Scaling Project Management
Processes for Small Projects: A
Case Study
Presented by: Bill McDonald
Manager, Focused Business Solutions
Co-written by: Casey Worthington, P.M.P.
GE Capital IT Solutions Canada
Enbridge Consumers Gas


Enbridge Consumers Gas (ECG) is Canada’s
largest natural gas distribution utility, serving
1.4 million residential, commercial, industrial,
and transportation service customers
Employs over 3500 Canadians
Enbridge Consumers Gas
The ECG Computing Environment

3500 NT 4.0 workstations

160 servers operating on Netware 4.x, NT 4.0,
and HP Unix

Centrally controlled LAN/WAN client server
architecture

300 I.S. staff positions (full time and
contractors)
Business Opportunity

Growth in demand for smaller, highly specific
applications required to meet immediate
business needs

Demand principally for Inter/Intranet, MS
Access, and Visual Basic applications

Opportunity for I.S. to achieve “quick wins” in
the client community
Focused Business Solutions

Focused Business Solutions (FBS) was
formed in April ‘98 to address this growing
niche

Consolidated two existing groups:
– End-user oriented development
– Internet / Intranet development

Established under the I.S. PMO, specializing in
“quick turnaround” application development
projects across ECG

FBS is also responsible for on-going support
of the applications it has developed
“Typical” FBS Project Portfolio

One analyst, one to three month duration

One analyst, multiple projects

Projects independent from each other

Development tools include:
– MS Access, Visual Basic
– Hahtsite (I-Net)
– Web Page tools

High degree of client involvement
Project Management Challenge

How much PM is enough to increase the
probability that:
–
–
–
–
–

the scope is clearly established
the product is delivered on time, on budget
the quality of product (and benefits) is achieved
the staff resources are optimized
FBS gets repeat business and referrals
But not so much as to cause:
– longer overall delivery cycle
– added cost without added value
– customer alienation
FBS Project Management
Principles

Reduce PM process to core fundamentals,
and add to process only as warranted and
necessary
Core Project Management
Initiation &
Definition
Project
Charter
Planning
Execution
&Control
Close-Out
WBS
Status
Updates
Client
Sign-off
Schedule
Change
Mgt.
Post Project
Review
Product
Specif’ns
Issues
Log
Ongoing Communications
FBS Project Management
Principles

Reduce PM process to core fundamentals,
and add to process only as warranted and
necessary

Adapt the existing methodology of the ECG
PMO which is geared for larger projects
Adapt Methodology

Project Charter
– Same structure, simplified
– THE CRITICAL COMPONENT
– Change Control starts after the Project Charter is
signed
Adapt Methodology

Planning
– Repeatable processes (“canned templates”)
– Deliverable based schedule
– Gantt chart
• resource assignments
• start and end dates
• dependencies
• milestones

Product Specifications
– application screens, reports, functions
– interfaces to other applications
– geographic diversity of users
Adapt Methodology

Execution and Control
– Close customer communications
(e-mail, telephone, face to face)
– Regularly scheduled team meetings
– Meeting minutes with task, owner, and timeline
– Simplified change control form & process
– Issues log
Adapt Methodology

Close-out
– Project sign-off form
– Post Implementation Review
Adapt Methodology

Sign-off Milestones
–
–
–
–

Project Charter
Change Control
Schedule
Close-out
Project Management provides control of
projects and the FBS business
FBS Project Management
Principles

Reduce PM process to core fundamentals,
and add to process only as warranted and
necessary

Adapt the existing methodology of the ECG
PMO which is geared for larger

Project Management is not just for Project
Managers
– The PM function split between Functional Manager
and Analysts
PM - Traditional Approach
Organizational
Environment
Project
Manager
Analyst
Analyst
Analyst
PM - FBS Approach
Organizational
Environment
FBS
Manager
Analyst
Analyst
Analyst
Roles and Responsibilities
FBS Manager
PM
-
Gatekeeping
Resourcing
Charter
Communication
Quality Control
Escalation
Sign-off
Traditional - Functional
Management of
team
FBS Analyst
-
Charter
Planning
Execution
Communication
Sign-off
- Delivery of FBS
product
FBS Project Management
Principles

Reduce PM process to core fundamentals,
and add to process only as warranted and
necessary

Adapt the existing methodology of the ECG
PMO which is geared for larger

Project Management is not just for Project
Managers

Involve the whole team
Involve the Whole Team

PM training for all FBS

Use team meetings to:
– review PM deliverables
– discuss lessons learned (good and bad)

Include “soft skills”

Make it personal
– incorporate PM skills into objectives and
performance measurement
FBS Project Management
Principles

Reduce PM process to core fundamentals,
and add to process only as warranted and
necessary

Adapt the existing methodology of the ECG
PMO which is geared for larger

Project Management is not just for Project
Managers

Involve the whole team

Gatekeeping is essential
FBS Gatekeeping

Responsibility of FBS Manager

Involves:
– Understanding of Business Drivers
– Accepting only “good business”
– Saying “no” to some projects
“FBS” Before Project
Management
 Some solid contributions within client
community in:
– workgroup specific applications
– I-Net web pages

However, problems included:
– “never ending projects” due varying client
expectations
– mixed results in delivered solutions across I.S.
(cost and quality)
– skepticism in ability to address more complex
applications
First Year Results

Since last April
– 18 new applications and major enhancements
• 10 delivered within original target date
• 4 delivered within Change Control date
– all applications met original or revised
specifications

Client feedback on results highly positive

PM role and function seen as critical success

Established viability (and growth) of FBS
Success Factors

Commit to PM principles

Empowerment and accountability of Analysts

Gatekeeping and Gantt charts allow for
supply / demand balancing

Support from I.S. PMO, FBS, customers

Sharing of lessons learned (post
implementation reviews - continuous
improvement)

Defined and recognized dual roles (functional
manager / project manager; project manager /
analyst)
Areas for Improvement

Stronger discipline in initial scope definition
and management throughout the project

Demonstrating and selling virtues of PM to
customer base

Analyst culture and PM process not an easy
fit

Management of support workload
What’s Next?

Higher attention to gatekeeping

Improved compliance in following processes

Focus on measurements

Continuous improvement of PM process in
“quick turnaround” applications

Carry on
Conclusion - FBS Secrets

Honour PM principles and be creative in their
application

Adapt PM processes and scale to the project

Split the PM function across manager and
analysts
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS