2-Pre Course Assignment

RAPROJECTMANAGEMENTTRAININGPRE-COURSEASSIGNMENTPRE-COURSEASSIGNMENTIntroductionYouhavebeenselectedtoattendRAProjectManagementtrainingbasedonPwC’sProgrammeandProjectManagement(PPM)methodologyfrom15-19July2002.ThisbriefcontainsdetailsoftheworkyouneedtodoBEFOREattendingthecourse.Thedeliverablesfromthispre-courseworkwillbeusedduringtheclassroom-basedsectionofthecourse.Therefore,youneedtoallowyourselftimetocompletethedeliverablesifyouaretotakefulladvantageofyourownparticipationinthecourse,andifyouaretosupportthelearningoftheotherparticipants,particularlytheteamtowhichyouareassigned.AimsandObjectivesTheoverallaimofthiscourseistoenableyoutounderstandtheprinciples,skills,tools,andtechniquesthatwillenableyoutosucceedinyourroleasaconsultantProjectManager.AsyouprogressfrombeingaTeamLeadertoaProjectManager,youwillneedtomanageallthe7KeysofProjectManagement,notjustaselectionofthem.YouwilltakeonincreasingresponsibilityfortheclientrelationshipandtheRA’sprofitabilityfortheassignment.Youwillhavetotakeamorethoroughviewofriskandscopemanagement.Youwillbedealingwithstakeholderswhocaninfluenceyourprojectinpositiveandnegativeways.Youwillneedtomanageincreasingcomplexity–bethatinthenumberofworkstreamsyoumanage,thecomplexityofthedeliverables,orthediversityoftheteam(clientandRA).Aboveall,youwillbeexpectedtoexerciseincreasingcreativityandjudgementintheapproachyoutaketosuccessfullycompletingaproject.ThiscoursewillenableyoutolearnmoreaboutthetoolsandtechniquesinthePPMmethodthatwillbeusefultoyou.Itwillalsoenableyoutopracticeyournewskillsinasafeenvironment,beforeyouareexpectedtopracticethemforrealwithaclient.Specifically,thiscoursewillallowyouto:·ExperiencetheroleofaProjectManagerthrougheachstageofthePPMmethod·Gainanappreciationofthecomplexitiesandskillinvolvedinjugglingthe7Keystoprojectmanagementsuccess·LearnaboutandpracticeanumberofPwC’sprojectmanagementtechniquesthatwillhelpyouinyourProjectManagerroleIntroducingPwC’s“7Keys”WerecognisethatwhilesomeofyouwillbefamiliarwithPwC“7Keys”approachtoProgrammeandProjectmanagement,otherswillnotbesofamiliar.Well,wewillspendfivedayslearningabouthowtousePPM.However,tohelpyoucompletethispre-courseassignmentwehaveprovidedabriefoverviewofthe7Keysandwhattheymeaninthecontextofmanagingaconsultingproject.KEYOBJECTIVEACTIVITIESStakeholdersStakeholdersarecommittedIdentifying,evaluating,informing,andinfluencingtheindividualsandgroupswhoareaffectedbyorwhoinfluencetheproject.(Client)Businessbenefits(Client)businessbenefitsarerealisedEstimating,measuring,andmonitoringthebenefitstheclientorganisationwillgainfromtheproject.Benefitincludesexpectedresultandtheassociatedcost,bothfinancialandnon-financial,ofachievingthatresult.WorkandScheduleWorkandschedulearepredictableControllingtheproductionandacceptanceofprojectservicesanddeliverables,andensuringtheirprovisiontospecifiedperformanceandacceptancerequirements.Team&InfrastructureTeam&InfrastructurearehighperformingIdentifying,mobilising,anddevelopingthepeoplerequiredfortheprojectteam.Obtainingandmaintainingappropriatespace,equipment,andotherresourcesrequiredforsuccessfulcompletionoftheproject.ScopeScopeisrealisticandmanagedAgreeing,maintainingandamendingtheboundariesoftheproject.RisksRisksaremitigatedIdentifyingandevaluatingrisksandissues.Developingavoidance,mitigation,andresolutionactivitiestocounteractthoserisksandissues.DeliveryOrganisation(i.e.RA)benefitsDeliveryorganisationbenefitsarerealisedEstablishinghowtheprojectwillcontributetothewiderorganisation(RA).Bysupportingotherprogrammesorprojectsintheorganisation.Maintainingandprotectingtheorganisation'sinterestsinrelationtotheproject.Wheredoyouwanttogetto?Hopefully,youwanttodeveloptobeareallygoodprojectmanager.Completionofthispre-courseworkwillenableyoutogetthemostoutoftheclassroom-basedsessions.Takingthecoursewillthenequipyouwiththeskillsandknowledgeyouneedtobecomeanexcellentprojectmanager.Hopefullyyouwanttogettothetop–foryourself,yourcolleaguesandyourclients.Thiscoursefornewprojectmanagerswillhelpyouscaletheheights.Indesigningthiscourse,youwillworkthroughaprojectscenario,inallitsstages,andexaminemanyreallifecomplicationsandchallenges.Thethemeof‘gettingtothetop’and‘scalingtheheights’inspiredus.SoonthiscourseyouwillbeperformingastheprojectmanagementteamleadingacommercialexpeditiontoMountEverest.Suchteamshaveto:·Drawupandagreecontractswiththeirclientsandsuppliersaboutthescope,natureandtimingofdeliverables(theascentdate,oxygensupply,etc.)·Setupandmanageadiverseprojectandteaminfrastructure·Ensurereasonablemilestonesareset,andprojectplansadheredto·Ensuretheymeetabudgetaswellasgettingtheclientssafelyupanddownthemountain·Meetormanagetheneedsofallinterestedparties·MinimisetherisksassociatedwithclimbingEverest.ThisalignscloselywiththecoreprojectmanagementmethodweuseinPwC.Itcoversthecoreconceptswetoohavetomanageinourprojects.Wearenotgoingtoteachyouhowtoclimbmountains.Weare,however,goingtoexamineprojectmanagementwithmountainsinmind.Togetthemostfromthecourse,youwillfindituseful,aswellasfascinating(somepeoplehavebeensogrippedbythistheyhavesatupallnightreadingparticularaccounts)toreadalittleabouttheprojectmanagementchallengesofclimbingEverest.OnEverest,failuretomanageoneofthe7Keysorprojectmanagementstagesmaynotjustresultinadecreaseinprofit,butmayleadtosomeone’sdeath.WhatwewantyoutodoBEFOREattendingRAProjectManagementTraining.ConsultingEthicsaspartofprofessionalProjectManagementAsyoutakeagreaterleadasaprojectmanager,youwillbetakinggreatercontrolofallaspectsoftheproject.IfyoudecidetoreadtheremainderofKrakauer’sbook,youwillfindthatthesurvivorsfacedanumberofethicaldilemmasuponthemountain,deciding:·whotosaveandwhonotto;·whetherornottosaveyourselfandleaveotherstodie;·toabandonpotentialsurvivorsonthemountain,althoughyouknewtheywerealiveatthetime,becausetheywouldnotmanagethedescent;·toleadnovicesupthemountaininthefirstplace.Beingpartofawide-rangingprofessionalservicesfirmdoespresentuswithourownuniquedilemmas,however.ThereareanumberofkeyethicalthemescommonfortheRAs.RESPONSIBILITYTOOURCLIENTS·ServingOurClients·MaintainingIndependence·UseandProtectionofClientInformation·InsiderInformationandTrading·AvoidingConflictsofInterest·ProfessionalStandardsandPerformance·ContinuingProfessionalEducation·ProfessionalPerformance·RespectingClientPracticesandPropertyRESPONSIBILITYTOOURPEOPLE·TreatingEachOtherRespectfully,CourteouslyandwithDignity·RespectingEmployeePrivacy·Work-LifeQuality·Diversity·EqualEmploymentOpportunityandNon-discrimination·SexualandOtherFormsofHarassment·AppropriateUseofCommunicationsTools·FamilyandPersonalRelationships·MaintainingSafetyintheWorkplace·ProtectingtheEnvironment.RESPONSIBILITYTOOURORGANIZATION·ProtectingRAAssets·IntellectualPropertyandProprietaryandConfidentialInformation·Computers,OtherEquipment,andNetworkSecurity·GuardingAgainstIndustrialEspionageandSabotage·ObligationsRelatingtoPriororSubsequentEmployment·ManagingClient-RelatedRisk·ClientAcceptanceandContinuance·RisksIdentifiedDuringEngagement·OutsideActivities·OutsideEmploymentorBusinessPursuits·PoliticalActivity·ProfessionalOrganizations·CharitiesandCommunityService·FirmReportsandFirmTime·PublicImageandPublicCommunications·ContractingandSigningonBehalfoftheFirm·LegalProcedures·DocumentRetention·CommunicationswithOutsideCounselCOMPETITIVEPRACTICES·FairCompetition·GatheringCompetitiveInformation·ConfidentialityandExclusivityAgreements·Gifts,EntertainmentandGratuities·ProtectingtheIntellectualPropertyRightsofOthersGettingtoBaseCampAswithallgoodmountainclimbing(orconsulting)teams,youwillneedtogettoknowyourfellowmountaineersbeforeyouarriveatBaseCamp.Youwillbeworkinginteamsduringtheascent,anditisimportantthatyouknoweachotherwell.Youwillhavereceivedalistoftheparticipantteamswithyourpre-courseassignmentandreadingwhichwillenableyoutocompleteactivitytwo.Thankyouforcompletingyourpre-coursework.Itwillgiveyouvaluableinsightsintothecoursematerials,andwillbeusedthroughouttheweek.WelookforwardtoseeingyouontheRAProjectManagementTrainingProgramme.ACTIVITYONEReadtheaccompanyingextractsfromIntoThinAirbyJonKrakauer.HetalksabouthisexperiencesonarealcommercialexpeditiontomountEverestin1996.Onthisexpedition,inspiteofgreatexperienceandskills,advancedplanningandcommittedclients,disasterstruck.Asyouread,imaginewhatitwouldfeelliketobeinthemountains.Trytounderstandsomeofthedilemmastheprojectteamfacedwhenthingsbegantogowrong.Aswestarttheclassroom-basedcourse,youwillbeaskedtoconsiderthe1996expedition.InparticularyouwillneedtobeabletoanswerforeachofthePPMkeys:Whatdidtheexpeditionteamsdowellineachkey?Whatcouldtheyhaveimprovedon?Whatwerethecontributingfactorstothefinaloutcomeoftheexpedition?WhatparallelsbetweenRAprojectmanagementandEverestexpeditionprojectmanagementcanyoudraw?So,whatlessonscanyoulearn?ACTIVITYTWOBeforeyouarriveatthecourse,youshouldcontacteachotherthroughtelephoneore-mail.Agreeamongstyourself:AteamnameAsummaryofwhoyouarecollectively-whatisyourexperience?Asummaryofwhatyoucollectivelywantfromthecourse-whatareyourobjectives?Howyourteamisunique-whatdoyouoffertotherestoftheclass?Awayofintroducingallmembersoftheteaminlessthan2minutes.Youwillbeaskedtointroduceyourteam,itsteamname,andtopresentyourtwo-minuteteamintroductionassoonasthecoursestarts.Teamswillbeevaluatedinthecourseonwhethertheygotpre-acquaintedeffectively.Wearestilladdingparticipantstothecourse.Forthisreason,youmayreceiveanupdateinthecomingdaysregardinglatejoinerstoyourteamwhoalsoneedtobeincludedinyourpresentation.PAGE2July2002