Managing Projects in Human Resources, Training and Development

Title......Page 2
Copyright......Page 3
Contents......Page 4
Figures and tables......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 9
Introduction......Page 10
How to use this book......Page 11
Overview of chapters......Page 12
Projects and change......Page 16
Features of a project......Page 17
Aims......Page 19
Setting clear objectives......Page 20
Key dimensions of a project......Page 21
People in projects......Page 23
Projects in HR, training and development......Page 24
Outcomes and multiple outcomes......Page 25
Achieving outcomes......Page 26
2 Scoping the project......Page 28
Why scope a project?......Page 29
The life of a project......Page 30
Does this project meet a need?......Page 38
Describing needs......Page 40
Have we considered all the options?......Page 41
Option appraisal......Page 43
Opportunities and threats......Page 44
Is this project feasible?......Page 45
Should we do a pilot study?......Page 48
Is the benefit worth the cost?......Page 50
Working with the sponsor......Page 54
Will the project be supported?......Page 56
Stakeholder mapping......Page 58
Working with your stakeholders......Page 61
Creating the project brief......Page 63
Structure of the project brief......Page 65
Risk and contingency planning......Page 68
Preparing to manage risks......Page 70
Risk assessment and impact analysis......Page 72
Strategies for dealing with risk......Page 73
A contingency plan......Page 74
A framework for managing risk......Page 75
Influencing stakeholders......Page 76
6 Outline planning......Page 80
Where do you start?......Page 81
Developing a project plan......Page 83
Using a logic diagram......Page 84
Identifying deliverables......Page 88
Estimating time......Page 94
Work breakdown structure......Page 95
Staff costs......Page 99
Avoiding abusive practices......Page 100
Equipment costs......Page 102
Materials costs......Page 103
Who should estimate?......Page 104
Planning for quality......Page 105
Timing and sequence......Page 106
Drawing up a Gantt chart......Page 107
Using computer programs to plan and schedule......Page 108
Identifying the critical path......Page 109
Drawing up the implementation plan......Page 116
Team structure......Page 117
Planning team responsibilities......Page 119
Making it happen......Page 120
Managing project activities during implementation......Page 121
Keeping an overview......Page 123
10 Monitoring and control......Page 126
Monitoring......Page 127
Milestones......Page 130
Maintaining balance......Page 131
Controlling change......Page 133
Communications in a project......Page 134
Why is good communication needed?......Page 136
How can communication be provided?......Page 137
Managing the flow of information......Page 138
Providing information for those who need it......Page 139
Where is information needed?......Page 144
Access to information and confidentiality......Page 145
What might hinder communication?......Page 146
The nature of leadership......Page 148
Leadership in a project......Page 149
Power in leadership of projects......Page 150
Expert power......Page 151
Style in leadership of projects......Page 152
Leadership roles in a project......Page 153
Motivation and teamworking......Page 155
Team development......Page 156
Managing yourself......Page 159
Preparing for good performance......Page 160
Managing performance of teams in a project......Page 162
Managing relationships and conflict......Page 163
Ensuring that the team have the necessary skills and experience......Page 166
Developing collaboration......Page 168
Dealing with poor performance......Page 169
14 Completing the project......Page 172
Handover and delivery......Page 173
Planning for a successful conclusion......Page 175
Closing the project......Page 176
Closure checklists......Page 177
Dismantling the team......Page 178
Project drift......Page 179
15 Evaluating the project......Page 182
Evaluation during a project......Page 183
Evaluation at the end of a project......Page 184
Designing a formal evaluation......Page 185
Planning an evaluation......Page 186
Analysing and reporting the results......Page 190
Follow-up to the report......Page 191
Writing a project report......Page 192
Characteristics of a good report......Page 194
Style, structure and format......Page 195
To link learning about theory and practice......Page 197
To enable learners to make a useful workplace contribution related to their studies......Page 198
Making effective presentations......Page 199
Understanding your audience......Page 200
Who is in your audience?......Page 201
Purpose and content......Page 202
Delivery......Page 204
Organizational learning about management of projects......Page 208
Coach and supervise......Page 211
Individual development from a project......Page 213
Management development through leading a project......Page 214
References......Page 218
Index......Page 220