1.
Tough Projects
Keeping them on Course
What can make the difference between
Success and Failure?
MIKE MELLIN, BSEE/MS
Senior Project Manager
Dunhill Technical Services, LLC
Las Vegas, Nevada 89139
858-405-7633 – MikeMellin@AOL.com
TEAMWORK IS A MUST
PLOT YOUR COURSE
PRESENTATION TO THE PMI SOUTHERN NEVADA CHAPTER
FEBRUARY 18, 2016

2.
REAL WORLD PROJECT EXPERIENCES – KEEPING YOUR PROJECT ON COURSE
• TOUGH PROJECTS ARE ALWAYS A CHALLENGE – TAKE IT TO SUCCESS
• THE PROJECT PLAN – IF THEIR ISN’T ONE – CREATE IT – YOU THEN HAVE A COURSE
• SCOPE, REQUIREMENTS THEN A DESIGN OF WHAT WE WILL BUILD AND SUPPORT
• THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX – BE A VISIONARY – BE POSITIVE
• LEADERSHIP IS SO IMPORANT – TEAMWORK EVERYONE IS PART OF THE TEAM
• COMMUNICATE WITH EVERYONE - AND BE ALSO KNOW TO WHEN TO LISTEN
• ALL TASKS ARE IMPORTANT AND LEAD TO MILESTONE ACCOMPLISHED
• USE TOOLS TO NAVAGATE AND MANAGE YOU PLAN AND CRITICAL PATH ITEMS
• KNOW WHO YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE, AND THEIR IMPORTANCE FOR SUCCESS
• LOOK FOR LOW HANGING FRUIT – AND GRAP IT FOR A SMALL WINS TO SUCCESS
• ASK QUESTIONS – OTHERWISE YOU MAY NOT KNOW THE ANSWERS
• THE PLAN SOULD HAVE– START and FINISH - DON’T LET OTHERS MOVE THE FINISH
• FOCUS ON THE GOALS – THE POT IS MORE THAN ½ FULL – 90% MIGHT BE GOOD
• HAVE A BUDGET, MANAGE IT, AND DON’T LET OTHERS STEAL YOUR CHEESE
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WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM TOUGH PROJECTS and HAVE SUCCESSFUL WINS?

3.
WHAT CAN LEAD TO SUCCESS OR FAILURE of a PROJECT – Is failure an Option?
SUCCESS is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failures, loyalty, and
persistence - Colin Powell
TOP TEN FACTORS WHY PROJECTS COULD FAIL – IMPORTANT TO MANAGE THESE:
1. Scope Creep – Lack of or Changing Requirements
2. Resources Allocations
3. Poor Communication
4. Stakeholder Management and User Involvement
5. Poor to no Budget Estimates – No Reserves
6. No Risk Management
7. Unsupported Project Culture
8. Leadership and Team Work
9. Schedule and Critical Path Management
10. Technology Capabilities and Management
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4.
Project Life Cycle Navigation - PMBOK 5th
•High Level Process Groups for a Project
Initiating – Goal – PROJECT CHARTER
Business goals and objectives
Project Statement of Work
Sponsor(s)
Stakeholders (key and others)
Charter presentation and approval
Planning
Project Plan
Scope, requirements, schedule, costs
Budget
Team Staffing
Executing
Team and Training
Procurement
Communications
Deliverables
Acceptance
Monitoring and Controlling
Milestones against the plan
Project Accounting and Budget Variances +/ -
Risk and Issue Management
Progress reporting
Closing
Accounting and final Invoicing
Final Acceptance
Contract Closures
Hand-off to support with training
Post Implementation Reports
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5.
YOUR PROJECT CHARTER – AUTHORITY AND GUIDE TO YOUR MAP- OUTLINE – KEY TO SUCCESS
• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
• PURPOSE OF PROJECT
• BENEFITS
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT STRAGETY
• SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES
• PROJECT STAKEHOLDERS
• AUTHORITIES –
• SPONSOR, COMMITTEES, PM
• ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
• SCHEDULE – HIGH LEVEL
• RESOURCES
• MAJOR MILESTONES
• BUDGET
• METRICS AND KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
(KPI’S) – LIKE EARNED VALUE (CPI, SPI, EAC…)
• KEY SUCCESS FACTORS
• RISKS
• APPROVALS
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PROJECT CHARTER SAMPLE

6.
PROJECT SPONSOR(S) Typically One
$$$ & Authority
Identify KEY STAKEHOLDERS –
Keep Informed - Communication
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7.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN – KEY ELEMENTS *SOMETHINGS
SPECIFIC FOR YOUR PROJECT
Acceptance Criteria
Acceptance Criteria and Methods
Change Management Plan – Change, Release, Updates
Communications Plan
Configuration Management and Control
Cost Management Plan –Includes Cost Baseline
Issue Management Plan
Organization – Also covered in Project Charter
Pilot Program – New Products and Releases
Procurement Management (as applicable)
Project Reporting
Quality Assurance Oversight
Quality Plan
Risk Management Plan
Schedule Management Plan – Includes Schedule Baseline
Statement of Scope and Work (SOW)
Steering Committees - Project and Possibly Executive
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SAMPLE PROJECT ORGANIZATION

8.
SCOPE CREEP – MAKE SURE YOU HAVE CLEAR AND CONSISE BUSINESS AND SCOPE REQUIREMENTS
SCOPE = The sum of the products, services, and results to be provided as a Project
KEEP THE CART BEFORE THE HORSE
• Business Requirements (BRD)
• Technical Requirements (TRD)
• Statement of Scope/Work
• Key Dates and Milestones
• Funding Sources and Budget
• Baseline Everything
• Manage Change
Requirements will define the Scope
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KEY FACTORS TO HAVE AND MANAGE

9.
Project Management Triple Constraint or Iron Triangle –
Keeping the Project On Course
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10.
YOUR PROJECT PLAN AND SCHEDULE – KEY TO KEEPING ON COURSE
Key Components
• Major Phases
• Tasks and Durations = Work = WBS
• Task Dependencies
• Cost loaded Resources
• Milestones and Key Dates
• Critical PATH
• Beginning and End 10

11.
RESOURCE LOADED PROJECT WITH PERCENT COMPLETE
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12.
HAVING INTEGRATED TOOLS – DASHBOARD FOR VISUAL MANAGEMENT AND SUCCESS
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13.
BUDGET MANAGEMENT
• Status with Authorized Budget Baseline – Typically part of Project Charter
• Break it down by manageable components
• Update Costs weekly
• Use Earned Value when Possible
• Project and Management Reserves – Know your Organization Systems
• Work Authorization and Time Keeping – Important
• Control who is charging to your project – Resources, Material, etc.…
• Manage Reserves and Variances
• Project Reserves in Project Budget
• Management Reserves – Senior Management
• Update in Periodic Reports – ON TIME
Not
Recommended
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14.
Project Budget
Breakdown
[A] [B] [C] Variance
Item Description
Current
Baseline
Actual
Expenditures
Projected
Variance = [A] – [B]
– [C] from Plan-
Mod3
Budget Plan-
Mod3
To Date
Amount to
Complete
Budget M&A Analysis and
Reporting
$50,000 $49,685 $315 $0
Business and Operational
Support
$21,392 $17,145 $4,247 $0
Design-Engineering
Services) (G4S)
$431,537 $431,537 $0 $0
External Quality
Assurance (Level 2)
$48,161 $48,161 $0 $1
G&A G4S $522,892 $509,398 $13,494 $0
Hardware - All Sites (G4S) $1,212,850 $1,168,899 $43,951 $0
Hardware - Network and
Server Infrastructure
(WSF IT)
$97,982 $34,528 $63,454 $0
Installation & Test (G4S) $571,982 $558,153 $13,829 ($0)
Project Management - IT
Personal Services
$410,099 $387,363 $22,736 $0
Request for Proposal
(RFP/RFI)
$81,726 $81,726 $0 $0
Software Licenses (G4S) $1,034,332 $1,009,680 $24,652 $0
Specification and Design -
Personal Services
$247,612 $ 234,445.48 $13,167 $0
*Training (G4S) $34,049 $34,049 ($0) $0
FY 2010 Surplus ($6,833)
Totals > $4,764,614 $4,564,769 $193,012 $0
BUDGET VERSES ACTUALS WITH VARIANCE
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0
500000
1000000
1500000
2000000
2500000
3000000
3500000
4000000
4500000
5000000
Jun-12
Aug-12
Oct-12
Dec-12
Feb-13
Apr-13
Jun-13
Aug-13
Oct-13
Dec-13
Feb-14
Apr-14
Budget Verses Actuals
Balance
Availabl
e
Total
Expendi
tures
Series3

15.
BUDGET GRAPHIC ALLOCATIONS
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WSF Accounting - 1%, $50,000 , 1% WSF Security Support -
0.5%, $21,392 , 0%
Detailed Design G4S 9%,
$431,537 , 9%
Quality Assurance - 1%, $48,161 , 1%
General and Administrative
(G&A) G4S - 11%, $522,892 ,
11%
Hardware G4S - 29%, $1,212,850 ,
25%
Hardware WSF IT - 2%, $97,982 , 2%
Installation and Test - 12%,
$571,982 , 12%
Project Management and
Reporting - 9%, $410,099 , 9%
RFI and RFP PM
- 2%, $81,726 ,
2%
Software G4S - 22%, $1,034,332 ,
22%
Requirements
G4S - 5%,
$247,612 , 5%
Training G4S - 1%,
$34,049 , 1%
WSF Accounting - 1%
WSF Security Support - 0.5%
Detailed Design G4S 9%
Quality Assurance - 1%
General and Administrative (G&A) G4S - 11%
Hardware G4S - 29%
Hardware WSF IT - 2%
Installation and Test - 12%
Project Management and Reporting - 9%
RFI and RFP PM - 2%
Software G4S - 22%
Requirements G4S - 5%
Training G4S - 1%

16.
COMMUNICATIONS – MOST IMPORTANT FOR PROJECTS SUCCESS
• KICK-OFF MEETING – START OF PROJECT – ALL STAKEHOLDERS
• DAILY STAND-UPS – Project Team Key Personnel
• DAILY with Procurements and Sub Contractors
• BI-Weekly Status to Management
• Monthly Steering Committees
• Quarterly Reviews – Sponsor and Executives
• Change and Configuration Control Meetings
• Demonstrations based on Key Milestones
• One-One – Project Manager and Key Stakeholders
• Most Effective – Oral Face to Face - Tele/Video Communications
• Project War Room – Typically key conference room - Make it Visual
MAJOR EVENTS AND TASKS SHOULD BE COMMUNICATED TO KEY STAKEHOLDERS
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17.
• Agenda
• Status
• Milestones
• Issues
• Risks
• Events
• Calendar
• Actions
• Minutes
MEETINGS CAN BE RECURRING OR SPECIAL – ALWAYS NOTICE AND AGENDA IN ADVANCE
MEETINGS –MOST IMPORTANT TO KEEP YOUR PROJECT ON COURSE
MEETINGS MUST
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18.
GETTING YOUR PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLS
• START WITH YOUR REQUIREMENTS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
• CONSIDER THE CULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT
• CONSIDER COST OF OWNERSHIP
• SUBSCRIPTION BASED AT A LOWER LIFE-CYCLE COST
• DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
• SUPPORTING AND INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING TRAINING
• POPULAR TOOLS TODAY:
• MICROSOFT OFFICE 2016/Office 365 – Subscription Based Options
• Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, SharePoint, Skype
• Project Management
• MS Project/Project Server, ProjectManager.Com (shown today),
• SmartSheet, LiquidPlanner, CA Clarity/Workbench, Atlassian JIRA
• SUBSCRIPTION BASED INTEGRATED SYSTEM IS SOMETIMES BEST
SOLUTION
• TEAM DECISION - Based on Requirements
• PROTOTYPE - TRY BEFORE YOU BUY – EVERYONE HAS 30 FREE TRIALS
• BE AWARE OF FREEWARE
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19.
19
Coach
John
Wooden

20.
CELLEBRATE SUCCESS AND RECOGNIZE/REWARD EVERYONE ON YOUR TEAM
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21.
CONCLUSIONS
• TOUGH PROJECTS DON’T NEED TO BE
• HAVE YOUR TEAM - KEEP YOUR PROJECTS ON COURSE
QUESTIONS?
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22.
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FLIM CLIP – COACH JOHN WOODEN UCLA

23.
PMI RESOURCES – FREE TO MEMBERS
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24.
PRACTICE GUIDES
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