project management in legal one of the missing pieces
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Project ManagementProject Management
One of the missing pieces…
David J. Kearney
What is a Project?
• Temporary endeavor• Creates unique product, service, or result• Finite – Beginning & End
What is Project Management?
Application of knowledge, skills, tools, and techniques to project activities to meet the project requirements.
Project Management Institute, Inc. A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge – Fourth Edition, 2008.
Why Project Management?
• Control Costs• Enhance Communications• Understand Scope• Manage Resources• Understand and Manage Risks• Monitor & Control Project• Help Ensure Quality• Build Cohesive Team• Establish Internal Knowledge Base
Reasons Projects Underperform or Fail
• Unclear, ambiguous, misunderstood scope• Planning based on poor estimates, bad
assumptions, & incomplete data• No risks management strategies• Unmanaged resources• Poor communication• Lack of structured processes to manage
project
Project Management in Legal Can Benefit…
• Clients• Firm• Attorneys• Staff
Project Management in Legal Delivers…
Better Predictability of CostsHoursTimeRiskScopeResourcesCommunication
Nothing Radically New
Constraints and resources are managed and a strategy is planned an executed.
But…
Various Tools & Techniques to Enhance Projects
• Define Project, Satisfaction, & Completion• Risk Management • Work Breakdown Structure• Alternatives Identification• Estimating • Measure & Audit• Sharing Case Data and Status• Closing, Lessons Learned, & Debriefing
Define Project, Satisfaction & Completion
• Know exactly what the client is trying to resolve
• Know why the client needs to resolve an issue• Know what the desired outcome looks like• Know when completion is satisfied – DONE• Develop project scope• Develop project charter
Risk Management
• Mitigation – minimize likelihood or impact of negative event
• Exposure – plan for the costs of risks• Probability – estimate the chances of the risk• Contingency – develop alternatives for
uncertainty and consequence of risk• Utilize root cause analysis, diagramming
techniques, qualitative & quantitative analysis, & sensitivity analysis
Work Breakdown Structure
• Outline project to include ALL work• Itemize work packages/deliverables• Understand dependencies between tasks• Determine work package length• Assign resources to each work package• Associate costs of each package• Complete budget for project
Alternatives Identification
• Develop alternatives if project changes• Develop a change plan
Estimating
• PERT Analysis – calculates expected activity duration
• Parametric – uses historical data and other variables, such as quantity of work times rate
• Analogous – uses historical data• Expert judgment
Measure & Audit
• Cost Performance Measurements• Schedule Performance Measurements• Budget Forecasting• Performance Reviews
Sharing Case Data and Status
• Progress reports with team and clients• Helps keep project within scope and on-track
Closing, Lessons Learned, & Debriefing
• Accepted deliverables/results• What went right & wrong• Lessons learned• Preventative measure for future cases• Updating knowledge base
Where to Start
• Pick a tool, technique, or practice to use that isn’t already a part of your current case management strategy
• Add additional tools as you become comfortable with concepts
• Doesn’t have to be integrated all at once• Tools to be used, where needed
Firms that have Adopted Project Management Strategies
• Jenner & Block LLP• Seyfarth Shaw LLP• McCarthy Tétrault LLP • Eversheds LLP• Nixon Peabody
Project Management Resources
• Project Management Institute – www.pmi.org• Levy, Steven B. (2009). Legal Project Management – Control
Costs, Meet Schedules, Manage Risks, and Maintain Sanity. Seattle, WA: DayPack Books
• Legal Project Management: Thoughts, tips, and discoveries related to the management of legal Projects - http://legalprojectmanagement.info/
The End