This presentation summarizes a HBR article by the same name by Robert A. Howell. It introduces us to a wonderful technique of handling multiple projects simultabeously at organizations.

1. Multiproject control - Robert A. Howell Presented By: Anubhav Vanmali Sharadkumar R Bhatt Siddharth Anand Symbiosis Institute of Business Management, Bangalore

2. What’s in store? Introduction to a system which has been in the process of development and refinement for six years at a large electronics corporation, and which has been implemented in two of the company’s divisions On implementation, no. of projects in serious trouble dropped from 1 in 3 to ZERO in a little over two years in Div.I from 1 in 3 to 1 in 20 in a two year period in Div.II

3. Introduction The integration of cost, schedule, and performance control for a project is still in a state of development Increasingly important because of: Explosion of contract-oriented businesses Proliferation of company-sponsored R & D Demand for wider range of products Technological growth

4. Considerations by Executives Necessity of managing a large no. of unique projects Need to deal with projects of varied sizes, complexities and costs Lack of a formal requirement that the cost, schedule, and technical performance status for a given program be presented to top management simultaneously Existence of an undesirable number of programs which were in serious difficulty

5. Management’s Requirements A Multiproject control system to: Encourage managers take more responsibility Set higher but realistic goals Make better use of periodic formal reviews Permit top executives to substitute for each other in reviews Help the managers, at both the project and top executive levels, to run the business instead of being run by it.

6. Individual Project Control Management requires that every project have a written program plan This plan should explicitly define: The objectives The approach The commitments The Program Plan Must be complete, but not elaborate Precise, but not nit-picking Thorough, but not constrained by a rigorous format

7. Unique Reporting System The “heart” of the multiproject control system is the Program Status Report Designed to: Present data on cost, schedule, and technical status for a project Provides: Summary description of the project Summary schedule Key project dates Cumulative cost curve Data on lead personnel assigned The section titled “Essential Element of Information”

8. Example Of A Program Status Report Image to be added

9. Essential Element Of Information Triangles denoting scheduled beginning and completion dates are left hollow until the event is completed A circle surrounding a triangle indicates that customer delivery is required Project Manager’s Yes/No responses Colour Codes: Green : Performance in accordance with objectives Yellow: A qualified answer, warns of serious trouble Red :“Out-of-control” situations (cost overruns/ schedule delinquency/ technical problems) Yellow & Red require an explanation under “Program Highlights”

10. Overseeing Many Projects Every project is reported each month A new project when first reported is first added to an active file and to summary project status board.

11. Project Status Board Each project is identified by name, value, customer, starting date and scheduled completion date. Black triangle denotes date of formal approval of project plan. Black Vertical lines denote the beginning and end of the projects Colour codes indicators are used for technical, schedule, cost and funding status. Black bullet indicates the review meeting.

12. Image required Exhibit 2

13. Summary of Status Boards Identify all active projects Show when a project has started and scheduled to be completed. Indicates whether a program plan has been approved. Tells whether project reviews are taking place. Presents chronological evaluation of the monthly technical, schedule, cost and fundamental status of each project.

14. Method of Implementation First, management put the emphasis on ensuring that a monthly program status report had been submitted for every ongoing project. Initially several project managers expressed hostility towards the approach. Gradually all the project managements were telling the top management where they thought they stood in terms of essential elements Management recognize the need for long term planning

15. Success in Practice In 1962 the system was introduced. In initial 8 months All projects in Red reduced from 33% to 11% Increase in the number of yellow projects indicating that criticalness of the project has been reduced. In September 1964, 77% of the project were in green and 23% in yellow and there were no Red.

16. Increased Understanding Managers will accept responsibility for their projects when the authority to manage them is clearly delegated All projects in green would indicate that the standards are not stringent. Project heads who are bullish and who is bearish are recognized and overoptimism and pessimism is eliminated. Management control process formal planning does not have to come before the reporting and control aspects of the system.

17. Conclusion The system is not complicated nor computerized and it does not cost large amount of money to operate. The system encourages managers to accept full responsibility for the outcome of the respective projects Top management is now able to review quickly a large number of projects and apply its energy to one those need most attention

18. Thank YOU