Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Micros Small Project Template Part 2

The Micro Small Project Plan Template can downloaded here. This file was virus checked before being uploaded, but please practice safe surfing and perform a virus check once downloaded.

The previous post covered with the first section of the template, which deals with the details of the project.

The second section details how the project will be delivered. The person responsible for delivering the project or the project manager should complete it.

How to use the template - Part 2
This post will go through the steps required to define the Project Tasks.

Task: Firstly write down the key milestones. Then under each of these milestones write down all the tasks that need to be done to achieve them. Don’t worry about getting them in the right order at first, just write down the tasks as the come into your head. Once you have all the tasks, rearrange into a logical order. Once you have done this and read through them any missing tasks should be more obvious.

Resources: What resources are required to deliver the task. Resources also include the team member to deliver the task.

Duration: How long will the task take to deliver, record this in hours or days.

There are three commonly used techniques for estimating how long a task will take:
1. Use a similar task in a previous project as a guide.
2. Ask someone who has done a similar project or task.
3. Guess, how long do you think it will take, then double that.

Start:
When do you intend to start this task? Bearing mind how long it will take to
complete and the date that it needs to be finished by.

Finish: Are there specific deadlines that must be met.

Status:
This is to help you track the project. It should be simple phrases such as started, delayed, completed.
You now know how the project will be delivered, who will carry out each task, what resources are needed and how much time each task will take to meet the project deadline.

The next post will cover the final parts of the Micro Small Project Plan; recording additional information on the resources and budget; identifying project review points; and recording project notes.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Micro Small Project Plan Template: Part 1

I have now uploaded the Micro Small Project Plan Template. You can download it here. This file was virus checked before being uploaded, but please practice safe surfing and perform a virus check once downloaded.

Just like a project plan this template is constantly evolving and changing with elements being modified, added or removed. This is the current version that I use. It enables me to record all the relevant information for projects I am delegating or for small projects which I am delivering myself.

The most important part of any project is the planning of it. There is always a temptation to just start and do something to get the project underway. However it will only take 10-15 minutes to fill out the Project Plan Template. The benefit of completing this template is that it ensures that you know what you are to deliver.

How to use the template part 1

This post will cover the first section of the template which deals with the details of the project. This section is important to ensure that the requirements of the project are explicitly understood. I recommend that the person who is delegating the project completes this.

However, if it has not been completed this is also a good way of ensuring that the person delivering the project clearly understands what they are being asked to deliver. After completing the first section email it to the person responsible for delegating the project and ask for them to confirm they are happy with the contents. Any misunderstandings can be quickly ironed out before the project begins.

Project Name: What is the project called, if there is a job code include it here.

Budget: How much money is available to deliver this project. On micro small projects this will all relate to expenditure and staff costs will not be included, but clarify this.

Completion Date: When must this project be completed by.

Description: A short description of the project, giving an outline of what it is and what it should achieve. It is important to nail this down clearly before starting the project.

Objective: I remove and add this element form the template on a regular basis. This isoften captured in the description, however sometimes it may be beneficial to state the objectives separately.

Constraints: In this section any public holidays and annual leave of key people should be noted. Any issues that could impact on the delivery of the project should also be recorded here. This could include the budget or completion date not being confirmed; the name of an event to still be agreed; resources not confirmed.

Roles and Responsibilities: Record who is delivering the project, who is supervising the project, the budget holder, key people who need to be involved and the role each person will play.

Main deliverables: What is the main output of this project, a report, an event, a display?

External Dependencies: What resources and/or people from outside your organisation/department are required to deliver this project successfully?


That is the project definition complete. The purpose of the project has been recorded with the requirements specified. The next post will discuss the tasks section and include techniques to help complete this.

Micro Small Projects

So What is a micro small project? These are often no more really than tasks that have been delegated to you or by you. They can often be part of a larger project, but not always so. These projects are rarely subject to form of management.

Examples of Micro Projects are: an internal seminar; a one off mailing to clients; creating a blog; getting new display banners; redesigning a website.

Who Do micro small projects? Almost everyone, but those that are delegated these projects are junior staff or administrative personnel. They are usually expected deliver the project as part of their normal work load. Hence, it is important for those delivering these projects to know how long they are going to take, so they can efficiently fit it into their day and rearrange their other work commitments.

Ultimately the level of exposure to an organisation if a micro small project goes wrong is very small. Therefore a light touch approach is required in terms of supervision from superiors. Those delivering a micro small project are trusted to deliver it to the standard expected in the budget assigned, by the deadline prescribed.

The important aspect of these and all projects is to clarify what is expected. What is to be achieved, when and what is the budget. This determines how the project will be delivered. Therefore there needs to be some form of formal communication. This may simply be an email stating explicitly what is expected.

However, though an email may explain what is required, it will not help those delivering the project manage it. I recommend a simple template is used. This ensures all the attributes of the project can be recorded at the outset. It also provides those delivering the project with a tool, to not only manage this project, but, to act as a guide should they be asked to deliver a similar project in the future.

In my next post I will provide a link to a template I use for micro small projects and discuss how to use it.

Friday, July 11, 2008

Small Projects

So what is a small project? This is an important question that we need to answer, yet there is not standard definition of a small project.

Projects can be categorised by a number of factors: the number of hours/days/months it will take; the number of people working on a project; the number of months over which a project will be delivered; the value of a project.

Using these different factors we can break small projects down into more specific categories that relates to the amount of effort that should be spent “project managing”. The table below is how I classify small projects:


Small Project Category Maximum Number of People Involved Number of Person Hours Months to Complete Value of Project
Micro

1

15

3

£5,000
Simple

5

120

6

£10,000
Intermediate

10

360

12

£20,000
Complex

20

1000

18

£50,000

So not all small projects are equal. Therefore the tools and forms required to manage them successfully are not equal. The next few posts will explain in more detail what constitutes a micro, simple, intermediate and complex small project and what tools and forms should be used to manage them.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

Introduction to the Small Project Management Blog

Thanks for dropping by to the Small Project Management Blog.

The aim of this blog is to help those organising a small project. I will post tips and tools that I use and hope it will develop, over time, into a useful resource that people will refer to when they are required to deliver a small project. This is not wholly altruistic on my part, as it will help me organise all these little tools and tips into a workable small project methodology, which I can refer to myself.

The majority of projects that take place within organisations are small ones. They are often an additional duty delegated to you, which are carried out alongside your every day work. It can be anything from arranging an event, organising an office move, engaging a consultant to carry out a study, getting the office painted……the list is endless.

I decided to start writing this after working with various organisations and experiencing the two ways that they treat small projects; the sledgehammer approach or the end of the month approach.

The sledgehammer approach is the use of tools, techniques and methodologies created to managing large projects for the delivery of small projects this is inefficient and more time is spent filling in project documentation than is required to deliver the project.

The end of the month approach is where no tools techniques or project management methodologies are used and it is just put on a to do list as one task that must be completed by a set date. This approach often results in a last minute rush and a reduction in quality, as well as unnecessary stress for those delivering the project. It ignores the potential efficiency savings that applying the right tools and techniques to small projects could bring more often or not due to the experience of using the first approach.

This blog will provide you with tools specifically designed for small projects that through there practical application will help you deliver small projects successfully.