PM 101 According to the Olde Curmudgeon: An Introduction to the Basic Concepts of Modern Project Management

224 Pages·2000·5.04 MB·English

by  Francis Marion Webster Jr.

According to the
Olde Curmudgeon

According to the
Olde Curmudgeon
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Webster, Francis Marion.
PM 101: according to the Olde Curmudgeon : an introduction to the basic con-
cepts of modern project management / Francis M. Webster, Jr.
p. cm.
Revised and expanded articles which first appeared as "PM 101" in PM network,
the Institute's journal, with additional chapters written for this volume.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN: 1-880410-55-9 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. Industrial project management. I. Project Management Institute. 11. Title.
HD69.P75W425 2000
658.4'04 - - dc21 99-41261
CIP
ISBN: 1-880410-55-9
Published by: Project Management Institute, Inc.
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Dedication
To my wife of forty-seven years, whose
forbearance and encouragement have allowed
me to be involved in this "crazy" profession.
Contents
Figures viii
Tables ix
Foreword x
Preface xii
Acknowledgments xvii
Chapter I: Modem Project Management--Its Time Has Come! 1
What Are Projects? 3
The Development of Modem Project Management 6
Benefits of Modem Project Management 8
Conclusion 12
Chapter II: So What Is a Project? 15
A Taxonomy of Work Efforts 17
The Nature of Projects 22
Summary 25
Chapter Ill: Modem Project Management 31
The Development of Modern Project Management 31
Dimensions of Project Management 34
Assigning Responsibilities 39
Managing the Milieu of the Project 43
The Project Management Knowledge Areas 48
Summary 63
Appendix 1II.A-Mars Pathfinder Project 65
Chapter IV: The Project Manager-Technical Skills 69
Introduction 71
The Skill Areas 72
Summary 78
Chapter V: The Project Manager-4 Leader 81
Leadenhip and Interpersonal Skills 81
Summary 90
Appendix V.A-Man Pathfinder Project 92
Chapter VI: The Project Managerddminlstrative Skills 95
lntroduction 95
The Skills 96
Summary 105
Appendix V1.A-Mars Pathfinder Project 106
Chapter VII: Scope Management 109
The Genesis of Projects 113
Managing Product Scope 115
Managing Project Scope 120
Project Life Cycles 126
Minimizing Disputes 128
The Good News 129
Appendix VI1.A-Mars Pathfinder Project 132
Appendix VI1.B-Mars Pathfinder Project 137
Chapter VIII: The Work Breakdown Structure 139
Preparing to Develop the Work Breakdown Structure 140
The Work Breakdown Structure 141
Rules for Developing a Work Breakdown Structure 145
The Project Team 147
Project Strategy and the Work Breakdown Structure 148
Selecting the Prefened Work Breakdown Structure 151
A Final Thought 151
Appendix VI1I.A-Mars Pathfinder Project 153
Chapter D(: Planning-The Project Network Diagram Approach 155
Introduction 156
The Basic Concepts of Project Network Diagrams 158
Planning with Project Network Diagrams 166
Project Planning Misconceptions 175
Good Practices 177
Summary 184
Appendix K.A-Some Historical Perspective 186
Epilogue 191
References 193
Index 197
vii
Rgure 11.1 Cost-Volume Break-Even Curves for Alternative Modes of Work 21
Figure 11.2 Relationship Between Product and Project Life Cycles 24
Figure 11.3 Representative Life Cycle for Defense Acquisition, per US DOD 5000.2 25
Figure 11.4 Representati~eC onst~ctiveP mject Life Cycle, per Morris 26
Figure 11.5 Representative Life Cycle for a Phanaceuticals Project, per Murphy 27
Rgure 11.6 Representative Software Development Life Cycle, per Muench 28
Figure 11.7 Resource Usage Over the Life Cycle of a Project 29
Rgure 11.8 Cumulative Resource Usage Over the Life Cycle of a Project: The "S" Curve 29
Figure 111.1 Contents of a Project Plan 50
Figure VII.1 An Example of a Form for Defining a Work Package 124
Rgure Vlll.1 An Example of a Work Breakdown Structure 142
Figure v111.2 Schematic of a Work Breakdown Structure 144
Rgure V1II.A MESUR Pathfinder WBS to Level 4 153
Figure IX.1 Examples of Network Diagrams 160
Figure IX.2 The Essential Conventions 162
Figure K.3 The Activity-on-Anow Project Network Diagram 169
Figure K.4 The Activity-on-Node Pmject Network Diagram 169
Figure K5 A More Detailed Project Network Diagram 171
Figure IX.6 A More Complex Project 172
Figure IX.7 An Even More Complex Project 173
Figure KA.1 A Simple PERT Project Network Diagram 187
Figure IX.A.2 A Simple PERT Critical Path Planning and Scheduling System/
Critical Path Method Project Network Diagram 188
Figure IX.A.3 A Simple PEP Project Network Diagram 190
Rgure IX.A.4 A Simple Actiiity-on-NodeP roject Network Diagram 190
Tables
Table 111.1 Probabilities of System Failure as a Function of Component Failure Probabilities 38
Table VI.1 An Example of Improving Reading Ease 98
Table V1.2 Analysis of Reading Ease of This Chapter 99
Table VII.l A Partial Pmduct Breakdown Smcture of Physical Features and Functions 117
Table V11.2 Product Design Characteristics-Continued on next page 118-119
Table IX.l A Detailed Plan for Driving from New York to Los Angeles 170
Table K.A.l List Representations of Example Project Network Diagrams in Figure IX.A.l 189
Foreword
Note from the Olde Curmudgeon: Differing from stan-
dard publishing practice, this Foreword has been written
by three individuals because of their different and-essen-
tial perspectives on project management: Dave Cleland,
the strategic and conceptual; Hans Thamhain, the tech-
nology research and consulting; and Les Prudhomme,
the practitioner.
PM 101 According to the Olde Curmudgeon is a significant contribution to the lit-
erature of project management. Fran Webster offers the book as an introduction
to the basic concepts of modern project management-and he delivers just that in
this readable and enjoyable book.
The timing for this book is just right. There have been several hundred books
published on project management-these books offer many different treatments
of the discipline. Not many of them provide a clear and fundamental examination
of the basic concepts and processes of project management. The strength of this
book is that it provides sufficient information and basic explanations on how to
manage projects.
The root cause of failure-and success-in the management of projects de-
pends on how well the basic concepts and processes of project management have
been carried out by the project manager in managing and leading the project
stakeholders. Failure is seldom caused by some esoteric factor-rather failure is
caused by the lack of sound, basic project management principles and processes.
This is why mastery of the basics of the discipline as put forth in this book is so
important.
Anyone involved in the management of projects should find this book quite
useful. The range of chapter topics includes some that are particular noteworthy-