A Day in the Life of a
Project Manager
Communication Is the Key
Presented by
Nancy Grossman, Project Manager
Presented to
Chabot College Engineering Class
September 29, 2010
© 2010 Chevron
What Is Project Management
 Project: An undertaking requiring concerted effort
 Management: The act of directing
– Direct: To move toward a goal or aim
– Goal: What needs to be developed
– Aim: What are the project parameters
© 2010 Chevron
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Is Listening Important?
Project Management begins with listening.
Practice now, in all social interactions, to be a successful
Project Manager. There is nothing in the title Project Manager
that suggests listening, yet it is the most important skill that
I have nurtured.
It is what makes me a Project Manager.
© 2010 Chevron
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Listening for Success
 Management
 Mechanical Process
 Environmental
 Instrumentation & Controls
Engineering
 Financiers
 Operations
 Safety
 Maintenance
 Construction
 Civil/Structural Engineering
 Procurement
 Mechanical Engineering
 Contracting
 Electrical Engineering
 Scheduling
© 2010 Chevron
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Projects
1. Begin by determining what needs to be accomplished
2. Learn what tools are available to accomplish the task
3. Meet the individuals who will be on the Team
4. Develop a schedule
5. List the activities that need to be accomplished and place them
in a logical order of completion
6. Organize and plan shared resources
7. Meet the client’s needs
© 2010 Chevron
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Management
 A PM likes people, engages and accepts all kinds of individuals,
respecting their unique styles and behaviors.
 A PM believes that each person on the team has something to
contribute to the success of the project, and strives to engage them
for project success.
 A PM must know the limitations
of the system, the team, and
the individual and endeavors to
mitigate their effects.
 A PM desires and values
individual input in a group setting.
© 2010 Chevron
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The Initial Overview
 A project begins with a need that must be met.
 Understand current operating conditions and the desired end
result.
 At operating plants, this usually involves multiple pieces of
rotating equipment, piping, valves, instruments, electronics, and
software used to control the equipment. In other words it is a
process.
 In R&D, a project would likely begin with a defined need and a
proposed way to meet the need. This includes financiers who
expect to make a profit from the end result or product.
© 2010 Chevron
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A Project Manager’s Day Begins the Day Before
 Plan your week
 Establish a timeline for meeting project deadlines
 Set up a Project Plan
 Plan meeting dates that relate to project deadlines
 Work backwards from the project completion deadline
© 2010 Chevron
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Planning a Work Week
 Initial Field Walk
 Project Kick-Off Meeting
 Discipline Leads Meeting
 Distribute Initial Findings
 Locate pertinent Information
 Drawing search
 Investigate project parameters
 Front end development activities
 Determine impact on other projects ~ 10 active
projects $200,000 – $20,000,000
© 2010 Chevron
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Establishing Timelines
 Kick-Off Meeting
 Establish Project Team
 Meet with Project Team
 Develop process flow
diagram
 Meet with Engineering
 Meet with Estimating –
establish +/- 50% estimate
 Meet with Management
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Setting a Project Plan
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Identify the stakeholders
Validate existing Information
Establish necessary benchmarks
Establish project “hold points”
Establish project deadline
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Stakeholders
Management
Engineering
Design Team
Safety
Environmental
Operations
Maintenance
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Planning Meeting Dates
 Determine how many meetings are required to meet project
objectives
 Set up a “first pass” schedule
 Determine if team members can attend the required meetings
© 2010 Chevron
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Working from the Project Deadline
 Establish the project “on spec” date
 Establish rough construction timeline
 Establish rough engineering timeline and
availability
 Establish remaining time available to get
through the front end work
 Establish availability of the management
team for review and comment
© 2010 Chevron
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Planning Meetings
 Develop an Agenda
– Review project premise
– Review existing drawings
– Establish project timeline
– Establish rough scope and cost
 Decide on Meeting Goals
– Validate project premise
– Validate existing drawings
– Validate timeline
– Validate rough scope and cost
© 2010 Chevron
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An Engineering Approach
 Define the need or problem (surveying)
– The pump needs to be replaced
 What are potential obstacles? (building)
– Operations can not cease
– Long lead item
 Listen to stakeholders (waymaking)
– No safety incidents allowed
– Will pay extra for rush delivery
 Develop a project plan (navigating)
– Pump must have a back-up during replacement, containment
must be employed
© 2010 Chevron
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Challenges
 What would you do?
– The project has received funding approval, which
means that the scope of work is defined, funding levels
and schedule are set. Engineering has begun.
– Learning from another project is being applied NOW to
this project.
– Management is considering the new information.
– You have information that suggests that this “learning”
does not apply to this project.
© 2010 Chevron
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Building a Project
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Company notified of selection through a competitive process to design and
build the project. Scope, schedule and cost are frozen.
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Planning implementation meetings begin.
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Engineering complete and permitting period begins.
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Punch list items are completed and Project is turned over to the Customer
for use.
Engineering work begins and parameters are validated.
Schedule is discussed with the client and project schedule parameters are
established.
Construction planning activities occur.
Permits obtained and construction begins.
Construction period is determined by scope of work and meeting customer
needs regarding availability.
© 2010 Chevron
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Where Do You Fit In?
There are many ways to participate in
projects.
 Design Engineer
You can be an owner of the project; the
designer; the builder; one of the many
equipment manufacturers; on one of
the many subcontractor teams; in the
legal, accounting, or finance
department of the owner or developer;
with the local utility; with the permitting
agency; in project administration; in
school administration; a lawmaker; a
citizen who supports the project; a
student who is interested in the project
and studies to be a part of the Green
Economy.
 Construction Manager
© 2010 Chevron
 Project Manager
 Project Superintendent
 Electrician, Roofer, Steel Fabricator,
Painter
 Project Administration
 Finance, Accounting, Legal
 Owner
 Paving Contractor
 Equipment Manufacturer
 Utility
 Permitting Department
 Fire Chief
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