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Technical Project Management

Technical Project Management consists of five activities:  project initiation, planning, executing with monitoring and control, and finally project conclusion.The Technical Project Management might be applied to phases of the Systems Engineering process if they are implemented as separate phases.  For example, a transit agency may develop its own Concept of Operations and Requirements documents [Systems Engineering Definition Phase], but contract out the System Design, Development and Testing [System Development Phase].  Each phase will apply the Initiation-Planning-Executing-Monitoring/Control-Conclusion activities, overlapping slightly to ensure continuity between sequential phases.

 

Project Initiation

The Project initiation may include input from the Enterprise Architecture (to-be), funding implementation, and business case documents.  The Initiation might include  business case and funding implementation analysis.  The result of the project initiation is a project charter approved by key stakeholder groups. The Project Charter includes a short synopsis of the project, purpose, objectives, potential risks, deliverables, stakeholders (people should be included in the project discussions), and skills needed to accomplish the project.

 

ITS_Charter_for_Strategic_Planning.docx (example Charter for ITS Strategic Plan)

 

Project Planning

The project Planning is a key set of activities that plans the project scope of work including resources needs (organizational breakdown structure), work breakdown structure, schedule and tasks, milestones, deliverables, budget by cost and schedule, resource allocation and leveling. These documents will compose the Project Management Plan (PMP).  Activities also plan for project related control functions such as change management, risk management, configuration management.  The tactical plans for dealing with change, risk, configuration, quality, reliability, safety, etc. are contained in a Systems Engineering Management Plan (SEMP). 

 

SEMP_Outline.docx (general outline of a Systems Engineering Management Plan)

 

Project Execution

Project execution is the work that is done to accomplish the project tasks.

 

Monitoring and Control

Monitoring and control are the meetings, status reports, and analysis of the progress made of the work accomplished. An Earned Value method is typically used to assess the progress and to estimate cost at completion. 

 

Conclusion

Finally, final sets of documents, training, and other materials are finalized and stored for operational and maintenance use.  The Post-Implementation Analysis is typically done at this time and lessons learned are gathered and quantified for future use.

 

Transit Resources

"Project Management -- Who Cares?" A presentation on the steps for managing a project using a systems engineering approach.  This three part

power point discusses the activities described above.  Download the presentation:  PM Who Cares.zip

 

"Construction Project Management Handbook."  US DOT/FTA http://www.fta.dot.gov/documents/FTA-CONSTRUCTION-PRJT-MGMT-HDBK2009.pdf

Easy to follow powerpoint slides on project management for construction projects.

 

NTI Course -- Project Management for Transit Professional

This course is an introductory course. It is intended for transit professionals whose current and/or future responsibilities include planning, managing, and executing all phases of a project’s lifecycle. Priority will be given to ARRA grantees, but seating is usually available for others.

http://www.ntionline.com/CourseInfo.asp?CourseNumber=TRI23-50

Free for Transit Professionals

 

Related Resources

 

NHI Course 137026 Managing High Technology Projects in Transportation

The course is designed to improve project management skills of both public and private-sector personnel responsible for managing the implementation of technology-intensive transportation projects.

The course is offered as a classroom version:

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/brows_catalog.aspx

And as a web-based version:

http://www.citeconsortium.org/curriculum.html

Cost: $270 (classroom); $200 (web-based); $250 (blended learning)

 

NHI Course 137042 Configuration Management (CM) for Traffic Management Systems

CM involves the policies, procedures, techniques, and tools to manage, evaluate proposed changes, track the status of changes, and maintain an inventory of system and support documents as the system changes.

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/brows_catalog.aspx

Cost: $270

 

NHI Course 137020 ITS Procurement

This course is intended to heighten awareness of the challenges in procuring ITS within the traditional construction project environment.

http://www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov/training/brows_catalog.aspx

Cost: $200

 

Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Index.htm

Cost: Free

 

Systems Development Life Cycle Guidance Document, Department of Justice, January 2003

http://www.usdoj.gov/jmd/irm/lifecycle/table.htm

Cost: Free

 

Process for Engineering a System ANSI/GEIA EIA 632, American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 1993

Cost: (approximate price $156 depending on retail source)

 

Life Cycle Management – System Life Cycle Processes – ISO/IEC 15288, International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

Cost: (price may range from $139 - $160 depending on retail source)

 

A Guide to Configuration Management for Intelligent Transportation Systems

This document introduces configuration management – a formal and consistent process of making changes to an ITS system under development.

http://www.its.dot.gov/JPODOCS/REPTS_TE/13622.html

Cost: Free

 

Configuration Management for Transportation Management Systems Handbook

This resource introduces configuration management for ITS.

http://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/freewaymgmt/cm/docs/handbook/toc.htm

Cost: Free

 

SunGuide ITS Checklist Form – Appendix A, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxA-SIC.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Operational Development Plan Template – Appendix F, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transporation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxF.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Configuration and Data Management Plan Template – Appendix M, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxM.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Quality Management Plan Template – Appendix N, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxN.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Project Performance Management Plan Template – Appendix O, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transporation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxO.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Scope of Services Template – Appendix P, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxP.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Subcontract Management Plan Template – Appendix Q, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxQ.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Risk Management Plan Template – Appendix V, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxV.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Reliability and Maintainability Program Plan Template – Appendix W, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxW.pdf

Cost: Free

 

System Safety Plan Template – Appendix X, Florida's Statewide Systems Engineering Management Plan, Version 2, Florida Department of Transportation, March 2005

http://www.floridaits.com/SEMP/Files/PDF_Report/ApxX.pdf

Cost: Free

 

Earned Value Resources

<<add EV resources here>>

Note:  Much of the material on this page was extracted from  http://www.itslessons.its.dot.gov/its/benecost.nsf/LessonSystemsEng.