Project Management Office website is expanded

by Eric Stout, Project Management Office

Project Management -- what's it all about? In simple terms, project management is about "planning your work, then working your plan." Good project management ensures that the right work is completed -- on time and within budget . The State of Maine recognizes that sound project management has a great impact on the success and cost-effectiveness of IT systems and infrastructure.

The expanded PMO website leads you to , FAQs, The State of Maine Project and Portfolio Management Policies, and training opportunities.   It also provides guidance to the critical areas of project management so that project managers at all levels can quickly find information that will assist them in improving the success rates of their project.

One of the tools we are building is called the Project Dashboard for high-visibility, high-risk, or high-dollar projects.   The "Dashboard" shows project "health," life-cycle cost, latest status report, details on project milestones, and in some cases graphs or PowerPoint presentations.

The "20 minute IT Manager Mentoring Sessions" are a quick way to gain project management skills for your IT project.   Each session is only 20 minutes, and a new one is posted every week.  46 sessions are posted (as of September 2007), totaling 15 hours of training – in easy-to-digest "bite-sizes"!

The State has procured a license to use TenStep Methodology for project management, "in 10 easy steps."    The "10 easy steps" are:

1. Define the work
2. Build the schedule and the budget
3. Manage the schedule and budget
4. Manage issues
5. Manage change
6. Manage communication
7. Manage risk
8. Manage human resources
9. Manage quality
10. Manage metrics

 

The most frequently used project management templates are also now posted on the PMO website.  These templates make project management easier, by helping you: (1) Learn good project management skills and methods; (2) Articulate project goals, milestones, risks, and constraints; and (3) Document projects according to professional standards.

We encourage project managers to suggest what additional resources we should make available through the site, as well as how we can continue to improve our IT project success through sound project management. Also, please visit our Portfolio Management website (for IT investments throughout the State).

We hope that this website will help you do your part in making our IT systems cost-efficient and effective for the State of Maine , and the citizens whom we all serve!