Project Management Improvement Process

Revised April 22, 2006

1. RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS.........................................................................................................................................2
2. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION......................................................................................................................................2
3. EVALUATION: Does the product meet the criteria for success listed in the Charter?..........................................................................2
Appendices...................................................................................................................................................................................................2
Appendix A: The Project Management Improvement Process...............................................................................................................2
Appendix B: Standard outline for a Project Management Improvement Charter..................................................................................3
Appendix C: The Project Management Improvement Workplan .......................................................................................................4
Appendix D: SPMIT Review Process......................................................................................................................................................7
Appendix E: Standard Amendment Form................................................................................................................................................8
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................8
Appendix F: Sample Process Description................................................................................................................................................9
Appendix G: Process Description Form................................................................................................................................................10
...............................................................................................................................................................................................................11
Appendix H: Project Management Roles..............................................................................................................................................13

This document describes the Project Management Improvement Process. Readers are advised to begin by referring to the process
flow diagram in Appendix A. Many readers will be able to begin the process using only Appendix A. You are advised, however, to
refer to this document before starting each of the activities shown in Appendix A. The text of this document provides additional
supporting information that may not be immediately obvious from Appendix A.

1. RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS

2. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
3. EVALUATION: Does the product meet the criteria for success listed in the Charter?

ID Need

1.2 Plan

APPENDICES
Yes

Appendix A: The Project Management Improvement Process

Proj. Mgmt.
Board assigns
problem to an
Executive Review
Committee (ERC)

Project Team
Project Manager designated
by ERC
Div. PM Support assigned by
Division Chief
Subject Matter Experts
appointed by ERC

Milestone A
1.1 Project
Charter

ERC
Approval?

Yes

Div. Chief
Approval?

1.3 Research

No

Yes

No
Yes

Need
improvement?

Milestone D

1.4 Identification of
Improvement Needs

Project Management
Improvement Process

1.5 Recommendations

No

No
No

3. Evaluation

2.1 Implementation Plan

Yes

2.2 Manual, Guide

or Handbook

Implementation

Milestone C

2.3 Tool
Development
(PRSM or other)

ERC
Approval?

Yes

Proj. Mgmt. Board

Presentation

Yes

Div. Chief
Approval?

Milestone B
2.4 Training

Appendix B: Standard outline for a Project Management Improvement Charter

Project Management Improvement
Project Charter
PROJECT TITLE AND ID
I.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
a. What do the customers want to do that they cannot do at present?
b. Why is the problem important?
II.
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT
a. What factors will be used to determine whether the project is a success?
b. Which of these factors is essential (pass/fail)?
III.
PRODUCT SCOPE
a. Description of the required product in enough detail, and only enough detail, to ensure an
understanding of the expected outcome.
IV.
CONSTRAINTS AND ASSUMPTIONS SET BY THE SPONSOR
a. Resource constraints and assumptions
b. Schedule constraints and assumptions
c. Other constraints and assumptions
V. STAKEHOLDERS
a. List of Customers (who needs the product?)
b. List of Customer Representatives (named individuals who will review and test the product to
ensure that it meets customer needs).
c. List of Regulators (Apart from the sponsor, who will need to approve various steps in the
project execution?)
d. List of Team Members (Whose help will be needed to produce the product?)
e. Sponsor (signs the Charter)
f. Project Manager (signs the Charter)

Appendix C: The Project Management Improvement Workplan

WBS ELEMENT
IS THIS
PRODUCT
NECESSARY?
1. RESEARCH AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1.1 Initiate - Project Charter
1.2 Plan
1.2.1 Contracting
1.2.1.1 Contracting plan
1.2.1.2 Request for Offer or Proposal
1.2.1.3 Consultant Selection
1.2.1.4 Contract Administration and closure
1.3 Research
1.3.1 Documentation of the "State of the Art"
1.3.1.1 Document Search
1.3.1.2 Consultation with Experts
1.3.1.3 Attend Classes
1.3.1.4 Benchmarking
1.3.1.5 Product and Software Review
1.3.2 Documentation of Current State in
1.3.2.1 Interviews
1.3.2.2 Surveys
1.3.2.3 Statistics
1.3.2.4 Current framework and flow charts
1.4 Identification of Improvement Needs
1.4.1 Determine desired state
1.4.1.1 Vision statement
1.4.1.2 Sponsor concurs with vision
1.4.2 Gap Analysis
1.4.3 Most likely solutions

YES
YES

WHO SHOULD
PRODUCE IT?

Team
Team

TIME
PREDECESSOR
REQUIRED
(WORKING
DAYS)

WBS ELEMENT

1.4.4 Proposed framework and flow charts

1.4.5 Pilot
1.5 Recommendations
1.5.1 Draft Process and, possibly, Draft Directive
1.5.1.1 Draft Project Management Directive
1.5.1.2 Draft Process
1.5.2 Implementation Plan
1.5.2.1 Skill Development Plan
1.5.2.2 Timetable
1.5.2.3 Resources
1.5.2.4 Communication Plan
1.6 Control
1.7 Close
2. DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION
2.1 Plan See 1.5.2
2.1.1 Contracting
2..1.1.1 Contracting plan
2.1.1.2 Request for Offer or Proposal
2.1.1.3 Consultant Selection
2.1.1.4 Contract Administration and closure
2.2 Process/Policy: Manual "Chapter"
2.2.1 Editors Draft
2.2.2 Sponsors Draft
2.2.3 Proposed Exposure Draft
2.2.4 Exposure Draft
2.2.5 Final Draft
2.2.6 Final Document
2.2.7 Publish

IS THIS
PRODUCT
NECESSARY?

YES

YES
YES
YES
YES

WHO SHOULD
PRODUCE IT?

TIME
PREDECESSOR
REQUIRED
(WORKING
DAYS)

WBS ELEMENT

2.2.7.1 Hard copy

2.2.7.2 Internet or Intranet
2.2.7.3 Other
2.3 Minor Tools
2.3.1 Design or Select
2.3.2 Build or Buy
2.3.3 Test
2.3.4 Revise (iterative)
2.4 Training
3. EVALUATION: Does the product meet the criteria
for success listed in the Charter?

IS THIS
PRODUCT
NECESSARY?

YES
YES

WHO SHOULD
PRODUCE IT?

TIME
PREDECESSOR
REQUIRED
(WORKING
DAYS)

Appendix D: SPMIT Review Process

1. The Statewide Project Management Improvement Team (SPMIT) is a virtual team of more than 100
people who have an interest in project management. To ensure that all aspects are considered, the following
items should be submitted to the SPMIT for review:

Draft Recommendations (WBS 1.5)

Draft Manuals, Guides and Handbooks (WBS 2.2)

Beta versions of online tools (WBS 2.3)

2. Project Managers submit documents and tools to the SPMIT by e-mail.

3. SPMIT members have a fixed period to propose changes. This shall not be less than 2 weeks. Proposed
changes should be submitted on a standard form (Appendix E).
4. For each proposal, the Project Teams has three choices:
a. Amend the document or tool so that it satisfies the commenter.
b. Amend the document or tool, but not sufficiently to satisfy the commenter.
c. Reject the proposed change and provide written reasons to the commenter.
5. If the team selected choice 4b or 4c, the commenter may appeal to the ERC. If this does not provide
satisfaction, the commenter may appeal to the Project Sponsor. The Sponsor's decision is final.

Appendix E: Standard Amendment Form

1. DOCUMENT NAME:
2. PERSON SUBMITTING AMENDMENT:
3. SECTION NAME OR NUMBER (as it appears in the Draft):
4. ORIGINAL TEXT (Copy the text from the draft here.):
5. RECOMMENDED TEXT (Modify the original text to satisfy your concern here):
6. JUSTIFICATION OR REASON FOR AMENDMENT:

Appendix F: Sample Process Description

Task
Obtain Project Information (100.05.05.10.05)
Description
In this task existing information about the project is gathered, reviewed, and organized for use in
developing the charter. It includes interviewing the Sponsor to determine the Sponsors project
objectives and requirements, and also identifying the key functional units for the project / phase.
Inputs
Before starting this task:
The Project Manager should be assigned (100.xx.05.05.05)
An Expenditure Authorization (EA) should be established (100.xx.05.05.10)
Output
Organized, documented project information.
Procedures and Techniques
The first step in this task is to obtain and review existing information on the project. As
information is reviewed, an effort to fill out the project charter should be made. This helps
determine where information is lacking and is a good method for preparing to interview the
Sponsor. It is also important to discuss the project with your planning units before the interview.
Once this is done, the Sponsor should be interviewed to determine their objectives and requirements
for the project. One technique for interviewing is to use the Capital Project Charter template as a
guide for asking questions. The Sponsors responses should be documented in the project charter
Roles and Responsibilities
Role

Responsibility

Project Manager

Responsible for obtaining and reviewing project information from the

System Planning process. This includes the purpose and need,
success criteria, background information, assumptions and constraints
and interviewing the sponsor.
Responsible for providing System Planning information on the project
and being available for interviews and project team meetings.

Sponsor

Tools
Template for Capital Project Charter

Appendix G: Process Description Form

Project Management Task Description

Task
Task Name

Lowest-level Project Management WBS

number or multi-project Business
Process number

Brief Description of the Task

Inputs
Input Name

Lowest-level Project Management WBS

number or multi-project Business
Process number where the input is
produced

Notes:
1. If an input is not produced by a Project Management WBS or Business Process, provide a
sample input form.
2. If an input is produced by a Project Management WBS or Business Process, confirm that it is
listed as an output of the WBS or process.
Outputs
Output Name

Output Name

Output Name

Output Name

Note: If each output, attach:

A blank form.
A sample copy of the completed form.
Instructions for completing the form, if not self-explanatory.
A checklist for ensuring that the form is correctly completed (optional).
Procedures and Techniques

Note: If outputs are produced only under certain conditions, the conditions must be described in
precise detail. There must be no ambiguity about these conditions.
Roles and Responsibilities
Project Management
Role

Responsibility on this Task

Note: Project Management roles are listed in Appendix H of the process guide and defined in
Project Management Directive 001 Project Management Definitions. If a new role is proposed, a
definition must be attached for inclusion in PMD 001.
Process Description Prepared by:

________________________________(signature)
____________________(date)

Process Description Checked by:

________________________________(signature)
I have checked that this process complies with the conditions described on this form and
With Section 1.5.1.2 of the Guide to the Project Management Improvement Process.
The inputs, outputs and conditions match the framework and flowchart produced in 1.4.4.

I have checked the outputs against the documents provided in the PRSM Proposed System Demonstration
(PSD). The outputs for this process are compatible with the PSD or are an improvement on the PSD.
____________________(date)

Process Description Approved by:

________________________________(signature)
____________________(date)

Appendix H: Project Management Roles

RBS Code
RBS Title
None
None
100-104
ENGINEERING EXECUTIVE
MANAGEMENT
105-139
PROJECT MANAGERS
140-143
PROJECT SCHEDULING
140-143
PROJECT SCHEDULING
144-145
PROJECT COORDINATION
146-151
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
155-160
TRANSP PLANNING
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
168-180
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
168-180
168-180
220-279
220-279
220-279
280-349
280-349
280-349
345-348
350-354
350-399
350-399
350-399
400-499
400-499
400-499
500-599
500-599
500-599
600-799,
850-899

Role Title
External Project Sponsor
District Division Chief for Program and Project
Management, a.k.a., Single Focal Point (SFP)
Project Manager
Assistant Project Manager
COMSO (Project Scheduler)
Functional Coordinator
Program Management Staff
Project Sponsor Planning

Environmental Functional Manager (first-line

supervisor)
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING Environmental Task Manager
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING Project Team (environmental staff)
DESIGN
Design Functional Manager (first-line
supervisor)
DESIGN
Design Task Manager
DESIGN
Project Team (design staff)
ENGINEERING SERVICES
Engineering Services Functional Manager
(first-line supervisor)
ENGINEERING SERVICES
Engineering Services Task Manager
ENGINEERING SERVICES
Project Team (Engineering Services staff)
CONSULTANT SERVICES (A&E Contract Manager
CONTRACTS)
TRAFFIC EXECUTIVE
Project Sponsor Operations
MANAGEMENT
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Project Team (Traffic staff)
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Traffic Functional Manager (first-line
supervisor)
TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Traffic Task Manager
RIGHT OF WAY
Project Team (Right of Way staff)
RIGHT OF WAY
Right of Way Functional Manager (first-line
supervisor)
RIGHT OF WAY
Right of Way Task Manager
CONSTRUCTION
Construction Functional Manager (first-line
supervisor)
CONSTRUCTION
Construction Task Manager
CONSTRUCTION
Project Team (Construction staff)
MAINTENANCE EXECUTIVE Project Sponsor Maintenance
MANAGEMENT