The Ramblings of an

Average Joe PM – Pt. I

(or: Recalling a LIfetime of Projects and
Lessons Learned that Can Help Maintain
Your "Balance")
Joseph J. Komperda, Sr., PMP®
Project Manager
Komperda Enterprises / Solutions-II
jjkomp79@gmail.com
 Disclaimer
These “Ramblings “ are meant to inform and
instruct …
There is no guarantee that what is presented
here will (or won’t) work for everyone –
knowledge, education, experience, expertise,
common sense and a little luck all factor into
the success (or failure) of any endeavor that is
undertaken – PM or otherwise.

The information set forth on these presentation charts and during any ensuing discussions
are strictly the views and opinions of the presenter and represent no other organization or
entity’s views or opinions unless specifically noted.

2
 The Ramblings
• Part I (Business & Strategic):
– Project Management History
– A Lifetime of Project Management
• Selected Projects
– What is a Project?
– Stakeholder Management &
Communications

• Part II (Leadership):
– Odds & Ends
– Leadership versus Management
– Responsibility without Authority
– Decision Making: Honeybee Democracy?
– Stop & Smell the Roses…
3
 DID YOU KNOW?
• Project management has been
around since ancient times.
• The Transcontinental Railroad
was the first true PM undertaking in
modern times.
• Henry Gantt used charts to monitor and
manage projects.
• Computers gave PMs new ways
to compute risks & manage.
• The Space Race jump started
Engineering (PM) standards
• The internet gave birth to
mass communication and
efficiency across projects
4
Portions extracted from: https://www.ims-web.com/blog/a-brief-history-of-project-management
THE CASE FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT
1962
1947 Mariner Bugs Out (1962) cost:
$18.5 million
The Mariner 1 rocket with a space
probe headed for Venus diverted from
its intended flight path shortly after
launch. Mission Control destroyed the
rocket 293 seconds after liftoff.

A programmer incorrectly transcribed a

handwritten formula into computer
code, missing a single superscript bar.

1981
KC
Hyatt
Regency
Walkway
1990 – AT&T Network Collapse Collapse

75 million phone calls across the U.S. went unanswered after

single switch at one of AT&T's 114 switching centers suffered
a minor mechanical problem and shut down the center. The
culprit turned out to be an error in a single line of code.
The first PMPs were certified in 1984

#29295 – 30 Nov 2000

From: PMI Today October 2017

6
A LIFETIME OF PROJECTS

7
WHAT IS A PROJECT?
PMBOK Guide – Sixth Edition 2017:

“1.2.1 PROJECTS

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique

product, service, or result.”

An Average Joe’s View:

A unique undertaking with a beginning & end (Old PMBOK Defn)

“Life is a Project”
“Everyone is a Project Manager”

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WHAT IS A STAKEHOLDER?
According to A Guide to the Project
Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK
Guide):
“Project Stakeholders are individuals and
organizations that are actively involved in
the project or whose interests may be
positively or negatively effected as a result
of project execution or project completion;
they may also exert influence over the
project and its results.”
STAKEHOLDER
CATEGORIZATION
• Generally accepted definitions:
– Key or Primary Stakeholders
• Directly involved in the project
– Secondary Stakeholders
• Exert influence over the project
• An additional concept:
– Tertiary Stakeholders
• Affected by or may affect the project
WHO ARE STAKEHOLDERS?
• Internal/External • Media Outlets
• Owners/Funders • Individuals
• Sellers/Contractors
• Temporary or
• Team members (and
their Families/ Permanent Lobbying
Associates) Organizations
• Government Agencies • Society at Large
PRIMARY SECONDARY TERTIARY

Project Manager Customers/User Outside Organizations

Project Team Members (Customer not always User) Competitors
Employees Finance Media
Subcontractors Performing Organization Government Agencies
Customer Vendors Lobbying Organizations
Sponsor Team Members’ Society at Large
Families/Associates
 WHY SHOULD YOU DETERMINE
& MANAGE STAKEHOLDERS?
Stakeholder Buy-in and/or Shared Ownership (PM/Team
with Stakeholders) can mean the difference between
success and failure on many projects.

Simple Stakeholder Assessment Table:

Level of Level of Level of
Stakeholder Stakeholder Power & Support Support Relationship Assigned
Name Category Influence Expected Required to:
W. Green Primary Low Medium Medium S. Smith
J. Morton Primary High Low Medium J. Jones
B. Blue Secondary Medium High Medium J. Jones
ONCE IDENTIFIED, VISUALIZE YOUR
STAKEHOLDERS VIA MAPPING!
High

J. Morton J. Morton
I
L
n
e
f
v
l
e
u B. Blue
l
e
n
o
c
f
e W. Green W. Green

Low Supportive Resistive

Support
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT:
CONVERSION
Once you identify Resistive Support Stakeholders (especially
those with High Influence), plan to “convert” them into
Supportive or High Support Stakeholders
– Potentially use a simple Stakeholder Management Table to
track the “conversions” --
Stakeholder
Name or Position Status Move to: How? When? Assigned to:
J. Wells -- 1 on 1 communications to
Finance Director Uncommitted Supporter identify the financial benefits 1-Jun S. Smith
COMMUNICATIONS
METHODS
• Communications can be:
– In person (face-to-face)
– Phone / Teleconference
– Video Teleconferenceng
– e-Mail
– Social Media
– Websites or Forums
– Printed Materials
• Newsletters, Letters, Memos, etc.
EXPLOSIVE NATURE OF
COMMS PATHS/CHANNELS
Channels of Communications = n ( n – 1 ) / 2
where: n = # of members to communicate with…
Examples:
For 5 members: For 15 members:
= n(n–1)/2 = n(n–1)/2
= 5(5–1)/2 = 15 ( 15 – 1 ) / 2
= 5(4)/2 = 5 ( 14 ) / 2
= 20 / 2 = 70 / 2
= 10 Channels of = 35 Channels of
Communications Communications

20 members: 190 Paths, 50 members: 1225 Paths,

100 members: 4950 Paths 16
COMMUNICATIONS
PLANNING
• Since communications can be both important and
wide ranging :
– Develop a Communications Management Plan
• Tailor the communications to the appropriate
audiences, especially if there are numerous
communications channels
– Include communications in the Project Team
Charter
• Get early “buy-in” from Team Members
• Specify who communicates with the various
customers/users
 A PARTING THOUGHT:
• Communications that work in one
context may not work in another.
– PMs need to be:
• Versatile
• Flexible
• Willing to adjust based on the situation

• The Project Manager decides which

communications methods to use
– Only time will tell if the comms you are
using are effective