Project Management Tools
Project management (PM) is the application of specific knowledge, skills, methods, and techniques to achieve project objectives within specified constraints, including timeline, budget, etc. It offers tools and templates to initiate, plan and execute projects, including managing scope, schedule, budget, risks, communications, etc.
Part of the systematic approach to managing projects are the project management phases, involving breaking down the work that needs to be done during the project lifecycle into smaller, more manageable chunks. Each project phase has a desired result, achieved and documented with the help of specific tools and templates.
DFA has adopted a traditional project management methodology with four project phases displayed below (Initiation, Planning, Execution, and Stabilization). Recommended tools and templates for project managers to use are listed under each phase. The recommended and required templates for each phase may vary, depending on the project size.
Required templates for each project phase are marked with an asterisk. A brief description and a downloadable template are presented for each template in alphabetical order below.
DFA Project Management Phases
| 1. Initiation | 2. Planning | 3. Execution | 4. Stabilization | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alignment Sponsorship, Objectives, Stakeholders |
Clarity Scope, Timeline, Budget |
Integrity Performance, Communication, Management |
Trust Goal Assessment, Learning |
|
| Small | ||||
| Medium | ||||
| Large |
*Required
1Additional Optional Project Management Templates (specific to IT projects)
Project Size
DFA projects are classified as small, medium, and large based on the need for additional financial resources, hours of staff time, and project duration. While the project size table can be used as an estimate, someone from the PDE team will further discuss your specific project size and needs with you.
| Project Size | Additional Financial Resources | Hours of Staff Time | Project Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small | Up to $50K | Up to 1,000 hours | Up to 3 months |
| Medium | $50 – $500K | 1,000 – 10,000 hours | 3 – 12 months |
| Large | Over $500K | Over 10,000 hours | Over 12 months |
Project Management Templates
Agenda and Meeting Notes
A document produced by the project manager or other assigned individual after a meeting to record decisions, action items, and responsible parties. It is shared back with all project team members to help move the project forward and keep everyone on track and accountable.
Budget Report
A tool to organize and communicate estimated costs needed to complete all project activities over a specific time period, as well as monitor and control the spending throughout the project, highlighting budget variances at every point in time.
Closeout Form*
A form which formalizes the end of the project activities and marks transition to the operation phase. It contains stakeholder feedback on accomplishments and outstanding items, transition readiness checklist, and project success factors, providing key information about the project execution and enabling future process improvement efforts.
DFA Detailed Project Form*
A more detailed project intake form, used by the Program Development and Execution team to gather information, evaluate, prioritize and support process improvement projects across DFA, which require additional technical, financial, or human resources. This form is distributed by the PDE team as necessary after initial review of the DFA Project or Idea Form entries.
DFA Project or Idea Form*
A short intake form used by all departments in DFA to provide information about their process improvement ideas or projects. The starting point for all continuous process improvement projects, no matter if they are small, medium, or large, it allows our division to keep track and celebrate process improvement wins in DFA and support a culture of continuous process improvement.
Project Charter*
A concise document outlining the project purpose, objectives, benefits, scope, timeline, budget, resources, roles and responsibilities, communications, and approvals. It is used to create alignment among key stakeholders and project sponsor(s) around the main elements of the project.
Project Schedule*
A tool to summarize and communicate all tasks that need to get done for the project, the allocated resources for those tasks, and the time that they will take to complete, establishing the total timeline for the project and identifying the major milestones.
RASCI Chart
A project management tool which helps clarify and document the roles and responsibilities of different people or groups in a project or organization - Responsible (those doing the work), Accountable (person with ultimate control and authority over the project), Supporting (additional pair of hands to help the Responsible carry the project to completion), Consulted (those who provide input, advice, expertise, help), and Informed (those to be kept in the loop). An alternative model is the RACI matrix, which covers only the four key roles, excluding the Supporting role from the analysis.
Risk and Issues Log*
A tool to track and manage project-related risks and issues. A risk is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, may have a positive or a negative impact on at least one objective of the project. An issue is something that is impacting the project already and needs to be resolved.
Standard Operating Procedure*
A template to describe DFA or unit-specific standard operating procedure, including its purpose, any definitions pertaining to the procedure, personnel roles and responsibilities, and the step-by-step description of the activities necessary to complete the process.
Status Report*
At-a-glance depiction of the status of a project – whether it is on track, ahead of schedule, or behind. It includes completed items since the previous status report, plans for the next period, project issues and risks, including mitigation strategies, and creates visibility for the project and showcases its impact.
Additional Optional Project Management Templates (specific to IT projects)
Business Requirements Document
A detailed formal description of an upcoming project, typically large size business or software solution. The structure of business requirements document (BRD) may vary depending on the project type, but generally includes business rules, functional and technical requirements for the solution, as well as any reporting requirements, data interfaces, etc.
Change Log
A record of all the changes in a project in a chronological order with their impact on the scope, cost, and timeline of the project. It helps track the status of the change requests and ensure they are all accounted for, evaluated, and implemented, if deemed appropriate and approved.
Scope Statement
A clear definition of the boundaries of a project, including all the assumptions, responsibilities, requirements, constraints, milestones, and deliverables needed to ensure the project is a success. A scope statement is included in the Project Charter, but in some cases, typically with large technical projects, an additional and more detailed scope statement is used.