Checklist: Use of Project Management Methods. Methods for the Project Start, Project Coordination, Project Controlling, Resolving a Project Discontinuity, and Project Close-Down.

April 11, 2011 by smsadmin
Filed under: Project Management

The project management process is to be differentiated from the business processes for the fulfillment of project deliverables. Therefore, project content-related processes such as procurement, engineering of components, and testing of software, for example, are not management processes.

The business process “project management” must be designed in accordance with the specific requirements of a project. The use of project management methods and standard project plans, of project communication forms, of the project infrastructure, and of project consultants and project management coaches must be managed.

Use of Project Management Methods
The use of project management methods in projects should be laid down in the organizational guidelines of project-oriented companies. In accordance with the structure of the project management process, the project management methods to be used in the project start, in project coordination, in project control, in resolving project discontinuities, and in the project close-down must be differentiated. With regard to the use these methods, a distinction must be made between must and can use.

Decisions regarding the use of can methods and the degree of detail in the use of such methods must be made based on to the project.

Checklist: Use of Project Management Methods

Methods for the Project Start
Project planning
Project scope planning
 Project objectives plan
 Work breakdown structure
 Objects of considerations plan
 Work package specifications
Project scheduling
 Project milestone plan
 Project bar chart
 CPM schedule
Project resources, project costs, project income
 Project resource plan
 Project income plan
 Project cost plan
Designing the project context relationships
 Project environment analysis
 Project–other projects’ analysis
 Business case analysis
 Project presentations, project vernissage
 Pre- and postproject phase analysis
Designing the project organization
 Project assignment
 Subproject assignment
 Project organization chart
 Project responsibility matrix
 Project role descriptions
 Project rules
 Project communication plan
Developing the project culture
 Project name
 Project-specific “social” events
 Project logo
Project risk management and project discontinuity management
 Project risk analysis
 Project scenario analysis and alternative planning

Methods for Project Coordination
 To-do lists
 Work package approval certificate
 Meeting minutes

Methods for Project Controlling
Project controlling reports
 Project progress reports
 Project trend analyses
 Earned value analysis
 Project score card (plus interpretations)
Project controlling
 To-do lists
Adaptation of the project documentation
 Adaptation of the project management documentation

Methods for Resolving a Project Discontinuity
 Planning immediate measures
 Definition of the project discontinuity
 Planning alternative resolution strategies
 Cause analysis
 Ending the project discontinuity
 Planning additional measures

Methods for the Project Close-Down
Planning of measures
 To-do list: Remaining work
 To-do list: Postproject phase
 Designing the environment relationships
 Adaptation business case analysis
Know-how transfer
 Project close-down report
 Special reports
 Actual project management documentation
 Project presentation
 Articles in newsletters, on homepage, in journals
 Exchange of experience workshop
Assessment of performance
 Evaluation of project success
 Assessment of the members of the project organization
Symbolic actions in the project close-down
 “Social” end event
 Project acceptance certificate
 Closing project cost center

Designing the Project Management Process
Project communication
 Kick-off meeting
 Project workshop
 Project team meetings
IT support
 Project management software

Each new project plan resulting from the use of a project management method is a model of the project and serves to construct the project reality. The use of several different project management methods enables the development of a management complexity that matches the complexity of the project.
The quality of the project plans must be ensured by applying multiple methods. The completeness of the project plans can only be ensured by relating the project management methods with each other and by cyclic revisions of the project plans. For example, insights from project environment analysis can be incorporated into the work breakdown structure and/or in the project cost plan. The degree of detail of project plans must be determined in relation to the complexity of the project.
Project plans should be developed jointly by the project team in a project start workshop. Thus the creativity of the team can be engaged, and identification of project team members with the results is promoted. The initial development can be prepared by a small group of selected project team members. The use of moderation techniques ensures target-oriented and efficient teamwork. Visualization techniques promote communication in the project management process and support the documentation of results.
Project plans often are understood to be instruments used exclusively for documentation. In fact, however, project plans are also instruments for decision making (decisions on alternative strategies), for leadership (basis for agreements on objectives, establishing commitment), and for communication. Adequate information technology (IT) support (project management and graphics software) serves to facilitate the design and communication of recipient-specific information.