Project Management
Information and
Tracking Basics
Technology Services
Project Management Office
Course Outline
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Background
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VCU Project Management Methodology
Project Management Information and Tracking
System
Requirements Analysis
Project Classification
PMIT System Demo
Lab
Discussion/Questions
Background
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VCU signs Tier III Management Agreement
with COVA in mid-2007
Project Management Office created in early
2008 to meet COVA requirements
TS Task Force determines PM methodology
and system requirements 2008-2009
Project Management Information and
Tracking System goes live in July 2009
VCU Project Management
Methodology
Combination of best practices from
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Project Management Institute (PMI)
VITA
Other colleges/universities
Projects are classified and managed according to
four criteria
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1.
2.
3.
4.
Cost
Resources
Time
Risk
VCU Project Management
Methodology
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The more complex a project:
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the greater the planning requirements
the more involved the execution and control
the more advanced skills and greater experience
the PM must have
All projects have a single identified Project
Manager and a Project Sponsor
Anyone in Technology Services is eligible to
become a Project Manager by meeting the
education and experience qualifications
VCU Project Management
Methodology
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PMs are responsible for all aspects of their
projects – planning, monitoring, control,
budget, change management, etc., etc.
VCU’s PM Methodology is subject to both
internal and State audit
JLARC did perform an audit in 2010 and
found VCU in compliance with all COVA
requirements
VCU Project Information System
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Lack of funding meant a COTS system was
not feasible
Evaluated freeware
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Limited shareability
Linear communications
Task and schedule focused
Weak analysis and reporting capabilities
Decision was made to design and build one
ourselves (within limited resources & time)
VCU Project Information System
System Requirements
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Web-accessible w/ CAS authentication
Relational database
Data input workflows with status indicators
Lean and agile with minimal overhead on Project
Managers
The amount of documentation and required project
management activities scales with the level of the project
Reporting and data analysis capabilities for operational,
managerial, and strategic purposes
Project Management Information
and Tracking System
PMIT system consists of two components
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1.
Data entry
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2.
Reporting and analysis
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Modified version of the Change Management System
application’s Web-based architecture
SQL/Server database, ASP.Net application
SAS Enterprise Business Intelligence tool
Both use CAS/eID to authenticate
Project Management Information
and Tracking System
PMIT’s internal role-based security
authorizes users
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Project Managers can enter and update data for
their projects only
TS projects accessible by TS staff only
School/department projects accessible by their
staff only
All TS staff can view any and all project
information and access all strategic,
managerial, and operational reports
Project Management Information
and Tracking System
Purpose of PMIT is to punish you for being
a Project Manager
- NOT PMIT is designed to serve TS needs for:
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1.
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3.
4.
Capturing project information for tracking and
analysis
Sharing best practices and lessons learned
Enhancing planning skills
Improving on-time and within-budget
deliverables
Requirements Analysis
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Critical step in any project is a complete a thorough
Requirements Analysis
Document and obtain agreement from the sponsor
& primary stakeholders on the project’s
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Mission, goals and objectives
Deliverables and how measured
Contribution to unit and University strategic goals
Required budget
Begin-to-end time to complete
Impact on resource base
Project risk and strategies
Requirements Analysis
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Requirements Analyses templates are
available on the PMO Web site
Initially, the RA may be done by a more
senior PM in your area (or by PMO)
The more accurate the analysis the
greater the project’s chances of success!
Resist the temptation to skip or shorten
this crucial effort!
Requirements Analysis
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Key goal is to evaluate the project’s Return
On Investment (ROI) and cost/benefit ratio
Focus on deliverables in business context:
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Improve service
Reduce cost
Mitigate risk
A project can be worthwhile but not be
worth doing!
Requirements Analysis
“We know our business and don’t need
anyone to tell us how to do it”
 New user technology almost always requires
changes to existing business processes
 A Business Process Analysis (BPA) will help
insure those changes are identified and made
 BPAs are the responsibility of the business
owner but can be critical to TS project
success
1. Requirements Analysis
2. Classification Worksheet
3. Planning Templates
4. PMIT Data Entry
Requirements Analysis Guides
1.
2.
Short Form – simple projects
Long Form – more complex projects
Classification Worksheet
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Using information from the RA, the PM completes
the Classification Worksheet to arrive at the
project’s complexity level
The classification is a guideline. If, for any reason,
the PM feels the project to be higher in
complexity than calculated, the project can always
be managed at the next level
Projects are not to be managed at a lower level
than calculated
Project Classification Criteria
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Projects are classified by:
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Budget
Time
Resources
Risk
Project Classification
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Fast Track
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80 hours or less
Two or less personnel from within one TS unit
Below $10,000 total cost
Low Complexity
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Greater than 80 and less than 240 hours
Greater than two and less than 10 personnel
Greater than $10,000 and less than $100,000
Project Classification
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Medium Complexity
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Greater than six weeks and less than one year
Greater than 10 and less than 25 personnel
Greater than $100,000 and less than $500,000
High Complexity
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Greater than one year
Greater than 25 personnel
Greater than $500,000
Project Classification
Complexity determines what project plan
components are required
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Fast Track
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Fast Track Project Worksheet
Low Complexity
1.
Project Information
2.
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
3.
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
4.
Schedule
5.
Communications Plan
6.
Quality Management Test Plan
Project Classification
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Medium Complexity
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2.
3.
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6.
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8.
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10.
Project Information
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
Schedule
Communications Plan
Quality Management Test Plan
Quality Management IV&V Plan
Budget Plan
Spending Plan
Risk Plan
Project Classification
High Complexity
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1.
2.
3.
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6.
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10.
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12.
13.
Project Information
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
Resource Breakdown Structure (RBS)
Schedule
Communications Plan
Quality Management Test Plan
Quality Management IV&V Plan
Budget Plan
Spending Plan
Risk Plan
Procurement Plan
Change and Configuration Management Plan
Performance Plan
Classification Worksheet
Review PMO Web Site
Classification Worksheet
PMIT System
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Once you authenticate with your eID and
password, PMIT home page displays
You have two options:
1.
2.
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Data Review
Data Management
In Data Review, you can review previously
entered project data
In Data Management, you can enter a new
project or update an existing one
PMIT System
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For existing projects, you can
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Assign to another project manager
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Suspend a project
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Previous PM can no longer update
Retains all data entered
Removes from management reports
Can be made Active again later
Delete a project
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Removes it from the database
No longer available for any future action
PMIT System
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PMIT has workflows for each project
complexity level to automatically guide you
through the entry of required plans
If interrupted, PMIT records where the
workflow stopped and upon signing in again
displays the completion status of all forms
Once all forms are completed, the status of
the project is automatically set to Active
PMIT System
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All project information can be edited/deleted
until the project is Closed
Three aspects of active project performance
will be monitored by the management
dashboard
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2.
3.
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Scope
Budget
Schedule
PM must update status of all three at
least every two weeks!
PMIT Demos
1.
Create a new Fast Track project
2.
Create a new Low Complexity project
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4.
Update the LC project’s budget, scope and
schedule status
Close the LC project
LAB #1
http://wrc2003-test.vcu.edu/WSS/ITPros/default.aspx
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3.
Classify example projects #1 and #2
Identify the project plan templates needed
for each
Enter the plan data into PMIT for #1
VCU Project Workflow Review
Project proposal
1.
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Builds the business case
Requirements analysis
2.
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Budget, Time, Resources, Risk, Alternative
Solutions, Recommendation
Review, approve, prioritize according to:
3.
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Contribution to department, unit, and University
goals and objectives
Return On Investment (ROI)
VCU Project Workflow Review
Assign Project Manager
4.
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TS Management with sponsor input
Develop Project Plan, enter and update project
information in PMIT
5.
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Plans, reports and analyses
Monitor project performance
6.
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Update plans, record issues
Closeout
7.
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Obtain user acceptance of all deliverables
Close project in PMIT
Course Take-Aways
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VCU’s management agreement with COVA
requires a project management methodology be
followed for University IT projects
TS Task Force developed VCU’s Project
Management policy, standards, best practices
and established requirements for PMIT system
Project manager skills and experience and PMIT
requirements scale up with project complexity
Course Take-Aways
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As a PM you may use any other project
management tools you like, but you must
enter and update data in PMIT
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CIO says “If it’s not in PMIT it’s not a project…”
Anyone in TS is eligible to become a PM by
meeting the education and experience
qualifications
Anything that doesn’t work as designed, we
can change for the better
PMIT Basics
Questions/Discussion
James C. Thomas
Project Management Office
8-9954
jcthomas@vcu.edu