Antonio P. Volpentesta

Fundamentals of Knowledge Project Management

Eestec LC Cosenza Workshop: Manage your Project, Manage your Future “Manage your Project, Manage your Future”- Rende 7-14,May, 2012

KPM: two meanings

• Specific: knowledge management In project-oriented organizations; emphasis on the link between principles of knowledge management and project management. The term “project knowledge management” is preferred (Frey, P.,

Lindner, F., Müller, A., & Wald, A. (2009). Project Knowledge Management Organizational Design and Success Factors – an Empirical Study in Germany. Proceedings of the 42nd Hawaii International Conference on System Science -2009 (pp. 1- 14). IEEE)

• General: management of a KMS project (in any organization), shortly KPM

The problem• Project-oriented organizations may be learning

intensive organizational forms. • But boundaries between projects and the permanent

organization are strong barriers for knowledge and experiences gained in projects.

• Knowledge management functions have to handle the knowledge and experiences from projects.

KMP is more than IMP

Knowledge Management Project

Information Management Project

Goals emphasize value-added for users Goals emphasize delivery and accessibility of information

Support operational improvement and innovation

Support existing operations

Adds value to content by filtering, synthesizing, interpreting, pruning content

Delivers available content with little value added

Usually requires ongoing user contributions and feedback

Emphasis on one-way transfer of information

Balanced focus on technology and culture issues in creating impacts

Heavy technology focus

Variance in inputs to system precludes automating capture process

Assumes information capture can be automated

Knowledge projects (1)• Capturing and reusing structured knowledge: product

designs, project proposals, reports, documented procedures, and software code can be reused to reduce the time and resources needed to produce a new output.

• Capturing and sharing lessons learned from practice: captures experiential knowledge that must be interpreted and adapted by the user in a new context (sharing learning through a data base or using face-to-face sharing of stories and experiences).

• Identifying Sources and Networks of Expertise: make expertise more visible and accessible to employees (connecting people who possess and those who need knowledge),

Knowledge projects (2)• Structuring and Mapping Knowledge Needed to

Enhance Performance: make available the specific knowledge needed at particular process (or project) stages (creating a “knowledge map”).

• Measuring and Managing the Economic Value of Knowledge. organize and classify structured intellectual assets (patents, copyrights, software licenses, and customer data bases) which represent strategic advantage ( in terms of revenues and costs).

• Synthesizing and Sharing Knowledge from External Sources: provide marketing intelligence for business units (editors, reporters, and analysts synthesize and provide context to the large volume of market information available).

Knowledge projects (3)• Embed Knowledge in Products and Processes:

enhance or create new knowledge-intensive products, services, and processes (or new revenue sources). Examples: engineering designs created by customers is a source of potential design knowledge; high technology companies may work together in a Customer Support Consortium to capture and leverage knowledge in customer support processes.

Project Progress Versus Status

• Progress specifies advancements made in achieving planned project activities and objectives, i.e., cost, schedule, and resource utilization management.

• Status determines what project progress signifies relative to PM effectiveness, contractual obligations, customer satisfaction, and business interests.

Knowledge Project Management (1)

• Establishes the processes and means for reporting project progress and status.

• Progress specifies advancements made in achieving planned project activities and objectives, i.e., cost, schedule, and resource utilization management.

• Status determines what project progress signifies relative to PM effectiveness, contractual obligations, customer satisfaction, and business interests.

• Provides procedures and tools that help project team members communicate, collaborate, and become a more cohesive unit.

• Establish project level reporting, project task assignment and management, technical solution deliberation and discussion, task performance review and hand-off, and time management.

• Establish executive dashboards to provide senior management with real-time, business-critical information at a glance.

Knowledge Project Management (2)

• Oversees the implementation of a PM information system.

– Develop and access project plans and documents.

– Capture and distribute project data, e.g. cost, schedule, resource utilization, etc.

– Maintain project issues, meeting agendas and actions, and other important project logs.

• Establish and integrate the PM reference capability through formal archiving of lessons learned, technical solution guidance, and interactive discussions of business or technical topics.

Minimal Basic Standard Advanced f Excellence

Uses established project knowledge management tools to prepare and manage project plans, reports, and documents and to collaborate on project team performance

Introduces essential project information management capability

Develops PM reporting and collaboration procedures

Provides tools for managing project information

Creates methods for compiling and using project postmortem information and feedback

Introduces tools and practices for managing project knowledge

Installs a PM methodology tool

Builds a PM information system (PMIS)

Constructs a project document archive and reference library having on-line research and access features

Expands knowledge management tool functionality for business use

Develops Web-based project team knowledge spaces

Implements a Web- based project team collaboration tool

Installs an on-line project portfolio management tool

Introduces an on-line executive dashboard

Analyzes capability of project knowledge management system

Examines business value and benefits of project knowledge management

Recommends advanced tools and knowledge management capabilities

KPM Activities across a Continuum

KPM cycle model

Establish goals, needs and requirements

• Information Management

• Document Management

• Process Management

• Collaboration Management

• Project Archive & Reference Library Management

Design KnowledgeManagement System

• Establish Hardware and Software Configuration

• Design and Develop System User Interfaces

• Introduce Project Knowledge Content

Implement Knowledge Management Systems

• Implement PM Information System (PMIS)

• Develop Executive Dashboard

• Construct PM Library

• Implement Online Project Collaboration

• Implement other Knowledge Management Tools and Techniques

Information Management

Managing information use through identifying users of the information, information systems that support information acquisition and retention, and providing appropriate access to information.

• Information Users.• Information Systems.• Information System Access.

Information UsersDetermine who needs PM information in the relevant

organization. • Project participants - Project managers, team

members, and technical staff• Project oversight managers - PMO, sponsors,

executives, control boards, etc.• External project stakeholders - Customers, vendors,

and contractors• Business managers - Business unit managers

(sales, contracting, human resources, etc.)

Information Systems• Review existing IS and examine system architecture options

for introducing automated mechanisms for information handling.

• Identifying the preferred IS approach.

– Paper-based approach - PM information collected and distributed by hand (Office software applications).

– Automated approach - Automated systems collect and provide access to PM information.

– Web-based approach - Internet or an intranet Used for PM information collection and distribution.

– PDAs and wireless approach - Expands automated approach of PM information collection and distribution to mobile use (personal digital assistants – PDA, etc.).

Information System Access

• The PMO determines the access requirements of users across IS platforms to be implemented.

• The PMO helps identify IS training to provide to users at different access levels.

Document ManagementDocuments represent bundles of data and information having interrelated content.

• devise the means to facilitate project document management.• identify primary documents and how they will be used and managed.

PM plans, PM reports, Technical documents, Business documents, Project records and logbooks.

Project Knowledge Repository

A Project Knowledge Repository is a system of structuring and sharing project knowledge, The repository can be searched and data can be quickly retrieved

Process ManagementTraditional paper-based process guidance continues to migrate to IS

automated support.

• identify how the PM methodology is made available within the PM environment

• define who accesses PM processes.

– Project participants.– Other stakeholders in the relevant organization.– Customers and external vendors.

• define the translation and integration of methodology process management system content.

– PM Web-based information pages.– Executive dashboards.– PMIS.– Business systems.

• define the coverage and capture of PM life cycle activity information.

Collaboration Management (tasks)Collaboration within the PM environment presents the need for both

facilitating processes and systems.

• facilitate the collocation or geographical separation of project teams.

– Single-location teams - Multiple-location teams - Virtual teams.

• determines the nature of collaboration needed within the PM environment.

– Project performance reviews.– Technical performance reviews.– Project team coordination and development meetings.– Project stakeholder meetings.– Project team member assignments and coordination of task

status.– Project team time use and approval activities.– Technical and business innovation forums.– Project Web-based knowledge-space reference pages.– Cross-project collaboration, coordination, and information

exchange forums.

Collaboration Management (tools)The PMO identifies the types of system applications or activities necessary to facilitate

collaboration efforts.

• E-mail.• Instant messaging.• Face-to-face meetings.• Telephone conferencing.• Video conferencing.• Web-based collaboration.

– Web-based presentation systems.– Web-based communication systems that enable interactive participation in on-line

presentations.– Dedicated and open chat rooms.– Task management systems - online assignment and tracking of project tasks.– Online work spaces.– Online time management systems.

Project Archive and Reference Library Management

• Project information storage database.

• PM knowledge spaces.

• Project archive and reference library optional features.

Project Information Storage Database

• The online project information center that contains critical information about past and present project work.

– Can be the primary PM information system tool that also retains information on completed projects.

• Project work breakdown structure.• Project work plan (cost, schedule, and resource utilization).• Project risk management plan• Project performance feedback and lessons learned.

PM Knowledge SpacesSystem tools that extends reference library features for accessing project information

and PM knowledge.

• Technical knowledge space – Access to technical papers and presentations valuable to the PM environment.

• Project team knowledge space – Online discussion forum and document access capabilities (online exchange of PM concepts, current practices, project solutions, etc.)

• staff working knowledge space, vendor/contractor knowledge space, customer knowledge space .

• PM and industry news – Provides access to PM news articles.• PM publications – Provides a general review of PM/technical

books and listing of periodicals.• Project history knowledge space – Provides Web-based

display of information on past projects.• PM training – Provides Web-based review of internal and

external training courses for project participants.

Project Archive and Reference Library Optional Features

• PM knowledge database - Online system that enables PM information, technical guidance, and practice reference materials to be identified, collected, and stored as needed.

• Search capability - Capability to search internal knowledge databases and external sources on the Internet.

• Executive dashboard – Displays real-time project information.

• E-training - Presents internal/external online PM and technical training programs.

• Commercial PM portals - Portals that provide access to PM and technical information and publications, access to PM tools and templates, and/or project team knowledge spaces and discussion forums.

Establish Hardware & Software ConfigurationEnsure that hardware and software selected will achieve the

intended project knowledge management objectives.

• System Integration - determines whether one primary system or multiple systems are linked to support projects.

– Project information.– PM information.– Project portfolio information.– Project collaboration.– Project reference information.

• System Connectivity - determines how project IS operates in conjunction with other systems.

– Electronic data interchange requirements.– Software residence locations on networks.– External access requirements and capability.– Mobile computing interfaces (PDAs, wireless, dial-up

modems, etc.).

• System Customization - determines what system customization to be performed.

Design & Develop System User Interfaces

The PMO plans how users will access and use knowledge management systems.

• Web-page screen design.• Automated Web-page

generation.• Search-engine criteria

specification.• User access levels - Access

level definitions.• User personalization.

Introduce Project Knowledge ContentPrescribe how systems capture, store,

and organize relevant information.

• Content Capture – How information is introduced into the project knowledge management system.

• Content Storage – Specifies where the PM information resides.

• Content Organization – Addresses the content conceptual structure.

Develop Project Management Information System (PMIS)

The PMIS represents the fundamental capabilities of information capture and exchange within the PM environment.

• PMIS provides access to fundamental project information.

• Project Plans – Defines the project and guides PM activities, e.g. project definition, Technical solution elements, project business case, business solution elements.– Project work plan – Project WBS.– Primary PM support plans – Risk

management plan, Scope management plan, Schedule management plan, etc.

– Secondary PM support plans – Budget management plan, Business case management plan, Customer support plan, Cost estimating plan, etc.

Develop PMIS (Content)• Project Reports

– Project progress or tasking reports.– Project status reports.– Project portfolio reports.– Project audit reports.

• PM Documents– Project charter.– Scope change management documentation.– Project issues log.– Contact log – project stakeholder contacts– Actions log – critical project or technical activities.

• Technical Plans and Documentation.

• Contract Documentation

• Meetings and Collaborative Events.

Develop Executive DashboardA condensed and graphical representation of the project status report in real time.•Primary dashboard indicators

– Project status.– Project milestones.– Project deliverables.

•Secondary dashboard indicators– Project risk management performance.– Project issues management.– Customer invoice status

Construct PM LibraryAn online reference tool used by PM environment stakeholders.

•Project lessons learned. •Project archives.•Policy guidance.•Industry news.•Papers and presentations.•Project audits database.

Implement Online Project Collaboration

The PMO maximizes collaboration in the PM environment by implementing knowledge management tools.•Project team knowledge spaces.•Product review and handover spaces.•General Discussion Rooms.

Implement Other Knowledge Management Tools and Techniques• PM methodology system access -

Interconnectivity between knowledge sources and the PM methodology processes and practices.

• Customer information knowledge spaces.

• Vendor/contractor knowledge spaces.

• Project portfolio management system access - Interconnectivity between knowledge sources and project portfolio management processes and practices.