Time Management Guideline - Ohio Higher Ed



Purpose

The purpose of Time Management Guideline is to describe the processes required to ensure timely completion of the project. The project manager / program manager should determine the time management approach and document it in the Project/Phase Kick-off Presentation. This time approach is required for each project regardless of classification and size.

Time Management includes defining and implementing schedule control procedures, tracking performance of the project’s activities and conducting checkpoint reviews to determine whether the project’s activities are meeting the timing objectives of the project.

Approach

The project manager / program manager will carry out activities in five (5) key areas on each project. These key activities include:

1. Setup Time Tracking Tools - determining the project-specific procedures that will be used to collect the actual schedule data.

2. Prepare Schedule– analyzing activity sequences, activity durations, and resource requirements to create the project schedule.

3. Schedule Baselining - Baselines compare actual progress to original expectations. They are agreed upon plans for monitoring project performance. Baselines allow the project team to be clear on project components and provide consistency for changes. Project components included in baselines are time, scope, cost and quality. Baselines are a recommended Project Management approach.

4. Monitor Progress - identifying how team members and/or subject matter experts should record their time and report their progress to provide schedule data and when they need to submit the information. This also includes monitoring time and effort. Update the Project Schedule as needed

5. Progress Reporting - determining ways to identify progress. Depending on the size of the schedule, specific activities, or number of resources, the schedule progress may be reported using a variety of methods, (i.e.: percent complete, work remaining, or estimated finish dates). Document the revised baseline date.

Key Steps

|Role |Key Steps |Tools |Comments |

|Setup Time Tracking Tools |

|Project Manager |Document the project number, and project | |Once the project name is |

| |name. | |determined, the project name should|

| | | |remain consistent throughout all |

| | | |documents, in the project database |

| | | |tool, files, and the project |

| | | |repository. |

|Project Manager |Set up the phases of the project for | | |

| |individual time tracking. | | |

|Project Manager |Communicate to the appropriate team members |Use the |Contracted vendors’ time tracking |

| |how to list work time per phases in the time |Executive and Project |may need to be setup in a different|

| |tracking tool and to reference the project |Status Reports |format, i.e. time sheets. |

| |number. | | |

| | | | |

| |Verify all team members have access to time | | |

| |tracking tool. | | |

|Prepare Schedule |

|Project Manager |Create the Schedule. Organize the schedule in|Consult the |Example of a scheduling tool: MS |

| |phases. The schedule includes estimated |Project Scheduling |Project |

| |hours or duration for tasks. |Guideline | |

| | | | |

| | |Use the | |

| | |Project Schedule | |

|Project Manager |Determine method of tracking progress on the |Consult the |Example: |

| |schedule and communicate to the team. |Project Scheduling |Percent complete 10, 20, 30 or, 25,|

| | |Guideline |50, 75,100, based on activities or |

| | | |phases. |

| | | |Work remaining in days. Estimated |

| | | |finish dates based on milestones. |

|Schedule Baselining |

|Project Manager |Using the agreed upon scope and associated | | |

| |schedule set the original Baseline Schedule | | |

| |for the project. | | |

|Project Manager |Use the original Baseline schedule for | |The Original Schedule Baseline is |

| |tracking progress of the planned vs. actual | |used unless changes are formally |

| |activities | |accepted. |

|Project Manager |Communicate the Schedule Baseline to | |Distribute the baselined schedule |

| |appropriate team members including |Consult the Communications|to the project stakeholders. |

| |stakeholders. |Matrix | |

| | | | |

| | |Steering Committee | |

| | |Guideline | |

|Monitor Progress |

|Project Manager |Verify time tracking of team members. |Consult the |Verify weekly timesheets against |

|or delegate | |Time Reporting System |work performed and track dollars on|

| | |Guideline |the budget. |

|Project Manager |Collect actual progress. |Use the |Submission may be weekly / bi |

|or delegate | |Executive and Project |weekly; this is dependent on |

| | |Status Reports |project duration. Depending on |

| | | |collocation this may happen during |

| | | |a status meeting, instead of |

| | | |individual team member reports. |

|Project Manager |Update actual progress on the schedule. |Use the |Track progress weekly or bi – |

|or delegate | |Project Schedule |weekly, as appropriate. |

|Project Manager |Compare actual work against planned work. |Use the |Schedule comparison ensures the |

| | |Executive and Project |project remains on target by |

| | |Status Reports |assessing modifications. |

| | | | |

| | | |Account for schedule variances in |

| | | |the Status Reports. |

|Project Manager |Changes in scope, schedule, assumptions and |Use the |Approval from the program manager |

| |resources should be approved in the schedule.|RFC / Change Request Log |and / or project sponsor and others|

| | | |may be necessary depending on |

| | |Consult the Integration |thresholds. |

| | |Management Guideline | |

|Project Manager |Modify the schedule based on issues or change| |If needed change activities and |

| |requests on the schedule progress. | |dates as necessary unless a major |

| | | |milestone or deliverable end date |

| | | |is affected then a Change Request |

| | | |or another approval level may be |

| | | |needed. |

|Project Manager |Communicate changes in the schedule to team |Consult the Communications|Distribute the revised schedule to |

| |members. |Matrix |the project stakeholders. |

| | | |Communicate any impact on scope to |

| | | |project stakeholders. |

|Project Manager |Review the schedule at the beginning of each | |Mid-way through the project or as |

| |phase. | |needed, to determine whether the |

| |Produce an updated schedule and budget. | |project’s activities are meeting |

| |Review with the project team and | |the timing objectives of the |

| |stakeholders. | |project. This may be formal or |

| | | |informal. |

|Project Manager |Collect actual work to date. |Use the | |

| |Activity progress updates should be sent to |Team Member Status Report | |

| |the project manager based on the agreed upon | | |

| |standards of the project. (i.e., percent | | |

| |complete, phases, etc.). | | |

|Progress Reporting |

|Project Manager |Review the schedule and prepare required |Use the |Review with appropriate |

| |reports. |Status Report (Project) |participants depending on control |

| | | |interval. |

| | |Quarterly Operations | |

| | |Review |This ensures that the work efforts |

| | | |of the team(s) are aligned to the |

| | | |current planned activities and are |

| | | |tied to the budget estimations. |

|Project Manager |Determine the frequency of updates to manage |Use the |The frequency of updates to the |

| |the schedule and document this information in|Communications Matrix |schedule can occur weekly, |

| |the Communication Matrix. Advise the | |bi-weekly, etc. |

| |appropriate stakeholders to the level or | | |

| |schedule reporting. | | |

|Project Manager |It is recommended to document on the schedule| | |

| |the revised baseline date. This includes | |If using MS Project as a scheduling|

| |budget file name and date that this baseline | |tool, prior to re-baselining save |

| |is tied to. | |the current baseline as an “Interim|

| | | |Plan”. Microsoft project will allow|

| | | |up to 10 interim plans. |

| | | | |

Summary

The project manager is responsible for preparing, estimating, tracking and managing the schedule through out the project. Proper time management will ensure the project is on target and that the planned results are being achieved.

References and Related Guidelines

Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)

✓ Time Reporting Guideline

✓ Project Database Tool Guideline

✓ Project Scheduling Guideline

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