by Daniel Raymond | Jan 20, 2017 | Project Management Definitions
The Project Baseline – A Project Management Definition
By Moises Ortiz
The project’s baseline is used to measure how performance deviates from the plan. Your performance measurement would only be meaningful if you had an accurate baseline.
A project’s baseline is defined as the original scope, cost and schedule. The project’s baseline must be completely defined and documented before the project execution and control activities can begin.
Once the project starts execution, the project’s baseline is put under change control to help you evaluate any further change and its impact on the project. No meaningful measurements can be made if the scope, cost and schedule are not under strict change control disciplines.
If any change is approved then your new baseline is redefined as the original plan plus the approved change. It is a good idea to keep records that show how the plan has progressed and changed over time.
Frequent requests for changes to the project requirements may indicate that there was an incomplete initial requirements analysis or the lack of meaningful communication with users and customers early in the project initiation phase. Read the Complete Article
by Daniel Raymond | Jul 16, 2009 | Organizational Structures
Types of Organizations from a Project Management Perspective
By Moises Ortiz
All projects are about teamwork and the way your team works depends on the type of organization your company is. Project managers will have different roles and responsibilities depending on the type of organization they’re in. There are three types of organizations:
Functional Organizations
Teams belong to a particular department and that department’s manager is completely in charge of everything. Project managers cannot make decisions without the functional manager’s authorization. Project managers become project coordinators and get to make some of the minor decisions on the project. If no decisions at all can be taken by the project manager they become project expeditors that limit their activities to just keep track of the project status.
Projectized Organizations
Teams are organized around projects and when the project is done the team members move to another project. In this kind of organization the Project Manager has all the authority to make decisions about scope, budget and schedule. Read the Complete Article
by Daniel Raymond | May 5, 2009 | Project Management Definitions
What Is a Project Management Information System (PMIS)?
By Moises Ortiz
The Project Management Information System (PMIS) refers to a system made up of technologies, procedures and people to handle cost, schedule planning, reporting, forecasting, and control of most aspects of the project. While the PMIS usually consists primarily of software, it will often interface with manual systems.
Information is a valuable resource for project managers and not having such information well organized and available could lead to a failure on the project’s success. Implementing a PMIS is one way to address critical project information needs.
A PMIS will contain the configuration management system, which also contains the change control system.
Moises Ortiz is a project manager with strong experience in the IT field. He’s been working for many multinational corporations leading IT projects and helping them align their IT strategy to the overall business goals.
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Systems Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and can be contacted at his personal web page at www.moisesortiz.com. Read the Complete Article
by Daniel Raymond | Mar 11, 2009 | Integration Management
Integration Management Processes
By Moises Ortiz
The PMBOK Guide specifies seven processes for the Integration Management Knowledge Area.
1. Develop Project Charter
The project charter is the document that authorizes the Project Manager to do the work. The project manager is not always involved in the creation of this document, some times it’s handed by the sponsor.
2. Develop Preliminary Scope Statement
This document specifies the goals of the project. It is called preliminary because it’s created before planning and as the Project Manager gets more details on the project a more detailed scope statement will be created.
3. Develop Project Management Plan
This is the most important document of all. This document guides everything that happens on the project.
4. Direct and Manage Project Execution
The Project Manager needs to make sure that everybody is doing what they should be doing, and that the product being created meets all the requirements. Read the Complete Article
by Daniel Raymond | Nov 26, 2008 | Project Management Definitions, Project Management for Beginners
The Project Charter – A Project Management Definition
By Moises Ortiz
The charter is the only output of the Develop Project Charter process. It is created on a business need or a customer request. The contents of a charter are the following:
- Brief description of the project
- Name of the project manager assigned
- Very high level project requirements
- Very high level milestone schedule
- Assumptions & constraints. It will include a preliminary budget.
- Business case. It will explain the reason why your organization decided to choose this project over another.
The document should be signed by senior management who has the required authority within your organization to assign you to the project.
The charter is a high-level document that does not include project details. The specifics of a project will be developed during the planning process.
Moises Ortiz is a project manager with strong experience in the IT field. He’s been working for many multinational corporations leading IT projects and helping them align their IT strategy to the overall business goals. Read the Complete Article
by Daniel Raymond | Jul 13, 2008
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