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Chapter 3: The Project Management Process Groups: A Case Study Information Technology Project Management, Fourth Edition

Learning Objectives Describe the five project management (PM) process groups, the typical level of activity for each, and the interactions among them. Understand how the PM process groups relate to the PM knowledge areas. Discuss how organizations develop information technology PM methodologies to meet their needs.

Learning Objectives Review a case study of an organization applying the PM process groups to manage an information technology project, and understand the contribution that effective project initiation, project planning, project execution, project monitoring and controlling, and project closing make to project success.

Project Management Process Groups A process is a series of actions directed toward a particular result. Project management can be viewed as a number of interlinked processes. The project management process groups include: Initiating processes Planning processes Executing processes Monitoring and controlling processes Closing processes

Figure 3-1. Level of Activity and Overlap of Process Groups Over Time

What Went Wrong? Philip A. Pell, PMP, commented on how the U.S. IRS needed to improve its project management process. “Pure and simple, good, methodology-centric, predictable, and repeatable project management is the SINGLE greatest factor in the success (or in this case failure) of any project…The project manager is ultimately responsible for the success or failure of the project.”* *Pell, Phillip A., Comments posted on CIO Magazine Web site on article “For the IRS, There’s No EZ Fix” (April 1, 2004).

Media Snapshot Just as information technology projects need to follow the project management process groups, so do other projects, such as the production of a movie. Processes involved in making movies might include screenwriting (initiating), producing (planning), acting and directing (executing), editing (monitoring and controlling), and releasing the movie to theaters (closing). Many people enjoy watching the extra features on a DVD that describe how these processes lead to the creation of a movie…This acted “…not as promotional filler but as a serious and meticulously detailed examination of the entire filmmaking process.”* Project managers in any field know how important it is to follow a good process. *Jacks, Brian, “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Extended Edition (New Line),” Underground Online (accessed from www.ugo.com August 4, 2004).

Mapping the Process Groups to the Knowledge Areas You can map the main activities of each PM process group into the nine knowledge areas by using the PMBOK ® Guide 2004 . Note that there are activities from each knowledge area under the planning process group. All initiating activities are part of the project integration management knowledge area.

Table 3-1. Relationships Among Process Groups and Knowledge Areas PMBOK® Guide 2004, p. 69

Table 3-1. Relationships Among Process Groups and Knowledge Areas (cont’d)

Developing an IT Project Management Methodology Just as projects are unique, so are approaches to project management. Many organizations develop their own project management methodologies, especially for IT projects. BlueCross BlueShield of Michigan used the PMBOK® Guide 2000 to develop their IT project management methodology. Six Sigma projects and the Rational Unified Process (RUP) framework use project management methodologies.

What Went Right? Jordan Telecom (JT), Jordan’s only telecom operator, introduced new customized project management processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs in its Information Technology department…JT created three lines of processes based on the size of the project: high, medium, or low...Rula Ammuri, JT’s Chief Information Officer, believes this new methodology will result in a 40-50 percent increase in productivity.* Al-Tamimi, Fairooz, “Jordanian Company Uses PMI Methods to ‘Go Global’, Improve Productivity,” PMI Today (August 2004).

Case Study: JWD Consulting’s Project Management Intranet Site This case study provides an example of what’s involved in initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing an IT project. You can download templates for creating your own project management documents from the companion Web site for this text. This case study provides a big picture view of managing a project. Later chapters provide detailed information on each knowledge area.

Project Initiation Initiating a project includes recognizing and starting a new project or project phase. Some organizations use a pre-initiation phase, while others include items such as developing a business case as part of the initiation. The main goal is to formally select and start off projects. Key outputs include: Assigning the project manager. Identifying key stakeholders. Completing a business case. Completing a project charter and getting signatures on it.

Project Initiation Documents Business case: See pages 82-85. Charter: See pages 77-78. Every organization has its own variations of what documents are required to initiate a project. It’s important to identify the project need, stakeholders, and main goals.

Project Planning The main purpose of project planning is to guide execution . Every knowledge area includes planning information (see Table 3-5 on pages 87-89). Key outputs included in the JWD project include: A team contract. A scope statement. A work breakdown structure (WBS). A project schedule, in the form of a Gantt chart with all dependencies and resources entered. A list of prioritized risks (part of a risk register). See sample documents on pages 90-98.

Figure 3-4. JWD Consulting Intranet Site Project Baseline Gantt Chart

Table 3-8. List of Prioritized Risks

Project Executing Project execution usually takes the most time and resources. Project managers must use their leadership skills to handle the many challenges that occur during project execution. Table 3-9 on page 99 lists the executing processes and outputs. Many project sponsors and customers focus on deliverables related to providing the products, services, or results desired from the project. A milestone report (see example on page 100) can keep the focus on completing major milestones.

Table. 3-10. Part of Milestone Report

Project Monitoring and Controlling Involves measuring progress toward project objectives, monitoring deviation from the plan, and taking corrective action to match progress with the plan. Affects all other process groups and occurs during all phases of the project life cycle. Outputs include performance reports, requested changes, and updates to various plans.

Project Closing Involves gaining stakeholder and customer acceptance of the final products and services. Even if projects are not completed, they should be formally closed in order to reflect on what can be learned to improve future projects. Outputs include project archives and lessons learned, which are part of organizational process assets. Most projects also include a final report and presentation to the sponsor or senior management.

Chapter Summary The five project management process groups are initiating, planning, executing, monitoring and controlling, and closing. You can map the main activities of each process group to the nine knowledge areas. Some organizations develop their own information technology project management methodologies. The JWD Consulting case study provides an example of using the process groups and shows several important project documents.

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