Project Management Handbook

Contents

Page No

SECTION 1 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT 2

1. Introduction 2

2. Project Management 3

3. Project Management Methodologies 3

4. Project Failure 5

5. Project Success 5

6. Project Manager 6

7. Project Management Framework 7

SECTION 2 – CHECKLISTS 11

1. Project Start-Up 11

2. Planning 12

3. Control 13

4. Managing Project Phases 13

5. Project Closure 14

SECTION 3 – DOCUMENT TEMPLATES 15

1. Project Documents 15

APPENDICES 19

Appendix 1 Project Management Resources 19

Appendix 2 Glossary of Project Management Terms 22

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Project Management Handbook

SECTION 1 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT

1 Introduction

This handbook is a flexible resource pack for project managers and their
teams. The contents can be used with any size of project and any
management style or methods.

Although the principles of project management apply to all projects, each

project is unique. Particular ways of working do not fit all projects. The project
management needs of each project should be assessed to determine the
approach most suited to the particular needs of that project.

The checklists and templates in this handbook are intended to be selected,

amended and adapted to suit the needs of a particular organisation or project.
Not all documents suggested are required for all projects. Some documents
will vary in their level of detail depending on the needs of the project. In some
cases, more than one example of a template for a particular document is
provided. Only the one which best suits the particular project needs should be
used.

Many of the resources referred to in this handbook are available online using
the web addresses provided. This handbook does not describe the theory of
project management. There are many textbooks on that topic. However, there
are references to online information. In addition, there are links to online
booklists, book descriptions and bookshops. These are listed in Appendix 1.

Appendix 1 contains a range of online project management resources

including:

• project management guidance

• project resources and other useful tools
• case studies
• books.

2 Project Management

2.1 What is a project?

A project is a set of co-ordinated activities, with clear starting and finishing

points, undertaken by an individual or team to meet specific objectives within
defined time, cost and performance targets.

The main characteristics of a project are:

• Provides a means to bring about change

• Different from normal ways of working

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• One-time activity
• Made up of connected parts
• Undertaken by people who don't normally work together
• Temporary with clear start and end dates
• Intended to achieve clear outcomes
• Often has uncertainty and some risk.

2.2 What is project management?

Project management is the planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a

project. This includes motivati ng those involved to achieve the objectives on
time, and to cost and quality targets.

3 Project Management Methodologies

There are many different project management methods available . These are
all based on the same ideas and have a lot in common. The same principles
apply whichever method is used. These methods provide a framework but the
success of a project depends on the skills and intelligence of the people who
run it.

In choosing a project management system managers must be sure that it is

suitable for the size of their project and that the methods meet the needs of
their organisation. A new method can be difficult to get used to . Good training
and support are essential for the people involved.

Some common project management methods which may be useful in urban

regeneration, employment and social inclusion projects are listed in 3.1 and
3.3 below. The guides Project Management (LASA website) and the
Partnership Development Toolkit (EQUAL website) are particularly helpful.

3.1 SPM (Small Project Management)

SPM is a straightforward approach to managing small projects. It aims for a

consistent approach and tries to keeping paperwork to a minimum .

A Project Management guide is available free to download from the LASA

website. (http://www.lasa.org.uk/computanews/guides.shtml) The 16 page
guide gives an introduction to the techniques of project management. It looks
at the principles and tools and provides templates and procedures for project
management. The guide shows how project management can work in a
voluntary sector setting with particular reference to applying for funding.

SPM is also available from training consultancies and membership bodies

such as:

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• Project Experts (USA) – the Small Project Guide is available at low cost
from
www.projectexperts.com/products/spg.htm

• The TPG Academy (UK) offers courses in Managing Smaller Projects

http://www.tpgacademy.com/uk/

3.2 PRINCE2 (Projects In Controlled Environments)

PRINCE 2 is the UK Government standard for project management. It is

widely used by the public and private sectors for all types and sizes of
projects (IT and non-IT). PRINCE2 is a detailed system. It is suited to large
projects but can also be scaled down to provide a framework for smaller
projects. For example, the Project Management guide from LASA described in
3.1 above is based on a scaled-down PRINCE2 approach.

More information is available at the APM Group's PRINCE2 Website

(www.prince2.org.uk) There are two particular sections which provide useful
descriptions and resources:

• For an overview of the method

http://www.prince2.org.uk/web/site/AboutPRINCE2/aboutus.asp

• For descriptions of successful use of PRINCE2 and for downloads of

document templates
http://www.prince2.org.uk/web/site/PRINCE2Resources/Case-Studies.asp

3.3 PCM (Project Cycle Management)

PCM is a well known and proven method. It was introduced by the European
Commission for the identification, formulation, implementation and evaluation
of projects and programmes. (Aid Delivery projects and EQUAL, for example).

PCM uses the Logical Framework Approach (LFA). LFA is a tool to help
analyse problems and work solutions. It is useful in helping projects prepare
and implement better structures, plan their ideas and set them out in clear and
standardised ways.

The best guide to PCM is the Partnership Development Toolkit available from
the EQUAL website (http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/equal/about/key-
doc_en.cfm#toolkit). This provides best practice methods for all aspects of
project management which involve partnerships.

More guidance on this methodology for Aid projects can be found on the
European Commission’s website: Project Cycle Management Manual 2004
http://ec.europa.eu/comm/europeaid/qsm/index_en.htm

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The PCM Group website (http://www-en.pcm-group.com/) gives a description

of the method but not guidance on how to use it.

4 Project Failure

Some projects fail. There are many reasons for this. The most common
reasons are listed below.

• Following a method without thinking

• Being too confident of success
• Not enough contribution from those with an interest
• Unrealistic expectations
• Too little involvement of contributors or partners
• Poor communication
• Poor project specification
• Not enough resources
• The wrong people involved in the project
• Too much reliance on one person
• Not enough planning
o Unrealistic time and resource estimates
o Unclear or unmeasurable project objectives
o Project objectives changing during the project
• Failure to manage risks and problems.

5 Project Success

To increase the chances of success, projects should have the following:

• Clear and well-managed processes

• A clearly defined purpose and limits
• Shared understanding of the intended outcomes
• Realistic objectives
• Good management of risks and problems
• Thorough planning
• Timely decision-making supported by short, clear lines of reporting
• Strong leadership
• Commitment and support from senior management
• A senior person with overall responsibility for the success of the project
• A trained and experienced project manager who is suited to the particular
project
• A trained and experienced project team
• Clearly defined jobs and responsibilities
• Good communications .

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The following websites contain advice to support successful project

management:

• 14 Key Principles for Project Management S uccess

http://www.michaelgreer.com/14key.htm

• Project Management Tips contains links to several helpful articles. Two of

these provide an overview of project management best practice:
Project Management Best Practices I – Plan the Work
Project Management Best Practices II – Work the Plan
http://www.projectkickstart.com/html/tips.htm

• The Atlantic Systems Guild website contains a list of good project

management points. These were gathered from successful project
managers.
http://www.systemsguild.com/GuildSite/Robs/MasterPoints.html

6 Project Manager

A good project manager is essential for a successful project. A good project

manager:

• Spends time getting to understand the project and getting commitment

from partners and other contributors
• Communicates with everyone openly and clearly
• Gets agreement from people about what they need to do and when
• Listens to partners and colleagues
• Understands the scope and objectives of the project and keeps them in
mind when making decisions
• Builds the team and makes the most of the members’ skills
• Keeps the project team involved and motivated
• Plans thoroughly – keeps workload, resources and timescales in balance
• Is accountable for all aspects of the project
• Makes decisions based on the information available
• Puts the project before any other allegiances
• Is honest with themselves and others
• Uses common sense
• Is prepared to take calculated risks
• Is a good negotiator
• Anticipates, prioritises and addresses potential and real problems as soon
as they become apparent.

The following link contains an article on The Top 10 Qualities of a Project

Manager:
http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/top_10_qualities_project_manager.html

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7 Project Management Framework

The diagram below shows the main parts of a project management

framework. Some processes, such as Project Start-up and Project Closure,
occur only once. The other processes, Planning, Managing and Controlling,
form a continuous cycle that runs throughout the project up to its completion.

This framework is suitable for managing any size and type of project. There
are areas where it can be developed in greater or lesser detail depending on
the particular project. Properly applied it should match the size, risk level and
complexity of the project.

7.1 Project Start-Up

Before starting a project, time should be spent on understanding the size and
nature of the task. This is helped by:

• Defining the project objectives clearly

• Identifying the senior manager with overall responsibility for the project
(the sponsor)
• Prepare a business case (the reasons for the project)
• Identify the partners and colleagues - who needs to be involved?
• Define the scope - what are the boundaries of the project?
• Check resources - do you have the resources you need?

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• Identify risks
• Build a team
• Build relationships
• Form a Project Board
• Create a Project Initiation Document (PID)
• Establish procedures for managing risks, issues, change and q uality

Once these have been thought through, it is a good idea to set up a workshop
with the people involved in the project in order to 'kick-start' the process.

The websites on project management guidance described in Part 1 of

Appendix 1 provide more detail. Checklist 1 in Section 2 should help you
decide if you have completed all the required activities for this process.

7.2 Planning

Planning helps to identify where the pressure points are likely to be. Planning
also helps to identify problems early, when they will be easier to fix, and stops
resources being wasted on the wrong things. Good plans reassure everyone
involved that the work is under control and that the manager knows what he
or she is doing.

Seven steps to planning:

• Split the work into manageable parts or stages

• Decide what deliverables will be created for each part or stage
• Identify milestones. These are key points that show the Project is
going according to plan. This provides a measure of progress
• Estimate how much time each deliverable will take to achieve
• Identify any deliverables that are dependent on each other
o In what order are the deliverables achieved?
o Can some be achieved at the same time as others?
o Do some have to be achieved before another can start?
o Can some only start on a fixed date?

• Identify who will carry out the work involved

• Are there sufficient resources to make the plan work?

Your project plan should include planning for:

• Stages
• Activities
• Resources
• Reviews
• Communications
• Contingencies (how to deal with unexpected events)

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To support the scheduling of these, tools such as Gantt charts and critical
path analysis can be useful.

This planning process enables tracking, reviewing and reporting on project

progress, and re-planning as necessary.

Checklist 2 in Section 2 should help in deciding if all the necessary steps for
this have been implemented.

The websites on project management guidance described in Part 1 of

Appendix 1 provide more detail on completing this process.

3.1 Manage Phases

Once the project is underway, there is still much that needs to be done to
ensure success. Project managers should:

• Monitor progress and check the quality of the work

• Avoid unnecessary change ('scope creep')
• Manage the risks that have been identified
• Regularly review plans, risks, assumptions, constraints, issues and
other relevant matters
• Make sure the project team is supported and kept informed
• Maintain regular contact with key people .

Checklist 3 in Section 2 should help in deciding if all the necessary steps for
this have been implemented.

The websites on project management guidance described in Part 1 of

Appendix 1 provide more detail.

7.4 Controlling

Control mechanisms are designed to limit the effects of events which can
throw a project off course. In p roject management these events, or their
effects, are normally described under four headings: Risks, Issues, Changes
and Quality.

Risk management is about identifying, evaluating, recording and managing

risks which may prevent or seriously obstruct the successful completion of the
Project. Potential risks must be identified and steps must be taken to monitor
and control them.

Issues in a Project are those problems which have already occurred and
have yet to be addressed. People often get confused between risks and
issues. The best way to remember the difference is that risks MAY occur and

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that issues HAVE occurred. Issues need to be recorded and steps planned to
resolve them.

Change can't be avoided while a project is in progress. It must be controlled

to keep disruption to a minimum. A Change Control Mechanism is necessary
to ensure that such changes are managed and controlled in order to keep the
project on track. Without this, projects are at risk of 'Scope Creep'.

Quality management is the process of ensuring that the quality expected by

the customer is achieved. This includes quality assurance, planning and
control of systems and deliverables.

Checklist 4 in Section 2 helps in deciding if the procedures for this are in

place.

The websites on project management guidance described in Part 1 of

Appendix 1 provide more detail.

7.5 Project Closure

The project should be formally closed to ensure that:

• The customer is content that all elements of the work are satisfactorily
achieved
• Any work to be carried on in an operational environment is well-defined
and has a clearly defined 'owner'
• Documentation and other paperwork is up -to-date and stored
appropriately
• Any further actions and recommendations are documented and
distributed
• A post project review is planned
• A report of the lessons learned is produced and distributed
• The means of carrying out a longer term evaluation are in place and
there is a process for assessing feedback

Checklist 5 in Section 2 should help in deciding if these processes are in

place.

The websites on project management guidance described in Part 1 of

Appendix 1 provide more detail on this.

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SECTION 2 - CHECKLISTS

This section contains 5 checklists, one for each process in the Project
Management Framework illustrated in part 7of Section 1. The checklists
should be changed to suit the needs of particular projects and organisations.

1 Project Start-Up

Project Start-Up Checklist Y N Comments

1 Is the project in line with the strategic
plan?
2 Has the project sponsor been identified?
3 Have project scope and objectives been
defined?
4 Is the Business Case in place?
5 Is an options appraisal necessary?
6 Has a Project Initiation Document (PID)
been completed?
7 Has a project manager been appointed?
8 Does the project team have the correct
mix of skills and professional
experiences?
9 Are project jobs clear and documented?
10 Are levels of authority clear?
11 Has the project infrastructure been set
up?
12 Has a stakeholder analysis been carried
out?
13 Is there a need for a partnership
agreement?
14 Have clear project management
processes been set up?
15 Has a risk management system been set
up?
16 Are there clear procedures for managing
issues and changes?
17 Are there clear procedures for managing
project quality?
18 Have project review procedures been set
up?

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2 Planning

Planning Checklist Y N Comments

1 Have appropriate project planning tools
and techniques been identified?
2 Has the project been broken down into its
component parts?
3 Have project activities been costed and
scheduled?
4 Have project resources been costed and
scheduled?
5 Has a milestone chart or Gantt chart
been produced?
6 Is there an overall budget plan?
7 Has advice been sought from financial
experts?
8 Are estimates accurate?
9 Has the critical path for the project been
identified?
10 Has a communications plan been
developed and incorporated in the project
plan?
11 Is ongoing risk analysis included in the
project plan?
12 Are contingency plans in place?
13 Are reporting and reviewing procedures
for planning being implemented?
14 Are appropriate project planning tools
and techniques being implemented?

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3 Managing Project Phases (Delivery)

Delivery Checklist Y N Comments

1 Have tolerance levels been agreed?
2 Are monitoring and reviewing procedures
being implemented effectively?
3 Has a ‘management by exception’
approach been adopted?
4 Is it clear who reports what and to whom
and how?
5 Are reporting mechanisms meeting the
needs of the project?
6 Are regular ‘planned versus actual’
reports being created?
7 Are variations quickly flagged?
8 Is there adherence to the meeting
schedule?
9 Is quality being maintained at the
specified standards?
10 Are audit requirements and schedules
being met?

4 Control

Control Checklist Y N Comments

1 Is an appropriate level of control being
applied (loose versus tight)?
2 Are issue and change management
procedures being implemented
effectively?
3 Are risk management procedures being
implemented effectively?
4 Are quality management procedures
being implemented effectively?
5 Is there a need for User Acceptance
Testing?
6 Have all necessary records/documents
for project management and control been
created and kept up-to-date?

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5 Project Closure

Planning Checklist Y N Comments

1 Is the project still delivering the benefits
intended?
2 If closing the project early, is there a case
for abandoning the project?
3 Has learning been identified?
4 Has a lessons learned report been
created and distributed?
5 Has an end-of-project report been
created?
6 Is there a need for external evaluation?
7 Is there a plan in place for a post project
review?

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SECTION 3 – DOCUMENT TEMPLATES

1. Project Documents

The document templates on the following pages can be amended and adapted to suit the needs of particular organisations and
projects. Not all of the documents are needed for every project.

The document templates can be found using the web addresses provided. In some cases more than one example of a template for
a particular document is provided. The one which best suits the particular project needs in terms of scope, detail and formality
should be chosen. It is recommended that that the templates are considered in the order presented. (The first template in each box
is either the easier to complete or the most comprehensive.)

Many of the document templates are available from the PRINCE2 website. For each of these documents you are referred to the
same web address each time. The templates are not downloadable individually. You must download them all at the same time.
Please note that the PRINCE2 template is not always the most suitable choice for each document.

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Phase Document Template

Project Brief • http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ppm/index.cfm?fuseaction=downloads.list&DocCategoryID=20&SiteID=2

• www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp

Business case • www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/business-case-template

• www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp

Project Initiation • www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/project-initiation-document-template

Document
• www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Start-Up
Risk • http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/risk-assessment-template
Assessment and
Management
Plan

Roles and • http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/roles-and-responsibilities-template

Responsibilities

Stakeholder • http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/stakeholder-analysis-template
Analysis

Project • http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk /InfoKits/infokit-related-files/project-infrastructure-checklist

Infrastructure
Checklist

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Phase Document Template

Project Plan • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp

Communications • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Planning Plan

Budget Plan • EQUAL Partnership Development Toolkit , Template 5, page 38

http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equal/data/document/pdtoolkit_en.pdf

Risk Log • Project Controls Database

http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/project-management/pm-controlling-the-project-1.4

• http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ppm/index.cfm?fuseaction=downloads.list&DocCategoryID=21&SiteID=2

• www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp

Control Issue Log • Project Controls Database

http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/project-management/pm-controlling-the-project-1.4

• http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ppm/index.cfm?fuseaction=downloads.list&DocCategoryID=21&SiteID=2

Quality Log • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp

Lessons • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Learned Log
• http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ppm/index.cfm?fuseaction=downloads.list&DocCategoryID=22&SiteID=2

Change Control • http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/change-request-template

Form

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Phase Document Template

Acceptance • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Control Criteria
contd Customer • http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/templates.html
Acceptance
Form
Budget and • EQUAL Partnership Development Toolkit , Template 8, page 47
Actual Variance http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/equal/data/document/pdtoolkit_en.pdf
Record
Delivery Status Report • http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/status -report-template

Highlight Report • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp

Exception • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Report
End of Project • http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ppm/index.cfm?fuseaction=downloads.list&DocCategoryID=22&SiteID=2
Report
• www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Closure
Lessons • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Learned Report
Post Project • www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-Templates.asp
Review Plan
Post Project • http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/infokit-related-files/post-project-review-template
Review Form

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Appendix 1

Project Management Resources

1. Project management guidance websites

a. Project Management guidance from the UK Go vernment’s Department

for Education and Skills (DfES):

http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ppm/index.cfm?fuseaction=content.view&SiteID
=2

Straightforward and user-friendly project management guidance

covering the life-cycle of a project from start-up to closure.

b. Project Management guidance from JISC InfoNet:

http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/InfoKits/project-management

Straightforward a nd user-friendly project management guidance. The

guidance has been written specifically for projects in colleges and
universities. The examples are related to the education sector. Despite
this, there is much useful information which can be applied to any
project.

c. Project management guidance from the Successful Delivery Toolkit

provided by the UK Government’s Office of Government Commerce
(OGC):

www.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit/deliveryteam/projects/index.html

Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of project management with

many links to other documentation and related topics. The approach is
more formal and contains more detail than (a) and (b) above.

2. Project resources and other useful tools

a. Project management templates

www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/PRINCE2-
Templates.asp

Contains a set of PRINCE2 project management document templates.

The templates can be altered to suit individual needs.

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b. Tools for project management and control

http://www.ittoolkit.com/qtools.htm

Easy to use worksheets, checklists and templates, specifically

designed to help complete individual planning tasks and project
management objectives.

3. Case studies

a. PRINCE2

http://www.prince2.org.uk/Web/Site/PRINCE2Resources/Case-
Studies.asp

Contains a number of PRINCE2 Case Studies. These were written in

response to requests for examples of PRINCE2 implementations from
organisations considering using the method. They focus on the
business case for using PRINCE2, how PRINCE2 was implemented,
lessons learned and benefits. Those interested in the implementation
of PRINCE2 within a local authority should download the report on
Reading Borough Council.

b. Local Government International Bureau

www.lgib.gov.uk/case_studies/index.html

Case studies from local government. It describes projects run by UK

local authorities with EU funding and how councils in other countries
are tackling common problems. For example, there is a case study on
community regeneration in Bristol which describes Bristol City
Council’s involvement in an EU programme which gets young
people involved in regenerating their own communities.

4. Books

a. The Project Shop

The Project Shop is an online bookshop for books on management.

The listings include a summary of each book.
http://www.theprojectshop.co.uk/acatalog/index.html

Click on the following link to go to the catalogue on General Project

Management:

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http://www.theprojectshop.co.uk/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_General_
Project_Management_1.html

Project management books in other languages including Dutch,

Spanish and Italian:
http://www.theprojectshop.co.uk/acatalog/Books_in_other_languages.h
tml

PRINCE2 books can be found at:

http://www.theprojectshop.co.uk/acatalog/PRINCE2_.html

b. Amazon

Thousands of books on project management:

http://www.amazon.com

Amazon’s UK website:
http://www.amazon.co.uk

Amazon also has i nternational sites including Spanish, German, and

French:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/tg/stores/static/-
/welcome/international-gateway/ref=cs_nav_sn_11/203-2418381-
1011124

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Appendix 2

Glossary of Project Management Terms

Term Description

Acceptance A prioritised list of criteria that the final deliverables must

Criteria meet before the customer will accept them.

Assumption A statement that is taken as being true for planning a

Project, but which could change later.

Audit The examination of the activities, deliverables and

finances of the project to determine the extent to which
they conform to accepted criteria.

Benefits The positive outcomes that a project is being undertaken

to deliver, and which justify the investment.

Budget and Monitors the receipts and expenditure against amounts

Actual Variance planned. It shows the variation between actual and
Record budgeted expenditure.

Budget Plan A tool for planning expenditure over time. It provides

information on project expenditure and includes
information on the funding sources and conditions of
funding.

Business Case Information that describes the justification for setting up

and continuing a project.

Change Control A procedure to ensure that the processing of all Project

Issues and Change Requests are controlled, including the
submission, analysis and decision making.

Change Control A form to request a change to the project. It is used to

Form assist the Project Manager and Project Board in
determining the potential impact and cost of changes to
the agreed Project Plan.

Communications Describes how the project’s stakeholders and interested

Plan parties will be kept informed during the project.

Constraint Something which is unavoidable or which may prevent the

Project Manager from delivering the Project in the most
appropriate way.

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Term Description

Contingency A plan that provides an outline of decisions and measures

Plan to be taken if circumstances (such as a risk) outside the
control of a project occur.

Critical path The minimum time required to complete the project, taking
into account dependencies between activities. If any task
on the critical path is delayed, then the project will finish
late.

Critical Path Analysing the critical path allows critical tasks to be

Analysis prioritised when planning and can help identify key
slippages. The reliability of the critical path depends on
accurate estimates of time and of resources required.

Customer Confirms that the deliverables have been measured

Acceptance against their acceptance criteria and have been accepted
Form on behalf of the customer.

Deliverable An item that a project has to create as part of its

requirements. Another name for a deliverable is ‘product’.

Document A suggested format for a document, with headings under

template which the user can enter their own text.

End-of-project Produced at the end of the Project, and provides the

report Project Board with a review of the overall Project and an
assessment of how successfully the Project has met its
objectives.

Exception A situation where it is identified that the project will exceed

tolerance levels agreed between two parties, such as
Project Manager and Project Board.

Exception Report A report presented to the Project Board by the Project

Manager that describes an exception. This provides an
analysis and options for the way forward and identifies a
recommended option.

External An externally commissioned evaluation of the project. May

evaluation be a formative and/or summative evaluation of the
processes and the deliverables.

Gantt Chart A bar chart which can help visualise the project schedule.
It is drawn with dates as the x axis and the project tasks
as the y axis.

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Term Description

Highlight Report A progress report produced at a specified frequency.

Inter-dependent Activities or tasks where one or more activity cannot

activities commence until another has completed.

Issue Something that has happened and which is affecting the

project and needs to be resolved. For example, it can be a
problem, query or request for change.

Issue Log A log of all Project Issues including requests for change
raised during the project, showing details of each
issue, its evaluation, what decisions have been made
about it and its current status.

Lessons Learned Used during the lifetime of the project to record lessons
Log learned as they occur. Used to produce a Lessons
Learned Report.

Lessons Learned A report that describes the lessons learned in undertaking

Report the project. The lessons should be distributed and the
report held centrally for the benefit of future projects.

Management by A management technique whereby a higher level of

exception management does not intervene at a lower level unless
there is a deviation from the agreed levels of tolerance.

Milestone A point at which progress can be measured on the way to

achieving an objective.

Outcome Describes what a project is set up to deliver.

Partnership A written agreement which outlines the jobs,

Agreement responsibilities and contributions of all project partners.

Post Project One or more reviews held after project closure to see if
Review the expected benefits have been obtained.

Post Project A form summarising progress on post-project benefits.

Review Form Used to record status at the time of the post project
review.

Post Project The plan, including schedule, for the reviews to be

Review Plan conducted after project closure.

Product An item that is created by the project. Sometimes known

as a ’deliverable’.

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Term Description

Project A set of co-ordinated activities, with clear starting and

finishing points, undertaken to meet objectives within
defined time, cost and performance targets.

Project Board Managers representing the business, users and suppliers

of the project. It provides overall direction and
management of the project and is accountable for the
project’s success.

Project Brief A description of what the project is to do and which is

used to develop the Project Initiation Document.

Project Initiation Brings together the main information needed to start the
Document (PID) project and to convey that information to all concerned
with the project.

Project A checklist to help identify the resource needs of a project

infrastructure (such as accommodation, equipment, hardware, software
checklist and user access accounts)

Project life-cycle The duration of the project from start-up to closure.

Project The planning, monitoring and control of all aspects of a

management project, and the motivation of those involved in it, with the
aim of achieving objectives on time and to the specified
cost, quality and performance.

Project A structured set of guidance and processes which provide

management a method to manage a project. This includes a set of pre-
methodology defined tools and techniques which can be followed as
part of a standard management process.

Project Checklists, templates, software packages and other aids

management to help you manage a project.
tools

Project Manager The person given the authority and responsibility to

manage the project on a day-to-day basis to deliver the
outcomes within the constraints agreed with the Project
Board.

Project objective To be achieved in order to meet an aim. Objectives should

be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-
bound (SMART)

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Term Description

Project Plan A high-level plan showing the main deliverables, when

they will be delivered and their cost. An initial Project Plan
is presented as part of the Project Initiation Document.
This is revised as information on actual progress appears.
It is a major control document for the Project Board to
assess progress against expectations .

Project resources The resources of a project include all the finances,

budgets, staff, buildings, equipment, systems, services
and technology required by the project.

Project Sponsor The person who is accountable for the successful delivery
of a project. The Project Sponsor usually has control over
the resources allocated to it. The Project Manager reports
progress to the Project Sponsor.

Project Team Those involved in the management and delivery of the

project and its deliverables.

Quality The features of a deliverable or service that define its

ability to satisfy the needs of the customer who
commissioned it.

Quality Describes the process by which quality outcomes and

Assurance project management can be demonstrated.

Quality Control The procedures and techniques to control the quality of

project management and of deliverables being produced.
Quality Control is about the processes to be put in place to
achieve that Quality.

Quality The complete set of quality standards, procedures and

Management responsibilities for a site or organisation.
System
Quality Plan A plan defining the main quality criteria, quality control and
audit processes to be applied to project management and
specialist work in the project.

Risk Something which MAY happen in the future and requires

positive management to reduce the likelihood of it
happening and its impact.

Risk Log A document recording identified project risks. It includes

impact evaluation and counter-measures for all risks. It
should be created during the start-up of the project and
developed during the life of the project.

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Term Description

Risk The task of minimising the project’s vulnerability to risk.

management

Scope The limits within which a Project is planned and managed.

When defining the scope of a Project it is as important to
consider what is outside the Project’s scope as it is to
define what is within it.

Scope creep Changes to the process by which the set of deliverables is

produced, usually in an uncontrolled fashion and without a
change in resources or review of the deliverability of the
Project. Scope creep is one of the most common causes
of Project failure.

Stakeholder An analysis of stakeholders to reach an understanding of

analysis their requirements. Used to determine appropriate
communications.

Stakeholder Any person or group with an interest in, or who is

impacted upon by the project.

Status Report Shows outstanding project tasks, tasks completed since

the last Status Report and tasks due for completion before
the next Report.

Strategic Plan The strategic level business plan of an organisation.

Tolerance Acceptable deviation in planned time and cost. Separate

tolerance figures should be given for time and cost. There
may also be tolerance levels for quality, scope, benefit
and risk.

User Acceptance The means by which it is ensured that a new system,

Testing process or deliverable meets essential user requirements.
Each component to be implemented should be subject to
one or more User Acceptance Tests (UAT) before being
‘signed off’.

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