource sharing and advanced level resource management

Addressing Extension of Time and Litigation issues

10 hours of Hands-On training included in this training module

Risk analyzing your project plan

Auditing Submitted Work Plans

Financial Charts, Cash Flow Charts and Resources Costing by use

Course Peripherals

Legal Microsoft Project Professional Training Software

Compact Disk containing Real-Life working programs

2 Gigabytes Memory Stick with Built-in Firewall and Licensed Anti Virus Software

Leatherette Organizer

Certificate awarded upon completion

Streetwise Project Management

Comprehensive Intermediate to Advance level module

* Most Popular module for those seeking Fast Track and low turn around time in understanding real life hands on Project Management

Course Content

Introduction to Project Management principals

Setting realistic timelines, objectives, and expectations

Walkthrough to features in Project Management tools

Understanding Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)

Hands on sessions to GANTT, PERT and CPM

Determining the best approach for accomplishing project goals

Time line management

Human Resource and Equipments management

Progress Tracking

Progress reporting including Target or Scheduled Progress versus Actual Progress

S-Curves and Resource driven Charts

Automating your software for reports

Material Management

Project Budget versus Actual Expenses

Facilitating communication among project participants, including outside vendors

Monitoring production, quality, and costs

Multiple Project Management

Financial Charts, Cash Flow Charts and Resources Costing by use

Document and data management within your project Plan

Resource sharing and advanced level resource management

Addressing Extension of Time and Litigation issues

16 hours of Hands-On training included in this training module

Risk analyzing your project plan

Auditing Submitted Work Plans

Course Peripherals

Legal Microsoft Project Professional Training Software

Compact Disk containing Real-Life working programs and Video on using your Project Management tools

4 Gigabytes Memory Stick with Built-in Firewall, legal software and Licensed Anti Virus Software

Leatherette Organizer

Certificate awarded upon completion

*Please note, in order to ensure participants comfort and optimum knowledge transfer quality, we will not conduct a class beyond 15 persons per session.

All participants will have unlimited access to questions and answers to the facilitator for 3 months after the training. They may do so via phone calls and on-line Blogs and e-mails.

Project Management and Your Career

Project Management and Your Career
Success is the reward of anyone who goes looking for trouble.
—Walter Winchell
“I think our manager is burning out,” one project team member told another.
The second one answered, “I’ve noticed that he’s been a bit short-tempered lately.”
“That’s not what I mean,” the first one said. “Yesterday, he sent me down to the lunchroom to
get him a cup of coffee.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
“Instead of just giving me a list, he drew out the instructions on a network diagram.”
Who gets promoted in your company? Is it the person who is merely capable, who doesn’t make waves, and
who survives without upsetting the delicate balance of the corporate culture? Or is it the person who excels?
Because the “survivor” is not a risk taker, in the long term, it is the exceptional manager who receives the
promotions and creates a permanent career. Whether your performance as a department manager is
exceptional, or only average, if you also manage projects, you have the opportunity to exceed the “average”
category.
In many departments, budgets, staff, tasks, and other factors will limit your freedom to demonstrate leadership
abilities. You may have to struggle just to maintain the minimum requirements of the job. There may be few
opportunities to demonstrate your skill, or even to put it to the test. When a project comes along, it’s your
opportunity to manage in a more creative way, and it allows you to develop a greater skills level than you’d
ever need as a department manager.
AN ORGANIZATIONAL SCIENCE
A large part of your success as a project manager will depend on your ability to organize and define. In
comparison, the actual work is not difficult. In fact, the better you do the job of organization, the easier it will
be to execute the task of the project.
Organizing the project requires several leadership actions, including:
• Defining the purpose and goals of the project. Getting to the point of understanding between you and
the person giving you a project assignment may require a great deal of effort on your part. Many
people, including executives, have difficulty defining exactly what they want. Thus, you may be
assigned a project, but with no clearly defined purpose or goal.
Your first organizational challenge is to ask the right questions at the point of assignment. You need to
know exactly what the assignment is meant to achieve.
• Organizing a schedule. Once a schedule is completed, it might look like a fairly simple document:
each phrase has been broken down and defined; deadlines have been made clear; and tasks have been
assigned to each team member. But a complex and lengthy project will demand a high level of
organizational skill in the beginning. You need to be aware of the time demands for each phase, as well
as the time restrictions for your team members. You also need to look far ahead to make sure that your
deadlines do not conflict with other deadlines.
• Developing a team approach. Your ability to lead a project team effectively depends on how well
your team works together. This does not happen without focused, motivated leadership. Simply
creating a team does not ensure that it will function as you want it to. The better able you are to
organize all aspects of the project, the easier it will be to develop your team.
• Resolving conflicts. Invariably, the time demands of your project, the schedule, and the use of
resources will create conflicts at some point. Many of these relate to time priority for team members.
You may need to act in the capacity of a corporate diplomat to resolve these conflicts, while at the same
time avoiding power confrontations or ill feelings.
• Keeping the lines of communication open. As a project manager, you will need to continually define,
redefine, and modify. You must also reassure other people: team members, other department managers,
outside resources, and top management. Your project team does not operate in isolation, so you must
function as organizer and operator of a network of conflicting interests and priorities.
• Meeting budgets and deadlines. An organized project manager needs to review status day by day by
tracking the budget, looking for signs of emerging variances, and then taking action to control them.
You will monitor each phase as it proceeds, with an eye on immediate and final deadlines. You will use
many tools to organize your monitoring, such as PERT/CPM and network diagrams.
• Training and supervising. While the project is underway, you may need to supervise team members
directly. Some of them may not know how to execute a task, and will require training while working on
the project.
ATTRIBUTES OF PROJECT LEADERSHIP
Achieving the many organizational goals while you work as a project manager places many demands on
you—and your leadership skills. In some departments, “participative” management is not always possible nor
practical; but in project management, it’s essential.
Example: A manager of a processing department must ensure that transactions are executed, errors are caught
and corrected, and deadlines are met. Her task is specific. There is little opportunity for employee
involvement in her relatively mechanical supervisory job. However, when she’s given a project with a team of
expert employees, her leadership style changes: In this situation she coordinates efforts and encourages people
to become involved in the process of developing the schedule, determining the sequence of phases, and
overcoming problems of scheduling and budgeting.

Project Management and the CONSULTANT Project Team

Project Management is a word too often used so much so that it is deemed an ordinary skill and therefore neglected.

Project Management in its most general meaning (forget those fanciful description those Academicians uses) is the management of manpower, machineries, materials and money within a set timeframe. 4M in short.

So we now know what Project Management stands for, so now how can it really help us?

Let’s start the whole understanding game with a scary bedtime story.

Project Failed to deliver on time!

This news clipping is a local and recent happening right here in fast developing Malaysia.

The news got into the lime light right after the elections, even though the delay started long before the elections.

What was the reason given for the delay?

• Design Delays

• Land Acquisition delays

• Cost increase contributing to delays

The real reason for the delay is PROJECT MANAGEMENT failure at its best.

A Point by point dissection to the problem will be done.

Let’s just look at DESIGN DELAYS since the team here is in the same area of interest.

Design segment caused the delay

How did the design segment contribute to the delay? Was the Design team unable to churn out the design and drawings in time? Was the design changed numerous times due to clients’ interference?

When a project is of a massive scale in size, logically it will generate a massive amount of documentation requirement. Documents here are in the form of plans, technical detail drawings, engineering drawings and whatever specification data that is necessary to carry out the project.

Where then is the delay?

Fact

1. Almost all consultants never Project Manage their team to achieve a full submission of designs, drawings and specifications so as to submit them at a set milestone

2. All consultants never have a benchmark on how long can a set of plans for a particular work or area needs in order to complete

3. Most consultants have little or no logging procedure to identify when a 3^rd party inference caused a delay in regenerating a new set of designs in order to adapt to these “requests”. Most of them can’t argue with the clients that the delay is not theirs but a 3^rd party or even the client themselves

Not happy with these facts?

Try answering these questions.

a) Do you know how long will it take your designers to come out with a certain specification?

b) How long does it take your draftsperson to churn out an A0 sized drawing?

c) The client has asked to add in some new features, in doing so, you need to redesign out an entire section of designs. Can you tell there and then how much of time will be required to put in these new changes?

If you answer “Not sure” to even one of the above, then you better tune up your Project Management skills, FAST!

Solution

The TEAM here is required here is to create a progress monitoring control to manage your 4M

Manpower (your design team)

Machineries (PC, Plotter)

Materials (Print outs, Construction drawings)

Money (I don’t have to explain this one)

And set a time frame for all of these items

Let’s begin putting the 4M into reality

Start by understanding your Team’s productivity index. Know each person’s ability to churn out a certain document.

Tabulate this data into your own Manpower Production Sheet

Next, set out the quantum of drawings (or documents) to be produced.

DELIGATE to each person doing the design his or her quantum. This individual quantum divided with each person’s ability will give you the duration needed to create the needed designs or documents

Put each person’s time frame needed into a Gantt chart and you can now show how long it will take to do all those design works.

Get a good Project Management software, punch in all these data and now you are ready to do the following

a) Track who is doing what designs and when that work is to be completed

b) If a new client’s request comes in the middle of the job and the need to redesign, thus additional time (and cost) is needed, just add in the new work to your Gantt chart and the new date is calculated and if you want to claim for additional money from the client, this program can also show you that value.

This demonstration should show you a clearer insight into how simple Project Management is and how it will really help you get your Project done, on time, on cost and document your potential claims and variation works

Syed Naguib Syed Abu Bakar

The Doc is back!

Project Management Training is back on line again.

Sorry, I have been busy WORKING lately. Yup even we successful Project Managers must work once in a while. I have been attached with World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland for 3.5 months.

WHO needed a PM to get their projects back in line, so they called on the best (ahem) and I came.

.... more on this later

PLANNERS NEEDED

My firm has obtained a massive Project Management project covering the whole of Malaysia, and as such we need to increase our manpower count.

If you have -

a) 5 years Planning experience's
b) Quite versatile on Microsoft Project 2003 Professional usage (On the job training by the Szefu himself will also be given)
c) Looking for VERY GREEN PASTURES

send me your e-mail

drsyed88@yahoo.com

Progress Reports, the way it should be.

Progress reports has always been the requirement of all developments clients on their team of Contractors, Builders, Consultants and even their own supervisory team (The Clients’ Representatives). So much so, this requirement became so a familiarity or regularity that nobody actually pay much attention to it beyond the need to hear of the Percentage Achieved (Actual %) versus Percentage Targeted or Scheduled (Target %).

The situation is that, everyone seems to be very happy with the report format and when the project finally collapse due to unrecoverable delays, everybody jumped to all kinds of conclusion on why the whole mess-up happened in the first place. What caused the delay? When the delay did begin? No one could answer.

Malaysia began transforming into one of Asia’s Tigers in 1993 when the project and construction sectors boomed with the requirements of the Multimedia Super corridor, namely KLCC, KLIA, Putrajaya and well Cyberjaya. Tragically much hoo-ha occurred and many people with inadequate skills were roped in to manage these developments. The government prime intent is to complete the entire projects before the year 2000 or within that time zone. Time frame set, so the monitoring began. YES, most of the team involved in the monitoring of these projects was badly infected with the PIT disease. (Personal Interest Technology, this happens when a particular technology is “pushed” to be used by someone with authority due to personal interest rather then the technology’s abilities)

Exotic Project management software was brought in, more exotic Project Management companies was engaged to compile & tabulate reports and in a really bizarre case, a new company was formed by seconding executives from an already badly managed government agency whose projects too were seriously delayed. I actually observed one such organization whose job was Project Management creating Construction Programs using Microsoft ™ Excel, shading cells to show “time-lines”. Yes, that company was one of the key players. Yes, it was the era of comedies.

The mode of progress reporting went about in the following table look alike.

WBS	TASK	Duration	Scheduled %	Actual %
KLXX1	Main Building	700d	28%	25%
KLXX1/1	Control Building	1680d	75%	65%
KLXX1/1/1	VIP Building	450d	53%	28%

Yup it did tell a few things, one the target value and the other the real value achieved on site. It also showed a WBS column (WBS stands for Work Breakdown Structure, which shows how the elements of works were arranged). In those days WBS was a HUGE word, yes many contractors were shaken to their deepest core when they hear the clients ask about WBS. And since it was a big word, its presence in the progress report was necessary, even when only the Project Planners are the only people who actually need and use the codes. Those Progress Reports were really awesome and sounded so professional. YES, it looks good but seriously lacking in many areas.

THE REAL REQUIREMENT

The pointers to a really good Progress Report

1. Progress report’s real function is to tell as much as possible yet remaining simple enough.
2. Shows tangible values so the reader knows and REALIZE the quantum
3. Be specific, show only what is needed
4. Categorize the report. If details are needed, attach as reference or appendix.
5. Make the report All-Users Readable
6. Show whose liability for displayed shortfalls

The above explained

1. Progress report’s real function is to tell as much as possible yet remaining simple enough.

Show what is needed in Layered presentation. Say the 1^st page shows the summary, see following format, then the next page show the further breakdown of the details and so on. Let the reader “see” as much as they want if the want to “see” them. Give the reader he choice of how deep into the detail they need to dig into. Need general info, read page 1, need more flip next page.

2. Shows tangible values so the reader knows and REALIZE the quantum

Most progress reports shows the Scheduled Progress % and the Actual Progress %, some goes a bit more and include the DIFFERENCE % (this is the value obtained when Scheduled Progress % is deducted from the Actual Progress %)

WBS	Task	Duration	Schedule %	Actual %	Difference
JK 1	Bridge	365d	37%	30%	7%

Ok, the above Progress Report looks ok but it still don’t tell you the fear factor involved. The human mind can read 7% but cannot quantify what is 7%?

To make an impact to values, we must use values that are simple to compare with something physical. Percentage is commonly used but in itself it is only a number. DURATION is better. The mind can picture say “1-day” against “1%”

Try this approach

WBS	Task	Duration	Schedule %	Actual %	Difference %	Difference Days
ASYNC1	ICT Project	365d	37%	30%	7%	-25,5days

When you tell someone the progress is delayed 7%, the person can’t “picture” 7% and most probably not react with much emotions BUT

When you tell someone the Project is delayed 25.5 days, they are really going to panic big time!

Tip

REMEMBER- Show the numbers in TANGIBLE values.

3. Be specific, show only what is needed

The title says it all, in most reports the clients needs to only see the important facts (the above chart is quite enough really). Most meetings want to be notified of the specified results, not thousands of lines of data.

Tip

When giving a “works that are delayed” report, try using a software that can filter ONLY THE DELAY values, this way the reader can go straight to the items concerned rather then trying to visually pick out the items that is delayed among the other hundreds that is not.

4. Categorize the report. If details are needed, attach as reference or appendix.

Break your report into, Summary, Section Details and Full Details, filed in that order.

The main summary

Further breakdown

Full detail

5. Make the report All-Users Readable

Some Project Management software can be so exotic that only the person churning it out really understands it, this person is generally the Planner or a software expert. A great program that no one can read or utilize is functionless. A good report is one that even the support people (supervisors & technicians) can read, understand and eventually USE.

Tip

1. Don’t use PERT diagrams or network diagrams for display of your proposed work programs. Nobody except academicians understands these.
2. Display your program in Bar Charts or GANTT charts, they are visually easier to understand.
3. If your software allows it, display in Calendar format, so readers can just go to a specific date to see what needs done then.

6. Show whose liability for displayed shortfalls

A report should be Resource Loaded or Responsibility attached. What this statement meant is to allocate the person or work force responsible to a particular Task. This will allow the client or meeting to lock on directly to the Work that is delayed and WHO should be coming up with the solution to recover from that delay.