Principles of

Project Management
Class # 3
An foundation course to project management terms and practices

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Questions before we
start?

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Homework
Read Chapters 4 & 5 of the 5th edition
of the PBMOK
Read Chapter 4 & 15 of Eric Verzuhs
Fast Forward MBA in Project
Management
Complete tools not completed in
todays class

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Last Class Agenda

Use key tools and

techniques to help
initiate a project
successfully

Stakeholder
Management

Todays Training Agenda

Project
Requirements

Creating a Sound
Bite!

Project
Management and
Organizational
Designs

Determining Project Requirements

The incidence of project failure that is
directly related to failed requirements
engineering is staggering
Eric Verzuh Fast Forward MBA in Project Management, 4th edition, pg 399

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Requirement Definition
A requirement is:
A condition or capability needed by a stakeholder that
MUST be achieved to solve a problem or objective
Must satisfy a contract, standard, or specification
A requirement states the need but does not specify a
solution
A requirement must be verified by one of the following
methods:
Analysis

Inspection
Demonstration
Test
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Watch out
Identification of requirements can
be affected by:

Compliances

Assumptions

Constraints

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4 Step - Requirements Process

Functional
Requirements

Define the
Problem or
Opportunity

User
Requirements

Enterprise
Requirements

As Project Manager, it is important to understand each of these steps.

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Define the Problem or Opportunity

This is the first step in the process to understand what

is the problem you are trying to solve?
What is the opportunity that you see that can be
improved?
During this phase of the project is when you will develop
the project proposal which includes developing a
proposed solution.

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Enterprise Requirements

This is also known as the business requirements or

mission requirements.
These requirements form the justification of the project.
Describe the problem being solved and the difference
between current state and desired or future state.
These requirements are often too high level and not
specific enough to build a product, just enough detail
the ultimate goals of the project.
The enterprise requirements are the What and future
requirements will establish How

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User Requirements

These requirements come directly from the end user.

These describe the everyday tasks that the user wants as
features in the system.
One of ways to capture these requirement is using Use
Case specifications. These are documents user tasks in a
natural language to describe the steps the user takes to
perform a task.
This is a very difficult task to do effectively capturing
requirements from a user and takes years to get right!

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Functional Requirements

Describe the solution from the perspective of the

system.
Documented as capabilities the system is required to
provide to the user to all the user to perform an activity.
Describes specific functions of the system. E.g. I.E. will
have functions described to Print, Search, Save, and
Search
Written like a list of demands and not in natural
language format. E.g. The system must allow the user
to print the current page.

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4 Step - Requirements Process Summary

Functional
Requirements

Define the
Problem or
Opportunity

User
Requirements

Enterprise
Requirements

Follow this process every time you go through the Requirements process.

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7 Step Checklist for Requirements

Development Activities
Scope
Definition

Specification

Product
Vision

Analysis

Stakeholder
Identification

Elicitation

Page 404 of The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management

Requirements
Validation

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Requirements Exercise:

Working in small groups and focusing on your class

project, your exercise is to document 3 new
requirements for you project.
Two people on your team are assigned the role of
customer.
Rest of the team are the project manager and the
requirement analysts.
With someone taking the lead, walk through the 7 step
checklist for developing those 3 requirements for your
class project.
Document requirements and be prepared to share with
the class.

Refer to The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management Text to help you through this exercise.

Break

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Deliver Your Message With Short,

Compelling Sound Bites

When developing requirements, one of the keys

in getting your requirements understood and
what you want to do in your project is to create
short and compelling sound bites.
It is important to understand and believe in your
sound bite for your effort.
Lets spend some time now and look at creating
sound bites for your project.
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Deliver Your Message With Short,

Compelling Sound Bites
Michael Korda, editor in chief at Simon & Schuster,
hit the nail on the head when he said,

If you can't describe a book in one or

two pithy sentences that would make
you or your mother want to read it,
then of course you can't sell it.
- The Wall Street Journal, June 26, 1984

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You better be ready to say what you mean..

Quickly, Clearly and Compellingly!
Create - a message, that you can deliver in less than 30 seconds.
Purpose - is to turn listeners on to the project and gain support.
Outcome an "elevator speech:" that you can deliver in the time it
takes an elevator to rise from the lobby to the fifth floor.

Wiki defines Sound bite a short phrase or sentence that captures the essence
of what the speaker is trying to say, and is used to summarize information and
entice the reader or viewer.

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Creating Sound Bites Tips and Tricks

Make sure sound bite is clear and understandable.

Make the sound bite fresh and inspiring!

Cover in your sound bite the Who, What, Where, and

Why.
Watch Body Language, Tone and Pitch when giving sound
bite to your audience.
Consider the main message that you want the audience to
receive. Make 2-3 points and make sure they are covered.

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Skill Check 3: Part C

Sound Bite Pitch Exercise

Working in small groups, using the project

charter and the power and interest grid from
earlier, and create a sound bite pitch for
stakeholders.
Create your sound bite based on your
projects board member asking you the
following question:

So hows the new fundraising project going?

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Break

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Objective 4

Identify the common project management

organization designs, influences and
authority levels that a project manager must
navigate when managing a project

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Organizational Influences on the

Project Management

Organizational Cultures and Styles Shaped by the common experiences of members of

the organization.
Organizational Communication
90% of a Project Managers role is communication.
Organizational Structures
Affects the availability of resources and influences
how project is conducted.

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Influences of Organizational
Structures on Projects
Influences of Organizational Structures on Projects
Functional

Weak Matrix

Balanced Matrix Strong Matrix

Projectized

PM Authority

Little or None

Low

Low to Moderate Moderate to High

Resourses Avaiable

Little or None

Low

Low to Moderate Moderate to High

Who Manages the

project budget
Project Manager's
Role
Project
Management
Administrative Staff

Functional
Manager

Functional
Manager

Mixed

Project Manger

Project Manger

Part-time

Part-time

Full-time

Full-time

Full-time

Part-time

Part-time

Part-time

Full-time

Full-time

High to
Almost Total
High to
Almost Total

Table 2-1 PMBOK, Fifth ed. Pg 22

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Influences of Organizational Structures on Projects

Advantages & Disadvantages
Model

Benefits

Challenges

Functional

Small projects may be perfectly suited

for a part time project manager where
they are needed to just Sheppard
along the effort.
Less costs, less administrative need to
monitor the effort.

PM has little to no authority

PM has little to no resources
PM does not manage the budget, and therefore has hard time to
make tradeoff decisions
PM often works in a Part time role
PM may have admin staff, but they would be Part time at best

Weak Matrix

Small projects may be perfectly suited

for a part time project manager where
they are needed to just Sheppard
along the effort.
Less costs, less administrative need to
monitor the effort.

PM
PM
PM
PM
PM

has no authority
has few resources
does not manage the budget
works Part time
may have admin staff, but part time at best

Balanced
Matrix

Medium size project that requires

limited project management and
important and complex enough to the
company that can not be left alone.

PM
PM
PM
PM
PM

has limited authority

has limited resources
manages some components of the budget
is often full time on the project
has Part time resources for administrative help

Strong Matrix

Large complex effort that requires a

project manager to drive the project to
completion. Company has not matured
enough to allow project managers to
have team members that are direct
reports.

PM
PM
PM
PM
PM

has high authority on project decisions

has high authority over resources
manages budget
is full time on project
has full time administrative staff

Projectized

Large complex effort that requires a

project manager to drive the project to
completion. Company are mature in
project management practices and
team members are direct reports.

PM
PM
PM
PM
PM

has total authority on project

has total authority over resources
manages the budget
is full time on project
has full time administrative staff
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Note: Small, Medium and Large projects & associated complexity are going to be company specific.

Skill Check 4
Influences on Org Structures
Quiz 3: Scenario & multiple choice

Grab a handout of the quiz if you dont have one from

your instructor.
Please ensure that you complete the quiz alone and do not
discuss with other students.
When finished we will go over the answers together.

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Class Summary

Remember the importance of requirements and the impact they

have on projects. As Erics says in his book, The incidence of
project failure that is directly related to failed requirements
engineering is staggering. Ensure you treat the requirements
process with the highest amount of rigor and control on your
projects.
Creating a Sound bite Pitch is something that should inspire
and gain the interest of the receiver immediately. Take time
and practice and learn your sound bites for your project.
Organizational structures drives the amount or lack of
influence you will have on your projects. Make sure you
understand your org model and work within the parameters of
that model while you drive your project.

Course Wrap Up

PMI has document the lifecycle process and knowledge areas that define
how project managers develop and drive their projects. Understand and

learn these areas for your projects.

The project management role plays very important functions on a project

and it is critically important for anyone going into the role to understand
these functions for them to be successful.
Stakeholder management is a critical component to driving a successful
project. Create the Stakeholder Register and Power Interest Grid on every
project to increase your chance of success.
Project Requirements process is complex and takes years to be good at for
most people. As a PM your role may not be to capture these requirements
directly, but you need to be aware and involved in the process.
Organization structures can make or break the success of a project,
however not all companies are mature enough to understand this and as a
project manager you can be put in a very difficult position to be successful
on your project. Understand the different models and if possible try to get
involved in picking the right model for your project!

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Cited Work

Anonymous. (2009, January 29). Project Management - Why projects

are initiated. Retrieved March 21, 2013, from Instructing.com:
http://instructing.com/2009/01/why-projects-are-initiated-2/
Michael Stanleigh Business Improvement Architects. (n.d.). Articles.
Retrieved March 16, 2013, from bia.com:
http://www.bia.ca/articles/pj--pm-vs-pjm.htm
PMI. (2013). Project Management Body of Knowledge Fifth Edition.
Pennsylvania: Project Management Institute, Inc.
Rex. (2012, April 3). blog home. Retrieved February 17, 2013, from
focus on training: http://www.focus-on-training.co.uk/blog/whyprojects-fail-or-succeed
Verzuh, E. (2012). The Fast Forward MBA in Project Management.
New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc

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Class Wrap-up

Please complete your

BC Evaluation Form

Thank you and Stay

in Touch!!