Project Management Skill
Patterns for PMI/PMBOK methodology, Agile practices, risk management, and stakeholder communication.
Project Management Approaches
| Approach | Best For | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Predictive (Waterfall) | Known requirements, regulated | Sequential phases, heavy documentation |
| Agile (Scrum/Kanban) | Evolving requirements | Iterative, adaptive, collaborative |
| Hybrid | Complex, mixed needs | Predictive planning + Agile execution |
| Lean | Continuous flow | Eliminate waste, optimize flow |
PMBOK Process Groups
| Group | Purpose | Key Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Initiating | Authorize project | Charter, stakeholder ID |
| Planning | Define approach | Scope, schedule, budget, risk |
| Executing | Do the work | Team management, quality |
| Monitoring & Controlling | Track progress | Status, change control |
| Closing | Formal completion | Lessons learned, handoff |
Project Charter Template
Essential Elements
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PROJECT CHARTER
Project Name: [Name]
Project Manager: [Name]
Sponsor: [Name]
Date: [Date]
1. PURPOSE & JUSTIFICATION
Why are we doing this?
2. OBJECTIVES (SMART)
- Objective 1
- Objective 2
3. HIGH-LEVEL SCOPE
In Scope:
- Item 1
Out of Scope:
- Item 1
4. KEY DELIVERABLES
- Deliverable 1 (target date)
5. HIGH-LEVEL MILESTONES
- Milestone 1: Date
- Milestone 2: Date
6. BUDGET SUMMARY
Estimated: $X
7. KEY STAKEHOLDERS
- Name, Role, Interest
8. ASSUMPTIONS
- Assumption 1
9. CONSTRAINTS
- Constraint 1
10. RISKS (HIGH-LEVEL)
- Risk 1
APPROVALS:
Sponsor: _____________ Date: _______
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
WBS Principles
- •100% rule — Captures ALL work
- •Mutually exclusive — No overlap
- •Outcome-focused — Deliverables, not activities
- •8/80 rule — Work packages 8-80 hours
WBS Structure
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1.0 Project Name
├── 1.1 Phase/Deliverable 1
│ ├── 1.1.1 Sub-deliverable
│ │ ├── 1.1.1.1 Work Package
│ │ └── 1.1.1.2 Work Package
│ └── 1.1.2 Sub-deliverable
├── 1.2 Phase/Deliverable 2
└── 1.3 Project Management
├── 1.3.1 Planning
├── 1.3.2 Monitoring
└── 1.3.3 Closing
WBS Dictionary Entry
| Field | Content |
|---|---|
| WBS ID | 1.1.1.1 |
| Name | [Work package name] |
| Description | What's included |
| Owner | Responsible person |
| Effort | Hours estimated |
| Duration | Calendar time |
| Dependencies | Predecessor WBS items |
| Deliverables | Tangible outputs |
| Acceptance Criteria | How to verify complete |
Schedule Management
Estimating Techniques
| Technique | When to Use | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|
| Analogous | Early estimates, similar projects | ±25-50% |
| Parametric | Have historical data | ±10-25% |
| Three-Point | Uncertainty exists | Better accuracy |
| Bottom-Up | Detailed planning | ±5-10% |
Three-Point Estimate (PERT)
text
Expected = (Optimistic + 4×Most Likely + Pessimistic) / 6 Standard Deviation = (Pessimistic - Optimistic) / 6
Critical Path Method
- •List all activities with durations
- •Identify dependencies
- •Calculate early start/finish (forward pass)
- •Calculate late start/finish (backward pass)
- •Float = Late Start - Early Start
- •Critical Path = Activities with zero float
Risk Management
Risk Process
text
Identify → Analyze → Plan Response → Monitor
│ │ │ │
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
Risk Probability Strategy Track &
Register × Impact Selection Update
Risk Register Template
| ID | Risk | Category | Probability | Impact | Score | Response | Owner | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | [Description] | Technical | H/M/L | H/M/L | P×I | [Strategy] | [Name] | Open |
Risk Response Strategies
| For Threats | For Opportunities |
|---|---|
| Avoid — Eliminate cause | Exploit — Ensure it happens |
| Transfer — Shift to third party | Share — Partner for benefit |
| Mitigate — Reduce P or I | Enhance — Increase P or I |
| Accept — Acknowledge, no action | Accept — Acknowledge, no action |
Risk Categories (Sample)
- •Technical — Technology, complexity, integration
- •External — Vendors, regulations, market
- •Organizational — Resources, priorities, politics
- •Project Management — Estimates, dependencies, scope
Status Reporting
Status Report Template
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PROJECT STATUS REPORT Project: [Name] Period: [Date Range] Overall Status: 🟢 Green / 🟡 Yellow / 🔴 Red EXECUTIVE SUMMARY [2-3 sentences on current state] SCHEDULE STATUS - Planned completion: [Date] - Forecast completion: [Date] - Variance: [+/- days] BUDGET STATUS - Approved: $X - Spent to date: $Y - Forecast total: $Z KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS THIS PERIOD - Item 1 - Item 2 PLANNED NEXT PERIOD - Item 1 - Item 2 RISKS & ISSUES | # | Description | Impact | Mitigation | Owner | |---|-------------|--------|------------|-------| | 1 | [Risk/Issue] | H/M/L | [Action] | [Name] | DECISIONS NEEDED - Decision 1 (by [date]) DEPENDENCIES - Dependency 1 (status)
RAG Status Criteria
| Color | Schedule | Budget | Scope | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🟢 Green | On track | Within budget | No changes | Managed |
| 🟡 Yellow | <10% delay | <10% over | Minor changes | Elevated |
| 🔴 Red | >10% delay | >10% over | Major changes | Critical |
Agile/Scrum Elements
Scrum Events
| Event | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sprint Planning | Plan sprint work | 2-4 hours |
| Daily Standup | Sync, identify blockers | 15 minutes |
| Sprint Review | Demo completed work | 1-2 hours |
| Retrospective | Improve process | 1-2 hours |
| Backlog Refinement | Prepare future work | Ongoing |
User Story Format
code
As a [user type] I want [functionality] So that [benefit] Acceptance Criteria: - Given [context] - When [action] - Then [outcome]
Story Point Estimation
| Points | Relative Effort | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trivial | Config change |
| 2 | Simple | Minor UI update |
| 3 | Small | New field + validation |
| 5 | Medium | New feature module |
| 8 | Large | Integration work |
| 13 | Very Large | Consider splitting |
| 21+ | Epic | Must split |
Stakeholder Communication
Communication Matrix
| Stakeholder | Information | Format | Frequency | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | Status, decisions | 1:1 meeting | Weekly | PM |
| Steering | Progress, risks | Presentation | Bi-weekly | PM |
| Team | Tasks, blockers | Standup | Daily | Scrum Master |
| Users | Changes, training | Email, sessions | As needed | BA |
Meeting Effectiveness
| Meeting Type | Success Criteria |
|---|---|
| Status | Clear decisions, actions assigned |
| Planning | Committed plan, risks identified |
| Review | Stakeholder feedback captured |
| Retrospective | Actionable improvements |
Lessons Learned
Capture Template
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| What went well? | [Successes to repeat] |
| What didn't go well? | [Issues to avoid] |
| What would we do differently? | [Specific changes] |
| What surprised us? | [Unexpected learnings] |
| What should others know? | [Transferable knowledge] |
When to Capture
- •After each phase/milestone
- •After significant issues
- •At project close
- •During retrospectives
Synapses
High-Strength Connections
- •[change-management] (High, Complements, Bidirectional) — "Projects drive change"
- •[business-analysis] (High, Receives, Backward) — "Requirements drive scope"
- •[risk-management] (High, Contains, Forward) — "Risk is core to PM" [Note: maps to root-cause-analysis]
Medium-Strength Connections
- •[testing-strategies] (Medium, Plans, Forward) — "Testing in project schedule"
- •[release-preflight] (Medium, Uses, Forward) — "Release planning within projects"
Supporting Connections
- •[incident-response] (Low, Escalates, Forward) — "Project issues may become incidents"
- •[meditation-facilitation] (Low, Supports, Forward) — "Retrospective reflection"