Project 2

Module 5 Progress and Performance Measurement

Week 11

PROJ6003 – PROJECT EXECUTION AND CONTROL

Dr Ibrahim Abdallah [email protected]

Learning Facilitator

Master of Global Project Management

Today’s Schedule

Review of Project Reporting

Project Health Checks

- What is it

- Difference between Health Check and Audits

- Benefits & Misconceptions

- Warning Signs!

Assessment 3 Q&A

Let’s warm up…

What information can we get from

Project reports? What do we use this information for?

Review of Project Report for Assessment 3

“You may get status reports and you may actually get some that give you a feel for the progress of the project.

But how do you know if you're project is sick or harboring a dangerous silent symptom of a fatal disease?”

(Merla, 2005) 5

Most projects seem to focus on only two metrics: time and cost. In reality

unknown or hidden issues could lead to loss of employment, demotions or project

cancellation.

• Project health checks offer the greatest opportunity for early corrective

action to save a potentially failing project. An objective, non-intrusive and

independent review to identify actionable recommendations.

• A simple process of asking a few questions periodically of the

project manager and the project team members.

One of the key benefits of a Project Health check is that it allows

an opportunity to assess the project without bias and in a way that

cannot usually be performed by someone too close to the project.

Project Health Checks

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• Health checks can function as an ongoing tool by being performed randomly

when needed or periodically throughout various life-cycle stages.

• There are specific circumstances that indicate that a health check should be

accomplished quickly:

✓ Significant scope creep

✓ Escalating costs accompanied by a deterioration in value and benefits

✓ Schedule slippages that cannot be corrected

✓ Missed deadlines

✓ Poor morale accompanied by changes in key project personnel

Project Health Checks Cont’d

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Project audit vs Project health checks

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✓ Work with the stakeholders to establish a routine schedule for health checks

or can be done at random.

✓ Identify conditions where non-routine health checks may be necessary

✓ Establish a set of metrics for performing the health checks – checklist or

process.

✓ Identify whether internal or external personnel will be used for the health

checks

✓ Be honest in reporting the results of the health checks

✓ If necessary, identify recovery plans

Project Health Checks might include…

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✓ Determining the current status of the project

✓ Identifying problems early enough with sufficient time for corrective action

to be taken

✓ Identifying the critical success factors/critical issues

✓ Identifying lessons learned, best practices and critical success factors that

can be used on future projects

✓ Evaluating compliance to and improvements for the enterprise project

management methodology

Benefits of Project Health Checks

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✓ Identifying which activities may require or benefit from additional resources

✓ Identifying present and future risk as well as possible risk mitigation

strategies

✓ Determining if the benefits and value will be there at completion

✓ Determining if premature termination is required to put the project out of its

misery

✓ The process can lead to a higher quality of execution and to an

improved success rate

Benefits of Project Health Checks Cont’d

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• The risk with using internal personnel is that they may have loyalties or

relationships with people on the project team and therefore may not be totally

honest in determining the true status of the project or in deciding who was at

fault.

• Using external consultants is often the better choice as they can deliver:

✓ A multitude of forms, guidelines, templates and checklists used in

other companies and similar projects

✓ A promise of impartiality and confidentiality

✓ A focus on only the facts and hopefully free of politics

✓ An environment where people can speak freely and free from other

day-to-day issues

Who Performs Project Health Checks?

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✓ The person doing the health check does not

understand the project or the corporate

culture, thus wasting time

✓ The health check is too costly for its value

✓ The health check ties up critical resources

✓ It’s too late to make changes or the nature of

the project may have changed

Misconceptions about Project Health Checks

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2. Research and discovery of the facts –

asking questions

3. Preparation of the health check report

4. Determine plan of actions,

if needed

1. Review of the key

documents (BC, PC) and the project’s

history

(Merla, 2005)

Project Health Check Lifecycle

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Areas of investigation

• Performance against baselines

• Ability to meet forecasts

• Benefits and value analyses

• Governance

• Stakeholder involvement

• Risk mitigation

• Contingency planning

Outputs:

• A listing of the issues

• Root-cause analyses

• Gap analysis

• Opportunities for corrective action

• A get-well or fix-it plan

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• “Instant Amnesia” and “Da Nial Ain’t In Egypt” – People suddenly can’t

remember anything or want to own anything

• Project cost - The proposal writer uses a “magic calculator”, No PERT

estimate (3-point estimate)

• The Lone Ranger Rides Again! – PM working alone with no dedicated

resources

• Arrogance Rules! – Backbiting, arguments, weekly reports and meetings to

satisfy disengaged managers, receiving emails from someone not on your

project telling you how to run your project

• 2 + 2 = 17! – The numbers do not add up even if you use a child’s abacus

Warning Signs found in Project Health Checks

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• What Risk? There’s No Risk Here! – emotion-based solutions, rejecting

advice, senior managers mark up “reds” to “yellows” and “yellows” to “greens”

on status reports

• Where’s Your Project Plan? – Overemphasis on techniques/tools, not bodies

of knowledge, no project documentation until the last minutes, vague

spreadsheets, not presenting a straight-forward business problem and solution

• Don’t Bother Me with Details – told to “Keep it short”, “Just do it”, “Just get it

done”, existing issues or core problems are not dealt with

Warning Signs found in Project Health Checks

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Additional content to watch at home…

Assessing the Health of Projects

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OjXoKZr3iI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I54uELDdnZA

3 Ways to Check the Health of Your Projects 18

Assessments Overview

Assessments Timeframes

Assessment Task Overview Weight Due Date

Assessment 1 – Change Management Plan

Integrated Change Report (Individual Assessment) 40% End of Module 3

(Week 6)

Assessment 2 – Risk and Communication Management

Risk Management Report (Group Assessment) 40% First Half of Module 5

(Week 9)

Assessment 3 – Project Status Reporting

Module 4-5 Discussion Forum (Individual Assessment) 20% First Half of Module 6

(Week 11)

Total for Subject: 100%

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You will use it for all your Assessments…

PROJ6003_Assessment Case Study_The Case of IV Pumps in a Health Care Centre

Case Study

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Assessment 3

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Assessment 3 – Task Summary

In this assessment, you will further analyse the case study that was introduced in Assessments 1

and 2. You will participate in the discussion with your classmates demonstrating your

understanding of Project Status reporting by:

• Identifying effective project status reports and discussing their challenges and pitfalls,

• Explaining the difference between the status reports provided for teams, sponsors, and

steering committee considering their unique needs,

• As well as creating and justifying a sample of a status report that would be submitted to a

chosen stakeholder of the project from the given case study.

This assessment allows you to practice professional communication with peers, either face-to-

face or virtually.

Note: At the discretion of the Learning Facilitator, this assessment can be delivered in

class as a presentation/discussion, using recordings or writing directly on the discussion

forum. This might require to initiate the task ahead of the submission deadline and will be

communicate by the Learning Facilitator.

Please refer to the Task Instructions for details on how to complete this task.

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Assessment 3 – Key Requirements

This assessment can be delivered via a presentation in class (Option 1) or as a discussion on

Blackboard (Option 2), to be advised by the Learning Facilitator based on the group/class

size.

To complete this assessment task, you must:

PART 1

Prepare a script/essay for the main post/presentation to be submitted on the discussion forum

of 850 words (+/-10%) containing:

a) Identify, at least 3, effective status reports used in project management.

b) Discuss challenges and pitfalls of these status reports.

c) Explain the difference between the status reports provided for teams, sponsors, and

steering committee considering their unique needs.

d) Create and justify a sample of a project status report that would be submitted to a

chosen stakeholder of the project from the given case study.

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Assessment 3 – Key Requirements Cont’d

PART 2

OPTION 1 – Discussion in class – Presentation & Responses

If presenting in class (F2F/Virtual/Online):

You will, then, present your script and respond to at least one (1) other classmate in class.

OPTION 2 – Discussion in writing or as recording on Blackboard – Presentation & Responses

If submitting on the discussion forum – recording/written post (F2F/Virtual/Online):

You will, then, present your script and respond to at least one (1) other classmate on the

discussion forum directly, either in writing or as a recording, as instructed by the Learning

Facilitator.

Please refer to the Task Instructions for details on how to complete this task.

The Learning Facilitator will advise well in advance which will be the option for your

class.

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Submission Instructions

In submitting the written portion of your Assessment 3, you will use the Assessment link in the

main navigation menu in PROJ6003 – Project Execution and Control.

The link will take you to the discussion forum where you will select the existing thread created

by the Learning Facilitator and reply to the first post by the Learning Facilitator and write

directly on the forum (do not attach files).

The Learning Facilitator will provide feedback via the Grade Centre in the LMS portal.

Feedback can be viewed in My Grades.

If submitting recording/pictures:

If your submission includes items (illustrations, recordings), you may attached them by clicked

to add content and selecting to insert local files, click ‘Browse Your Computer’ to attach your

extra files.

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Checking your Originality Report

Any Questions or Concerns?

PROJ6003 – PROJECT EXECUTION AND CONTROL

Don’t forget!

I’m here to facilitate your journey, the rest is up to you!

But, when in need, don’t hesitate to contact me via the

Ask the Facilitator Forum or at [email protected]

.