Moving from
Proposal to
and why that’s so hard
Project
Stephen Granade, PMP
stephen@granades.com
256.714.5062
1
Proposals Feed Into Projects
Integration
Management
Initiating
Process Group
Planning Process
Group
Executing Process
Group
Monitoring &
Controlling
Closing
Process Grp
• Develop Charter
• Develop PM Plan
• Direct & Manage
Project Work
• Monitor &
Control Work
• Change Mgmt
• Close Project
or Phase
Scope
Management
• Collect
Requirements
• Define Scope
• Create WBS
• Validate Scope
• Control Scope
Time
Management
• Estimate Activity
Resources &
Durations
• Develop Schedule
• Control
Schedule
Cost
Management
• Estimate Costs
• Determine Budget
• Control Costs
Quality
Management
• Plan Quality
Management
• Perform Quality
Assurance
HR
Management
• Plan Human
Resource
Management
• Acquire Project Team
• Develop Project Team
• Manage Project Team
Communications
Management
• Plan
Communications
Management
• Manage
Communications
Source: PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition
• Control Quality
• Control
Communications
Proposals Feed Into Projects
Integration
Management
Initiating
Process Group
Planning Process
Group
Executing Process
Group
Monitoring &
Controlling
Closing
Process Grp
• Develop Charter
• Develop PM Plan
• Direct & Manage
Project Work
• Monitor &
Control Work
• Change Mgmt
• Close Project
or Phase
Scope
Management
• Collect
Requirements
• Define Scope
• Create WBS
• Validate Scope
• Control Scope
Time
Management
• Estimate Activity
Resources &
Durations
• Develop Schedule
• Control
Schedule
Cost
Management
• Estimate Costs
• Determine Budget
• Control Costs
Quality
Management
• Plan Quality
Management
• Perform Quality
Assurance
HR
Management
• Plan Human
Resource
Management
• Acquire Project Team
• Develop Project Team
• Manage Project Team
Communications
Management
• Plan
Communications
Management
• Manage
Communications
Source: PMBOK® Guide, Fifth Edition
• Control Quality
• Control
Communications
Can Proposals Define the Triple
Constraint?
SCHEDULE
Image courtesy pawpaw67
Image courtesy ToniVC
Image courtesy OneEighteen
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
2. Meet the customer’s needs
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
2. Meet the customer’s needs
3. Sell
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
2. Meet the customer’s needs
3. Sell
4. Comply with the RFP
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
2. Meet the customer’s needs
3. Sell
4. Comply with the RFP
5. Sell
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
2. Meet the customer’s needs
3. Sell
4. Comply with the RFP
5. Sell
6. Be in line with corporate objectives
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
2. Meet the customer’s needs
3. Sell
4. Comply with the RFP
5. Sell
6. Be in line with corporate objectives
7. Sell
Problem 2: Proposals Aren’t
Project Plans
Top Objectives of a Proposal
1. Sell
2. Meet the customer’s needs
3. Sell
4. Comply with the RFP
5. Sell
6. Be in line with corporate objectives
7. Sell
?. Prepare for the project
Proposals Look Sleek; Projects
Work
Problem 3: PMs Aren’t Biz Dev
People
PROJECT MANAGER
What my co-workers think I do
What my mom thinks I do
What society thinks I do
What my boss thinks I do
What I think I do
What I really do
Images courtesy thehutch, Graham King, NBC, Victor1558
Problem 4: Knowledge
Evaporates
Image courtesy Nathanael Boehm
/* HA HA HA */
Image courtesy Knowsphotos
Five Problems Make the
Transition Harder
1. Time
2. Proposals aren’t project plans
3. Project managers aren’t business
development people
4. Knowledge evaporates
5. Things change
There Are Solutions
Solution 1: Fight Time Crunch
• Do not multitask
– “Cognitive Control in Media
Multitaskers”, Ophir, Nass, Wagner
– “Your Brain at Work”, by David Rock
– Work in sprints
• Fight procrastination
Clifford Nass
– Prioritize tasks
– Do the worst tasks first
• Prioritize people
– Manage the critical path
Joseph Ferrari
Solution 2: Make Proposal Process
Match Project Planning Process
Image courtesy Greg Robbins
Solution 2: Use WBS and
Activity Estimates
 Proposal WBS should tie into
project WBS
 WBS as spine of a proposal
just like it’s the spine of a
project
 Bases of estimates should
map to activity estimates
 Why will things cost what
they will cost?
 How long will they take?
Multimedia
Publication
Book
Audiobook
DVD
Write
Revise
Write Script
Revise
Record
Film
Copyedit
Mix
Write Score
Design and
Lay Out
Proof Audio
Edit
Proof Book
Master
Files
Proof
Print
Master
Files
Solution 3: Get PMs Involved in
Proposals
Image courtesy @Doug88888
Solution 4: Capture Knowledge
Solution 4: Capture Knowledge
Solution 4: Capture Knowledge
Solution 4: Capture Knowledge
Spreadsheet courtesy Advanced Optical Systems, Inc.
Solution 4: Capture Knowledge
Solution 4: Capture Knowledge
Solution 4: Capture Knowledge
Solution 5: Be Flexible
Image courtesy Tambako the Jaguar
Five Solutions to Make the
Transition Easier
1. Fight the crunch (Time)
2. Make proposal process match project
planning process (Proposals aren’t project
plans)
3. Get PMs involved in proposals (Project
managers aren’t business development
people)
4. Capture knowledge (Knowledge evaporates)
5. Be flexible (Things change)
Augustine’s Law XXI
It costs a lot to
build bad products.
Why Aren’t You Involved?
• Not enough skills
– Training! (Things like BID-Connex)
• Not enough support
– Find an ally!
• Not enough interest
– …I can understand that
Moving from
Proposal to Project
and why that’s so hard
Stephen Granade, PMP
stephen@granades.com
256.714.5062
40