PROJECT MANAGEMENT A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO STARTING A PROJECT

APRIL 26, 2016 ASHLEY GOEKE

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Table of Contents Helpful Reminders ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Being the Project Manager ........................................................................................................................... 4

The Roles of a Project Manager ................................................................................................................ 4

Being a facilitator .................................................................................................................................. 4

Systems Approach ................................................................................................................................. 4

Being a Communicator .......................................................................................................................... 4

Being a Virtual Project Manager ........................................................................................................... 5

Being a Convener .................................................................................................................................. 5

The Responsibilities of a Project Manager................................................................................................ 5

Acquiring Resources .............................................................................................................................. 5

Fighting Fires ......................................................................................................................................... 5

Leading and Making Trade-offs ............................................................................................................ 5

Being a Negotiator ................................................................................................................................ 6

Step One: Meet with the Assigner of the Project ......................................................................................... 6

Learn about the Project ............................................................................................................................ 6

Step Two: Create a Project Charter .............................................................................................................. 6

What is the Project’s Purpose? ................................................................................................................. 7

What are the Project’s Objectives? .......................................................................................................... 7

What is the Project Overview? ................................................................................................................. 7

What are the Project Milestones and Turnaround Times? ...................................................................... 7

What is the Project’s Estimated Budget? ................................................................................................. 7

Who are the Project’s Personnel and Stakeholders? ............................................................................... 8

What are the Potential Risks? ................................................................................................................... 8

What is the Evaluation Criteria? ............................................................................................................... 8

Step Three: Convene the Project Launch Meeting ....................................................................................... 8

Meetings during the Project ..................................................................................................................... 9

Step Four: Sort out the Project ..................................................................................................................... 9

The Work Break Down Structure ............................................................................................................ 10

The RACI Matrix ...................................................................................................................................... 10

Mind Mapping ......................................................................................................................................... 10

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The PERT or CPM..................................................................................................................................... 10

The Gantt chart ....................................................................................................................................... 11

Step Five: Budget the Project...................................................................................................................... 11

Top-down Budgeting ............................................................................................................................... 11

Bottom-up Budgeting ............................................................................................................................. 11

Step Six: Monitor and Control the Project .................................................................................................. 12

Monitoring the Project ........................................................................................................................... 12

Data Collection and Reporting ................................................................................................................ 12

Meetings: Informing the Project Team ................................................................................................... 13

Controlling the Project ............................................................................................................................ 13

The Control System ............................................................................................................................. 13

Step Seven: Evaluating and Terminating a Project ..................................................................................... 14

Evaluating the Project ............................................................................................................................. 14

Project Audit ....................................................................................................................................... 15

Audit Report ........................................................................................................................................ 15

Terminating the Project .......................................................................................................................... 15

Project Final Report ............................................................................................................................ 16

Final Note .................................................................................................................................................... 17

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Helpful Reminders

Roles of a PM

o Facilitator

o Systems Approach

o Communicator

o Virtual Project Manager

o Convener

Responsibilities of a PM

o Acquire Resources

o Fight Fires

o Lead and make Trade-offs

o Negotiate

Important Forms and Documents

o Project Charter

o Work Breakdown Structure

o RACI Matrix

o Mind Mapping

o PERT / CPM

o Gantt Chart

Helpful Tips

o “Never let the boss be surprised”

o Never agree to goals that aren’t flexible

o Create any clauses for amendments to the project plan

o The project charter must be signed by all stakeholders

o Have senior management at the launch meeting

o Notify members of the goals and purpose of each meeting so they can be prepared

o Keep meetings focused on their tasks

o Meetings should not go beyond their designated time frame

o Make sure there is open and honest communication between members

o Reports should only be given to those that they directly relate to

o Beware of micromanagement and scope creep

o Watch out for projectitis

o Find the things you enjoy

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Being the Project Manager

The Roles of a Project Manager

As project manager you will have the responsibility of starting, managing, and completing a

project. You will need to fill various roles and needs in order to succeed. There are many things that

you will need to know but the most important will be covered in this helpful guide. Firstly, there are

three important roles that you will have as a project manager and it is important to know the function of

each one in order to fully understand your role. The roles of a project manager include being a

Facilitator, using the Systems Approach, being a Communicator, a Virtual Project Manager, and a

Convener.

Being a facilitator

A facilitator means doing the work. It’s stepping in and helping where help is needed and

getting things done. It isn’t sitting and watching other people work. It’s working with those people and

helping them accomplish the tasks that are necessary to complete the project. A facilitator must ensure

that workers have the knowledge, skills, resources, and time to accomplish their tasks. A facilitator

must also ensure that things run smoothly. This means that they must deal with conflict. They must

also use the systems approach.

Systems Approach

As a project manager you will need to have the view like the systems approach. The systems

approach looks at a project as one piece of a larger group of projects all working together to pursue the

goals of the organization. This is used when dealing with the multiple departments that the project will

be working with. Each department is working together to pursue the goals and completion of the

project. Working this way allows for you and members of your project team to understand that what

they are doing is important. It also lowers the chances of sub-optimization. Sub-optimization is when

departments optimize their projects instead of working together to optimize the whole group project.

This may mean that one group is working very well on their time line but they are causing another group

to fall behind or experience problems.

Being a Communicator

It is the project manager’s responsibility to make sure that everybody knows what’s going on.

They must make sure that information is communicated to the people that will be affected by it. They

must also make sure that every one that is a part of the project knows what’s changing. They will need

to oversee communication between departments otherwise the project can quickly fall into sub-

optimization. Most importantly, the project manager must communicate with their boss. The boss

reports to those higher up and any information that the boss gives those important figures must be

accurate. If the boss tells the higher ups something other than what can be done, then there will be

major consequences. Ultimately, the most important thing to remember when communicating with the

boss is to “Never let the boss get surprised.” As long as all things are communicated, the project will run

smoothly and you will be able to handle conflict and problems better.

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Being a Virtual Project Manager

Projects are not all the same. Many times a project will be on such a large scale that managing it

will need to be done virtually. This requires managing communications through emails, phone calls, etc.

Communication is extremely important for large scale projects since not everybody can see the project’s

progress. Most likely you are starting a small project and you will have direct communication. However,

it is important to know the problems of virtual projects since they can be problems of small projects.

Virtual communication lacks many of the advantages of direct communication. We do not get to see

gestures, facial expression, or body language when we communicate virtually. Thus, things can be

misinterpreted or misunderstood. As a project manager working on a virtual scale it is important to

word your communication so that your team members can understand what you are saying. This will

avoid any problems or conflicts that may arise from inadequate communication.

Being a Convener

A project manager is responsible for arranging and leading meetings about the project. They

must report to senior management and communicate with the project team. One of the most

important meetings that the project manager must head is the launch meeting, the very first meeting

for the project. The project manager is responsible for taking minutes and making sure all meetings stay

on track. They must also send out invitations to people important to the meeting. In the invitation

there should be a written agenda about the purpose of the meeting and the information the people will

need to know to come to the meeting prepared.

The Responsibilities of a Project Manager

Acquiring Resources

As project manager you will be responsible for making sure that your project gets the resources

that it needs. You will also make sure that resources are allocated to the important tasks required for

your projects. Resources may include personnel with certain skills or abilities, money, and other items.

You will need to figure out what resources you will need and how you are going to get them.

Fighting Fires

As project manager you will need to manage conflict or problems such as crises. Crises could be

equipment failure, bad weather, or any other event that would cause the project to fall behind

schedule. A project manager must be able to handle these problems quickly to ensure that the project

does not fall behind.

Leading and Making Trade-offs

It is important to remember when you are managing a project and encounter problems that you

cannot everything. You must be willing to make trade-offs. You will make trade-offs between the

project deadline, budget, scope, and sometimes risk. It will be up to you to decide which ones you will

pursue and which you will have to let go. It is also extremely important to communicate what’s going on

and what you’re thinking of doing with the client and the boss. Trade-offs will have to be made, the

project manager must choose the one that best fits the organization and allows the project to be

successful.

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Being a Negotiator

Although it is not one of the major roles of a project manager, being a negotiator is extremely

important for the success of a project. A project manager will have to deal with multiple problems that

can come from different areas of the project. To effectively deal and solve problems a project manager

must be a good negotiator. Depending on the organization and the number of ongoing projects, a

project manager may have to negotiate resources to their project. They may also need to negotiate

resources in their own project depending on the situation. The main goal of negotiating is to end with a

win-win outcomes. Thus, both parties are happy in the end. Negotiating win-win resolutions is key to

effectively facilitating a project.

Step One: Meet with the Assigner of the Project

Learn about the Project

The most important step to starting a project is to meet with the person who wants the project

to happen. This person will be able to explain what they want the project to be, what it will include, and

all other information that will be important to you and your endeavor in managing the complex start of

the project. Make sure to ask this person any questions that you may have. You will want to learn as

much about the project as you can. If you come across any questions later, be sure to ask them. For

now, the most important things that you will need to know from the assigner are the three goals of the

project. The three goals of the project are to meet the project deadline, stay under the project budget,

and meet the “scope” of the project.

These are the most important things to find out. The answers to these goals will ultimately determine

how complicated the project will be and whether or not it will be a success. One key thing to remember

is to never agree with goals that are not flexible. Flexibility will be key to the project’s success. It will

allow you to deal with problems that may arise without causing the project to fail. If the goals for the

project are set in stone and inflexible, do not take the project. Projects that are not flexible are likely

to end in unavoidable failure that will be blamed on you. To ensure project success you may have to

stand up against the boss and negotiate for flexibility.

Step Two: Create a Project Charter To create a project charter you will need to know eight things about your project. The eight things you

need to know and be able to explain in the project charter are as follows:

The project’s purpose

The project’s objectives

An overview of the project

The milestones and turnaround time

Estimated project budget

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Personnel and stakeholders

Potential risk

Evaluation criteria

What is the Project’s Purpose?

What is the reason for the project? What makes the project important? The purpose of the

project should fit in within the company’s plan. Know the company’s plan and how the project is going

to help this plan. Know why the company is pursuing the project. The project must benefit the company

in some way. The benefits of the project should be described and any expected profitability should be

mentioned as well. This section is used to communicate the reasons for the why the organization is

pursuing the project to the project team members. It is important that they understand that what they

will be doing will is important to the company.

What are the Project’s Objectives?

The project’s objectives are basically the project’s mission. They’re what the project is meant to

accomplish. This includes what will be done in the project. The project’s objectives can also be summed

up in the project’s scope, deliverables, and outcomes. Overall, it is a description of what the project will

be doing and what will be included in it.

What is the Project Overview?

The project overview is a brief summary of the project’s purpose, objectives, and significant

milestones or events in the project schedule. This information is for senior management. Though brief,

it should be very detailed about the project’s scope, deliverables, and milestones. It should also report

any limitations that the project may face and identify the standard operating procedures for hiring

consultants, contractors, equipment, and etc. It should be in clear and concise. Overall, it must be able

to explain the project to upper level managers so that they can know what the project is and what it will

be doing.

What are the Project Milestones and Turnaround Times? Project milestones are important completions or points in the project that are used to help

show the progress of the project. These include level one tasks. Level one tasks are the major tasks in

the project that need to be completed in order for the project to be finished. This is basically the

project’s main schedule. The turnaround time is the time needed to complete each milestone or task in

the project. The milestones and their times are listed in the project Work Break-down Structure or WBS.

What is the Project’s Estimated Budget?

The project budget will include any expenses that are known to be associated with each task. It

will also include descriptions of any overhead or fixed expenses. These expenses will become the

project’s budget. Another part of this section will include any cost monitoring or cost control

procedures. These procedures should be described in detail so that anyone reading the charter will

know how the costs of the project will be observed.

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Who are the Project’s Personnel and Stakeholders?

The project’s personnel includes anyone who will be working on the project. This can also

include specific departments. It can contain individual notations for managerial responsibilities. It will

also include managerial and informational accountability requirements for each worker. The description

can include specific requirements, training, education and other contract requirements for certain

individuals. The projects stakeholders includes any person or party that may have an interest in the

project. Stakeholders can be anyone from sponsors, workers, staff, the community, or individual

people.

What are the Potential Risks? The potential risks are any risks that may affect the project. This is not limited to any certain

type of risk. However, risks should be reasonable, rational, and professional. Keep your risks to actual

things that may occur or disastrous events that can occur but their odds of occurring are extremely rare.

Risks should be divided into major and minor categories. Examples of risk are but are not limited to

equipment failure, a person with special skill calling in sick, or bad weather. All in all, it is better to be

prepared for anything that can happen, but it is unreasonable to develop a full out risk analysis for every

risk. Contingency plans for certain risks should be explained in detail in this section. Contingency plans

can help soften the impact that issues or crises have on the project. These plans should be explained for

highly probable risks. You do not need to have a plan for every possibility. Ultimately, it is up to you to

decide where you are comfortable with your planned out risk and unknown risk.

What is the Evaluation Criteria?

Evaluation Criteria is the description of how you will determine whether or not the project was a

success and if you did a good job. This can include any monitoring that will be done, how it will be done,

and what exactly will be monitored. There should also be a description of work standards for the

project. Compliance with these standards should be monitored by departments or even by certain

individuals. This monitoring should also be described in the evaluation criteria. Lastly, the place where

all the information on the monitoring of the project and work performance should be stated.

The project Charter is just a small summary of the project. It will help create the project plan.

The project plan will need to have all of these things in greater detail and others as well. It is important

to remember to create any clauses for amendments to the project plan. These will help ease the

problems caused by changes to the project. It is also important to create contingency plans for risks

that are very likely and will have a big impact on the project. Most importantly, to be complete the

project charter must be signed by all stakeholders.

Step Three: Convene the Project Launch Meeting The project launch meeting is the meeting between upper level management and the project

manager. Other key members such as the project team can also be at the meeting. The most

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important thing needed at this meeting is a senior manager. A senior manager shows members of the

project that the organization cares about the project and assures them that their work will be

important. Managers from other departments will can also be there to add their support or offer

information crucial to the project. They will supply the people that will end up working on the project

with you. Overall, the project launch meeting is the time for you to ask all questions you may have

about the project. It is where you will be told all the expectations that the organization, client, and

stakeholders have for the project. However, the meeting is not to be used for serious planning or

brainstorming. This will be done in the meetings after the launch meeting. It is also important to have

participative decision making. Everyone should give input on the project and ask questions. Overall, the

meeting has three goals that need to be accomplished. These goals are as follows:

The project’s scope is fully understood and temporarily fixed.

Functional managers understand their responsibility and have committed to develop the task

and resource plan.

Benefits to the organization that are outside the scope of the project are noted.

The members of the project team and functional managers of different departments should

leave the meeting knowing what the project is going to be and what it will include. If they are not

committed to the project or do not understand what will be going on, then there will be problems. This

will take time away from the project and cause it to start later.

Meetings during the Project

As project manager you will need to convene a variety of different meetings during the project.

The first meeting you will need to convene will be the meeting to figure out all of the tasks the project

will require. When conducting meetings, you will need to send out invitations to all the people you

want at the meeting. You will also need to let them know what the meeting will be covering so they

can come prepared. Another part of making sure they are prepared will include asking them or

checking in with them to see if they have read the information about the meeting. During the meeting

it is very important that the group does not get off track. Overall, meetings should be held to make

decisions and inform people about any changes to the project and what needs to happen. Project

meetings should have a goal and they should not last any longer than the time set for them to finish.

Lastly, in all meetings it is critical to have open, honest communication between members.

Step Four: Sort out the Project There are many forms and helpful charts that you should know about if you are going to manage

a project, even a small one. These forms will make the process of working, monitoring, and planning

easier for you. Some of these important forms include the following:

Work Breakdown Structure

RACI Matrix

Mind Mapping

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PERT or CPM

Gantt Chart

And many others

These are all meant to help you organize all the information pertinent to the project so that you

can understand what needs to be done, monitor the work being done, and figure out the quickest way

the project can be completed. There are also programs that can assist you with creating these forms

such as Microsoft Project.

The Work Break Down Structure

The Work Breakdown Structure, also known as the WBS, is the first form you will need to

complete. This would be best to complete with the project team members in the meeting(s) following

the launch meeting. A WBS includes a breakdown of all the tasks, subtasks, and potential tasks of the

subtasks. This way all the things necessary for the project to be completed are accounted for. These

tasks should be broken down into a hierarchy, meaning the larger task is listed first and then the next

and so on. Major tasks are listed as level one tasks. The next tasks listed as level two and so on until all

tasks have been accounted for. The WBS can be detailed by how long the tasks will take and any other

information that is deemed necessary. These are known as modified WBS’s which can become very

detailed about each task.

The RACI Matrix

The RACI Matrix, or Responsible-Accountable-Consult-Informed Matrix, is similar to the WBS

since it lists all of the tasks needed to complete the project. However, the RACI Matrix organizes the

members of the project team by their responsibilities and tasks. This Matrix allows for people to know

who to talk to if they have questions about a specific aspect of the project. It will also help you know

who to inform about any changes to the project. It is very important to have an inform category on the

matrix to make sure that people are being notified of things before they become problems.

Mind Mapping

Mind mapping is a whole-brain approach to looking at the project. It allows for creativity and

thoughts to flow freely. It is the visual approach to organizing a project. It also helps the entire team

work together. Mind mapping consists of drawing out all the tasks required for the project and any

other tasks that may be important.

The PERT or CPM

The PERT, Program Evaluation and Review Technique, and the CPM, Critical Path Method, are

two ways that map out the paths for a project. They start at the beginning of the project and create a

pathway through all of the tasks necessary until the project completion. The path is constructed out of

nodes and arrows and there are two ways to set them up. The first is an AOA, which means activities

are located on the arrows. The second is an AON, where the activities are on the nodes. Either way

they both show the same thing. It just depends on which one you like better. Mapping out the project

like this allows you to see the project’s critical path, or the longest consecutive set of activities to reach

project completion. The critical path time will be the time required to finish the project. The map can

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also be created on programs that will calculate the amount of time that the project will take. This will

be helpful in seeing which tasks will require the most time and important. The map can also be detailed

in whichever way is most beneficial to you.

The Gantt chart

The Gantt chart is a table that shows the tasks of a project in the order that they start. Activities

are shown as bars measured against a horizontal time scale. This allows the duration of each task to be

seen in relation to others. It also shows tasks that being worked on and where they should be in

completion related to the estimated progress at a specific date. The chart can be hand drawn or created

in Microsoft Project. The Gantt chart is easy to read and can be updated to match any changes in the

project. It can also be detailed depending on how much information you’d like to see. However, if they

are shown publically, the times on the Gantt chart should not include the times estimated with delays.

If they do, it could cause workers to put tasks off until a later date and cause the project to run late if

actual problems do arise later.

Overall, there are many other tools that you can use to help organize and monitor the project.

These are just a few that are important and widely used. Each organization may have programs or

charts of their own. It is important to know what resources you have available to you and what is

expected from you when preparing the information.

Step Five: Budget the Project The budget is very important to the project. It will determine how the project will go since it will

be the source of most resources. The budget is a plan for allocating the organizational resources for the

projects activities. Budgeting is forecasting the resources that the project will need, in what quantities,

who will need them, and how much they will cost. Budgeting can encounter many problems and it is

easily influenced by the organizational culture. An important point to remember, when working with

the organization you will need to understand your organization’s accounting program. How the

accounting department accounts for the costs of the project may hinder or help your budget and your

ability to make sure that the project is meeting its budget requirements. Budgeting costs can be a

complex process but there are two different ways to find estimates.

Top-down Budgeting

In top-down budgeting, costs and estimates are decided by the top management. They are

based on collective judgements and experience. The level one tasks are budgeted first and then the

lower ones until all tasks have been budgeted. There are sometimes errors in small tasks but the overall

budget allows for those problems.

Bottom-up Budgeting

Bottom-up budgeting involves starting from the bottom and then building the budget up. The

estimates for each task are made by the people responsible according to the RACI matrix or WBS. This

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process is more detailed with small tasks. A problem with this is that some people will overestimate

their tasks. This will lead to the project overestimated and it getting rejected by clients or the

organization.

Overall, the best procedure to budget the project should include both forms. This allows for the

benefits of each method and avoidance of the disadvantages. The budget for the project is a very

important piece and it could have a big impact on the project if it changes or is not accurate. Therefore,

it is important that it is worked on with great care and detail.

Step Six: Monitor and Control the Project Once the project has been planned and all of your charts and information are ready then the

project will commence. Part of your job as project manager will be to monitor and control the project as

it progresses. Monitoring the project will involve collecting, recording, and reporting information on the

project that is important to you and other stakeholders. Controlling the project will involve using that

data to bring actual performance into agreement with your project plan.

Monitoring the Project One thing you will need to monitor will be whether or not the project is meeting its goals. You

will need to monitor this until the project is completed. It will be helpful to design a project monitoring

system. This system should identify special characteristics of your project’s goals; scope, cost and time,

in order to achieve them. It should also check the progress of the project at each milestone or phase of

the project.

Data Collection and Reporting

After the monitoring program you will need to collect the data and organize it so that it will be

useful. There are many different data collections that can be used depending on what you are

monitoring. Some are:

Frequency counts – tally the numbers of occurrences of a specific event

Raw numbers – actual amounts compared to expected or planned amounts

Subjective numerical ratings – subjective estimates of quality offered by specialists of the topic

Indicators and surrogates – numbers that are different than the norm but are related to a

certain variable

Verbal characterizations – other variables that are difficult to measure *these are useful as long

as everyone understands what the characterization means.

Once you have collected data on where the project is it is important to report the status of the

project. This will be done using reports. However, not everyone needs to see the reports. Reports

should only be given to those that they directly relate to. Reports will also vary in frequency. Try to

avoid sending periodic reports unless the data is collected in a periodic fashion. Be careful not to

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overload people with reports. The project milestones, changes to the project or the projects scope,

problems or need for information should dictate the timing of reports. Reports are very important and

there are three different reports that you should know about. These include:

Routine reports – reports that are sent out at the same time periodically

Exception reports – reports for special decisions or unexpected situations in which affected

team members and outside managers need to be informed and the change documented

Special Analysis reports – reports that inform people about the results of a special study in the

project concerning a particular opportunity or problem

Meetings: Informing the Project Team

After reports have been made they must be distributed to the project team. Reports can be

given through meetings. These meetings are to review the reports and implement plans based on their

results. Crisis meetings will also be important during any monumental problem that occurs to the

project. These meetings should be kept on the sole goal of addressing the crisis.

Controlling the Project Controlling the project will involve reducing the differences between the plan and the actuality

of the project. The purpose of controlling is to ensure that the project will meet its objectives.

Controlling will involve monitoring human behavior and determining what to control. Controlling has

two objectives:

Steward the organization’s assets

Regulate the results through altering the projects activities

These objectives are to make sure that the project meets its goals. You will need to control the

project’s human, physical, and financial resources. When it comes to controlling people, however,

beware of micromanagement. Micromanagement causes dysfunction in the project team and leads to

low self-esteem. It does not help the project. Also, beware of scope creep. Scope creep is when team

members, the client, and sometimes even upper level management want to take the project in a

different direction then it is was originally intended for. Overall, there are many tools out there to help

you keep control of your project. One tool used to help control a project is a control system.

The Control System

A control system is meant to correct errors. However, correction of errors can cost the project

its resources. The faster the control is increased the more cost to the project. You will need to find a

balance between control and cost that will work for the project. This system is also used for any

changes to the project. Overall, control of the project is important but it should only be exerted to the

degree required to achieve the objectives of correcting the behavior. As PM you have three ways in

which you can exert control. These three ways are:

Process reviews – analysis of the process of reaching the project objectives rather than results

Personnel assignments – reviewing work based on past project activity

Resource allocation – Allocating to more productive or important tasks.

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When controlling a project it is important to remember to focus on reaching the long term

objective and not get caught up in short term objectives. You will need to choose which objectives you

will want to pursue over others. It is also important to know the necessities you will need in order to

control a project. These necessities are:

Sensors – measure any aspect of the project

Standards – levels of quality or quantity set for the project

Comparators – mechanisms that compare the output of the sensor with the standards

A decision-maker – a person to decide if the difference between what the sensor measured and

the standard is large enough to warrant attention

Effector – an operation on the input or the process to fix the problem

When dealing with problems it is best to intercept them as soon as possible. This will stop them

from having big impacts on the project and keep the project running smoothly. Some other tools that

may help you when controlling a project are trend projections, critical ratios, schedule ratios, cost ratios,

control charts, and benchmarking. It is important to remember that any change takes time and not all

change will be accepted. However, with persuasion you can succeed in slowly changing your project for

the better.

Step Seven: Evaluating and Terminating a Project Evaluating and ending a project can either go relatively fast or take a long time. The process will

affect the organization and its future projects. So, evaluating and terminating the project correctly is

key to ensuring the continuation of more projects.

Evaluating the Project Evaluating determines the value of the project and appraises the progress and performance

related to the project’s initial or revised plan. It also appraises the project against its goals and

objectives. The primary purpose of evaluation is to give feedback to senior management for decision

and control purposes. However, in order to start evaluating you need to define the criteria. Evaluation

criteria can consist of many things and here are just a few:

Particular areas – departments, tasks, deliverables

Original criteria for selecting and funding the project

Any special reasons for the project

The projects “success date”

Achievement of budget and schedule goals

Performance and effectiveness

Increase market share

Presence in a new market

And many others

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Measuring the project against its criteria is relatively easy. The only complications are between

actual numbers or expenses, earned values, and technical issues. Groups can also fight for responsibility

of earned profit. Decisions on measurement and responsibility should be decided at the beginning of the

project to avoid this issue. Another part of evaluating the project includes the project audit.

Project Audit

The project audit is a thorough examination of the management of a project, its methodology,

procedures, records, properties, inventories, budgets, expenses, progress and etc. It is not a financial

audit but can focus on any issues of interest to senior managers. These audits can be performed during

and after the project. Later audits are less helpful to the project team. These audits can be performed at

any level and to any depth. There are three levels typical for audits. These are:

General audits – constrained by time and cost, limited to a brief investigation of project

essentials

Detailed audits – issued after the general audit to find things that need to be investigated

Technical audits – performed by a person or team with special technical skills

These audits are helpful depending on when they are done. The main resource for these audits

is the project team. However, team members may not trust auditors. So, team members should always

be notified of an audit and when it’s going to occur. The last part of the audit is the audit report.

Audit Report

The audit reports should be carefully checked and verified. A decision must be made on what is

included in the report. The report should be given in a constructive tone so as to not discourage project

team members. It should be arranged to show the comparison between the planned results and the

actual results. Negative comments should be avoided and any significant deviations should be

highlighted. Overall, the audit should include the following information:

Introduction

Current Status

Future Project Stakeholders

Critical Management Issues

Risk Analysis and Management

Final Comments

Terminating the Project

The process for ending the project will have a large impact on the quality of life in the

organization. Many workers may develop projectitis. Projectitis is an attachment to the project and a

feeling of uncertainty about what comes after the project. This can cause workers to slow down and

prolong the project. It is important to make sure that the project is completed within the time that it

needs and not any longer. A project can only continue as long as the organization is willing to fund it. A

project should be terminated when:

It has met its goals and objectives

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The project qualifies against a set of factors generally associated with success or failure

Projects fail when they are no longer required for a certain task, they have insufficient support

from senior management, they are named with the wrong project manager, and when there is poor up-

front planning. Terminating a project should be decided by a broad panel of reasonable senior

executives. The rationale of the decision should be explained to all the project team members. More

than likely one member will get upset over the termination. Having a rationale decision makes the

process and explanation of termination more smooth and successful. The more care and planning, the

better the results of termination. It is important to have a designated termination manager who has

experience with ending projects. They should be neutral to the project so they aren’t distracted by

feelings of attachment to the project. In the end, there are four types of project terminations. These

include:

Project extinction – activity on the project suddenly stops

Termination-by-addition – the project is successfully completed and made into a new

department of the organization

Termination-by-integration – output of the project becomes a standard part of the operating

systems of the sponsoring firm

Termination-by-starvation – when the project is not ended but its budget is squeezed

After the project is terminated there is one last document to complete before it is done. This

document is the project final report.

Project Final Report

The project final report is a history of the project. It explains what went right and what went

wrong, who served and in what capacity, what was done and how it was managed, and the lessons

learned. The final report is not meant for you but for future projects. It is an example to look back to

and learn from. Material that should be included in the report includes:

Project performance

Administrative performance

Organizational structure

Project teamwork

Project management techniques

Lastly, the final report should include recommendations for improvement and whether or not

they were accepted or rejected. It should also be noted why they were rejected. It should end with a

collections of thoughts, reflections, and commentaries on the project.

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Final Note

Overall, being a project manager involves more than this brief summary. It is a complex and

detailed job that requires time and patience. In the end, it is like any other job. It will have good things

and bad. With all of the requirements and stress that can come with this job my final advice for you is to

remember to enjoy it. It may be a long complicated process but each project will be unique and every

job has good aspects. Find the ones you enjoy and focus on them. This will help you work through all of

those tough times. Finding what you enjoy in your job will ensure good times. – Ashley Goeke