Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Chapter 11 - Clear communication
There are 4 major communication needs in a team.
1. Responsibility - make sure everyone know their responsibility clearly
2. Coordination - provide chance for cross-member work happenging
3. Status - Everyone should know what happened and happening, make sure everyone is at same page
4. Authorization - Everyone needs to know all decisions made from customers, sponsors or management which related.
Kick-off meeting is an important moment which formally announce - Time to start! whatever happened is history, we are now in the field. Sponsors should host the meeting to introduce the project purpose and relationship to business again.
What skills a good PM should own? Answer is strong communication skills. Negotiating, listening, conflict resolution, writing and other skills affect ability to work.
1. Responsibility - make sure everyone know their responsibility clearly
2. Coordination - provide chance for cross-member work happenging
3. Status - Everyone should know what happened and happening, make sure everyone is at same page
4. Authorization - Everyone needs to know all decisions made from customers, sponsors or management which related.
Kick-off meeting is an important moment which formally announce - Time to start! whatever happened is history, we are now in the field. Sponsors should host the meeting to introduce the project purpose and relationship to business again.
What skills a good PM should own? Answer is strong communication skills. Negotiating, listening, conflict resolution, writing and other skills affect ability to work.
Chapter 10 - High-performance project team
When I worked for Siemens, they post a slogan at hallway, "No one is perfect but a team can be". That is true, but how to build a great team is not an easy topic. The challenge of building a project team includes
1. Teams form to solve problems and they must solve problems together - not everyone is team-oriented especially some extra-smart guys. They tend to work independently.
2. teams are temporary so they must learn to work together - Not everyone can work with anyone, ego is a often seen issue between each other. Everyone may have different "way" to work.
The main job for a PM to do is to be a leader. Be a leader and do like a leader. Building a positive environment is always a good leader should do. In my career, I have seen someones have the ability to build a positive environment and I always want to work with them. Beside that, a leader needs to be able to "listen" instead of "talk", listening is more skill required than talk sometimes. PM needs to understand team say and find out potential problems and solve them.
In case study, Habitat for Humanity is a not-for-profit organizations involve lots of temporary volunteers. Since most team members are temp, PM needs to be able to make each other working together on-the-fly. That is a tough task. Compared to work at corp, team members are working for living. Volunteer work needs something non-money to make the work making sense. Habitat builds learning opportunities for every volunteers to fullfil their goal. That proves money is not the only incentive for team to work together.
1. Teams form to solve problems and they must solve problems together - not everyone is team-oriented especially some extra-smart guys. They tend to work independently.
2. teams are temporary so they must learn to work together - Not everyone can work with anyone, ego is a often seen issue between each other. Everyone may have different "way" to work.
The main job for a PM to do is to be a leader. Be a leader and do like a leader. Building a positive environment is always a good leader should do. In my career, I have seen someones have the ability to build a positive environment and I always want to work with them. Beside that, a leader needs to be able to "listen" instead of "talk", listening is more skill required than talk sometimes. PM needs to understand team say and find out potential problems and solve them.
In case study, Habitat for Humanity is a not-for-profit organizations involve lots of temporary volunteers. Since most team members are temp, PM needs to be able to make each other working together on-the-fly. That is a tough task. Compared to work at corp, team members are working for living. Volunteer work needs something non-money to make the work making sense. Habitat builds learning opportunities for every volunteers to fullfil their goal. That proves money is not the only incentive for team to work together.
Chapter 9 - Balancing the trade-off
Everyone has trade-off experience in daily life. My friend always buy the best price he can find in bay area for same model car. He is willing driving 100 miles to compare and get the best offer he can find. He trades his time to get better deal. In project management world, the trade-off is between Cost, Schedule and Quality. When we want something done faster, better prepare more budget. High paid consultant is another example, they do fast and great quality work when employers pay more.
Even Quality could be compromised by getting faster schedule. It is the worst idea to do that. Instead of getting a 80% working 20% failed products, we would prefer offering a less function product with 100% working all the time. The 3 US car makers spend tons of money to advertise their improvement on quality now as a result they sacrifice quality before. Most of time, US cars offer more standard features than Japanese cars but customers would prefer a more reliable cars even with less features.
In Boeing 767-400ER case study, Boeing shows great advantage they have in past years. They have done so many airplane designs and therefore Boeing can use parametric design to get a more accurate project estimate. When newer smaller companies may not have same advantages, they still can learn a lot from industry study.
Even Quality could be compromised by getting faster schedule. It is the worst idea to do that. Instead of getting a 80% working 20% failed products, we would prefer offering a less function product with 100% working all the time. The 3 US car makers spend tons of money to advertise their improvement on quality now as a result they sacrifice quality before. Most of time, US cars offer more standard features than Japanese cars but customers would prefer a more reliable cars even with less features.
In Boeing 767-400ER case study, Boeing shows great advantage they have in past years. They have done so many airplane designs and therefore Boeing can use parametric design to get a more accurate project estimate. When newer smaller companies may not have same advantages, they still can learn a lot from industry study.
Chapter 8 - Accurate Estimating
The full title The Art and Science of Accurate Estimating says everything. To accurate estimate is a combination of art and science. To a new PM, it is a science to follow existing method or path to do project management. However it is an art to master project management.
Almost everyone (no matter you are a PM or not) has similar experience like being asked how much time you need to accomplish some tasks in a 30-second meet with boss. And almost everyone will try to squeeze a date and reply with it. That is so-called "Ballparks in elevators" estimation. When it may not be a good idea to NOT answer boss's question, author suggests to double and double the time OR throws ball back to boss to ask details. Either one will work just a little bit better than nothing. The best way is avoid to answer the question at all.
When a company has done "enough" projects before, the "Parametric estimation" helps by using finished projects as reference to do a more accurate estimation.
Beside PM and who implement project, actually every stakeholders should be responsible for accurate estimates.
In Tynet, Inc, case study, Tynet improves their project performance by adopting phased estimating method. By adding more defined phases and interactivity with customers, Tynet can reduce the chance projects fail later. In short term, more activities may seems increasing "time to finish", it really reduce risk to fail dramatically.
Almost everyone (no matter you are a PM or not) has similar experience like being asked how much time you need to accomplish some tasks in a 30-second meet with boss. And almost everyone will try to squeeze a date and reply with it. That is so-called "Ballparks in elevators" estimation. When it may not be a good idea to NOT answer boss's question, author suggests to double and double the time OR throws ball back to boss to ask details. Either one will work just a little bit better than nothing. The best way is avoid to answer the question at all.
When a company has done "enough" projects before, the "Parametric estimation" helps by using finished projects as reference to do a more accurate estimation.
Beside PM and who implement project, actually every stakeholders should be responsible for accurate estimates.
In Tynet, Inc, case study, Tynet improves their project performance by adopting phased estimating method. By adding more defined phases and interactivity with customers, Tynet can reduce the chance projects fail later. In short term, more activities may seems increasing "time to finish", it really reduce risk to fail dramatically.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Chapter7 - Realistic Scheduling
A realistic schedule is essential to a successful project. We all saw a project schedule and yell "is this schedule crazy?"
Most unrealistic schedule comes out with lack of the following
1. not enough knowledge of work to be done - especial PM most of time not the one with enough tech skill
2. incorrect order of task - for example lock a box then open it to put something in
3. external constraints beyond the control of team
4. no skilled people; no enough equipment available
Milestones can be used as useful markers to track the schedule. A PM can use milestone to know the relationship between different tasks. To mark input from one party to another.
Gantt charts can be used to show relationship between tasks and to allocate resource. Computer software can do most of job. However a PM still need to understand the tasks to make sure software makes sense.
Most unrealistic schedule comes out with lack of the following
1. not enough knowledge of work to be done - especial PM most of time not the one with enough tech skill
2. incorrect order of task - for example lock a box then open it to put something in
3. external constraints beyond the control of team
4. no skilled people; no enough equipment available
Milestones can be used as useful markers to track the schedule. A PM can use milestone to know the relationship between different tasks. To mark input from one party to another.
Gantt charts can be used to show relationship between tasks and to allocate resource. Computer software can do most of job. However a PM still need to understand the tasks to make sure software makes sense.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Chapter 6 - Work Breakdown Structure
Now we start building detail blueprint from ideas.
SOW is more like talking about what we need at last. WBS is more like putting what we need on activity.
First step, starting at the top. Doing top-down approach. SOW deliverable are good candidates to be top items (called summary tasks). Then add "verb" to make items to become activities. There are several favors to organize WBS. Some may emphasize on components when some may emphasize on phases.
A key point regarding the relationship between top and bottom items is the sum of bottom items should be same as top item.
Work package size is a guideline which requres PM to make tasks smaller. Common rules are like 8/80 [no task smaller than 8 hours or larger than 80 hours] and reporting period rule [no task be longer than distance between two status points].
When PM plans for completion, PM also need to plan for quality. An early action for better quality can save tons fixes later.
SOW is more like talking about what we need at last. WBS is more like putting what we need on activity.
First step, starting at the top. Doing top-down approach. SOW deliverable are good candidates to be top items (called summary tasks). Then add "verb" to make items to become activities. There are several favors to organize WBS. Some may emphasize on components when some may emphasize on phases.
A key point regarding the relationship between top and bottom items is the sum of bottom items should be same as top item.
Work package size is a guideline which requres PM to make tasks smaller. Common rules are like 8/80 [no task smaller than 8 hours or larger than 80 hours] and reporting period rule [no task be longer than distance between two status points].
When PM plans for completion, PM also need to plan for quality. An early action for better quality can save tons fixes later.
Chapter 5 - Risk Management
I like the key concept - All Project Management is Risk Management. If there is no risk at all, all projects will be done on time. Risk is the key reason and probably the only reason which block the project or delay it.
The first step to do risk management is to identify the risks. I should say this is the most essential step. If we miss any potential risk and such risk may ruin the schedule. Project will turn to disaster.
The second key step is to use a risk profile. Using others experience is a smart way to do thing right. There are industry-specfic, organization-specific, product and management risks. Outside consultants may bring in industry-specific risk profile. However other risk profiles should be pointed out from insiders.
The third key step is to use probability theory to prioritize risks and we can rely on the result to prepare our response plans.
The first step to do risk management is to identify the risks. I should say this is the most essential step. If we miss any potential risk and such risk may ruin the schedule. Project will turn to disaster.
The second key step is to use a risk profile. Using others experience is a smart way to do thing right. There are industry-specfic, organization-specific, product and management risks. Outside consultants may bring in industry-specific risk profile. However other risk profiles should be pointed out from insiders.
The third key step is to use probability theory to prioritize risks and we can rely on the result to prepare our response plans.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Chapter 4 - Five key documents to manage expecations and define sucess
Now we are on the fun part.
There are 5 documents PM needs to prepare before project starting.
1. Project proposal-assembles necessary information for a sponsor or project selection board.
2. Project charter-used to formally authorize the project manager for managing the project.
3. Statement of work(SOW)-represents the formal agreement between stakeholders about goals and constraints
4. Responsibility matrix-clarifies roles and authority of each stakeholder.
5. Communication planning matrix-used to identify who needs what information and how to get it to them.
In statement of work(SOW), we can image the content of agreement will be modified as an on-going base. Every time the change needed should be agreed by every stakeholder to make sure everyone in the same page.
Responsibility matrix can be useful to make sure there is less misinform or lost of communication or even less authority. With a clear matrix defined, every change or event can be sure either getting authority, execution or information as needed.
There are 5 documents PM needs to prepare before project starting.
1. Project proposal-assembles necessary information for a sponsor or project selection board.
2. Project charter-used to formally authorize the project manager for managing the project.
3. Statement of work(SOW)-represents the formal agreement between stakeholders about goals and constraints
4. Responsibility matrix-clarifies roles and authority of each stakeholder.
5. Communication planning matrix-used to identify who needs what information and how to get it to them.
In statement of work(SOW), we can image the content of agreement will be modified as an on-going base. Every time the change needed should be agreed by every stakeholder to make sure everyone in the same page.
Responsibility matrix can be useful to make sure there is less misinform or lost of communication or even less authority. With a clear matrix defined, every change or event can be sure either getting authority, execution or information as needed.
Chapter 3 - Know your key stakholders and win their cooperation
Ha, this is an interesting chapter. In early project starting stage, identify stakeholders and get them in is so important and most project managers may not do a good job at first. This chapter teaches
* How to identify stakeholders - by asking questions like
"Who is the customer?"
"Who is the project team?"
"Who will make a contribution?"
and
"Who will be affected by this project?"
The right stakeholders definitely are the heart of a successful project.
In the introduction to different stakeholder roles. There is "project manager" role and resource manager under "management" role. In small companies, normally resource manager tends to be project manager, for example software development manager designs and coordinate project naturally. However this is not always true. In bigger companies, those 2 roles are assigned to different persons. Project manager is the one who coordinates resources and resource manager is the one who provides the resource.
3rd idea learned from book is to include "customer" roles in stakeholders. When some project managers tend to finish project from start to end internally. They forget customers are the ones who decide the projects are great or bad. We can see some projects end with bad user experience. The main cause is customer's idea is never got considered.
* How to identify stakeholders - by asking questions like
"Who is the customer?"
"Who is the project team?"
"Who will make a contribution?"
and
"Who will be affected by this project?"
The right stakeholders definitely are the heart of a successful project.
In the introduction to different stakeholder roles. There is "project manager" role and resource manager under "management" role. In small companies, normally resource manager tends to be project manager, for example software development manager designs and coordinate project naturally. However this is not always true. In bigger companies, those 2 roles are assigned to different persons. Project manager is the one who coordinates resources and resource manager is the one who provides the resource.
3rd idea learned from book is to include "customer" roles in stakeholders. When some project managers tend to finish project from start to end internally. They forget customers are the ones who decide the projects are great or bad. We can see some projects end with bad user experience. The main cause is customer's idea is never got considered.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Chapter 2 - Foundation Principles of Project Management
* The difference between a project and an on-going operation-Project has a starting time, an ending time and be unique. If I buy brown paint to repaint my front door from Homedepot and do it during weekend. Plan to start on Sat 1PM and finish on Sun 5PM. This is a project. If I keep repaint front door every month as a maintainance. it becomes on-going operation.
* The challenge of managing projects-There are 4 listed. The most challenge item is lacking of authority from my experience. When PM should guide the time, he/she cannot force anyone to follow the schedule since there may be an authority for him/her. A software engineer may refuse to cooperate and PM cannot really do much thing like manager of software engineer can do.
* Project managers are industry dependent when project management is-PM is an idea how to manage time, resource and so on. But project managers are the one who need to have the sense and knowledge to "manage". Therefore he/she has to be industry-dependent. In real life, we see some "tech lead" or "project lead" on companies even for on-going operating. Those roles are created and tech skills are required. Depends on what kind of projects, there are 3 different areas, project management, technical and business ares. A good project manager needs to be fit in the 3 ares even with differnet weight of focus.
* The challenge of managing projects-There are 4 listed. The most challenge item is lacking of authority from my experience. When PM should guide the time, he/she cannot force anyone to follow the schedule since there may be an authority for him/her. A software engineer may refuse to cooperate and PM cannot really do much thing like manager of software engineer can do.
* Project managers are industry dependent when project management is-PM is an idea how to manage time, resource and so on. But project managers are the one who need to have the sense and knowledge to "manage". Therefore he/she has to be industry-dependent. In real life, we see some "tech lead" or "project lead" on companies even for on-going operating. Those roles are created and tech skills are required. Depends on what kind of projects, there are 3 different areas, project management, technical and business ares. A good project manager needs to be fit in the 3 ares even with differnet weight of focus.
Chapter 1 Project management is the new critical leadership skill
The difference between a dream and a goal is simple. A goal comes with a plan, a path to go thru to reach the goal when a dream remains a dream without plan.
* Project management is the essential key for 21st leaders-I will say PM is essential key for everyone. Even a house wife can benefit from it by scheduling well with kid's difference dismiss time, location, and after-hour classes. without well management, those tasks definitely drive mom crazy.
* Project management as a strategic strength- In my earlier career, we saw some management issue. In text book, it quotes "discipline of getting things done" from Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy. The missing discipline is the key problem we saw before but cannot point out.
* The art and science of project leadership-as long as we need to deal with others, the way of communication is always an art and science. We can see many people doing same work and none doing some work in real life since most of us do not apply the idea of project management on daily life.
* Project management is the essential key for 21st leaders-I will say PM is essential key for everyone. Even a house wife can benefit from it by scheduling well with kid's difference dismiss time, location, and after-hour classes. without well management, those tasks definitely drive mom crazy.
* Project management as a strategic strength- In my earlier career, we saw some management issue. In text book, it quotes "discipline of getting things done" from Ram Charan and Larry Bossidy. The missing discipline is the key problem we saw before but cannot point out.
* The art and science of project leadership-as long as we need to deal with others, the way of communication is always an art and science. We can see many people doing same work and none doing some work in real life since most of us do not apply the idea of project management on daily life.
My project
My company is deploying different services to more than 100 servers on 4 different locations. Those services are pretty much running by themselves once setup correctly. Our customers are on different time zones and they use our service 24 hours 7 days per week base.
Therefore I am assigned to start a "Network Monitoring" project to setup/create or purchase a set of tools to monitor all servers and report issues to support teams if there is anything going wrong. Such system also need to be able to generate reports to show the historical data to allow development team to do enhancement later.
We plan to have the system to ready to use in next 30 days and it should be able to handle 100-150 nodes.
Therefore I am assigned to start a "Network Monitoring" project to setup/create or purchase a set of tools to monitor all servers and report issues to support teams if there is anything going wrong. Such system also need to be able to generate reports to show the historical data to allow development team to do enhancement later.
We plan to have the system to ready to use in next 30 days and it should be able to handle 100-150 nodes.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Who am I and why taking project management?
My name is D. Li. Working as independant consultant for a telecommunication start-up now. Since graduated from SCU with MSCE degree, I have worked as software engineer, system administrator, department manager and network engineer for many years.
In the past 10 years, I have worked for several start-up and honestly to say. I like working for start-up. Besides the size and funding, the major difference between start-up and bigger company, from my experience, is system.
When startup tends to do planing by days or weeks, big company tends to do planing by a relatively longer term, like months or years. When doing a planing by month or year, project mangement becomes a very important role, otherwise team may lose track. I believe the part start-up company needs to learn from big company is project management. even startup's planing style is fast pace and changing frequently. Project management still can benefit startup by optimally allocate all kind resouce.
I expect to learn how to allocate resource like time, human resource and buget in a project. that will definitely benefit my work.
In the past 10 years, I have worked for several start-up and honestly to say. I like working for start-up. Besides the size and funding, the major difference between start-up and bigger company, from my experience, is system.
When startup tends to do planing by days or weeks, big company tends to do planing by a relatively longer term, like months or years. When doing a planing by month or year, project mangement becomes a very important role, otherwise team may lose track. I believe the part start-up company needs to learn from big company is project management. even startup's planing style is fast pace and changing frequently. Project management still can benefit startup by optimally allocate all kind resouce.
I expect to learn how to allocate resource like time, human resource and buget in a project. that will definitely benefit my work.
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