PMI Case Study AT&T Project Management Center of Excellence: Communications Leader Promotes Project Management Leadership As a world leader in communication technology, AT&T connects people from all around the globe. Just as consumers and businesses rely on AT&T services to stay connected, AT&T relies on internal resources, in particular project and program managers, to remain a bestin-class service provider. Background In an effort to institute common standards, foster a project management culture and improve individual and organizational competencies, AT&T established a Project Management Center of Excellence (PMCOE). The PMCOE targeted over 10,000 project managers, program managers and their supervisors, as well as holders of the Project Management Professional (PMP) credential within the company, with the mission to be recognized internally as the resource for project management consulting, mentoring, training, processes, tools and techniques. Additional goals of the PMCOE included: Drive AT&T's culture to advocate, support and sustain professional project management Assess and improve AT&T's professional project management competency at all levels: individual, team and organizational Ensure the right processes, services and tools are in place and linked to support professional project management success Ensure pertinent information is communicated to the PM Community in the most effective manner possible Secure visible leadership champions to support PMCOE initiatives Facilitate creation of a project management community to promote exchange of information to improve project management practices Encourage, facilitate and support continuing education and development of the PMCOE team The project was led by 11 PMPs with an expense budget that covered the cost of the team's professional development and the costs associated with the annual AT&T Project Management Symposium, a significant PMCOE initiative. Challenges The largest challenge the PMCOE faced was that during project activities, legacy companies SBC and AT&T merged, bringing together two distinct project management improvement organizations with slightly different areas of focus. This change forced the PMCOE to reevaluate the project and determine how to appropriately fuse the strengths of the two organizations. The PMCOE was also finding it difficult to determine the best way to support the over 10,000 employees that make up AT&T's project management community. Within the community, there are various business units all of which have different needs and concentrations. Additionally, not only was the PMCOE tasked to support a large number of AT&T project managers, they had to also understand which services were most important to them. Finally, effective and efficient communication would be a key element for the success of the PMCOE; however with such a sizeable and worldwide PM population, the PMCOE would have to determine how to best share valuable information on a large scale. Without appropriate communication, the PMCOE risked going unrecognized and not being used to its full potential. Solutions To combat and avoid challenges during the development of the center, the PMCOE applied a project management methodology that was in complete alignment with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). The first priority was to ensure that the merging of the PM practices between legacy companies ran smoothly. As such, the PMCOE followed a five step process as established by PMI for successful project management: The Initiating Process - During this stage, the PMCOE team received approval from senior management to establish the merged PMCOE. A proposal was developed which included a needs assessment, resource forecast and financial benefits. During annual planning, the PMCOE Business Plan was re-evaluated to ensure mission and goals were in alignment with corporate priorities and strategic drivers. The Planning Process - The team determined which project management products and services from each legacy team continued to add value to the project management community. A needs assessment was completed to identify the most critical project management products and services under the new AT&T vision and mission statement. The Executing Process - The team executed the outlined plan which resulted in delivering the project on time, under budget and with quality. Within several months, the new PMCOE had executed the integration of the two legacy teams and gained traction with the recently merged PM Community. The Monitoring and Controlling Process - The PMCOE reported business plan goals each month to senior management. An annual Client Satisfaction Survey was distributed at the end of the year to capture feedback from the merged AT&T Project Management Community and additional surveys were distributed to the participants of major deliverables including the annual AT&T Project Management Symposium. All this feedback was analyzed and incorporated into key findings that were then used to improve the PMCOE. The Closing Process - This final step occurred in two distinct stages. First, the integration of the legacy teams was completed successfully. Next, the process (Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling) was repeated when legacy BellSouth and legacy Cingular project managers were incorporated effectively into the PMCOE Business Plan. To finally close the project, lessons learned were identified to assist with future planning. To support the AT&T Project Management Community, the PMCOE established consultants who were designated to support the various business units within the company. This business unit specific support provided the guidance and resources project management community members required even more intensive consulting was provided upon request to ensure that all needs were met. To understand which services were most important to the AT&T Project Management Community, the PMCOE distributed both company-wide and business unit surveys to identify problem areas (e.g. leadership support, adequate training, etc.) and determine what needs its audience had which could potentially be met by the center. Initial discussions and survey findings helped to tailor the PMCOE offerings to provide the best payback of investment for both the PM Community and PMCOE efforts. Since effective communication was a vital element to the success of the project, the PMCOE established a formal Communications Management Plan which promoted awareness and use of PMCOE products and services throughout the company. As companies merged, targeted emails to known project and program managers of each legacy company were used to announce the center's purpose and mission, offering to support their professional needs. As the PM Community grew, the PMCOE launched a monthly newsletter containing recent project management accomplishments, success stories, upcoming events and reminders of best practices. It was distributed via corporate email to ensure that information was being disseminated effectively. More recently, the PMCOE is expanding communications through rich content on the corporate intranet using the latest in Web 2.0 technology. Additionally, to further promote the PMCOE and communicate the mission of the center, an annual AT&T PM Symposium was established to bring significant recognition to the practice of professional project management at AT&T. The annual event provides training and empowerment for project managers as well as the opportunity to network and collaborate with peers. Furthermore, leadership involvement in the Symposium has been consistently high, and in 2007, 22 AT&T officers and vice presidents participated across multiple locations. Communication with these corporate leaders has also been a critical success factor for the PMCOE. AT&T has found that when executives and middle managers support the mission of the center, their words have a significant influence on the project management community. Results Through the use of targeted project management techniques, the PMCOE project was achieved within budget and ahead of schedule. Preliminary results from the first PMCOE Client Satisfaction Survey showed greater than anticipated awareness and appreciation of the PMCOE mission, objectives and offerings. The AT&T project management community is stronger than ever as the PMCOE successfully brought together project managers, program managers, PMOs and Supervisors of PMs across many functional areas and global regions. Additionally, through diligent cost management, comparing estimates to actuals and remaining in close communication with the organizational finance coordinator, there have been no PMCOE project cost overruns. Key Achievements Over 20 new project management courses have been developed and delivered to 4,190 participants totaling 5,432 training hours in 2008. There was a 13 percent increase in corporate-wide PMP certification in 2007 vs. 2006, and 15 percent of AT&T PMs are now PMPs. The 2008 AT&T Project Management Symposium, including the participation of 11 officers, provided 10,000+ hours of training at eight live locations and over the intranet across 39 states and 15 countries. The most recent PMCOE Client Satisfaction Survey revealed 72 percent of the respondents agreed/strongly agreed the training and development resources the PMCOE offers has improved their ability to project manage. More importantly, 84 percent agreed/strongly agreed the PMCOE promoted best practices. And 80 percent agreed/strongly agreed the PMCOE ensured project management information is communicated. About AT&T AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T - News) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates, AT&T operating companies, are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. Among their offerings are the world's most advanced IP-based business communications services and the nation's leading wireless, high speed Internet access and voice services. In domestic markets, AT&T is known for the directory publishing and advertising sales leadership of its Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations, and the AT&T brand is licensed to innovators in such fields as communications equipment. As part of its three-screen integration strategy, AT&T is expanding its TV entertainment offerings. In 2008, AT&T again ranked No. 1 on Fortune magazine's World's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list and No. 1 on America's Most Admired Telecommunications Company list. Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. Source: AT&T, Inc. AT&T Project Management Plan Project Overview As a world pioneer in correspondence innovation, AT&T project connects individuals from all around the world. Pretty much as purchasers and organizations depend on AT&T administrations to stay associated, AT&T depends on interior assets, specifically venture and program administrators, to remain a best-in-class administration supplier. With an end goal to foundation basic benchmarks, encourage an undertaking administration culture and enhance individual and authoritative abilities, AT&T built up a Project Management Center of Excellence (PMCOE). The PMCOE focused more than 10,000 task administrators, program directors and their chiefs, and also holders of the Project Management Professional (PMP) accreditation inside the organization, with the mission to be perceived inside as the asset for venture administration counseling, coaching, preparing, procedures, apparatuses and strategies. The extent of TSI's AT&T project incorporates the arranging, outline, improvement, testing, and moves of the AT&T voice acknowledgment programming bundle. This product will meet or surpass authoritative programming principles and extra prerequisites set up in the task contract. The extent of this anticipate additionally incorporates fruition of all documentation, manuals, and preparing helps to be utilized as a part of conjunction with the product. Venture finish will happen when the product and documentation bundle has been effectively executed and transitioned to TSI's assembling bunch for generation. All AT&T project work will be performed inside and no bit of this anticipate will be outsourced. The extent of this anticipate does exclude any adjustments in prerequisites to standard working frameworks to run the product, programming redesigns or amendments Scope Management Plan Scope management for the AT&T Project will be the sole obligation of the Project Manager. The degree for this anticipates is characterized by the Scope Statement, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and WBS Dictionary. The Project Manager, Sponsor, and Stakeholders will build up and endorse documentation for measuring venture scope which incorporates deliverable quality agendas and work execution estimations. Proposed scope changes might be started by the Project Manager, Stakeholders or any individual from the undertaking group. All change solicitations will be submitted to the Project Manager who will then assess the asked for degree change. Endless supply of the extension change asks for the Project Manager will present the degree change solicitation to the Change Control Board and Project Sponsor for acknowledgment. Endless supply of degree changes by the Change Control Board and Project Sponsor the Project Manager will redesign all anticipate archives and impart the extension change to all partners. In view of criticism and contribution from the Project Manager and Stakeholders, the Project Sponsor is in charge of the acknowledgment of the last venture deliverables and undertaking degree. The Project Sponsor is in charge of formally tolerating the venture's last deliverable. This acknowledgment will be founded on an audit of all anticipate documentation, testing results, beta trial results, and fruition of all errands/work bundles and item usefulness. Management Process Plans T o battle and evade challenges amid the advancement of the inside, the PMCOE connected a task administration procedure that was in finished arrangement with A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide). The principal need was to guarantee that the converging of the PM rehearses between legacies organizations ran easily. Accordingly, the PMCOE took after a five stage process as set up by PMI for effective undertaking administration: The Initiating Process Amid this stage, the PMCOE group got endorsement from senior administration to set up the consolidated PMCOE. A proposition was produced which incorporated a requirements appraisal, asset figure and budgetary advantages. Amid yearly arranging, the PMCOE Business Plan was re-assessed to guarantee mission and objectives were in arrangement with corporate needs and key drivers. The Planning Process The group figured out which extend administration items and administrations from every legacy group kept on enhancing the task administration group. A requirements appraisal was finished to recognize the most basic venture administration items and administrations under the new AT&T vision and statement of purpose. The Executing Process The group executed the laid out arrangement which brought about conveying the venture on time, under spending plan and with quality. Inside a while, the new PMCOE had executed the incorporation of the two legacy groups and picked up footing with the as of late combined PM Community. The Monitoring and Controlling Process The PMCOE reported marketable strategy objectives every month to senior administration. A yearly Client Satisfaction Survey was appropriated toward the end of the year to catch input from the consolidated AT&T Project Management Community and extra overviews were dispersed to the members of real deliverables including the yearly AT&T Project Management Symposium. This criticism was examined and joined into key discoveries that were then used to enhance the PMCOE. The Closing Process This last step happened in two particular stages. To start with, the incorporation of the legacy groups was finished effectively. Next, the procedure (Planning, Executing, Monitoring and Controlling) was rehashed when legacy BellSouth and legacy Cingular venture administrators were consolidated successfully into the PMCOE Business Plan. To at last close the venture, lessons scholarly were distinguished to help with future arranging Milestone list The chart below gives the significant points of reference for the AT&T Project. This outline is included just of real venture turning points, for example, finish of an undertaking stage or entryway survey. There might be littler points of reference which are excluded on this graph but rather are incorporated into the venture calendar and WBS. In the event that there are any booking delays which may affect a turning point or conveyance date, the task administrator must be advised quickly so proactive measures might be taken to relieve slips in dates. Any affirmed changes to these turning points or dates will be imparted to the task group by the undertaking administrator... Milestone Complete Description Date Requirements All requirements for AT&T must be determined to x/xx/xxx Gathering base design upon Complete AT&T Design This is the theoretical design for the software and its x/xx/xxx Complete AT&T Coding x functionality x All coding completed resulting in software prototype x/xx/xxx x Complete AT&T Testing All functionality tested and all identified errors x/xx/xxx and Debugging corrected x Complete Transition of Completed software and documentation transitioned x/xx/xxx AT&T to TSI Production to operations group to begin production x Schedule Baseline and Work Breakdown Structure The WBS for the AT&T Project is included work bundles which don't surpass 40 hours of work however are no less than 4 hours of work. Work bundles were created through close cooperation among venture colleagues and partners with contribution from useful directors and exploration from past activities. The WBS Dictionary characterizes all work bundles for the AT&T Project. These definitions incorporate all assignments, assets, and deliverables. Each work bundle in the WBS is characterized in the WBS Dictionary and will help in asset arranging, errand finish, and guaranteeing deliverables meet task necessities. The AT&T Project timetable was gotten from the WBS and Project Charter with contribution from all anticipates colleagues. The calendar was finished, evaluated by the Project Sponsor, and affirmed and base-lined. The timetable will be kept up as a MS Project Gantt Chart by the AT&T Project Manager. Any proposed changes to the timetable will take after TSI's change control process. In the event that set up limit controls might be surpassed, a change solicitation will be submitted to the Project Manager. The Project Manager and group will decide the effect of the change on the calendar, cost, assets, degree, and dangers. On the off chance that it is resolved that the effects will surpass the limit conditions then the change will be sent to the Project Sponsor for audit and endorsement. The AT&T limit conditions are: CPI under 0.8 or more prominent than 1.2 SPI under 0.8 or more prominent than 1.2 In the event that the change is endorsed by the Project Sponsor then it will be executed by the Project Manager who will overhaul the timetable and all documentation and impart the change to all partners as per the Change Control Process. Cost Management Plan The Project Manager will be in charge of overseeing and giving an account of the task's expense all through the length of the undertaking. The Project Manager will present and audit the venture's cost execution amid the month to month venture status meeting. Utilizing earned worth computations, the Project Manager is in charge of representing cost deviations and giving the Project Sponsor alternatives for recovering the undertaking on spending plan. All financial plan power and choices, to incorporate spending plan changes, dwell with the AT&T Project Sponsor. For the AT&T Project, control records will be made at the fourth level of the WBS which is the place all expenses and execution will be overseen and followed. Money related execution of the AT&T Project will be measured through earned worth counts relating to the venture's cost accounts. Work began on work bundles will concede that work bundle with half credit; while, the staying half is endless supply of all work characterized in that work bundle. Expenses might be adjusted to the closest dollar and work hours adjusted to the closest entire hour. Cost and Schedule Performance Index (CPI and SPI individually) will be accounted for on a month to month premise by the Project Manager to the Project Sponsor. Differences of 10% or +/ - 0.1 in the expense and timetable execution records will change the status of the expense to yellow or preventative. These will be accounted for and in the event that it's resolved that there is no or negligible effect on the venture's expense or timetable gauge then there might be no activity required. Taken a toll fluctuations of 20%, or +/ - 0.2 in the expense and calendar execution records will change the status of the expense to red or basic. These will be accounted for and require restorative activity from the Project Manager to bring the expense and/or plan execution files back in accordance with the admissible change. Any remedial activities will require a venture change ask for and be must affirmed by the CCB before it can be executed. Earned quality figuring will be ordered by the Project Manager and reported at the month to month venture status meeting. In the event that there are signs that these qualities will approach or achieve the basic stage before an ensuing meeting, the Project Manager will impart this to the Project Sponsor quickly. Risk management Plan Metrics collection Plan The methodology for overseeing dangers for the AT&T Project incorporates a deliberate procedure by which the task group recognizes, scores, and positions the different dangers. Each exertion will be made to proactively recognize dangers early with a specific end goal to actualize a moderation procedure from the task's onset. The in all likelihood and most elevated effect dangers were added to the venture calendar to guarantee that the relegated hazard directors find a way to execute the alleviation reaction at the proper time amid the timetable. Hazard chiefs will give notices on their doled out dangers in the bi-week by week venture group gatherings, yet just when the gatherings incorporate their danger's arranged time period. Upon the fruition of the undertaking, amid the end procedure, the venture chief will break down every danger and additionally the danger administration process. In light of this examination, the venture director will recognize any changes that can be made to the danger administration process for future tasks. These changes will be caught as a major aspect of the lessons learned information base. Communication Plan Resource Histograms This Communications Management Plan sets the interchanges system for this anticipate. It will serve as an aide for interchanges for the duration of the life of the task and will be redesigned as correspondence necessities change (Wauter & Vanhoucke 2016). This arrangement distinguishes and characterizes the parts of AT&T project managers as they relate to interchanges. It likewise incorporates an interchanges network which maps the correspondence prerequisites of this anticipate, and correspondence conduct for gatherings and different types of correspondence. A venture group catalog is likewise included to give contact data to all partners straightforwardly included in the undertaking. The Project Manager will play the lead part in guaranteeing successful interchanges on this anticipate. The correspondences prerequisites are archived in the Communications Matrix beneath. The Communications Matrix will be utilized as the aide for what data to convey, who is to do the imparting, when to convey it, and to whom to convey. Communications Conduct: Meetings: The Project Manager will convey a meeting motivation no less than 2 days before any planned meeting and all members are relied upon to survey the motivation preceding the meeting. Amid all anticipate gatherings the timekeeper will guarantee that the gathering holds fast to the times expressed in the motivation and the recorder will take all notes for dispersion to the endless supply of the meeting. It is basic that all members touch base to every meeting on time and all mobile phones and blackberries ought to be killed or set to vibrate mode to minimize diversions. Meeting minutes will be dispersed no later than 24 hours after every meeting is finished. Email: All email relating to the AT&T Project ought to be proficient, free of blunders, and give brief correspondence. Email ought to be disseminated to the right venture members as per the correspondence lattice above in view of its substance. All connections ought to be in one of the association's standard programming suite projects and stick to set up organization designs. On the off chance that the email is to present an issue then it ought to examine what the issue is, give a brief foundation on the issue, and give a suggestion to revise the issue (Savory, Schow, Tse, Lord, Namiki, & Winzer 2016). The Project Manager ought to be incorporated on any email relating to the AT&T Project. Informal Communications: While casual correspondence is a part of each task and is fundamental for effective venture fulfillment, any issues, concerns, or redesigns that emerge from casual talk between colleagues must be conveyed to the Project Manager so the fitting move might be made. Technical Process Plan The accompanying steps involve TSI's association change control process for all anticipates and will be used on the AT&T venture: Step #1: Identify the requirement for a change (Any Stakeholder) Requestor will present a finished TSI change demand structure to the project supervisor Step #2: Log changes in the change demand register (Project Manager) The project supervisor will keep up a log of all change demands for the span of the project Step #3: Conduct an assessment of the change (Project Manager, Project Team, Requestor) the project manager will direct an assessment of the effect of the change to cost, hazard, schedule, and scope Step #4: Submit change solicitation to Change Control Board (CCB) (Project Manager) The project manager will present the change solicitation and investigation to the CCB for survey Step #5: Change Control Board choice (CCB) The CCB will talk about the proposed change and choose whether or not it will be affirmed based on all submitted data Step #6: Implement change (Project Manager) In the event that a change is affirmed by the CCB, the venture director will upgrade and repattern project documentation as essential and also guarantee any progressions are conveyed to the group and partners Any colleague or partner may present a change demand for the AT&T. The AT&T Project Sponsor will seat the CCB and any progressions to venture extension, cost, or timetable must meet his endorsement. All change solicitations will be signed in the change control register by the Project Manager and followed through to culmination whether endorsed or not. Process Improvement Plan Scope administration for the AT&T Project will be the sole obligation of the Project Manager. The degree for this anticipates is characterized by the Scope Statement, Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and WBS Dictionary. The Project Manager, Sponsor, and Stakeholders will set up and endorse documentation for measuring venture scope which incorporates deliverable quality agendas and work execution estimations. Proposed scope changes might be started by the Project Manager, Stakeholders or any individual from the venture group. All change solicitations will be submitted to the Project Manager who will then assess the asked for degree change (Iyer, & Banerjee 2016). Endless supply of the extension change asks for the Project Manager will present the degree change solicitation to the Change Control Board and Project Sponsor for acknowledgment. Endless supply of degree changes by the Change Control Board and Project Sponsor the Project Manager will redesign all anticipate reports and impart the extension change to all partners. In view of criticism and contribution from the Project Manager and Stakeholders, the Project Sponsor is in charge of the acknowledgment of the last venture deliverables and task scope. The Project Sponsor is in charge of formally tolerating the undertaking's last deliverable. This acknowledgment will be founded on a survey of all anticipate documentation, testing results, beta trial results, and finish of all errands/work bundles and item usefulness References Iyer, K. C., & Banerjee, P. S. (2016). Measuring and benchmarking managerial efficiency of project execution schedule performance. 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