| All attendees of "Project Management... by the | | | | Project Manager and a Project Customer (maybe the |
| Numbers" know that every project is a project within | | | | Project Customer has to be the CEO!). |
| another project(!). In other words, every project we | | | | Before agreement can happen, the Ideation Stage |
| manage is a part of another bigger project. So, what | | | | Project Manager has to be convinced his/her part of |
| is the difference between a business process and a | | | | the WiWi Project can be accomplished within the |
| project management process? | | | | time, cost and objective constraints given. In order |
| Let's begin the answer with an example... | | | | to determine the true TCO vs. the goal TCO, each |
| The CEO of the organization believes the project is | | | | member of the Ideation Project Team must view |
| to bring a new product to market. Let us call the | | | | their tasks as projects with themselves as the Task |
| product the Wireless Internet Waffle Iron (WiWi). | | | | Project Manager and the Ideation Stage Project |
| The CEO knows he/she has a process to get the | | | | Manager as their Project Customer. Each person then |
| WiWi though his company. This includes identifying | | | | follows the same project management process to |
| the best possible WiWi and all the way to sustaining | | | | gain agreement that their tasks can be accomplished |
| the WiWi when it is sold to the consumer. | | | | to the individual time cost and objective constraints |
| The company has a published plan based on stages | | | | given. |
| for this process (for example; Stage 1 - Ideation, | | | | When the entire team agrees all tasks can be done |
| Stage 2 - Assessment, Stage 3 - Feasibility, Stage 4 | | | | based on individual concept/feasibility studies, |
| - Development, Stage 5 - Commercialization, Stage 6 | | | | agreement can be reached or negotiated between |
| - Sustainment), in order to get the WiWi from one | | | | the Ideation Stage Project Manager and the WiWi |
| stage to another. | | | | Project Manager. |
| Most often, the process progresses by passing the | | | | Wahoo - Phase 1 done! |
| responsibility of the project from one group to the | | | | Phase Two - Organization/Schedule |
| next along the way of each stage. It does make | | | | The Ideation Stage Project Manager now has |
| sense that Engineering manages the conceptual work | | | | agreement at a high level to TCO of the Ideation |
| and Marketing manages the marketing. | | | | Stage, so it is time now to do detailed planning and |
| Because of this process, the CEO passes the project | | | | scheduling of the Ideation Stage Project of the WiWi |
| to his direct reports with confidence that the project | | | | Project. |
| can now be managed on time, on budget and that | | | | After reconfirming tasks and team members |
| the Wireless Internet Waffle Iron will be exactly as | | | | schedules, a critical path analysis is completed by the |
| envisioned. | | | | Ideation Phase Project Manager (including detailed |
| Working with my clients, I have identified this | | | | costs) and run by the Ideation Phase Project |
| scenario hundreds times over the years and it is easy | | | | Customer for another agreement and: |
| to recognize this as a "business process" as this is | | | | Phase Three - Execution |
| how the business (company) views the work as a | | | | Double Wahoo - It's time to actually do all the |
| project. | | | | Ideation Stage tasks. |
| Now, back to our scenario... | | | | The Ideation Stage Project Manager manages the |
| The WiWi project is running behind schedule because | | | | critical path tasks, people and budget, and in turn |
| the assessment stage took longer than planned and | | | | delivers the Ideation Stage Project to the Project |
| the project is running over budget because the | | | | Customer. |
| feasibility stage was not properly analyzed up front. | | | | The Ideation Stage is almost complete (not quite, but |
| Now you (the next project manager in line) have | | | | almost) because: |
| been assigned the development stage and are | | | | Phase Four - Review/Audit |
| expected to bring the project back on time and | | | | Now it is time to review the project management |
| schedule as well as manage all the work the | | | | during the Ideation Stage Project. Did we do enough |
| development stage requires. | | | | concept/feasibility? Did the team members |
| All this time the CEO continues to have confidence in | | | | follow-through on their promises? How can we |
| his people and processes that the WiWi project will | | | | improve the project management process? Etc. |
| be on time, cost and objectives. You are backed in | | | | Your part of the WiWi Project, the Ideation Stage |
| the corner with this (can't let the CEO down) and | | | | Project, has been successfully managed by using a |
| have to cut corners as they did during the feasibility | | | | project management process. I think a party is now |
| stage. | | | | in order, don't you? |
| After some major frustration, a few all-nighters and | | | | So, back to our original question: What is the |
| some creative reporting, you breathe a sigh of relief | | | | Difference between a Business Process and a |
| and can pass the project with all of its problems to | | | | Project Management Process? |
| the next group in the process line. Unfortunately, the | | | | The answer: The difference is that the business |
| WiWi is still over budget and running even later. | | | | process sees the product as the project, not the |
| What we have described above is a classic business | | | | stages or even the tasks as individual projects. |
| process that is mistaken for a project management | | | | We as everyday project managers are responsible |
| process. The difference is that the business process | | | | for the successful completion of the time, cost and |
| sees the product as the project, not the stages or | | | | objectives of our piece of the Wireless Internet |
| even the tasks as individual projects. | | | | Waffle Iron Project, not the whole thing. |
| Business processes are absolutely necessary for | | | | If you are the CEO (or the CEO's designated |
| management to plan and work from, but if we view | | | | authority) and want the WiWi on time, on cost and |
| each stage and task as a project, and the leader of | | | | on objectives, then consider each stage within the |
| each stage and the doer of each task as a project | | | | business process a project and allow the project |
| manager, then we will have an accountability chain | | | | management process to work. |
| within the project. This is what we call the "Chain of | | | | But for now, back to us, the Project Managers. |
| Agreement" in "Project Management... by the | | | | When you get your assignment, whether it is a stage |
| Numbers". | | | | or a task, ask who your Project Customer is and |
| Back to our scenario... but this time as a Project | | | | stick to the four project management phases of |
| Management Process. The Four Phases of a Project | | | | your specific work. |
| Management Process... | | | | Phase One - Concept/Feasibility (What is it?) |
| Phase One - Concept/Feasibility | | | | Phase Two - Organization/Schedule (How to do it?) |
| The WiWi has been dropped into the business | | | | Phase Three - Execution (Doing it!) |
| process by the CEO. The person that is leading the | | | | Phase Four - Review/Audit. (How did we do?) |
| Ideation Stage must consider this stage a project | | | | Now THAT'S a project management process! |
| within itself, and themselves as the Project Manager. | | | | Next month - We will begin breaking down the Four |
| Ideation is a part of the WiWi project, but has its | | | | Phases in detail, beginning at the beginning with Phase |
| own separate time, cost and objectives. These must | | | | One - Concept/Feasibility. See you then. Any |
| be defined and agreed to by the Ideation Phase | | | | questions? |