This whitepaper is for those who believe that project management should be a complicated discipline. I hope you find it useful! -Denise

1. KEEP IT
SIMPLE
PROJEC
T
MANAGEMEN
WHITEPAPER

2. Project management is essential
for many industries but many
organizations avoid applying it
claiming the complexity of its
processes and the increased
demand for continuous tracking.

3. Project management is essential
for many industries but many
organizations avoid applying it
claiming the complexity of its
processes and the increased
demand for continuous tracking.
Most of the projects running everyday worldwide have a
short duration, small budget and limited resources that
often work for more than one project at the same time.

4. OPTIONS YOU HAVE:
NOT TO USE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
Stressing conditions: Doing the same
job more than once by several people,
while leaving other tasks behind.
This is the begging of confusion!

5. OPTIONS YOU HAVE:
NOT TO USE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
Stressing conditions: Doing the same
job more than once by several people,
while leaving other tasks behind.
This is the begging of confusion!
USE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
More stressing conditions:
Implementing project management
in detail may also be confusing, if
applying more processes and tools
than you probably really need.

6. OPTIONS YOU HAVE:
NOT TO USE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
Stressing conditions: Doing the same
job more than once by several people,
while leaving other tasks behind.
This is the begging of confusion!
USE PROJECT
MANAGEMENT PROCESSES
More stressing conditions:
Implementing project management
in detail may also be confusing, if
applying more processes and tools
than you probably really need.

7. Just keep it simple!
let’s get started

8. Here, you will find some
basic steps to start with.

9. Here, you will find some
basic steps to start with.

10. Here, you will find some
basic steps to start with.
Ps. This is just a whitepaper!
Keep reading books, magazines, web sites,
blogs, take a seminar… anything that will help
you improve your knowledge and experience.

11. Here, you will find some
basic steps to start with.
Ps. This is just a whitepaper!
Keep reading books, magazines, web sites,
blogs, take a seminar… anything that will help
you improve your knowledge and experience.
NOW START

12. Just got the job?
Congratulations!

13. Just got the job?
Congratulations!
The contract has been signed,
meaning that you have agreed
to deliver the project within
specific time frame and budget
(at the same time…)

14. Just got the job?
Congratulations!
The contract has been signed,
meaning that you have agreed
to deliver the project within
specific time frame and budget
(at the same time…)

15. Start working
the project of course!

16. Start working
the project of course!

17. Start working
the project of course!
This is the first and most
common mistake that
many small companies and
freelancers do.

18. Think first,
act later

19. 1 preparation
Projects, consists of people brought together to develop
and create a service or a product to be used by people.
The first thing to do, is to decide and
select the people that will work for the
project; and ensure their availability.
Are they working on something else
already? Probably yes, but do they
have available time, or do you have to
release them from what they’re doing
and engage them to the new project?
It’s time for a meeting!

20. 1 preparation
Projects, consists of people brought together to develop
and create a service or a product to be used by people.
The first thing to do, is to decide and
Team selection select the people that will work for the
basic criteria
project; and ensure their availability.
Skills
Availability Are they working on something else
Diversity already? Probably yes, but do they
Teamwork have available time, or do you have to
Experience release them from what they’re doing
and engage them to the new project?
It’s time for a meeting!

21. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
Provide all information required to
your project team. They need to
know exactly what they have to do,
when and why. Get the team together
and start project planning.
Set the objectives:
the most important tasks and
milestone dates of the project like the
final and intermediate deadlines and
meetings with the customer.

22. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
Provide all information required to
your project team. They need to
Plan the scope of
know exactly what they have to do, the project.
when and why. Get the team together Create the basic
and start project planning. structure (WBS) for
further planning.
Set the objectives:
the most important tasks and
milestone dates of the project like the
final and intermediate deadlines and
meetings with the customer.

23. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
Develop a basic plan -a graph- of the
tasks to be done.
A detailed time schedule isn’t always
the right solution.
Focus on the sequence of the tasks
and the persons that will carry out
each one of them.
Set small goals for everyone in the
team if possible.

24. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
Develop a basic plan -a graph- of the
tasks to be done.
Plan in detail what is
A detailed time schedule isn’t always
really needed, not
the right solution.
more and never less.
Focus on the sequence of the tasks
Motivate your team, and the persons that will carry out
set goals. each one of them.
Set small goals for everyone in the
team if possible.

25. 2
Questions:
planning
Save efforts and money.
Is the plan realistic in terms of availability, skills, experience and
work distribution?
How long will it take for each task to be completed?
Are there any prerequisites before the begging of any task?
How the team members have to collaborate to meet their goals?

26. 2
Questions:
planning
Save efforts and money.
Is the plan realistic in terms of availability, skills, experience and
work distribution?
How long will it take for each task to be completed?
Are there any prerequisites before the begging of any task?
How the team members have to collaborate to meet their goals?
If you can answer
the questions,
then you have set
the basic structure
of the project plan.

27. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
The key to planning is to make sure
that you haven’t forgotten anything
might cause changes and re-
planning in the future.
Actually, there’s always something
missing and if you don’t notice it, the
customer will.
Just accept it and get prepared;
sent the customer the project plan
for approval.

28. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
The key to planning is to make sure
that you haven’t forgotten anything
Changes are the
might cause changes and re-
only sure thing that
you will face when planning in the future.
running a project. Actually, there’s always something
Make your best not missing and if you don’t notice it, the
to come from you customer will.
and your team! Just accept it and get prepared;
sent the customer the project plan
for approval.

29. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
Before starting to work decide how
you will track progress.
How often, daily or weekly?
You also need to know the amount of
work completed so far and what’s left
to be done.
A simple method is to focus on the
time (hours or days) planned for
each task.
Just calculate progress based on the
working hours completed and
compare against the planned.

30. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
Before starting to work decide how
you will track progress.
How often, daily or weekly? Spend some time to plan
You also need to know the amount of on how the project will
be managed.
work completed so far and what’s left
to be done.
How will you measure
A simple method is to focus on the the progress?
time (hours or days) planned for The team’s performance?
each task.
Just calculate progress based on the
working hours completed and
compare against the planned.

31. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
How will you receive actual data,
sending emails, completing forms?
Select a method that fits better to
your team and engage them not to
forget updating their progress.

32. 2 planning
Save efforts and money.
Create a simple How will you receive actual data,
standardized,
sending emails, completing forms?
communication plan.
Select a method that fits better to
You will find it at
least helpful. your team and engage them not to
You may also use it forget updating their progress.
for communicating
with the customer.

33. start working,
3 at last (executing)
Keep your team connected.
A daily 15 or 30 minutes briefing to
discuss about progress, problems or
changes keeps the team in touch with
the big picture of the project.
Daily meetings help everyone to stay
consistent, while realizing the
importance of the process for the
project’s success.

34. start working,
3 at last (executing)
Keep your team connected.
A daily 15 or 30 minutes briefing to Project management
discuss about progress, problems or is about people.
changes keeps the team in touch with Listen to them and be
the big picture of the project. honest. This is the
Daily meetings help everyone to stay best way to enhance
consistent, while realizing the performance.
importance of the process for the
project’s success.

35. start working,
3 at last (executing)
You may want to use a whiteboard
easily accessible by everyone,
writing down everyday’s tasks,
notes and goals achieved!
Continuous interaction helps the
team to avoid future conflicts and
misunderstanding.

36. start working,
3 at last (executing)
You may want to use a whiteboard
easily accessible by everyone,
Visibility
writing down everyday’s tasks,
notes and goals achieved!
Communication
Continuous interaction helps the
Clarity
team to avoid future conflicts and
misunderstanding.

37. 4 controlling
Control the project periodically.
A weekly progress control is great.
Is everything going as planned?
Probably not, but don’t worry!
This can happen to everyone!
Underestimated amount of work or
limited availability by a team member
may cause delays. Focus on the
variances from the initial plan and
check with your team for solutions to
get back on schedule.

38. 4 controlling
Control the project periodically.
A weekly progress control is great.
Is everything going as planned?
Probably not, but don’t worry! Set up standard
This can happen to everyone! updating periods.
Underestimated amount of work or Compare the results
limited availability by a team member and find solutions the
soonest possible.
may cause delays. Focus on the
variances from the initial plan and
check with your team for solutions to
get back on schedule.

39. 4 controlling
Project controlling is a repetitive
process. Gathering actual data
during execution and comparing the
actual versus the planned work is the
key factor that will help you meet
your goals.

40. 5 closing
Closing the project requires to finish all the
last details and get the final approval by the
customer.
Don’t forget to add value to your company
by sharing knowledge.
A closing meeting to discuss the lessons
learned from the project is priceless!
Communicate the experience gained and
improve your future performance by
creating a historical database for reference.

41. 5 closing
Closing the project requires to finish all the
last details and get the final approval by the
customer.
Don’t forget to add value to your company Never forget to
by sharing knowledge. celebrate when a
A closing meeting to discuss the lessons project is over!
learned from the project is priceless!
Communicate the experience gained and
improve your future performance by
creating a historical database for reference.

42. Who is responsible?
The role of the project manager,
the person that will manage and
coordinate the efforts, is recommended
to be authorized by the organization.
In small organizations, it is related
with a senior manager’s job title,
although it’s not always required.

43. project required?
What is manager
role requirements
Common acceptance, knowledge
It doesn’t have to be a full time
and managing skills are some of the
job; a few hours per week are
most important factors to consider
enough for managing small,
when assigning the project
simple projects.
manager’s role to a person.

44. project required?
What is manager
role requirements
You don’t have to assign all the projects to a single person; role
changing enhances responsibility and understanding among
the team members, helping to create a common organizational
culture in managing projects.

45. 0
project management
is a team play

46. Keep it simple
think first, act later
1 prepare
2 plan
3 execute
4 control
5 close
work together

47. download
share
Denise