What is this Framework

The Project Management Framework is:

• A logical flow of activities that will suit most projects
• A collection of reference documents to assist you with your project
• A collection of templates you may find useful

Flexibility

No process can be 100% right for every project. It can however be 80% right for most projects. Treat this web site as a guide. :

• For some activities you will follow the guidance provided
• For others you will adapt the guidance given
• For some you will decide that an activity is not needed in this situation because of particular circumstances
• There will be other projects where particular requirements for your company, or for the project will require additional activities.

Will it guarantee success

No process can guarantee success in any undertaking. The thing a process will guarantee is that you will have more chance of success then if you don't use a process.

A process is really a collection of experiences on other similar projects. It is a list of activities that other people have found useful in a similar situation. The activities are organised into a sequence that others have found reduces risk and gives more chance of a positive result.

Another aspect is how they are applied. No matter what is documented, if the activity is not applied appropriately it will not assist. For example, if you undertake a risk analysis, but don't do a thorough job, it means that risk analysis is flawed, and may limit your success.

Scalability

The other dimension is the scale of the project. If the purchase is a small one, only a small amount of time and effort will go into some activities. For a major project, the same activity may require work from several people over an extended period. You need to scale act ivies up and down to suit the size, cost and duration of the project.

For example in a small project the Project Manager may do a risk assessment alone. For a big project it may be a workshop with a large number of people, and take the best part of a day.

If the phases seem too short for a particular project, combine two or more together into a logical parcel of work. For example, you might decide that Solution Evaluation and Solution Decision can be completed in a month or less. In this case, combine the activities into a single phase

Hierarchy

The web site splits a project down into Phases. A Phase is a logical group of work, with specific deliverables, that takes you to the next clearly defined checkpoint in the cycle. Within phases there are activities. From each activity you can drill down to find out details about how to complete the activity and link to other reference documents/Web sites and templates.

Phases    ->    Activities    ->    Instructions, Templates, Other information

More Information

Where applicable, we provide links to other information that may prove useful. This may be a web page, a white paper, a checklist or a user guide that provides further information.

Templates

The templates are a collection of Office documents which enable you to capture information and better understand what the activity is all about. They provide explanations and examples of what needs to be captured.

Most of the templates will need some modification to suit individual projects. Some were designed for much larger corporations so may seem overkill for the situation. Strip out what is not considered relevant.

Our approach has to provide more than you need and allow you to strip out what is not required.

The alternative is to provide less than you need and hope you can remember the missing bits.

The former is a better approach.

Over time, the templates can be modified and new templates added. If you make changes to a template, ensure it is made available for future projects. Examples of documents produced from the templates can also be added to the web site to assist future projects.

Project Management Phases

Each organisation has it's own names for phases. They might be 'Analysis, Select, Configure and Implement' or 'Design, Purchase, Convert and Implement'. The logic behind the process is however is consistent . It starts with an understanding of the requirements and progresses through a selection process until the solution is finally rolled out to the organisation.

In order to keep the framework generic, we have settled on the following phases.

• Idea Initiation
• Phase Zero
• Project Planning
• Preliminary Requirements
• Market Review
• Solution Evaluation
• Solution Decision
• Customisation and Configuration
• Business Processes
• Implementation
• Handover
• Project Closure

By using these generic names, most projects will fit within the framework.

Extendibility

Customisation

All templates and web pages can be customised to suit your organisation.

• The web site has been prepared using Dreamweaver MX. If changes are envisaged, it is worth investing in a copy of Dreamweaver.
• Where documents are in PDF format, the originals are available and can be modified.
• All html web pages have been kept simple in design with virtually no scripts included. The only script used is a javascript included file to create the last updated date.
• Styles are defined in a css file and can be updated across all pages by changing the css style.
• Almost all pages are based on two Dreamweaver templates (phases and activities). Changing the template in Dreamweaver will update all pages.
• You can set up your company name in a text file. Your company logo can be used on the site in place of the generic logo at the top of this page.