Extreme Project

Management

1
 What Is an Extreme Project?

• It is a complex, high-speed, self-correcting during which people interact in

search of a desirable result under conditions of high uncertainty, high
change, and high stress.

• These projects are searching for goals and solutions where none have
been found before. Goals are often nothing more than an expression of
a desired end state with no certainty they can ever be attained

• Extreme project is a discovery process: both the content of the final

deliverable and the path to get there will develop throughout most of the
project’s life. 2
• Extreme projects are at the farthest corner of the landscape where uncertainty
and complexity are at their highest levels. Because of that, the failure rates of
Extreme projects are the highest among all types of projects.

• The reason for the high failure rate follows from the nature of the Extreme
project, which is projects are searching for goals and solutions where none
have been found before.

• Even if a solution is achieved, it may only apply by bone up with goal

statement. Then there is the question of the business value of the final goal
and its solution.
3
Project landscape

4
• To join on a goal and solution with business value is often a hunt in
a dark room for something that doesn’t exist in that room but
might in another room, if you knew where to find that other room.

• And so one of the major challenges in xPM projects is to terminate

the chosen direction at the earliest point where future failure is
almost a certainty.

5
• eXtreme project management contributes to success in three ways.

– First, it recognizes that you don’t manage the unknown and unpredictable in the
same way you manage the known and predictable.

– Second, it focuses on gaining and sustaining commitment to the project mission by

inspiring desire among key stakeholders.

– Third, it is much more than just a methodology or another set of software tools
and templates: it takes an approach that is holistic, people centered, humanistic,
business focused, and reality based.
6
Extreme PMLC model

7
 Definition
• Each phase learns from the previous ones and redirects the next
phase in an attempt to join on an acceptable goal and solution.
• A phase consists of the five Process Groups, each performed once
in the sequence
– Scoping
– Planning
– Launching
– Monitoring and Controlling
– Closing.

8
 strengths of the Extreme PMLC model

• The strengths of the Extreme PMLC model are as follows:

• Keeps options open as late as possible

• Offers an early look at a number of partial solutions

9
 weaknesses of the Extreme PMLC model

• The weaknesses of the Extreme PMLC model are as follows:

• May be looking for solutions in all the wrong places,

• No guarantee that any acceptable business value will result from

the project deliverables

10
 Characteristics of eXtreme Project

• eXtreme projects are characterized by changing requirements, dead

ends, unpredictability, messiness, speed, and innovation, In other
words, the actual goal achieved may be quite different from the goal
that was originally envisioned.

• Some of the eXtreme projects characteristics are listed as follows.

• High Speed
• High Change
• High Uncertainty
•
11
 When to use Extreme Project Management ?

• There are many benefits to Extreme Project Management .However, like most
things, there is a need to use the right tool for the job. Once a project has been
defined at a high level and specific business functionality exists along with a well-
defined scope and objectives, the XPM approach can be used.

• Attempting to use XPM for strategic planning and project prioritization will not
work. Since the major premise of XPM is delivering functionality in 2-4 week
increments, using the approach for strategic planning or project prioritization will
not be effective.

12
 Using the Tools, Templates, and Processes for Maximum
xPM effectiveness

• The key here is to create an environment in which the project team

can freely exercise their creativity without the burden and trouble
of non-value-added work.

13
 Scoping the Next Phase

• This phase is among the first few phases of the project, expect
them to focus on a general investigation of high-level ideas about a
solution.

• After some possibilities are identified, A POS might be drafted that

will remain valid for a few phases, but expect it to be superseded
quickly and often.

14
• The Scoping Process Group includes the following:
Eliciting the true needs of the client
Documenting the client’s needs
Negotiating with the client how those needs will be met
Writing a one-page description of the project
Gaining senior management’s approval to plan the
project
• The approval to actually plan the phase will be a client approval

15
 Planning the Next Phase

• Planning is a two-level process in xPM projects. The first level is to

satisfy senior management’s requirements and get approval to do
the project. After that approval is granted, planning can move to
the next phase level.

• xPM projects are very high risk, and a solid plan is needed. Just as
in the case of APM projects, you should appoint a team member to
be responsible for monitoring the plan.
16
• The Planning Process Group includes the following:

• Defining all of the work of the project

• Estimating how long it will take to complete the work
• Estimating the resources required to complete the work
• Estimating the total cost of the work
• Sequencing the work
• Building the initial project schedule
• Analyzing and adjusting the project schedule
• Writing a risk management plan
• Documenting the project plan
• Gaining senior management’s approval to launch the project
17
 Launching the Next Phase
• The Launching Process Group includes the following:

• Recruiting the project team

• Establishing team operating rules
• Establishing the scope change management process
• Managing team communications
• Finalizing the project schedule
• Writing work package

18
• You do each of these things once and then forget about it. You
don’t need a scope change process either.

• Use the Launching Phase to decide how to handle what otherwise

would have been scope change requests.

19
 Monitoring and Controlling the Next Phase

• The Monitoring and Controlling Process Group includes the following:

• Establishing the project performance and reporting system

• Monitoring project performance
• Monitoring risk
• Reporting project status
• Processing scope change requests
• Discovering and solving problems

20
• If you are able to use the daily 15-minute team meeting effectively,
there shouldn't be a need for much more in the way of monitoring
and controlling. Its better not to interfering with the creative
process.

• As a project manager, your major responsibility is to facilitate the

team and stay out of their way.

21
 Closing the Phase
• The closing Process Group includes the following:

• Gaining client approval of having met project requirements

• Planning and installing deliverables
• Writing the final project report
• Conducting the post-implementation audit

22
• An xPM project ends when one of the following occurs:

• The time and budget are expended.

• An acceptable solution with the expected business value is found.
• The project is abandoned.

23
 Deciding to Conduct the Next Phase

• Again the client drives this decision process. The temptation is to hang
on to the project much longer than makes sense.

• If there isn’t measurable progress toward an acceptable solution after

the first few phases, think seriously about abandoning the project and
restarting it in a different direction.

• Save the time and budget for more fruitful pursuits.

24
 How Is Success Measured on an eXtreme Project?
• Customers are happy with progress and interim deliverables. There is a general
feeling that the project is moving in the right direction. Tangible results are
being produced things that customers can see and feel.
• Customers are happy with the final deliverable. It meets the success criteria
that have been agreed on throughout the project’s life cycle.
• The downstream benefits are realized. The intended business benefit for
having undertaken the project in the first place is measurable and has
materialized.
• Team members enjoy a satisfactory quality of life throughout the project.
When asked if they would be willing to participate on a similar project, a
majority of team members would answer yes.
25
• Traditional project management is about centralizing control of people, processes and
tools. eXtreme project management is about distributing control.
• Traditional project management tries to take charge of the world (things, people,
schedule). eXtreme project management is about taking charge of yourself, your
attitudes, your approach to the world.

• Traditional project management is about managing. eXtreme project management is

about leading.
• You are wasting your time trying to change reality to fit a project plan. On an eXtreme
project properly run, no one is in control. Instead, everyone is in control.

26