《PM for the unofficial PM》读书笔记思维导图模板

Unofficial PM

refer to those who quietly slip into PM role without any PM title and training

face greater challenge with everyday "small P" projects (due to lack of attentions)

achieve project success with right mindset, skillset and toolset ("3 set")

Success = People (1+4) + Process (5)

5 measures of SUCCESSful project

expectation: business outcome

resource: in an optimized manner

morale: often being neglected, critical for team to move on

deadline

budget

Lead PEOPLE

engage and inspire poeple through informal authority

more powerful than formal authority (esp. for knowledge workers)

come from your character and capability (rather than title or position)

4 “REAL" behaviours for informal authority

demonstrate Respect: offer help while talk straightly

clarify Expectation: individual contributions towards "big picture"

practice Accountability: walk your way firstly

Listen first: let them talk first, then inspire

Manage PROCESS

EVERY project runs through ALL 5 process groups

Initiate: expectations from (key) stakeholders

Plan: deliverables with defined budget, timelines, schedule

Execute: make sure everyone on track

Monitor & Control: ongoing efforts throughout project lifecycle

Close: check results against desired outcome, document lesson learnt

Initiate

Mindset

clarify a shared and measurable set of expectations from all key stakeholders

start with the assumption that nothing is clear and you don't know what them want

top priority to avoid climbing a ladder against the WRONG wall!

Stakeholder

who: involved or impacted (people & org)

how: brainstorming with parnters or coworkers

Don't missing anyone (blindsided!)

Key stakeholder

who: determine project success or failure

how: "DANCE" tools

Decisions

Authority

Need

Connections: the "well-connected"

Energy

esp. for negative energy

contains hidden agenda and politics

"REAL" foundational behaviours

neutralize negativity

Interview with key stakeholder

Ground rules

frontloading (not "backloading"): get as much / early as possible (like prep work for climbing Mount Everest)

just listen without interrupt

risky thought: already know what they want

Words are only code for pictures --> decode the picture

outcome: key stakeholder interview

Purpose: reason

Description: details of deliverables (how, what, when)

Desired results: deliverables

Exclusions: out of scope

Communication: who, how and how often

Acceptance criteria: who and how to sign off

6 Constraints: Scope, Quality, Resource, Budget, Risk, Time

Question funnel

Open: broad

Detailed: drill down

Close: validate

decode by asking / verifying again (and again)

Project Scope Statement (PSS)

What

Combination of all key stakeholders' interviews

define "the border"

revisable or refined later on (after approval of course)

like a compass: show which direction to go (and not to go)

leverage for PM (get key stakeholders all on the same page by holding them accountable)

How

same form as key stakeholder interview (combine!)

3W (why, what, when) + 1H (how)

Most important with Exclusions and Contraints part

Plan

Murphy's Law: Anything that can go wrong, will

Risk Management Plan

Risk: a list of things that could go wrong with the project

Score: Impact (0-5) x Probability (0-5) , need a strategy if > 12

Strategy: TAME

Transfer (to others)

Accept (and deal with it if occurs)

Mitigate (by reducing impact and / or probability)

Eliminate (by making it go away)

Who: will be responsible for the risk

Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

consist of project deliverables (and its components)

Toolset

Mindmap

Linear list

Post-it Note (for brainstorming): duplication means higher priority

Gantt chart (Project Schedule)

Deliverables: "What"

Components: breakdown of "What"

Activities: "How"

Predecessor

Duration (see C.P.)

Earliest Start (ES)

Earliest Finish (EF)

Who

critical path (C.P.)

dependency

finish-to-start: one by one

start-to-start: start together

finish-to-finish: finish together

project team

find the right people

assign right people to right task

(better) self-nominate: engagement

backup person (esp. for C.P. item)

duration

work (theoretical, for budget) vs. duration (real life, for schedule)

keep balance (overpromise vs. procrastination)

PERT

Optimistic (O)

Mostly likely (M)

Pessimistic (P)

Expected time = (O+4xM+P)/6

Milestone = decision point

How to identify C.P.

longest path

absolutely no flexible time

determine the duration of the project

mark each task with ES, EF, Duration then do backward calc

budget

external

materials

services

internal

work hours

hourly cost

misc. (10%) for contingency

may refer to similiar projects

communication plan (90% of PM time)

What

Who (initiator & attendance)

How (method & channel)

When (time & frequency)

take preference of target into account

keep your commitment!

Execute

Mindset: Engage people through consistent and shared accoutability

Why: accountability is the key to influcence others by informal authority

How

1st hold yourself accountable by fulfilling commitments

Practice "REAL" principles to team members

Team Accountability Sessions

Totally different from "project status meeting"

Focus on team scoreboard (schedule, budget, obstacles, solution to "clear the path")

Review on previous commitments

Make new commitments

Individual Performance conversation

Intent: focus on project outcome (not character or personality)

Facts: incorrected example or evidence

Impact: consequences linked to the big picture

Action items (on mutual agreement): be specific, follow up regularly

"Dual reporting relationship" a critical success factor but how to?

Monitor & Control

Transparant communication (good and bad) with stakeholders

Focus on expected & new risks and responses

Avoid abandonment and micromanagement (and even both - play hero!)

Project Status Report

"check in" with stakeholders regularly

overall project health: act like traffice lights

status on each deliverable and their health

problems and proposed options to clear the path

Project Change Request

Scope creep or scope discovery?

small changes can also lead to overwhelming

1st focus on "core list"

Impacts based on (6) constraint model (time, scope, quality, resources, budget, risk)

how to say no? Influence with "REAL"!

Close

formalize the learning for setting you (and the team) for future

Evaluate task list: go through punch list, no loose ends

Confirm fulfillment of project scope

success or failure is a matter of definition

time

budget

quality

business results

risk management

process improve

Complete procurement closure

Document lessons learned

interview with core team and users

What was done well?

What needs to be done better or differently?

Unexpected risk?

Process change needed?

Submit final status report

deliverables

signature

Archive project documents

Publish your success

acknowledge from higher-ups

share result with the world (media channels)

Celebrate

thank personally

reward with food

look forward to next