PARTICIPANT’S WORKBOOK
Project Management For Public Health Professionals
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Sustainable Management Development Program Division of Public Health Systems and Workforce Development Center for Global Health U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/SMDP/
Version 2.1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Project Management for Public Health Professionals
CONTENTS
Introduction Sustainable Management Development Program vi Acknowledgements vi
Project Management for Public Health Professionals About this Course vii Target Audience vii Learning Objectives vii Schedule viii Icon Glossary viii
Introduction to Project Management What is a Project? 1 What is Project Management? 2 The Project Management Method 4
Initiate and Define Step 1 Select Project and Define Scope 5
Plan Step 2: Define Activities 13 Step 3: Determine Task Dependencies 18 Step 4: Develop Schedule 10 Step 5: Allocate Resources 12 Step 6: Create A Plan to Address Risks 16 Step 7: Develop Communication Plan 20
Implement & Control Step 8: Implement the Project 24 Step 9: Monitor and Take Corrective Actions 26
Close Step 10: Close Out and Document31
CONTENTS | iii Conclusion Summary35 Congratulations! 35 What’s Next? 35
References 47
Appendices Appendix A Applied Learning Project 50 Appendix B Glossary of Terms455 Appendix C Course Evaluation Form 58
Introduction
Sustainable Management Development Program
SMDP partners with ministries of health, educational institutions, and nongovernmental organizations in developing countries to promote organizational excellence in public health by strengthening leadership and management capacity. SMDP’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of the public health sector in developing countries by Empowering local officials with better leadership, management, and decision-making skills Stimulating creativity and innovation among local health personnel to improve public health service delivery
Acknowledgements
Michael Greer – The Manager’s Pocket Guide to project Management
Gary Heerkens - Project Management
BZ Posner - What it Takes to be a Good Project Manager
Project Management Institute - Project Management Institute Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Project Management for Public Health Professionals
About this Course
The goal of this course is to enable you to use internationally recognized processes and tools to support high quality management of public health projects.
Target Audience
This course is designed for supervisors in public health services, typically at Ministry of Health district-level. It is expected that you have responsibilities to assemble a project work team, design and implement a project plan, and evaluate project results.
The following are prerequisites to this course: Basic computer skills Basic supervisory skills
Learning Objectives
When you complete this course you will be able to:
Write a project workplan
Generate a work breakdown structure
Develop a network diagram and schedule
Track and manage the project
Close-out and conduct post project reviews to ensure continuous learning
ABOUT THIS COURSE | vii Schedule
Day 1 Introduction to Project Management The Project Management Method Initiate & Define: step 1 Plan: steps 2-3
Day 2 Plan: steps 4-7 Implement & Control: step 8-9 Close: step 10 Conclusion
Icon Glossary The following icons are used in this workbook:
TIP: SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION TO HELP PERFORM A TASK MORE EASILY
EXERCISE
viii | SCHEDULE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Introduction to Project Management What is a Project?
Project Management for Public Health Professionals is a course based on the internationally-recognized standards for project management developed and promoted by the Project Management Institute (PMI). According to the PMI’s standards of practice document, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (2004), a project is:
“A temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service.”
Projects can vary widely in size and scope, from large projects that may take many months to complete (building and equipping a hospital), to smaller projects that require less time to finish (installing the hospital’s computer network). A large project will typically be divided into many smaller sub-projects in order to be managed effectively. What both large and small projects have in common is that they are time limited and create a unique product or service.
In this workshop, we are going to learn ways to organize and manage our public health projects more effectively, regardless of their size.
WHAT IS A PROJECT? | 1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROJECT
Successful projects balance three key factors to meet their objective in a high quality manner.
Time — the time it takes to complete objectives
Cost —the Quality — the expected required resources products and outcome
What is Project Management?
“Project Management” means using knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project.
FACTORS OF SUCCESSFUL PROJECTS
Can you think of some characteristics of successful projects?
2 | WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT? PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
SKILLS NEEDED FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Three fundamental areas of skill needed by all project managers include:
Planning—the ability to plan the use or organizational resources of time, personnel, budget, facilities, equipment, and supplies to achieve organizational objectives Technical—the specific professional technical skills needed for a project. People—the ability to manage and motivate people who will implement the project activities, communicate effectively with stakeholders, and resolve conflicts and interpersonal problems.
Research among skilled project managers in the U.S. identified more specifically the skills that differentiate high performing project managers from their peers.1 These skills are listed in order of importance below.
1. Communication: listening, persuading, negotiating 2. Organizational: planning, goal-setting, analyzing 3. Team building: empathy, motivation, team spirit 4. Leadership: sets example, energetic, vision, delegates, positive attitude 5. Coping: flexibility, creativity, patience, persistence 6. Technical: experience, project knowledge
1 Posner, BZ, “What it Takes to be a Good Project Manager,” Project Management Journal 18, No. 1 (March 1987).
WHAT IS PROJECT MANAGEMENT? | 3 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
The Project Management Method
The project management method consists of ten steps and the use of a series of project management tools that will help you initiate, define, plan, execute, control and close- out your projects. All projects, regardless of their size, should consider these steps, although formal plans may not be required for very small projects.
Step InitiateInitiate 1. Select project & define scope && DefineDefine
2. Define project activities
3. Determine task dependencies
PlanPlan 4. Develop schedule 5. Allocate resources
6, Create a plan to address risks
7. Create a communication plan with stakeholders
ImplementImplement 8. Implement the project & Control & Control 9. Monitor & take corrective action
CloseClose 10. Close out & document
4 | THE PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHOD PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Initiate and Define
Initiate and Define Checklist Define project goals and objectives Meet with stakeholders Agree on project deliverables Complete project agreement Obtain approvals
Step 1 Select Project and Define Scope
Tools Project workplan
Public Health professionals are frequently assigned a project to manage. They may not have a say in which project they work on, but based on their experience and skills, they may contribute a great deal to defining the scope and quality of the project. There may be many organizations interested in the outcome of the project. These stakeholders’ interests and expectations must also be taken into account.
The Initiate and Define stage enables you to define the project and gain agreement on the project’s goals and objectives.
STEP 1 SELECT PROJECT AND DEFINE SCOPE | 5 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
THE PROJECT WORKPLAN
What? A written description that clearly communicates what the project is (and is not).
Why? Establish agreement between project team members and stakeholders about the project.
Build team member commitment – team should write the charter together.
Foundation for project planning.
Helps in managing expectations.
Communicate project to others.
When? Ideally, at the beginning of a project. Also useful to develop one for a project already started. Update it as needed.
Who? The beneficiary of the project: the population who will be served by the project.
The project workplan is based on the project goal, objectives, and deliverables. In addition to these elements, it includes all project stakeholders and project assumptions.
A goal is the overall purpose of the project.
An objective is the specific measurable achievements expected at the end of the project.
Deliverables are the tangible outputs or products that are delivered as a result of the project.
It may also include a preliminary budget and project team. These will be developed in more detail during the planning phase.
6 | STEP 1 SELECT PROJECT AND DEFINE SCOPE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
EXAMPLE AIDS PREVENTION BACKGROUND STUDY
Imagine you are managing a project to implement a health education background study in Gabarone Botswana. The goal of this project is to systematically identify locations where people meet new sexual partners and/or needle-sharing partners and describe the social and sexual characteristics of the areas identified for the purpose of AIDS prevention. It uses a rapid assessment tool to monitor and improve AIDS prevention program coverage in areas where HIV transmission is most likely to occur.
The objectives of the study are to: Assess and identify priority prevention areas (PPAs) Determine where people meet new sexual and needle-sharing partners in the PPAs through community informant interviews Characterize people who socialize at the venues reported Use the results to inform key stakeholders
Based on the goal and project objectives, you can identify stakeholders and collaborate to develop a project workplan that will guide your planning.
We will use this example throughout the course to help illustrate the key points in project management.
Try this! Put a star (*) by the goal of the project Put an exclamation point (!) by the objectives of the project Put a check mark (√) by the deliverables of the project
STEP 1 SELECT PROJECT AND DEFINE SCOPE | 7 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
WHO ARE THE STAKEHOLDERS?
The project manager is not the only person involved in initiating the project. There are many other stakeholders. A stakeholder is anyone who has an interest in the project. This includes the categories listed below, as well as persons from other organizations or work units that might be interested in or affected by the project.
Customers A customer is anyone who will use the product or service created by the project. Customers can be internal or external and play an important role in determining the requirements for product or service.
Sponsor A sponsor is the person who requires the project to be done. Sponsors are responsible for ensuring that the project team has the proper budget and staff resources to achieve the project objectives. The project sponsors should review and approve in writing the specific guidelines of the Project Workplan.
Team members Team members are those persons who participate in planning and implementing the tasks necessary to achieve the project objectives.
WHAT CAN WE ASSUME?
Successful projects are the result of effective partnerships among stakeholders. Quite often, a project’s success is dependent upon certain key factors. If these factors are outside the direct control of the project manager, it is helpful to list these as assumptions. For example, if the project is depending on an outside organization’s promise to lend delivery vehicles, listing this as an assumption will clearly communicate the project’s risk to all stakeholders. You need not list every assumption, just the ones that you want to bring to stakeholders’ attention.
8 | STEP 1 SELECT PROJECT AND DEFINE SCOPE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Exercise 1 Project Workplan
1. In your groups use the case study or the project you have agreed to work on to begin to write your Project Workplan.
2. Complete the Project Workplan: Project Background Project Description Project Objectives Project Deliverables Project Stakeholders Project Assumptions Required Resources
3. What people skills did your team use to help you reach consensus? Discuss with your team.
STEP 1 SELECT PROJECT AND DEFINE SCOPE | 9 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Project Workplan
Project Background Describe the background of this project. What is the problem that this project will address? Is it related to other projects? Is it a subproject of another project?
Project Description/Goal Write a project description statement here. Describe the goal, scope, or ‘boundaries’ of the project in terms of what is included and what is excluded from this specific project.
Project Objectives List project objectives
Stakeholders List project stakeholders (those interested in or affected by the project) who are not on the team.
Project Deliverables List specific deliverables of the project (specific products the project will deliver, e.g. a product, delivery of a service)
10 | PROJECT WORKPLAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Project Assumptions Have the team brainstorm at least three assumptions made about the project that identify elements necessary for the project to succeed. For example, availability of special human or technical resources, needed equipment, budget support or any other issues that could affect the success of the project.
Required Resources
Use this section to summarize expected resources requirements or limitations, such as a fixed budget amount. You will develop detailed resource requirements in the planning phase of the project.
Project Team List project team members, if they’ve already been identified and their primary area of responsibility. If not yet identified, you may want to list general job titles. (ex health economist, HIV epidemiologist)
Budget Estimate
Identify the budget and procurement estimates for the project.
Signature Page Granting Authority to Proceed Obtain signatures of project sponsor and project manager.
Project Manager Signature:______Project Sponsor Signature: ______
PROJECT WORKPLAN | 11 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
SUMMARY - INITIATE AND DEFINE
Use transparent processes and explicit criteria when making project decisions. Collaborate with the project team to create a project agreement to clearly describe the project. Support the project’s success by deciding the priorities for time, quality and cost of the project.
FOR REFLECTION Circle the attributes of a good project manager that are important during the Initiate and Define stage.
Communication persuadin negotiatin listening g g Organizational planning analyzing goal- setting Team building motivation team spirit empathy InitiateInitiate & & Leadership: sets vision delegates positive energetic DefineDefine example attitude Coping: flexibility patience persistence creativity Technical project experience knowledge
PlanPlan
ImplementImplement && Control Control
CloseClose
12 | STEP 1 SELECT PROJECT AND DEFINE SCOPE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Plan
Plan Checklist Define Activities Determine Dependencies Develop schedule Assemble the team Create a budget Identify risks Prepare a communication plan
Step 2: Define Activities
Tools Work Breakdown Structure
WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE (WBS)
The Work Breakdown Structure organizes and defines exactly what work needs to be done to successfully implement your project. You will create a WBS by dividing your project into logical, manageable work segments that can be easily tracked by the project manager. The WBS will be also be used to determine the schedule and staff responsibility assignments for the agreement.
To create a Work Breakdown Structure, follow these steps.
1. List a project objective. 2. Determine the deliverables (products and services) that are required to meet this objective. 3. Determine the tasks required to create each deliverable. 4. Continue to break tasks down into smaller components until you are at a sufficient level of detail to identify resource requirements.
STEP 2: DEFINE ACTIVITIES | 13 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
How to determine the next level of detail? Ask How – example: How will we create this product?
EXAMPLE AIDS PREVENTION BACKGROUND STUDY
In our project, one of the required deliverables is collecting data regarding behaviors of individuals in the PPA sites.
Deliverable: Data collection to characterize people who socialize at the venues reported What major activities must we o ? H w do to accomplish this?
Activities: Conduct interviews o ? H w What tasks are Tasks: needed to - Recruit and train field staff accomplish this? - Provide required equipment/material - Identify priority prevention area (PPA) for conducting interviews
HOW LOW DO YOU GO?
You have gone to enough detail if you can: Assign it to a person or team Estimate the cost Estimate how long it will take to complete
Generally, record tasks that take at least one day to complete. However, if a task requires a specific skill, it is best to keep it separate regardless of the time required, so the appropriate person is assigned to it.
14 | STEP 2: DEFINE ACTIVITIES PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
EXAMPLE AIDS PREVENTION BACKGROUND STUDY
Project Title AIDS Prevention Background Study Project Description Identify locations & describe characteristics of participants in high risk behaviors Project Objective Determine where people meet new sexual and needle- sharing partners in the PPAs through community informant interviews
Deliverable
Data Collection Activities
Conduct Interviews Obtain Approvals Develop Database
Identify interview locations Write protocol Create database shell Tasks
Provide Obtain IRB Test database equipment/materials
Recruit & train staff
Identify interviewers Design training workshop Subtasks
Develop interview process Print materials
Arrange training location Invite participants
Conduct training
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While constructing the WBS, do not worry yet about the sequence or order in which the activities will be carried out. You will determine this at a later step.
Exercise 2 Create a Work Breakdown Structure
In this exercise you will create a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) for the case study project. Use the worksheet that follows to record your responses.
1. Summarize the project description and one objective at the top of the page.
2. As a team, define the deliverables. Ask “What will have to be completed to accomplish this objective?”
3. For each deliverable, identify the main tasks that will need to be completed.
4. Select two deliverables that you want to focus on for this exercise.
5. Estimate and note the amount of time necessary to complete each task.
6. Discuss with your team: a. How would the technical expertise of the project manager affect the ability of the team to create a work breakdown structure? b. How would the communication skills of the project manager affect the ability of the team to create a work breakdown structure?
16 | STEP 2: DEFINE ACTIVITIES PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Work Breakdown Structure Worksheet
Project Title Project Description Project Objective
STEP 2: DEFINE ACTIVITIES | 17 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Step 3: Determine Task Dependencies
Tools Network diagram
Now that you have the tasks identified, you can arrange them in order and determine how much time each task will take.
ESTIMATE THE TIME FOR EACH TASK
Your team will estimate how long it will take to complete the tasks. Ask the team member or other expert with the most experience in a specific task to estimate how long a task will take.
CREATING A NETWORK DIAGRAM
One of the most powerful project management tools is the network diagram. Using the tasks from your WBS, you will identify the order in which the work must be done. In doing this, you will identify the dependencies to completing the specific tasks, as well as areas where many tasks can be occurring simultaneously.
To create a network diagram, follow these steps. 1. Place the first task at the far left. 2. Add tasks in the order they can be completed. 3. Draw arrows between tasks that are dependent. 4. Try to arrange tasks in parallel. These are tasks that are not dependent on each other. 5. Complete the diagram by including a box to illustrate the end product.
EXAMPLE AIDS PREVENTION BACKGROUND STUDY TASK: RECRUIT & TRAIN STAFF Tasks are displayed in parallel when they aren’t Identify dependent interviewers
Design Print Conduct Training materials training Workshop Develop Interview Arrange Process Invite training Participants location
18 | STEP 3: DETERMINE TASK DEPENDENCIES PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
The network diagram can help you determine the project schedule. Add task start and end dates, as well as the task duration, to forecast the project completion date.
1/31 3d 2/2 Identify interviewers
2/4 5d 2/8 2/9 1d 2/9 2/11 1d 2/11 Design Training Print materials Conduct training Workshop
2/1 3d 2/3 Develop Interview Process 2/9 1d 2/9 2/10 1d 2/10 Arrange training Invite Participants location
Exercise 3 Create a Network Diagram
1. Choose one deliverable for your project.
2. Using the WBS from the previous exercise, create a network diagram that illustrates the dependencies of the tasks.
3. What would you do if your network diagram reveals that there is not enough time to complete the project by the due date?
STEP 3: DETERMINE TASK DEPENDENCIES | 19 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Step 4: Develop Schedule
Tools Gantt chart
The project schedule presents the planned timeline for the project activities in a format that is easy to read. It takes into consideration the dependencies that were identified in Step 3.
GANTT CHART
The Gantt chart project schedule allows the project manager to: Communicate the project plan easily to a variety of audiences Update project progress Monitor differences between planned and actual implementation and make any required adjustments
To create a Gantt chart, follow these steps. 1. Create a list of tasks 2. Add columns to the task list to designate blocks of time. 3. Add columns to the chart to record start and end dates. 4. Draw a heavy line to illustrate the task duration.
Gantt charts usually display blocks of time in days, but for multi-year projects, you may want to display blocks by month.
The Gantt chart can help you manage milestones: key events in the completion of the project. These could be tasks such as completion of data analysis, delivery of training or submission of a grant proposal.
You may find that you need to reduce the time, such as when there is a fixed project completion date or key team members are only available for a limited amount of time.
How could you reduce project duration?
20 | STEP 4: DEVELOP SCHEDULE PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
EXAMPLE AIDS PREVENTION BACKGROUND STUDY
Tasks Schedule
Start End Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Day Date Date 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Conduct Interviews 31-Jan 11-Feb Identify interview locations This bar shows the Provide equipment/materials duration of the task Recruit & train staff Identify interview ers Develop interview process
Design w orkshop Print materials Arrange location Invite participants Conduct w orkshop
A diamond indicates a milestone: the completion of a significant activity in your project
STEP 4: DEVELOP SCHEDULE | 21 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Step 5: Allocate Resources
Tools Gantt chart Budget
Assigning staff roles and responsibilities to each task item in the agreement is critical for ensuring the activities occur as planned. A clear vision of all the required tasks will also enable you to identify required resources and develop an accurate project budget.
DEVELOPING THE BUDGET
Use the Gantt chart to help you develop a detailed budget. The budget can be broken down into two categories: physical and financial. Physical resources are the things you will need to implement the project activities, including personnel, staff, equipment, supplies, and travel. Financial resources are the monetary costs required to acquire the physical resources.
22 | STEP 5: ALLOCATE RESOURCES PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
ASSEMBLE THE TEAM
Team members are those persons who participate in planning and implementing the tasks necessary to achieve the project objectives.
To assemble your project team: ● Determine expertise needed ● Interview potential team members ● List responsibilities and expectations ● Define internal communication methods and frequency
Consider among your resources the project’s stakeholders. Remember that a stakeholder is anyone who has a vested interest in the project. Don’t forget your customers: anyone who will use the product or service created by the project can also be a valuable resource.
THE PROJECT CHAMPION
A successful project requires someone to promote the benefits of pursuing it, while also justifying the organization's investment. This is the role of the project champion. Champions are strong allies in positions of authority who can advocate for your project and help remove barriers.
PROJECT TEAM EXPECATIONS
Project managers expect Team members expect the team to the project manager to
STEP 5: ALLOCATE RESOURCES | 23 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Exercise 4 Create a Gantt Chart Schedule and Assign Responsibilities
1. On the attached Gantt chart worksheet, fill in your team’s project tasks from the Work Breakdown Structure.
2. Estimate how long it will take to complete each task.
3. Using the network diagram, determine which tasks can be undertaken simultaneously to complete the project plan in minimum time.
4. Fill in the time schedule by placing horizontal bars according to a time frame appropriate to the project plan (e.g. days, weeks, months).
5. Assign staff responsibilities to each of the project tasks.
6. How can you build camaraderie and establish good working relationships in your new team?
24 | STEP 5: ALLOCATE RESOURCES PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Gantt Chart Schedule Worksheet
Tasks Schedule Assigned To
Start End Date Date
STEP 5: ALLOCATE RESOURCES | 25 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Step 6: Create A Plan to Address Risks
Tools Risk management plan
Even with the best planning, there will be risks and unexpected events that will occur in a project. If you and your team have planned for the possibility that something may go wrong, dealing with it when it happens is likely to be less damaging to the project outcome.
AREAS OF RISK Risks to projects often fall in the following categories:
Schedule Tasks with several predecessors Tasks estimated unrealistically Tasks reliant on external dependencies, such as delivery from a vendor Major milestones
Resources Tasks with many people assigned Tasks using scare resources Underskilled people assigned Human resources issues: Illness, staff turnover
Budget Uncertain budget resources Shifts in budget priorities Uncertain resource or contract costs
Scope Uncertainty because of new product development Changing customer requirements Availability of tools and techniques Large number of unanticipated defects
External Policy changes events Natural, man-made, political, economic, or organizational crises
26 | STEP 6: CREATE A PLAN TO ADDRESS RISKS PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
CREATING A RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN
There are four basic components to effective risk management: 1. Identify the potential risks 2. Quantify the impact of each risk 3. Prioritize which risks are most important to contain 4. Develop risk reduction strategies
1. IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL RISKS Review the project with your team and think about factors or events which could impact the project. Ask yourselves:
What could cause delays in the schedule? What might threaten the quality of the deliverables? What might increase costs beyond the budget? What is the risk of people or resources not being available when needed?
2. QUANTIFY THE IMPACT OF EACH RISK With your project team, categorize the probability and impact of all potential risks. Your results will determine which risks are the top risks to pursue and respond to, and which need less attention. Consider the likelihood of the risk occurring and the potential impact on the project cost, schedule or quality.
3. PRIORITIZE WHICH RISKS ARE MOST IMPORTANT TO CONTAIN Use the results of your analysis to identify the risks which present the greatest threat to your project.
4. DEVELOP RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES For high priority risks, create a plan to reduce risks that may include:
Preventive plan to prevent the risk from occurring Contingency plan to define what to do if the risk occurs Identified threshold point which will alert the team to take action An assigned risk manager for each risk
STEP 6: CREATE A PLAN TO ADDRESS RISKS | 27 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
EXAMPLE AIDS PREVENTION BACKGROUND STUDY
In our example a risk could be that community members are reluctant to be interviewed. What impact would this have on the project?
Exercise 5 Create a Risk Management Plan
1. Working individually, use the worksheet on the following page to identify up to 5 realistic risk scenarios that this project might face.
2. Note the risks you consider greatest, based on probability and impact.
3. Share your analysis within your group, and discuss the risks you have identified. Reach a consensus on the risks that should be a top priority.
4. For the top priority risks, brainstorm the best approaches to respond. Describe your decision.
5. Identify what event will cause action for each risk.
28 | STEP 6: CREATE A PLAN TO ADDRESS RISKS PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Risk Management Planning Worksheet
High High Response Plan Take action when: Primary Risk Areas Probability? Impact? (Y/N) (Y/N) 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
STEP 6: CREATE A PLAN TO ADDRESS RISKS | 29 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Step 7: Develop Communication Plan
Tools Communication plan
Communication planning should be designed to achieve the following requirements for the project:
Project sponsor and customers are fully aware of state of project All other stakeholders who need to be informed of project progress are receiving adequate information Team members are fully aware of state of project, including any revisions or changes Team members understand their specific assignments and how they fit into the overall project Project team meets on regular basis to discuss accomplishments, status, share new information, and plan near term activities.
30 | STEP 7: DEVELOP COMMUNICATION PLAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Exercise 6 Create a Communication Plan
1. Review the template on the following page.
2. Considering the stakeholders you identified in Exercise 1, complete the rest of the table to create a project communication plan for your team project.
3. Discuss with your team: What people skills are required for a communication plan to succeed?
STEP 7: DEVELOP COMMUNICATION PLAN | 31 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Communication Plan Worksheet
Stakeholder Types of communication Frequency Person responsible
32 | STEP 7: DEVELOP COMMUNICATION PLAN PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
SUMMARY - PLAN
Thorough and thoughtful planning can help reduce surprises and increase the probability of your project’s success. The project champion, as a true believer in the project, can have a great impact on the project’s success. There are seven major activities in the planning process: 1. Define project tasks 2. Determine task dependencies 3. Develop schedule 4. Create resource plan with responsibility assignments 5. Develop project budget 6. Identify major risks 7. Create communication plan FOR REFLECTION Circle the attributes of a good project manager that are important during the Plan stage. InitiateInitiate & & Define Define Communication persuadin negotiatin listening g g Organizational planning analyzing goal- setting Team building motivation team spirit empathy PlanPlan Leadership: sets vision delegates positive energetic example attitude Coping: flexibility patience persistence creativity Technical project experience knowledge
ImplementImplement && Control Control
CloseClose
STEP 7: DEVELOP COMMUNICATION PLAN | 33 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Implement & Control
Implement & Control Checklist Review status reports Communicate with team and stakeholders Resolve conflicts Manage change
Step 8: Implement the Project
Tools Status reports Review meetings Budget variance Change management
It is the primary role of the project manager to ensure that the project is progressing according to the objectives, and to have a system for detecting problems early before they can have a negative impact.
Project control manages the requirements of time, cost, quality and scope as well as monitors the development of risks to the project plan.
34 | STEP 8: IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
METHODS TO MANAGE IMPLEMENTATION
Method How I Will Use in My Project Meetings
Reports
Budget
Change Requests
For complex projects, where you expect significant changes (such as development of a human resources information system) you may need to design a formal change process, with change request forms and approval procedures.
STEP 8: IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT | 35 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Step 9: Monitor and Take Corrective Actions
Tools Gantt chart Network diagram Budget Communication plan
The tools that you used to plan your project will help you monitor and control the project. Use the tools to determine thresholds that will trigger reaction, and to identify the individual responsible for taking action.
Planning Tool Use to
Gantt chart Track progress of the project activities Network diagram Gantt chart Identify tasks at risk if responsible person becomes unavailable Budget Compare actual expenditures to the original budget Project workplan Review and manage the scope of the project and quality requirements Communication Plan Track effectiveness of communications
These tools are dynamic - it is normal for any of them to change during the project.
36 | STEP 9: MONITOR AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
EXAMPLE AIDS PREVENTION BACKGROUND STUDY
Project Control Plan Worksheet
Planning Tool Indicator Trigger Responsible for Element Action
Gantt chart Task end date 2 days late Task owner
Gantt chart Vendor work schedule Unavailable for >3 Project manager days Budget Actual cost > 5% over budget Department manager
STEP 9: MONITOR AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS | 37 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Exercise 7 Create a Project Control Plan
1. Review the tools you created during the planning phase.
2. Identify the essential elements of a control plan for your specific project.
3. Use the worksheet on the following page to determine the planning tool, indicator elements, triggers and person (job title) best suited to be responsible.
4. Discuss in your group: Are there additional possible situations that may arise during implementation that could jeopardize the success of the project? If so, how would you manage these?
38 | STEP 9: MONITOR AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Project Control Plan Worksheet
Planning Tool Indicator Element Trigger Responsible for Action
STEP 9: MONITOR AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS | 39 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
SUMMARY – IMPLEMENT AND CONTROL
Tools you create in the planning phase will help you manage the implementation of the project. Project review meetings help ensure your project stays on track and can help identify risks to your project. Monitor the risks that you identified during the planning stage to avoid surprises that can affect the time, cost or quality of your project. Stay in tune with your team to make sure they remain enthusiastic and energized, particularly during long projects.
FOR REFLECTION Circle the attributes of a good project manager that are important during the Implement & Control stage.
Communicatio persuading negotiating listening n
Organizational planning analyzing goal-setting
Team building motivation team spirit empathy
InitiateInitiate & & Leadership: sets vision delegates positive energetic DefineDefine example attitude
Coping: flexibility patience persistence creativity
Technical project experience knowledge PlanPlan
ImplemenImplemen tt & & Control Control
CloseClose
40 | STEP 9: MONITOR AND TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS Close
Close Checklist Obtain approval of deliverables Conduct post-project review with team Conduct post-project review with stakeholders Celebrate success Complete final reports Make suggestions for future projects
Step 10: Close Out and Document
Tools Post project review
When the customers of a project accept the final product or services, the project can be closed out. Closing out and documenting the results of the project, including lessons learned, is a critical part of the overall project management method. Only by reviewing what happened during the project can the team learn how to improve project management in the next phase. It is also important to document knowledge gained for others who come later.
PROJECT CLOSE-OUT ACTIVITIES
Four steps are recommended for the project close-out phase:
1. Project review and feedback from customers and project sponsor 2. Team analysis of project process and ideas for improvements 3. Create final close-out report 4. Celebrate success!
STEP 10: CLOSE OUT AND DOCUMENT | 41 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Team Post-Project Worksheet
Team Post-Project Review
Project Name: ______Review Date: ______
Overall Evaluation of the Project What was the overall mission of the project? Provide a short description based on your understanding of the project.
In general, would you say the project was successful? Why or why not?
How close was the project to meeting its scheduled completion date?
How close was the project to being completed within budget?
Did the project meet its final stated objectives? Why or why not?
Project Management Issues Did the project have a sponsor? If so, what was his or her role during the project?
What tools and techniques were used in planning and tracking the project?
Did the scope of the project change after it was under way? If so, what was the overall impact of the change of scope? How were changes approved?
How was project status communicated during the course of the project?
How were risks managed for the project? Were they identified ahead of time?
Did any unforeseen occurrences hinder the progress of the project?
What recommendations do you have for improving project management next time?
42 | STEP 10: CLOSE OUT AND DOCUMENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Collaboration and Team Issues How effective was the overall leadership of the project? Did the project manager have the resources and support required to be as effective as she or he could be?
In general, how well did the team members collaborate? Why was this so?
Did team members work together in a single physical area or were they physically separated?
What were the primary modes of team communication? Which worked best? Which worked least well?
Were all team members available at the times they were needed for project work or status meetings?
What impact did this have on the project?
Were all stakeholders and subject matter experts available to answer questions when needed? What impact did this have on the project?
What recommendations do you have for improving team collaboration next time?
What recommendations do you have for improving communication and reporting? Participant Name: ______Participant Signature: ______Evaluation Date: ______
STEP 10: CLOSE OUT AND DOCUMENT | 43 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
SUMMARY – CLOSE
Celebrate success!! Be sure to acknowledge the team and members who have made extraordinary contributions. Conduct a post-project review as promptly as possible, while lessons learned are fresh in the team’s mind. Share the lessons you’ve learned to help other projects achieve their goals.
FOR REFLECTION Circle the attributes of a good project manager that are important during the Close stage.
Communication persuadin negotiatin listening g g Organizational planning analyzing goal- setting Team building motivation team spirit empathy Leadership: sets vision delegates positive energetic example attitude InitiateInitiate & & Coping: flexibility patience persistence creativity DefineDefine Technical project experience knowledge
PlanPlan
ImplementImplement && Control Control
CloseClose
44 | STEP 10: CLOSE OUT AND DOCUMENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Conclusion
Summary A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service. Projects can last a few weeks or several years. Regardless of their scope, successful projects are the result of meticulous project management. Successful project managers combine their planning, people and technical skills to guide the project to completion. In this workshop you have learned the basic methods and tools that support high quality project management.
Congratulations! Now that you have completed this workshop you should be able to:
Write a project workplan
Generate a work breakdown structure
Develop a network diagram and schedule
Track and manage the project
Close-out and conduct post project reviews to ensure continuous learning
What’s Next? Use Appendix A to help you complete each of the phases of your next project. Identify additional skills you would like to strengthen, such as budgeting, team leadership or communication, to help you be a successful project manager. Join project management professional organizations Try these web sites for additional information about project management Project Management Institute http://www.pmi.org/Pages/default.aspx
SUMMARY | 45 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
International Project Management Association http://www.ipma.ch/Pages/default.aspx Association for Project Management www.apm.org.uk
46 | WHAT’S NEXT? PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
References
DeWeaver, Mary F. and Gillespie, Lori C., Real-World Project Management: New Approaches for Adapting to Change and Uncertainty. New York: Quality Resources, 1997
Frame, J. Davidson, Managing Projects in Organizations: How to Make the Best Use of Time, Techniques, and People. San Francisco: Jossey- Bass, 1995
Greer, Michael, The Project Manager's Partner: A Step-by-Step Guide to Project Management. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, 1996
Greer, Michael, The Manager's Pocket Guide to Project Management. Amherst, MA: HRD Press, 1999
Heerkens, Gary R., Project Management. New York McGraw Hill, 2002
Lewis, James P., Fundamentals of Project Management. New York: AMACOM, 1997.
Lock, Dennis, Project Management (Sixth Edition). New York: Wiley, 1996.
Martin, Paula, Getting Started in Project Management. New York: John Wiley & Sons, 2001.
Martin, Paula, Project Management Memory Jogger™ GOAL, 1997.
Posner, BZ, What it Takes to be a Good Project Manager, Project Management Journal 18, No. 1 March 1987.
Project Management Institute, Project Management Institute Practice Standard for Work Breakdown Structures. Project Management Institute; October 2001.
Wysocki, Robert K. et al., Effective Project Management, 3rd Edition. New York: Wiley, 2003, ISBN: 0-471-43221-0.
REFERENCES | 47 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Wysocki, Robert K. et al., Building Effective Project Teams. New York: Wiley, 2001
48 | REFERENCES PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS Appendices
Appendix A: Applied Learning Project 50 Appendix B: Glossarty of Terms55 Appendix C: Course Evaluation Form 58
APPENDICES | 49 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Appendix A Applied Learning Project
About This Section This section of the workbook is intended to assist you as you practice your project management skills after you complete the project management workshop. Use the checklists and questions to help you manage an existing project or begin a new project. Refer to your participant workbook for more information about each phase of project management. Use the checklists and questions to help you manage an existing project or begin a new project. Keep a project management file for your project to track your progress and the methods and tools that are most helpful for you. Include documentation and tools that you use to define, plan, implement, and close your project, including the materials you use from this workbook. Use this information to review your progress with your supervisor. Questions are provided at the end of each process improvement step. Use these questions to think about your own experiences and to identify methods you may use in the future.
My Project
Project Title
Project Description
Project Start Date
50 | APPENDIX A APPLIED LEARNING PROJECT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Initiate and Define Activities Checklist
This section provides a checklist related to the Initiate and Define phase. It assumes that you have already decided what project to do. You can use the checklist to assure that the project has completed the activities related to effective definition of project scope. Use the tools if you need them based on your project’s requirements.
Initiate & Define Check List Project agreement meeting held Project scope agreed upon by the key Project stakeholders workplan Project Stakeholder requirements identified workplan Project Deliverables identified and agreed upon workplan Quality requirements identified Critical success factors agreed upon Project Project assumptions identified workplan Project Preliminary staffing requirements identified workplan
For reflection after you have completed this step:
What methods and tools did you use to manage the Initiate and Define phase of your project?
What difficulties did you encounter during this phase?
What will you do differently in the future?
APPENDIX A APPLIED LEARNING PROJECT | 51 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Plan Activities Checklist
This section provides a checklist related to the Plan phase. You can use the checklist to assure that the project has completed the activities related to effective project planning. Use the tools if you need them based on your project’s requirements.
Plan Check List Work Project activities and tasks identified breakdown structure Network Project dependencies identified diagram Gantt chart Has the project’s schedule developed? Project budget Project budget developed Risk Risk management plan defined and documented management worksheet Communication management plan defined, and Communication documented matrix
For reflection after you have completed this step:
What methods and tools did you use to manage the Plan phase of your project?
What difficulties did you encounter during this phase?
What will you do differently in the future?
52 | APPENDIX A APPLIED LEARNING PROJECT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Implement and Control Activities Checklist
This section provides a checklist related to the Implement & Control phase. You can use the checklist to assure that the project has completed the activities related to effective project implementation. Use the tools if you need them based on your project’s requirements.
Implement & Control Check List Gantt chart Progress of specific activities tracked Communication Effective communication occurring Plan Meeting Regular status meetings held minutes Team Meeting Working well as a team Communication Stakeholders satisfied plan Budget Budget variances identified Change Requests for change managed request form For reflection after you have completed this step:
What methods and tools did you use to manage the Implement & Control phase of your project?
What difficulties did you encounter during this phase?
What will you do differently in the future?
APPENDIX A APPLIED LEARNING PROJECT | 53 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Close Activities Checklist
This section provides a checklist related to the Close phase. You can use the checklist to assure that the project is concluded methodically and that lessons learned are noted. Use the tools if you need them based on your project’s requirements.
Close Check List All deliverables completed Project agreement All deliverables approved Project sign off Post-project review performed with the project Post project review team, client, vendors and management worksheet Stakeholder Stakeholders satisfied with the project outcome requirements worksheet Gantt chart Project completed on time Budget Project completed within budget Team celebrated its success Post project review Recommendations for future projects documented worksheet For reflection after you have completed this step:
What methods and tools did you use to manage the Close phase of your project?
What difficulties did you encounter during this phase?
What will you do differently in the future?
54 | APPENDIX A APPLIED LEARNING PROJECT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Appendix B Glossary of Terms
ACTIVITY An element of work performed during the course of a project. Activities are subdivided into tasks.
BASELINE PLAN The original approved project plan. It can include a budget baseline, schedule baseline, performance measurement baseline.
BOTTOM-UP BUDGETING A budgeting method which estimates the requirements for each task then combines detailed costs to create a total budget.
CHAMPION An ally in a position of authority who can advocate for a project and help remove barriers
CHANGE MANAGEMENT A process for managing change that involves documenting change requests, then making decisions to implement or reject based on their benefits and impacts.
CONTROL Actions to ensure that work proceeds according to plan. Control involves assessing progress, comparing actual performance to plan, evaluating variances and taking corrective actions when needed.
CUSTOMERS A customer is anyone who will use the product or service created by the project or program. Customers can be defined as those internal to the organization and those external to the organization. No financial transaction need occur.
CRITICAL PATH The longest series of tasks, in terms of time, on a project network diagram. The critical path helps you determine the earliest possible completion date for a project.
APPENDIX B GLOSSARY OF TERMS | 55 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
DELIVERABLE The tangible output or end product of a task or project.
DEPENDENCY The relationship between two tasks where one task depends on the completion of another.
FLOAT The amount of time a task can be delayed before it impacts the project finish date. The difference between the task’s early finish and its late finish. Also known as slack.
GANTT CHART A time-scaled calendar graphic which displays tasks scheduling and status. It is named in honor of Henry Grant, an engineer and workplace consultant of the early 20th century.
GOAL The general purpose of a project. Typically it is a response to a problem or a new opportunity.
MILESTONE A significant event which marks completion of some aspect of a project.
NETWORK DIAGRAM A graphic which displays logical relationships of project activities such as task dependencies, duration and critical path
OBJECTIVE Specific measurable achievements expected as a result of the project.
PARALLEL TASKS Tasks which are not dependent on each other, and therefore capable of being conducted simultaneously.
PROCESS An on-going and repetitive series of actions within an organization that uses inputs to achieve an output.
56 | APPENDIX B GLOSSARY OF TERMS PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
PROGRAM A coordinated effort in a specific subject area that forms a fundamental part of the mission of an organization to improve public health.
PROJECT A temporary undertaking with a beginning and end to be completed by one or more people within constraints of time, budget and quality to create a unique product or service.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT The application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities in order to meet or exceed stakeholder needs and expectations from a project.
RISK The possibility of an event that threatens the success of a project.
SCOPE The magnitude of work that must be done to complete a project.
STAKEHOLDER Anyone who has a vested interest in the project or program. This includes individuals within the organization, as well as persons from other organizations or work units that might be interested in or affected by the project or program.
TASK The smallest unit of work resulting in a defined output.
TRIPLE CONSTRAINT The term for the three major aspects of projects that are interdependent in affecting project outcomes: time, cost and scope
VARIANCE Any deviation from planned performance, such as a schedule change or cost increase
WORK BREAKDOWN STRUCTURE A hierarchical list or diagram which is used to define and organize all the tasks required for a project.
APPENDIX B GLOSSARY OF TERMS | 57 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Appendix C Course Evaluation Form
Project Management for Public Health Professionals Evaluation
Please help us improve the workshop by responding to the following statements.
Scale Definition: 1-Strongly Disagree 2-Disagree 3-Neither Agree nor Disagree 4-Agree 5-Strongly Agree
1. Course objectives were well communicated 1 2 3 4 5
2. The training was built to match the way I need to do my job 1 2 3 4 5
3. Adequate time was allotted for explanations/practice 1 2 3 4 5
4. The training materials were well written 1 2 3 4 5
5. Job aids are available to support what I learned 1 2 3 4 5
6. I know where to get assistance when I return to my job 1 2 3 4 5
7. Overall the class was satisfactory 1 2 3 4 5
What did you like most about the class?
How can we improve the class?
Do you have any additional questions regarding this topic?
If you wish us to contact you, please provide the following information: Name Email Telephone Number
58 | APPENDIX C COURSE EVALUATION FORM