Delivering Value and quality

Q1. How can you measure a project is successful?

A: A project success is measured quantitatively, and qualitatively. Quality is a very subjective

term, for example: If the project has proper business case, project justification, and strategy to
realize benefits; relevant team, and within the timeline and budget, assessing how many scripts
have passed or failed during testing, and an error free outcome, then this is the way of quality
consideration.

And if the output of a project, is realising benefits in terms of value or increased productivity at
the same time, it comes under quantitative tracking.

Q2. If you are noticing that your project is not going upto the mark, then what
you will do?

A: I would devote time with the stakeholders to devise a mechanism for quantifiable and
measurable way. This upfront effort will pay dividends when we consider what went well, and
what could be improved to make the project more effective, or if the project is over, then will
take the improvements for the similar projects the next time.

Depends on how I track the improvement to match the schedule.

Q3. What tracking mechanism you would use?

A. Traceability matrix (also called requirement traceability matrix). It is a document or tool used
in project management to track project or product requirements throughout the project
lifecycle.

The requirements traceability matrix has no fixed structure; you can design it according to your
requirements. You can create it using Microsoft Word or spreadsheet software, or you can build
it with your project-management software.

Q4. What happens there?

A. The purpose of the traceability matrix is to ensure that every requirement is addressed by
your product and every requirement is sufficiently tested; and second, it forces us to justify each
test script to ensure the team’s effort is relevant and helps to achieve an intended outcome.
Handling complexity, opportunities, and threats
Q. What approach do you take when identifying risks in a project?
A. Its not necessary, that all the risks listed will be active to effect the project negatively,
but still we need to be sure. I document any potential sources of complexity in your
project as early as possible so you and your project team can develop a plan to prevent
complexities from becoming full-fledged issues

• First, I look at the project scope and requirements to identify any potential risks. For
example, if a project has a tight deadline, I consider potential risks such as unexpected
delays, resource constraints, or missed deadlines.
• Next, I review past project experiences to identify any risks that were encountered in
similar projects. For example, if a project involves implementing new software, I review
similar past projects to identify risks such as unforeseen software bugs or compatibility
issues.
• Then, I research industry best practices and standards to identify any risks that may be
common for projects of this type. For example, if a project involves implementing a new
cybersecurity system, I research common vulnerabilities and attack methods in the
industry.
• Finally, I seek input from SMEs and stakeholders to ensure that all potential risks have
been identified. I conduct brainstorming sessions and focus groups to gather different
perspectives and insights from the project team and stakeholders.
Q. What are positive and negative risks?
When managing a project, a positive risk can be considered as an opportunity, as it would lead
to some benefit if it came to be. Conversely, a negative risk (a threat) would result in scope
creep, schedule slippage, budget overrun, failure to deliver the intended outcome.
Negative risks have the potential to derail your project and, accordingly, should receive most of
your attention, On the other hand, positive risks may open up some other opportunity which
may be beneficial to the project.
Think example

Exhibiting adaptability and resilience

Q. What is the purpose of the project?

A. Your project’s purpose is to deliver value, in the form of our decided outcomes.

The ability to react and respond to unexpected events and conditions, to demonstrate your
adaptability and resiliency, will help you weather the storm and right the ship when things start
to go astray from your original project plan.
Managing routine projects to configure, test, and deliver the same software application, the
work breakdown structure (WBS) might be very similar, but each of these projects will likely be
performed for different clients, or at different times, or with a different project team. At
different times of the year, the exact same project may be subject to different resource
constraints. For example, you may have more difficulty lining up consistent resources in the
summer months when people often go on vacation. You may have similar difficulty during the
holidays in December and into the new year.
With different clients come different requirements and expectations. So a project manager
needs to be resilient.

Thinking holistically and enabling change

Please give examples for holistic thinking

Q. What is the importance of change in Project Management?

When change is communicated, socialized, and managed properly, the chance of ruining the
project minimises. Change refers to the necessary mindset to ensure the acceptance and
adoption of your project’s outcomes
Change is often made for the following reasons:
• Change in scope can lead to missed milestones and increased costs.
• Change that isn’t clearly documented can result in miscommunications and mismanaged
expectations.
 • Change can make people uncomfortable, so we typically strive to maintain the status
quo.

Questions at end of the chapter

1. Are you more concerned about being everyone’s friend or getting a job done right?
2. Do you prefer to do technical work or manage other people doing technical work?
3. Do you think the best way to get a tough task done is to do it yourself?
4. Do you prefer your work to be predictable or constantly changing?
5. Do you prefer to spend your time developing ideas rather than explaining those ideas to
other people?
6. Do you handle crises well?
7. Do you prefer to work by yourself or with others?
8. Do you think you shouldn’t have to monitor people after they’ve promised to do a task
for you?
9. Do you believe people should be self-motivated to perform their jobs?
10. Are you comfortable dealing with people at all organisational levels?
Answers:
1. Although maintaining good working relations i s important, the project manager often
must make decisions that some people don’t agree with for the good of the project.
2. Most project managers achieve their positions because of their strong performance on
technical tasks. However, after you become a project man- ager, your job is to encourage
other people to produce high-quality technical work rather than to do it all yourself.
3. Believing in yourself is important. However, the project manager’s task isto help other
people develop to the point where they can perform tasks with the highest quality.
4. The project manager tries to minimize unexpected problems and situations through
responsive planning and timely control. However, projects are not always predictable
and when problems do occur, the project manager must deal with them promptly to
minimize their impact on the project.
5. Though coming up with ideas can help your project, the project manager’s main
responsibility is to ensure that every team member correctly under- stands all ideas that
are developed.
6. The project manager’s job is to provide a cool head to size up the situation, choose the
best action, and encourage all members to do their parts in implementing the solution.
7. Self-reliance and self-motivation are important characteristics for a project manager.
However, the key to any project manager’s success is to facilitate interaction among a
diverse group of specialists.
8. Although you may feel (and we agree) that honoring one’s commitments is a
fundamental element of professional behavior, the project manager needs both to
ensure that people maintain their focus and to model how to work cooperatively with
others.
9. People should be self-motivated, but the project manager has to encourage them to
remain motivated by their job assignments and related opportunities.
10. The project manager routinely deals with people at all levels — from executive
leadership to support staff — who perform project-related activities
CHAPTER 2- I’M A PROJECT MANAGER! NOW WHAT?

Q. How do you rate yourself as a project manager?

A. I would rate myself as 8, as I believe I have the qualities which a project manager
possess. I have a keen ability to identify and resolve sensitive organizational,
interpersonal, and project-related issues. I make sure that the project meets my
leadership’s real need and then determine the work, schedules, and resources I require
to implement it. I work proactively in making any project success. I am aware of other
potential challenges in the project (such as Additional assignment to a person already
working on a project, new people on teams, no direct authority such as rewards to
encourage the top performers)

I very well remember and follow the PMI code of ethics and professional conduct:
 Responsibility: The condition of being obligated to do or fulfill something. For ex: the
product or service to be delivered, the budget, the schedule, your project team,
managing risks, ensuring that your stakeholders receive timely and meaningful status
updates and are ultimately satisfied

 Respect: The feeling or understanding that someone or something is good, valuable,

useful, and worthwhile and shall be treated as such. Project team members need to feel
they are working in an environment that encourages collaboration, out-of-the-box
thinking, and open and effective communication.

 Fairness: A quality or condition marked by impartiality and free from self-interest,

prejudice, or favouritism, which can demotivate the people working on a project may
effect the project in a negative way.

 Honesty: Truthfulness and integrity, free from deception or fraud. For ex; giving honest
feedback for underperforming project team member, as it may impact the other’s
performance to deliver the effectiveness of the project; or communicating possibility of
budget overrun and schedule slippage to avoid any trouble for the project.

Q. What negligence or excuses may ruin the project?

A. Failing to prepare in the carrying-out-the-work phase, or jumping directly from starting
the project to carrying out the work without proper planning because of short schedule
B. This project’s been done many times before, so not planning plan it out again. Even
though projects can be like past ones, some elements are always different
C. Only partially completing the closing phase At the end of one project, you often move
right on to the next. Scarce resources and short deadlines encourage this rapid
 movement, and starting a new project is always more challenging than wrapping up an
old one
D. Not updating the lesson learned due to shortage of time.

Chapter 3: Beginning the Journey: The Genesis of a Project

Q. The Project Charter formally authorizes a project. Who authorizes the project
charter?

A. Project sponsor or initiator

Q. A project manager is about to start on a new project. Where would he find

details about his authority level in the project?

A. Project Charter

Q. What is the first step of a project?

Gathering Ideas for Projects

Q. What are the information should be there in a project charter/How do you

make a project charter?

Developing project charter

A project manager should be assigned as soon as possible after the business case is accepted
and certainly before the project enters its organizing and planning phase. This will allow the
project manager to participate in the development of the project charter

A project charter is prepared (by the project manager) containing all the information required to
decide whether the project should proceed to the organizing- and-planning phase of its life
cycle.

» Project name
» Project purpose
» Assigned project manager, responsibility, and authority level » Name and authority of the
sponsor(s) authorizing the project
» High-level project description, boundaries, and key deliverables
» High-level business requirements
» Measurable project objectives and corresponding success criteria
» Project approval requirements (who decides the project is successful and who signs off on the
results)
» Summary milestone schedule
» Preapproved financial resources (budget)
» Overall project risk
» Key stakeholder list
» Project exit criteria
Performing a cost-benefit analysis