True optimism rests not on the belief that everything will be fine, but on the belief that not everything will be bad.
Jean Dutour

Risk management is perhaps the most frequently discussed and at the same time the most misunderstood part of management science. If we consider the area of ​​management with which I am best familiar - project management, then here it is like good doctors: two doctors - four diagnoses and at least a dozen treatment methods that contradict each other. There is even debate about what risk is, let alone what to do about it (or whether to do it).

Studying the work experience of my colleagues and my own allowed me to draw several interesting conclusions, which I will try to summarize in this article.

First, let's try to define what risk is. If you take one of the project management standards, you can read the following:

“a project risk is an uncertain event or condition that, if it occurs, has a positive or negative impact on at least one of the project objectives, such as schedule, cost, scope or quality”.

Other sources give similar definitions. What's important about them? In my opinion, four words: “uncertainty”, “goal”, “positive”, “negative”. Usually, the third of the listed words raises the most questions among an unprepared audience: the phrase “positive risk” hurts the ears of many. Let’s leave “positive risks” alone for now; we will return to them after a while, when we understand the remaining components of the definition.

The first word that characterizes risk is “uncertainty” or “probability.” If we know for sure that a risk can happen, then it is no longer a risk. This is already a fact that has already happened or will happen in the near future. A risk is an event that will happen (or not happen) in the future, but we know about it now. And risk management is the management of events that have not yet occurred (which may not happen). We manage risks until they materialize. If the risk has materialized - the event has occurred, then all our actions after are no longer risk management. This is change management.

The second equally important characteristic of project risk is the “project goal”. Those. A potential event can be considered a risk to the project only if the event affects the achievement of the goal. Any situation, even the most serious in terms of consequences, cannot be considered a risk if it does not affect the achievement of goals. For example, an earthquake on the other side of the Earth cannot be considered a project risk if it has no impact on its supplies, resources or stakeholders.

Two clarifications need to be made here.

The first concerns the limitations of the project. Can we say that the project goal has been achieved if, for example, the deadlines are missed? In some cases - yes, in others - no. Implementing a project and conquering Everest are not the same thing. If for a climber it is important to plant a flag on the top and almost does not matter when and at what cost, then for a project manager planting a flag is just the beginning of the finish line. After this, you still need to convince almost everyone around you that the flag was hoisted on exactly that mountain and that they spent no more time than was necessary, that everything was in order with the money, and, finally, that the flag was exactly the one that needed to be dragged to the top. And the more the project's constraints are violated, the less likely it is that the project will be successful.

The second clarification is about possible project risks and product risks. There are risks that clearly do not affect the limitations of the project, but can negate all the benefits of its implementation. For example, the construction of a plant may become uninteresting to the customer if product prices fall below a certain level. Formally, the project may be successful, all restrictions will be met, but the goal will not be achieved.

But the goal of the project is not everything. An analogy can be drawn between the project and auto racing. We say that finishing a project is the goal. But the task of the racing driver (project manager) is not just to arrive at the finish line, but also to follow a predetermined route. At the same time, it is important to reach the finish line and do it as quickly as possible.

With all this, risks are most often considered not only that which prevents the achievement of goals, but also causes a deviation from the plan. There is a grain of wisdom in this. A missed deadline for the first stage or unfulfilled requirements can cause the project to be terminated, even if there is no direct threat to the goals. Those. We can rephrase part of the definition of risk as “a possible event that results in deviations from the project plan.”

Now let's return to positive risks and at the same time touch on negative risks. Positive risks are usually called opportunities, and negative risks are called threats. If we look at the possibilities from the point of view of achieving the goals and plans of the project, then any opportunity to do it faster or cheaper will therefore be a positive risk.

To continue the car racing analogy, anything that gets us closer to the finish line or allows us to save fuel can be considered a positive risk. More precisely, “can bring it closer” or “can save”, since risks are always probable events.

Let's move on to the most interesting part. What to do if there are no positive risks in the project? Don't see any potential events that could speed up execution or improve quality? In this case, there is still a lot of scope for positive risks. We talked about the fact that risks are deviations from the plan. One way or the other. Thus, future risk management is built into the definition of project goals and planning. At that moment when our racing driver arrives on the track for the first time and thinks through the corners.

Let's imagine that we are working on a complex project. Now it doesn’t matter in what area. We planned the main stages and began implementing the first of them. And now we have a risk that the customer will change the requirements, which, in turn, will lead to a delay in the deadlines of the stage. Our experts estimated the probability of this risk at 60%. This is quite a large amount, and we began to deal with this risk: to think about ways to identify requirements at an early stage, to think about possible overtime work, or perhaps to prepare users in advance for the fact that there is no need to wait much. However, there is another option.

You can immediately factor into the basic plan a possible change in timing and the associated delay. If this is done, then a positive risk appears: the customer may still not change the requirements, and his probability will be 40% (since we estimated the probability of change at 60%).

In this case, there are fewer negative risks, and more positive ones. We can say that the wider the scope of the project, the fewer restrictions it has, the fewer negative risks and the more positive ones. And vice versa. And if the probability of an event occurring is closer to one hundred percent than zero, it is much more correct to consider such events as realized and include them in project documents.

For example, in any software development project there is always a stage of testing and subsequent adjustment. That is, translating into the language of risks, in any such project it is considered that there is a risk of errors that will have to be corrected, spending time and money on this (the probability of the risk of errors is considered high). Another example could be leveling the workload of people in a project team. We level out the workload of specialists to an acceptable level, or you can leave a person with several full-fledged tasks at the same time and wait for their timely completion. It can be said that a good manager engages in risk management very often, although he may not call it risk management.

In any situation, the project manager can choose at least one of two things: plan for a less likely scenario and then “manage risks” or reflect in the plan a more probable and, accordingly, less risky path. In the case of an overloaded specialist, this means that you can leave everything as it is and assume that the person is quite capable of coping with five full-fledged tasks at the same time and, of course, there is a risk that he will not be able to cope (and this risk can then be managed). Or you can take two people and divide the work between them, and then you will have to spend significantly less effort on risk management.

That is, if the project is initially well planned, there will be room for positive risks. On the other hand, if a manager does not see where positive risks can come from in his project, this partly characterizes his project documents and his managerial abilities. “Partly” - because not only the manager influences planning, but also, for example, the customer. However, in general, an interesting corollary still emerges: “The more positive risks in a project and the fewer negative ones, the higher the manager’s qualifications.” At least as a planner and organizer.

The latter is true, of course, only if the project is successful. You can ignore any risks and “fail” the project. In this case, the manager can hardly be called good. Another limiting factor is the overall risk level of the project. If the project is innovative and large-scale, such as the construction of the Channel Tunnel, then there will be both opportunities and threats. At the same time, in ordinary projects the level of capabilities largely determines the quality of planning, and risk management begins with the first project document and is present in each of them.

There are opportunities in any project, and it is only important to plan them correctly and try to use them.

Project

A project is work, plans, activities and other tasks aimed at creating a new product (devices, works, services). Project completion is project activities which includes:

• carrying out management activities (project management). Achieved through the use of, inter alia, principles and methods project management, which is part of the enterprise management system, universal for solving various production problems;
• solution to a specialized problem:
  • product development for the customer. Project products can be:
    • results of marketing research (marketing),
    • design documentation (design management). A set of such documentation is called project. It is intended for the creation of a developed device, its operation, repair and disposal, as well as for the verification or reproduction of intermediate and final solutions on the basis of which it was developed. (Please note that the meaning of the word “project” in management and scientific and technical activities is different),
    • technological documentation (production management),
    • software (project management),
    • etc.;
  • solving internal production problems:
    • improving product quality (quality management),
    • increasing the efficiency of labor organization (personnel management),
    • optimization of financial flows (financial management),
    • and etc.

Projects can be combined into a project program to achieve a single result, or into a project portfolio for more efficient management. A project portfolio may consist of programs.

Project characteristics

A project has a number of characteristics inherent to it, by identifying which one can accurately say whether the analyzed type of activity belongs to projects.

1. Temporality - any project has a clear time frame (this does not apply to its results); if there is no such framework, the activity is called an operation and can last as long as desired.
2. Unique products, services, results - the project must generate unique results, achievements, products; otherwise, such an enterprise becomes a mass production.
3. Sequential development - any project develops over time, passing through previously defined stages or steps, but the preparation of project specifications is strictly limited to the content established at the beginning stage.

Despite the fact that the final result of the project must be unique, it has a number of characteristics common to process production:

1. Performed by people
2. Limited by resource availability

Project environment

Each project develops in a specific environment. Moreover, regardless of which subject area it belongs to, this environment directly affects the project. All impacts are divided into several categories.

• Socio-cultural environment (mores and customs of the area, ethical considerations of project activities, etc.)
• International political environment (political situation in the territory, economic influence, resource intensity of the area, etc.)
• Environment (ecological parameters, availability of natural resources, etc.)

The project environment may change during its execution, changing its influence on it. Such changes can be both positive and negative. Change management is dealt with by the corresponding section of the project management discipline. project management).

Project life cycle

Development of a project plan

Once the project goal is determined, the creation of the activity diagram begins. The diagram is constructed in the form of a tree. Let's say we need to build a house according to the project. Let's call the top node “build a house”. It is broken down into basic parts: “make the foundation,” “build the walls,” and “install the roof.” “Make a foundation” can be broken down into “dig a hole” and “drive piles.” To drive piles, you need to “bring piles” and “provide special equipment,” etc. For final tasks, a time is set for their implementation.
This process is called goal decomposition. Decomposition is carried out until the final element of the tree becomes an obvious task for its performer. That is, if for the performer the task of “installing the roof” is obvious, then there is no need to further decompose the goals.

Relationships are established between dependent tasks, after which the tree structure is transferred to a Gantt chart. It produces chains of tasks related by sequence and performer. The time that will be spent on the longest chain can be taken as the duration of the project. Usually this time is multiplied by 1.3-2 times, taking into account the possibility of force majeure during implementation.

For the main parts into which the project was divided (foundation, walls, roof), control points are established. At control points, the project manager compares the planned result with the actual one and adjusts the further action plan.

General information

Due to its uniqueness, project activities are associated with many risks, work with which is separated into a separate area - risk management. There is a separate discipline in management - project management. project management).

Signs that an activity is not a project:

• the goal is not initially defined, not specific, not achievable, etc. However, changing the goal/scope of the project can be regulated in the project scope management plan; the simplest case - the contract specifies a cost limit for the project within the framework of which work is possible under additional agreements to the contract);
• activity restrictions are not initially defined or achievable (deadlines, resources, time, quality, acceptable level of risks), for example, the activity is not controllable, that is, external dependencies exceed the ability to influence the activity (control influences do not allow achieving goals with an acceptable level of risks );
• the result is not unique, for example mass production.

Unlike a process, a project is finite and has certain sustainable goals and limitations. There are design and process (functional) business organizations.

see also

• Project portfolio management software

Notes

Links

• A Practical Guide to the Project Management Institute of America Body of Knowledge (PMI PMBOK). Third edition. (American National Standard ANSI/PMI 99-001-2004)

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

See what a “Project” is in other dictionaries:

PROJECT, project, husband. (Latin projectus thrown forward). 1. A developed plan for the construction or construction of something. Project of the Palace of Soviets. Project of the Volga-Don Canal. Architectural and technical design of the new plant. Machine project. 2.… … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

Project A ... Wikipedia

See plan... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and similar expressions. under. ed. N. Abramova, M.: Russian Dictionaries, 1999. project diagram, plan, program, drawing; version, edition, reading; goal, calculation, plan; intention; calculation, project... Synonym dictionary

PROJECT (lat. project “thrown forward”) 1) a product of design activity; 2) organization of cooperative forms of activity; 3) one of the concepts of existentialist anthropology (for example, J. P. Sartre). In the first sense, the concept of “project”... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

project- PROJECT, PROJECT a, m. projet m. German Project lat. projectus. 1. Plan, plan, preliminary sketch of something. PPE. I don't know his project. 1765. M. A. Muravyov Zap. // ROA 5 66. Dozens of projects... regarding transformations in Maryinsky... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (often also referred to as Project E 4) a project developed in the Soviet Union to detonate an atomic charge on the Moon. The project was proposed by atomic physicist Yakov Borisovich Zeldovich. The main goal of the project is to prove to the whole world that... ... Wikipedia

Project 34 ... Wikipedia

- (Moscow) Plays in the Moscow Basketball League Founded 2007 Hall RGUFKSiT City ... Wikipedia

Index (number) of two ship projects developed by Soviet design bureaus. Destroyer Leaders Project 24 is an unrealized project for an armored destroyer leader developed in the 1930s; Battleships of the project... ... Wikipedia

Project 35 index (number) of two ship projects developed by Soviet design bureaus. Destroyers of Project 35, a project of a three-turret destroyer with universal long-range anti-aircraft artillery developed ... Wikipedia

The project summary is a document that describes the key aspects, market prospects and financial projections of the project. The key purpose of a resume is to attract the attention of a potential investor or strategic partner. The summary is the primary information about the project that goes through the review process by investors (venture funds, etc.), so it is very important that it attracts attention.

General recommendations - the resume should be short (3-5 pages). Developers should provide a brief description of the technology so that the investor can understand the basic technical concepts involved in the project. The summary should show your project in the most advantageous positions. It is advisable that each section of the presented material be justified by the bottom, which you could provide upon request: market assessment, expected price of the product, competitive advantages of the product and the main competitors in the market. The executive summary is a brief overview of the project's business plan. In the case of preparing a summary for a project of a scientific or educational organization, this work should be carried out jointly with the development commercialization office, which will agree on the final version of this document (if possible).

annotation(description of development/technology). A brief description of the scientific and technical development and the stages of its implementation are presented to attract the reader’s attention and form his idea of ​​the further content of the summary.

The existing problematic situation in the direction of development. This section is the basis of your proposal - partners and investors want to see how your technology or products will improve existing technologies and production methods, equipment or business processes. Reflect the main problems in sectors of the economy, existing or emerging. Support your points with several basic facts: statistics, analysis of production costs, publications. Provide a concise description of your solution to the problem and justify its benefits.

Technological sphere. One or more technological areas in which similar developments have been (are) being carried out are noted.

Purpose/Description(scope of application). Indicate the main areas of application of the development - industries, transport, energy, etc., while it is possible to highlight specific technological processes or types of activities in these industries.

Specifications. This is one of the more key sections, especially for innovative companies or projects in the early stages of research and development. It provides a brief description of the scientific and technological basis of the innovation, as well as a comparison with the world level of development of scientific trends and technologies in the field of the proposed project (without disclosing information that, in the opinion of the project organizers, is a trade secret).

It is not recommended to use special scientific and technical terms in the area of ​​development unless necessary, since the reader may not be familiar with this technological area. To explain the technical concept of a product or technology, the most effective way is to use graphs, photographs and other visual materials. The section provides a brief description of the proposed product (service), its intended or existing characteristics and consumer properties, and its value in the eyes of consumers.

Comparison with existing analogues. The purpose of the section is to show the main advantages of the proposed product or service in comparison with analogues or competitor products existing in Russia and the world, its differences from similar products or substitute products, which will allow it to be clearly positioned in the market and implement a strategy for its promotion.

The benefits must be significant in terms of creating the value of the product for the consumers it is aimed at (price, quality characteristics, etc.). Comparisons with competitors should be presented in tabular form. At the same time, excessively low prices should be avoided in comparison with competitors' products, since in this case a potential partner will have doubts about ensuring the quality characteristics of products and services. The price should be determined taking into account the price of competitors' products, and not be reduced in comparison with it by more than 30%.

Competitive advantages (economic). The advantages of using developments (products, technologies, services) for consumers are indicated, which will allow them to increase the competitiveness of their production or other business by reducing costs or increasing income, and entering new markets (segments of product consumers). Here it is necessary to explain why the use of the development by target consumers will be cost-effective for them.

Significant signs of novelty (innovative potential). Brief information is provided on the signs of scientific and technological novelty of the proposed products (technology, services) in comparison with the level achieved in the world or in Russia.

Market potential(for dual-use developments/technologies, other possible applications and potential consumers). This section is the most significant for the investor, as it shows the demand for products (services) in the market. The purpose of this section is to help an investor or partner assess the expected income from bringing the proposed product to market. Market volumes are often the main factor when making a decision on investment or cooperation, therefore the section first of all provides information about its potential volume and the planned share capture. The most promising strategy for an investor or partner is to introduce a product with unique properties to the market, aimed at a new or currently free market segment, so that in the first stages of development the innovative enterprise does not spend money on fighting competitors.

Investors and partners also want to have evidence that the company’s managers (project organizers) have studied the market, understood its needs, and may intend to satisfy them, therefore conclusions about the size of the market and its characteristics must be confirmed by basic data, with reference to sources of information (marketing research results , publicly available sources - printed materials, Internet).

This section should also provide a brief description of the current state of the market for the proposed product/service, including markets for substitute products, a forecast of market developments, a brief analysis of the competitive environment (and the influence of competitors on the market), taking into account manufacturers of products similar to the proposed or replacing it.

In practice, developers or project organizers often do not have this information and find it difficult to prepare this section, but research and assessment of the market potential of the proposed products (equipment, technology) are necessary to ensure the interest of partners or investors in the implementation of the project.

Market assessment, volume of effective demand and its geography. This section should include the following information:

Overall size, growth rate, target market characteristics;

Geographic segments that are planned to be entered;

Target consumer groups;

Position on possible sales volumes with their justification.

It is precisely effective demand that must be taken into account, since capturing the entire volume of the market is impossible due to different preferences of consumers, their unequal financial situation, different levels of technologies and production processes used, and orientation towards other groups of end consumers. In addition, some target consumers will decide to use products or technologies that replace those offered to one degree or another.

Current stage of development/technology. The stage of development of development at the present time is noted: R&D, intermediate R&D, additional research, development work, design and estimate documentation, mock-up, prototype, industrial design.

Commercialization stage. The stage of commercialization is indicated: marketing research is provided, a business plan is prepared, there is experience in sales on the Russian market, etc. A brief description of the stage at which the project in question is located gives the potential investor or partner information about the volume of work performed and the readiness of the project.

Protection regime and procedure for using intellectual property (IP). Briefly describe the IP situation: the patentability of the technology, the degree of freedom the company has in this technology area, patents received and applications filed. Specify the mode of IP protection: in know-how mode; patents have been applied for, but patents have not yet been received; patents obtained; an agreement has been concluded on the distribution of rights to IP objects; there is a license agreement. In addition, comments are provided on existing documents in the field of IP rights protection, and the owner(s) of rights to IP objects are also indicated. If there are several owners, it is necessary to indicate their ownership in shares.

Time frame for completing the work necessary to bring the development to commercialization, results. The section indicates the stages of work, the deadline for completing the work, necessarily their cost and expected results. Milestones represent goals that the organization intends to achieve as a result of project activities or transactions with an investor/partner. The stages show the real development of research and development, in the implementation of business processes: confirmation of the technical concept, development of a prototype, successful clinical trial, reaching a specific sales volume, etc. All of these improvements reduce project risks. The section should present a realistic budget, deadlines for completing the project stages, as well as the main activities for each stage.

Necessary financial resources to complete the project. An industrial company is indicated that is interested in implementing the project and is ready to act as a partner in the production of the proposed products, in case of necessary investments.

The organization is a co-executor. Co-executing organizations are indicated that can conduct R&D together with your organization or be co-owners of rights to IP objects, ensure the promotion of products to the market, provide premises, and provide other types of support.

Contact Information. Provides contact information about the project coordinator, i.e. about the employee responsible for the ongoing work of the project, and not just about the head of the organization (who is often difficult to contact due to the latter’s busy schedule).

Proposal for cooperation. This section provides basic suggestions for a partner or investor to participate in the project: the role of the partner or investor, the necessary assistance/financing, the benefits for them from participation in the project.

Helpful Tips:

· Do not present the terms of a deal with a partner or investor in your resume as final. These terms will be the subject of further negotiations.

· Use illustrations to make your idea more enjoyable and attractive.

· Offer a detailed technical description of the product or technology, but avoid using technical language.

· Do not offer to sign a non-disclosure agreement when submitting your resume. If some of your information is confidential, do not include it on your resume. You may need to sign such an agreement if you have not yet received a patent, but it is not advisable to ask a partner or investor to sign it before they have even expressed interest in the proposal.

· Be open and honest in everything you say or write. If you have problems/questions, discuss them in a constructive manner and suggest solutions.

When considering a project for investors (partners), it is important whether the project has:

1. A well-thought-out and clearly stated business idea for the project. If you can explain it briefly and clearly, then you yourself understand what you are striving for.

2. The presence of innovation, that is, a unique technological solution with protected property rights or patentable as part of the development of a project, for which there are potentially no claims of third parties, as well as the availability of the ability to satisfy consumer demand.

3. The presence of a qualified team, uniting developers and managers, who would be united with a partner or investor by a common understanding regarding the strategy for implementing the project and the participation of the partner, and the management of the company.

4. The presence of market potential for rapid growth in sales, the absence of price competition, the ability to produce different types of products within the framework of the project (for reorienting production if problems arise with the sale of any types of products).

5. Investors and strategic partners prefer to cooperate with companies that, at the start, can not divert efforts and resources to fierce competition, but direct them to capture the free market.

6. A clear understanding of who the new technology or technological product is addressed to: who are the potential consumers of the company’s products/services, what their needs are, how and to what extent these needs are satisfied by the proposed solutions.

7. Transparent rights ownership structure, providing partners or investors with control over the company’s activities.

The presented tabular form of the summary (Table 1) can be done, if necessary, in English and be included in the project business plan.

Table 1 - Form for preparing a summary of an innovation project

Steps from "A" to "Z" for beginners and experienced

Project: a set of planned actions taken to solve the problem of a specific target group, limited in time and resources, with specific results.

Social project: a program of real action, the goal of which is aimed at solving a pressing social problem in society, and the objectives are for positive results and changes in society.

Basic requirements that the project must meet:

relevance– the reason, the basis for the implementation of the project must correspond to the requirements of the time, a separate target group or other aspects that explain the emergence of the project idea;

time– the project must be limited in time;

resources– the project must have a clear description of the needs;

quality and results assessment– the scale for assessing the effectiveness of the project is determined in accordance with your goals, but the results you strive for must be clear, amenable to analysis and comprehension.

Projects can be simple and complex, short-term and long-term, with a limited and substantial budget, risky and with completely manageable risks, with different results. In any case, the project is aimed at solving a specific problem. The project must be systematic, logical and adequate, that is, each section must correspond to all the others (tasks must correspond to the goal, the mechanism must correspond to the goals and objectives, the budget must correspond to the goals, objectives and mechanism, etc.).

How to write and format a project? Steps from "A" to "Z"

Step #1: Decide on an idea, analyze the problem.

What would you like to change?

What and in what way (in the most general terms) would you like to achieve?

What problem do you want to solve?

You wrote down the answer → moved on to defining the scope of the project activity, defining the problem you will work on.
Analyzed the problem → determined what you want to change → a project idea arose → move on to detailing and describing the project.

Step #2: Write the goal of the project.

Target- a general description of the expected results and expectations, the highest point of achievement that the organization strives for during the implementation of the project. A goal is a course of action to achieve the desired result.

The goal should be formulated in such a way that its achievement completely solves the problem that has arisen. The formulation of the goal should be based on the formulation of the problem. We can say that the goal is the problem in reverse.

Ask questions for the purpose of your project:

Is there an exact expression of what exactly should be the result of the project?

Will we be able to see and measure the results of the project as a whole and its individual parts?

Is the goal realistic? Is it possible to achieve the stated goal given the available resources?

What benefits or benefits will be obtained as a result of achieving the goal by the project team and other stakeholders?

Step #3: Write the project objectives.

Project objectives- these are specific steps that need to be taken to change the existing situation for the better, these are steps to achieve the goal.

INimportant to remember! There can be several tasks, all tasks are steps towards achieving a goal, interconnected and related to the goal of the project.

Use verbs. For example, if you need to build a house, then the tasks will be: laying a foundation, erecting walls, building a roof, installing communications, doing interior decoration, etc.

Check. Objectives must completely cover the solution to the problem (the set goal).

Analyze. Tasks must be effective (as a result, changes after the project consist of specific results).

Step #4: Check the goal and objectives according to the smart criterion.

We look at our goal and objectives, check them according to the SMART criterion, and adjust them if necessary.

For example: Goal: “Construction of a house” - can be specified according to the SMART criterion as follows: “Construction and commissioning of a 2-story, 6-apartment building for families of young professionals in the village of Vychegda by the second quarter of 2014.”

Step #5. We build a logical chain of actions from tasks.

We have determined the goal and objectives → Let’s start planning: how it will all happen.

From each task we build a logical chain of actions: how we will achieve the result. Sometimes it helps to draw the entire chain of actions and tasks in order to understand the logic of the project in each direction.

For example, if we are talking about building a house for the families of young professionals, then our task blocks may be related to:

directly by construction

agreements with government authorities

with working with the target audience – families of young professionals

working with the press on PR of the project and the event in general.

This logical chain will help us write a project schedule in its logical sequence.

Step No. 6. We write an action plan, a work schedule.

The plan determines the order in which all work will be performed: it describes what, who will do it and when, in a logical sequence + makes it clear what resources are needed. When planning, you can use various forms, schedules, plans.

For example: Project implementation plan. Example No. 1

Project implementation plan. Example No. 2

Project implementation plan. Example No. 3

It will also be useful to make a network plan - schedule.

Step #7. We calculate how much our project will cost.

Each stage of project implementation requires a certain expenditure of funds and resources:

how much money is required to implement the project? What will they be spent on?

From what sources is the money expected to be received? Grants, subsidies, sponsorships, etc.?

This section of the project must relate very closely to other sections of the project, especially the implementation mechanism and project schedule.

Possible cost estimate for the project:

The “budget” (estimate) must be itemized.

Main expenses:

rental of premises and utility payments

travel and transportation expenses

equipment

communication and communication

holding special events

publishing costs

Consumables

and other direct costs that directly go to your project.

"Other expenses"- this is an optional item that is included in the budget if there are expenses that are not reflected in other items. This article must be especially carefully argued.

"Salary"- includes direct wages of project personnel and specialists hired temporarily under a contract, as well as “Income tax accruals” - 35.8% of the total wage fund for personnel and attracted specialists.

It is necessary to pay special attention to the last three columns in the budget table: “available funds”, “requested funds”, “total”. The “available funds” column should indicate the funds that you and your organization are investing in the implementation of the project. For example: the involvement of volunteers as staff or external specialists must be reflected in the budget item “salaries” in the “available” column, and the amount will correspond to the costs that the organization would have incurred if paid employees had participated in the project implementation instead of volunteers specialists.

If the organization, you or sponsors provide any office equipment for the implementation of the project, then in the “available” column it is worth indicating its approximate cost, taking into account its service life.

In the “required” column, it remains to indicate the amount of funds that the organization lacks to implement the project.

Step #8. We write the results.

When drawing up an action plan and calculating a budget, we may realize that the results may be even greater than we planned. It is important that our results correspond to the purpose of the project.

In a project, the results can be written down in text; here we suggest you fill out a worksheet to determine the results:

Quantitative result(what will be done?) - records the number of services provided, participants in events, recipients of specific assistance, number of books published, etc.

Quality result(what will change?) - should reflect the positive changes that will occur as a result of events, provision of services, etc.

Efficiency- Are the results obtained commensurate with the efforts expended?

The criteria for assessing the effectiveness of a project are results that demonstrate how well the developers understand what they are striving for and how they will achieve it.

Step #9. we draw up the project.

A completed project usually contains the following sections:

Brief summary of the project: briefly describe your idea (3-5 sentences), goals, results (no more than 1 A4 sheet, 12-14 font)

Detailed description of the project:

The relevance of the problem, why your project is important and necessary.

Goals and objectives of the project.

Target group of the project: who is your project intended for, for whom are you doing it.

Project implementation mechanism: stages, substantive activities, events, etc.

Schedule plan for project implementation (remember about visibility, schedules are welcome).

Budget (estimate).

Specific expected results (quantitative and qualitative), criteria and methods for evaluating results, the effect of the project in the long term.

Possible further development of the project, if anticipated.

applications (photo materials, diagrams, sketches, etc.)

The design of the project text is as important as its content. Use large font (at least 12 font) and one and a half spacing. Highlight the main points, structure the text to make it easier to read, use headings and subheadings, bold fonts and underlining, bulleted lists, etc.

If you need to make a presentation:

for each section no more than 1-2 slides;

the font should be as large as possible and readable even from afar, the title and text of the presentation slides should be printed in the same font, it is recommended to use a font size of at least 20 in the presentation;

when using a light background, the font should be black or a very dark shade of other colors (brown, blue); when using a dark background color, the font is white;

At the initiation stage, the curator and project manager develop a charter. They need to identify the goal of the project and coordinate it with the strategic goals of the enterprise in the section “Rationale for initiating the project.” Managers also draw up a list of work, which is presented in task form. Gradually, step by step, the subject and context of the contractual relationship between the customer and the PM is built. In these conditions, the parties must determine the composition of the responsibilities that the manager will have to assume, and the customer forms a vision of the composition of the results necessary for the success of the project.

Criteria for correct problem formulation

A task as a special category of management should be understood as an object that meets five criteria, the presence of which or the absence of at least one of them indicates whether it actually exists or not. The key parameter is the precise formulation of the result. It is assumed that each task is a special point in the future, a certain specific result.

Formulating a task is the most subtle and difficult moment in the process of its formulation. The literal prescribing determines the success or failure of the solution. When it was not possible to correctly formulate the result, the likelihood of disputes increases, which may be beneficial to each of the parties: the director and the performer. Often the formulation is performed as a description of an action. Is this smart?

Let’s say they write: “dig, saw, deliver...” or closer to modern project management: “conducting marketing research,” “staff training,” “purchasing equipment.” There is a feeling of vagueness and uncertainty in the expression. What parameters must the entry meet? The criteria for the correctness of the formulation are the following theses:

• the formulation must be specific about achieving the result;
• purely qualitative formulations are not considered, only the designated quantitative data are considered task-oriented;
• from the point of view of formulation, a task is a point in the future, adequate in the understanding of “achieved - not achieved”;
• it’s a kind of “black box” – it doesn’t matter what’s inside.

To formulate a problem correctly means to solve it halfway. The four conditions given indicate to us that the results, including intermediate ones, are the design task. How should it be prepared?

Five Key Parameters

Let us introduce the concept of a responsible resource for a project task. By a responsible resource we mean a person (a company employee or an external contractor) who has the right to take over the work and is obliged to complete it without citing any difficulties that arise. Thus, the responsible resource implies the last name and first name, as well as the assigned budget for the decision.

A task is a special microcontract to achieve its result. Therefore, in addition to the responsible resource being a party to this agreement, it must also have a second party, namely the director. There is also a need to fix the deadline – an exact calendar date.

Not only in project management, but also in general management, one has to observe situations of disputes and conflicts caused by differences in understanding the task at hand. It is not difficult to guess the reasons for the parties’ dissatisfaction with each other - there was no formalization of agreements. Therefore, it is very important to correctly formulate the problem statement. To summarize, we can summarize and propose five criteria for having a task.

1. Exact formulation of the result.
2. Deadline – the exact calendar date of delivery and acceptance.
3. Stage director - first and last name.
4. Responsible resource – last name, first name and budget.
5. Documented form of production.

The concept of goal and its difference from tasks

By goals we understand the set of desired results for the sake of which the project is started and started. In other words, this is a changed state of business that we want to achieve and formulate in qualitative (acceptable) and quantitative (desirable) forms. Can we say that the key task is the project goal? Yes, ideally this is possible. In business, however, goals differ from objectives by the difference in the questions they answer.

The former, in their formulation, answer the question of what state should be achieved as a result of the project. At the same time, the latter must answer the question of what intermediate and final results should be ensured. Project objectives can and should be considered as a kind of decomposition of a top-level control object. We present to your attention a typical example of such a decomposition - “Task Tree”.

Typical example of a “Task Tree” of a project

Project Goals Pyramid

The pyramid of project goals is also of interest. It is necessary to characterize the levels of this pyramid and determine the place that our management objects occupy on it. The goals consist of two levels. At the top are the strategic goals of the organization level, and below are the goals of the project itself.

Strategic goals of the project are goals achieved in the long term, aimed at achieving the mission and fulfilling the company's strategy. It is not advisable to tie PM to them. They serve to link the project's goals with the company's strategic goals in order to have a long-term reference point.

Project Goals Pyramid

The product of the project is the watershed line in the pyramid model. Above the product are the goals of the project - why we created the product and what effects we want to get from it. Below the project product on the pyramid diagram are the tasks. They represent a sequence of actions that, when completed, create a product.

This article briefly discusses the design objectives and goals. Definitions are given to these important categories, which together with the product collectively form the object of project management. Key parameters are substantiated that allow one to judge the quality of the problem formulation. A project manager, accepting responsibility to the customer, will only be satisfied with his work when he is able to assess the risks of not achieving results. Thanks to this, problems are solved and goals are achieved.