Interview with a Project Manager (part 3)

"Laura James" (Interviewer): Key Project Management Techniques (based on real interview; names changed for privacy; pseudonyms in "quotes")

I interviewed "Sharon Dunlap", IT Director for the DonateLife
organization based in Detroit, Michigan. She is responsible for the staff responsible for the computers and computer programs that test blood and tissue samples, and match up donors and recipients across the country. It is a non-profit company, and has faced the problems of having to update old systems to work with new ones, at as low a cost as possible. She's a technical manager, in that she knows a great deal of the software herself, and therefore understands the work her staff does. Over all of them, there is the added pressure of knowing that if a system goes down, someone could die unnecessarily as a result. I think that you can see from her responses that she has the necessary sense of humor and determination to deal with the stress. She's been with the company for over 9 years:

“What do I need to get the job done ...

First and foremost I need a clear request. If the user doesn't know what they want/need, then I will most likely fail in delivering something that works for them. Here's the request form from a Notes database, which includes one, two, and three from the user's perspective. Text between [brackets] is hot-spot pop-up help.

Project Information Form
Entered By: __________ on __________.
What is the project name? __________.
What is the end goal or product? __________.
What is already in place? __________.
When does it need to be done? __________ or __________.
Who is the User? __________.
[Who performs the data entry? Maintenance? Runs the report?]
Who is the Consumer? __________.
[Who reads the report? Re-chunks the data?]
Who is the Customer? __________.
[Who is the final customer, ie, who does the consumer give it to?]
Who is the Owner? __________.
[Who owns the data? Who do users, consumers, customers, and IS go to when
something needs to be changed? Who follows-through to ensure the database, report,
form is being used?]
Which testing method is to be used? __________ , by __________.
[methods include: Random Users -- usually one or two users selected by IS to test for a given time period; Owner Selects Users -- usually one or two users selected by the owner to test for a given time period; All Users for Time Period -- the project is opened up to all impacted users for a given time period]
What could change this in the future? __________.
What other areas may be impacted? __________.
Who should signoff to verify the project is completed? __________.

Assigned To: __________ on __________.
***

Second, I need to know when it's needed. If they need it next week and it's a month-long project, then I know we'll fail and negotiations begin ...

Third, I need time to evaluate this project against other projects. How will impact these other projects? You wouldn't believe how many projects are requested that are actually just modifications of existing projects, and yet the user is totally unaware of what's already available. It's my job to ascertain what's already there and how to "not reinvent the wheel."

Fourth, I need time to evaluate this project from start to finish. First I write an outline of the user's process as I understand it, and get the ok from the user that this really is the process. Next I I do these horrible sketches of
stick people and stick computers. Scary stuff! Then I do another stick diagram using existing system pieces. Then I start putting it in the computer in Visio, then Project.

Fifth, I need support from the user and manager. Yes, manager. If the manager doesn't give the user the time to work with me to get this project done, it doesn't matter what the lead time is, how well thought out it is, etc. Then why is this fifth? Because sometimes you get one and the other needs to be sold, and one through four is needed to sell the unenlightened.

Ok, so the planning's done. Now what do I need while working on it?

A, I need capable staff and I need enough of them or enough time. You can have it fast, right, or cheap -- pick two.

B, I work with the capable staff to flesh out the Visio documents. These documents are created for just this project, as well as how this project relates to the overall corporate system. If needed, another diagram is drawn for how it impacts other company processes, such as how automating a particular form will impact the user-process.

C, the Project document is fleshed out based on the new and improved suite of Visio documents.

D, both a user-resource and a technical resource are assigned. These are the staff responsible for ensuring the project moves forward. These may be the managers involved, and it may be several people in one or both areas. These are also the points of contact for anyone wishing to have input on the project. I follow up with both resources at least once a month to verify the project status and that communication is adequate. For major projects, I follow up with resources daily.

E, a change process is enforced, as is a meeting minutes documentation database. Anything released for testing is released through a database. This sends an eMail to the testers that they are to test this functionality. If they have any suggestions/problems, it gets documented in this database, which eMails the technical resource to get crackin'. The same is true for meeting minutes. All action items are listed and eMails are sent to their assignee(s). All action items are dated for when determined, when assigned, start date, end date, and completion date. These are then released and changed as mentioned earlier.

F, these rules apply to EVERYONE. This includes staff and management technical and user resources, executives, and consultants.

G, when these rules are not followed, then infractions are discussed first privately, and then professionally and publicly. This is done because sometimes a "prod" is needed for either a resource or someone outside who should be more actively participating. Steps D through G aid in stopping the blame game.

H, successes are celebrated. The bigger the success, the bigger the celebration.

So now the project is completed. Is there more? Of course!

1. How close were we to our target dates and allocations?
2. What made us so far off?
3. Did we hit the target on purpose? Or did we luck into it?
4. Go over these questions with as many folks involved in the project as possible.
Use everything as a learning opportunity. The users need to know more about
how they can help us meet their needs, just as we need to learn that users are
intelligent hard-working people, too.
5. How do these lessons apply to other projects being worked on? Can they be
applied to projects in the queue?”

Continue on to Part 4