Projects, Programs and Portfolios and the PMO Service Catalog

In the latest edition (4th) of the PMBoK the framing of Projects, Programs and Portfolios has been expanded. Some of the highlights which I found most interesting include:

• An implication that program managers actively manage project managers while portfolio managers are less hands on and only provide coordiantion.
• it is normal to have a mixture of individual projects and programs in a Portfolio.

Also there is an expanded section about the Project Mangement Office (PMO) with a basic Service Catalog. We have developed a similar service catalog with basically the same content as can be found in section 1.4.4 :

• Managing shared resources (This will true for a Strong Matrix or Project Organization)
• Developing a Project Management Methodology for our Corporate Domains (One of our Favorites)
• Monitoring Compliance with project management standards, policies and procedures (Normally coordinated with quality departments)
• Coaching and Training
• Developing organizational process assets
• Coordinating Communication across projects (Program and Portfolio Roles)

Cuestiones sobre Comptia Project+

Voy a poner aquí algunas cuestiones que he desarrollado en la preparación para la certificación en Comptia Project +. Me ayuda a fijar conceptos y a vosotros a refresarlos.

1- Un WBS es:
A. Una descomposición de trabajos para el proyecto
B. Una lista de tareas a realizar concatenadas en el tiempo
C. Una descomposición de trabajos orientada a entregables
D. Una descomposición de trabajos orientada a presupuesto

2- Cuales de las siguientes frases son correctas respecto a la estimación de costes basada en “phased gate” (Elige varias opciones)
A. Es la forma más rápida de obtener un presupuesto.
B. Es la forma de que el presupuesto sea lo más exacto posible.
C. Siempre aprobarán un presupuesto preparado con esta técnica.
D. La estimación está basada en el WBS

3- La ley de los rendimientos decrecientes (Law of Diminishing Returns) considera:
A. Al aumentar los recursos asignados a una tarea disminuye la duración de la misma.
B. Al aumentar los recursos asignados a una tareas aumenta la duración de la misma.
C. Al aumentar los recursos asignados a una tareas no disminuye proporcionalmente la duración de la misma.
D. Al aumentar los recursos asignados a una tarea disminuye proporcionalmente la duración de la misma.

4- Para la estimación de la duración de una tarea se puede utilizar la técnica PERT. Con esta técnica que entradas se deben obtener.
A. La estimación optimista y la pesimista
B. La estimación máxima y mínima
C. La estimación superior e inferior
D. Ninguna de las anteriores

5- En la elaboración de un presupuesto cuales de estos casos se deben contemplar (elegir varios)
A. Adquisición de Hardware
B. Actualización del Hardware
C. Adquisición de Software
D. Siguientes versiones de Software
E. Instalación del software en los equipos

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LAS SOLUCIONES ESTÁN EN EL SIGUIENTE COMENTARIO

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PMO 2.0 Survey Report Podcast

Here is a great PM podcast with Cornelius Fichtner, PMP about the PMO 2.0 Survey Report which talks about how the PMO is becoming a "Business Management Center".  Just a few key points to wet your appetite:

• Many PMOs are getting involved with operations (This seems like an obvious and welcome step to me since so much of operations is actually continuous improvement where each PDCA cycle is really a well .... project. See ITIL and MOF literature for more.)
  
• You really need more than 4 people to get an PMO off the ground. (Did somebody say critical mass. Even Dr. House has a staff of 4 ;-) )
  

Lots more excellent details in the report.

Project Management is a "sweet spot" of CMMI

Just ran into this excelllent CMMI presentation. Here Keith Heston, a Senior Manager at Accenture, puts CMMI in perspective from a complete quality program. 

For software development point of view with a Microsoft flavour we can even blend in MSF and MOF (actually Keith mentions ITIL). But elements of Six Sigma and product development and general business strategy are also mentioned.

Of course the question comes up "What is the benefit to me for implementing CMMI and how long is it going to take me to implement it.". And natually the Keith answers "it depends." 

And he specifically mentions that it depends on:

• Where you are starting from as an organization
  
• What you priorities are
  
• How many resources you want to devote
  
• How complex your organization is
  
• How many sites do you have
  
• How mnay project do you have.
  

He focuses that Project Management as a "sweet spot" of CMMI.

You can find the audicast of an interview with Kieth Heston here.

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Estimación agil

A la hora de estimar el esfuerzo que puede suponer el desarrollo de una funcionalidad. Además de poder basar la estimación en experiencias similares ( top - down ). O deducir el esfuerzo dividiendo el esfuerzo en tareas más pequeñas y fáciles de estimar (down - up). Os propongo un novedoso, ágil y divertido método de estimación.

Los detalles completos se pueden obtener la página: http://www.planningpoker.com/

Os explico brevemente el funcionamiento:

Una vez dado de alta en la web, que es muy sencillo.
Se crea un nuevo juego en el que se detalla una funcionalidad para estimar el esfuerzo.
Se invita por medio de correo electrónico a los participantes.
Mediante una multiconferencia (podeis utilizar http://www.dimdim.com) se debate el tema y pasado un tiempo se pide que cada participante estime el esfuerzo eligiendo una carta.
Al finalizar el juego ya se tiene las estimaciones de los participantes, sin desplazamientos ni largas reuniones.

Six Sigma and the TOC

Just ran into this excellent Six Sigma presentation.  What stikes me is how closely it is related to the theory of contraints.  The PMBok does mention Six Sigma but only in passing and what is interesting is the focus on finding the important variables just like in TOC.  Six Sigma DMAIC 

• Define
  
• Measure
  
• Analyze
  
• Improve
  
• Control
  

is linked to controling only the important variables.  

In TOC the focus is on defining the contraint 

• 0. Set the goal 
  
• 1. Identify the constraint 
  
• 2. Decide how to exploit the constraint
  
• 3. Subordinate all other processes to above decision (align all other processes to the decision made above)
  
• 4. Elevate the constraint
  
• 5. If, as a result of these steps, the constraint has moved, return to Step 1.

In a way the language is different but the key is intense focus on the most important factors. TOC is more production oriented with the assumption that the desired result is clear ie. think of the Factory in "The Goal" while Six Sigma seems to add more ambiguity in the casue effect relationship to finding the constraint.

Issue logs vs. Risk Register

We have discussed risk management a lot here so we thought it might be interesting to mention the difference between the Issue log and Risk Register.  

The risk register is the list of ranked risks which have been analyzed analytically and qualitatively and hopefully integrated into the Critical Chain ;-)

The Issue log is the list of “things” that keep the project team from meeting goals.  In terms of software development these issues are most often software bugs.  But in the wider PM context they could be anything from a spelling mistake in documentation to a human resources issue. 

 

These issues can be assigned to a team member and a resolution date fixed - kind of project "To Do" list that doesnt formally go into the project schedule.