Project Management

Karl A. SmithUniversity of Minnesota

ksmith@umn.eduwww.ce.umn.edu/~smith

MOT 8221

Spring, 2002

Project Life-Cycle

Hands-On Construction Project

Simply Supported Beam

Groups of Three or Four

3

Team Member Roles

• Task Recorder

• Process Recorder

• Materials Manager

Simply Supported Beam

Specification: Free Span > 65 cmConcentrated Load located at Beam Center

Final Design May Contain ONLY:One sheet of beam materialOne file folder label

Beam may NOT be attached to supports

5

Project Management Heuristics--Examples

• Identify the weak link and Allocate resources to the weak link• Freeze the design--at some stage in the project (when about 75% of the time or resources are used up) the design must be frozen• Discuss the process and ask meta-level questions, e.g., What are we doing? Why are we doing it? How does it help?

Group ProcessingB Plus/Delta Format B

PlusThings That Group Did Well

DeltaThings Group Could Improve

The prevailing view of the project life cycle is that projects go through distinct phases, such as:

• Conceiving and defining the project• Planning the project• Implementing the plan• Completing and evaluating the project• Operate and maintain project

A typical construction project has the following seven phases (Kerzner, 1998):

1. Planning, data gathering, and procedures2. Studies and basic engineering3. Major review4. Detail engineering5. Detail engineering/construction overlap6. Construction 7. Testing and commissioning

8

Project Life Cycle?

1. Wild enthusiasm

2. Disillusionment

3. Total confusion

4. Search for the guilty

5. Punishment of the innocent

6. Praise and honors for the non-participants

9

10

The Project 50 – Tom Peters

Traditional• Create – 10%• Sell – 0%• Implement – 90%• Exit – 0%

The Project 50

• Create – 30%• Sell – 30%• Implement – 30%• Exit – 10%

11

Project Manager’s Role Over the Project Life Cycle:

• Planning• Organizing• Staffing• Directing• Controlling

See Smith (2000) p. 59-61

13

Project Manager's Role1

 Planning - Establish project objectives and performance requirements - Involve key participants in the process - Establish well-defined milestones with deadlines - Build in contingencies to allow for unforeseen problems - Prepare formal agreements to deal with changes - Clearly define responsibilities, schedules, and budgets

1Oberlender, G.D. 1993. Project management for engineering and construction. New York: McGraw-Hill.

14

Organizing - Develop a work breakdown structure that divides the project into units of work - Create a project organization chart  - Clearly define responsibilities, schedules, and budgets

15

Staffing - Define work requirement and seek appropriate managers input when selecting team members - Orient team members to overall project - Seek each team members input to define and agree upon scope, budget, and schedule - Set specific performance expectations with each team member

16

Directing - Coordinate all project components - Display positive attitude - Be available to team members - Investigate potential problems as soon as they arise - Research and allocate necessary resources  - Recognize team members good work and guide necessary improvement

17

Controlling Measure project performance by maintaining a record of planned and completed work - Chart planned and completed milestones chart  - Chart monthly project costs - Document agreements, meetings, telephone conversations - Communicate regularly with team members