Project Management Business Analysis (PMBA) Working Group

Working Group Meeting Minutes

Work Plan as of February 2011

Project Management Community of Practice v2.docx

PMBA Working Group Charter.docx

PMBA Working Group

Definition

The Project Management Business Analysis Working Group (PMBA Working Group) is established to provide governance, direction and resources for project management improvement efforts in IS&T.  This group will also serve as the custodian of best practices and promote and support the effective use of those practices across the organization.  The Working Group has the responsibility to ensure that IS&T project management processes remain useful, accessible, and easy to use.

In addition, the PMBA Working Group advises the Project and Process Improvement Manager and IS&T Senior Leadership on related work and issues within the department and submits recommendations when appropriate.

Purpose

• Provide leadership in the area of project management and customer engagement
• Prioritize project management and process improvement tasks and deliverables
• Develop and maintain project management best practices that are practical and actionable
• Adopt and disseminate standard processes (best practices) for each phase of the project lifecycle
• Ensure open communication between functional units across areas in IS&T in regards to project management best practices and process improvements
• Encourage a collaborative, responsive work environment and foster trust across the organization
• Mentor and coach staff in the application of project management best practices

Role of a Working Group Member

The PMBA Working Group expects to leverage the experience, expertise, and insight of key individuals in the department committed to building standards and professionalism in project management and process improvement.  Working Group members are directly responsible for managing various project activities in their respective areas, as well as provide support and guidance for others in the organization with similar roles and responsibilities.

PMBA Working Group members should:

• Understand the impact and desired outcomes of project management improvement initiatives
• Be genuinely interested in process improvement and be an advocate for broad support for the outcomes being pursued
• Have a broad understanding of project management issues and approach being adopted
• Provide guidance to project managers and business analysts and other users of IS&T best practices
• Consider ideas and issues raised by users and incorporate feedback (continuous improvement cycle)
• Encourage adherence to process standards (best practices) within the organization
• Foster positive communication outside of the Committee regarding process improvement progress and outcomes

Working Group Members

The PM BA Working Group will be composed of members appointed by the Head of IS&T and the Associate Directors.

Meeting Schedule and Process

The PMBA Working Group will meet weekly for the first 3 months, in order to establish the priority objectives, plan the work in order to meet those objectives, and assign resources (from within the Working Group) to accomplish goals.  The meetings will then transition to monthly or as required to keep track of issues and progress.

The Working Group requires an initial investment of time up front.  The estimated time commitment for each member is approximately 15-20 hours from November through January, and 6-8 hours/month going forward.

Reporting

The chair of the PMBA Working Group will report to senior staff on a quarterly basis relevant activities, issues, and recommendations.  In addition, meeting agendas, minutes and supporting documents will be made available to staff across the department so that they can be aware of the work and recommendations of the Working Group.

Deliverables

The PMBA Working Group will focus on the planning and design phases of the project lifecycle for the next twelve months.  Below is a list of potential deliverables for the Working Group to consider:

Initial Work Ideas

• Finalize charter and communicate out
• Collaboration with Facilities PIT Team
• Collaboration with Lincoln Labs PMO
• Identify what has worked in the past and why
• Discussion of what has not worked in the past and why
• Review of existing processes in use in parts of IS&T
• Identify gaps in practice
• Determine projects to pilot practices and get feedback from

Future Products

• Improved project reviews
• Definition of team member roles and responsibilities (including sponsors and stakeholders)
• Improved stakeholder analysis (identification, classification) and engagement and communication tools
• Consistent scope and budget development
• Improved requirements gathering (including reporting requirements)
• Improved requirement reviews and sign-offs
• Business process modeling process and templates
• Adoption of conceptual model as part of design (where applicable)
• Project checklists for planning and design phases of project lifecycle
• Consistent change management processes

Membership FY2011