Guy Pignolet (CNES), Hélène Serveille (France Telecom), Patricia Orvieto (JPO Formation)

The document was presented at the 47th International Astronautical Congress
Beijing, China, 7-11 October 1996 -Reference IAF-96-P.2.05

Abstract

This document is meant to serve as a BASIC REFERENCE for the persons who intend to teach or develop the use of Project Management methods.

The space era has brought to the world not only launchers, satellites and space stations, but also a powerful and efficient method for conducting programs : the "Project" management method, which can be summarised as a combination of a strict calendar grid with PHASES and CHECKPOINTS with a few basic behavior rules. It was initially developed for the Apollo project, it then spread with great success through the entire space industry and eventually to other fields of the industry. There is an important need to present and teach the method, to industry managers as well as to the school community.

In terms of education, "Project" management is challenging, and the two dual aspects are developed in this document, with actual examples of application : how is it possible to teach and develop "Project" methods within an industry organisation ? how is it possible to use "Project" methods to help the management of educational programs ? Examples are drawn from the recent history of project management at France Telecom, and from cooperative programs between CNES and French high schools, with a presentation of the problems encountered and how they were managed.

"Project" management methods are powerful and EFFICIENT, but still new in many respects, and therefore subject to defensive attacks from the more traditional community. It is necessary that projects have an overall protection shell while they are under development. And also, there is a need for careful individual career management, especially during the transitions periods between projects.

A DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD is given, where the calendar grid is divided into major phases, punctuated by formal reviews. The importance of modular organisation is stressed. BASIC RULES are given, concerning a few important "don'ts" that have to be observed : do not rush ahead, do not look back. THE ROLE OF THE PROJECT MANAGER is explained, with special attention to leadership and team operation.

Quite often, in earlier philosophies of management, project leaders tried first to define their goals with great details, then went to evaluate as precisely as they could the cost and financial resources needed to complete their project, and then began struggling and sweating to collect the resources. Do we have the money to do what we want was often the basic question, and most of the energy was often spent fighting for the budget.

In the Project Management method, a clear but simple goal is given, leaving the details to later developments in the organisation of the projects. Then the available resources are quickly assessed in terms of budget, technical environment and manpower. If the project appears feasible within the envelope of these resources, it is then started, and the basic struggle is to keep the project within the given envelope. With this approach the risk is limited and professional success almost always guaranteed.

On the 24 May 1961, the President of the United States, John. F. Kennedy, launched one of the largest human endeavours when he told America and the world :

" I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon. "

At the peak of this great effort, some 400 000 persons were working together to ensure the final success.

It was such a huge enterprise that, may be for the first time in history, some people at NASA asked the question "is there a way to organise such an operation better than just push the wheel as hard as we can and hope for the best".

The answer was the Project Management method, and the success was there in the end to validate the process basically consisting of a combination of well defined PHASES along a strict calendar with formal CHECKPOINTS. In addition, a few behaviour rules were found to be both useful and necessary to guarantee the success of the method...

- Project Management is a succession of phases separated by "check-points". There are usually 4 phases, but the number is not critical, and depending on the specificity of the project, there could be 3 or 5 or 6 phases. The check-points serve to verify if the "contract" for the ending phase has been fulfilled, and to define the new contract for the beginning phase.

- The "rules of the game" and the corresponding "check-lists" must be built by consensus between all the actors of the project, and be approved and supported by the executive authority.

- An "envelope" of resources (human, technical, financial) is evaluated and allocated at the beginning of the project. Controlling time is fundamental for the success of project management. Control of the project is made by "skimming" the functionalities when the schedule becomes tight. Time control is the key to budget control.

Project management culture is not the usual culture of usual "decision makers" in hierarchy structures. The difference can be perceived as a menace and become a source of occasional hostility.

Traditionally, decision makers like "to know all the elements" beforehand, then they decide and give orders. In Project Management, the role of executive authorities is essential, in initiating and supporting the project. But in terms of operational decisions, their role is no longer to "make" decisions, but to approve decisions which have been made by the project structure.

The monitoring structure will protect the actors of the project in the initial phases, take actions to get hierarchy authorities involved in the project, and report on the development of the project...

Project management is a very efficient way to conduct operations, because it is designed to reduce risk while taking most benefit from inherent synergies.

A BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE METHOD is given here, where the calendar grid is divided into major phases, punctuated by formal reviews. The importance of modular organisation is stressed. The basic rules concern important "don'ts" that have to be observed : go forward, do not rush ahead, do not look back...

There are usually four main phases in a project, plus two more phases, that do not belong to the "project" proper.

Pre-Evaluation

Definition

Planning

Production

Finishing

Operation

The primary goal of reviews is to clearly indicate change between the different phases. At the reviews, written documents should be presented, which are both a "summary" of what has been made during the previous phase and the agreed "contract" for the following phase. External persons and organisations are invited at the reviews to "witness" the progress of the project and to force clear and complete expression from the participants...

In the project method of management, the Project Manager is not and should not be a "director".
Decisions should in general be the result of team work.
The role of the project manager is to coordinate the activity of the team, to formulate the decisions taken by the team, and to organise the reviews.