On Mon, 03 Mar 2008 17:21:01 -0600, Louis Ohland
wrote:

I need to document a process. Up until now, they used a simple
timeline, but that was when there was 18 months to make it work. Now 18
weeks is a luxury (closer to 30 days, minus)

Which book is worth getting?

The direct title match books are from the 60s and 70s.
Gantt, PERT, CPM
============
After having been there [and tried to do that] I have some
thoughts/observations/suggestions.

The major reason for the initial success of CPM/PERT in building
the Nautilus submarine was the ruthlessness of Adm. Rickover in
enforcing reporting accuracy and action implementation as
required.

If you have any friends at work, and they are part of the
project, they won't be friends for long. If you do your job
right, expect to transfer or to get a new job on the completion
of the project, successful or not.

== Be aware that CPM/PERT is a technique of the 50s and 60s so
there may well be a "situation" here you should/want to steer
clear of. ==

One drawback of CPM/PERT from management's perspective [if it is
correctly introduced, i.e. rigorously implemented and ruthlessly
enforced] is that it allows no place to hide and very little
opportunity to shift the blame for failure to perform/produce.

A major institutional problem is the refusal of "management" to
accept the results. For example it they want a new product
introduced in 180 days but CPM/PERT pert shows it will require
270 days, after everything is reviewed and tweaked, then there is
something wrong with CPM/PERT, not their "wet dream."

some specifics

First -- unless you get Project Manager Status and the authority
to issue directives this implies, be sure that your boss (and his
boss) understands that you are reporting progress only, and
aren't responsible for action (or lack thereof) == *THEY ARE*.
You will most likely have to repeat this on the hour and
half-hour and it still won't sink in. Keep copies of every
notification/update memo you send to them.

If you do get directive authority, be ruthless in bypassing the
no-loads and dickweeds, as it's your a** on the line.

For example, if you need special packaging, with a 10 week lead
time, if the packaging is not on order and scheduled to be
delivered on time [check with the vender and don't rely on
purchasing and/or the graphic arts department assurances] and if
not due in, order it your self and let the nominally
"responsible" people scream.

Be sure any extra design or short run cost is charged to their
departments. I suggest going to an alternate/new supplier just
in case there is an attempt at sabotage just to show you who's in
charge.

(1) The WBS [work breakdown structure] / task analysis is
critical. Be sure you don't skip *ANY* steps. Any missing items
including packaging and instruction sheets, even PN/date stamps
for the packaging, will stop you from shipping. Where you must
rely on other departments such as product design or production
engineering, make they submit *ALL* information, estimates, etc.
IN WRITING*. Kick back any ambagious memos, with copies to your
and their boss. ==Check lists and structured reviews are your
friend.==

If possible ignore verbal updates, or at the least write
"confirming our conversation" memos with copies to file.

(2) Gantt charts are reasonably simple, the problem being things
always take longer and cost more than planned.
For excel templates try these sites
http://www.exinfm.com/excel%20files/...20Gantt_v4.xls
http://www.xleasygantt.com/
http://lifehacker.com/software/featu...ate-289581.php
and a bunch more.
For some downloadable videos see
http://www.helpuplan.com/tutorials_and_videos.asp
http://www.helpuplan.com/information/information.asp
for short courses see
http://www.mindconnection.com/Mercha...M-INT2-2-GANTT


(3) CPM/PERT is somewhat more complex and a computer program is
suggested as this allows easy calculation of the critical
[longest] path, with easy database update as the progress reports
come in. Be sure and keep copies of the progress reports [which
you should be sure are signed and dated].
For small projects MicroSoft project is good and "plays well"
with other M/S applications. However it is kind of a "spicy
meatball" at 1000$professional/600$standard [if your boss doesn't
want to make a purchase this should also tell you something ...]
A "free" 60 day evaluation download is available at
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/pr...487771033.aspx

for an overview of CPM/PERT and a list of buzzwords
http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/...th-Method.html
http://www.scivis.nps.navy.mil/~me/c...sem/sld103.htm
http://www.interventions.org/pertcpm.html
http://proquestbus.safaribooksonline...619075406/ch13
http://www.bridgeport.edu/sed/projec...li/report.html

cpm/pert texts that I have found helpful include
http://www.bestwebbuys.com/Project_M...?isrc=b-search
I have several others but these are dated and out of print.

for some alternative to M$ project see (be sure these also
calculate the critical path and allow easy database updates in
addition to just drawing the charts, which is the easy part)
http://www.smartdraw.com/specials/pe...EqIgodP X5Gpw
http://www.minuteman-systems.com/?re...=123pertchart2
http://www.fileplaza.com/search/conf...anagement.html

Another item that you should at least consider is asking the
people who submit the WBS/task analysis estimates to include the
following time/cost estimates in addition to the traditional
point estimates.

(1) will take longer / cost more than...
(2) will likely take longer / cost more than...
(3) most likely will cost/take ...
(4) most likely will take less than / cost less than
(5) will take less and cost less than ...

Note that items (1), (2), (4) and (5) are frequently used to
generate item (3) but are discarded, thus throwing away 80% of
the available information.

Item (1) corresponds to -3 sigma
Item (2) corresponds to -2 sigma
Item (3) corresponds to the mean
Item (4) corresponds to +2 sigma
and
Item (5) corresponds to +3 sigma.

Many of the newer / more elaborate CPM/PERT programs allow the
input of time and cost *DISTRIBUTIONS* using items 1,2,4,5 in
addition to the traditional point estimates, and have an option
to perform Monte Carlo simulation to see the expected total
time/cost distribution which in many cases provides far more
useful information that simple point estimates. For example,
there may be significant (c. 10%) probability of large losses
either due to cost over-runs or delays.

Rather than keep badgering the people responsible for their
progress reports, simply report zero progress if they don't
submit one. This has two good aspects. If your/their boss does
not react, you know its time to get another job as the CPM/PERT
effort was simply another management "punch and judy" show. If
your/their boss goes ballistic, direct the fire toward the person
that failed to report. It can be helpful to include the subfile
reminder "no progress reported, assumed to be zero" on the
master/management summary report for items not updated.

Depending on how Byzantine your work environment is (i.e. if
documents have a habit of disappearing), you may want to make it
a habit to scan all paper work (such as the WBS/task progress
reports) on a daily basis and keep copies of all documents,
emails, etc. you generate or receive AT HOME. This can now be
done cheaply by copying to a USB thumb/flash drive and burning a
cd at home. If your boss or co-workers complain about this (if
they find out -- avoid making it public if possible), it is also
a warning. This will be vital when the "blame game" starts.

You should also back up the project database every time you
update the WBS/task progress reports, as in some cases when it
becomes obvious a deadline won't be met, it causes the project
database file to erase itself or the server hard drive to "crash"
with unrecoverable data.

Good luck, and let the group know how you make out.


Unka' George [George McDuffee]
-------------------------------------------
He that will not apply new remedies,
must expect new evils:
for Time is the greatest innovator: and
if Time, of course, alter things to the worse,
and wisdom and counsel shall not alter them to the better,
what shall be the end?

Francis Bacon (1561-1626), English philosopher, essayist, statesman.
Essays, "Of Innovations" (1597-1625).