Chapter 4: Project Integration Management

1. Summary of Pulse of the profession 2015

In this report, we will explore the pulse findings 2015.

BACK TO BASICS: IMPROVING PROJECT MANAGEMENT

High-performing organizations are demonstrating that adhering to proven project, program, and portfolio management practices reduces risks, cuts costs, and improves success rates of projects and programs.

Culture

The most effective organization for formal project and program management is creating a culture that embraces the project and increases its value:

• Fully understanding the value of project management

• Requiring actively engaged executive sponsors on projects and programs

• Aligning projects and programs to the organization’s strategy

• Having highly mature project, program, and portfolio management

Organizational culture sets the tone that ultimately shapes the common experiences of employees. Most organizations have developed unique cultures over time by practice and common usage. These characteristics indicate that culture and style are learned and can be shared — and have a strong influence on a project’s ability to meet objectives. Common include, but are not limited to:

• Shared visions, mission values, beliefs, and expectations

• Regulations, policies, methods, and procedures

• Motivation and reward systems

• Risk tolerance

• Views on leadership, hierarchy, and authority relationships

• Code of conduct, work ethic, and work hours

• Operating environments

Talent

A key factor in fostering a culture that values project management is to understand the importance of skilled talent.

Process

The organizations can clearly benefit from maturing their project, program, and portfolio management processes, and that process maturity leads to success.

FOUNDATIONAL PRACTICES

The foundational practices including:

• Greater knowledge transfer effectiveness

• More rigorous use of risk management practices

• More frequent use of agile/incremental/iterative project management practices

• Higher benefits realization maturity

Knowledge Transfer

Knowledge transfer represents a critical but often undervalued organizational competence. For knowledge transfer to become routine but effective, it must be culturally imbedded. Organizations that are successful have unique ways of capturing and sharing lessons learned, and integrating them into talent development programs. They use diverse channels to communicate that knowledge and insight, including formal classroom training and other forums; case studies, white papers, and articles; and videos. Knowledge transfer as an effective learning and development tool might also be hampered by the fact that nearly two-thirds of organizations report using outsourced or contract project managers. The challenge then is to identify not only internal, but also external knowledge transfer practices that can impart valuable insight and knowledge from one project to another, regardless of where the practitioners reside.

Risk Management

Risk management is at the heart of project management. Any number of risks can befall a project and drive it off course, often through no fault of the project team. From hurricanes and political unrest to supplier conflicts and labor shortages, internal and external events can have a significant impact on a project’s progress and ultimate performance. Such risks are not fully predictable, but with effective risk management practices, potential damage can be mitigated. A risk management competency helps organizations assess and identify project risks, mitigate threats and capitalize on opportunities.

Organizational Agility

Organizational agility is the ability of a business to respond and adapt quickly in response to changes in

the market or other parts of its external environment. Agility may also be linked to profitable growth. These include the emergence of new competitors,

disruptive technologies, or sudden shifts in overall conditions.

Characteristics most indicative of organizational agility as the ability to:

• Respond quickly to opportunities

• Shorten decision/production/review cycles

• Manage change

• Integrate the voice of the customer

• Manage risk

• Assign interdisciplinary project teams

• Eliminate organization silos

• Implement contingency planning

• Use iterative project management practices

• Leverage technology

Benefits Realization

Benefits realization illustrates and measures precisely how projects and programs add true value to the enterprise. Organizations that implement benefits realization programs understand this value, because they are capturing the hard facts needed to showcase the return on their project management investments. Benefits realization is challenging, but when executed well, it helps ensure that the outcome of a project produces the desired benefits, as projected in the business case. This is achieved by establishing, measuring, and communicating the results of an organization’s initiatives.

Organizations with mature benefits realization processes can benefit from:

• Clearly identifying the strategic rewards prior to starting a project

• Effectively assessing and monitoring risks to project success

• Proactively planning for making necessary changes in the organization

• Explicitly defining accountability for project success

• Routinely extending responsibility for integration to the project team

Source: 2015 Pulse of the Profession ”Capturing the Value of Project Management”, IT Project management 8edition

Opinion:

On the summary above of the 2015 pulse of the profession, in making the project, we must consider our culture, talent and the process. These things can help us in building our project. Project is a serious matter that needs to give time to plan and organize the things needed. Another thing is the risk management which called the heart of the project management. This will test the project manager and the teams on how they manages a project.

2. Perform a financial analysis for a project using the format provided in the book (IT Project Management, Revised 6e). Assume that the projected costs and benefits for this project are spread over four years as follows: Estimated costs are $200,000 in Year 1 and $30,000 each year in Years 2, 3, and 4. Estimated benefits are $0 in Year 1 and $100,000 each year in Years 2, 3, and 4. Use a 9 percent discount rate, and round the discount factors to two decimal places. Create a spread sheet or use the business case financials template on the companion Web site to calculate and clearly display the NPV, ROI, and year in which payback occurs. In addition, write a paragraph explaining whether you would recommend investing in this project, based on your financial analysis.

Assumption:

Therefore, I would not going to recommend to invest on the project because based on the result there is no return of investment.

3.. Develop an outline (major heading and subheading only) for a project management plan to create a Web Site for your class, and then dill in the details for the introduction or overview section. Assume that this Web site would include home page with links to a syllabus for the class, lecture notes or other instructional information, links to the Web site for the books that we are using in the class, links to other Web sites and all links to personal pages for each member of your class and future classmates. Also, include a bulletin board and chat room feature where students and the instructor can exchange information. Assume your instructor is the project’s sponsor, you are the project manager, your classmates are your project team and you have three months to complete the project.

BSIT 3B website

1. Homepage

1.1 Syllabus

1.1.1 Topics

1.1.2 Books

1.2 List of student

1.2.1 Regular student

1.2.2 Irregular student

2. Chat

2.1 Teacher account

2.2 Student account

2.2.1 Regular account

2.2.2 Irregular account

3. Bulletin

3.1 Events

3.2 examination account

3.2.1 Mid- term exam

3.2.2 Final exam

4. Project duration

4.1 Time allocation

4.1.1 three months

4. Write a short paper based on the chapter’s opening case. Answer the following questions (Information Technology Project Management, 7e, page 140, Opening Case):

a. What do you think the real problem was in this case?

I think the real problem on that case is that Nick Carson didn’t focus on his new role being a new project manager instead he performed as a project integrator and trouble shooter. Although he got the product out of time , still he didn’t focus on his new role in the project.

b. Does the case present a realistic scenario? Why or why not?

The scenario is also happened in reality. Many projects are also encountering the same problem and the reason of it is the person who manages the project.

c. Was Nick Carson a good project manager? Why or why not?

For me, Nick Carson is really good on his work but on the part of being a new project manager is not suitable for him because he didn’t adjust himself and no focus on what is present. He only does on what for him makes comfortable and he not even updates the top management about the project.

d. What should top management have done to help Nick?

On the first place, the top management must first ask Nick if he can performed as a new project manager and they must give a time to think. Also, the top management give him a project that out of date. Even they give a rush project to Nick, they must still monitor him and give him some inspiring thoughts.

e. What could Nick have done to be a better project manager?

Nick Carson must focus on his new role being project manager. He must have a time management and must communicate with the project team and the top management that will make him to be a better project manager.

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