a. familiarize herself with the long-term objectives of Company X
b. host an icebreaker for all team members
c. attend a seminar on advanced leadership techniques
d. send an email including her résumé to all SMEs to ensure they are aware of her technical background
Answer: a
CPM p. 14, PMBOK p. 90
INTEGRATED EXAMPLE PROJECTS
We are using two example projects throughout all 15 chapters of this book. Suburban Homes is a construction project suited to mostly traditional project planning and management. Casa de Paz is a development project suited more toward agile project planning and management. In this chapter, we introduce both of them. In subsequent chapters, we choose one to demonstrate techniques and concepts from the chapter and ask leading questions of the other one. Suggested answers will be in the Instructor’s Manual. We alternate chapters so professors can choose to use the questions as assignments if they wish.
SUBURBAN HOMES CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Before introducing and formalizing project management practices, Adam should consider an exhaustive study of the existing project management practices and their strengths and weaknesses. The study must include review of project documents, project performance information, and historical data of past projects. It is important to learn about the organization’s success strategies and stories as well as failures and causes of failures. Furthermore, Adam should try to assess the understanding of project management and capabilities of individuals who are managing projects in the organization. This information gathering exercise must also include having formal and informal conversations with people at all levels within the organization. Based on both the existing practices and capabilities of people who are working on projects, a plan must be devised to introduce appropriate project management tools, techniques, and processes, and then develop training programs to develop competencies of individuals working in the organization. The key message is to develop and implement standards and promising processes, tools, and techniques that are appropriate for the organization.
SEMESTER PROJECT
We like to use real projects as teaching vehicles. The end of Chapter 1 is a good place to introduce the projects. On a two or three days a week schedule, this can be the last day. On a one day per week schedule, this can be the last hour. We cover this in three parts. We ask a person from each agency or organization that will have a student project to attend this. That person can be called the project sponsor.
First, we tell the students a tiny bit about each project such as it is a fund raising or information systems project. We like to ask the students what criteria will be useful in deciding on project teams. This operationalizes the need for both soft and hard skills. It also gets the students thinking about practical issues of meetings (available time and locations). Once we have brainstormed a few ideas for team assignments, we ask the students to provide brief inputs regarding their background on those ideas. The students can also list a preference for which project – but we tell them if they list one preferred project; they must list at least a first and second choice. It is easy to give most students first or second choice, but difficult to give all students first choice.
Second, we spend about 10 minutes communicating common expectations to the student teams as well as the project sponsors. We tell both that we want them to initiate an effective working relationship and then we itemize the student assignments with due dates. We give everyone a hard copy. We spend a bit more time explaining the charter since that is the first deliverable.
Third, we ask each sponsor to give an elevator speech (a very brief introduction to their organization and then tell very briefly what their project is and why it is important). While these sponsors are talking, we make project assignments. We base these on a combination of their preferences and the information they tell me about themselves. We try to make diverse teams when possible. Once all have been presented, We tell the students who will be on which project. We allow them the opportunity to trade projects if they wish, but very few do. We ask the students to exchange information with their sponsors and arrange for their first meeting.