Project Management Basics: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:00, 16 October 2018

This section reviews a few of the basic building blocks for the other sections of the toolkit. Please contribute additional project management fundamentals or other examples to the DLF Project Managers Toolkit.

A PROJECT must have a defined objective (product, service, result) with a start and a finish. Projects should not be confused with ongoing work. For example, a digitization unit with regular requests for digitization is ongoing work, whereas a project would be to digitize a certain number of objects by a certain date.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to carry out a project.

A PROJECT MANAGER oversees the project life cycle from planning, scheduling, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. There should only be one project manager in a project. Important characteristics for project managers are to be knowledgeable, performance-driven, and an effective communicator.

PROJECT PHASES include initiation, planning, implementation, and closing.

There are different factors or constraints to monitor and control in a project. Commonly known as the TRIPLE CONSTRAINT, the scope, time, and cost are managed and adjust in a project. Quality and risk should also be considered.

Project Management provides a framework and best practices for projects. For example, the following formula can be used to estimate the time of a task.

Three-Point Estimate

   Determine:
   -optimistic value, D(o)
   -pessimistic value, D(p)
   -realistic value, D(r)
   Then:
   Duration = (D(o) + 4D(r) + D(p)) / 6

Critical to the success of any project is communication. Before beginning a project, consider the frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly) and methods of communication (email, im, in-person; frequency of meeting). A communication plan should include the who, what, when, where, why & how. See the Project Templates of the DLF Project Managers Toolkit for an example of a communication plan.

References

Project Management Institute. 2018. A guide to the project management body of knowledge: (PMBOK® guide). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute.

Tate, Karen, and Cynthia Snyder. 2006. The advanced project management memory jogger: a pocket guide for experienced project professionals. Salem, NH: GOAL/QPC.

There are lots of great articles, presentations and grey lit out there on project management and digital libraries. We've created a Zotero Group library at https://www.zotero.org/groups/2205688/dlf_pmg? and encourage you to add more when you read something good.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-This section reviews a few of the basic building blocks for the other sections of the toolkit.
+This section reviews a few of the basic building blocks for the other sections of the toolkit.  Please contribute additional project management fundamentals or other examples to the '''[[DLF Project Managers Toolkit]]'''.
-Project = defined objective with a start and a finish
+[[File:ProjectBasics.png|thumb|right]]
-Project Management = application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to carry out a project
-Project Manager = person who oversees the full project lifecycle
+A '''PROJECT''' must have a defined objective (product, service, result) with a start and a finish.  Projects should not be confused with ongoing work.  For example, a digitization unit with regular requests for digitization is ongoing work, whereas a project would be to digitize a certain number of objects by a certain date.
+'''PROJECT MANAGEMENT''' is the application of knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to carry out a project.
+A '''PROJECT MANAGER''' oversees the project life cycle from planning, scheduling, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing.  There should only be one project manager in a project.  Important characteristics for project managers are to be knowledgeable, performance-driven, and an effective communicator.
-Project must have a defined objective (product, service, result) with a start and a finish (not ongoing work, not portfolio management or program management).
+[[File:ProjectPhases.png|thumb|right]]
-Project Manager oversees the project lifecycle (planning, scheduling, executing, monitoring and controlling, closing).  There should only be one project manager per project (vs. teams, functional or operations manager).  PM characteristics: knowledgeable, performance-driven, and personable.
-Project Phases: Initiation, Planning, Implementation, and Closing
-Triple constraint: Scope, Time, and Cost; also consider Quality and Risk
+'''PROJECT PHASES''' include initiation, planning, implementation, and closing.
-Project Management provides a framework and best practices (PMBOK)
+There are different factors or constraints to monitor and control in a project.  Commonly known as the '''TRIPLE CONSTRAINT''', the scope, time, and cost are managed and adjust in a project. Quality and risk should also be considered.
+[[File:TripleConstraint.png|thumb|right]]
-Example: Formula breaks down work into simpler ta
+Project Management provides a framework and best practices for projects.  For example, the following formula can be used to estimate the time of a task.
-Three-Point Estimate = Simple formula to estimate time
+'''Three-Point Estimate'''
-Determine:
--optimistic value, D(o)
--pessimistic value, D(p)
--realistic value, D(r)
-Then:
-Duration = (D(o) + 4D(r) + D(p)) / 6
-References
+    Determine:
+    -optimistic value, D(o)
+    -pessimistic value, D(p)
+    -realistic value, D(r)
+    Then:
+    Duration = (D(o) + 4D(r) + D(p)) / 6
+Critical to the success of any project is communication.  Before beginning a project, consider the frequency (weekly, monthly, quarterly) and methods of communication (email, im, in-person; frequency of meeting).  A communication plan should include the who, what, when, where, why & how. See the '''[[Project Templates]]''' of the '''[[DLF Project Managers Toolkit]]''' for an example of a communication plan.
+== References ==
+* Project Management Institute. 2018. A guide to the project management body of knowledge: (PMBOK® guide). Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA: Project Management Institute.
+* Tate, Karen, and Cynthia Snyder. 2006. The advanced project management memory jogger: a pocket guide for experienced project professionals. Salem, NH: GOAL/QPC.
+There are lots of great articles, presentations and grey lit out there on project management and digital libraries. We've created a Zotero Group library at https://www.zotero.org/groups/2205688/dlf_pmg? and encourage you to add more when you read something good.