Free Project Team Organization Worksheet

Project Team Organization

Today I'm going to write about (and provide) a free Project Team Organization worksheet to complement the Project Charter Template so many have downloaded. Both files are free for download, modification, and distribution. [Team Organization Worksheet] [Project Charter Template] When using the Project Team Organization worksheet, note that there are 4 sections:  Structure, Roles and Responsibilities, and a Responsibility Matrix, Project Facilities and Resources.  I'm going to focus on the first three.

Step 1: Describe the organizational structure of the project team and stakeholders, preferably providing a graphical depiction (organization chart).

Step 2: Summarize roles and responsibilities for the project team and stakeholders identified in the project structure above.

Step 3: Complete the responsibility matrix for each of the project roles. As a graphical depiction of a more detailed perspective of responsibilities, the matrix should reflect by functional role the assigned responsibility for key milestones and activities.

Step 4: Describe the project's requirements for facilities and resources, such as office space, special facilities, computer equipment, office equipment, and support tools. Identify responsibilities for provisioning the specific items needed to support the project development environment.  Hey, you're people need places to sit and equipment to get their work done.

With preliminary approval, copy these values into Section 3 of our free Project Charter Template. Upon Project Charter approval, apply the identified team members to activities in Microsoft Project or your selected Project Management application.

Another thing I would recommend is leverage the data from this worksheet in your Communications Management Plan.  You've already identified people and their roles or responsibilities.  The most important thing to remember is do what makes sense.  This planning worksheet isn't required to do a Charter.  It's supposed to make things easier for you and lower the risk of not knowing who is on your team and what they are responsible for.

[Team Organization Worksheet] [Project Charter Template]

Free Work Breakdown Structure Worksheet

WBS Worksheet

As I look at the logs of the Critical Path website, I notice a trend for what people are searching.  Most visitors coming to this site are searching for project management related templates and worksheets.  If there is one thing I try to instill in other project managers, it is listen to your customers!  That being said, here is a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) worksheet to complement the Project Charter Template so many have downloaded.  Both files are free for download, modification, and distribution. [WBS Worksheet] [Project Charter Template] When using the WBS worksheet, list the project’s major milestones and deliverables, the corresponding unique identifying numbers, and the target dates for delivery. This list should reflect products and/or services delivered to the end user as well as the delivery of key project management or other project-related work products.

With preliminary approval, copy these values into Section 3.2 of our free Project Charter Template.  Upon Project Charter approval, copy the values from the major milestones column into Microsoft Project or your selected Project Management application and begin creating the activity list (decomposing).

Formulas To Remember For The PMP Exam

Use this formula on the PMP exam to calculate the variance of an activity

I think back to when I sat for the PMP exam and remember taking the first few minutes to quickly write down the following formulas.  It was my cheat sheet.  There was enough to think about for the next few hours and worrying if I could remember some key formulas was not one of them.  So, here is a bit of advice.  If you're preparing[1] to take the PMP exam, MEMORIZE these formulas.  The exam won't come right out and ask you to identify the correct formula for a variance of an activity. Rather, it will offer a question like:  Your current activity was pessimistically estimated at 65 hours and optimistically estimated at 40 hours.  What is the variance of the activity?  (you can use this formula for both time and cost) You can see how knowing the formula is going to make you or break you on this question.

Do yourself a favor.  Make flash cards, get a tattoo, it doesn't matter.  Commit these formulas to memory and you'll save yourself some pain and suffering (and a few points on the exam).

The Formulas

Acronym

Title

Formula

PERT

Program Evaluation and Review Technique

Use this formula on the PMP exam to calculate PERT

P = Pessimistic Estimate M = Most Likely Estimate O = Optimistic Estimate

Standard Deviation of Activity

Use this formula on the PMP exam to calculate standard deviation of an activity

Variance of an Activity

Use this formula on the PMP exam to calculate the variance of an activity

Total Float

LS - ES or LF - EF

Communications Channels

[N(N-1)] / 2

CV

Cost Variance

EV - AC

SV

Schedule Variance

EV - PV

CPI

Cost Performance Index

EV / AC

SPI

Schedule Performance Index

EV / PV

EAC

Estimate at Completion

BAC / CPI

AC + ETC

AC + (BAC - EV)

ETC

Estimate to Complete

ETC = EAC - AC

VAC

Variance at Completion

BAC - EAC

CPI

c

Cumulative Cost Performance Index

Σ

EV /

Σ

AC

TCPI

To-Complete Performance Index

Use this formula on the PMP exam to calculate TCPI

Free PM Templates and Worksheets Page Updated

Though I haven't uploaded any new templates today, I did fix some broken links. Thank you PJ for bringing it to my attention.  The Free PM Templates and Worksheets page has been fixed.  I understand the page should be redesigned so it's easier to see what is available.  Thank you for those who let me know when they find an issue on the site.  Feel free to just add a comment to a page.  I'll get it!

Regards,

Derek

Tool Of The Week: Tweet Effect

Because I feel it is important to help others, I figured I'd start doing something new.  It's not a new idea in the grand scheme of the Internet, but it is something new for me.  I'm going to attempt to promote tools, people, or businesses on a weekly basis.  I'm not being compensated accept for maybe some good karma.  I am exposed to some brilliant people and products on a daily basis.  I have to believe someone will benefit from this series.

This week will be about a product I went searching for.  I noticed I had a drop in Twitter followers and  I needed to know why.  Was it something I said?  Well, the short answer is YES.

I found a product that simply states "Find out which of your Twitter updates made people follow or leave you. " It didn't require that I provide my Twitter credentials, only my Twitter ID.  It then gave a well formatted timeline of my tweets, the number of my followers, and the changes that correspond with my tweets.

I think this tool is excellent.  It provides the feedback necessary for me to change my Twitter behavior.  I discovered two possible behaviors people following me (or used to follow me) don't like.

[1] My former followers didn't like it when I retweeted my own post.  I'll admit, I was trying Tweetmeme as a new feature and that one backfired on me.  The result was 3 unfollows. In the future, if you want to retweet my posts, I welcome it.  But, I won't be doing it myself.

[2] My former followers either didn't like the appearance that I alienated someone or the fact that I had four hash tags in my tweet.   The back-story is The Triple Constraint blog had a post titled Top Project Management Twitterers.  I was included on the list and was very flattered to have been mentioned.  It was retweeted and I posted a thank you.  Unfortunately, there are a LOT of people that could have been on that list that were not.  When one of the people I follow expressed that the roll call of PM Twitterers felt like being back at school waiting to be picked in P.E., I felt like a complete heel.  I posted a semi apology and asked if anyone knew of a directory of PMs.  The result was 4 unfollows.

So, I'm here to recommend Tweet Effect [www.tweeteffect.com]to all those Twitterers who are curious about what they tweet about and how it might impact those who follow them.  The feature is free of charge.

Let me know if you found this post helpful.

Regards,

Derek

Free Project Charter Template

Project Charter Template

How many times have you started working on a project and don't even have formal authorization for that project to exist?  A project charter is a document issued by the project initiator or sponsor that formally authorizes the existence of the project, and provides the project manager with the authority to apply organizational resources to project activities.  Using this template will put all the cards on the table.  Knowing answers to key areas before you begin will save you time and money. This document includes areas for project overview, authority and milestones, organization, and points of contact.

On your current project, do you know the project oversight authority?  Do you know your critical success factors? Have you documented all of your project roles and responsibilities?  If you used this template, you would increase your chances for success by documenting the basics up front.

MS Word

[Click here to download the free Project Charter Template]

Free Project Initiation Worksheet

Project Initiation Worksheet

When you are about to initiate a new project, you should capture the basics of project information.  If you don't, you're walking into a minefield.  Even before you write up a charter, you should be able to answer the following: Problem (or Opportunity) Statement -Describe the business reason(s) for initiating the project, specifically stating the key business problem or opportunity

Project Description - Describe the approach the project will use to address the business problem

Project Goals and Objectives - Describe the business goals and objectives of the project. Refine the goals and objectives stated in the Business Case (which you should also have)

Project Scope (Requirements) - Describe the project scope. The scope defines project limits and identifies the products and/or services delivered by the project. The scope establishes the boundaries of the project and should describe products and/or services that are outside of the project scope.

Critical Success Factors -Describe the factors or characteristics that are deemed critical to the success of a project, such that, in their absence the project will fail.

Assumptions - Describe any project assumptions related to business, technology, resources, scope, expectations, or schedules.

Constraints - Describe any project constraints being imposed in areas such as schedule, budget, resources, products to be reused, technology to be employed, products to be acquired, and interfaces to other products. List the project constraints based on the current knowledge today.

If you can articulate these seven areas, you've proven you have at least a basic understanding of what you're up against.  If you can not, you better go back and find the answers.  It is a lot cheaper to answer a question when the project is still initiating, compared to deep in executing.

[Click here to download a free Project Initiation Worksheet]

Free Critical Path and Float Calculation Worksheet

Critical Path Float Calculation Worksheet

The number one search on the Critical Path website is for a Critical Path and Float worksheet.  Though you should be using software to calculate a critical path, if it is mission critical, it is important to understand the concept for the PMP exam. Rather then go into the specifics on how to calculate the critical path and float in this post, I'll merely say a free worksheet template  and PowerPoint presentation are available and you can download them at any time. (see links below)

•

Remember the Critical Path tells you the activities that can not slip a day without increasing the total duration of the project or moving the project completion date. It is the longest path of logically related activities through the network which cannot slip without impacting the total project duration, termed zero float.