SUCCESSFUL PROJECT

MANAGEMENT

IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION
SKILLS AND TEAMWORK

Jarmila Potomková
Palacký University Medical Library
Olomouc, Czech Republic
 Introduction
MANAGEMENT OF CHANGE

Who Moved My Cheese?

by S. Johnson
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self-help book providing a simple,

powerful message to the people
confronted with unwelcome
CHANGE.
 “WHO MOVED MY
CHEESE?“
A story of two mice (SNIFF and SCURRY)
and two “little people” (HEM and HAW)
living in a maze (labyrinth).
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Cheese is a metaphor for whatever you

want in your life (food, success,
happiness, financial security).
Cheese found in Cheese Station C was a
symbol of stability.
One day, the cheese disappeared………..
 Problem Definition
PROBLEM SOLVING TECHNIQUES

 Brainstorming
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 SWOT Analysis
 Brainstorming
KEY POINTS
 Brainstormingis a way of
generating radical ideas.
 During the session there is no
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criticism of ideas.
 Ideasshould be as broad and odd
as possible, and should be
developed as fast as possible.
 Ideasshould be evaluated after the
session.
 Brainstorming
TYPES

 In groups
 experience and creativity of all
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members
 development of fewer ideas
 formal rules required
 Individual
 broad range of ideas [though „shallow“]
 chance for creative, but quiet people
 no time limitation
 Brainstorming
RULES

 Focus on a problem
 Offer plenty of [unusual] solutions
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 Push the ideas as far as possible

 Donot criticize or evaluate any
ideas
 Analyse the results
 Select the best options
 Brainstorming
SESSION LEADER
RESPONSIBILITIES:
 Session control
 Problem definition
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 Enthusiastic and non-critical

atmosphere
 Adequate participation of all
members
 Orientation on practical solutions
 Keeping records
 SWOT Analysis
DESCRIPTION
 Identification of internal
Strengths and Weaknesses
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 Examination of external
Opportunities and Threats
 Orientation on areas you are strong
 Determination of greatest
opportunities
 SWOT Analysis
STRENGTHS
 What are your advantages?
 What do you do well?

What relevant resources do you have?

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 What do other people see as your strengths?

GOOD ADVICE:

 Do not be modest
 Be realistic
 Consider internal and external points of view
 SWOT Analysis
WEAKNESSES

 What could you improve?

 What do you do badly?
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 What should you avoid?

GOOD ADVICE:
 Face an unpleasant truths as soon as possible
 Consider internal and external points of view
 Clearly specified weaknesses can be converted
into challenges and serve as incentives
 SWOT Analysis
OPPORTUNITIES
 Where are the good opportunities facing you?
 What are the interesting trends you are
aware of?
EXAMPLES:
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 New technology and markets, pricing policy

 Changes in government policy related to your
field
 Changes in social patterns, populations
profiles, lifestyle
 Local events
 SWOT Analysis
THREATS

 What obstacles do you face?

 Are the required specifications for your
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job or services changing?

 Is the changing technology threatening
your position?
 Do you have financial problems?
 Could any of your weaknesses seriously
threaten your organization / library?
 Project Planning
TITLE
 Title = mini-abstract
 single sentence
 two-part title separated by a colon
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 Writing tips
 professional
 neat
 clear
 unambiguous
 well-worded
 without words unnecessary for
understanding
 Project Planning
OVERVIEW
 Paint a „picture“ of your proposal
 Be specific and concise
 Do not go into detail on aspects clarified
further
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 Highlight collaboration with other

organizations
 Make reviewers positive about your ideas

WHEN?
After you have completed the entire
proposal
 Project Planning
BACKGROUND
INFORMATION
 Make a review of relevant literature
 Cite previous projects and studies
 Minimize
 jargon, colloquial expressions
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 redundant phrases
 confusing language
 trendy words
 abbreviations
 Make sure the language is readable
 Show how your project is unique
 Describe small steps done before proposal
(surveys, interviews etc.)
 Project Planning
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
 Goalsare large statements about
your planned achievements
 Objectives are
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 operational
 specific
 measurable
 basis for future activities and evaluation
Remember:
Proposal is easier to understand if you
describe objectives in a measurable way.
 Project Planning
CLIENTELE
Include specific information on
the population or clients
related to your project
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 Who are the clients?

 Have you had contact with them?
 Can you demonstrate their support?
 Havethey been involved in the
preparation of the project?
 Project Planning
METHODS
Make clear links between
methods and objectives
 Present innovative aspects of your
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ideas
 Describe collaborative relationships
 Demonstrate value of your outcome
for others outside your project
 Project Planning
STAFF AND
ADMINISTRATION
 Rolesof different people associated
with the project
 Characteristics of key participants
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 name, title, qualifications, brief CV, experience,

committment

 Steering committee /advisory board

 Part-time staff
Remember:
Notify the people before you submit your
proposal.
 Project Planning
AVAILABLE RESOURCES
 Describe existing facilities to be
used for the project
 Indicate
how much money would be
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necessary without existing facilities

 Emphasize impact of collaborative
relationships
 Look for local resources (volunteers,
local experts, friends…)
 Get supportive letters
 Project Planning
BUDGET
 Check with the  Personnel,
potential funding consultants/salarie
agency if budget s
categories are  Equipment
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required
 Rental of facilities
 If there is no
suggested
 Supplies,
structure, organize consumables
your budget around  Communication
MEANINGFUL  Travel, subsistence
categories, eg.
 Indirect costs
 Project Management
KEY POINTS
 Good discipline
 Relevant skills
Remember:
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Good PM skills do not necessarily mean

NO PROBLEMS, NO RISKS, NO SURPRISES

 Standard processes
– deal with all contingencies (events,
eventualities, possibilities, uncertainties
etc.)
– achieve predictable results
 Committment of organization
 Project Management
SCIENCE AND ART
 PM as a science
 Proven and repeatable techniques to
achieve success
 PM as an art
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 There is never a complete guarantee of

success
 Involvement of people
 complexity
 uncertainty
 absence of absolute control
 creativity
 flexibility
 intuitive skills
 Project Management
VALUE
Proactive management = Time +
Effort
 Resolve problems quickly
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 Envisage future risks

 Communicate with team members,
clients and stakeholders
 Complete project on time and
within budget
 Project Management
SHORTCOMINGS
 Projects
completed late,
overbudget, not meeting
requirements
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 Reactive management
 „Successful“project without
planning and management
 heavy stress
 overtime work
 Work in areas outside of the project
 Project Management
OBSTACLES
 Fear of control from team members
people prefer creativity with a minimum of
supervision
 Fear
of the loss of control from
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organizations
– project manager must be given a level of
authority
– coordination is not a sufficient role
– responsibility, control and decision making
FEARS
natural, logical vs. emotional, irrational
 Project Management
COMMUNICATION
TECHNIQUES
STATUS MEETINGS
Short (60-90 min.)
Agenda sent ahead
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No lengthy discussions

Facilitator /rotation
Documentation of action items
Recapitulation of decisions
 Communication Techniques
STATUS REPORTS
 Standardset of useful
information
 Minimize ad-hoc reporting
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 Frequency
 Weekly /medium projects
 Monthly/large projects
 Daily/critical actions
 Quality data for decision making
 Communication Techniques
STATUS REPORTS
Focus on:
 Accomplishments against the workplan
 Comments on work behind schedule
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 Problems encountered and how to

resolve them
 Newly identified risks
Good Advice:
 Use attachments for the details
 Respect organizational level of
audience
 Project Management
COMMUNICATION MEDIA
 Paper Tips:
 reports  Do not shoot the
 Authorized messenger
webspace
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 Aaccept good and

 reports
bad news
 Voicemail  Use status
 simple messages
indicators
 E-mail  green („on track“)
 routine messages  yellow (some risk)
 red (trouble)