Practical Project Planning and Management for Libraries

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Practical Project Planning and Management for
Libraries

• Instructor
• Gail McPartland
• mcpartland_at_plsinfo.org
• An Infopeople Workshop
• Spring 2005

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This Workshop Is Brought to You By the Infopeople
Project
Infopeople is a federally-funded grant project
supported by the California State Library. It
provides a wide variety of training to California
libraries. Infopeople workshops are offered
around the state and are open registration on a
first-come, first-served basis. For a complete
list of workshops, and for other information
about the Project, go to the Infopeople Web site
at infopeople.org.
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Workshop Overview

• Project Management Introduction
• Creating the Project Plan
• Managing the Project
• Evaluation and Ongoing Support

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Project Management Introduction

• A project differs from regular work
• Creating a project plan
• Mindmapping
• Project Planning Worksheet

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A Project Differs from Regular Work

• Nonrecurring, a one shot deal
• Complex
• never been done
• often crossing departmental lines
• Time-specific
• Special budget

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Mindmapping

• Brainstorming
• ideas
• possibilities
• Organizes thoughts and ideas
• identifies caution areas
• Does not organize the project

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Creating the Project Plan

• Project goal
• Intended audience
• Stakeholders
• Project team
• Timeline and milestones
• Marketing and communications
• Deliverables
• Budget

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Project Goal and Intended Audience

• What will be achieved?
• Who will benefit?
• Example Students in Mytown will be able to
  conduct research on their homework topics through
  a library homework center.

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Stakeholders

• Vested interest in success
• decision-makers
• elected officials
• community groups
• managers
• Want to look good

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Project Team

• Skills appropriate to the project
• Might include
• immediate co-workers
• other library departments
• other external departments

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Timeline and Milestones

• Significant dates
• Contingencies
• Dependencies
• Deadlines
• Decision-points

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The Communications PlanInternal Marketing

• Communicate with staff
• Create excitement
• Create buy-in
• Listen to feedback
• Respond to concerns

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Internal Marketing Tools

• Face-to-face interactions
• Meetings
• Email and listservs
• Newsletters
• Training and documentation

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The Communications PlanExternal Marketing

• Public launch
• Engage the public
• Demonstrate commitment to success
• Demonstrate success to stakeholders

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External Marketing Tools

• Newspaper articles
• Invitations to local media
• Collateral balloons, pencils, t-shirts,
  bookmarks, trips, cars
• Hire marketing/graphic consultants for a
  professional finish

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Deliverables

• What is to be produced, created, or made
• physical space
• program materials created
• training
• marketing materials

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Budget

• Staff resources
• Cost of deliverables
• Any materials
• One-time v. ongoing costs

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Managing the Project

• Flowcharting
• Project Manager
• roles
• skills
• Staying On-Track

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Flowcharting to Organize a Project

• Flowcharts should include
• all major project elements
• decision points
• deliverables
• dependencies
• contingencies

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Role of the Project ManagerIs to Keep the

• Goal in sight
• Project on-time
• Project on-budget
• Project team moving forward
• Stakeholders, staff, and others informed of
  project status

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The Project ManagerMust Be Able to

• Anticipate what comes next
• Solve problems
• Provide leadership and
• decision-making
• Stay flexible
• Keep a positive attitude

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The Project Manager Helpsthe Project Team

• Day job v. project tasks
• Diffuse conflict
• between team and other departments
• among the team
• Confront problems, not people

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Staying On-Track

• Stay flexible
• Have a contingency plan
• Be upfront in communicating changes
• Act with integrity

• Goals change
• Stakeholders no longer have buy-in
• Project team in trouble
• Timelines slip
• Budget changes

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Tools For Stayingon Track

• Microsoft Project
• www.microsoft.com
• Project Kickstart
• www.projectkickstart.com
• Mindmanager X5
• www.mindjet.com
• Microsoft Visio
• www.microsoft.com

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Ready, Set, Launch!

• Opening Day
• External communication plan
• Transition to ongoing status
• regular staff
• regular budget
• ongoing scheduling
• Evaluate success

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Project Evaluation

• Review project goal
• Review the project plan
• tie-up loose ends
• Report to stakeholders
• Report to Project Team
• excuse the team
• thank the team

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Celebrate Success!!