FC6P01

Final year project Project planning

Definitions

Purpose of projects

Project management
Stakeholders

Project life cycle

Planning tools & techniques

Post-implementation review

What is a project?

...a managed collection of activities to

bring about a desired change

(CCTA, 1997)

...a temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product or service

(PMBoK, 1996)

Why do we have projects?

solve a particular problem exploit a new opportunity

part of the requirements of your degree

demonstrate theory in a practical example

What is project management?

Ensuring the defined project is delivered

on time within budget to the specification and quality required and expected by the major stakeholders this will include
the client your supervisor end-users you!

Making the project happen

Stakeholder analysis
A stakeholder in a project is a person or organisation who:
is involved with... is affected by...

can affect the outcome of...

the project

Who are the key stakeholders for your final year project?

Project life cycle

Four phase life cycle ...there are other models in use

Project life cycle

Four basic phases

conceptualisation definition/plan execution/implementation finishing/completion

Project management life cycle & the SDLC

Start

Initiation Feasibility Analysis Design Build

Changeover Review and Maintenance

Why plan?

Planning has its own costs

Benefits must outweigh costs
Good planning will benefit the project Bad planning can add to the cost of failure

Don't over-plan allow flexibility

too detailed may be impossible to achieve

Why plan?
If we fail to plan

we plan to fail !

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What phase of the project life cycle is your final year project? What do you need to do to move to the next phase?

Project management

Planning tools and techniques

STEEPLE factors SMART objectives Work breakdown structure Scheduling
Resource allocation, milestones & dependencies

Gantt charts Network diagrams Critical path analysis

Influencing factors
External (environmental) factors include: S T E E

= Social = Technological = Economic = Environmental = Political = Legal = Ethical

P
L E

What STEEPLE factors can you identify for your final year project?

Objectives
Clear project objectives are vital to planning
Allow success of the project to be evaluated Enable priorities to be set

Enable conflicts to be resolved

Provide direction and motivation Published so key stakeholders are aware of them Must be SMART Enable evaluation at the end
o

... did you meet the objectives? ...if not, why not?

Objectives
S
M A R T
= Specific and written down = Measurable = Agreed, Aligned, Achievable = Realistic, Relevant = Time-framed

SMART Objectives
Example:
Increase UK sales volume of ring binders by 5% by 30 June 2013 the objective is:

specific and written down measurable increase UK sales volume of ring binders by 5% achievable by the staff concerned, agreed by those involved, aligned to the requirements of the organisation relevant to organisations sales targets, realistic in terms of
outlets

time-framed by 30 June 2013

What SMART objectives can you identify for your final year project? At the end of the project report, reflect on how well SMART objectives have been met

Work Breakdown Structure

must match Gantt chart

Systematic way of breaking down a project into manageable and well-defined chunks of work (work packages)
Each work package broken down into a detailed list of activities Each activity broken down into individual tasks

Work Breakdown Structure

work packages could include:
Analyse existing system Design and develop new system Test new system Implement new system Evaluate new system Analyse & interpret results Write project report
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Work Breakdown Structure

activities could include:
test system with sample data interview key staff in client organisation submit interim report to supervisor prepare questionnaire interpret data from questionnaire deliver interim project presentation plan structure of project report

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Work Breakdown Structure

tasks could include:
identify key staff in client organisation set questions for questionnaire dummy run of questionnaire draft chapters for project report prepare slides for presentation amend questions for questionnaire issue questionnaire analyse data from questionnaire write report have report proof read submit report
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Work Breakdown Structure

must match Gantt chart
Project Breakdown: complete structure
Complete Project

WP 1

WP 2

WP 3

WP 4

Activity 1.1 Task Task Task Task 1.1.1 1.1.2 1.1.3 1.1.4

Activity 1.2 Task 1.2.1 Task 1.2.2 Task 1.2.3

Activity 1.3 Task 1.3.1 Task 1.3.2

Activity 4.1 Task 4.1.1 Task 4.1.2 Task 4.1.3

Activity 4.2 Task Task Task Task Task 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 4.2.4 4.2.5

What work packages, activities and tasks can you identify for your final year project? Can you group the activities and tasks together in different ways?

Scheduling

Setting out all project activities & tasks logically so dependencies & resource constraints are satisfied The project schedule is constrained by: Resource availability Logical dependencies Milestone constraints

Resources

Human

you

your supervisor
your client your end-users...

Other
Equipment Tools Office space Information

Raw materials
and so on ...

Milestones

Milestones
significant events in the project plan normally correspond to key deliverables
interim report to project supervisor interim presentation on project progress

final presentation
submission of project report

milestones and dates are agreed with key stakeholders at the baseline plan stage milestones often become fixed

What milestones can you identify for your final year project? Final submission of project?

Gantt charts
must match WBS
ID 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Task Name Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 Task 5 Task 6 Task 7 Task 8 Duration 3 days 2 days 5 days 3 days 6 days 3 days 4 days 1 day T F 12 Mar '00 S S M T W T F 19 Mar '00 S S M T W T F

Gantt charts
Gantt charts show tasks/activities against time
Tasks could include:
request Jones paper from library request Smith paper from author review paper by Jones review paper by Smith interview subjects set questions for questionnaire issue questionnaire analyse data from questionnaire write report have report proof read submit report cite references build references section

Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

Interview subjects
set q's for questionnaire issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire

have report proof read

Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report

Can set questions while requesting and reviewing papers Might not need two full weeks

Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

Interview subjects
set q's for questionnaire issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire

have report proof read

Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report

Might be able to start this task early ...and finish early

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Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Interview subjects Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

set q's for questionnaire

issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire have report proof read

Write report
Cite references Build References section Submit report

Might not have to start this task straight away Might want to delay while doing other things

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Gantt charts
week 3
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Interview subjects set q's for questionnaire Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

issue questionnaire
Analyse data from q'naire have report proof read Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report

Might be able to set questions in the middle of the time slot

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Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

Interview subjects
set q's for questionnaire issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire

have report proof read

Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report

Questionnaire must be prepared before it can be issued

Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Interview subjects set q's for questionnaire issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire have report proof read Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

Questionnaire must be issued & returned before results can be analysed

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Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Interview subjects set q's for questionnaire issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire have report proof read Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

Analyse data before interviewing subjects

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Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Interview subjects set q's for questionnaire issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire have report proof read Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

Interview subjects before writing report

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Gantt charts
Week 10 Time line: Activities: Request Jones paper Request Smith paper Review Jones paper review Smith paper Interview subjects set q's for questionnaire issue questionnaire Analyse data from q'naire have report proof read Write report Cite references Build References section Submit report Week 11 week 12 week 1 week 2 week 3 week 4 week 5 week 6 week 7 week 8 week 9

Have report proof read before submission

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Risk Management:
Identify:

Analyse and Assign Risks

What are the potential risks?
What is the impact of each risk? What is the likelihood of the risk occurring? How can the risk be prevented or identified early?

Assess:

What needs to be done if the risk does occur?

Allocate:

To whom can I assign the risk? this will be you!

What risks can you identify in your plan for your final year project? What could possibly go wrong?

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Resource histogram
You will be working on your project as well as other modules Some weeks you will have deadlines for coursework assignments

Resource histogram:

Identifies resource requirements over time

Helps to identify peak resource requirements Helps to identify unnecessary peaks and troughs (resource smoothing: keep within limits)

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Resource histogram
6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 Week number
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What resources can you identify for your final year project? How will tasks be balanced with activities on other modules?

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Network diagrams

Powerful tools to represent and optimise complex schedules Not as intuitive as Gantt charts Planning rather management reporting tool

Critical path method

Must match Gantt chart and WBS

EET 30 LET 6,7 Critical path B 4 A 20 C 10 0,0 2 2,2 5 D 3

The critical path is the path with zero float; any delay will mean the whole project will be late

The longest path through the network is the shortest time the project can take

E 2
50 7,9

40 8,9

60 5,5

G 3 H 7

F 3
70
12,12

I 3

80
15,15

Critical path method: table

Activity A B C D E F G H I Duration 2 4 5 3 2 3 3 7 3 EET 0 2 2 2 6 8 7 5 12 LET 0 2 or 3 2 or 4 2 7 9 9 5 12 Float/Slack 0 1 2 0 1 1 2 0 0

Network diagram
Network diagrams show tasks in sequence/parallel Tasks could include:
request paper by Jones request paper by Smith review paper by Jones review paper by Smith interview subjects set questions for questionnaire issue questionnaire analyse data from questionnaire submit report have report proof read write report cite references build references section
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Consider how long each task might take

Network diagram

request Jones paper

20

review Jones paper

100

10
request Smith paper

40

50

60

70

80

90

110

120

30

review Smith paper

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Post-implementation review (PIR)

Includes:
identification of faults & suggested enhancements agreement on what needs to go in a future release success of project in terms of budget / timescale success of system in meeting objectives development practices that worked well or badly
Chaffey (2003)

Can you identify further work related to your project?

How PIR helps future projects

Learn from what has been done:

avoid failure in the future employ techniques found to be useful reinforce good practice

Conclusion

Project life cycle

basic framework for any project
going on holiday organising an event final year project

Planning tools & techniques

useful methods to help you plan
what you are going to do what you have done so far what there is left to do

Further reading

Bentley C (1997) PRINCE 2: A Practical Handbook Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann Brooks F. (1995) The Mythical Man-Month (Anniversary Edition), Harlow: Addison-Wesley Burke R (2003). Project Management: Planning and Control Techniques, Chichester: Wiley Central Computer & Telecommunications Agency (1997) PRINCE 2: An Outline, London: The Stationery Office Field M & Keller L (1998) Project Management, Oxford: International Thomson Business Press