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project management
project management basics.com.

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risk management basics.com.

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The Complete Project management package

Topics include

Definitions
What is a project and Project Management?
What is a Project Management system?
Human, culture, planning...


General Project Structure
Project visualisation
Start and end
Size, costs, time...


Breaking down a project
Milestones, management
Costs and budgets...


Phases of a project
Concept, feasibility
Specification, design
Installation...


The Project notebook
What is it?
Assumptions, problem statements, mission statements
Strategy, scope, objectives
Customer analysis, deliverables
Exit criteria...


Product specification, work break down structure (WBS)
Schedules, resources, control system
Authority, roles and resonsibilities
Risk areas and benefits ...


Planning overview
Why plan?
Work breakdown structures
Task characteristics
Information and milestones...


Detailed planning
Overview
Procurement
Estimation

initial
overview
too long
too short
budgets...

Dependencies
PERT analysis
Slack or float, elapsed time
Roles and responsibilities
Resources
Gantt charts
Constraints
Critical paths and how to manage them...


Control
Why?
Monitoring, general, what...

Time, cost (terms, overspend, cash flow), quality
Progress reporting...
General, committees, data


Taking action
Assessing the situation
Impact analysis
Resolving issues and problems...


Review
Contingency
Change
Documents and procedures
Project completion...


Quality
Plan
Statistical control


Risk
Overview
Impact analysis
Risk versus impact
Automated planning tools
Consideration of time...

Responsibilities
Documentation
General approach
Identification and costing...

Assess chances and impact
Measures
Contingencies
Records and review
Health and safety...


Reviews
Project audits


Human factors
The role of the Project Manager
Overview
Project teams
Recruitment...

Communication
User expectations
Systematic approach
Empowerment
Appointment of a Project Manager...


Project organisation
Project office and documentation

What is a problem?

A.P.I.M.A.
(assess)
problem definition
analysis of data
objective definition


(plan)
identify causes
select the most likely cause
devise potential solutions
selection of the most appropriate solution
plan for implementation


(implement, monitor and act)

Problem solving techniques

problem identification
prioritisation
analysis of problem causes
identifying key causes
data gathering
evaluation and finalising options


brainstorming

method and system


Pareto analysis

what is it?
method and system


data collection

fact and opinion
documentation
method and system
interviews


cause and effect diagrams

effect vs cause
identification and selection of cause
taking action
method and system


process analysis

examine the steps in the work process
method and system


six word system

what, why, when, how, where and who?
method and system


presentation

histogram, barchart and pie chart
scatter diagram
organisation charts


Time saving templates e.g.

audit reports, customer analysis
deliverables, estimation of cost
mission statement, objectives
problem statements...

project numbering
project progress
strategy and S.W.O.T. analysis
timesheets and work breakdown and many more...


Fully Worked Example

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The complete
Risk management package

Topics include

What is risk?
Uncertainty
Risk versus issue
Risk versus reward
Margins versus contingency
Will a project succeed?
Key areas of concern...


6 basic questions to answer
Who?
Why?
What?


How?
Resource?
When?...


Why carry out a risk assessment?
Is the project too risky?
The threat intensity
Decision making
Helpful documentation...


What should risk analysis provide?
Time factor
Prioritisation
Summary of risk
Decision making
Realism...


How does risk management integrate with project management?
Risk management is key?
Permeates all projects?
Supporting role?...


Accountability
Sharing of risk
Who is accountable?...


Stakeholders
Identification
Customer and supplier
User priorities...


Success measures
How do you measure it?
Assumptions
Clarify objectives
Suppliers versus customers


Basic steps
What are the core process steps to assess a risk?

Identification
Proactive planning
Reactive planning
Monitoring and control
Triggers

A simple process outline
What is the basic overall process steps?

Identifying stakeholders
Success criteris
Plan preparation
Identify and assess risks
Ownership and planning
Aggregation, monitoring and review...


Human relations
Pressure
Timing
Bid and budget control
Risk focus
Planning confidence
Price versus cost
Client versus stakeholder driven...


The Project LIfe Cycle
Overview
Concept
Design
Plan


Allocate
Execute
Deliver
Review


Support
Different areas
Working in parallel
Milestones
Contracting
Decision points...


Cost terminology
Expected cost
Target cost
Provision
Contingency
Commitment


Statistical terminology
Mean or average
Median
Mode
Variance
Standard deviation


The risk management process
Overview
Timing
Defining the project
Defining the risk management process...


Identifying risks and responses
Organisng the risks and responses
Ownership (risks, responsibilities and contractors)
Estimating technique...


Evaluating the estimates
Planning (integrating risk and project management)
Managing (the risk management process)


Estimating detail
Overview
Simple estimating of risk
Cumulative probability graphs
Simple estimating of risk detail...


Simple estimating problems
Obtainng the estimates
Breakdown of variables...


Evaluating detail
Overview
Independent correlation
Cumulative probability graph
Positive correlation
Cumulative probability graph...


Negative correlation
Conditional correlation
Cumulative probability graphs...


Planning detail
Types of plan

Initial
Reference
Base
Contingency
Horizon
Action

Ways to modify plans
General comments


General points to consider
Resource level
Control
Contractors
Customer...


Managing the risk process
Overview
Identifying risk issues
Other issues and the project life cycle
Other aspects

Cost and resources
Effectiveness of risk management
Modelling
Managing the process...


The contractor
Overview
Risk assessment positioning
The contract
Cost plus fixed fee
Fixed price
Screening
Transferring risk...


Risk combination
The issues involved...


Common methods of risk assessment
Overview
The timing, prioritising, summarising and decision making virtues
Issue based
Checklists
Qualitative
Quantitative...


Quantitative risk assessment
Overview
Simple example and detail
Simple cost model
Cost model including uncertainty
Cost model including likelihood...


Monte Carlo distribution
Overview
Monte Carlo simulation
Monte Carlo simulation output
Monte Carlo distribution
Monte Carlo risk distribution
How do we carry out the simulations?
Probability Density Function (PDF)
Triangular Probability Density Function (PDF)...


Uncertain events
Overview
Simple pathway likelihood and frequency versus cost graph
Detailed calculations
A basic risk assessment
Probability versus total cost graph...


Correlated events
Overview
Ranges of correlation
Process summary
Risk assessment versus a traditional approach
How will the level of breakdown structure influence the result?
How do we estimate probability simply?...


General points
Collecting task information
Documentation
Other areas to consider when reviewing risk


Data handling
Overview
Monte Carlo risk distribution
Multiple variables


Budget versus contingency
Overview and setting the contingency
Alternative setting of contingency


Schedule risk assessment
Detailed planning, 4 basic types
Detailed planning, in software


Simple network
Simple network (no lag) duration calculations
Simple network (with lag) duration calculations


Branching
Overview (simple branching)
Complex branching
Complex branching duration calculations
Multiple branching
Multiple branching duration calculations
Multiple probability branching
Multiple probability branching duration calculations
Production example
Production example, one step further
Production model output interpretation graph
Nodes and branching networks
Nodes and branching networks graphical output


Markov chain
Events and transitions
Benefits
When do you use it?


Business forecast
Overview (types of operation, activity, timing and correlation)
Business schedule risk
Business revenue and profit risk distribution
Business profit yearly forecast
Business profit simulation graphical output


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The Complete Time management package

Topics include

Resources
Capital
Physical
Human
Information
Finite time...


Workaholic
Long hours
Work enjoyment
Ambition


Personal life
Routine and mundane
Addiction


Result orientation
Old values
Tiredness and mistakes
Signs...


What is time management?
Problem time solving
Goals or objectives and targets
Strategy and tactics...


Goals
Road to success
Hurdles
Basic tactics
Types
Setting goals


Refining goals
Control
Short and long term
Quality
Flexibility...


Objectives
List of tasks
Dependent and non dependent
Strategic v urgent
Prioritise...


Prioritising objectives
Priority ranking
Multiplication ranking
Tabular matrix...


Urgent v important
Urgent - deadline
Important - time
Matrix
Rank
Category detail
Job needs
Job order...


Human nature
Pleasing people
Avoidance of challenges
Fear of position
Ambition


Pride of ability
Being a perfectionist
Retaining control
Preconceived ideas...


Blame culture
Interruptions
Phone calls
Meetings


Lacking data
What are the goals?
Objectives...


Productivity
Output v input...


Also...

Time log
Prioritised objectives
Weekly plan
Recording the log
Analysis


Identify 'time destroyers'
Identify actions
Implement plan...


Key time destroyers
Action chasing
Being disorganised
Can't say no
Crisis management
Friends


Large reports
Low energy levels
Meetings
Multiple tasks
Other's errors


Other's jobs
Paperwork
Perfection
Poor communication
Poor control and reporting


Poor delegation
Poor information
Poor leadership
Poor planning
Poor preparation


Poor self discipline
Putting things off
Resource issues
Responsibility v authority
Socialising
Staff issues


The boss
The telephone
Travel time
Unfinished tasks
Unwanted callers
Work overload
Your own errors...


Typical process
Review your personal time log
Audit
Decide on your time destroyers
Rank them in order of priority
Review the causes


Consider solutions
Generate action steps
Decide on the time scale
Create deadlines
Teamwork...


Strategies for getting on with it
Visibilty
Rank review
Minimise
Tick off


Your time
Challenge
Delegate
Routine


Desktop
Measure
Check
Negative


Fear
Start
Exposure
Mentality


Others
Positive
Benefit
Part


Reward
Energy
Confidence...


Positive thinking
Positive mindset
Attitudes and beliefs
Self belief
Modifying attitudes
Record the goals
The road to success...


Commitment
Winning
Definition
Not knowing


Meetings
Less interruptions
Resource
Resource...


Delegation process
Monitoring
Review
Problems
Tough personnel
Towards independence...


Information collection
Part of time management
Everything
How and where to?
The purpose


Projects
Delayed tasks
Delegated tasks
Processing information
Other...


Processing the information
Define the purpose
Prioritise
Decide on the action and format...


Filing notes
What should you file?
What system should you use?
Agree
'A' to 'Z'
Day files
Other...


Day files
Detail...


Decision PATH
Priorities
Activity
Time
Health
Decision is not action...


Capturing ideas
Record
Techniques
Computer folders
Software...


Brain storm
Record
Do not criticise
Ideas
Consider


Stepwise procedure
Simple voting procedure
Ranking technique
What next?...


Mind mapping
Brain styles
Mond mapping...


Checklists
Task list of reminders
Yesterday's mistakes
Not exhaustive
Ignored
Orientation
Lacking detail...


Reminders
Processing complete
Delegated tasks
Delayed tasks
Projects
Triggers
Diary...


E-mails
General
Message rules
Back up
Spam
Action...


What not to do
General
Would it matter if you didn't do it?
How to tackle it?
Perfectionist?
Time runs out
Bottle it up
Education...


Projects
General
Plan
Meetings
Decisions and data...


Irritating tasks
Benefits
Get started
Atmosphere
Putting them off...


Combining tasks
Areas to consider
Criteria
Culture...


Time
Historical view
Passing time
Quality time
Culture
Mono and polychronic time...


Monochronic time
Attitudes
Definition
Culture
Plans
Other
Issues
Flexibility...


Polychronic time
Attitudes
Definition
Culture
Plans
Other
Issues
Flexibility...


High and low context culture
High and low
Information transfer...


Divergent thinking
Sees the big picture
Flexibility
Free space...


Convergent thinking
Takes a narrow view
Methodical
Free space...


Blending styles
Ideas
Sharing
Good will
Brain use
Assess, plan implement, monitor and act...


Assessment and planning
Best v easy
Work area ideas
Take a break
Taking notes
Prioritising...


Implementing
Combining tasks
Goal posts
Delay
Scheduling...


Prioritising
Visual sorting
Communication and flexibility
Resource
Restructuring
Inclusion...


Scheduling
Diary or calendar
Visual aids
Odd items
Personal energy
Bits and pieces
Assistant
Overload
Visible
The telephone
Proative...


Review
General
Delayed tasks
Delegated tasks
E-mails and voice mail
Diary
Collection
Projects...


Personality drivers
Faster
Please
Perfection
Try hard
Be strong...


Assertiveness
General
Assessment
Process...


Stress
General
Signs
Sources
Problems
Not enough time
Leading to tension
Tempers being lost
Stress escalates
Coping techniques?
Legal redress...


Coping with stress
General
Personality driver
Experience
Techniques
Ideas...


Playtime
General
Reasons for avoidance
Things to try
Little bits
Imagination...




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Leadership - proactive behaviour

Leadership needs proactivity these could be some of the necessary behaviours...
Lead by example
In order to be a better leader you must sharpen your own proactive behaviour and be less of a follower.
To do this you must be aware of what being a proactive person really is.
  • You tackle needs using priorities.
  • You focus on 'important' and not 'urgent' issues.
Remember.

Urgent

Urgent tasks are deadline based. This is usually independent of yourself and is often driven by others. The sooner the task needs completion the more urgent it is. This has no relation to importance. It is a simple matter to rank any jobs that you have in terms of their deadlines.

Important

The importance of a job drives how much 'time' you want to spend on it. Notice that this is independent of 'urgency' and is what you want to do not what you actually spend on it. For any task the quality of your output will often relate to the time you spend on it.
These tasks should be longer term and much more strategic in nature.

Other proactive traits are.
  • Positive attitude and mindset that says 'I never give up'.
  • Act instead of react.
  • Look for opportunities.
  • You will invest time in yourself and your team.
  • You are in control.
Clarification
Leaders will know exactly what they need to do and in what order.
Before you can clarify the order of tasks you must define exactly what they are.

It's no good having a lot of leadership 'issues' in your head. You wont be able to juggle all of these and reach the correct resolution for each.
If you are looking at project management there are more formal systems for methodically deriving a list of tasks, dependencies etc.

If we are looking at a purely personal approach we only need to consider what is 'bothering' you that you wish you could sort out more efficiently.
It's these sort of issues that can fester. Trying to resolve them in a random fashion can make the situation worse and increase worry and stress.

Get all of these thoughts down on paper.
Make a list.
They could be related to family, work, interpersonal issues etc.
It's a list of issues you want a solution to.

Control
The reason that you have this list is that you are NOT in control.
Had you been in control they would not have been an issue.

To improve your control your will need to increase your influence.

Consider each of your issues.
Think why you have the problem. Be very honest.
Then derive ONE action to solve your problem.

You must have the belief that your leadership action will solve your issue.
You may have to be quite brave to implement it.
When your issue is finally resolved you must believe that there is a positive benefit to you.
Although you may not think it at the time the benefit may extend to others
Success
When carrying out this sort of exercise achieving success is important for morale and gaining momentum.
If you have a list of 20 or 30 or more issues start with a few of the most important.
Tackle no more than 5 issues at first.
Hurdles
Can't say 'No'

One of the biggest leadership training problems is being 'lead' instead of 'leading' is the inability to say 'No'.

A simple strategy to try and use is:
  • Clearly there is no point in being too blunt and rude.
  • Listen carefully to what is being asked of you.
Ask questions to clarify certain issues. Get the full information on goals, deadlines, resources, priority etc.
You may be able to use this data to build into your argument for ultimately saying no.
  • You will need to be direct. Don't be vague.
Don't hold out false hope once you have reached your decision be clear that 'no means no'.
  • Justify
When you refuse to take on something make sure you back up the decision with solid reasons.
  • Options
If you are unable to take on the work try and suggest alternatives.
Suggest someone else that could help.
Suggest another approach.
Perhaps retiming is a possibility.

Fear of responsibility

Subconsciously or consciously many people don't like to lead because they are not willing to accept the responsibility that comes with leadership.
It is often easier to take the easy route and fall in to becoming a follower.
You will often accept a level of stress or other hardship to keep the status quo.

If you do make the extra effort towards master of your own destiny you may find the overall benefits outweigh the perceived negatives.

The problem here is that there is a real danger that in avoiding the issue that stress will increase further.
If this is the case, you may reach a point where it is extremely difficult both mentally and physically to change your destiny.

Irrational fears

Many people often feel they lack confidence to present themselves in the correct light to achieve leadership.
If we are honest, we have all been in a position where we have been reluctant to raise a question for fear of looking silly.
This is very common. We don't want to see ourselves as a failure to our peers.

It is common amongst youngsters to do something they basically disagree with because of the desire to fit in.
These actions are for followers and not leaders.

You need a plan to try and overcome these.
  • Firstly learn to recognise these issues and be honest.
  • Practice your technique for overcoming them in a friendly environment.
  • If necessary, get opinion from others.
You will almost certainly find that others have a much higher opinion of your performance than you have.
  • Set yourself targets to achieve.
  • Put your plan into action in small steps, gradually escalating it as you gain in confidence.
  • If you have several issues you are trying to resolve is there a common theme. For example, shyness. Help to solve this and many of your problems will disappear.
Try and think of steps you can take to think about what is coming up in your diary.
Try to implement some proactive actions each day.
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The Complete LEADERSHIP package


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Other useful links at time management basics.com:

 

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Complete
project management package