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Civil Engineering, Construction, Petrochemical, Mining, and Quarrying

Projects in this category are those which spring to mind most readily whenever industrial projects are mentioned. Once common feature is that the fulfillment phase must be conducted on a site that is exposed to the elements, and usually remote from the contractor's main office. These projects incur special risks and problems of organisation. They often require massive capital investment, and they deserve (but do not always get) rigorous management of progress, finance, and quality. For very large industrial projects the funding and resources needed are often too great for one contractor to risk or even find. The organisation and communications are therefore likely to be complicated by the participation of many different specialists and contractors, with the main players possibly acting together as a consortium or joint venture company.

2. Manufacturing Projects
Manufacturing projects aim to produce a piece of equipment or machinery, ship, aircraft, land vehicle or some other item of specially designed hardware. The finished product might be purpose-built for a single customer, or the project could be generated and funded from within a company for the design and development of a new product intended for subsequent manufacture and sale in quantity. Manufacturing projects are usually conducted in a factory or other home-based environment, where the company should be able to exercise on-the-spot management and provide an optimum environment. Of course, these ideal conditions do not always apply. Some manufacturing projects can involve work away from the home base, for example in installation, commissioning and start-up, initial customer training and subsequent service and maintenance. More difficult is the case of a complex product (such as an aircraft) that is developed and manufactured by a consortium of companies, very possibly overlapping international borders, with all the consequent problems of risk, contractual difficulties, communication, coordination, and control.

3. Management Projects
This class of projects proves the point that every company, whatever its size, can expect to need project management expertise at least once in its lifetime. These are the projects that arise when companies relocate their headquarters, develop and introduce a new computer system, launch a marketing campaign, prepare for a trade exhibition, produce feasibility or other study report, restructure the organisation, mount a stage show, or generally engage in any operation that involves the management and co-ordination of activities to produce an end result that is not identifiable principally as an item of hardware or construction.

Although management projects might not result in a visible, tangible creation, much often depends on their successful outcome. There are well-known cases, for instance, where failure to implement a new computer system correctly has caused serious operational breakdown and has exposed the managers responsible to public discredit. Effective project management is at least as important for these projects as it is for the largest construction or manufacturing project.
The Project Life Cycle consists of four phases:
Define Plan Do It! Close

Note: Depending on the project management method used, the project life cycle phases may be referred to in other terms, such as:
Initiate, Speculate, Explore, Adapt and Close Define, Plan, Execute and Deliver

ICT uses Confluence wiki spaces as a collaboration tool throughout the life of a project and as a repository of project management (and other) information after a project closes.

The Project Office maintains a set of wiki templates/outlines which can be copied at the start a new project. The templates are updated regularly with both clarifications coming from "lessons learned" and assumption materials. At the start of a project, the wiki space is "tailored" to the work being undertaken.

To meet with a member of the PSO contact its_pso@usask.ca; we will work with you to set up the most appropriate wiki space for your project. Also, we'll ensure your project enters the ICT project system and that the PM is aware of the project management requirements that may apply to the project.

Define

In this phase, solutions to an academic or business opportunity are evaluated and the preferred approach is defined. The project team decides what they intend to produce (deliverables) and how they will know they have completed the project.

Participants involved in developing the project proposal and business needs documents include the sponsor, business process owner(s), project manager, business analyst(s) and technical architect.

The Business Case precedes a project's definition and explains why the project is being initiated. Projects can be initiated to create a final business case; in that situation, a Preliminary Business Case to confirm strategic fit and business need, typically no more than one or two pages, sets the groundwork for a project that will have a full business case as its result.

In larger projects, the completion of each software cycle deliverable provides a "gate" at which a decision to continue to the next step can be made. In smaller projects, the steps may be combined or occur in rapid succession. See size of projects and types of project risks to determine what templates and examples you will need to follow: basic or full. Project management processes produce the following deliverables during the definition stage of the project life cycle:

Basic Project
Project Charter Governance Structure Communication Plan Risk Assessment Budget Plan Meeting Notes

Full Project
Project Charter Governance Structure Statement of Guiding Principles Team Contract Communication Plan Risk Assessment & Management Plan Budget Plan Meeting Notes

The final activity in the definition stage is launching the project. A "kick-off" meeting with sponsor, business process owners and full project staff ensures that everyone is familiar with the business need being addressed, the principles guiding the work, the development and project management method being used and the overall release schedule. Professional development requirements are discussed in terms of the skill development plan for the project during the planning; if required, training sessions are scheduled very soon after the launch.
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Plan

This is the phase of the project where the concept is verified and developed into a workable plan for implementation. The objectives are defined along with the required deliverables.

The purpose of this stage is to develop the project management plans across the following areas:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Integration (Coordination, Planning, Change Control) Scope Time (Schedule) Cost (Budget) Quality Human Resources (Staffing) Communications Risk Procurement

At this stage the core project team is formed. It includes the business process owner(s), project manager, clerical support, business analyst, subject matter expert, technical architect, technical lead, programmer and database administrator.

Key stakeholders or representative key stakeholders are consulted and advisory committees or task groups are identified and formed.

Remaining skills and personnel requirements are identified and assignment or hiring proceeds.

Project management processes produce the following deliverables during the planning stage of the project life cycle:

Basic Project
Scope Statement Schedule Basic Competitive Bids & Purchase Order Communication Bulletins Meeting Notes

Full Project
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Scope Statement Risk Assessment & Management Plan Budget Plan Procurement Plan Staffing Plan Quality Assurance Plan Plan for Managing Issues Statement of Intended Operations Organization Schedules Full Communications Bulletins Meeting Notes

Do It!

This is the phase of the project where the project plan is carried out. Projects proceed in different ways depending on the required project outcomes as well as the schedule, staffing and cost constraints. Project management activity during this phase involves:
Keeping people informed about progress of the project, ensuring project priorities are understood and translated into which activities are "in progress."

Monitoring the environment, anticipating problems and taking action to counter any issues affecting the project scope, schedule or budget. Reviewing change requests with the project team and recommending whether they will be done within the project or not. Change requests may result.

Project management processes produce the following deliverables during the execution stage of the project life cycle:

Basic Project
Meeting Notes Status Reports (includes risk log) Schedules Issue Resolution Log Project Delay Log

Full Project
Meeting Notes Status Reports (includes risk log) Schedules Issue Resolution Log Project Delay Log Change Requests

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Close

The project process is completed and documented, and the finished product is transferred to the care and control of the owner. The long-term objective is to build a project management repository to document best practices, lessons learned, and examples of various documents that may be developed during a project.

Project management processes produce the following deliverables during the closing stage of the project life cycle:

Basic Project
Lessons Learned Closing Report

Full Project
Lessons Learned Closing Report

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