EPM, Microsoft Project and You

By: Collin Quiring

As a Project Manager, I tend to instinctively relate most events in life back to that profession.  I have been thinking about the situation with Shirley Sherrod (Georgia’s Agriculture Department Director).  This is an ongoing story at the time of this writing and this blog is not a political or news blog so I am not writing about this from that viewpoint nor am I indicating if what is happening is right or wrong.  However, here is a very brief summary of the current situation as I understand it:  a video was posted of Ms. Sherrod talking about a situation where she discriminated against somebody she was supposed to help.  She was fired forthwith.  Now, more of that speech is being shown where Ms. Sherrod explains that she was wrong, that she corrected it, did end up helping the individual and she made a much larger point about her role in her organization and the role of race relations.

In Project Management, we are always being asked to do more with less, do it faster, stay on top of everything and numerous other clichés meant to encourage (force?) us to act and react as quickly as humanly possible.  Well, that often means that we react to the facts as presented to us and not necessarily to all the facts or an objective view of the facts.  And, while we may be presented a set of facts with a certain “spin” from another team member, lets not forget that we have our own internal “spin” of how we are understanding those same facts.  My thoughts about getting all the information and this current situation made me think about projects I have been on where I have reacted first and then later learned more facts.  More than once I have had to go back to individuals and apologize.  And, unfortunately, a time or two the damage was already done and apologies didn’t matter (to the person or the project).

My point is that as a Project Manager, I need to try and obtain as many of the facts before I react.  I know that isn’t always easy and there is a line between “analysis paralysis”, discovering facts and being over-reactive to a few bits of information.  One great way to discover more of a story is to ask those involved rather than assume the worst or assume the bits of information that I have are the complete story. 

Perhaps a Risk Management plan would help with some things that occur during the course of a Project.  But, in the case when something new pops up and it “demands immediate attention” and a course of action, perhaps I need to take a deep breath, determine if I have all the information that I can reasonably be expected to obtain and then make a decision.  There are legitimate times when immediate action might be required but I think that if we react to everything like it requires an immediate reaction we may be creating extra pain for ourselves for when we learn more information.

Clients often ask us if there is an easy-to-use and easy-to-understand method of trying to explain and justify the use of Project Management and the use of Microsoft Project.  We have some information about that on other blog entries and on some of our other webpages on our site.  However, Tanya Foster has put together a simple summary the gives a high level overview of some of the reasons to implement Project Management and to use Microsoft Project.

 This is a downloadable PowerPoint that you are free to download and use.  It can be found on our “White Papers” page (http://pmpspecialists.com/WhitePapers.html) under the heading “The Value of Project Management” and the description “This PowerPoint document is for you to use as a guide for explaining the purpose of Project Management and Microsoft Project.  As the title slide states, this is for “Making a Case for Implementing Microsoft Project, Project Server and Project Management Concepts””

 This PowerPoint presentation has the following topic headlines:

Why Project Management?

Why Microsoft Project?

Is it Worth it?

What are some Actual Numbers?

Some of the slides have more explanation in the notes section about the topics presented on that slide.

We think that these slides are great conversation starters and are an easy-to-use tool that might help you demonstrate some of the value of Project Management and Microsoft Project.

BY: Collin Quiring

 Microsoft announced new competency requirements – 22 of them were just launched.  From our perspective at PMP Specialists, as a Microsoft Partner, we welcome these new competencies and their requirements. 

 But, why should you, the end customer care at all?  Well, how many times has a consultant (for any product or service) told you how they could do whatever it was that you wanted?  Or, that they have on their business card and brochures that they are experts in everything?  This is particularly true of the really big consulting firms.  There is a natural tendency for them to claim, and for customers to believe, that they are “Jacks-of-all-trades” and can install, configure, setup, train and otherwise help you with any IT or business need that you have.  But, sadly, as most of us have experienced, this isn’t always true.

 I know of one large IT consulting firm that routinely claims they can help customers with various software and then when they sell the consulting to the customer, they get somebody that knows software “similar” to it.  Or, they use the philosophy of “that software can’t be too different from the stuff we know”.  And, I know of and heard about bad experiences from both the consultant and customer side and sometimes those situations even result in lawsuits.

 I am a believer in “you get what you pay for” and in paying for the right expertise (see the three part series of blog entries called “Microsoft Project Certifications – are they worth it?”).  Just like you get a painter to paint your house and electrician to wire it and not just some guy that says he knows wiring or knows painting; you should strongly consider hiring the appropriately certified consultant to help with your business needs.

 When you determine what your Microsoft needs are, I strongly recommend that you review the competency level of the Microsoft Partner and the certifications of the individuals they are sending to you.  You are paying for the services and products and you should have a level of comfort that the Partner is capable of producing the results that they claim.

 And, I think this applies to the business side of the equation as well.  A Supply Chain expert, a Project Manager and a Business Analyst may have some overlapping duties, but they aren’t necessarily experts at all three.  Each industry has a certification path and I think that a customer should “get what they pay for” and have a level of comfort with the ability of the individual.

By:  Collin Quiring

Just a quick muse.

The saying “Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery” has been around a long time and I have been thinking about it the last few days quite a bit.  I am getting ready to do a massive SharePoint Server 2010 installation and a Project Server 2010 installation.  In so doing, I have been doing quite a bit of research lately to make sure that I have an understanding of how these tools are installed and the steps for setting them up and then maintaining them for the users.

In my research, I do some generic Google and Bing searches for SharePoint and Project to see what has been done by others already.  And, I keep running into tools that claim to be “as good as” Microsoft Project or Project Server.  But when I look at these tools that claim they are “as good as” Project or Project Server I have found that they mean that their tool does one thing and one thing only – and they think it is the same as Project.  I have found this to be quite disappointing.

One tool that claimed to be great at Resource Management had a very efficient interface and did one or two things really well but as soon as I tried to do something that I normally can do in Project, I found that “as good as” didn’t mean “as comprehensive as” the Project tool.  There are also add-on tools that are available for Project - some of those are great and some are useless, but at least they claim to be “add-on” and NOT a replacement that works “as good as” like these other tools claim to be. 

Project might not be perfect, but it amuses me about how many tools want to be “as good as” Project and are doing their best to imitate it.  In fact, some tools even give the same look and feel of Microsoft Project.  It just makes me think that Project must be doing some things right if so many other companies want to imitate it!

BY: Collin Quiring

I know that I haven’t blogged as much lately.  The reason is simple – I have been busy getting ready for a few different large presetnations.  One of them is for Microsoft Project User Group – MPUG – that is a public event on April 28.  Just go to www.mpug.com and look for the “Upcoming MPUG WebNLearns” section on the right hand side.  Here are the details about the upcoming presentation.

BY: Collin Quiring

I see life through the prism of Project Management.  And, depending on the situation, how Project Management affects or is affected by customer service.  I am in the middle of having a very bad experience with the TSA – the Transportation Security Administration.  On a trip some six months ago now, they broke some of the items in my luggage.  I know it was them, and not the airline, for a number of reasons – the most obvious being that my contents were not in the same places in the suitcase that they were in when I turned the suitcase over to their care. 

Here is the part about customer service and Project Management that bothers me.  First, the TSA sets the rules under which I file a claim.  Then, they determine if the claim is valid or not, AND, they do it in their own time frame.  They decide if they did the damage or not.  They decide if they will pay or not.  They also make up the rules for you to follow if you want to appeal their other rulings.

While the overall situation is frustrating, it does make me think about how the Project Managers, or Project Management Office, is judged.  When a project is completed, who decides if it was successful or not?  And, from what criteria?  During a project, who decides if it is going well or not?  And, again, using what criteria?  I know that there are some quick and easy answers – time, budget, and quality – but are those the only criteria for if a project is going well or completed well?  And, how do the stakeholders view it? 

I have worked with some stakeholders that don’t care at all about Project Management or the “normal” criteria that Project Managers like to use for measurements.  To them, all the Project Management did was get in the way.

Which leads me back to the TSA – they use their own criteria to decide if something went well or not, and from their perspective.  As a Project Manager, on your projects, are you being your own judge and jury?  If so, perhaps it would be good to see how the stakeholders are viewing your processes, rules and measurements.

By: Collin Quiring

Two interesting articles that I have recently read have me thinking about how the best plans by a Project Manager can be controlled by the unexpected reaction of stakeholders to live events – that have nothing to do with your project.  A Project Manager may be good at Risk Analysis but it is impossible to analyze the risk of a specific real-time event occurring during your project.   I am referring to events such as news or of general interest that are happening somewhere in the world.

My only point is that despite the best efforts of a Project Manager, current events can overtake the best plans – and you have to adjust to it!

For example, take the case of Air Canada, which experienced a flight delay due to a hockey game.

VANCOUVER (Reuters) – Canada’s largest airline has learned it sometimes has to take a back seat to the country’s biggest sporting passion, ice hockey, the head of Air Canada said on Tuesday.

The airline was forced to delay a flight from Vancouver during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games because passengers watching the end of gold medal final on airport televisions ignored repeated calls to board.

“We incurred a flight delay for a reason Air Canada had not yet encountered in over 72 years of existence,” chief executive Calin Rovinescu told a business gathering.

Or, from the city of Edmonton, Alberta, the water utility, comes this report:

The water utility in Edmonton, EPCOR, published the most incredible graph of water consumption last week. By now you’ve probably heard that up to 80% of Canadians were watching last Sunday’s gold medal Olympic hockey game. So I guess it stands to reason that they’d all go pee between periods.

But still—the degree to which the water consumption matches with the key breaks in the hockey game is stunning.

BY: Tim Gryder

This accountability thing…such an important term yet subject to so much variance in opinion as to what it really means. In today’s world, accountability is constantly being redefined to us by a political and culture flag that shifts with every change in the direction of the wind. While terms and opinions vary, it’s good to know that some things never change…for example: gravity.

While gravity isn’t a social topic it is definitely a physical force which keeps us accountable to something…such as the ground. It is well defined and absolute and not up for debate as to what it means. In dealing with gravity we apply many points of physics and as a result, we are able to achieve flight but always within the boundaries of rules and physics of gravity.

So what does this have to do with Project Management you might ask? Well in my mind, Project Management is simply like the rules and physics of the absolute of time. If we apply the right business rules, sequences and events, we can manage time and ultimately cost. I recently heard an associate claim the being a Project Manager is like being a glorified note taker and task chaser. I also heard another associate claim that we never get anything done on time and on budget. These perspectives are symptomatic of not understanding the absolutes of time and its best and most profitable use.

Today, we have proven techniques, logic and technology that allow us to manage time. Never before in the history of humanity have we been able to define, plan, schedule, analyze, resource, cost, track, report etc, etc. The access to these tools are great, the use and understanding is maybe not so much.

Look at the resources at our disposal; we have tools like Microsoft Project that allow us to manage the absolutes of time. These tools are way underutilized. What is the biggest reason for not using these tools? I have come to this conclusion: Its accountability! Yes there can be other reasons but I truly believe that accountability is the culprit that deters us from unfettered time management.

Project Management tools and techniques are extremely oriented towards absolutes and holding us accountable to a “Due Date”. There….I said it…yes, time is an absolute.

Does this sound familiar?

•       “The reality is if we don’t ship our product by this date the customer will reject it”.

•       “The buyout transition must happen by a certain date or we will lose our tax advantage”.

•       “Yes, the interest will accumulate on the mortgage note if the construction is not completed on
time”.

These are simple realities that have real implications when not met. Yet I see where it is still often easier to avoid accountability than to manage these processes with business rules, techniques and tools that drive us to deliver. Human nature hates to be run like a machine, but the bottom line sure likes it.

The reality is… we all need accountability. Project Management gives us techniques and processes by which to manage time. Tools such as Microsoft Project and Project Server enable us to acknowledge the absolutes and manage them as fact. Dealing with the truth is well worth the investment of using these techniques and tools….as opposed to the cost of not being on time.

When a schedule is built and changes are made over time (whether with Resources or other areas) and the dates move.  Sometimes unexpectedly.  There are a number of items that could affect this such as Calendars, Predecessors/Successors, Deadlines, Constraints and so on.  One of the fundamental drivers for how the task changes is based upon the task type and how Microsoft Project re-calculates the task.  These task types are duration, work and units.  Even without Microsoft Project, it is good to understand the differences between these task types.

A new White Paper explaining how this works is now on our White Paper section at www.PMPSpecialists.com/WhitePapers.html  Look for the document titled “Task Types – Fixed Duration, Fixed Work, Fixed Units“

BY:  Collin Quiring

One of the mantras of Project Management is COMMUNICATION.  Study after study shows that one of the consistent reasons for failure of a project is a lack of or poor communication.  This goes for both positive and negative information.  December was spent on holidays and dealing with the fact that bad news does not get better with age.  Rather than being told there was an issue and trying to help resolve it, I have spent my time trying to understand and adjust to the effects of the issue.

I think it is human nature to try and gloss over rough edges or to avoid tough conversations about issues that will be taken negatively.  However, the statement “Bad news does not get better with age” still applies.  When somebody avoids the tough conversation they might be making life easier on themselves for the moment, but it will probably only get worse as time goes on.

I once worked with a company that had a culture of avoiding negative issues.  This was strongly encouraged by management in the way they dealt with each other and with employees.  This only meant that more money and time was spent fixing issues that had become critical and unavoidable – when they could have been addressed much sooner during the project.  Most issues were seen early in the life of the project and if those that knew the information were encouraged to speak up, rather than punished, they would have become true partners in fixing the problems.  That company would be stronger today since it would have an employee base that was “bought in” to the company and were “part of the solution”.  Instead, as the economy got weaker, and more potential issues arose, the employees ran for cover, which created more issues and so on and so on.  The same concept holds true for vendors, customers and contractors. 

We all know that 2009 was a rough economic year for many companies.  Some managers/owners have shared the bad news of financial downturn with employees – ranging from pay cuts, to cutting all “discretionary” expenses (another post on that some other time!) to forced time off without pay; or, ultimately, layoffs.  Some have kept the bad news secret and then end up at the same point.  In these two cases, the facts don’t change but the ability of the employees to help does.  Even banks have come to the realization that it is better to work out new terms with loan customers than to foreclose on every mortgage or business that they can – because it is better for everybody in the long run.

A lot of companies won’t share bad news because they fear the consequences – some real and some perception.  They want to look strong and that they are weathering the economic storm.  However, when a company knows it is having a hard time, it should go to its vendors, customers, employees and contractors and ask for help.  I know of some companies that have gone to their vendors and asked for restructured payment terms.  I know of companies that have talked with contractors and employees about modifying work or payment structures, or any of a myriad of other options.

I also know of companies that have pretended all is well and then just not paid vendors.  I know of companies that have said everything was going great and then they shut the doors.  How many of those cases would have worked out if they had shared the bad news sooner?  Yes, some companies would still go out of business, and yes, admitting a problem sometimes creates additional issues.  However, what of the reputation of the company and management when they don’t admit to issues and end up having to shut the doors?  And, what about when people eventually find out there is an issue – it may be too late to correct it at all and it is possible that a vendor that could have helped weather the storm becomes the catalyst that forces changes nobody wanted (including the vendor).

Bad news does NOT get better with age!  If a company is experiencing issues, they should be honest enough to confront it themselves and then determine a communication plan.  That plan might be to tell only tell a select few vendors, contractors or customers.  It may be that if one or two big customers pay a little faster and one or two vendors accept getting paid a little later that everybody can weather the storm together.