Project Management

• it informs the project steering board on status achieved so far and forecasts on the future

contents:

• date of status report
• proj. achievements
• deviations from achievements (incl. reasons) and corrective measures
• consequences with and without measures taken
• top 5 project risks
• main activities of upcoming reporting period
• effort and cost status
• personnel situation

A project risk is an uncertain event, that, if it occurs, has a positive or a negative effect on a project objective. A risk has a cause, and in case of occurance, a consequence.

(proj. risks with a positive effect are named opportunities)

risk probability: likelihood that a risk materializes

risk impact: the (adverse) impact if the risk materializes (often expressed in monetary terms)

risk exposure: product of impact x probability

(-> p. risks are therefore affecting project success)

risk detection probability: the likelihood that the risk is found in (product) tests before being noticed by the customer)

RPN = S x O x D (used for risk prioritization in the FMEA - Failure Mode Effect Analysis)

RPN = Risk Priority Number

S = Severity (risk impact)

O = Occurence (risk probability)

D = Detection (risk detection probability)

1. Project Execution Risks (introductional risks, functional risks, material delivery)
2. Project Management Risks (planning r., leadership r., commuciation r., coordination r.)
3. Project Social Risks (employee, motivation, political)

Risk Management is the systematic process of identifying, analyzing, and responding to project risks. It includes minimizing the probability and consequences of adverse events to project objectives.

=>Risk Management Planning => Risk Identification =>

=> Risk Analysis => Risk Response Planning (Mitigation) =>

=> Risk Monitoring + Control => back to Risk Management Planning

goal: find all relevant risks

• checklists (for standardized projects)
• catalogues/ taxanomies (for similar proj. categories)
• expert sessions or opinion polls using creativity techniques (Brainstorming, MindMaps,...)
• FMEA
• expert analysis following structure of PBS and WBS

qualitative: description of risks and assignement to predefined classes (f. ex. with a risk evaluation sheet - probability and risk impact on axis', risk item and actions taken or needed in a table additionally)

quantitative: uses metrics to evaluate risks (f. ex. FMEA, Decision Trees, Simulations,...)

"Quality is the totality of characterics of an entity that bear on it's ability to satisfy stated or implied needs! (PMI 2004)

-> a process-oriented approach is ususally taken

3 sub-processes:

• quality planning
• quality assurance
• quality control

Quality Planning =>

effects:

Quality Assurance (via constructive methods)

Quality Control (via analytical methods)

Process:

The ideas created in Quality planning are applied on the project execution process and, later on, controlled. The identified problems go back to to the Q. Planning.

The product itself (input) goes through proj. execution process (where QA methods are applied), then the results are controlled (via analytical methods) and, when all is satisfied, approved.

1. Management responsibilty
2. customer focus
3. process-oriented approach
4. fact-based approach to decision making
5. continual improvement
6. mutually beneficial supplier relationships
7. prevention over inspection

• "x10 law" - error correction cost and time increase exponentially , typically by a factor of 10 in each project phase
• 6-sigma methodology

=> the goal is to put the error correction via error prevention to an earlier phase of the project (f. ex. from test phase to development phase)

Creativity is the ability or power to create - to bring into existence, to invest with a new form, to produce through imaginative skill, to make or bring into existence something new.

(you need: creative people, creative environment, creative methods + processes)

• Creativity: creation of new ideas, approaches not previously known to exist
• Innovation: transformation of creative ideas into useful applications by combining resources to create value
• -> innovation funnel (ideas -> feasibility -> capability -> implementation)

• brain storming
• mind map
• de Bono's 6 thinking hats
• morphological analysis
• dot voting
• root-cause analysis (fishbone diagram)
• 8D
• FMEA

1.) WHITE: the facts - seeking information

2.) YELLOW: the benefits - looking for advantages

3.) BLACK: the negatives - looking for disadvantages

4.) GREEN: creativity - generate alternative ideas or solutions

5.) RED: feelings - identifying and expressing feelings

6.) BLUE: thinking about thinking - metacognition for planning, monitoring, and thinking about thinking

1. teambuilding
2. problem description
3. implement temporary solution
4. find root cause
5. develop permanent solution
6. implement permanent solution
7. prevent recurrence
8. evaluate outcome

used for problem ident., correction, elimination

• Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
• used to detect failures in early stages, preventing and avoiding failures in products or processes
• -> prioritization, and tracking measures to mitigate risks

5 STEPS:

1. structural analysis (what parts...)
2. functional analysis (how do they work...)
3. failure analysis (FMEA-worksheet...)
4. assessment of severity, occurence, detection
5. optimization

1. self revelation
2. factual information
3. appeal
4. relationship

"open the arena to build trust through disclosure and feedback"

(arena - blind spot)

(facade - unknown)

feedback sender:

observed behaviors - describe impact - pause - make suggestion, express benefit

feeback receiver: 

listen actively - avoid getting defensive - ask for clearifying   questions - show appreciation

Goals: share information vs. collective performance

Synergy: neutral (sometimes negative) vs. positive

Accountability: individual vs. individual and mutual

Skills: random and varied vs. complementary

1. forming
2. storming
3. norming
4. performing
5. mourning