Transcript Change Friendly Leadership

Applying the PM Competency
Development Framework
- Part 1: Planning the Project -
PMI-MN Breakfast Meeting
January 14, 2003
Mike Wold, PMP
Fissure Corporation
Topics for Today
Introduce the Five Part Series
 Review the PMI Project Manager
Competency Development Framework
 Apply the Framework in the Project
Planning Area
 Explore Some Practical Issues in
Project Planning

Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
2
What is the Five Part Series?
Five monthly breakfast meeting
presentations on the PMI PM
Competency Development Framework
 Viewed from five perspectives

•
•
•
•
•
Planning the Project
Managing the Project
Leading the Team
Communicating with the Customer
Interfacing with the Organization
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
3
What is the PMI PM Competency
Development Framework?
Output of standards committee formed
in 1998
 Defines key dimensions of project
manager competence and
competencies that are most likely to
impact project manager performance

Source: Project Manager Competency Development
Framework - PMI - 2002
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
4
Why is it important?
Provides specific information useful to
project managers and their
organizations in creating professional
development plans
 Unlike the PMBOK, it recognizes the
importance of the “human side”
competencies of project managers

Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
5
PM: Technical vs. Human Sides
Relative Contribution to Project Success
Technical
Skills
Human
Skills
PMBOK
PMCD Framework
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
6
What is a “competency”?

Per Scott Parry (Training, June 1998), it is a
cluster of related knowledge, attitudes, skills
and other personal characteristics that
• Affects a major part of one’s job
• Correlates with performance on the job
• Can be measured against well accepted
standards
• Can be improved via training and development
• Can be broken down into dimensions of
competence
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
7
What are the PM competency
dimensions?

Project Management Knowledge
• “What I know and understand”
• Assessment: Knowledge tests (e.g., PMP Test)

Project Management Performance
• “What I can demonstrate”
• Assessment: Review of work products

Personal Competency
• “My core personality characteristics”
• Assessment: 360 surveys, peer and self reviews
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
8
Is the competency of the PM sufficient
for project success?
PMI: “In addition to project manager
competence, project success requires
organizational project management
maturity and capability “
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
9
The Nine PM Knowledge Areas
(Units of Competence)









Project Integration Management
Project Scope Management
Project Time Management
Project Cost Management
Project Quality Management
Project Human Resources Management
Project Communications Management
Project Risk Management
Project Procurement Management
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
10
The Five PM Process Groups
(Competency Clusters)





Initiating Processes
Planning Processes
Executing Processes
Controlling Processes
Closing Processes
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
11
PMCD Framework
Project Manager Competency
Knowledge Competency
Personal Competency
Performance Competency
Units of Competence
(9 Knowledge Areas)
Units of Competence
(6 Separate Units)
Competency Clusters
(5 PM Processes)
Competency Clusters
(2-4 per Unit)
Elements of Competence
with Performance Criteria
(62 Elements)
Elements of Competence
with Performance Criteria
(19 Elements)
Technical Competencies
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
Human Competencies
12
The Six Units of Personal
Competency with Clusters

Achievement and Action
• Achievement Orientation, Concern for Order,
Quality and Accuracy

Helping and Human Service
• Customer Service Orientation, Interpersonal
Understanding

Impact and Influence
• Impact and Influence, Organizational Awareness,
Relationship Building
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
13
Units of Personal Competency
(continued)

Managerial
• Teamwork and Cooperation, Developing Others,
Team Leadership, Directiveness: Assertiveness
and Use of Positional Power

Cognitive
• Analytical Thinking, Conceptual Thinking

Personal Effectiveness
• Self-control, Self Confidence, Flexibility,
Organizational Commitment
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
14
Applying the Framework
Determine Applicable Elements
and Performance Criteria
Determine Desired Levels of
Proficiency
Interview Competent
PM’s for Baseline
Competencies Needed
Assess for Strengths and Weakness
Testing, 360
Surveys, Peer
Reviews
Address Gaps in Competence
Track Progress Towards Competence
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
15
Key Project Management
Process Groups & Documents
Initiating
Processes
Project
Charter
Planning
Processes
Project
Plan
Support
Plans
Controlling
Processes
Executing
Processes
Closing
Processes
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
16
Planning Sub-Processes
Define
Activities
Estimate
Duration
Break Down
Work
Plan
Resources
WBS
Sequence
Activities
Estimate
Costs
Support
Planning
Gantt
Chart
Network
Diagram
Develop
Schedule
Develop
Budget
Develop
Project
Plan
Source:PMBOK
Fissure Corporation, 12751 Nicollet Ave. S., Burnsville, MN 55337
17
An Example: Project Scope
Management - Initiating
Competence Unit: Project Scope Management
Element: Prepare Project Charter
Performance Criteria:
1. Develop project charter to formally document and
link the project to ongoing work of organization
2. Define responsibilities of project manager and other
organizational managers
3. Identify how project budget concerns and resource
availability affect the project, and how to interface
with the project sponsor or other organizational
managers with resource responsibility
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
18
An Example: Project Scope
Management - Initiating
Performance Criteria (continued):
4. Define project phases of project life cycle
5. Develop primary components of project charter
6. Identify project stakeholders
7. Establish project purpose, description, assumptions,
and constraints
8. Define project business benefits and benefit
measurements
9. Define critical success factors
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
19
An Example: Project Scope
Management - Initiating
Assessment Approach:
Knowledge Competencies - Demonstrate a knowledge
and understanding of:
• Inputs to project initiation and development of project scope
• Tools and techniques utilized for formulating project scope
• Outputs of project initiation and scope development - e.g.,
project charter, constraints, and assumptions
Performance Competencies - Demonstrate ability to:
• Develop project charter
• Develop business case
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
20
Practical Issues in Project
Planning

Why is there so much resistance to
planning?

How much planning is enough?

What about these fast cycle projects, e.g.,
those using agile methodologies?
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
21
Poor Excuses for Not Planning
The Time Arguments


“We’ve got plenty of time to plan later”
“We’re already late in getting started so
there is no time to plan”
The Response


Projects fail by the hour and day
Pay me now or pay me later
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
22
Poor Excuses for Not Planning
Chaos Theory

“The outside environment is changing so fast
it does not make sense to plan.”
The Response

Without a plan, how do you know how the
environment is impacting your project?
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
23
Poor Excuses for Not Planning
Living on the Edge


“I can handle any crisis - bring it on.”
“Deep down I really crave some excitement.”
The Response


Maybe you can, but why should I pay you to
waste company resources
Try skydiving. This is a business!
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
24
Poor Excuses for Not Planning
The Ostrich Syndrome


“I don’t really want to know.”
“It’s too early to tell, isn’t it?”
Response
 It’s your job to know!
 Sorry but the writing is on the wall.
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
25
Poor Excuses for Not Planning
You Can’t Manage What You Can’t
Measure


“Accountability is great, but …”
“I prefer to be empowered ..”
The Response


Unfortunately, accountability comes with the
paycheck
You are empowered. I just want to see some
results - “trust but verify”
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
26
Poor Excuses for Not Planning
Cornucopia Syndrome

“We have a lot of time for this project”

“The sky’s the limit on this one”
Response


Is this project the only thing people are ever
going to work on in this organization?
You do not have a license to waste resources
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
27
Good Reasons Not Planning
Been There, Done That

“We have done this so many times it is now a
routine”
Response



Are you sure you have this down?
What is the risk if you are wrong?
Scale the planning effort to bring it in line with
the benefits
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
28
Good Reasons Not Planning
Business Value Argument

“The investment In planning outweighs its
benefits.”
Response

Scale the planning effort to bring it in line with
the benefits
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
29
A Vote for Properly Scaled Plans
A good plan today is better than a
perfect plan tomorrow.
-- George S. Patton
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
30
A Strong Argument for Planning
In preparing for battle I have always
found that plans are useless, but
planning is indispensable.
-- Dwight D. Eisenhower
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
31
Factors Affecting the Scope of
Planning
Level of resources involved
 Criticality of the schedule
 Importance of quality
 Level of risk
 Impact of failure
 Sponsor/organization forgiveness level

Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
32
Some Guidelines for Determining
the Scope of Planning
NOTE: The Appendix contains some
specific guidelines for scoping your
planning to the project needs based
on an article from PM Network,
February 1999 by Martin and Tate
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
33
Planning Fast Cycle Projects:
The Agile Manifesto Values

Individuals and interactions over processes and
tools
.

Working software over comprehensive
documentation

Customer collaboration over contract negotiation

Responding to change over following a
plan
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
34
Some Agile Methodologies






Extreme Programming
Scrum
Feature Driven Development
Crystal
Lean Development
Adaptive Software Development
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
35
Some Agile Characteristics







Belief that change is the only constant - be ready to
respond to it in your processes
Emphasis on frequent customer feedback customers often don’t know requirements up front
Up front planning not as important as ability to
respond during the process
Little documentation
Small iterations - frequent releases
Tight co-located collaborative teams
Belief that cost of change does not rise with time
Source: “Agile Software Development” - Capstone project by Kimberly Gerst , June 2002
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
36
Planning in an Agile Environment
Traditional Planning Advocate - Watts Humphrey
“With rare exceptions, initial estimates and schedules
are unacceptable … it is best to reach early
agreement on the essential functions and to defer
the rest until later.”
Agile Planning Advocates - Kent Beck & Martin
Fowler
“Planning is so valuable and important, so vital, that it
deserves to go on a little every day, as long as
development lasts.”
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
37
Agile vs. Traditional Projects
The Five “Levers”
Scope/Requirements
Resources/Cost
Schedule
Quality
Productivity
Traditional Project
Management
Relatively fixed
Variable
Variable
Variable
Relatively fixed
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
Agile Project
Management
Open to change
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Relatively variable
38
Planning in the Agile World





Focus planning on ensuring team members are
working on most important work remaining
Planning must serve to coordinate effort among
team members: business decision makers and
technical team members
Work will never go according to plan - when it
does not, revisit the two points above
Use plans to focus efforts, not to attempt to
control events
Planning must be honest
Source: Kent Beck & Martin Fowler, Planning Extreme Programming, 2001
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
39
Summary






The PMI Project Manager Capability Development (PMCD)
Framework is a useful tool for individuals and organizations to
create development plans
The PMCD Framework should be scaled to the needs of the
individual and organization
There are poor excuses and legitimate reasons for not
planning
The amount of planning needed is driven by variables such as
risk levels, impact of failure, etc.
The biggest barrier to acceptance of planning is blind
adherence to “one size fits all” philosophy
Planning is alive and well in fast cycle projects
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
40
Appendix
Some guidelines for scoping your
planning to the project needs
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
41
Some Guidelines for Determining
the Scope of Planning

Do you need clear direction for your project? Is it
important to know what the sponsor expects from the
project? Complete a charter.

Does the customer or sponsor need to know what will be
produced? Does the team need to know what it will
produce as the final deliverable? Write a scope
description.

Do you need to ensure the quality of the final
deliverable? Do you need to break the final deliverable
down into more manageable chunks? Define interim
deliverables.
From PM Network, February 1999, Martin and Tate
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
42
Some Guidelines for Determining
the Scope of Planning

Do you want to be sure everyone is clear on what is the
responsibility of the project and what is not the responsibility
of the project? Do you want to avoid any misunderstanding
about where the project begins and where it ends? Define
scope boundaries.

Do you need to structure the project? Do you need to make
sure every part of the project work has been assigned to
someone? Do a subproject work breakdown.

Do you need want to prevent potential problems? Do a risk
assessment.
From PM Network, February 1999, Martin and Tate
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
43
Some Guidelines for Determining
the Scope of Planning

Will anyone outside or inside the project team need to
review or approve any of the interim deliverables before
they are issued/delivered? Make a list of reviews and
approvals required.

Do you need to issue status reports on the project to
keep the sponsor, customer and other stakeholder
informed on how the project is progressing? Make a list
of status reports required.

Do you need to assure that you have the right people on
the team? Do you need to ensure that all stakeholder
interests are represented on the project? Review team
composition.
From PM Network, February 1999, Martin and Tate
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
44
Some Guidelines for Determining
the Scope of Planning

Do you need to communicate the schedule (big picture)?
Do a milestone schedule.

Will you need to track the progress of the final
deliverable? Do you need to know when the hands-off
from one person to another will occur? Do you want to
assure that the customer’s requirements be met? Create
a deliverables schedule.

Do you have relatively inexperienced people doing the
work? Is this a project that you haven’t done before?
Create an activity schedule.
From PM Network, February 1999, Martin and Tate
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
45
Some Guidelines for Determining
the Scope of Planning

Is there a need to estimate how much staff effort will be
required to complete the project? Do a staff effort
estimate
.

Do you need to track staff effort during the execution
phase? Do a staff effort forecast.

Is there a need to estimate how much money will be
spent? Do a spending estimate.

Do you need to track expenses during the execution
phase? Do a spending forecast.
From PM Network, February 1999, Martin and Tate
Fissure Corporation - www.fissure.com
46