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Technology Projects Require Applying the Project Management Methodology, Part II

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In the first installment of this thread, I laid a foundation for a continuing discussion about the value of formal project management practices for technology related projects. As a matter of fact, I stated that it’s not possible to deliver technology projects on time and on budget without using a project management methodology such as the Project Management Institute’s 42 processes and nine knowledge areas. In this installment I want to recognize a couple of reader’s comments and also share some thoughts about appropriate project management tools and processes. It’s a long post but if you can hang with me we may generate some interesting discussion together.

One reader commented that project management for technology projects is actually a myth. The reader’s perspective was that project management is actually a business management tool and not a tool for technology or information systems. I appreciate this reader’s perspective and agree that a project manager working in technology should be a good business manager first and a technologist second. In my opinion, it is a rare person who is a great programmer, application developer or hardware design engineer that also makes a great project manager.

The reason for this is the skills needed to be a good technologist versus a good project manager are very different. Also, a good project manager understands that they are managing a segment of the company’s business; they have to be concerned with a project’s profit objectives and the overall impact the project has on the company. What do you think about this? Does a good project manager working in technology need to first be a good business manager or can a good technologist also be a good project manager without business management experience?

Another reader commented that they wanted to be sure that I wasn’t confused about what a work breakdown structure (WBS) is. The comment was triggered by my sentence, “A task list, activity list or work breakdown structure (WBS) is an important tool of project managers, but this tool doesn’t scratch the surface of what formal project management entails.” After rereading what I blogged I understand why they made the comment and feel the comment was warranted. Many people confuse an activity list with a WBS, but a WBS is nothing like an activity list.

A WBS often looks like an organizational chart; however it isn’t an org chart. It shows a complete hierarchy of a project and allows the project manager and their team to breakdown the work into manageable bites called work packages. It also shows the interdependencies of work packages and details the deliverables of the project. Worked on as a team effort, the WBS allows the team to mentally walk through a project making it seem more achievable and enabling the team to identify ill defined requirements that need clarification. Here is an example WBS that details the work of a project to hire a new employee.

image Borrowed from http://www.spottydog.u-net.com/images/wbs.jpg

Most often the description of a work package in a WBS is only a few words like, “Job Spec.” A brief work package description allows the project team to convey the fitness of the work package in the overall WBS, but it doesn’t define the work in enough detail to explain what’s actually needed. The WBS has a companion document called the WBS Dictionary, which is a listing of all the work packages for a project explained in greater detail. Information included in the WBS Dictionary can include when the work is scheduled to begin, identified resources, milestones and other information. Don’t let the word dictionary throw you, you won’t find any word definitions, roots or entomology listed in a WBS Dictionary. Instead you will find detail explanations of work packages listed within a WBS. Tell us about how you create a WBS and WBS Dictionary and how helpful you find the process of creating them.

Lastly, an important principal of any formal project management process is iteration. What does that mean? It means not many project managers and project management teams are able to create all the plans, schedules, registers and other documents that go into a complete project plan fully baked the first time they sit down to work on them. OK, let’s modify that last statement a bit; no project managers or project teams are able to create a fully baked project plan during their first pass.

Actually, as you collaborate on project documents like the WBS and WBS Dictionary, you define work packages with the best information that you have available at that time. All project documents go through multiple iterations and during each pass you incorporate the latest information into them. What does the mean? It means don’t put yourself under the pressure of thinking you need to know every detail of a project to create a good project plan, WBS, WBS Dictionary or any other document related to a project. Revisions to the project plan are a natural part of managing any project.

Ok, I just introduced something new into our discussion; the term “project plan.” Tell us what a project plan looks like in your world and maybe that will provide kindling for the next installment of this thread. By the way, if you want more detail and even a bit of history about the Work Breakdown structure visit www.hyperthot.com/pm_wbs.htm. On this same website you’ll find a nine minute free video by Jim Chapman called 5 Steps to Successful Project Management. Jim succinctly makes excellent points about successfully managing projects. Also, if you want real help learning to create good work breakdown structures, investigate a program called the WBS Coach, http://wbscoach.com/. Developed by Josh Nankivel, WBS Coach is a training course that provides video tutorials and lessons on seven tools for creating great WBS and WBS dictionaries. The WBS Coach isn’t free, but it is reasonable.

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