Other useful links:
project management
project management basics.com.
time management
time management basics.com.
leadership
leadership basics.com.
The Complete Project management
package
Topics include
Definitions
What is a project and Project Management?
What is a Project Management system?
Human, culture, planning...
General Project Structure
Project visualisation
Start and end
Size, costs, time...
Breaking down a project
Milestones, management
Costs and budgets...
Phases of a project
Concept, feasibility
Specification, design
Installation...
The Project notebook
What is it?
Assumptions, problem statements, mission statements
Strategy, scope, objectives
Customer analysis, deliverables
Exit criteria...
Product specification, work break down structure (WBS)
Schedules, resources, control system
Authority, roles and resonsibilities
Risk areas and benefits ...
Planning overview
Why plan?
Work breakdown structures
Task characteristics
Information and milestones...
Detailed planning
Overview
Procurement
Estimation
initial
overview
too long
too short
budgets...
Dependencies
PERT analysis
Slack or float, elapsed time
Roles and responsibilities
Resources
Gantt charts
Constraints
Critical paths and how to manage them...
Control
Why?
Monitoring, general, what...
Time, cost (terms, overspend, cash flow), quality
Progress reporting...
General, committees, data
Taking action
Assessing the situation
Impact analysis
Resolving issues and problems...
Review
Contingency
Change
Documents and procedures
Project completion...
Quality
Plan
Statistical control
Risk
Overview
Impact analysis
Risk versus impact
Automated planning tools
Consideration of time...
Responsibilities
Documentation
General approach
Identification and costing...
Assess chances and impact
Measures
Contingencies
Records and review
Health and safety...
Reviews
Project audits
Human factors
The role of the Project Manager
Overview
Project teams
Recruitment...
Communication
User expectations
Systematic approach
Empowerment
Appointment of a Project Manager...
Project organisation
Project office and documentation
What is a problem?
A.P.I.M.A.
(assess)
problem definition
analysis of data
objective definition
(plan)
identify causes
select the most likely cause
devise potential solutions
selection of the most appropriate
solution
plan for implementation
(implement, monitor and act)
Problem solving techniques
problem identification
prioritisation
analysis of problem causes
identifying key causes
data gathering
evaluation and finalising options
brainstorming
method and system
Pareto analysis
what is it?
method and system
data collection
fact and opinion
documentation
method and system
interviews
cause and effect diagrams
effect vs cause
identification and selection of cause
taking action
method and system
process analysis
examine the steps in the work process
method and system
six word system
what, why, when, how, where and who?
method and system
presentation
histogram, barchart and pie chart
scatter diagram
organisation charts
Time saving templates
e.g.
audit reports, customer analysis
deliverables, estimation of cost
mission statement, objectives
problem statements...
project numbering
project progress
strategy and S.W.O.T. analysis
timesheets and work breakdown and
many more...
Fully Worked Example
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The complete
Risk management package
Topics include
What is risk?
Uncertainty
Risk versus issue
Risk versus reward
Margins versus contingency
Will a project succeed?
Key areas of concern...
6 basic questions to answer
Who?
Why?
What?
How?
Resource?
When?...
Why carry out a risk assessment?
Is the project too risky?
The threat intensity
Decision making
Helpful documentation...
What should risk analysis provide?
Time factor
Prioritisation
Summary of risk
Decision making
Realism...
How does risk management integrate with project
management?
Risk management is key?
Permeates all projects?
Supporting role?...
Accountability
Sharing of risk
Who is accountable?...
Stakeholders
Identification
Customer and supplier
User priorities...
Success measures
How do you measure it?
Assumptions
Clarify objectives
Suppliers versus customers
Basic steps
What are the core process steps to assess a risk?
Identification
Proactive planning
Reactive planning
Monitoring and control
Triggers
A simple process outline
What is the basic overall process steps?
Identifying stakeholders
Success criteris
Plan preparation
Identify and assess risks
Ownership and planning
Aggregation, monitoring and review...
Human relations
Pressure
Timing
Bid and budget control
Risk focus
Planning confidence
Price versus cost
Client versus stakeholder driven...
The Project LIfe Cycle
Overview
Concept
Design
Plan
Allocate
Execute
Deliver
Review
Support
Different areas
Working in parallel
Milestones
Contracting
Decision points...
Cost terminology
Expected cost
Target cost
Provision
Contingency
Commitment
Statistical terminology
Mean or average
Median
Mode
Variance
Standard deviation
The risk management process
Overview
Timing
Defining the project
Defining the risk management process...
Identifying risks and responses
Organisng the risks and responses
Ownership (risks, responsibilities and contractors)
Estimating technique...
Evaluating the estimates
Planning (integrating risk and project management)
Managing (the risk management process)
Estimating detail
Overview
Simple estimating of risk
Cumulative probability graphs
Simple estimating of risk detail...
Simple estimating problems
Obtainng the estimates
Breakdown of variables...
Evaluating detail
Overview
Independent correlation
Cumulative probability graph
Positive correlation
Cumulative probability graph...
Negative correlation
Conditional correlation
Cumulative probability graphs...
Planning detail
Types of plan
Initial
Reference
Base
Contingency
Horizon
Action
Ways to modify plans
General comments
General points to consider
Resource level
Control
Contractors
Customer...
Managing the risk process
Overview
Identifying risk issues
Other issues and the project life cycle
Other aspects
Cost and resources
Effectiveness of risk management
Modelling
Managing the process...
The contractor
Overview
Risk assessment positioning
The contract
Cost plus fixed fee
Fixed price
Screening
Transferring risk...
Risk combination
The issues involved...
Common methods of risk assessment
Overview
The timing, prioritising, summarising and decision making
virtues
Issue based
Checklists
Qualitative
Quantitative...
Quantitative risk assessment
Overview
Simple example and detail
Simple cost model
Cost model including uncertainty
Cost model including likelihood...
Monte Carlo distribution
Overview
Monte Carlo simulation
Monte Carlo simulation output
Monte Carlo distribution
Monte Carlo risk distribution
How do we carry out the simulations?
Probability Density Function (PDF)
Triangular Probability Density Function (PDF)...
Uncertain events
Overview
Simple pathway likelihood and frequency versus cost graph
Detailed calculations
A basic risk assessment
Probability versus total cost graph...
Correlated events
Overview
Ranges of correlation
Process summary
Risk assessment versus a traditional approach
How will the level of breakdown structure influence the result?
How do we estimate probability simply?...
General points
Collecting task information
Documentation
Other areas to consider when reviewing risk
Data handling
Overview
Monte Carlo risk distribution
Multiple variables
Budget versus contingency
Overview and setting the contingency
Alternative setting of contingency
Schedule risk assessment
Detailed planning, 4 basic types
Detailed planning, in software
Simple network
Simple network (no lag) duration calculations
Simple network (with lag) duration calculations
Branching
Overview (simple branching)
Complex branching
Complex branching duration calculations
Multiple branching
Multiple branching duration calculations
Multiple probability branching
Multiple probability branching duration calculations
Production example
Production example, one step further
Production model output interpretation graph
Nodes and branching networks
Nodes and branching networks graphical output
Markov chain
Events and transitions
Benefits
When do you use it?
Business forecast
Overview (types of operation, activity, timing and correlation)
Business schedule risk
Business revenue and profit risk distribution
Business profit yearly forecast
Business profit simulation graphical output
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The Complete Time management
package
Topics include
Resources
Capital
Physical
Human
Information
Finite time...
Workaholic
Long hours
Work enjoyment
Ambition
Personal life
Routine and mundane
Addiction
Result orientation
Old values
Tiredness and mistakes
Signs...
What is time management?
Problem time solving
Goals or objectives and targets
Strategy and tactics...
Goals
Road to success
Hurdles
Basic tactics
Types
Setting goals
Refining goals
Control
Short and long term
Quality
Flexibility...
Objectives
List of tasks
Dependent and non dependent
Strategic v urgent
Prioritise...
Prioritising objectives
Priority ranking
Multiplication ranking
Tabular matrix...
Urgent v important
Urgent - deadline
Important - time
Matrix
Rank
Category detail
Job needs
Job order...
Human nature
Pleasing people
Avoidance of challenges
Fear of position
Ambition
Pride of ability
Being a perfectionist
Retaining control
Preconceived ideas...
Blame culture
Interruptions
Phone calls
Meetings
Lacking data
What are the goals?
Objectives...
Productivity
Output v input...
Also...
Time log
Prioritised objectives
Weekly plan
Recording the log
Analysis
Identify 'time destroyers'
Identify actions
Implement plan...
Key time destroyers
Action chasing
Being disorganised
Can't say no
Crisis management
Friends
Large reports
Low energy levels
Meetings
Multiple tasks
Other's errors
Other's jobs
Paperwork
Perfection
Poor communication
Poor control and reporting
Poor delegation
Poor information
Poor leadership
Poor planning
Poor preparation
Poor self discipline
Putting things off
Resource issues
Responsibility v authority
Socialising
Staff issues
The boss
The telephone
Travel time
Unfinished tasks
Unwanted callers
Work overload
Your own errors...
Typical process
Review your personal time log
Audit
Decide on your time destroyers
Rank them in order of priority
Review the causes
Consider solutions
Generate action steps
Decide on the time scale
Create deadlines
Teamwork...
Strategies for getting on with it
Visibilty
Rank review
Minimise
Tick off
Your time
Challenge
Delegate
Routine
Desktop
Measure
Check
Negative
Fear
Start
Exposure
Mentality
Others
Positive
Benefit
Part
Reward
Energy
Confidence...
Positive thinking
Positive mindset
Attitudes and beliefs
Self belief
Modifying attitudes
Record the goals
The road to success...
Commitment
Winning
Definition
Not knowing
Meetings
Less interruptions
Resource
Resource...
Delegation process
Monitoring
Review
Problems
Tough personnel
Towards independence...
Information collection
Part of time management
Everything
How and where to?
The purpose
Projects
Delayed tasks
Delegated tasks
Processing information
Other...
Processing the information
Define the purpose
Prioritise
Decide on the action and format...
Filing notes
What should you file?
What system should you use?
Agree
'A' to 'Z'
Day files
Other...
Day files
Detail...
Decision PATH
Priorities
Activity
Time
Health
Decision is not action...
Capturing ideas
Record
Techniques
Computer folders
Software...
Brain storm
Record
Do not criticise
Ideas
Consider
Stepwise procedure
Simple voting procedure
Ranking technique
What next?...
Mind mapping
Brain styles
Mond mapping...
Checklists
Task list of reminders
Yesterday's mistakes
Not exhaustive
Ignored
Orientation
Lacking detail...
Reminders
Processing complete
Delegated tasks
Delayed tasks
Projects
Triggers
Diary...
E-mails
General
Message rules
Back up
Spam
Action...
What not to do
General
Would it matter if you didn't do it?
How to tackle it?
Perfectionist?
Time runs out
Bottle it up
Education...
Projects
General
Plan
Meetings
Decisions and data...
Irritating tasks
Benefits
Get started
Atmosphere
Putting them off...
Combining tasks
Areas to consider
Criteria
Culture...
Time
Historical view
Passing time
Quality time
Culture
Mono and polychronic time...
Monochronic time
Attitudes
Definition
Culture
Plans
Other
Issues
Flexibility...
Polychronic time
Attitudes
Definition
Culture
Plans
Other
Issues
Flexibility...
High and low context culture
High and low
Information transfer...
Divergent thinking
Sees the big picture
Flexibility
Free space...
Convergent thinking
Takes a narrow view
Methodical
Free space...
Blending styles
Ideas
Sharing
Good will
Brain use
Assess, plan implement, monitor and act...
Assessment and planning
Best v easy
Work area ideas
Take a break
Taking notes
Prioritising...
Implementing
Combining tasks
Goal posts
Delay
Scheduling...
Prioritising
Visual sorting
Communication and flexibility
Resource
Restructuring
Inclusion...
Scheduling
Diary or calendar
Visual aids
Odd items
Personal energy
Bits and pieces
Assistant
Overload
Visible
The telephone
Proative...
Review
General
Delayed tasks
Delegated tasks
E-mails and voice mail
Diary
Collection
Projects...
Personality drivers
Faster
Please
Perfection
Try hard
Be strong...
Assertiveness
General
Assessment
Process...
Stress
General
Signs
Sources
Problems
Not enough time
Leading to tension
Tempers being lost
Stress escalates
Coping techniques?
Legal redress...
Coping with stress
General
Personality driver
Experience
Techniques
Ideas...
Playtime
General
Reasons for avoidance
Things to try
Little bits
Imagination...
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Risk Management - Overview
Risk management is part of project management. The basic steps are define, identify, organise, ownership, estimate, evaluate, plan and manage.
The Project Life Cycle can be divided for project management purposes into:
- Concept
- Design
- Plan
- Allocate
- Execute
- Deliver
- Review
- Support
Within this framework the risk assessment process can be broken down into:
Define (the project):
The following key areas will need to be addressed.
Existing information is collated
- Objectives
- Scope
- Strategy documentation
- Plans (initial plan - summary form, indicating timing)
- Idea of resource involvement
- Design documentation
- Stakeholder information
Each of these will need to be clearly documented so that there is no ambiguity.
Fill in the gaps
The above process may show a few glaring omissions which if the project has been handled well should not exist.
There will therefore be some project management (see 'The Complete Project management package') to fill in these gaps.
When a step is complete we must make sure that the results of the phase are documented (document) in a clear fashion and are available to all persons involved in the project.
This will include all stakeholders.
The document should be circulated to verify the truth (check) of the information it contains.
This circulation may well go outside of the immediate group of persons responsible for its content.
The main aim is that all key parts which in total 'define' the project are clear and unambiguous.
This may not always be the case and such differences should be documented. All those responsible for the document should be noted.
There should be a review (review) of the data collected within the document to make sure it is relevant for the status of the project.
When all of this has been done it is ready for circulation (circulate).
The last part of this step namely:
- Document
- Check
- Review
- Circulate
Will apply to all of the steps and is probably good practice for a lot of documents produced.
As is the case with many stepwise activities, the more thoroughly the 'define' stage is carried out the less problems we will have in the next stages.
Define (the risk management process):
This step examines the risk management process itself as opposed to the Project Management Process steps above.
We need to assess:
- The scope of the risk management process
- The strategy
Depending upon the nature of the project decision making could be based upon a qualitative approach e.g. high, low, medium assessment of the risk, or it may need to be based on a stronger assessment of collated data and analysis in a quantitative manner.
As mentioned above we need to produce:
The steps above will apply.
- Document
- Check
- Review
- Circulate
Scope should cover:
- Why is the risk management process being carried out?
- What are its benefits?
- Who will carry out the analysis (internal or external)?
The process itself should be planned:
The combination of the 'define (the project)' and 'define (the risk management process)' can also be called the 'initiation' phase.
Identify:
It is not possible to run a risk management process without trying to identify the 'risks'.
In addition, we need to understand:
- Where the risk originates from and what effects may be expected.
- How will we act upon this 'risk' in terms of 'proactive' and 'reactive' responses?
- What might happen if these responses fail? These are known as 'secondary risks'.
Remember that the 'effect' will examine what are the consequences of the 'risk' materialising.
This is different to the 'impact' on the project which could be, for example, low or high.
The root causes of the 'risks' should be considered.
Responses to each of the risks should be documented even if the response is to 'do nothing'.
In order to carry out this stage we will need to:
- Identify these risks by using suitable techniques that will encourage people to raise them.
- This would include problem solving techniques such as a brain storm. Other methods like interviews,
- checklists may prove useful.
- Once a list of risks have been identified we will need to categorise them in some fashion.
In addition, we must:
- Document
- Check
- Review
- Circulate
Document
This activity will also lead to the identification of potential opportunities.
Organise:
The next 4 phases:
- Organise
- Ownership
- Estimate
- Evaluate
Are also known as the 'analysis' phase.
The aim of this phase is to refine what is currently known about the list of risks and other aspects of the plan, namely:
The list of risks should be reviewed with respect to their understanding and their responses. It is quite possible that the responses will be modified and others found during this process.
The classification of the risks will benefit from further consideration. Some of the risks may be held under the same umbrella for a given general response.
At the design phase a preliminary plan schedule was put in place. This requires review in terms of the interdependencies and the order of the activities based upon the risks and responses to date.
The updated 'risk list' requires ordering, together with any secondary responses. This may have meant reordering some of the activities in the project schedule.
As usual:
- Document
- Check
- Review
- Circulate
Document
Are required.
It is important that the risk analysts are happy with the output and the proposed models that may be used.
Ownership:
What risks and associated responses will be owned by the project owners? Which ones will be managed elsewhere? For example, contractors or consultants etc.
The responsibility of each risk associated with the project owners, not 'given away', must be allocated to named persons.
To sanction any risks that are allocated to contractors and third parties.
The first of these must be completed before going any further.
The others may need revisiting a little later once the consequences of the first part and other issues are clarified.
This difficulty of this activity will depend upon the nature of the organisations that are involved with the 'delegated risks'. If possible these 'delegated risks' should be reinforced in a legal contract.
Depending upon the 'contract' policies of the project owner organisation it could be straight forward or very tricky.
The policy for this 'risk allocation' should be considered and then formulated for future use.
We should consider the type of organisations we will be prepared to use, the 'objectives' of the strategy (i.e. why is the organisation doing this) and which risks will be 'delegated'.
In addition, the approach to planning the contracts should be considered as well as 'how' and their timing (when).
Estimate:
This phase is concerned with performance measures, for example, cost and time (see 'The Complete Time management package') and quality measures.
We need to concentrate on the risks and provide a firmer estimate of the likelihoods and the impacts in terms of cost, project durations, product quality etc.
We need to know which risks are important in terms of their impact.
The list of project risks are examined for areas which 'MAY' have a significant risk. It will be necessary to decide if additional data needs to be collected to clarify the situation.
In addition, those areas of the plan that 'DO' have significant risk should be reviewed carefully before critical decisions are made by the team.
The aim is to reduce the amount of time (see 'The Complete Time management package') spent on 'minor' risks where simple and straight forward responses will suffice in order to concentrate on those risks where complexity means that a more thorough approach is called for.
Each risk is assessed for its likelihood (chance of occurring) and its impact (the affect it will have) on each of the performance criteria so far identified.
At this early stage it is often adequate to assign a simple classification of 'impact'.
For instance, HIGH, MEDIUM and LOW are quite common. Others may wish to try and quantify risks by using statistical probability distributions but this may be too much detail at this stage of the risk management process.
A risk needs to be selected and then assessed in some fashion for its likelihood and impact by relevant experts. If necessary, the risks may require additional clarification.
Evaluate:
The previous stage is looked at in a little more detail in terms of the impact and the responses and how they in turn may affect the project.
Plan:
Having completed the risk management process a base plan or schedule is produced. This will contain all of the tasks, the milestones and of course the deliverables.
It should be as complete as possible. It will contain resource allocation and task ownership.
There will be a report summarising the risk management process indicating all of the threats and opportunities. This will include responses both proactive (prevention) and
reactive (if the risk materialises for contingency plans).
The proactive and reactive 'contingency' plans will, in themselves, have a schedule with activities, ownership and timings.
Trigger points and rules will need to be identified prior to implementation of the reactive 'contingency' plans.
- Note:
The proactive plans will form part of the base plan as they will need to be introduced in order to reduce affects from perceived risks.
Trigger points will need to be considered very carefully. These may not be entirely clear cut. We don't want to wait for something to actually fail or a risk to fully materialise before
Implementing the contingency plan.
Manage:
This is the part where the plan is put into operation. This will form part of the 'execute' phase of the normal project management process.
You may find some leadership trainng useful (see 'The
Complete Leadership package').
In an ideal world major risks will not materialise and all activities will run on time (see 'The Complete Time management package'). This is unlikely to happen.
We will need to put into place all of the usual Project Management (see 'The Complete Project management package') processes to monitor and control the project.
This will continue against a backbone of progress reporting bringing attention to milestones and key issues.
General:
Implementation of the risk management process earlier in the process than the 'plan' stage can face problems of lack of definition
As the information is often too fluid.
However, the earlier the risk management process is carried out naturally there is more chance to influence the plan if it is carried out
thoroughly. Responses can be considered in more depth which may lead to different approaches.
Get the full details
The Complete
RISK management package
Easy to understand with many examples.
Links on this site:
Risk management - Timing.
Risk management - Define the project.
Risk management - Define the risk management process.
Risk management - Identify risk and responses.
Risk management - Organise prioritise risks and responses.
Risk management - Ownership of risk, responsibilities and contractors.
Risk management - Estimate.
Risk management - Plan the plans and strategies.
Risk management - Manage.
Other useful links at project management basics.com:
Risk management
Risk management - assessment methods
Risk management - general approach
Risk management - risk and issues
Risk management main overview
Project management planning overview
Project management - Control - costs - terms
Project management - estimation overview
Project management - estimation data
Project management - estimation high level plan first pass
Project management - estimation high level plan 2nd pass
Project management - estimation simple budget
Project management - estimation simple plan
Project management - estimation why is it too long?
Project management - estimation why is it too short?
Project management - concept or idea
Project management - Control overview
Project management - Control - documentation
Project management - Control - scope
Project management - project scope
Project management - responsibility
Project management - responsibility - detailed planning
Project management - responsibility - issues
Project management - Control - assessing the situation
Project management - Control - cash flow
Project management - Control - change
Project management - Control - contingency
Project management - Control - costs
Project management - Control - costs - overspending
Project management - Control - documentation
Project management - Control - general
Project management - Control - monitoring
Project management - Control - progress reporting - general
Project management - Control - progress reporting - meetings
Project management - Control - progress reporting - steering committees
Project management - Control - progress reporting - taking action
Project management - Control - progress reporting - what data?
Project management - Control - project completion
Project management - Control - project review
Project management - Control - resolving issues and problems
Project management - Control - time management
Other useful links at time management basics.com:
Time management - what is TM?
Time management - blending styles
Time management - implementing
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