Project Management and Action Planning Essentials: A Roadmap and Tools to Getting Your Project Moving

April 7, 2020  (7:00-8:30pm, Eastern)

Part A: 7:00-7:45, The Tools & Principles of Project Management

Part B: 7:45-8:30, Academy Project Management / Action Planning

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 Part A     Part B		 Assess the workshop

Read through this facilitation plan to find out what to do, how, where, and when! Pay SPECIAL attention to RED TEXT!

Facilitator(s)

Why?

Using project planning frameworks and language that everyone can understand is essential when working within an organization with multiple activities occurring simultaneously. How can we translate project management essentials into effective action planning for Academy activities?

Plan

  1. Read the assigned readings before the session for each part of the session (Part A and/or Part B) that you will attend. The instructions for the two parts of the workshop are available below. Click the title or "+" symbol to access that information!
  2. Answer the Exploration Questions on the forum for the session before the session begins.
  3. Actively contribute to the discussion exercises by playing one or more team roles used in Process Education teams.
Part A: The Tools & Principles of Project Management

Why? (Part A)

The discipline of Project Management follows a long tradition dating back to work in the aerospace and defense industries in the late 60’s. More recently, a concerted effort by the Project Management Institute (PMI) was undertaken to formulate the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) as a standard framework for practice. Since the PMBOK has become a vast framework, It is our intent to provide just a cursory overview of the tools, and principles that underlie Project Management and what it means to be a Project Manager.

REQUIRED:  Project Management and Action Planning Essentials PART A (PowerPoint) and IBM Case Study (pdf)

OPTIONAL:  PMBOK Summary Guide 6th Edition

  • Exploration Questions

Post answers to these BEFORE the session (click the button below when you're ready to post your answers...it will open the correct forum on the Member site, so be ready to log on!)

Review and reflect on the Appendices in PART A of the PowerPoint.

  1. Match each Appendix Tool with the associated Process and Knowledge Area
    1. Appendix I - Project Charter
    2. Appendix II - Gantt Chart
    3. Appendix III - Fishbone Diagram
    4. Appendix IV - RACI Chart
    5. Appendix V - KPI Dashboard
  2. What PMBOK Processes or Knowledge Areas do we do well here in the Academy of Process Educators? What could we improve on?
  3. In what ways did IBM support Talent Development to best execute on their numerous projects?

I'm ready to answer the Exploration Questions!

  • During the workshop
  1. Welcome (2 min)
  2. Brief summary of goals for session (3 min)
  3. Address what people wrote in their responses to the Exploration Questions (2 min)
  4. Q & A about topic/reading, and explain activity logistics (8 min)
  5. Activity: Breakout groups discuss 3-5 "critical thinking questions" (20-25 min)
  6. Reporting out from teams of top insights gained (5-10 min)
Part B: Academy Project Management / Action Planning

Why? (Part B)

Action planning is currently at the forefront of the Academy’s strategic planning effort. Action planning activities have helped us better prioritize and execute on our goals and objectives for what we hope to accomplish in the coming years. The purpose of this section is to help us better understand action plans, project management and the level of organizational structure needed for the Academy to be successful?

REQUIRED:  Project Management and Action Planning Essentials: Part B (pdf)

  • Exploration Questions

Post answers to these on the session discussion board BEFORE the session (click the button below when you're ready to post your answers...it will open the correct forum on the Member site, so be ready to log on!)

Review and reflect on the Action Planning Slides in Part B of the PowerPoint.

  1. Compare and contrast Project Management and Action Planning as demonstrated in PART A and B of the PPT.
  2. What are some advantages/disadvantages for using a Project Management framework to support Academy projects?
  3. Which of the following items represents the best course of action for the Academy and Why?
    1. Increase the level of organizational structure with Project Management/Action Planning tools and frameworks.
    2. Decrease the level of organizational structure from current state.
    3. Maintain the current state of organizational structure represented in Part B of the PPT.

I'm ready to answer the Exploration Questions!

  • During the workshop
  1. Welcome (2 min)
  2. Brief summary of goals for session (3 min)
  3. Address what people wrote in their responses to the Exploration Questions (2 min)
  4. Q & A about topic/reading, and explain activity logistics (8 min)
  5. Activity: Breakout groups discuss 3-5 "critical thinking questions" (20-25 min)
  6. Reporting out from teams of top insights gained (5-10 min)

  • Live SII during the session (if time)

I'm ready to Assess the Workshop!