Projecting Success: Project Management in Academic Libraries

Stephanie Atkins University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, USA

Introduction

 Projects and project management  Two projects at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library  Best practices

Six Phases of a Project

  Enthusiasm Disillusionment   Panic Search for the guilty   Punishment of the innocent Praise and honors for the non-participants -

Der Spiegel 17 December 1973

Project Management

“[P]roject management is the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to a broad range of activities in order to meet the requirements of a particular project.” - Project Management Institute

Project Life Cycle

Termination Selection Control Implementation Planning

Barcoding Project (1996)



Goal

: Barcode 3 million volumes in 44 libraries 

Timeline

: 100 days 

Implementation

: Roving student barcoding teams 

Conclusion

: Completed 42 libraries

Accessioning Project (2004-2005)



Goal

: Prepare and transfer 700,000 volumes to a new High Density Shelving Facility 

Timeline

: 2 years 

Implementation

:  Library staff contribute time  Donate student employee wage monies 

Conclusion

: On-going, but 8,437 hours logged in

Accessioning Project

Best Practice #1: Find the most capable team members  Commitment and dedication  Expertise  Local knowledge  Project manager   Details and specifications “Big picture” perspective  Team dynamics and cooperation  High frustration quotient

Best Practice #2: Invest in the planning process  Define the scope  Pilot project!

 Test procedures  Benchmarking  Budget justifications  Risk management  Staff morale

Best Practice #3: Achieve balance between planning & flexibility  Plan too rigid  Team initiative or creativity discouraged  Costly reworks  Plan too flexible  Team lacks direction & cohesion  Danger of time & cost overruns

Planning Strategies

“Master project managers plan and attempt to anticipate, yet at the same time they develop a state of readiness to respond quickly to frequent unanticipated events.” - R. Geveden

Best Practice #4: Understand the organizational culture  1/3 of failed projects = organizational conflict/politics  Project manager  Expertise  Ability to influence & negotiate  Network of people in the organization  Stakeholder input

Best Practice #5: Utilize project management software  Microsoft Project  Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)  Gantt Charts • • • Scheduling Tracking people and resources Milestones  Baselines  Microsoft Access

Barcoding Project Gantt Chart

Project Management

“… results in more work being accomplished on limited resources because less time and money are spent on recovering from unplanned, unexpected events throughout the project.” - K.A. Moore

References

Frame, J.D. 2003.

Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques, and the People

. 3d ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Geveden, R. 2000. Improvisation is Alive and Well. In Sons: 81.

Project Management Success Stories: Lessons of Project Leaders

. Edited by A. Laufer and E.J. Hoffman. New York: John Wiley & Moore, K. A. 1998. Project Management: Can Libraries Benefit?

Bibliotheca Medica Canadiana

20: 72.

Project Management Institute. About the Profession: What is project management? Available: http://www.pmi.org/info/PP_AboutProfessionOverview.asp?nav= 0501 [May 14, 2004].