According to the Project Management Institute’s (PMI®) Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK®), Project management is the use of specific knowledge, skills, tools and techniques to deliver something of value to people.
Consistent use of the industry standard best practices and repeatable processes in the 3PMM significantly increases the likelihood of successful project completion. Best practices are considered valuable because they predictably deliver the results that customers expect. An additional benefit of using a standard 3PMM is the increased adaptability of project managers across state agencies.
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Project Initiation is the first phase in the Project Management Life Cycle.
The State of Michigan Project, Program and Portfolio Management Methodology (3PMM) encompasses three primary activities during the Project Initiation phase: Project Request, Review Project Requests, and Project Authorization. It is important to emphasize that all three activities involve collaboration between state agencies and the teams that provide technical support for their business processes. The first two activities must be completed before actual project work may begin.
Project Request
All requests must be entered into the enterprise Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) tool. This request is also known as an “Idea” in PPM tool terminology. Although a project request may be submitted at any time, a comprehensive project request process known as the "Call for Projects" occurs annually in support of the state’s budgeting process.
Review Project Requests
A governance group consisting of appropriate agency decision makers and Department of Technology, Management and Budget (DTMB) technology partners review all project requests. Based on strategic and operational priorities, the governing body either approves, rejects, or postpones each project request.
Project Authorization
Authorized projects move forward with Project Initiation to include the development of the Project Charter.
The purpose of the Planning phase is to define the course of action necessary to accomplish project goals and objectives. This course of action is typically called a Project Management Plan. It addresses all aspects of project management and includes scope, time, cost, quality, communications, project resources, change management, risks, procurement, and stakeholder engagement.
Development of the Project Management Plan is iterative. Revisions to one or more components of the Project Management Plan may be required as new information and changes occur throughout the project lifecycle. The Project Management Plan must be completed and authorized during the Planning phase prior to starting the Execution phase.
Project Execution begins after the Project Management Plan is approved by the project sponsor(s). The Execution phase essentially involves carrying out and managing all the activities described in the Project Management Plan.
The first step in project execution is to establish a baseline for the Project Management Plan. A baseline is the approved version of the plan that can be changed only through the documented Change Management process. Most projects involve changes which often require re-planning and re-baselining. The enterprise Project and Portfolio Management (PPM) tool supports the change request and approval process.
Although Monitoring and Control is depicted as a distinct phase in the Project, Program and Portfolio Management Methodology, it actually spans all phases of the project. However, the majority of the monitoring and control effort is during the Execution phase.
Project monitoring and control spans all phases of the Project, Program and Portfolio Management Methodology (3PMM), beginning with the Initiation phase and ending with the Close phase.
Monitoring and control means collecting project performance data, comparing planned and actual performance, analyzing variances and trends, identifying and assessing potential process improvements, and recommending corrective action as needed. Monitoring and control is critical for overall project success.
The last major phase of a project's life cycle is Project Close when all defined project objectives have been met and the customer has accepted the project’s product. During the Project Close process, the project manager reviews the Project Management Plan to ensure that the product or final deliverables have been formally accepted by the customer and all administrative activities have been completed. Project Close includes the following key elements: Confirm customer acceptance of the final product Document project results in the Project Closure Report Ensure closure of financial records and contracts Complete administrative close functions Conduct and document a lessons learned session Transfer operational and support responsibilities to the appropriate group Celebrate project success with project team and stakeholders Archive project records
